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  • From: <pbunch@cox.net>
  • To: Healthy soil and sustainable growing <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] UN Says Global Farm Methods 'Recipe for Disaster'
  • Date: Mon, 18 Oct 2010 12:33:50 -0700

Yet another argument for the rapid implementation of a steady state economy.
This is a key part of the puzzle.

---- Tradingpost <tradingpost@lobo.net> wrote:
>
> 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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