1. Environment vs Food

2. Myth To feed the hungry we are pushing production onto marginal land
destroying rainforests
causing erosion
poisoning the environment with pesticides
Cannot feed the hungry and protect the environment

3. Environmental Destruction
70% of 5.2 billion hectares of ag land is in danger of being turned into desert
At current rates, rain forests will be destroyed in 40 years
Global pesticide use 4.7 billion tons/yr.
220,000 die each year from pesticide poisoning

4. Africa Traditional agriculture preserved semi-arid land
diverse mix of crops, trees and livestock
19th century colonists view:
Land is a mine to extract wealth from
Monoculture of export crops without rotation
quickly depleted soil
Peanuts, cotton
Best land for Europeans
worst land for Africans

5. Africa With independence (1960s) Low prices encouraged more planting
cash crops needed
Low prices encouraged more planting
Livestock displaced to drier lands
increased desertification
Now pastorialism is equated with poverty

6. U.S. Soil Destruction 30% of farmland abandoned since 18th century
Erosion
Salinization
water logging
1/3 of U.S. topsoil has been lost
1/2 of U.S. pastureland overgrazed
erodes at high rate
Export boom in 1970s
increased erosion in Corn Belt 39%
in three years
Dustbowl 1930s

7. Iowa Topsoil Loss 150 years ago, Iowa topsoil was 12-16” deep
Now is 6-8” deep
Current rate of loss: tons/acre/year

8. Global Soil Degradation

10. Rain Forests Rainforests 7% of land Source of
50% of plant and animal species
Source of
Beauty
CO2 sink
Pharmaceuticals
Chocolate, cashews, bananas, brazil nuts, cortisone, quinine

11. Rain Forest Destruction
In 20th century rain forests depleted 50%
At current deforestation rates, rainforests will be totally cleared in 40 years
Amazon is being destroyed at a rate of 20,000 sq miles/year

12. Rondonia, Brazil 1980s displaced poor farmers flooded Amazon region
slashed and burned to clear land, plant crops
Displaced indigenous peoples
Most failed after few seasons when land exhausted
Cattle ranchers then moved onto land
1990s: Cattle, Soybeans, Logging destroy forest

13. Rainforests of the World

14. Deforestation: Bolivia
80% clearing carried out by large land holders for cattle, soybeans
20% cleared by small farmers
Thus most of clearing is not to feed hungry

15. Deforestation: Central America
Most of the tropical rain forest has been affected by:
Logging
Banana Plantations
Cattle Ranching

16. Deforestation: Indonesia
tropical fires created huge smoke cloud
thousands of square miles
Fires blamed on poor
clearing land
Actually, most from
Logging
plantations

17. Pesticides 4.7 billion tons pesticides used worldwide
2 billion pounds in U.S.
25% in California
7 lb for every person
Pesticide poisoning in U.S. : 300,000 farmworkers/ yr
30% U.S. use for corn, wheat.
25% U.S. use in golf courses and lawns

18. US Geological Survey 1997

19. Iowa Atrazine Use 2003
Area applied – 70% of 12.4 million acres in corn
Application rate:
0.91 lbs/Acre = 582 lbs/section
Total Applied: 8,598,000 lbs (2003)
Total area Iowa: 56,000 sq miles
153 lbs/section on average
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service

20. Pesticides in Developing Countries
The most harmful pesticides banned in U.S.
Used, made in developing countries
Without much protection to workers
Used for export fruit, vegetables
About 50% used for appearances
Not used for staple crops in developing countries
Expensive
Mixed cropping of staple crops less susceptible

21. Pesticides in Developing Countries
Protection for workers low
Regulations lax
Toxicity education poor
Mexican girl drinking from pesticide container

22. Pesticides Despite 10x increase in toxicity
crop losses have doubled from insect pests
0.1% pesticides reaches pests.
Rest into environment

23. Pesticide Treadmill Central America increased cotton production
between
Boom displaced small scale food producers
resulting in unrest, violence
Boom made possible by pesticide spraying for Boll Weevil
At first, sprayed only few times/season
Insects develop resistance to insecticide
Requires spraying more

24. Pesticide Treadmill By mid-1960s were spraying 10 times/season
Pesticides killed natural insect predators
Eventually spraying 40 times/season
costing 50% of production
Cost too high, leading to Bust
Now wasted, eroded soils
ghost towns
Cotton boom- bust increased hunger
left economic ruin
environmental devastation