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Subhash Mehta <[log in to unmask]>
Fri, 27 Nov 2015 13:31:50 +0530
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Dear Kanayo,

Prof Swaminathan (mail trailed), UN orgs and Civil society representing
hundreds of millions of rural poor producer communities urge Governments,
multi lateral orgs and NARES to adopt Agro ecology as the future of farming
for the long term sustainability.

AFSA (statement available at
http://afsafrica.org/agroecology-the-bold-future-for-africa/) has launched
a series of case studies to show the benefits of Agro ecology to coincide
with the FAO Regional Symposium on Agroecology for Food Security and
Nutrition in Dakar 5-6 Nov 2015.

High Cost High Risk Green revolution/ Industrial/ Climate Smart agriculture
conventional, commodity driven farming systems has raised yields in
irrigated lands but at great cost in the long term, with extensive soil
damage, huge biodiversity loss and negative impacts on nutrition, food
safety/ contamination and groundwater pollution. In contrast, Agro ecology
is the antithesis as it is low cost low risk and sustainable in the long
term.

Conventional agriculture seeks to simplify being dependent on high cost
external inputs, Agro ecology embraces low cost low risk complex climate
friendly systems as applicable to the area. Where conventional agriculture
eliminates biodiversity and a cause of climate change, agro ecology
mitigates the effects of climate change. Agro ecology is knowledge
intensive, building on agricultural practices with modern research and
technology, season after season to keep farmers in control inspite of
climate change. Where conventional agriculture offers one-size-fits-all
fixes like GM seeds, chemical fertilisers and pesticides, Agro ecology
provides solutions to climate change in each area. Conventional agriculture
pollutes and degrades, Agro ecology regenerates and restores the effects of
climate change.

AFSA Coordinator Dr. Million Belay Ali said:

“The industrial agriculture has contributed hugely to climate change,
disrupted the life of rural food producers, caused the spread of non
communicable diseases, destroyed soil, polluted our environment and eroded
our culture. Africa has a solution. With policy support and research
engagement, it is possible to enhance the productivity of our seeds without
destroying our environment. We have a responsibility to our children. We do
not need to adopt a mode of agriculture which is destroying the European
and North American soils and peoples.”

Qouting Elizabeth Mpofu, La Via Campesina International General
Coordinator:

 "Agro ecology makes food production more secure regardless of what the
weather brings. Agro ecology promotes food sovereignty and ensures
everyone's right to food. As small-scale food producers, agro ecology
limits our reliance on external inputs. We harvest and save our seeds; we
make our own organic fertilizers and control pests using traditional
methods. We are calling our governments to support and promote agro ecology
practices instead of industrial food production systems that are a false
and temporary solution. We need our governments to protect us and ensure
our children a future in which they can feed themselves with nutritious
food supported by a healthy environment!"

AFSA is making an evidence-based, coherent case for agro ecology as the
sustainable long-term solution for the rural poor producing communities.
The case studies in this collection (available online  at:
http://afsafrica.org/case-studies/) shows how agro ecology benefits them,
reduces hunger, mal nutrition and poverty whilst increasing net incomes/
purchasing power, improving livelihoods as they have access to own
requirements of nutritious food and cash at little or no cost whilst
contributing to development and growth. available at
http://afsafrica.org/agroecology-the-bold-future-for-africa/


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Mon, Nov 23, 2015 at 3:49 PM
Subject:
To: [log in to unmask]


MSS/RM/

23 November 2015



Dr Subhash Mehta



Email: [log in to unmask]



Dear Subhash



Thank you very much for your kind letter. I am grateful to you for the
information you have given on FAO’s sub-Saharan conference on agroecology.
Mainstreaming ecology in technology development and dissemination is
essential to achieve goal 2 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. I am
grateful to you for the interest you are taking in developing and
disseminating agroecology which is the pathway to an ever-green revolution
leading to increase in productivity in perpetuity without ecological harm.



With warm personal regards



Yours sincerely,





M S Swaminathan

=====================================================
PROF M S SWAMINATHAN
Founder Chairman and Chief Mentor
UNESCO Chair in Ecotechnology
M S Swaminathan Research Foundation
Email: [log in to unmask]
Twitter : @msswaminathan



Subhash Mehta, Trustee,
Devarao Shivaram Trust,
NGO Association for Agricultural Research Asia Pacific (NAARAP),
Hegenahalli PO, Devanahalli Taluka,
Bangalore Rural North, Pin Code: 562110,
Tel: +91-80-28494009 / +91-80-22712290,

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