Using knowledge-based management for sustainable phosphorus use in China

• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152739
• Publication Date: 2021-12-31T02:34:51Z
• Authors: Haiqing Gong; Yue Xiang; Jiechen Wu; Peteh Mehdi Nkebiwe; Gu Feng; Xiaoqiang Jiao; Fusuo Zhang
• Keywords: 2. Zero hunger; China; Conservation of Natural Resources; 0211 other engineering and technologies; Agriculture; Phosphorus; 02 engineering and technology; 15. Life on land; Crop Production; Food Supply; 12. Responsible consumption; 13. Climate action; Teknik och teknologier; 11. Sustainability; Engineering and Technology; Fertilizers

Sustainable phosphorus (P) management presents challenges in crop production and environmental protection; the current understanding of chemical P-fertilizer manufacturing, rock phosphate (RP) mining, P loss within supply chains, and strategies to mitigate loss is incomplete because of a fragmented understanding of P in the crop production supply chain. Therefore, we develop a knowledge-based management theoretical framework to analyze P supply chains to explore ways to mitigate China's P crisis. This framework connects upstream P industries and crop production, addressing knowledge gaps and stakeholder involvement. We demonstrate the potential to improve P use efficiency in the supply chain, thereby mitigating the P crisis using optimized P management. Our results showed that P footprint and grain production demand for RP can be reduced without yield penalty using a crop-demand-oriented P supply chain management that integrates P use in crop production, P-fertilizer manufacturing, and RP mining. Food security and P-related environment sustainability can be achieved by sharing responsibility and knowledge among stakeholders.