Watson Project
Proposal
Final Draft
November 5, 2012
In 1798, Thomas Malthus predicted that exponential
population growth would outstrip food supply and cause worldwide famine. In 2011, we reached a global population of
seven billion, which raises the question: what will the future of our food
systems look like? Many, including
scientists, economists, and politicians, believe that agribusiness will lift
the world out of hunger through the use of pesticides, petrochemical
fertilizers, and genetically engineered seeds.
While this Green Revolution has helped temporarily alleviate hunger,
roughly one billion people remain malnourished.
In contrast, proponents of sustainable agriculture maintain that organic
and small-scale food production could combat hunger more effectively than
conventional agricultural methods. So
which model is most effective in sustainably feeding populations? Hardly black and white, this issue is
tremendously complex and one I strive to understand from multiple perspectives.
My project explores complicated questions, including: can we
solely rely on biotechnology, petrochemicals, and mechanization? Can small-scale traditional farming methods
prevail? Is there a need for both? I will study the role of modern technology in
traditionally sustainable food systems, paying special attention to the tension
between tradition and innovation. For the purposes of this project,
“technology” includes genetically modified organisms (GMOs), mechanized
production chains, and local radio broadcasting. In an increasingly globalized and mechanized
world, I propose to examine the influence of technology in food systems to
understand how this multifaceted, controversial, and relatively contemporary
concept manifests itself across a range of cultures.
My project takes me to countries that vary culturally,
geographically, and environmentally – India, Bolivia, Tanzania, and Iceland,
where I will learn about the intricacies of food systems and how their
evolution has affected local communities.
I will live and work on small farms, attend workshops and symposiums on
food security and policy, and volunteer at relevant NGOs in each country. I will interview farmers, agro-economists,
and non-profit directors; engage in a wide variety of farming activities; and
pay special attention to the efficacy of production models in each
community.
India: August-November
My adventure begins in India, the largest democracy on the
planet and a hub of food systems controversy.
I will visit both the mountainous regions including Ladakh, where there
have been recent efforts to restore subsistence farming, as well as southern
states, including Andra Pradesh where GMO crops are widespread. One of the most pressing issues in India is
the effect of seed patents and biotechnologies, such as GMOs, on small
farmers. Frequent farmer suicides are a
fairly recent phenomenon with an indebted farmer committing suicide every
thirty minutes. One theory behind this
epidemic is the link between farmers and the GM seed and cash crops on which
they rely.
I have established contact with Dr. Vandana Shiva, founder
of Navdanya, an NGO with a working farm that promotes biodiversity
conservation, seed saving, and farmers’ rights.
I will volunteer at Navdanya to gain perspective on this side of the
issues. Here I will engage in seed
saving, planting, and harvesting. To
gain a more holistic understanding of seed politics and biotechnology in India,
I will interview seed keepers, traditional herbalists, agro-ecologists, and
organic farmers. I can conduct most of
my work here in English but will also practice basic Hindi. I am also in touch with Kirankumar Vissa, a
veteran volunteer at the Association for India's Development (AID India). Kiran is based in Hyderabad, one of the key
areas addressing the issue of GM crops.
With Kiran’s assistance and local contacts, I will volunteer with AID
and their partner organizations. If
necessary, I will hire a translator familiar with the local agricultural
issues.
Bolivia: December-February
I continue my travels in Bolivia, one of the poorest
countries in South America that struggles to feeds its people. Shifting weather events have affected water
availability, impacting the land, agriculture, and people. Bolivia, however, has an extremely rich
pre-Spanish agricultural history, as the Inca developed complex food production
systems within a harsh climate and topography.
Yet today, traditional Andean practices have been overlooked as
industrial-scale projects replace them.
Furthermore, a complex dynamic exists surrounding crops such as quinoa,
which sustained Andean people for centuries and only recently earned prominent
status and high demand in the western world for its health benefits. With a new focus on efficient production and
exporting technologies, traditional small-scale producers struggle to meet
their own needs.
