Improved phosphorus use efficiency in agriculture: a key requirement for its sustainable use

The document highlights the unsustainability of the current linear phosphorus flow from finite fossil reserves to agriculture, which leads to resource depletion and water pollution. It proposes reducing phosphorus application through optimized land use, improved fertilizer techniques, and modified livestock management, while advocating for policy-driven recycling of phosphorus from organic wastes.

• The current linear movement of phosphorus from mines to consumption is unsustainable because phosphate rock reserves are finite, and over-application leads to phosphorus becoming agronomically inactive or polluting surface water.
• Agricultural phosphorus requirements could be significantly reduced without compromising crop yields by implementing a combination of optimized land use, better fertilizer recommendations and application techniques, and adjustments to livestock diets and densities.
• To ensure sustainability, the replacement of phosphorus exported from farms should transition to being fully based on phosphorus recovered from wastes, supported by policy measures.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2011). Improved phosphorus use efficiency in agriculture: a key requirement for its sustainable use. https://www.sei.org/publications/improved-phosphorus-use-efficiency-in-agriculture-a-key-requirement-for-its-sustainable-use/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Improved phosphorus use efficiency in agriculture: a key requirement for its sustainable use. 2011. https://www.sei.org/publications/improved-phosphorus-use-efficiency-in-agriculture-a-key-requirement-for-its-sustainable-use/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Improved phosphorus use efficiency in agriculture: a key requirement for its sustainable use |date=20 July 2011 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/improved-phosphorus-use-efficiency-in-agriculture-a-key-requirement-for-its-sustainable-use/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2011improved, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Improved phosphorus use efficiency in agriculture: a key requirement for its sustainable use}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2011}, month = jul, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/improved-phosphorus-use-efficiency-in-agriculture-a-key-requirement-for-its-sustainable-use/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }