Ploughing up the farm
This thorough and illuminating examination of the farming crisis is long overdue. Jerry Buckland draws on sound data and applies rigorous analysis to the paradox of deepening poverty among the world’s food producers. The book addresses questions that need urgent solutions: why small farms and agricultural biodiversity are sacrificed in the name of progress; why powerful countries and public institutions promote a free market in agriculture in the South but protect rich Northern markets; why large agribusiness corporations will not solve the food insecurity of the poor; why technology can be a trap rather than a solution. Buckland tackles complex economic and political questions with a wealth of evidence, taking the reader on a journey through the intricate world of international trade and global politics.
Ploughing up the Farm brings together an impressive array of evidence to show that the past 20 years of globalisation has brought about rural depopulation in the North, rising poverty in the South, and environmental problems for all farming communities.
The argument for a re-visioning of food policies in the context of healthy societies and environments is compelling. The author calls for farm policies founded on farmer-led food security and democratisation of global institutions as the means to arrest these trends. This book should be compulsory reading for trade negotiators, and is a ‘must read’ for all concerned with farming, food, poverty or development.
Jerry Buckland, Ploughing up the Farm: Neoliberalism, modern technology and the state of the world’s farmers, Zed Books, London, 2004, 240pp, £14.95
Hungry corporations
The biotech industry has attracted critics for overselling the role of genetically engineered (GE) crops in meeting food needs, and for putting profits above safety.
Hungry Corporations systematically examines the strategies of the handful of corporations who are gaining control over the food system, and who operate ruthless marketing strategies to expand their markets. The Green Revolution showed how industrial-scale food production could undermine the lives and livelihood of the poorest, and GE crops – sold in packages and under tight contracts to the companies – have a similar potential.
The book explores the growth of the corporation, its acquisition of rights and shedding of liability for and limitations on its activities. It explores how corporations use public relations, biotech trade organisations, think tanks, the World Bank, UN institutions, universities and research bodies, governments and the World Trade Organisation. Many decision makers believe GE crops will enrich developing countries dependent on agriculture.
Hungry Corporations will challenge this sanguine perspective. The sound historical analysis, detailed facts and solid documentation of the ways that ‘hungry corporations’ exert their influence and expand their markets should warn governments of their duty to protect the environment and livelihoods, and encourage them to put a firm brake on the expansion of GE crop production.
Helena Paul and Ricarda Steinbrecher, with Devlin Kuyek and Lucy Micaels. Hungry Corporations: Transnational biotech companies colonise the food chain, Zed Books, London, 2003, 256pp, £15.95.
Regaining the land
Rice cultivation in Asia has become increasingly dependent on a narrow range of hybrid seeds, to which farmers must apply ever-greater quantities of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. The result is severe land degradation, dependence on expensive imported technologies and, for some farmers, deepening poverty and debt. The MASIPAG programme – the name is the Tagalog acronym for ‘Farmer Scientist Partnership for Development’ – has sought to break the treadmill of chemical dependency by helping farmers convert to chemical-free rice production. Farmers note that while yields may drop on the first use of MASIPAG, they stabilise over a few seasons. Yields do remain slightly lower than high-input farming, although seasonal income to farmers is generally the same or higher because of lower outlay on inputs. Nevertheless the lower yield deters new farmers from adopting MASIPAG, suggesting the need for improved communication from conventional extension services and advisers. Participating farmers have regained control over their resources and revived their knowledge of many traditional rice varieties and farming methods. This case study provides valuable insight into the kinds of agricultural systems that benefit poor farmers.
Julian A Oram (Ed), Regaining the land: Lessons from farmers’ experience with sustainable agriculture in the Philippines, Catholic Institute for International Relations, London, 110pp, £5.95.
