Agriculture & food

So do we really know what we are eating? This is the question Michael Pollan asks in his book ‘The Omnivore’s Dilemma’, a truly shocking account of the industrial food chain in the U.S. It is tale of subsidised but nevertheless unprofitable maize farming on a gigantic scale, of maize-fed animals that are kept alive on a regime of antibiotics, and of an increasingly obese but simultaneously undernourished U.S. population. Pollan shows how industrial farming in the U.S. has entirely disconnected itself from ecological farming methods where livestock and crop cycles interlink in mutually beneficial ways. Instead, the (linear) chain is driven by fossil fuels (pesticides, chemical fertilisers) and emits a tremendous amount of waste and greenhouse gasses. And the end-result is over-processed food, loaded with maize and soya derivatives, that keeps us fat but does not actually nourish us.  It isn’t a pretty picture; it is the type of literature that pushes consumers toward ‘organic’ foods.    

Pollan’s story is not directly applicable to our local situation but some of the key principles do apply. For one, the agricultural model does indeed date back to the post-WWI ‘green revolution.’ Yields increased massively since the 1950s, but in the process most crop farming relies on chemical fertilisers and pesticides. Also, livestock farming is practiced in a highly intensive manner in this country, so much so that the animal manure mountain pollutes our ground water (which led to legislation controlling the livestock population in Flanders). The fact that agriculture is subsidised under the European Common Agricultural Policy is another contentious matter. Clearly there are limits (geographically and environmentally) to what is possible here.  But also internationally there is increasing recognition that the industrial agricultural model is not sustainable, if only because it is so reliant on fossil fuels (while demand for high-protein food is increasingly dramatically given the rise of China and India).  The question is, where to go from here?  What is sustainable agriculture?

Looking at it superficially, there are two main responses to the question. On the one hand there are those pursuing a ‘second green revolution’, seeing particular promise in the genetic engineering of new seed strains.  On the other hand, ecologists argue the case for ecological (and local) farming methods.  

While demand for organic food products is increasing in this country, its market share in total household food purchases remains minor (1.6% in Flanders in 2008).(1)  Organic food production too is marginal in this country—only 0.6% of crop farming land in Flanders is used for organic farming.(1) Hence, much of the organic produce sold in retail is imported from larger-scale producers abroad. From an ecological perspective this is a pity. It can be argued that the potential for organic (or rather, ecological farming methods, to distinguish it from ‘organic’ or ‘bio’ labelling schemes) is much greater, both here in this country and globally.  Grass-based farming methods as practiced in New Zealand (dairy cows) or by the likes of Polyface farm profiled in Pollan’s book, do suggest that yields can be competitive with industrial farming methods, although the methods are certainly more labour intensive.  Some also argue that ecological farming methods have not been given a fair chance given the amount of R&D investment that went into the ‘green revolution’, compared to ecological farming. 

Biotech companies like Cropdesign also argue that they are committed to solving the world’s food problem, but take a different approach to the problem: genetic engineering.   While in the public mind GM foods have become associated with Frankenstein foods and pesticide-resistant crops, companies like Cropdesign are trying to develop new seed strains that are more tolerant to drought and have improved nutrient use efficiency (thus requiring less fertiliser). In other words, these are potential solutions for farmers in developing nations, confronted by droughts and lacking access to fertilisers. While even Pollan seems to acknowledge that such methods need to be tested, seed companies like Monsanto have a tough battle to fight in the court of public opinion. Critics of GM agriculture focus on a number of issues, including uncertainty about the long-term effects of GM crops on human health and the environment; the economic control that seed companies have over their ‘intellectual property’ (i.e. GM seeds); and the possible contamination of non-GM crops by GM crops, implying that the consumer is robbed of choice in the matter.  

While at present one can still talk of an ideological schism between the ecologists and biologists, in person the differences are less palatable. What is sure, agriculture in the coming decades will need to become more ecological and intelligent. This does not mean that agriculture will turn away from pesticides, herbicides and GM seeds, but that it will begin adopting other methods to increase yield, for example by rotating crops in more optimal ways or using satellite imagery to detect areas that need water or fertiliser. Agriculture is bound to adopt more ecological principles (in the sense of waste avoidance) but simultaneously is likely to become increasingly high-tech.

So what are the implications for food companies? How can food companies pre-empt—and in fact exploit—the shift toward more sustainable agriculture and food? Alpro, one of this country’s most successful and innovative food companies, shows one possible way. Here is a company that has placed sustainable development in the DNA of the organisation. Firstly, there is its focus on plant-based proteins from soya, which is far more efficient to produce than animal proteins (in terms of land use, water and fossil fuels).  Secondly, there is the way it conducts its business. Key here is the way it processes the soya bean without the use of chemicals, thereby leaving the nutrients intact. Also important is the way it works with its suppliers (e.g. the company sources only non-GM soya beans, produced on land that does not compete with rainforest, and participates in various community development programmes in Africa and Brazil). What is remarkable about a company like Alpro—a characteristic is shares with Ecover—is that this is a company that manages to combine a fundamental commitment to sustainable business while participating in the mainstream consumer goods business. While many ‘sustainable’ food producers limit their distribution to specialised outlets or ‘niche’ categories (e.g. fair trade, organic), Alpro products can be found in the main dairy sections of supermarkets across Europe. The company has managed to develop a strong consumer brand and keeps on innovating in new products—from drinks and deserts to yoghurt and cream replacements. This is a company that illustrates well the overall point being made in this publication, that the transition to a greener, cleaner and healthier economy can be a tremendous opportunity for companies.