Food Sources

Current Synthesis on Food Resources

Proposed: Food Resources Grown Locally and Regionally with Excess Distributed to Nearby Population Needs
An agreed upon comfortable standard of living met via a standard Food supply that is grown locally in all communities, based on environmental resources, weather systems, and population needs.

Our collective human knowledge tells us that we can grow an abundance of nutritious food no matter where we are. Even deserts can be turned into verdant fields if we intended it to be. "Anyone Can be a Quarter-Acre Farmer," claimed Masanobu Fukuoka, microbiologist, agricultural scientist, plant pathologist and author of various permaculture titles such as The Natural Way of Farming. He eventually compiled a simple step-by-step outline of how to turn deserts into forests, especially after visiting various American universities who were researching the topic. He is also known for his Do Nothing approach as a favourable philosophy in allowing nature to run its course (As a side note, I've read how this same Do Nothing recommendation was made by well-respected economists who advocated for less governmental regulation in the free market, showing how societies flourished whenever the state did nothing to intervene with the natural state of economic affairs).

From the Quechuan Sumak kawsay "Beautiful Planet Life" to the modern day Bill Mollison's books on permaculture, we have long known just how to live harmoniously with our environment and creating the abundance humanity needs to feed itself infinitely. Regenerative agriculture, bioconstruction, hydroponics, hügelkultur and water management are but a few key concepts that we can share with the entire world to ensure anyone can grow food anywhere they live no matter how harsh their environment may be.

I found out about WOOF'ing while in South America a few years ago and decided to sign up and volunteer to farm in various regions. I quickly learned that we do indeed apply various techniques, all of which efficient and effective and all of which have been known for centuries. This platform is a fantastic resource for learners and food growers to connect and learn from one another. For instance, I learned about Europeans creating successful self-sufficient and self-reliant communities in the middle of Oxapampa, Peru! Though this is a paid platform, it has been used globally by various families, associations, organizations and volunteers. I would love to have all their worldly experiences documented and evaluated to be shared and made freely accessible for everyone to easily learn from.

Think about it, we figured out a way to live in antarctica for months at a time long ago, and recently elaborated ways to live on Mars. It would be ridiculous to think that we don't already know how to grow food no matter where we live on planet Earth. The key, is in ensuring that everyone has a way of doing so in a manner that is easily accessible and wholly regenerative, until perhaps some day we figure out a way to make it antifragile!

This matter requires attention from folks who are knowledgeable in farming, permaculture, circular economies, local transportation, and so on.