As food is a very broad theme, A SEED has chosen three areas to concentrate on:
GMO free zones
Despite environmental dangers, possible health risks and widespread resistance from consumers, there is a real danger that genetically modified organisms will soon be cultivated in Europe. An increasing number of European regions have defied Brussels and declared their regions GMO free. The Netherlands is lagging behind the rest of Europe in this aspect, but working together with other organizations, A SEED hopes to change this situation.
The Soy Case
In South America, more and more soy is being grown to provide European factory farms with cheap cattle feed. This is done at the expense of the rain forests and the health of the local population. Thousands of small farm holders who used to produce food for local consumption have been forced off their land to end up in the urban slums. A SEED supports groups in South America opposed to this and is trying to make their struggle better known. We are also focusing on the heart of the problem: factory farming must stop its murderous practices. Consumers must realize that the price that others must pay for their “cheap” meat is simply too high. There are plenty of alternatives.
Promotion of alternatives to current methods of food production
Pesticides, exploitation, pollution caused by transport, increasing water scarcity and shortage of agricultural land, the loss of biodiversity, the growing power of the agro- industry and supermarket chains, consumers ever more alienated from the source of their food…the list of possible solutions and alternatives is long and varied. The section on food alternatives on our website (called Amsterdam pages) gives an overview of alternatives and picks out a number of projects that provide a good example.
These three topics should not be seen as separate from each other. Much of the soy produced in South America is genetically modified. Farmers’ organizations involved in the struggle against GMOs are also campaigning for more regional production of cattle feed as opposed to environmentally destructive imports. GMO free agriculture and locally grown alternatives to soy crop are found again n the overview of agricultural alternatives. The connections between these parts emphasizes the necessity of an overview and analysis of the subject of food and agriculture.
Are you green, socially- minded and fond of your food? Come and help A SEED with this food campaign. Contact info@aseed.net