Hans Herren: IAASTD report promotes a global shift towards sustainable farming

I doubt too many of us would argue against a future where governments, corporations, farmers and consumers conspire for health—their own and the health of our planet. Yet how could this be done? The answer lies in the hundreds of pages of a report created over more than three years by 450 researchers around the world, at the request of the United Nations : the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD). Think of it as the ag equivalent of the reports published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Except that it has received no, or very little publicity, despite its co-chair's efforts. The latter is no other than Hans Herren, who tells us here about the report and its unambiguous conclusion: "business as usual is not an option". Solutions include promoting family farms, bringing people and animals back to the land, giving farmers a fair compensation for their labor, providing proper education and amenities to rural communities.
(Note: a strong wind and the road traffic caused by a nearby casino lost in this remote Californian valley make for poor sound conditions—please prick up your ears, wear your earbuds or let me know if you request a written transcript)..

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• IASSTD
• organic
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• Herren
• soil