Agriculture global

Breman, H. Rob Groot, J.J. and H. Van Keulen (2001) Resource limitations in Sahelian agriculture.- Global Environmental Change 11, 59-68. 

Without implementation of land-use policies that preserve cultivable land and promote sustainable agriculture, global agricultural production is unlikely to be able to keep pace with the world population, which is increasing by more than 90 million people per year. 

Agriculture is the largest industry for sulfur consumption. Historically, the production of phosphate fertilizers has driven the sulfur market. Phosphate fertilizers account for approximately 60% of the sulfur consumed globally. Thus, although sulfur is an important plant nutrient in itself, its greatest use in the fertilizer industry is as sulfuric acid, which is needed to break down the chemical and physical stmcture of phosphate rock to make the phosphate content more available to plant life. Other mineral acids, as well as high temperatures, also have the abiUty to achieve this result. Because of market price and availabiUty, sulfuric acid is the most economic method. About 90% of sulfur used in the fertilizer industry is for the production of phosphate fertilizers. Based on this technology, the phosphate fertilizer industry is expected to continue to depend on sulfur and sulfuric acid as a raw material. 

Agriculture consumes by far the most of any use category to which the accessible mnoff worldwide is appHed (Table 6). Postel and co-workers estimate that human uses make up 26% of total terrestrial evapotranspiration and 54% of the mnoff geographically and temporally accessible (9). Increased use of evapotranspiration will confer minimal benefits globally because most of the land suitable for rain-fed agriculture is already in production. New dam constmction could increase accessible mnoff by about 10% over the next 30 years however, population increase during that period is projected to be more than 45%. 

The agricultural emissions of NjO have been recognized as contributors to a loss of fertilizer for many years, but only recently has the global signihcance of the agricultural NjO emission been treated as an important global issue. " ... 

A global interdisciplinaiy network with deep roots in business, manufacturing, consumer affairs, research and education at all levels. Has particular strengths in the agricultural, food, pharmaceutical, water, construction, energy and environmental product and service areas. 

How have agriculture and deforestation changed the global rates of nitrogen fixation and denitrification How can increased agricultural productivity be sustained without using industrially produced fertilizers ... 

Plate 3. Global soil regions. (Courtesy of US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Soil Survey Division, World Soil Resources.)... 

Bahri A (1999) Agricultural reuse of wastewater and global water management. Wat Sci Tech 40(4-5) 339-346... 

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