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Anti-Capitalist Meetup: Is This Working? [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2023-12-03  

GDP is correlated with energy consumption, which has been tied to greenhouse gas emissions.

We know the sources of the greenhouse gasses. That knowledge has yet to yield overall reductions in emissions, but increasing investment in renewables might be impactful in coming years.

Even if it does, we still have to deal with other waste, such as plastic, along with degradation of ecosystems and limitations in terrestrial and marine production. In short even if we can decouple economic growth from CO 2 emissions, our environment remains at risk.

We likely cannot have eternal growth. Is saying we need degrowth not acceptable to some? It may well happen whether we like the labels or not. It will be much better if we accept, plan and prepare rather than continuing as we are towards more nationalism, immigrant bashing and autocracy.

Focusing on agriculture, leading researchers have concluded that we will need 70% more production to feed the world. This is due not only to growing populations, but also communities seeking more protein as they develop. Those experts could advocate for less meat and more vegetable protein for all, including in G7 countries, but instead they assume that we won't change and that others will adopt or diets. The question is whether we will be forced to change our diets by nature.

That figure was captured from this recording on getting smart about climate.

Western agriculture being focused by commodity markets is dominated by mechanisation and variety selection, which promote heavy industry and intellectual property. Those practices can be parts of sustainable food production, but much more is required.

To finish, here is a more recent video on climate smart agriculture presented at COP26.

Technology intensive agriculture with mechanisation, fertilization and variety selection can be used along with agoecology, nature farming and traditional practices for more productive and sustainable systems. It can be good for farmers, consumers and environments.

Sustainable food and agriculture are at the heart of 2030 development goals. Agroecology is key component promote pracites to increases productivity and biodiversity

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization has taken lessons around the world in Farmer Field School. Local cultures and conditions are important determinations of success. Here are a few of these lessons.

Selecting varieties for local climate zones is important everywhere. Farmers also benefit with technology to inform and guide farmers on varieties to select. Further lessons have been learned and applied in specific situations.

In Zambia, dominant maize monoculture can be diversified, mechanisation and fertilization improve yields and decrease labor. These solutions need to include all farmers, including the 40% who are women.

A Senegal situation started with a more diverse production system in which primarily women produce food in market gardens. With climate change there is less water, more pests and more diseases. For improvements, Farmers work with soil fertility, productivity, reforestation, and agroecological practices. They also

address gender, gender violence, leadership, and access to resources. These approaches solved 95% of problems with Farmer Field School training also providing women with autonomy. Currently, they are seeking to add systems for less chemical inputs and more organic production.

In Senegal, community based approaches have been equity based with farmer champions to deliver messages. Interventions depends on specific local agroecological and cultural conditions

In Ecuadorian Amazon, indigenous Kichwa women lead agriculture and Kichwan practices that empower women and produce food sustainably. Each family works with local stores to produce food and sustain ecosystems.

The UN and USAID are promoting these diversifying practices in developing nations abroad. Many of these lessons also hold at home. We need to incorporate these lessons back home before climate change and international relations force us to change our intensive high consuming habits.

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