The last 50 years have witnessed a revolution in agriculture; sometimes referred to as the “green revolution.” Practically speaking it amounts to the industrialization of agriculture, with the promotion of monocultures of hybrid and genetically-modified (GM) seeds, use of machines and industrial chemical inputs.
Industrial agriculture is by far the most energy INEFFICIENT system of food production. Industrial agriculture is tremendously destructive of soils and water resources, of the nutritional content of food and of the natural balance in the environment. The water-borne runoff of manure, fertilizer and agricultural poisons are unbalancing and endangering life on a global scale.
Everywhere in the world where the industrial agricultural system and the “green revolution” have spread, soil damage and finally soil death are occurring. Even in areas where the industrial agricultural system has not spread, soil health is still declining because of hybrid pollution (pollution of air, water, soil, acid rain, ozone holes, greenhouse gases, radiation). All these forms of pollution combine to destroy the top six inches of soil on which all life depends.
But even though soil health is declining, crops continue to be raised by injecting artificial fertilizer into the soil, by using constantly innovative varieties of hybrid seeds and now, of greater concern, GM seeds. However, this process is masking the actual biological deterioration of the planet’s soils.
As a result of this progressive deterioration, per hectare production of food grains is decreasing.
Scientists have no solutions for stopping this deterioration and improving the soil without doing more harm.