Food Security and Food Security and Local Food Local Food Systems Systems
Climate Change Leadership 19/3 2012Center for Sustaianable Development (CSD)
Caroline Loohufvud, Human Geographer, Urban and Rural Farmer
What is the problem?
Global GHG emissions among other problems…
• Agricultural emissions , produced on farms: 11-15 % of GHG• Land-use change, deforestation etc: 15-18 % of GHG• Processing, packaging, transportation etc: 15-20 % of GHG• Wastage: 2-4 % of GHG• IN TOTAL Global food system: 44-57 % of GHG
(Food and Climate Change: The Forgotten Link, Grain 2011)
A food system dependent of fossil fuels (almost all energy used in farming is fossil)
• Production of chemical fertilisers 40 % • Tilling/Ploughing 30 %• Harvesting 20 %
(Edens lustgård tur och retur – framtidsvägar till ett hållbart naturbruk, KSLA, 2008)
Today (Sweden)• 50 % of food is imported • 80 % of fodder is imported • 93 % of the land is farmed with chemical pesticides & fertilizers
How did we get here
• Access to cheap energy
• Increased mechanization & technical development
• Chemical pesticides & fertilizers
• Industrialization & ‘rationalizations’
• Development of refrigerators & freezers
• Increased road infrastructure to manage transportation
• The evolution of big cities
• Weakened interconnectedness with nature, push for low price food
Global challengesPopulation growth
We are expected to be 8 billion in 2030,
9 billion in 2050
UrbanizationToday 1/2 live in cities, 2050 2/3 will
Overuse of planetary resources
Phosphorus a.o.
Climate change
Energy scarcity; peak-oil, -coal & -gas
Tomorrow?Energy crisisClimate changesFood scarcity
Transition TownsMore local production & consumptionMore cooperations & small companies
Solutions and ways forward• Small scale & labour intense organic farming• Agro-ecology
Diversified cropping systemsIncorporation of perennials: trees, bushes, wild vegetation etcReintegration of crop and animal productionNutrient recirculation
• Seasonal diet• Self-sufficency of greens
Urban Agriculture & Gardening
ForagingPreserving
• Local markets and cooperatives• Cookalong parties & Growalong networks
Food sovereignty &
security
The potential of UA
• Closer relationship between production & consumption
Less wastage
None or short transports
Fresh nutritious food
Food security/food sovereignty
• Smaller scale
Effective land use Effective recycling of organic waste
Biological diversity & resilience
CO 2 sink
More transparent food system, open to public control
Social coherence & sustainable lifestyles
Job opportunities
Swedish gardens, 300 000 hectares vegan diet for 4 millions of people mixed diet for 10 millions of people if vegetables are completed with animalic protein.
For example there are in Sweden 400 000 hectares of non-used land that could procuce as much meat as Sweden now imports (120 000 tons/year)
Growing Power - A Model for Urban Agriculture http://youtu.be/vs7BG4lH3m4 3,03
Growing Power.mov http://youtu.be/ozvrp_uTH98 2,54
Urban Initiatives, Urban Farming Movement in Detroithttp://youtu.be/xzoxjWdg-4c12,16 (5->)
Questions for future climate leadersCan a true environmentalist eat meat? Can a true environmentalist be vegan?
Can a true environmentalist drink alcohol? Use make up?Fly airplane?
Reproduce agriculture? Save civilization?
Have children? If so, how many?
Should food self-sufficiency be a goal for a region or country?Is trade in food acceptable? If so, how much?
Do more people in society need to work with food production?How much potential is there for urban agriculture?
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