Food demand is on the rise globally with no slowing down in sight. More demand for meat and dairy, especially in China and other rapidly growing economies, means more demand for fertilizers. While our bodies only need around 0.4 kg of P each year, we are mining 22.5 kg of phosphate rock for each person’s diet.

Water and energy are now considered critical for meeting future food demand of a growing population. However there is little or no mention of future phosphorus scarcity as a key factor limiting future food security. Yet without phosphorus, there would be no food, or any life on earth.

There is currently no single international body responsible for managing global P resources in the long-term, unlike oil, water and nitrogen.

excerpts from:

Cordell, D. (2007), More Nutrition per Dropping: From Global Food Security to National 'Phosphorus Sovereignty', poster presented at workshop 'International Targets and National Implementation', World Water Week 2007, August 2007, Stockholm. http://www.worldwaterweek.org/stockholmwatersymposium/bestposteraward_07.asp

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