A colorful tapestry for sustainable agriculture | Martin Hartmann | TEDxZurich

Agricultural intensification is threatening the functioning of our soils as the basic life support system of our planet. Organic agriculture has the potential to regenerate our soils, but it alone cannot meet the global food demand. Future sustainable agriculture therefore requires a colorful tapestry of different solutions to meet global food demand while preserving our planet. Martin Hartmann is a Senior Scientist at ETH Zurich and a distinguished researcher specialized in microbial ecology and soil science. His research centers around the pivotal role of soil biodiversity for the functioning of agroecosystems and the impact of human activities and climate change on this vital resource. His primary interest lies in leveraging microbial functions to enhance soil health and promote sustainable crop production. As lecturer at ETH Zurich, he is passionate about educating the next-generation of scientists. Dr. Hartmann is the Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of Soil Biology and a member of the International Society for Microbial Ecology. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@jxxyjxx752]

A 15% reduction in crop yield might seem irrelevant when considering that organic standards prohibit farmers from using high-yielding varieties (HYVs). In this context, is it truly logical to compare HYVs with heirloom varieties and attribute yield reduction solely to organic farming practices? The loss of biodiversity has led to the disappearance of numerous microorganisms in farmers' fields. However, organic standards prevent the reintroduction of such microbes, protecting the clause that restricts the use of certified products. Therefore, it can be concluded that outdated organic standards are detrimental to organic farmers,

[@HMicrobiome]

The 15% yield reduction under organic farming in the mentioned long-term field trial is based on using the same crop varieties under both organic and conventional management. Thus, this has nothing to do with HYVs being prohibited in organic systems. However, the yield gaps were highly crop-dependent, with high penalties for potatoes and equivalent yields for soybean. See doi:10.1016/j.fcr.2023.109072 for more details. This yield gap is in agreement with what has commonly been observed for organic systems across the globe as shown in the meta-study doi:10.1016/j.agsy.2023.103732.

[@user-wy9xc6mi6q]

we are falling short, demand , need for housing, safety, clean air, clean water, also... ty

[@ookeybookey7955]

I wish he would've talked about the fully vegan world bit.

[@Human_Herbivore]

Please don't ignore the fact that animal agriculture means grazing, housing and above all the feeding of ten times as many farmed animals as humans. This clearly means that animal agriculture is doing the things you mention to the soil. We know that we'd save over 75% of current farm land if we all switched to a plant based diet. Please don't continue with the misrepresentation you did of plant based eating and organic farming compatibility with that.
All that is before we consider how all those farmed animals are using far more fresh water and producing far more waste than humans.
Clearly, the only sustainable way of feeding the world is plant based.

[@wexpmedia5889]

People aren’t going vegan enough. The population is less than 2%. We need a solution that is actually plausible like transforming livestock production

[@Human_Herbivore]

@@wexpmedia5889 it will all probably take both. If anyone does not go vegan because the system isn't, they are deflecting their own choices on others.

[@HMicrobiome]

This is not what I was saying. I fully support the role of a plant-based diet in developing more sustainable food systems, but it is important to recognize the challenges of aligning a fully vegan approach with organic farming. The main issue lies in sourcing nutrients sustainably. We need more organic fertilizers and less reliance on agrochemicals to promote soil health. However, incorporating these nutrients through methods like green manure and compost presents challenges, such as efficiently transferring nutrients from non-crop areas and technical difficulties and potential nutrient losses during composting processes. In the end, it will be a nitrogen problem. This means that a fully vegan world might heavily rely on synthetic fertilizers, which are energy-intensive, pollute groundwater, and impoverish soil biodiversity. Check this resource here (10.1038/s43016-021-00276-y) for some detailed calculations regarding the global option space of organic farming, which is what I was talking about. Please also have a look at this great thesis about the option space to establish a fully vegan diet globally (10.21256/zhaw-24859). Let's stick to facts and cite the sources.
Ultimately, we are facing trade-offs. Addressing these complexities requires a multifaceted approach, leveraging technology to reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizers and improve soil health while minimizing resource demands. Sustainable global food systems will require a blend of different approaches to address all the challenges.