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  • From: "Tradingpost" <tradingpost@lobo.net>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] UN Says Global Farm Methods 'Recipe for Disaster'
  • Date: Sun, 17 Oct 2010 20:14:34 -0600


UN Says Global Farm Methods 'Recipe for Disaster'
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/10/16-0
Saturday, October 16, 2010 by Agence France Presse


GENEVA - The United Nations top official on the right to food has called for
wholesale changes in farming methods to safeguard the environment and ensure
everyone has enough to eat.

Olivier De Schutter, the UN special rapporteur on the right to food, said in
a statement to mark World Food Day that there is currently "little to rejoice
about," and "worse may still be ahead."

"As a result of climate change, the yields in certain regions of sub-Saharan
Africa are expected to fall by 50 percent by 2020 in comparison to 2000
levels. And growing frequency and intensity of floods and droughts contribute
to volatility in agricultural markets."

"Current agricultural developments are ... threatening the ability for our
children's children to feed themselves," he said. "A fundamental shift is
urgently required if we want to celebrate World Food Day next year," he added.

De Schutter said the emphasis on chemical fertilisers and a greater
mechanisation of production was "far distant from the professed commitment to
fight climate change and to support small-scale, family agriculture."

In addition, "giving priority to approaches that increase reliance on fossil
fuels is agriculture committing suicide," he said.

"Agriculture is already directly responsible for 14 percent of man-made
greenhouse gas emissions -- and up to one third if we include the carbon
dioxide produced by deforestation for the expansion of cultivation or
pastures.

De Schutter said that pursuing the current approach would be "a recipe for
disaster."

Instead there should be a global promotion of low-carbon farming, he said,
adding that "agriculture must become central to mitigating the effects of
climate change rather than a large part of the problem."

"Low-technology, sustainable techniques may be better suited to the needs of
the cash-strapped farmers working in the most difficult environments," De
Schutter said.

"They represent a huge, still largely untapped potential to meet the needs
and to increase the incomes of the poorest farmers."

Climate change and agricultural development must be thought of together,
instead of being dealt with in isolation from one another, De Schutter urged.

"To do so, we need to resist the short-termism of markets and elections.
Development of longer-term strategies through inclusive and participatory
processes could and should clearly identify measures needed, a clear time
line, and allocation of responsibilities for action."

"What today seems revolutionary will be achievable if it is part of a
long-term, democratically developed plan, one that will allow us to develop
carbon-neutral agriculture and to pursue everyones enjoyment of the right to
food through sustainable food production systems."

The 30th celebration of World Food Day on Saturday has the slogan: "United
against hunger."

The main issues in focus are rapidly increasing demand for food commodities
and changing climates that affect abilities to produce food.





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