But moving forward, the ideal would be to achieve a new paradigm in which high-yielding crops are less reliant on fertilizer.
Today, agriculture accounts for 25% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, in part due to farming’s reliance on nitrogen fertilizer. To be sure, chemical fertilizer has enabled billions of people to eat and live, and without it, the fabric of society would crumble. But moving forward, the ideal would be to achieve a new paradigm in which high-yielding crops are less reliant on fertilizer. New approaches currently in development encourage growth while also protecting the planet.