Sustainable Food Production
An oatmeal cookie is not merely one oatmeal cookie. Rather, it is the sum total of all the natural resources that it is made of, and all the people and energy that have made it - the crops, the land they’re grown on, the water that’s irrigated them, the farmers who harvested them, the electricity used to process them… all ingredients and processes in between as well as after. An entire food system for each commodity, along with the communities, economies and industries that revolve around them.
Food production generates more than a third of human-caused global greenhouse gas emissions, much of that attributable to land use and conversion. As the world population and consumption increases, we will need to uncover and implement more sustainable ways to feed our ever growing demand for food, with respect to our land and the people who work on them. Here is what that vision could look like:
Both inspired by advances in scientific research and local wisdom, many around the world are learning to embrace and restore our symbiotic relationship with nature when it comes to food. We can care for our ecosystems — regenerating and preserving our lands, waters and air, while empowering our communities and reenvisioning our cities. In doing so, we can reduce emissions, increase climate resilience and achieve food security. At the same time, it is still possible to increase agricultural productivity, improve working conditions and promote livelihoods and social equity. We have proved this to ourselves before.
When we give to nature, she gives back to us, oftentimes with more.
An ARC Video Production::
Writer: Nanticha Ocharoenchai
Illustrator: Maria Demas
Motion designer: Thurein Tint
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