IPC10 Wadi Rum – 20 Sept. 2011 Agricultural Science & Technology is ‘Stuck in a Rut’
Maarten Stapper BAgSc, AgEng, PhD, FAIAST Climate, Food Security & Biodiversity
How do we “Feed the World” while protecting “The Environment” and solving “Climate Change”?
How do we relate “Sustainability”, “Healthy Soils” and “Carbon Farming” to the practical problems of Farmers, Scientists & Policy Makers? Food Problems Nutrition of Food & Feed
Chemicals in Food System cause harm: Synthetics poison or confuse most life forms.
Farm gate mineral density down by 30% - 80% Food processing lowers nutrient content & availability Nutrition of Food & Feed
Organic-biological production avoids chemical contamination improves nutrient content and availability rehabilitates landscapes.
These results are ignored by science. Problems in Industrial Agriculture
Loss of soil carbon & biology Soil degradation Chemical resistances Degraded landscapes: biodiversity-water-air Low nutrient density of food Poor animal health – drenches, antibiotics, hormones INPUT dependence = OIL dependence . . . Problems in Industrial Agriculture
World-wide in modern farming we need more and more fertilisers and chemicals to achieve the same yield with lower quality! Green Revolution is stalling.
Decreasing activity of soil microbes leads to increasing dependency on synthetic inputs. Landscape problems
Landscape problems Our current problems……
Created by: unconnected, individual, single factor solutions in parts of the farming system, that confuse the ecosystem, by Separating the science of production and environment within the same ecosystem. and by Separating the science of production and health. Nutrient content of wheat
Rothamsted ResearchBroadbalk, Station, UK Cambridge
also Mg, Fe, Cu Reduction in uptake and distribution of nutrients in plants following glyphosate application Science and our current problems……
Missing links stifle real solutions, science keeps producing band-aids on dead soils while working on symptoms ! Field health
Precision farming? Variable Rate Technology? Genes and Genetic Engineering
GM: bandaids, solving symptoms short term gain – long-term loss Cross-talk between genes and environment G x E x M Conditions determine gene expression Genes switching on-off Epigenetics: DNA doesn’t tell all - memory
GM doesn’t make soils healthy ! Do we need GM?
International assessment about the future of agriculture, sponsored by the UN:
“GM crops will not play a substantial role in addressing the key problems of climate change, biodiversity loss, hunger and poverty”
IAASTD - April 2008
Every Thing is linked with everything else….
gene-cell-tissue-organ- -organism-group-paddock-ecosystem- -earth-space micro- meso- macro-level Interactions cascading through the system to resist change or recover from it, many links in the chain: if change too big system collapse!
Agricultural Science and Policy
Influenced by: Group Thinking Peer review Peer pressure
R&D not just more but how . . . Constructing Knowledge – Finding Truth
R&D generates Oceans of Data, Rivers of Information, Pools of Knowledge, and a few Drops of Wisdom.
What Knowledge? Whose Truth? Learning to interpret what is happening How to obtain better solutions?
No problem will be solved with the same level of thinking that created it in the first place.
Albert Einstein We need New Thinking: Holistic Management for New Systems: Biological Agriculture with Peak Oil and Changing Climates Move from Problems to Opportunities . . . Ecosystems – Natural Biological Systems
Focus from mechanism to organism Healthy humans, animals & plants Nutrient dense food from Healthy Soils Biodiversity – self-regulation Landscape – ecosystem services Hydrologic cycle – water availability Mineral cycle – nutrient availability R & D in Agro-Ecosystems
Systems too complex for all links to be quantified by science
Shapes & relationships in nature are not in fixed patterns.
When we insist on controlling nature, we are interfering with nature’s rhythms. Wicket problems . . . http://permacultureprinciples.com/index.php Holmgren, Telford Elaine Ingham, SFI for Healthy Soils
Cyanobacteria, Algae Soil Foodweb Institute Objective Biological Systems Science Results depend on: Hypothesis to be tested, experimental design & questions asked, data collection & analysis. B i o s e n s i t i v i t y What we can see and want to see influenced by aspiration, needs, belief, habits, experience, insight, perceptions, speculation, assumptions and expectations. Spirituality Complementing Science
Albert Einstein (adapted)
TheThe intuitiveintuitive spiritspirit isis aa giftgift fromof Nature God. The rational brain is its servant. We have created a society that worships the servant and has forgotten the gift. Keep Moral and Ethical Framework Every Thing is linked with everything else ...
Subtle energy, life force Catalyst deficient < Balance > toxic
Symbiosis
Synergy Whole System = more than the Sum Whole – Holistic – Healthy R&D – Local Knowledge – Landcare
What Knowledge? Whose Truth? Biological-organic farming: ‘Caught not taught’ learn to see, learn to interpret Awaken Biosensitivity . . . . Local innovator with ‘green thumb’, intuition, sensing & in tune with nature. Change Habits and Methods current paradigm – new paradigm We don’t know what we don’t know known certain – uncertainty – new certain belief – change – new belief Involves examination between: mind and heart logic and feeling reasoning and intuition Conviction and Passion overflow and are intertwined Future Farming Challenges & Opportunities Holistic, Ecological principles for Landscape, Agriculture and Food: Learn by doing – ‘green thumb’ Local Knowledge Network Quantify System Outcomes Identify Problems for Participatory Research – Community involvement – P E R M A C U L T U R E Feeding the World, Biodiversity & Climate Thank You
With thanks to David Marsh, Christine Jones, Bev & Ron Smith, Adrian Lawrie, Elaine Ingham, Rhonda & Bill Daly, Colin Seis, Peter Andrews, Brian Walker, Stuart Hill, Arden Anderson, David Holmgren. DVD pack with 4 talks & field walk by Maarten Stapper: “Step Into Biological Farming – New Thinking & Management for Healthy Soils with Biology & Carbon” for $110 order at http://BioLogicAgFood.com.au [email protected]