Artificial fertilizers and synthetic pesticides entered the market after World War I and have dominated industrial agriculture worldwide since the 1960s. They promise high yields with minimal labor, particularly through monocultures. Yet the use of chemicals in agriculture has drastic consequences. Traces of pesticides can now be detected everywhere. They threaten biodiversity and human health. This battle against nature—which is also waged using genetic engineering—leads to natural resistance in the targeted plants, insects, and fungi, and is ultimately unwinnable. [28]
Due to its energy consumption and nitrous oxide emissions, synthetic fertilizer is one of the most significant contributors to global warming. Their use disrupts the natural nutrient balance in the soil, makes plants more susceptible to disease, and increases nitrate levels in groundwater. Excesses of these fertilizers cause water bodies to suffocate and lead to dead zones along many of the world’s coastlines.
The alternative to chemical pesticides is agroecological and organic methods, which increase soil fertility by building up humus. Mixed cropping and diverse crop rotations instead of monocultures, as well as a variety of targeted individual measures, help to avoid the use of pesticides. These methods are usually more labor-intensive and require more knowledge and care. But they are worthwhile for the climate, biodiversity in the fields [29], and the quality of the products. [30]
The use of pesticides has been on the rise worldwide for many years. There is no end in sight to this trend. [31]
