TY - JOUR
T1 - New investments in phosphorus research and training are paramount for Brazilian long-term environmental and food security
AU - Rasera Raniro, Henrique
AU - Papera, Jéssica
AU - Urbano José, Lucas
AU - Valença, Rodrigo Maia
AU - Sergio Pavinato, Paulo
AU - Hermann, Ludwig
AU - Santner, Jakob
N1 - This paper is a collaboration with other members of the RecaP network.
PY - 2023/9
Y1 - 2023/9
N2 - Brazil is an agricultural giant that plays a crucial role in the Global Phosphorus Challenge (GPC), and whose highly weathered soils are currently dependent on phosphorus (P) fertilizers derived from phosphate rock, a dwindling and critical resource. Brazil imports > 50% of its P fertilizers and P recovery from waste is not yet explored in the country, making it vulnerable to market instabilities, phosphate rock availability, and geopolitical conflicts. To make matters worse, Brazilian research budget has been shrinking for 7 years straight, hindering scientific efforts and causing significant ‘brain drain’, further undermining the country’s capacity to tackle this critical problem. However, an opportunity comes with the new Brazilian Federal government (starting January 2023), which promises to make significant investments in science and higher education. We call for all stakeholders to seize this important moment and timely collaborate in creating multidisciplinary P-related projects, taking advantage of the soon-to-be available resources to develop knowledge, technologies, and training networks to shape a new generation of experts in P management in the tropics. We are confident that through agriculture intensification, intelligent use of resources, new legislation and governance, Brazil will stride towards sustainable food production, bringing immediate value to Brazil and the world by protecting the Amazon forest and advancing to overcome the GPC.
AB - Brazil is an agricultural giant that plays a crucial role in the Global Phosphorus Challenge (GPC), and whose highly weathered soils are currently dependent on phosphorus (P) fertilizers derived from phosphate rock, a dwindling and critical resource. Brazil imports > 50% of its P fertilizers and P recovery from waste is not yet explored in the country, making it vulnerable to market instabilities, phosphate rock availability, and geopolitical conflicts. To make matters worse, Brazilian research budget has been shrinking for 7 years straight, hindering scientific efforts and causing significant ‘brain drain’, further undermining the country’s capacity to tackle this critical problem. However, an opportunity comes with the new Brazilian Federal government (starting January 2023), which promises to make significant investments in science and higher education. We call for all stakeholders to seize this important moment and timely collaborate in creating multidisciplinary P-related projects, taking advantage of the soon-to-be available resources to develop knowledge, technologies, and training networks to shape a new generation of experts in P management in the tropics. We are confident that through agriculture intensification, intelligent use of resources, new legislation and governance, Brazil will stride towards sustainable food production, bringing immediate value to Brazil and the world by protecting the Amazon forest and advancing to overcome the GPC.
KW - Brazil
KW - Investments
KW - Phosphorus
KW - Research
KW - Sustainability
KW - Training
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85149915631&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10669-023-09903-4
DO - 10.1007/s10669-023-09903-4
M3 - Journal article
SN - 2194-5403
VL - 43
SP - 504
EP - 508
JO - Environment Systems and Decisions
JF - Environment Systems and Decisions
IS - 3
ER -