The Food Crisis & the 'Buy Local' Movement
by Jo delAmor
There is a major crisis brewing all over the planet due to skyrocketing food costs. This crisis is the result of many factors coinciding to create a high demand for rice, the world’s main staple food crop. The rise in petroleum prices, the diversion of arable land for ethanol production and crop damage due to severe weather have all been implicated as contributing factors. In addition to these three recent changes in the global food market, another longer term contributing factor must also be looked at.
The Green Revolution
The term Green Revolution refers to the significant and controversial change in agricultural technologies that began after WWII. The introduction of petrochemical fertilizers & pesticides, high yielding varieties (HYVs) of cereal crops, industrial irrigation systems and large-scale farm equipment were intended to boost crop yields and tackle world hunger. Crop yields rose significantly at first but hunger worldwide did not abate.
Inequity in access to farm inputs and food products allowed hunger to persist and the class gap to widen. Large-scale agribusiness quickly began to replace small scale farming, provoking massive rural to urban migrations worldwide and increasing the effects of poverty on the world’s poorest people.
Green Revolution agricultural practices have also had major negative environmental impacts. Long term use of intensive monoculture cultivation, continual planting of HYVs, excessive irrigation and petrochemical applications have destroyed soil health in most of the planet’s arable lands. Crop yields that were steadily increasing during the 1970s and 80s began to plateau in the 1990s while continuing to require more and more fertilizer inputs. In many cases farm input costs are outstripping production, forcing the mid sized farms to yield to the newly developed Super Farms.
For a more detailed look at the implications of the Green Revolution, I recommend this article by Food First executive director, Peter Rosset PhD.
Think Globally, Eat Locally
The environmental and economic devastation of Green Revolution practices has inspired a strong and growing grassroots movement to create sustainable food systems all over the world. The development and application of innovative and effective new approaches to food growing and distribution are providing hope for recovering from this dire situation. Among them are Community Supported Agriculture, Permaculture, Sustainable Agriculture and the Slow Food Movement.
These methods and systems are in place and growing. As we each begin to raise our awareness and choose to support the growth of these new sustainable approaches their strength will grow and they will become ever more viable. Most of the food that Americans eat travels 1,500 miles from farm to table, is industrially processed and was grown with large amounts of petrochemicals. It’s no secret that petroleum is an expensive and dwindling precious resource. By making the choice to eat local food we can significantly reduce our carbon footprint while supporting local economy, becoming much healthier and having a better awareness and understanding of our food supply.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a socioeconomic model of food production, sales, and distribution that allows small scale farmers to be paid directly for their food production efforts. Consumers pay in advance for a season’s worth of produce and typically receive a box of produce per week throughout the growing season. Becoming involved in a local CSA is a highly effective way of participating in the grass roots local food movement that has the potential to replace the current global food economy. Look for a CSA in your area to begin experiencing the joys of local foods this Spring.
In lieu of CSA involvement you may also find local foods at your community farmer’s market throughout the growing season. When shopping at a grocery store or super market you can pay attention to where your food is coming from. Reading labels or asking the grocer to find out where the food can help you determine the fuel impact it carries.
Here is a great article on the importance of buying local food written by Peter Mann, the international Director of World Hunger Year.
Making the Shift
To learn more about how you can integrate local and seasonal foods into your diet to support this grassroots movement and help ease the food crisis you can schedule a Free Health Consultation with Jo delAmor, Holistic Health Counselor and founder of Radiant Balance. Shifting food and lifestyle habits can be challenging. Yet as we learn more about the changing state of the world many of us are feeling called to do just that. The compassionate and inspiring support of a qualified counselor along with the education received throughout a counseling program ensure success, ease and joy throughout the process.