Showing posts with label Asia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Asia. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
East Asian Culture Highlighted
The morning of Day Three began with a cultural presentation from the East Asian participants. A traditional Korean song was performed, as well as a song from Okinawa, Japan, and a photo slideshow from Yunnan Province, China. The participants showed that while there are many similarities and linkages between the East Asian countries, there are also differences. One example was the unbiquitous eating utensil - chopsticks! The lengths are different from Korea, to Japan, to China, even though their purpose is the same. From this we can see that we are unique, but also linked together.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Streams of Struggles: People’s Movements, Resistance and Alternatives
Food Sovereignty: Erpan Faryadi (AGRA Indonesia and the Asian Peasants Coalition)
Food sovereignty is at the heart of the work of PAN AP and its partner organizations, and represents local struggles for land, genuine agrarian reform and the people’s right to make decisions surrounding food production, consumption, trade and the environment. The Asian Peasant Coalition (APC) is an Asia-wide coalition of at least 20 million farmers, landless peasants, fisherfolks, agricultural workers, dalit, indigenous people, herders, pastoralists, women and youth representing 21 organizations from 8 countries. Their work towards genuine food sovereignty is one of local, national and international urgency, especially in the context of climate change and the food crisis.
Rice shortages are occurring across Asia, reportedly the worst in the last three decades, and in many places the price of food is skyrocketing, placing the most vulnerable in situations of food insecurity. Added to this are issues such as deforestation, neoliberal imperialist policies, hunger, landlessness and vulnerability of the people. The APC strongly believes that implementation of genuine agrarian reform is the ultimate solution to the food crisis. Governments should also control food prices, stop importation, give full support to rice productivity program and withdraw its membership to WTO.
Erpan Faryadi's presentation was followed by a presentation by Dr Irene Fernandez of Tenaganita on Gender Justice in Agriculture, which highlighted the special role of women in food production.
There was also a presentation on Climate Justice by Don Marut.
Following the presentations was a panel discussion 'Sharing Grassroots Experiences and Best Practices' in which Dr Charito Medina of MASIPAG, Vijay Jardhari of BBA and Sun Jing of PEAC shared their rich experience from many years of work. Participants were able to ask questions and make comments, showing the diversity and depth of knowledge present among the conference's participants.
Food sovereignty is at the heart of the work of PAN AP and its partner organizations, and represents local struggles for land, genuine agrarian reform and the people’s right to make decisions surrounding food production, consumption, trade and the environment. The Asian Peasant Coalition (APC) is an Asia-wide coalition of at least 20 million farmers, landless peasants, fisherfolks, agricultural workers, dalit, indigenous people, herders, pastoralists, women and youth representing 21 organizations from 8 countries. Their work towards genuine food sovereignty is one of local, national and international urgency, especially in the context of climate change and the food crisis.
Rice shortages are occurring across Asia, reportedly the worst in the last three decades, and in many places the price of food is skyrocketing, placing the most vulnerable in situations of food insecurity. Added to this are issues such as deforestation, neoliberal imperialist policies, hunger, landlessness and vulnerability of the people. The APC strongly believes that implementation of genuine agrarian reform is the ultimate solution to the food crisis. Governments should also control food prices, stop importation, give full support to rice productivity program and withdraw its membership to WTO.
Erpan Faryadi's presentation was followed by a presentation by Dr Irene Fernandez of Tenaganita on Gender Justice in Agriculture, which highlighted the special role of women in food production.
There was also a presentation on Climate Justice by Don Marut.
Following the presentations was a panel discussion 'Sharing Grassroots Experiences and Best Practices' in which Dr Charito Medina of MASIPAG, Vijay Jardhari of BBA and Sun Jing of PEAC shared their rich experience from many years of work. Participants were able to ask questions and make comments, showing the diversity and depth of knowledge present among the conference's participants.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Share Your Thoughts on the Climate Crisis
Asia is particularly vulnerable to the climate crisis. According to the UN, Asia is the region most affected by natural disasters, almost 70% of which are climate-related. We have been experiencing the effects of climate change in the form of erratic rainfall, unpredictable flooding, rising sea levels, storms and hurricanes, droughts, rapid snow melt, mudslides and other climate variations. All of this is affecting our food production, its diversity and the quality of our crops and seeds. In fact, the majority food producers – small peasants, fisherfolk, pastoralists and gatherers - are the worst sufferers from the effects of climate change.
