Food Futures Now

By Dr. Mae-Wan Ho

A rapid and significant shift from conventional, industrial, monoculture towards sustainable production systems is needed, says a new discussion paper from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) [1].

This follows on the heels of a report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Olivier de Schutter, demonstrating that agroecology or eco-farming can double food production in entire regions within 10 years while mitigating climate change and alleviating rural poverty [2].

These two new papers confirm what we have found in our comprehensive report released in 2008 [3] (Food Futures Now: *Organic *Sustainable *Fossil Fuel Free...

Sowing Seeds of Regeneration

Here in El Manzano we are interested in solutions that work, in a positive approach to creating regenerative landscapes. We realise that the anti business and government approach to activism based on negative crises campaigns has largely failed us. It is time to move on.

One regenerative strategy to the transgenic problem, for example, is on the saving, growing and sharing of organic open pollinated seed varieties. This is a regenerative, positive, and solutions based strategy that is very subversive to the intentions of corporations like Monsanto. If we retain our own seeds, and control our own food supply, thier strategies become irrelevant, we can transcended the problem.

There are basically three broad strategies available to those of us who wish to see an equitable, healthy and viable human future:

Design for Resilient Human Settlements

This is the second story from the learning process in Millenrama. You can read the first here.

The week 5-9th of May 2010 team El Manzano was hosted in Millenrama, Mantagua, 5th region to run an Applied Permaculture Design course.
As El Manzano tests ideas for assisting people and communities to engage in transition and design for resilient human settlements, the team develops competency in the delivery of catalytic learning events, in facilitation and leadership by design. As the experience is reviewed once again it is confirmed that there is no power equal to a community deciding what it will become.

Better than Organic

Coming soon! If you are looking for an opportunity to participate in the great transition we need you. We need you help to develop resilient local, regional and national economies. By purchasing products from Ecoescuela El Manzano you are investing directly in a sustainable future, in active chilean citizens who are making a difference in their own communities.

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