Food & environment IV: Sustainability

In this last part about food & environment, I will write about sustainable agriculture, including both animal and plant production.

Like you might have seen in my former posts, the production of animal and plant products relies on monoculture, mechanization, chemical pesticides and fertilizers, biotechnology, and government subsidies, which has made food abundant and affordable, but it has come at a big ecological and social price.  

Fortunately, many people are trying their very bests to find alternative solutions to build up a sustainable agriculture. Important points that are taken in consideration to create a sustainable agriculture are the following:

Conservation and preservation:The conservation of the soil and water must be more important than the productivity, which means that the lands should not be considered as an industry. Also, it should be avoided that the generation of contaminants and residues are a higher rate than the capacity to break them down and their recycling should be promoted

In addition, reduce the hidden costs generated by the use of fossil fuels and substitute them, if possible, by renewable energy recourses and increase the efficiency of their use.

Biodiversity: Necessary measures should be taken to protect the local animal and plant biodiversity.

Grow many different types of crops (polyculture), in combination with having livestock, and use the method of crop rotation which will enrich the soil and help prevent disease and pest outbreaks.

Use organic fertilizers instead of chemical ones and tackle plagues through biological control and not through chemical products.

Animal welfare: animal must be treated with respect and humanity, and cared for properly. they will recieve food which corresponds to their naturla diet, and are allowed to carry out their natural behaviour, like grazing, pecking, socializing and walking around. 

Economically viable: farmers are paid adequate wages. To be more sustainable over the long-term, labor must be acknowledged and supported by government policies.

Socially just: Workers are treated fairly and paid competitive wages and benefits. They work in a safe environment and are offered proper living conditions and food.

Of course, these are all things the agricultural sector should do, but what can WE, the consumers, do?

In first place, we must educate ourselves; get to know what sustainability is, what industrial farming is, why sustainability is preferable to industrialized agriculture, what are the most important issues

In second place start asking questions. Ask where you can buy local or sustainable raised food, ask how the animal whose meat you’re eating has been treated, ask if the vegetables you eat have been genetically modified, treated with chemicals etc. all these questions will help yourself to know where you can best buy your food

In third place; act! Buy your food at local farms, trough farmers markets and /or community supported agricultural groups. If you have space in your garden, or even just on your kitchen windowsill, grow your own crops.  Also try to get involved in the community supported agricultural groups, tell your friends and family about the importance of sustainability.

And in last place; be conscious of what you buy. You don’t need 300 grams of meat a day. You don’t need to eat 5 times a week fish, nor do you need to eat enormous quantities of vegetables. The secret is in balance. Get to know the amount of nutrients you body needs, and don’t go above that. Eat a healthy, balanced diet.

I will put down here some websites about sustainable agriculture:

http://www.moviments.org.es Moviments is a Spanish association which promotes conscious consumption. They buy food which has been produced in an ecologically, sustainable and commercially just way, and you can buy that food from them for reasonable prices. They are currently active in La Marina Alta and La Safor.

http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/concept.htm information about sustainable agriculture

http://www.sustainabletable.org/intro/ information about sustainability, with many links to other sites about where to get sustainable products, how to participate, even recipes.

http://www.sustainabletable.org/spread/handouts/3_Easy_Steps.pdf three helpful steps if you want to support a sustainable food system

http://www.ideas.coop/ a fair trade organization, whose mission it is to build a more just and sustainable world promoting fair trade, responsible consumption and a solidarity economy.

I hope this will be of some help. If you know any more websites about sustainability, just leave a comment ;)