In Bolivia, I will spend time with farmers in the Altiplano
region to understand if and how they have altered their farming methods due to
economic demand and more dramatic weather patterns. I am in contact with Edson Gandarillas,
Technical Manager of the PROINPA Foundation, an agricultural research institute
that utilizes science and technology to promote sustainable agriculture throughout
Bolivia. I am eager to volunteer with
PROINPA to learn more about their balanced initiatives to preserve agricultural
biodiversity and promote agribusiness development. PROINPA fascinates me because of their
mission to integrate seemingly incompatible interests. I also plan to compare conventional and
organic agriculture by following the production path of quinoa by meeting co-op
farmers from the National Association of Quinoa Producers, visiting a
processing plant, and speaking with technical assistance providers and organic
certifiers. I am in touch with Sergio
Nuñez de Arco, Quinoa Specialist at Andean Naturals™, who will connect me with
other farmers and business people in the area.
I will use my basic Spanish skills to communicate with Bolivians.
Tanzania: March-May
I will visit the East African country of Tanzania, where
land rights and food production are disputed.
I want to experience the dry and wet seasons, which undoubtedly affect
food production. Corporations around the
world look to Africa as an opportunity for foreign investment, since global
hunger is on the rise and arable land is becoming scarce. Typically, individuals do not have official
ownership of their land as the state maintains control. Thus, agribusiness is expanding through
corporate land acquisitions for biofuels and cash crops, such as wheat and
beef, sometimes at the expense of local farmers and pastoralists. East Africa has also been the location of
investment for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a multi-billion-dollar
proponent of biotechnology and GMOs in combating food insecurity. I am eager to examine the effect of
technology and agricultural mechanization on local farmers and
pastoralists.
I seek to understand the complex issues surrounding
corporate land purchases, infrastructure, and biotechnology. I am in touch with Maanda Ngoitiko, Executive
Director of the Pastoral Women’s Council, who will connect me with Maasai
communities. I want to learn if and how
their pastoral lifestyles have been altered due to land acquisition and
industrialization. I am also in contact
with Margaret Kingamkono, Regional Field Manager at Farm Radio International in
Arusha. Supported by the Gates
Foundation, the organization combats food insecurity and poverty by offering
resources, campaigns, and programming to farmers through radio
broadcasting. I also hope to tour a
megafarm to learn about its role in the community and to familiarize myself
with their practices. I will communicate
in English within these organizations and in cities and, if necessary, will
hire an interpreter to converse with locals in rural communities.
Iceland: June-July
Known as the land of ice and fire, Iceland presents unique
food production challenges and will make up the last leg of my Watson
journey. Here, I hope to learn about
Icelandic efforts to promote agriculture and food security in an inhospitable
environment. Despite its proximity to the Arctic Circle, Iceland’s temperatures
are fairly moderate due to the Gulf Stream.
For three months each year, however, the country is shrouded in almost
complete darkness. The weather is highly
variable, and because it is located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the land is
subject to frequent tectonic activity.
Yet one beneficial aspect of the unpredictable environment is the
potential for renewable energy in the form of geothermal power. With relatively little arable land and a
cooler climate, Iceland has found a way to not only maintain a strong livestock
and fishing industry, but also to produce warm weather crops in sustainably powered
greenhouses.
I strive to understand the efficacy of renewable geothermal
energy and the sustainability of their green technology and
infrastructure. I am in touch with
Magnús Ágústsson, a Horticultural adviser, and Ólafur R Dýrmundsson, PhD, both
at the Farmers Association of Iceland.
Ólafur works with issues regarding organic farming, rangeland grazing,
and the conservation of native livestock breeds and genetic biodiversity. Using English, which is widely spoken in
Iceland, I will volunteer my time with farmers, industry leaders, and
scientists.
In each location, I hope to better comprehend the future of
food production by engaging with food producers, local activists, government
officials, and industry leaders. I will
look beyond conventional measures such as efficiency and crop-yield to
understand the current role of technology in the sustainability of food
systems. I seek a balanced awareness of
the issues surrounding food security and cultural continuity in a changing
world where some would argue that technology is apotheosized, tradition is
threatened, and the welfare of the natural environment is overlooked.
Itinerary:
India: August-November
Bolivia: December-February
Tanzania: March-May
Iceland: June-July
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