According
to Puerto Rican ecology and natural resources professor Dr. Ivette
Perfecto from the University of Michigan， farmers could benefit while
helping to save the planet from turning to organic farming and
agroecology， or working along nature’s principles to produce food.
In
her research， Dr. Perfecto observed that large crop agricultural
landscapes， such as coffee farms in Costa Rica， are able to host diverse
and healthy wildlife. In contrast， isolated patches of rainforest or
nature preserves are not able to sustain even the reduced number of
species living there.
Her studies concluded that small-scale
farmers and their organic or agroecological methods， the latter of which
minimize the use of fertilizers and do not use pesticides， could
therefore protect biodiversity – with farmers benefiting from greater
yields.
She stated， 『A variety of studies have shown
convincingly that organic agriculture is at least as productive as
industrial agriculture， and according to Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) data， the smaller the farm the more productivity.
In
other words， if you want to increase production the most efficient way
to do so is to break up the mega farms， distribute the land to
small-scale farmers and provide training in agroecology.』 Dr. Perfecto
recently co-authored a book on the solution titled， 『Nature’s Matrix:
Linking Agriculture， Conservation and Food Sovereignty』 in which she
cites the rapid deforestation of the Amazon rainforest in emphasizing
the need to shift toward small-scale organic farming.
According
to related research by Dr. Lester Brown， president of the Earth Policy
Institute， the Amazon is being cleared both by cattle ranching and
soybean farming， with soybean crops for cattle feed causing both crop
fields and grazing lands to extend even deeper into the forest.
Dr.
Brown states that the key to protecting the rainforest’s biodiversity
is to decrease consumers’ demand for meat products and their associated
soy crops.
Our appreciation， Dr. Perfecto， for these insights
into a more efficient and sustainable agriculture sector， as we thank
Dr. Brown for addressing the issue’s root cause.
Let us step in
awareness to nourish the world through the most eco-conscious and
plentiful method of organic vegan farming. As in an interview published
in the September 2009 edition of The House Magazine， Supreme Master
Ching Hai has frequently highlighted the transformation of our
agricultural system that would return balance to our imperiled planet.
Supreme Master Ching Hai: There are
so many benefits from organic vegan farming， as well as many benefiting
parties. First， for the farmers， organic vegan farming is productive，
saving 37% more energy and even more water than conventional farming
methods.
Wildlife and ecosystems also win. According to the
largest study done on organic farming in the UK compared to conventional
farms， organic farms contained 85% more plant species， with 71% taller
and thicker hedges， and a healthy return of native animals across the
species.
Organic soil matter also absorbs CO2 so effectively
that the Rodale Institute calls organic vegan farming a powerful
strategy to reduce global warming， by up to 40% of all CO2 emissions now
in the atmosphere.
The government can support this organic
vegan farming through subsidies. They can also redirect the funds away
from the meat industry and instead toward encouraging citizens to plant，
to buy and to choose organic vegan food. And when they do， we will soon
have a lot of healthy， happy， productive people，
a restored green
environment， and minimum climate mitigation costs – something all
governments can look forward to and gain the enthusiastic support of all
citizens.
http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0504-hance_perfecto.html http://ehsmanager.blogspot.com/2010/05/natures-matrix-how-agricultural.htmlhttp://www.coolearth.org/306/news-32/rainforest-news-155/activist-and-eco-expert-calls-for-agricultural-revolution-1356.html
http://www.earthpolicy.org/index.php．/plan_b_updates/2009/update86
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