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  • From: "Tradingpost" <tradingpost@lobo.net>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security in an Era of Oil Scarcity
  • Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2009 20:14:46 -0700


New book: "Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security in an Era of Oil
Scarcity"
http://www.energybulletin.net/node/47775
Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security in an Era of Oil Scarcity
Julia Wright, Earthscan 2009

When other nations are forced to rethink their agricultural and food
security strategies in light of the post-peak oil debate, they only have
one living example to draw from: that of Cuba in the 1990s. Based on the
first and - up till now - only systematic and empirical study to come out
of Cuba on this topic, this book examines how the nation successfully
headed off its own food crisis after the dissolution of the Soviet Bloc in
the early 1990s.

The author identifies the policies and practices required for such an
achievement under conditions of petroleum-scarcity and in doing so,
challenges the mainstream globalized and privatized food systems and food
security strategies being driven through in both industrialized and more
vulnerable developing regions. Paradoxically, the book dispels the myth
that Cuba turned to organic farming nationwide, a myth founded on the
success of Cuba's urban organic production systems which visitors to the
country are most commonly exposed to. In rural regions, where the author
had unique access, industrialized high-input and integrated agriculture is
aspired to for the majority of domestic production, despite the ongoing
fluctuations in availability of agrochemicals and fuel.

By identifying the challenges faced by Cuban institutions and individuals
in de-industrializing their food and farming systems, this book provides
crucial learning material for the current fledgling attempts at developing
energy descent plans and at mainstreaming more organic food systems in
industrialized nations. It also informs international policy on sustainable
agriculture and food security for less-industrialized countries.

About the author(s)

Dr Julia Wright has worked for over 20 years in sustainable and organic
agriculture research and development. She is currently Head of Programmes
at Garden Organic (formerly the Henry Doubleday Research Association) in
the UK, and on the steering committees of the Bioregional Development
Group, Transition Town Leamington, and Canalside Community Foods CSA.





  • [Livingontheland] Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security in an Era of Oil Scarcity, Tradingpost, 01/20/2009

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