Just Human?

Introduction  |  Community  |  Challenges  |  News  |  Resources  |  Contact  |  Join  |  Admin

(Back to Home ... Challenges)

Farming

Introduction

This is not my area of expertise, but it is clear the majority of our current farming methods are not sustainable.  Here are some videos by and about people who claim to have at least part of the answer.

Allan Savory's appr4oach to holistic management:

• TED Talk
• Documentary on Holistic Management
• Grazed and Confused: a report by the University of Oxford's Food Climate Research Network (also as a PDF)

It seems to me that the FCRN are only responding to one small detail in Allan Savory's TED talk, and explicitly note that they are ignoring many important issues.  As they say, "the ‘big question’ that needs answering is whether farmed animals fit in a sustainable food system and if so, which systems and species are to be preferred. This report does not address this enormous and difficult question".  That said, the report does contain a great deal of important and useful information and background to help us understand this vital and complicated area.  The other 'big' question which needs answering is: how can we best use the vast amounts of land which are currently undergoing desertification at an alarming rate?

From other sources, we have

• Can Regenerative Agriculture Reverse Climate Change? They say, 'Yes,' but I think the data they quote actually says that the adoption of regenerative agriculture can sequester more carbon than the world currently produces in a year. It's a lot, and it's important, but it's not claiming to be able to sequester that amount every year.
• Treating the Farm as an Ecosystem
• Garlic can cut methane emission from cows: 15 g per cow per day of a mix of garlic and citrus extract reduced methane emissions by up to 38% and increased milk yield by up to 8%.  This matters because cows contribute a significant amount of our current greenhouse gas production.