Читать книгу The Atlas of Food - Erik Millstone - Страница 12

paradigm shift is required. We now live in a world in which chronic under-nutrition coexists with a growing population suffering from chronic over-nutrition. Under- and over-nutrition can be seen as opposite sides of the same coin. Resources devoted to improving the nutritional well-being of poor and hungry people have diminished as resources devoted to increasing the quantity, availability and choice of foods to people who are already over-eating have increased. Since the 1990s, the incidence of obesity has risen in numerous countries at alarming rates, and many of their governments are urgently trying to devise effective policy responses, preferably without upsetting their voters or corporate friends. Often the motive is the sheer cost of diet-related ill health to healthcare systems. Our approach in this atlas This atlas therefore seeks to provide not only the evidence with which to describe the global food system, but also a framework within which to make sense of the ways in which it has developed and will evolve. It tries to do justice to the current predicament, highlighting important trends and offering an analysis of the underlying dynamics. It also poses questions about how it can be improved. The direction in which forces are operating is not just one-way, nor is it pre-determined. Institutions and organizations that seem all-powerful can be rather vulnerable. The distribution of power is frequently challenged and may be changeable. Worldwide, a movement of informed groups and alliances has emerged around food, questioning current practices, demanding changes, making connections. This constellation of food actions, campaigns and organizations is providing a powerful progressive voice in food policy. Even when small in comparison to big corporations or governments, they can exert influence beyond their numerical weight. The Fairtrade movement, for example, is attempting to redress the balance in favour of small producers, while other international movements represent the interests of labourers and consumers against the power of multinational corporations and those with powerful vested interests. Some are collecting information, others campaigning and implementing alternatives. All are questioning the status quo. The increase in local supply chains and certification schemes such as those for organic or wildlife-friendly production, and the renewal of interest in urban farming demonstrate not just that some short food chains persist, but also that there is a growing demand for shorter food chains, less processing and a far more direct, traceable relationships between producers and consumers. Although the facts suggest a sober analysis of the current state of the world food system, we see great hope in the rise, maturity and interaction of movements promoting food democracy. Erik Millstone Brighton, UK Tim Lang London, UK October 2012

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