15 Element OF MYSTERY

Phosphorus is critical to global food security, butthere’s a lot we don’t know about using it wisely

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They’re a key ingredient in just about every meal we eat. Whether directly or indirectly, we rely on phosphates for food security. They’re included in the fertilizers that grow crops that we eat or that the animals we eat, eat. As the population grows, it’s expected that food demand will rise 60% between now and 2050. At the same time, phosphorus supplies are running low, and the supply chain is murky, wasteful, and dangerous.

CHAIN OF LOSS

A Stockholm University and University of Iceland study found that somewhere between 80 and 90% of phosphorus is wasted on the way from the mine to the fork. It’s hard to get an accurate measure because, despite phosphorus’ importance, there is a lot unknown about the supply chain.

What is known is that loss occurs every step of the way, so even correcting one area won’t solve the problem. There’s loss during the transportation of phosphorus from mines to processing facilities, there’s loss during the process of making fertilizer, there’s loss during crop fertilization, and there’s loss in the production of food from those crops.

The study encourages more communication and accountability throughout the supply chain. The idea is that if we know more about each step of the process and where phosphates are being lost, stakeholders such as mining companies, fertilizer producers, and farmers can institute measures to make production more efficient and sustainable. Not only will that help them see more of a profit from a precious commodity, it will improve food security worldwide.

IN THE WATER