Technology Without Wisdom

Abstract

Despite impressive increases of crop yields during the second half of the 20th century, several environmental concerns such as water contamination by pesticides, accelerated soil erosion, biodiversity reduction, and emission of greenhouse gases (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O) are attributed to agriculture intensification. The world population of 6.5 billion now and 10 billion by the end of the 21st century must be fed, degraded soils must be restored, quality and quantity of fresh water must be enhanced, biodiversity must be increased, the global warming must be brought under control, and human equity must be achieved. It is heartening to realize that the answers to these questions lie in judicious and sustainable management of world’s soils. However, success in this mission will depend on our ability to learn from the past mistakes. The problem is not with the technology, but with its abuse. It was over fertilization, overuse of pesticides, excessive application and use of poor quality of water and free electricity for pumping the irrigation water, excessive and unnecessary plowing of fragile soils on sloping terrains, landforming with bulldozers and construction equipment, extractive farming practices that create negative nutrient balance, and soil mining for brick making that have caused the problems. Soil scientists have the knowhow to make the desert bloom. Important technological innovations to achieve this include no-till farming with residue mulch and cover crops, judicious use of fertilizers and integrated nutrient managements, precision farming to meet soil specific needs, water harvesting and recycling along with drip irrigation, retiring marginal lands for nature conservancy and restoring wetlands, and using integrated watershed management approaches to improve water resources. Misusing any technology is a blunder that the world cannot afford, not anymore. Nine blunders of humanity are listed, including seven identified earlier by Mahatma Gandhi.