The issue of energy and greenhouse gas in agriculture

As the fossil energy stocks decrease, food needs are among all of the social needs the second most demanding in terms of energy consumption. The IMF forecasts oil prices will reach $100 a barrel before 2030, while Patrick Artus (Ixis Asset Management Group) expects it to rise to $380 by 2015.

Activities related to agriculture depend directly or indirectly on fossil energy at every step of a product lifecycle. These activities are and will be affected by the rise of the price of oil and thus they will be compelled to innovate.

Global warming and its worldwide impacts are now widely agreed upon by the whole international scientific community. Although agriculture accounts for less than 3% of the GDP, it contributes up to 18% of the greenhouse gas emissions in France. The effects on local production conditions (water regime, temperatures) will modify the agricultural practices (particularly harvesting dates and pest pressure).

La place des émissions d’origine agricole en France, en 2003

En millions de teq CO2 (CITEPA, 2003)

Facing these new challenges, the agricultural sector has a dual position. Indeed, at the same time :
 it contributes to the greenhouse effect ... but it accumulates carbon (in grounds, plants et growing trees)
 it consumes fossil energy ... but it supplies substitutes (biofuels, bio textiles, biomaterials, green chemistry…)

After the recent sanitary crises the agricultural world was held responsible for, the role that agriculture has to play in these crucial questions could initiate new relationships between agriculture and the society.