[p2p-research] debate on open agriculture

[Michel Bauwens]

Hi Sam,

do you have a clear idea of how the configuration of the new relocalized but
globally interconnected, food system will look like ... i.e. what are the
main constituent elements?

glad to see you are making such practical progress!

Michel

On Sun, Jul 26, 2009 at 9:23 PM, Samuel Rose <samuel.rose at gmail.com> wrote:

>
>
> On Sat, Jul 25, 2009 at 11:09 PM, Michel Bauwens <michelsub2004 at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> As a matter of fact, Havana and Shanghai produce a majority of their
>> vegetables, and China's urban population meets around 85% of its
>> vegetable needs through rooftop and vacant lot gardening.
>>
>> Kevin,
>>
>> do you have any sources on this?
>>
>> I heard 60%, but I cannot believe that contempary shangai would still
>> allow this, there are hardly any rooftop gardens left ...
>
>
>>
>> On sam's excellent food site, only available after registration, I saw
>> estimates that local food production could move from 5 to 25% of the food
>> supply but not more,
>
>
>
>
> I don't know too much about China, so I cannot comment there but a few
> thoughts here:
>
>
> The 5-25% talked about on http://localfoodsystems.org that Michel refers
> to is the projected economic opportunity under *current* condtions. This is
> for the midwest great lakes region. Different locales could see different
> results under current conditions. Plus, there is a huge but overlooked long
> tail market of niche needs, which could easily boost that number even under
> current conditions, as people like
> http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M16461 Blue Pike Farm concentrate on
> meeting niche needs in urban areas. If CSA's are not in competition with
> each other and with industrial food importers, and instead work together to
> meet plural niche local needs, they can outcompete and self-sustain
> practically indefinitely. We also see that Open Source technology will play
> a huge role, especially in areas where specialty crops, aquaculture, etc are
> not available year round, or at all.
>
> So, there is potential beyond 5-25% under current conditions. But, this
> takes collaboration and cooperation among the praticipants and throughout
> the food chain.
>
> There are many in the agricultural industry who are convinced that current
> conditions will change, however. A year ago this started becoming apparent
> to traditional economists (
> http://www.econbrowser.com/archives/2008/06/more_on_degloba.html )
>
> The reality is that a globalized, subsidized food system is unsustainable.
> There are multiple ways in which we all subsidize global food systems. Many
> contries tax payers pay for deals cut between countries that allow low cost
> food to be imported. People in locations like China, South and Central
> America, Asia, and Rural North America subsidize by sacrificing their health
> and the health of their local environment, and the destruction of their
> local economies, culture, and general freedom.  The cost of fuel to ship
> food around, the cost in taxes to subsidize shipping lane protection and the
> illusion of low price, and the human social cost are enough evidence for me
> to be convinced that current global food systems conditions are headed
> towards collapse in several ways.
>
> What this means is that worldwide, local food production will *increase*
> substantially beyond the projections that are based on current conditions of
> 5-25%. Especially when people start to realize the benefits inherent in
> reconfiguring food production locally, and bolstering local economies.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>>
>>
>> Michel
>>
>>
>>
> Sam Rose
> Social Synergy
> Tel:+1(517) 639-1552
> Cel: +1-(517)-974-6451
> skype: samuelrose
> email: samuel.rose at gmail.com
> http://socialsynergyweb.com
> http://socialsynergyweb.org/culturing
> http://flowsbook.panarchy.com/
> http://socialmediaclassroom.com
> http://localfoodsystems.org
> http://openfarmtech.org
> http://notanemployee.net
> http://communitywiki.org
>
> "Long ago, we brought you all this fire.
> Do not imagine we are still chained to that rock...."
>
> http://notanemployee.net/
>



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