In the international discussions and agreements on climate change, agriculture has been identified as one of the causes of climate change. What do you think about this? Are small farming systems based on low- or no-chemical inputs contributing to climate change? If the answer is no, then we need to speak out. We need to emphasize that high input, chemically intensive, export-oriented agriculture is leading to cash crop monocultures and adding to the problems of climate change.
In fact, industrialization of agriculture has been adding to the climate crisis in several ways: through the establishment and operation of chemical-producing and polluting factories and through extensive fossil fuel-based road, air and sea transportation to carry both agriculture inputs and outputs (food products) over long distances (known as food miles). It is clear that if we wish to address the climate crisis, we need to have less corporate agriculture. But what is the alternative?
Biodiversity-based ecological agriculture (BEA), local food production and local consumption are practical solutions for mitigating as well as adapting to the climate crisis. These practices release lower amounts of greenhouse gases and allow the soil, water and air to recoup. Consumption of locally produced food minimizes transportation costs – both in terms of money and food miles. Moreover, locally and ecologically produced food is fresh, healthy and nutritious, and provides livelihood options for small food producers. Overall, this helps build community resilience against the impacts of climate change on food and the economy.
What are your thoughts on agriculture and the climate crisis? How should we address these problems? What are some strategies for promoting BEA and local food consumption? How can we promote safe, healthy, local food and link it to national and international advocacy initiatives?
Do you think people are becoming more concerned about the food they are eating and how it is reaching them? Do you feel the need to promote healthy local food availability? Do you feel it necessary to tell people what eating packaged food from the supermarket really means? Do you notice people missing some old food habits and items which have either been lost or are difficult to find, which need to be revived? Perhaps some traditional and local crops which were tasty and nutritious or were possible to grow in arid or flood conditions even? Do you think local food consumption would help local food producers? Is there a need to bring local food producers and consumers together?
Are you doing anything about it?
Please post your thoughts, comments, concerns and ideas. We’d welcome on this blog any information from your region – on climate change impacts, local resilience initiatives, ecological agriculture, safe food habits, local food traditions lost that need to be revived, including photographs.
In the international discussions and agreements on climate change, agriculture has been identified as one of the causes of climate change. What do you think about this? Are small farming systems based on low- or no-chemical inputs contributing to climate change? If the answer is no, then we need to speak out. We need to emphasize that high input, chemically intensive, export-oriented agriculture is leading to cash crop monocultures and adding to the problems of climate change.
In fact, industrialization of agriculture has been adding to the climate crisis in several ways: through the establishment and operation of chemical-producing and polluting factories and through extensive fossil fuel-based road, air and sea transportation to carry both agriculture inputs and outputs (food products) over long distances (known as food miles). It is clear that if we wish to address the climate crisis, we need to have less corporate agriculture. But what is the alternative?
Biodiversity-based ecological agriculture (BEA), local food production and local consumption are practical solutions for mitigating as well as adapting to the climate crisis. These practices release lower amounts of greenhouse gases and allow the soil, water and air to recoup. Consumption of locally produced food minimizes transportation costs – both in terms of money and food miles. Moreover, locally and ecologically produced food is fresh, healthy and nutritious, and provides livelihood options for small food producers. Overall, this helps build community resilience against the impacts of climate change on food and the economy.
What are your thoughts on agriculture and the climate crisis? How should we address these problems? What are some strategies for promoting BEA and local food consumption? How can we promote safe, healthy, local food and link it to national and international advocacy initiatives?
Do you think people are becoming more concerned about the food they are eating and how it is reaching them? Do you feel the need to promote healthy local food availability? Do you feel it necessary to tell people what eating packaged food from the supermarket really means? Do you notice people missing some old food habits and items which have either been lost or are difficult to find, which need to be revived? Perhaps some traditional and local crops which were tasty and nutritious or were possible to grow in arid or flood conditions even? Do you think local food consumption would help local food producers? Is there a need to bring local food producers and consumers together?
Are you doing anything about it?
Please post your thoughts, comments, concerns and ideas. We’d welcome on this blog any information from your region – on climate change impacts, local resilience initiatives, ecological agriculture, safe food habits, local food traditions lost that need to be revived, including photographs.
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