sustainable agriculture as solution to global challenges
DESCRIPTION
Presentation by Helmy Abouleish, CEO, SEKEM Group on: What are the pressing Global Challenges of the 21st century? How is Sustainable Agriculture addressing them all? Why can the SEKEM experience serve as inspiring example?TRANSCRIPT
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Sustainable Agriculture As a Solution to Global Challenges
Helmy Abouleish, 2010
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Egypt – Challenges
§ Population Growth
§ Education
§ Desertification
§ Water scarcity
§ Biodiversity Loss
§ Climate Change
Ø Food security
Ø Poverty
Ø Health
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Industrial Agriculture is not the answer
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The prevailing model of agricultural production has failed to achieve food security, provide prosperity and rural livelihoods - while fuelling climate change, driving environmental degradation and water scarcity
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SEKEM – Holistic Initiative for Sustainable Development
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Biodynamic Agriculture – Sustainable Agriculture
§ Environmental / Productivity benefits – Soil Stewardship and closed nutrient cycles
– Carbon Sequestration and low energy consumption
– High water holding capacity
– Responsible use of scarce resources
– Resilience to extreme climatic conditions
– Biodiversity loss
§ Socio-economic benefits – Less investment/cost for external resource inputs
– Rural livelihoods and employment
– Healthy food and farmers
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N-P-K
$$$
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SEKEM‘s contribution I
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§ Climate change: § 110.000 tons compost
à Emission reduction of 100.000 t CO2e (Methan)
§ 11.000 h reclaimed land
à Sequestration of 286.000 t C (> 1 Mio. t CO2e) within the last 30 years èè 0.86 TONS CARBON PER HECTARE / YEAR
§ Resistance to diseases and erosion through an improved
humus structure
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SEKEM‘s contribution II
§ Biodiversity: SEKEM – a living ecosystem in the desert – Numerous animal and plant species
– 10% green area as natural habitat without agricultural use
§ Water: 70% improved water holding capacity of soils; saving water with sub-surface-irrigation
§ Poverty: More than 2000 employees, mainly from rural communities, more than 20% women
§ Health: cultivation without chemicals and pesticides, healthy food; SEKEM Medical Center
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SEKEM‘s contribution III
§ Education: – SEKEM schools, vocational center, Heliopolis University
– EBDA Egyptian Biodymaic Association: Training of Engineers and Farmers in Biodynamic agriculture
§ Food souvereignty: – Fairtrade strengthens the producers
– Training of farmers in Biodynamic agriculture (see EBDA)
§ Food security: – Capacity building for sustainable agriculture, greening the
desert to increase fertile land
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SEKEM‘s contribution IV
§ SEKEM has been making use of and further developing the multi-functionality of agriculture for more than 30 years
§ SEKEM‘s is working to address global challenges in manifold ways
SEKEM as a best-practice agricultural company according to the statements of the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development
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Sustainable Agriculture – Common Concerns
Too expensive? à In true cost prices, Sustainable Agriculture is cheaper!
Not enough? à Only Sustainable Agriculture can feed the world!
Not really Sustainable? à Just ‘organic’ is not enough.
Comprehensive Sustainability approaches will lead the way.
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Sustainable Agriculture is cheaper!
§ Today – ≈20% premium in Egypt vanishes from a macro perspective.
§ ≈ 3% result from subsidized water usage in agriculture
§ ≈ 6% from subsidized energy usage (on farm & fertilizer production)
§ Short to medium term – Cost-competitive with conventional products
§ Medium to long term – Even cheaper, as soon as the real costs reach the customers
§ We need to consider the true costs/benefits! – preservation of soil, saving of water resources and energy, reduced
pollution, health of farmers/consumers, additional rural jobs, ….
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Quantitative aspect:
§ Organic agriculture can produce high yields with low yield risks due to resilience of diversity
§ Conventional methods threaten long-term food security by affecting soils and eco-systems and depending on non-renewable resources e.g. fossil fuels, phosphorous
Qualitative aspect:
§ Food security depends on politics and markets
§ Healthy food for a sustainable diet in the future
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In the long run, Sustainable Agriculture is the only way to ‘feed the world’!
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Just ‘organic’ is not enough.
§ Organic Agriculture = best practice
§ BUT: not always sustainable – No regulation for water management and energy efficiency
– Limited number and scope of binding standards
– No holistic approach including the culture and human development aspect
è Organic Standards must be amended with sustainability indicators!
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Engagement for Biodynamic agriculture
§ Political Engagement and private initatives on a national and international level
§ Presentations and media work about the potential of biodynamic and sustainable agriculture
§ Research on eco-intensification, comparative studies on organic vs. conventional, study on 100% organic agriculture in Egypt
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Threats of reductionistic approaches
§ Genetic Engineering: - Threats to biodiversity, health and food security /
sovereignty
§ Agrochem. industry campaign with „sustainability“ – Bio-ethanol and biochar with monocropping plantations
– CO2 sequestration through GMO and less plowing through the application of pesticides
§ Negative consequences – Damaged eco-systems
– Competition for food production
– Reduced local added value
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The Way forward….
Eco-Intensification and increasing productivity § Improved pest control techniques
§ Significant increase of yields per hectare
§ Improved resource-efficiency and eco-efficiency
Awareness and Advocacy § Re-defining Sustainable Agriculture
§ Pointing out dangers of unsustainable alternatives (Carbon Sequestration.via GMO crops, …)
§ Highlighting Best Practice, Knowledge Exchange
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Greening the Desert with Sustainable Agriculture. Today.
Celebration of inaugurating the Sinai Project 2008…
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… and after 18 months.
Greening the Desert with Sustainable Agriculture. Today.
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Land reclamation in the Desert near Minya, Upper Egypt, September 2010
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www.sekem.com
Helmy Abouleish SEKEM Group
P.O. Box 2834 El Horreya Cairo, Egypt
Thank you for your attention!