The current food system is undermining the ecological and hydrological qualities of the planet, both directly and via its significant contribution to climate change:
- Biodiversity is threatened through land clearing and monocultural crops.
- Soils are being eroded and degraded through industrial farming techniques.
- Landscapes are being destroyed by the mining and processing required to produce agrichemicals.
- Waterways are being depleted and polluted by over-extraction.
- Oceans are being acidified and polluted by agricultural by-products.
Meanwhile, approximately 40% of food produced globally goes to waste each year, intensifying greenhouse gas emissions and creating a further raft of problems.
The crisis is also manifest in social, physical, and mental health impacts. Dietary-related ill-health is the biggest public health issue facing Australia. Our daily lives are relentlessly fast and busy, yet increasingly people report high levels of social isolation. More than ever before, we are disconnected from the social reality and ecology of our food system, and from each other.
We believe that every person is responsible to reconnect with the food system in a way that:
- Regenerates the natural capital.
- Avoids waste and pollution.
- Produces healthier food products.
These are solutions proposed in a Circular Economy. We are dealing with a complex problem that requires a multifaceted approach. We want to enhance the great localised work already happening and provide the synergy needed to foster transformation in the urban agriculture space.
If this appeals to you, please book your ticket here - https://events.humanitix.com/urban-agriculture-lab.
Zoom session with breakout rooms - Fri 30th Oct 2020, 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm AEDT
Everyone is welcome!
Bruna Iotti
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Bruna thoroughly disputes that the profit motive is the only success factor worth measuring, and points to the environmental degra