Context

• As emphasised by the World Bank, the intertwined crises of food insecurity and energy poverty present one of the most significant challenges of the 21st century.
• Both sectors face individual and systemic threats, yet their interconnected nature magnifies the complexity of the problem and the agricultural sector, critical for human survival, simultaneously contributes to and suffers from energy dependency and climate change.
• Therefore, it is imperative to explore the strain on food and energy systems, highlighting the economic and environmental vulnerabilities they face, and potential pathways toward a sustainable future.

The Dual Strain on Food and Energy Systems

• Impact of Climate Change
  • Food production and energy systems are increasingly strained by climate change, population growth, and systemic inequalities.
  • Agriculture consumes nearly 70% of global freshwater resources and contributes over 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
  • This sector’s heavy reliance on fossil fuels for irrigation, mechanisation, fertiliser production, and transportation perpetuates environmental degradation.
  • At the same time, rising temperatures and erratic weather patterns disrupt agricultural output, threatening the livelihoods of 2.5 billion people globally.
• Geopolitical Challenges
  • Similarly, the energy sector faces geopolitical tensions, outdated infrastructure, and a slow transition away from fossil fuels.
  • Despite a $500 billion investment in renewable energy in 2022, short-term economic and geopolitical pressures have sustained high fossil fuel consumption.
  • Nations such as the United States, Brazil, and Guyana continue expanding oil and gas production, exacerbating energy and food system vulnerabilities.

A Detailed Analysis of Agriculture’s Fossil Fuel Dependency and Its Consequences

• The Role of Fossil Fuels in Agriculture
  • Mechanisation, irrigation systems, and transportation networks depend on oil, diesel, and coal-based electricity.
  • Additionally, fertilisers, which are critical for boosting crop yields, are predominantly produced using natural gas.
  • Approximately 80% of natural gas in agriculture is used as a feedstock for ammonia synthesis, a key ingredient in nitrogen-based fertilizers, while the remaining 20% powers the energy-intensive production process.
• Price Volatility and Food System Vulnerabilities
  • The close link between energy prices and agricultural costs creates a cascade of vulnerabilities and when fossil fuel prices rise, production costs for farmers increase dramatically.
  • Fertiliser prices are highly sensitive to natural gas costs, for example, geopolitical actions such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 triggered spikes in global energy prices, which reverberated through agricultural supply chains.
  • Fertiliser costs surged, leading to increased food prices and putting millions at risk of hunger, especially in low-income nations with limited resources to absorb such shocks.
  • For countries like India, which imports 60% of its diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilisers, this led to delays during critical cropping seasons, undermining food security and agricultural productivity.
• Environmental Consequences of Fossil Fuel Dependency
  • Fertiliser production and transportation are major sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
  • The heavy use of synthetic fertilisers leads to nitrous oxide emissions, a potent greenhouse gas, and causes soil degradation and water pollution through runoff.
  • Mechanised farming practices reliant on fossil fuels worsens these issues, contributing to a vicious cycle of environmental harm and reduced long-term agricultural productivity.

Inequities in Energy Access and their Impact

• The unequal access to energy systems disproportionately affects low-income nations, where unreliable power grids and limited resources hinder agricultural productivity.
• In sub-Saharan Africa, for instance, fertiliser usage per hectare remains far below the global average, contributing to chronic food insecurity.
• Despite spending $1.9 billion on fertilizer imports in 2021, double the expenditure of 2016, many African nations remain trapped in cycles of low productivity and high dependency on imports.
• Furthermore, the transition to renewable energy remains uneven.
• High-income countries installed 83% of new renewable capacity in 2022, leaving low-income nations dependent on outdated, carbon-intensive systems.
• While solutions like solar-powered irrigation and biomass energy hold promise for transforming agriculture, their high costs and inadequate infrastructure limit widespread adoption in vulnerable regions.

Competing Demands on Agriculture and Economic and Environmental Costs of Inaction

• Competing Demands on Agriculture
  • In addition to feeding a growing global population, agriculture faces the added responsibility of supporting the energy transition through biofuel production.
  • This dual role often pits food security against energy needs, as biofuel cultivation consumes vast land and water resources.
  • With nearly 12% of the global population experiencing hunger, prioritising energy production over food raises ethical questions.
• Economic and Environmental Costs of Inaction
  • Ensuring basic caloric needs for the world’s most vulnerable populations would require $90 billion annually until 2030, while transforming global food systems could cost $300 billion to $400 billion annually, just 0.5% of global GDP.
  • However, for low-income nations, these figures are staggering, often surpassing 95% of GDP in some cases.
  • Food insecurity could cost the global economy trillions in lost productivity and adverse health outcomes, while climate-induced energy disruptions threaten to destabilise entire regions.
  • For example, Africa’s mineral wealth, critical for renewable energy technologies, is often extracted without benefiting local economies, perpetuating poverty, and underdevelopment.

Way Forward to a Sustainable Future

• A Call for Inclusive Solutions
  • Despite record investments in renewable energy, the expansion of fossil fuels continues unabated, compounding environmental and economic costs.
  • To address these intertwined crises effectively, clean energy solutions must overcome structural barriers to inclusivity, ensuring that vulnerable communities are not left behind.
  • Renewable energy technologies like solar-powered irrigation and decentralised biomass systems offer opportunities for sustainable agricultural transformation but require targeted investments and infrastructure development.
• Reimagining Agriculture for a Sustainable Future
  • The twin crises of food and energy insecurity demand a fundamental shift in global priorities.
  • Agriculture must be reimagined as a cornerstone of sustainable development rather than merely a source of sustenance.
  • Achieving this vision requires significant investments in renewable energy, equitable resource distribution, and the inclusion of marginalized communities in decision-making processes.
• Breaking the Fossil Fuel Dependency
  • Addressing agriculture’s reliance on fossil fuels requires a multi-faceted approach. Transitioning to renewable energy sources is crucial.
  • Technologies like solar-powered irrigation systems, wind-driven farm equipment, and decentralised biomass energy production hold the potential to revolutionise agricultural practices.
  • For instance, solar-powered pumps can reduce the dependence on diesel for irrigation, while biogas plants can convert agricultural waste into sustainable energy.

Conclusion

• Agriculture’s dependence on fossil fuels is a pressing issue that threatens food security, exacerbates economic inequalities, and accelerates environmental degradation.
• As the clock ticks, the question remains: will the world rise to meet this moment of unprecedented challenge and opportunity?
• By addressing food and energy insecurity as interconnected priorities, humanity can chart a course toward a more equitable and sustainable future.