Wheat Wars and Regenerative Agriculture

The Faculty of Agriculture Academic Staff with Prof M.Gooding

 

This blog post is based on a talk delivered at the Faculty of Agriculture on December 11, 2024, by Professor Mike Gooding, Professor of Crop Science, University of Aberystwyth, UK. The talk explored the complex relationship between wheat and our world. The discussion draws from the book of Gooding and Shewry, 2022*, on how wheat has become such a dominant crop, how this has impacted our society and environment, and some potential solutions. It covers how the wide adoption of wheat has led to significant benefits, like increased food production, while also creating many challenges, including environmental damage and contributing to human conflicts. 

 

 

* Gooding, M. J., & Shewry, P. R. (2022). Wheat: Environment, food and health. John Wiley & Sons.

The Double-Edged Sword: Wheat's Impact on Our World
We've become incredibly reliant on cereal grains, especially wheat, and this has some serious consequences for our health and the environment. It’s easy to see why wheat became so popular: it’s simple to harvest, store, and transport, and it adapts well to different environments. This widespread adoption of wheat, along with other cereals, played a significant role in the development of states and continues to hold importance today.

The Rise of Wheat: A Cycle of Investment
The economic and political significance of wheat has led to massive investment in research, breeding, and technology, creating a positive feedback loop that further increases its status. This focus has produced impressive results. For example, wheat yields have increased by 300% in the last 60 years, significantly outpacing population growth. This has not only met the increasing demands of population growth, but also changing eating habits.

Wheat and Conflict: A Complicated Relationship 

The importance of wheat also makes it a factor in human conflicts. Throughout history, increases in wheat production have been tied to political and military strength, and interruptions in its supply have led to famine, unrest, and even wars. Wheat is also at the centre of other less overt 'wars' that include: Conflicts between trees and grasses

• Nomadic vs. sedentary lifestyles
• State control vs. freedom from it
• Having too much vs. too little
• Healthy vs. unhealthy diets
• Globalism vs. localism
• Resource-rich vs. resource-poor farmers

The Environmental Costs
Despite its benefits, wheat production comes with a high environmental cost. The intensive systems used to produce it cause significant damage, including: Loss and degradation of soil

• Loss of biodiversity
• Pollution of water courses
• Lowering of water tables
• Significant contributions to reactive nitrogen and phosphorus excesses
• Exacerbation of climate change
• Strong selection pressures for herbicide and pesticide-resistant weeds, pests and diseases

  

  The Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Assoc Prof J.Govinden Soulange with Prof M.Gooding
  

Towards a Sustainable Future
Luckily, there are ways to improve the sustainability of food production. Regenerative Agriculture (RA), for example, aims to address soil loss and other issues by focusing on: Reducing soil disturbance

• Keeping soil covered
• Retaining living roots in the soil
• Crop diversification
• Integrating livestock into rotations

These practices, which include mixed farming, can reduce the need for fertilizers and agrochemicals. While the focus is still on increasing wheat yields, it's clear that wheat production can be successful within RA approaches. However, it’s crucial to recognize that changes in both the quantity and quality of production must be accompanied by changes in our diets and efforts to reduce food waste to achieve global sustainability.

In conclusion, while wheat has played a pivotal role in human development, its dominance is not without its challenges. By shifting to more sustainable agricultural practices and adopting a more holistic view of our food systems, we can work towards a healthier planet and a more secure future.