Ozone and Smart Agriculture: World Ozone Day 2021

What is Ozone Day and why is it relevant to agriculture?

Ozone is a layer of gas in the upper atmosphere that serves as a shield for the world against harmful UltraViolet radiation that comes from the sun. The harmful rays can cause diseases to crops and also affect the climate of a region which is an important factor in farming.

This Ozone day lets understand the depletion of the Ozone layer, that is mainly caused by Chlorofluorocarbons [chemical compounds of Chlorine, Fluorine and Carbon], Nitrogenous compounds and other chemicals which react with the atmospheric Ozone and destroy it. Human activities produce a large surplus of these harmful gases that tips the balance of natural Ozone restoration in the atmosphere.

Agriculture indirectly contributes to Ozone depletion mainly because of overuse of pesticides and fertilizers that produce nitrogenous compounds when decomposing. Being one of the major activities around the globe that continues to expand to meet the growing demand, instituting sustainable changes in farming can reflect positively on the environment while making your agribusiness profitable and thriving.

Other activities where agriculture has a role to play, that depletes Ozone are emissions from

• • Refrigeration of agricultural produces
  • Production and Processing activities
  • Transportation and Storage facilities

World Ozone Day

The United Nations instituted 16th of September to be celebrated as the International Day for the preservation of the Ozone Layer to commemorate the Montreal Protocol of 1987 which took a firm stand to reduce activities that lead to ozone depletion. This year’s World Ozone Day is based on the theme: Keeping us, our food, and vaccines cool!

How do those of us in the field of agriculture do our bit to conserve the ozone layer?

A Farm Management Software!

A Farm Management Software (FMS) is programmed to optimize the use of resources and reduce wastage and emissions. Trace Agtech is a farm software solutions provider who can help you achieve your Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while also increasing productivity and profitability. Here’s how:

• • Optimal usage of Resources: A Farm Software is programmed to make the best use of available resources which checks the overuse of chemicals, fertilizers and pesticides during the farming activity. These chemicals require a long time to decompose and produce harmful gases, like Nitrous Oxide, but the FMS uses only what is essential and hence reduces the emissions from the farming activity.
  • Reducing carbon footprint: A Farm Management Software is programmed to identify the most feasible way of production that uses locally available raw materials and gets maximum yield out of them. This not only reduces cost but also reduces the transportation and storage activities that would be required for long haul shipping. Thus there is a decline in fuel consumption and vehicle emissions.
  • Eliminating unnecessary chemical usage: agribusiness companies forgo the usage of strong chemicals in food products to increase their shelf life, which is not only harmful for health but also for the soil and environment into which its waste is absorbed. Modern organic farming does not advocate such activities which are against international legislation as well.
  • Conforming to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) : SDGs are specific goals set up by the United Nations aimed at reducing the harmful effects of corporate institutions on the planet. Confirming these goals is a responsible way to tackle climate change and support sustainable development.

Conclusion

This year’s Ozone Day professes the theme of Keeping us, our food, and vaccines cool. Refrigeration and Air Conditioning creates a major amount of Chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere that disintegrates the Ozone Layer. It is imperative to follow a sustainable approach and plan the farm activities correctly so that we can avoid over use of chemicals, long term storage of unplanned and excess production, etc. And an Farm Management Software is the best way to do that. After all, only if we save the world now, will we be able to serve it in the future.