Toward sustainable agriculture and food production: An ethically sound vision for the future

Abstract

The modern food production system is globalised, industrialised and utterly divorced from the consumer. Humans, animals and the environment have been heavily impacted due to unsustainable production methods, waste of resources and globalisation. Hence, major changes in the global food system are inevitable. In 2002, the Schweisfurth-Foundation Munich in collaboration with IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements) drafted the vision statement 'Toward Sustainable Agriculture and Food Production - A Vision for the Future Viability of Food Production, Processing, and Marketing'. Its core concept is the developments of sustainable agriculture and food production, which is culturally rooted, ethically sound, economically profitable, and thus contributes to regional development, ecological health and the common wealth. The concept intelligently links regionalisation and globalisation and links traditional knowledge and modern technologies. The Vision states that food must be produced as organically as possible in order to protect the natural bases of existence and preserve plant and animal diversity. The idea favours short distances that do not incur costs to be borne by society at large for unsustainable industrial practices. Furthermore, the concept is based on an ecology of integrated cycles and close sourcing. It compounds value creation by taking metabolic products or waste and transforming them into food or green energy through natural recycling. This type of organic food production, processing, and marketing is multifunctional. It benefits several other areas important to societies. For example, this system saves energy, reduces transport costs, creates jobs, preserves occupational opportunities, protects the concept of apprenticeships, and promotes regional development. The concept has been developed further and has been successfully put into practice in several regions. This paper drafts the problems of industrial agriculture, introduces the concept and refers to a practical example of successful implementation.