Food Security and Food Security and Local Food Local Food Systems Systems

Climate Change Leadership 19/3 2012Center for Sustaianable Development (CSD)

Caroline Loohufvud, Human Geographer, Urban and Rural Farmer

What is the problem?

Global GHG emissions among other problems…

• Agricultural emissions , produced on farms: 11-15 % of GHG• Land-use change, deforestation etc: 15-18 % of GHG• Processing, packaging, transportation etc: 15-20 % of GHG• Wastage: 2-4 % of GHG• IN TOTAL Global food system: 44-57 % of GHG

(Food and Climate Change: The Forgotten Link, Grain 2011)

A food system dependent of fossil fuels (almost all energy used in farming is fossil)

• Production of chemical fertilisers 40 % • Tilling/Ploughing 30 %• Harvesting 20 %

(Edens lustgård tur och retur – framtidsvägar till ett hållbart naturbruk, KSLA, 2008)

Today (Sweden)• 50 % of food is imported • 80 % of fodder is imported • 93 % of the land is farmed with chemical pesticides & fertilizers

How did we get here

• Access to cheap energy

• Increased mechanization & technical development

• Chemical pesticides & fertilizers

• Industrialization & ‘rationalizations’

• Development of refrigerators & freezers

• Increased road infrastructure to manage transportation

• The evolution of big cities

• Weakened interconnectedness with nature, push for low price food

Global challengesPopulation growth

We are expected to be 8 billion in 2030,

9 billion in 2050

UrbanizationToday 1/2 live in cities, 2050 2/3 will

Overuse of planetary resources

Phosphorus a.o.

Climate change

Energy scarcity; peak-oil, -coal & -gas

Tomorrow?Energy crisisClimate changesFood scarcity

Transition TownsMore local production & consumptionMore cooperations & small companies

Solutions and ways forward• Small scale & labour intense organic farming• Agro-ecology

Diversified cropping systemsIncorporation of perennials: trees, bushes, wild vegetation etcReintegration of crop and animal productionNutrient recirculation

• Seasonal diet• Self-sufficency of greens

Urban Agriculture & Gardening

ForagingPreserving

• Local markets and cooperatives• Cookalong parties & Growalong networks

Food sovereignty &

security

The potential of UA

• Closer relationship between production & consumption

Less wastage

None or short transports

Fresh nutritious food

Food security/food sovereignty

• Smaller scale

Effective land use Effective recycling of organic waste

Biological diversity & resilience

CO 2 sink

More transparent food system, open to public control

Social coherence & sustainable lifestyles

Job opportunities

Swedish gardens, 300 000 hectares vegan diet for 4 millions of people mixed diet for 10 millions of people if vegetables are completed with animalic protein.

For example there are in Sweden 400 000 hectares of non-used land that could procuce as much meat as Sweden now imports (120 000 tons/year)

Growing Power - A Model for Urban Agriculture http://youtu.be/vs7BG4lH3m4 3,03

Growing Power.mov http://youtu.be/ozvrp_uTH98 2,54

Urban Initiatives, Urban Farming Movement in Detroithttp://youtu.be/xzoxjWdg-4c12,16 (5->)

Questions for future climate leadersCan a true environmentalist eat meat? Can a true environmentalist be vegan?

Can a true environmentalist drink alcohol? Use make up?Fly airplane?

Reproduce agriculture? Save civilization?

Have children? If so, how many?

Should food self-sufficiency be a goal for a region or country?Is trade in food acceptable? If so, how much?

Do more people in society need to work with food production?How much potential is there for urban agriculture?