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Uniformity Diversity JUNE 2016 FROM UNIFORMITY TO DIVERSITY A paradigm shift from industrial agriculture to diversified agroecological systems FROM UNIFORMITY TO DIVERSITY A paradigm shift from industrial agriculture to diversified agroecological systems Lead Coordinating author: Emile A. Frison Citation: IPES-Food. 2016. From uniformity to diversity: a paradigm shift from industrial agriculture to diversified agroecological systems. International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food systems. www.ipes-food.org 2 REPORT 02 FROM UNIFORMITY TO DIVERSITY Key messages Today’s food and farming systems have succeeded in supplying large volumes of foods to global markets, but are generating negative outcomes on multiple fronts: wide- spread degradation of land, water and ecosystems; high GHG emissions; biodiversity losses; persistent hunger and micro-nutrient deficiencies alongside the rapid rise of obesity and diet-related diseases; and livelihood stresses for farmers around the world. Many of these problems are linked specifically to ‘industrial agriculture’: the input-in- tensive crop monocultures and industrial-scale feedlots that now dominate farming landscapes. The uniformity at the heart of these systems, and their reliance on chemi- cal fertilizers, pesticides and preventive use of antibiotics, leads systematically to nega- tive outcomes and vulnerabilities. Industrial agriculture and the ‘industrial food systems’ that have developed around it are locked in place by a series of vicious cycles. For example, the way food systems are currently structured allows value to accrue to a limited number of actors, reinforcing their economic and political power, and thus their ability to influence the governance of food systems. Tweaking practices can improve some of the specific outcomes of industrial agricul- ture, but will not provide long-term solutions to the multiple problems it generates. What is required is a fundamentally different model of agriculture based on diversify- ing farms and farming landscapes, replacing chemical inputs, optimizing biodiversity and stimulating interactions between different species, as part of holistic strategies to build long-term fertility, healthy agro-ecosystems and secure livelihoods, i.e. ‘diversi- fied agroecological systems’. There is growing evidence that these systems keep carbon in the ground, support bio- diversity, rebuild soil fertility and sustain yields over time, providing a basis for secure farm livelihoods. Data shows that these systems can compete with industrial agriculture in terms of total outputs, performing particularly strongly under environmental stress, and delivering production increases in the places where additional food is desperately needed. Diversi- fied agroecological systems can also pave the way for diverse diets and improved health. Change is already happening. Industrial food systems are being challenged on multiple fronts, from new forms of cooperation and knowledge-creation to the development of new market relationships that bypass conventional retail circuits. Political incentives must be shifted in order for these alternatives to emerge beyond the margins. A series of modest steps can collectively shift the centre of gravity in food systems. REPORT 02 FROM UNIFORMITY TO DIVERSITY 3 Table of contents The challenge: shifting the centre of gravity in food systems ………………………………………………………………… 6 The need for systemic change …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 8 Two ends of a spectrum: industrial agriculture and diversified agroecological systems ………………10 SECTION 1 What are the outcomes of industrial agriculture and diversified agroecological systems? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………13 1.a. Outcomes of specialized industrial farming ……………………………………………………………………………………15 1.a.i. Productivity outcomes ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………15 1.a.ii. Environmental outcomes ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 17 1.a.iii. Socio-economic outcomes ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 22 1a.iv. Nutrition and health outcomes ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 27 1.b. Outcomes of diversified agroecological systems ……………………………………………………………………… 31 1.b.i. Productivity outcomes ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 31 1.b.ii. Environmental outcomes ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 34 1.b.iii. Socio-economic outcomes ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 37 1.b.iv. Nutrition and health outcomes ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 39 1.c. Conclusions on the outcomes of specialized industrial agriculture and diversified agroecological systems ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 41 SECTION 2 What is keeping industrial agriculture in place? ……………………………………………………………………45 Lock-in 1: Path dependency ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 46 Lock-in 2: Export orientation …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 47 Lock-in 3: The expectation of cheap food …………………………………………………………………………………………… 49 Lock-in 4: Compartmentalized thinking ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 51 Lock-in 5: Short-term thinking ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 53 Lock-in 6: ‘Feed the world’ narratives …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 54 Lock-in 7: Measures of success ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 56 Lock-in 8 : Concentration of Power ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 57 4 REPORT 02 FROM UNIFORMITY TO DIVERSITY SECTION 3 How can the balance be shifted in favour of diversified agroecological systems? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 60 3.a. Emerging opportunities for a transition to diversified agroecological systems ……………… 60 Opportunity 1: Policy incentives for diversification and agroecology ………………………………… 60 Opportunity 2: Building joined-up ‘food policies’ ……………………………………………………………………… 61 Opportunity 3: Integrated landscape thinking …………………………………………………………………………… 61 Opportunity 4: Agroecology on the global governance agenda …………………………………………… 62 Opportunity 5: Integrated food systems science and education ………………………………………… 63 Opportunity 6: Peer-to-peer action research ……………………………………………………………………………… 63 Opportunity 7: Sustainable and Healthy Sourcing …………………………………………………………………… 64 Opportunity 8: Short supply chains ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 64 3.b. Pathways of transition: recommendations for moving towards diversified agroecological systems ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 65 Recommendation 1: Develop new indicators for sustainable food systems ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 68 Recommendation 2: Shift public support towards diversified agroecological production systems …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 69 Recommendation 3: Support short supply chains & alternative retail infrastructures ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 70 Recommendation 4: Use public procurement to support local agroecological produce ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 70 Recommendation 5: Strengthen movements that unify diverse constituencies around agroecology …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 71 Recommendation 6: Mainstream agroecology and holistic food systems approaches into education and research agendas ……………………………………………………………………… 72 Recommendation 7: Develop food planning processes and ‘joined-up food policies’ at multiple levels …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 73 Bibliography ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………76 Panel members ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………92 Aknowlegements ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………94 REPORT 02 FROM UNIFORMITY TO DIVERSITY 5 THE CHALLENGE: SHIFTING THE CENTRE plications for global production volumes of OF GRAVITY IN FOOD SYSTEMS staple crops, and for ‘food security’ in the narrow terms in which it is often understood1 The evidence in favour of a major transfor- (Cloke, 2013). After all, it is not simply a change mation of our food systems is now over- in agricultural practices that is envisaged here, whelming. Many influential studies have but fundamentally different farming land- helped shape our understanding of the per- scapes and livelihoods, and radically reimag- ilous situation our food systems are in, from ined food systems. This in itself is a key insight: the degradation of ecosystems to the fragili- the discrepancy between the potential of diver- ty of farmer livelihoods in many parts of the sified agroecological systems to deliver what world; from the persistence of hunger and really matters, and our capacity to measure under-nutrition to the rampant growth of and value those things. It is no coincidence that obesity and diet-related diseases. one of the key recommendations arising from this report is to develop new ways of measur- However, few studies have yet to provide a ing success in food systems. comprehensive view of how alternative food systems, based around fundamentally dif- Making the case for changing course is crucial, ferent agricultural models, perform against but so too is mapping out a pathway of tran- the same criteria. Even fewer have mapped sition. Encouragingly, the foundations of this out the pathways of transition towards the transition are already being laid by farmers, sustainable food systems of the future. consumers, civil society groups and the many others taking bold and innovative steps to trans- This report explores the potential for a shift form food systems around the world. However, to occur from current food systems, charac- the odds are still stacked against those seeking terized by industrial
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