Opportunities for IPM
Integrated pest management (IPM) systems need to be developed for agriculture to be economically and environmentally strong in production, storage and food processing. Although the concepts and philosophies of IPM have been accepted for some time, its implementation is complex and faces numerous potential problems. If IPM is to enjoy widespread approval and adoption, it must be clearly defined and economically and socially acceptable. This book addresses many of the key issues surrounding IPM, particularly of insects in a number of specially commissioned chapters.
One important area covered includes the ‘pesticide paradox in IPM’ written by Paul Guillebeau of the University of Georgia in the US. A number of people consider pesticides and IPM to be incompatible. However he reports that this apparent paradox is a function of the broad and dynamic definitions of both pesticides and IPM. Initially IPM definitions in the 1960s reflected the more effective use of pesticides. Two decades later, published definitions acknowledged the role of pesticides while making it clear that chemicals should be the secondary line of defence. By the 1990s the reduction of pesticide use had become a basic tenet of IPM definitions.
The book acknowledges that in the US, a significant number of consumers are interested in supporting environmentally friendly products, but the concepts on IPM are difficult and complex to communicate to the general public. As a result public awareness of IPM as it relates to environmental performance is poor. The researchers conclude that the success of an IPM label is dependent.
Overall the book concludes that modern agriculture cannot sustain the present productivity levels with the exclusive use of pesticides. Increasing pest problems in agriculture can only be corrected by use of holistic pest-management programmes.
O Koul, GS Dhaliwal and GW Cuperus, Integrated pest management: potential, constraints and challenges, CABI Publishing, CABI International, Walingford, Oxon, OX10 8DE, UK, www.cabi-publishing.org, 329pp.
State of the World – 2004
The Worldwatch Institute’s annual State of the World
and the focus of the 2004 edition provides thought provoking essays for consumers. Brian Halweil and Danielle Nierenberg look at the impacts of pesticide use and intensive production, and how factory farming affects the health and quality of food and the environment. A short paper draws attention to the problems of soaps containing the antimicrobial compounds such as triclosan, and plasticizers known as phthalates. Another short paper looks at the hazards of producing cotton for the ubiquitous T-shirt. The annual review is an excellent way of keeping abreast of developments in the global environment.
The Worldwatch Institute, State of the World 2004. Special focus: The consumer society, WW Norton & Company, New York and London, 2004, 245pp, $16.95.
Best guide to greening the planet
The University of Essex Guide to a Green Planet brings together 90 contributions that address the natural world, society and environment, food and land, water, soils, atmosphere and climate change, technology, energy and waters, international relations and policies and institutions. The short book is packed full of solid facts, it draws attention to gaps in knowledge and exposes myths. For a modest price, green readers can obtain the guide to almost everything of environmental concern from one of the top ten research institutions in the country. It is excellent value, packed into a small shelf space.
Jules Pretty (ed), Guide to a Green Planet, University of Essex, Colchester UK, 207 pp, £5.99,
http://www.essex.ac.uk/news/2003/nr20030212b.htm
Pesticide data
This reference guide provides chemical and toxicity data for the 1800 substances registered by the US Environmental Protection Agency and used largely in the agricultural environment. The chemical, physical and bioactivity properties of each agent are recorded along with a comprehensive listing of product trade names and synonyms as well as manufacturers. For some chemicals regulation information is included, stating in which country the pesticide is banned, cancelled or restricted.
GWA Milne (ed.), Pesticides: An International Guide to 1800 Pest Control Chemicals, Ashgate, Gower House, Croft Road, Aldershot, Hants, GU11 3HR, UK,
www.ashgate.com, $165.00/£95.00, pp609.
Toxic threats in the Arctic
On rare occasions, the international community can act with timely speed to protect people and the environment. The story of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) shows how this can come about. From recognising the full reach and impact of POPs to agreeing the Convention took just over ten years. The process united remote communities, indigenous peoples, governments and their representative United Nations institutions, scientists and NGOs. The Convention will eliminate and phase out certain persistent chemicals: organochlorine pesticides like DDT, industrial chemicals PCBs and dioxin and furan contaminants of industrial processes.
