Industrial Agriculture And The Broken Water Cycle

“People are beginning to realise that we need to live in accordance with the law of ecology, the law of finite resources, and if we don't, we're going to go extinct” — Paul Watson

When left to itself, nature can maintain its own balance without external interference. If human beings are removed from the planet, it would within no time restore its equilibrium with respect to flora, fauna and animals. Of course, that is not a possibility because humans are here to stay and mess up with nature in their endeavour to cater for the explosive population that now occupies Earth. Since the nineteenth-century Industrial Revolution brought in mechanised farming which by itself was not harmful but deviating from normal agricultural practice has caused multifarious problems, chief among which is the disruption of the planet’s water cycle.

According to experts, disturbance of the water cycle is the principal cause of environmental disasters that include flash floods, droughts and rapidly declining groundwater levels that have dropped from 20 to 30 feet below surface to over 300 feet. This means that a sizeable volume of water that was supposed to stay underground now flows freely in the atmosphere causing weather chaos. Its presence below the earth’s surface vouched for natural climate stability.

For those who are not aware, industrial agriculture is a large-scale, high-tech system of crop and livestock production, the main purpose of which is to maximise yields through methods like monoculture, chemical fertilisers and pesticides, genetic modifications etc. These technologies have transformed simple agricultural processes into industrial operations that tend to take on the garb of corporate entities with a handful monopolising the entire agricultural sector. With higher costs and lower yields for smaller farmers and poorer countries, these groups have made them hostage to their nefarious money-making networks and are also responsible for environmental degradation, animal exploitation and potential health risks.

 A system that can transform agricultural land and enable it to absorb water to maintain a suitable temperature for the growth of lush vegetation is probably the only solution to regenerate the Earth’s water cycle, which has existed for billions of years

At this juncture, it is important to understand the natural water cycle as it existed before the industrial agricultural insanity. As explained by those who know, soil was not just dirt, it was a living, breathing sponge with full-fledged biological activity enriched with organic matter. Every drop of rain found its way to the vast underground reservoirs. Foliage above ground helped to keep ground temperatures low while springs, rivers and lakes were fed by the water below. This cycle allowed the atmosphere to retain suitable moisture for allowing farmers to confidently depend on nature’s predictable behaviour, especially with respect to cultivation.

By resorting to excessive and extreme agricultural practices, human beings have essentially destroyed the topsoil layer and plant cover, exposing the nascent earth to blazing solar radiation, raising temperatures to an extent that converts water into vapour, which deprives the ground of moisture where it is most needed to precipitate as rainstorms in distant lands. Besides, the soft permeability of topsoil has been rendered hard by heavy-weight farm machinery like tractors, preventing absorption of moisture, which is fundamental to crops.

It may be noted that displaced water, which eventually condenses, becomes a ruthless force as it converts into torrential downpours instead of retaining its predictable, gentle character, built over thousands of years. People today are familiar with the devastating effects of storms and floods that defy natural drainage systems, destroy man-made structures, and take away precious lives. On the other hand, render the once fertile lands dry and unproductive.

Is there a solution to resolve this disturbed water cycle? As per Asif Sharif, founder of Payedar Qudrati Nizam e Kasht (PQNK or natural crop raising system) and a selfless crusader to enrich (in all possible sense) Pakistan with his tremendous knowledge of agriculture: “PQNK regenerates soil, mitigates climate challenges because of healthy condition of crops, saves over 80% water, uses minimum farm machinery that reduces over 80% emissions and stores CO2 in soil as SSC (sustainable soil carbon).”

In a detailed PowerPoint presentation, he offers four crucial steps to restore the Earth’s water cycle. These are:

1. Break the hardpan with specialised equipment that cut 18 to 24 inches deep. These can shatter the impermeable layers that are currently choking the soil. As these tools slice through compacted earth, they restore pathways for water to flow back where nature intended.
2. Create permanent raised beds that prevent soil inundation and waterlogging. These raised beds serve multiple functions: they ensure proper drainage during heavy rainfall while maintaining soil structure, prevent compaction from future equipment traffic, and create optimal growing conditions by managing both water infiltration and retention.
3. Plant cover crops for living mulch, allowing them to grow to a full height of approximately six feet, developing an extensive root network that naturally restores soil pores essential for water seepage, aeration, and microbial activity.
4. After the first cover crop is mulched, cash crops can be planted one after another directly into the same permanent raised beds without ever disturbing the soil structure. (PQNK, Four-Step Natural Ecosystem Restoration)

It is most unfortunate that we are unable to benefit from the knowledge, wisdom and experience of seers when they are more than willing to assist private parties and governments in handling crop production while simultaneously helping to improve the ecological balance. A system that can transform agricultural land and enable it to absorb water to maintain a suitable temperature for the growth of lush vegetation is probably the only solution to regenerate the Earth’s water cycle which has existed for billions of years.