Hope2012

The 10 Biggest Issues with the Global Food System and What You Can Do

It’s difficult to separate the problems into discrete categories because everything is connected. Big problems lead to seemingly smaller problems, that, when allowed to fester, become open wounds – much like the foul waste lagoons on industrial pig farms that dot our landscape, or the actual wounds on human flesh caused by antibiotic resistant staph infections, which are a direct result of the overuse of antibiotics in livestock operations.

Most of the problems in the system stem from one giant problem: Concentration of power, land, wealth, and political influence in the hands of a few large players who have gamed the system for their benefit. Here are the biggest issues, as we see them, followed by suggestions for what you can do about them.

Video: Vandana Shiva: Alternatives to Monsanto in India

Vandana Shiva explains the effect of GMOs on Indian agriculture—and how to promote home-grown alternatives.

Moving Toward Land Reform, Food Sovereignty and Agroecology in Venezuela

“Urban Foragers Cropping Up in U.S.”

Short documentary about urban foragers in Chicago

Scavenger’s Manifesto: HOWTO be an urban scavenger

It’s urban vegetable foraging season!

Backyard Orchard Culture

The three key components of a successful small scale backyard orchard and helpful tips

Life without supermarkets: community action is the best way to beat them

Organic Gardens Feeding People from Argentina to Haiti

Sharing the Harvest: What to do when your apple trees don’t produce? Start ringing doorbells

Learn How to Compost Via the Humanure Handbook

Farmers Replace Corn with Weeds, and Make Money Doing It

Another way of thinking outside the box

Help Make Farmers’ Markets Universally Accessible

The Website GrowFood Unites Farmers With Willing Volunteers and Workers

Empowering Backyard Growers to Sell Their Produce

Foodie Underground: Connecting Local Buyers and Sellers with Food Hub [Pacific Northwest]

Foodie Underground: Keep It Simple With a Soup Swap

Video: Delivering A Local Solution to Hunger, By Bike

B-Line launced a new venture – B-Shares, which turns a $20 donation into more than 40 meals by providing the missing link between local food sources – famers and groceries – and the nonprofits that provide meals for people in need. The missing link, of course, is transportation, and in B-Line’s case, emissions-free bicycle-based transport of food that might otherwise go to waste.

Fallen Fruit

LA public art project, Fallen Fruit, started by mapping public fruit–fruit trees growing in or over public property. Since then, the interests of this Meshy project “have expanded from mapping public fruit to include Public Fruit Jams in which we invite the citizens to bring homegrown or public fruit and join in communal jam-making; Nocturnal Fruit Forages, nighttime neighborhood fruit tours; Community Fruit Tree Plantings on the margins of private property and in community gardens; Public Fruit Park proposals in Hollywood, Los Feliz and downtown LA; and Neighborhood Infusions, taking the fruit found on one street and infusing it in alcohol to capture the spirit of the place.”