The persistent properties of organochlorine pesticides were identified in the 1960s; national bans took place from the 1970s. Then in the 1980s, researchers in Canada were horrified to find that breast-milk control samples from the ‘clean’ environment in the eastern Hudson Bay had far higher concentrations of chemicals than the study group. Until then, it was thought that organochlorine pesticides degraded more quickly in tropical than temperate zones. The truth was these chemicals move from warm to cold climates, where they persist for decades. Increasingly, the effects on reproductive and hormonal systems of chronic exposure are becoming alarmingly apparent.
Northern Lights tells the story of the Stockholm Convention through the first hand accounts and clear exposition of the underlying science. The book shows the cooperation, concessions and collaboration of the stakeholders, and the remarkable result: agreement on a strong legal agreement for removing the threat of these chemicals from the globe.
David Leonard Downie and Terry Fenge (eds), Northern Lights against POPs: Combating toxic threats in the Arctic, published for the Inuit Circumpolar Conference Canada by McGill-Queen’s University Press, Montreal, 2003, 347 pp, US $24.95, UK £18.95.
www.mqup.mcgill.ca
Better options for pest management in the tropics
PAN Germany’s Online information service for non-chemical pest management in the tropics, (OISAT Info) is a new and easy-to-read web-based information service on non-chemical pest management in the tropics directed towards the needs of smallholder farmers, both male and female as well as illiterate farmers. The information service presents preventive and curative methods of managing pests with the overarching goal of increasing the self-regulatory mechanism within agricultural systems, and reducing the use of synthetic pesticides. The structure of the information service builds on the logic of the users.
The information service is directed primarily towards agricultural trainers and extension workers in developing countries who work directly with farmers, it can, however, also be used by the farmers themselves. The users can choose, download and edit those parts of the OISAT Info that they find relevant, and thus create their own tailor-made printed brochure. This can be translated into local languages. Parallel to its OISAT Info, PAN Germany is attempting to systematically build up collaboration with agricultural training and extension networks (OISAT PartnerNetwork) as a strategy to transport the information from the OISAT Info directly to the field and, at the same time, feed experiences from the field systematically back into the OISAT Info.
OISAT Info is found at http://www.oisat.org
Extended pesticide database from PANNA
The PAN Pesticides Database, produced by PAN America, has been updated an extended as a one-stop location for current and regulatory information for pesticides. New is a section entitled
Pesticide Poisoning Diagnostic Tool, providing an advanced set of tools to help clinicians identify likely poisoning agents using symptoms, pesticide use, registration status, product data and other information. The site provides symptoms, first aid and treatment for 1,900 chemicals and links directly to reporting information for 50 states in the USA. In addition there are updates to most data sets including California pesticide use data, quick links from the Chemical Detail page, and more information on parent/related chemical groups.
Visit http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Docs/whatsnewV5.0.html
New on-line pesticide and alternatives library from PAN
UK
PAN UK has launched its new pesticide research database. This collection of bibliographic information cites over 6,000 articles, reports and books relating to the health and environmental effects of pesticides, and alternatives to their use. These include: over 800 pesticide evaluations/factsheets with links to the full document; 600 books and large reports; 3750 scientific journal articles many with abstracts and links to full documents; and 850
Pesticides News articles. The resource covers over 15 years of research and information, and is growing all the time. Searching is straightforward and easy to use, based on Google search principles with advanced search help.
Linked to this is a database to make photographs of pesticide problems and alternatives readily available. Visual material often raises more awareness of the problems. A limited number of photos are included so far, with mainly pictures taken by staff at PAN UK, it covers issues such as food security, cotton production and the disposal of obsolete pesticides. Photographers are invited to submit relevant material. The ‘pesticidelibrary’ database was funded by the Baring Foundation.
Visit http://www.pesticidelibrary.org
[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 64, June 2004, page 23]