Food Futures Now

By Dr. Mae-Wan Ho

A rapid and significant shift from conventional, industrial, monoculture towards sustainable production systems is needed, says a new discussion paper from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) [1].

This follows on the heels of a report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Olivier de Schutter, demonstrating that agroecology or eco-farming can double food production in entire regions within 10 years while mitigating climate change and alleviating rural poverty [2].

These two new papers confirm what we have found in our comprehensive report released in 2008 [3] (Food Futures Now: *Organic *Sustainable *Fossil Fuel Free...

Experience from Cristine Jones

In addition to enhancing nutrient availability, carbon performs many other functions in soil, including the maintenance of soil porosity, aeration and water-holding capacity.

Glenn Morris (Morris 2004) extensively researched the water holding capacity of humus (an extremely stable form of soil carbon) and concluded that within the soil matrix, one part of soil humus could, on average, retain a minimum of four parts of soil water.

From this relationship it can be calculated that an increase of 16.8 litres (almost two buckets) of extra plant available water could be stored per square metre in the top 30 cm (12”) of soil with a bulk density of 1.4 g/cm3, for every 1% increase (in absolute terms) in the level of soil organic carbon.

EL GRANJA FAMILIAR

By Emilia Hazelip

Soil is created by living plants working with microorganisms, and by the plants' residues and the microorganisms' corpses after their death.

Soil is drained of nutrients by cultivation, NOT by plants.

Tilling and cultivation of any sort diminishes the natural fertility of the soil in three ways:

THE FAMILY FARM

Yeomans and the City Forest.

If my analysis of the landscape design of Nature; of soil and landscape processes, and of the bastardisation of agriculture, are correct; the only answer to the depravity and destruction of our environment and for the consequent inhumanity of society is a re-union of mankind with the natural landscape and the ways of Nature.

Firstly, it is proposed that the City Forest be the major step for the cities; secondly; all country towns should be redesigned to include their own City Forest in preparation for increased population, and thirdly, there is THE FAMILY FARM, and the redesign of the whole farming landscape. Fourthly is the need for the creation of new cities.

START AT YOUR BACK DOOR AND WORK OUTWARDS

This weekend workshop is designed to support the student to understand the principles and practice of bio-construction and intensive food gardens. You will have the opportunity to learn simple theory, to work on a straw bale house, and to implement an organic garden. Join us on a tour of four design sites for survey and analysis on Sunday and Monday.

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