The World is Closer to a Food Crisis Than Most People Realize

[carla]

7. Several things I would like

to say; I am an non-certified organic farmer in Central America. Even under such nearly excellent conditions here, agriculture remains a challenge. At times we have no option but to spray or lose the entire crop. That means that even with our best efforts, it is conventional agricultural techniques that save our butts.
Secondly, the Green Revolution, the food one, is based on industrial methods that have worked. But soil depletion and impoverishment has become the bane of large scale agriculture, so the balance is to produce more organically if possible, but it is hard and we mustn't be so naive as to believe we could feed this hungry world without using some degree of chemical application, be it fertilizers or pesticides. I abhor such techniques, as does my husband and our helpers, but we prefer a harvest to an empty basket and sometimes we have to "bite the radish". Despite our very best efforts, organic agriculture remains risky, always.
Thirdly, despite my own distrust of the food conglomerates named in the post, I just don't see how we can provide enough food without their input. I protest and act against seed privatization and untested GMOs, I harvest for seed every season and I vacuum pack my organic seeds for sale and free distribution. Free distribution is extremely important for bio-diversity and I recommend it highly; give seeds to people.