The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology Emile A. Frison www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology
Emile A. Frison
www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
Our food systems are making people sick.
HOW WE PRODUCE, DISTRIBUTE, MARKET, PREPARE, EAT AND DISPOSE OF FOOD HAS A SIGNIFICANT AND GROWING COST TO PUBLIC HEALTH
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION
CONTAMINATED, UNSAFE & ALTERED FOODS
OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS
FOOD INSECURITY
UNHEALTHY DIETARY PATTERNS
5 CHANNELS OF IMPACT
www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfoodThe Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology
Impact Channel 1: OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS People get sick because
they work under unhealthy conditions.
Pesticides are responsible for an estimated 200,000 acute poisoning deaths each year – 99% of those in developing countries.
www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfoodThe Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology
Impact Channel 2: ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION People get sick because
of contaminants in the water, soil or air
Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) causes annual health costs of $217 billion in the EU (1.28% of GDP) and $340 billion in the US (2.33% of GDP)
www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfoodThe Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology
Impact Channel 3: CONTAMINATED, UNSAFE & ALTERED FOODS People get sick because
specific foods they eat are unsafe for consumption.
In 2010, there were an estimated 600 million cases of food-borne illnesses and 420,000 deaths.
www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfoodThe Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology
Impact Channel 4: UNHEALTHY DIETARY PATTERNS People get sick because
they have unhealthy diets
According to one study, obesity has roughly the same economic impact ($2 trillion USD) as smoking or the combined costs of armed violence, wars and terrorism.NCDs have become the No 1 cause of death
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
Impact Channel 5: FOOD INSECURITY People get sick because
they can’t access adequate food at all times.
2 billion people worldwide suffer from micronutrient deficiencies and over 820 million suffer from calorie deficiency.
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
THE HUMAN AND ECONOMIC COSTS ARE SEVERE AND GROWING
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
• Chemical-intensive monocropping
• Intensive livestock production
• Mass production and marketing of ultra-processed foods
• Development of deregulated and dangerous supply chains
WE KNOW WHAT’S LEADING TO THESE HEALTH IMPACTS
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
• Food systems drive poverty & climate change, creating the conditions for poor health:
Food systems responsible for 30% GHG emissions Food systems drive ecosystem degradation (e.g. loss of pollinators) Food service (#1), dishwashers (#2), & farmworkers (#7) among lowest-paid in US
BRINGING THE CONNECTIONSTO LIGHT
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
The multiple challenges of our current food systems
Triple burden of malnutrition• Hunger, micronutrient deficiencies, obesity &NCDs
Negative impact on health• Pesticide poisoning, antibiotic resistance, nitrates in drinking water
Environmentally unsustainable• Biodiversity losses, water pollution, soil degradation, GHG emissions, unsustainable
use of natural resources, low resilience …
Social inequities• Poverty, disempowerment …
Neglect of cultural values
Directly associated with current food systems based on industrial agriculture
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
JUN
E 20
16
A different paradigm: diversified agroecological systems
Delivering on:
- Economic,
- Environmental,
- Health,
- Social and
- Cultural
dimensions
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
Different pathways, a common goal
Economic outcomes of diversified agroecological systems
Total productivity =
Income +
Resilience and stability +++
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
Environmental outcomes of diversified agroecological systems
• Keep/put carbon in the soil: turns agriculture into a solution rather than a problem
• Boost biodiversity• Restore degraded land• Improve ecosystem services:
Water and nutrient cyclingPollinationPest and disease management
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
Outcomes of diversified agroecological systems: Virtuous cycles
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
Nutrition and health outcomes of diversified agroecological systems
• Diverse, healthy diets
• Avoids the negative health outcomes of industrial
agriculture: pesticides/antibiotics/nitrates
• Increased levels of beneficial nutrients, such as omega
3 fatty acids, and antioxidants such as polyphenols…
http://www.ipes-food.org/images/Reports/Health_FullReport.pdf
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
Social and Cultural outcomes of diversified agroecological systems
Social:More employment Employment throughout the year Closer links with consumers
Cultural: Cultivation of diversity of traditional crops Integration of traditional knowledge
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
What prevents change: 8 Lock-ins
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
Market concentration in multiple sectors
• 3 companies control 60% of commercial seed market.
• 7 companies control majority of fertilizer sales.
• 3 companies share 71% of agrochemical market.
• 4 firms account for 97% of private R&D in poultry.
• 4 firms control up to 90% of the global grain trade.
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
Concentration of power
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
http://www.ipes-food.org/images/Reports/Concentration_FullReport.pdf
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
Changing the
paradigm
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
Measuring what matters
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
Recommendations
Develop new indicators for sustainable food systems. Shift public support towards agroecological production systems. Support short circuits & alternative retail infrastructures. Use public procurement to support local agroecological produce. Strengthen movements that unify constituencies around agroecology. Mainstream holistic food systems approaches into education and
research agendas. Develop ‘food policies’ at all levels. Support on-farm management of agrobiodiversity
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
It is Possible !
The transition is already underway…
The Food-Health Nexus: the potential of agroecology www.ipes-food.org. @IPESfood
@IPESfood