We lecture developing countries but is our own food system any better, asks Tim Lang.
Last week I was a witness before the Commons International Development Committee on food miles, air freight and trade. The committee is exploring how developing countries can respond to climate change. Is sustainable development compatible with addressing climate change? Are tourism and air-freighted food good things? Are social justice and trade compatible?
These are a mix of old and new problems, but the economic weakness of developing countries hampers the capacity to address climate change. Power is everything. Australia could throw resources at its bushfires, but could Africa if a similar problem arose?
Historically, the rich developed world has been the problem. Our 20th century exploitation of coal and oil accelerated climate change. We built food systems assuming limitless resources and used empires for cheap land, labour and food. Even today, we treat developing countries as our land from which to export. Big companies have profited from driving down the commodity prices developing countries depend on. Is it any wonder eyes turn from Africa to China for bilateral deals? The West hasn't exactly done it proud.
During Fairtrade Fortnight, we will be reminded how much the amount of fairly traded food has grown, but it is still tiny. Two billion people eke out an existence on less than $2 a day, and that we in the UK choose not to grow food on good land is astonishing. So might more equal relations be possible?
Despite the gulfs, I see parallels between rich and poor worlds. Each needs to change dramatically if humanity is to survive. Each has food systems with awesome challenges: not just climate change but appropriate land use.
We aren't clear about what a sustainable food system is any more than developing countries are. In fact, there's a lot we could learn from them.
Our farms have probably got too big, our food too cheap. A city's food supply can become insecure at short notice. We rely on technology as though it works on free energy. We're fat when production of healthy food requires human labour.
We lecture developing countries about poor governance, but with our banking system exposed as self-interested bubble-blowing, we're hardly on high moral ground ourselves. It's sustainable food systems everywhere, or bust.
Tim Lang is professor of food policy at City University. t.lang@city.ac.uk.
Last week I was a witness before the Commons International Development Committee on food miles, air freight and trade. The committee is exploring how developing countries can respond to climate change. Is sustainable development compatible with addressing climate change? Are tourism and air-freighted food good things? Are social justice and trade compatible?
These are a mix of old and new problems, but the economic weakness of developing countries hampers the capacity to address climate change. Power is everything. Australia could throw resources at its bushfires, but could Africa if a similar problem arose?
Historically, the rich developed world has been the problem. Our 20th century exploitation of coal and oil accelerated climate change. We built food systems assuming limitless resources and used empires for cheap land, labour and food. Even today, we treat developing countries as our land from which to export. Big companies have profited from driving down the commodity prices developing countries depend on. Is it any wonder eyes turn from Africa to China for bilateral deals? The West hasn't exactly done it proud.
During Fairtrade Fortnight, we will be reminded how much the amount of fairly traded food has grown, but it is still tiny. Two billion people eke out an existence on less than $2 a day, and that we in the UK choose not to grow food on good land is astonishing. So might more equal relations be possible?
Despite the gulfs, I see parallels between rich and poor worlds. Each needs to change dramatically if humanity is to survive. Each has food systems with awesome challenges: not just climate change but appropriate land use.
We aren't clear about what a sustainable food system is any more than developing countries are. In fact, there's a lot we could learn from them.
Our farms have probably got too big, our food too cheap. A city's food supply can become insecure at short notice. We rely on technology as though it works on free energy. We're fat when production of healthy food requires human labour.
We lecture developing countries about poor governance, but with our banking system exposed as self-interested bubble-blowing, we're hardly on high moral ground ourselves. It's sustainable food systems everywhere, or bust.
Tim Lang is professor of food policy at City University. t.lang@city.ac.uk.
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