Industrial Agriculture
The application of industrial thinking to the world’s food systems has led us into a War on Nature, and ways of thinking that pit food systems against natural systems. This has resulted in the continuing pollution and degradation of air, water and earth to the point where the collapse of food supplies and the collapse of ecosystems go hand-in-hand. The negative impacts of unsustainable agricultural practices are causing social and environmental problems on a massive scale, and will make it increasingly difficult for future generations to feed themselves.
Most large-scale efforts to reverse the worst outcomes, and improve life for the worst-affected communities, support the very approaches that exacerbate the underlying problems. According to UNCTAD (UN Conference on Trade and Development) the agro-industrial ‘green revolution’ model followed in parts of Asia and Latin America did improve yields. But this was at the expense of a damaged environment and deep indebtedness for many small farmers.
With a similar green revolution to improve agricultural outcomes being attempted in many regions of Africa, UNCTAD examined the potential for an alternative approach using organic agriculture (defined as a holistic production system based on active agro-ecosystem management rather than on external inputs). They concluded that organic methods are equal to or better than most conventional systems, with the potential for existing crops to reach their full potential of two to four times current yields. Crucially, they also concluded that organic is more likely to be sustainable in the longer term.
Natural systems that have evolved over the life-time of the planet demonstrate the essential link between plant fucundity and soil fertility. The Green Revolution increased yields at the expense of the natural fertility of the land. Alternative methods exist that maintain and even improve the land's fertility for the benefit of future generations.
You can read the UNCTAD Policy Brief on Sustaining African Agriculture here.
Most large-scale efforts to reverse the worst outcomes, and improve life for the worst-affected communities, support the very approaches that exacerbate the underlying problems. According to UNCTAD (UN Conference on Trade and Development) the agro-industrial ‘green revolution’ model followed in parts of Asia and Latin America did improve yields. But this was at the expense of a damaged environment and deep indebtedness for many small farmers.
With a similar green revolution to improve agricultural outcomes being attempted in many regions of Africa, UNCTAD examined the potential for an alternative approach using organic agriculture (defined as a holistic production system based on active agro-ecosystem management rather than on external inputs). They concluded that organic methods are equal to or better than most conventional systems, with the potential for existing crops to reach their full potential of two to four times current yields. Crucially, they also concluded that organic is more likely to be sustainable in the longer term.
Natural systems that have evolved over the life-time of the planet demonstrate the essential link between plant fucundity and soil fertility. The Green Revolution increased yields at the expense of the natural fertility of the land. Alternative methods exist that maintain and even improve the land's fertility for the benefit of future generations.
You can read the UNCTAD Policy Brief on Sustaining African Agriculture here.