Food for thought, security and sovereignty

This is a longer version of the article David Holmgren contributed to the inaugural issue of the Pip magazine.

Food insecurity also shows up in affluent countries in many surprising ways.  In Australia declining backyard food production since the 1960s and the loss of community, reduced the opportunities for barter and social insurance from non-monetary exchange. In the decades since, increasing apartment living and smaller backyards has reduced the capacity for household food production.

Multiple generations of wage, and even welfare dependence, has left many Australians without even the “skills of poverty”, including food gardening and home preserving.  In recent decades high debt levels have seen all household members commuting to work or school, leaving little time for food gardening, animal rearing and preserving.

The decline in home cooking and storage of food at home have increased dependence on 24/7 commercial food outlets which themselves have become monopolised and transport dependent.  The constant drive for greater efficiency and profits by food corporations has seen “Just In Time” logistics replace warehousing and storage in shops.

Interruptions to supply chains from natural or economic disasters set up instant dependence of large populations on emergency relief on an unprecedented scale. Even without Peak Oil and Climate Change, the prospects of large numbers of people being food insecure in Australia increases inexorably due to the dysfunctions of multi-generational affluence. I wonder why people feel so comfortable relying on Coles as their personal food cupboard.

You can download here full text of Permaculture for food security and sovereignty.