The role of Agriculture for Healthy and Thriving Biodiversity
Agriculture and biodiversity are inextricably intertwined. Healthy crops require fertile soils, beneficial insects such as pollinators, the genetics of the crops themselves, and protection from pests that will damage or compete with the crop.
At the same time, ensuring a safe and secure food supply involves changing how the natural environment and resources are used, which has an impact on biodiversity.
Glyphosate is actually an important tool for helping farmers preserve the environment and biodiversity.
Without glyphosate, farmers would need to rely on plowing (or what is known as tillage), a weed control technique that turns over the soil. Tillage typically requires the use of heavy farm machinery which increases fuel consumption and causes soil disruption, both of which release greenhouse gases, like CO2, that contribute to climate change.
Disrupting the soil can also cause erosion, allowing vital nutrients to be washed away with the soil.
Glyphosate-based herbicides help enable farmers to control weeds with little or no tillage, which dramatically reduces the carbon footprint and helps farmers maintain healthier soil.
In addition, fewer weeds mean crops have less competition – so farmers can produce their harvests with fewer natural resources. Protecting crops from weeds helps to preserve land so it can be used for forage and habitat for wildlife [1].