We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Eco-Farming Can Double Food Production in 10 Years

from Climate and Capitalism.

I am not a trained scientist, nor have I surveyed scientific literature to see if this research has been peer reviewed and approved, but the fact that it has been endorsed by the UN and translated into four other languages in addition to English leads me to believe that it has credibility. 

So, proceeding with some confidence that the findings are correct, what do you think the chances are that any action will be taken to implement them to prevent the current millions of people from starving to death each year? They are nil...that is, they are nil as long as the current system of capitalism exists. Why? In the words of one expert quoted in the article:
Private companies will not invest time and money in practices that cannot be rewarded by patents and which don’t open markets for chemical products or improved seeds.”
Thus, he calls for public funding and philanthropy to step in. What chance is there for that happening with the increasingly aggressive neo-liberal strategies of the ruling classes? NIL. The only hope for working people the world over is to deconstruct the capitalist system and create a system that promotes the best science to serve the health, welfare, and happiness of everyone.
 

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