14 May 2022

Climate Change, Food System, and Alternative Agriculture

With the shared vision and mission on promoting ecological system and tackling climate change catastrophe, TOA worked together with ICE network to organized a training on Climate Change, Food System, and Alternative Agriculture, the key message of the problem and the way forward were presented:

• Our food system- including changes in land use (80%) linked to agriculture- is currently responsible for a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change. Meat and dairy production alone already release as much greenhouse gas emissions as the transport sector. If we do nothing, by 2050 gas emissions from the food system will represent over half of the total global emissions associated with human activities.
• * 30 percent of livestock breeds are at risk of extinction; six breeds are lost each month. Source: FAO. 1999
• * Today, 75 percent of the world’s food is generated from only 12 plants and five animal species. Source: FAO. 1999
• * Currently, our world’s food system, from seeds to plate, is under the control of the “Big 4” agricultural chemical and seed corporations
• Corporate’s Gain Vs People’s pain
  • The Big 4 Ag companies control more than 60% of global seed sales
  • More meat. More heat. More pollution. Intensifying climate crises.
  • More expensive food. More debts for farmers. Why farmers are still suffering?
  • Less variety of plants. Less biodiversity. More diseases.
  • Unhealthy people. Unhealthy planet.

Greenpeace, South East Asia

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• What we choose to eat can change the world: PEOPLE STRATEGIES
  • Stop corporate control over food system (investment agreement, free trade in foods, IPRs on seed, etc.).
  • People’ control over seed and biodiversity.
  • Sustainable agriculture
  • Farmer market & Local food promotion
  • Community planning for food self sufficiency
  • City farm
• Supporting food sovereignty network
  • Promoting sustainable production
  • Local seeds exchange
  • Farmers green markets
  • Sustainable school lunches
  • Promoting perennial (tree) vegetables
• Promoting farmers green markets
• Promoting local seeds, Seed Diversity
• Policy advocacy
  • Sustainable Agriculture Bill
  • Banning of highly hazardous agricultural pesticides
  • Monitoring and advocating on policies that affect agriculture and the food system.

Food for Change

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FOOD SOVERIEGNTY AND CLIMATE CHANGE IN BHUTAN

• Many of the chemical fertilizers used are banned in several countries: Phosphamidon is banned in 49 countries, Phorate in 37, Triazophos in 40 and Monocrotophos in 60.
• Farmers in Punjab are caught in the debt trap owing to the loan taken to meet the high cost of farming, as it demanded more external inputs such as fertilisers, pesticides and water. These led to increasing instances of suicide by farmers.”
• The govt authorities allowed new bio-tech giants, like Monsanto (US company), to sell their new seed creations. In return, India was granted International Monetary Fund loans in the 1980-90s, helping to launch an economic green revolution.

Climate Change in Bhutan

• Glacial Lake Melting due to Climate Change-Bhutan is located on a fragile mountain ecosystem.  Bhutan is the most vulnerable nations in the world to the impacts of the climate change despite having contributed the least to its causes.
• Hydro electricity is one of the major drivers of our economy which is extremely climate sensitive and is under threat.
• Agriculture in another important driver of our economy which is extremely climate sensitive and is under threat – flash floods, windstorms, landslides, drying up water sources, crop damage pests, human-wildlife conflict due to decrease in natural food resources in the forests.

Bhutan Soul Farmer

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Combatting Climate change through Metta

• Paradigm Shift: No more Ego Centric thinking – Today the Covid-19 virus showed us the “power pyramid” is no more valid.
• Shift to Eco Centric thinking (Metta for Mother Earth)
• Everything in ecosystem is interconnected
• connect with Nature with loving kindness!!
• Respect All beings!! Combat Climate Change!!!

Eco Friendly Volunteers (ECO-V)

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Young farmers

• Coming Home and Growing Inspiration, an educational youth farm as a creative space and living camp
• Co-Create, Fun- Food- Friends
• Think Globally and Act Locally, Promote Community Seed Bank, Local Seed

Climate Adaptation

• Pets and Diseases, Pets control technique
• Breeding new varieties to adapt to climate change
• Adapting to unexpected rainstorm, the aerial garden

Mekong Nomad Organic Farm

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