Rethinking Food and Agriculture

New Ways Forward

Amir Kassam, Laila Kassam, Ammir Kassam

• Publisher: Woodhead Publishing
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9780128164105
• eBook ISBN: 9780128164112
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Development Economics
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Given the central role of the food and agriculture system in driving so many of the connected ecological, social and economic threats and challenges we currently face, Rethinking Food and Agriculture reviews, reassesses and reimagines the current food and agriculture system and the narrow paradigm in which it operates.Rethinking Food and Agriculture explores and uncovers some of the key historical, ethical, economic, social, cultural, political, and structural drivers and root causes of unsustainability, degradation of the agricultural environment, destruction of nature, short-comings in science and knowledge systems, inequality, hunger and food insecurity, and disharmony. It reviews efforts towards 'sustainable development', and reassesses whether these efforts have been implemented with adequate responsibility, acceptable societal and environmental costs and optimal engagement to secure sustainability, equity and justice. The book highlights the many ways that farmers and their communities, civil society groups, social movements, development experts, scientists and others have been raising awareness of these issues, implementing solutions and forging 'new ways forward', for example towards paradigms of agriculture, natural resource management and human nutrition which are more sustainable and just.Rethinking Food and Agriculture proposes ways to move beyond the current limited view of agro-ecological sustainability towards overall sustainability of the food and agriculture system based on the principle of 'inclusive responsibility'. Inclusive responsibility encourages ecosystem sustainability based on agro-ecological and planetary limits to sustainable resource use for production and livelihoods. Inclusive responsibility also places importance on quality of life, pluralism, equity and justice for all and emphasises the health, well-being, sovereignty, dignity and rights of producers, consumers and other stakeholders, as well as of nonhuman animals and the natural world. - Explores some of the key drivers and root causes of unsustainability, degradation of the agricultural environment and destruction of nature- Highlights the many ways that different stakeholders have been forging 'new ways forward' towards alternative paradigms of agriculture, human nutrition and political economy, which are more sustainable and just- Proposes ways to move beyong the current unsustainable exploitation of natural resources towards agroecological sustainability and overall sustainability of the food and agriculture system based on 'inclusive responsibility'

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• Contributors
• Gratitude and acknowledgments
• Introduction
• 1: Setting innovation free in agriculture
• 2: Agriculture planted the seeds of alienation from nature☆☆This chapter is based on Mason (1993).
• 3: Political economy of the global food and agriculture system
• 4: Neocolonialism and the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition: A gendered analysis of the development consequences for Africa
• 5: The myth of a food crisis
• 6: Animal ethics as a critique of animal agriculture, environmentalism, foodieism, locavorism, and clean meat
• 7: A food system fit for the future
• 8: Why change the way we grow, process, and consume our food?
• 9: Two paradigms of science—And two models of science-based agriculture
• 10: Paradigms of agriculture
• 11: Soil health and the revolutionary potential of Conservation Agriculture
• 12: Climate change adaptability and mitigation with Conservation Agriculture
• 13: Will gene-edited and other GM crops fail sustainable food systems?
• 14: Sustaining agricultural biodiversity and heterogeneous seeds
• 15: Healthy diets as a guide to responsible food systems
• 16: Knowledge systems for inclusively responsible food and agricultureaaThis chapter owes much to Laila Kassam and Amir Kassam. I want to thank them for their substantial contributions and for their patience, encouragement and guidance throughout the whole process of writing and rewriting.
• 17: Social movements in the transformation of food and agriculture systems
• 18: Alternatives to the global food regime: Steps toward system transformation
• 19: Cocreating responsible food and agriculture systems
• 20: Toward inclusive responsibility
• Index