Need conclusion and recommendations for HOSP 730 Food,Culture and contemporary issues

Fahaduddin. Mohammed

Food system alternatives:

Same as every country’s government even Thai government is focused on high production of agricultural products and more exports to boost country’s economy. Use of different agricultural strategies and poor farming methods and inappropriate use of agro-chemicals resulted in soil erosion in Thailand.

Alternate farming:

Alternate farming has started in Thailand and in Japan long ago. There were common practices by these two countries and that has categorized below.

Fukoaka Nature farming:

It was started in the year 1938 by Mr. Masanobu Fukoaka a Microbiologist and soil scientist. Fukoaka explains the importance of natural products than man-made products.

Concept:

In Fukoaka farming method there is least involvement of nature by evaluating ploughing, chemical pesticides and fertilizers, weeding etc., he even insisted the use of “seed balls” it’s a mixture of different species of seeds with the mixture of clay and made into small balls.

The concept is not just for cultivation but also for perfect farming. This concept was not widely used but still used in spiritual farming.

Positive implication:

This concept was used by many farmers in Thailand for the second term of food production. This is the quickest way, less hard work and less time consuming process.

Negative implications: grown rice with this process has limited the rice straw and without weeding plants are not growing properly. so later on many framers stopped using this method but this method is used in spiritual farming.

Mokichi farming:

Mokichi okada started this concept of farming called “no-fertilizer farming” which means no use of chemicals and to get rid of poison in soil as resulted in natural production. This method of farming called Kyusei and the main concept of this farming is saving the world through natural farming.

Concept:

Kyusei farming has 5 objectives

1. To produce high quality of food

2. To be economically and spiritually benefitted to both farmers and customers

3. To be sustainable

4. To be environmentally sound

5. To be able to produce enough food for an expanding world population

The main concept of this method to produce food spiritually and naturally and to benefit the use of microorganisms (EM). In 1993 farmers in Thailand used this concept as there were facing many problems associating with pests and weeds etc.,

Positive aspects:

EM solutions are widely made available for better quality and it is sold for only 40 baths. Even government bodies and NGOs. The fact is that EM is giving best results for natural farming and this kyusei system is backed with well established infrastructure and research labs.

Negative aspects:

As EM the resulted to be effective in short term but there is no such information that EM will have no soil erosions and quality problem in long term. There are researchers who are still working on it. As a result many farmers have limited the use of EM.

Santi Asoke nature farming:

Santi Asoke is a Buddhist sect they have used the concept of Fukoaka and they have limited the use of Santi Asoke to the members of their sect and they have raised funds from their sect to expand this concepts. They use the same natural farming as Fukoaka and they forbid the killing of living creatures.

Concept:

Santi Asoke farming has developed from organic and Fukoaka farming but its different from organic farming as they forbid they killing of pests and they do not use EM. The produced agriculture from this method is used only by Santi Asoke members like in their restaurants and as they believe no chemicals and no killing of animals in order to protect their agriculture they send funds to the charity of Santi Asoke in order to sustain their agriculture.

Positive impacts:

Santi Asoke can produce enough agricultural products for all their community members and extra agricultural products they send it across Thailand so that Santi Asoke in other part of the country can enjoy products of their choice. These members will never have shortage of agricultural products as they are not selling it to the rest of Thailand.

Negative impacts:

They may not make enough money to develop this concept as they may receive small amount of charity from their members. Santi Asoke doesn’t share their concept to other so it will be difficult to trace problems if any. They have their own farming philosophy and they practice only that. They may not know any diseases associated with this method.

Integrated agricultural and aquacultural:

This method of farming places focused of symbiosis of livestock, crops and fishes and limits the use of agrochemicals. It is considered as alternative agriculture because of its symbiosis.

Concept:

This method is introduced so that it can help small farms and can take mutual advantage between fish, livestock and crops and can increase the productivity and profitability of the small farms in an organic way and off-farm. They wanted to create an on-farm and maintain ecological balance between them. Many studies suggested that it is highly possible to generate more profits and make good productivity out of it.

Positive impacts:

This concept has replaced conventional agriculture in Thailand and resulted in generating more profits and more productivity in almost all parts of Thailand. And they have made it possible to maintain ecological balance across the country.

Negative impacts:

There are more possibilities getting tasteless agricultural products like fruits and vegetables. Marine life remains healthy and strong only in natural water and they may use GMOs.

Permaculture:

This concept was started by an Australian ecologist Bill Mollison in 1978. “Permaculture’s concept is to integrate human dwelling, micro-climate, plants, animals and water management into stable communities”. Its can organic farming method that is helpful for small farms, household farms etc., and this method was introduced in response to the “failure of world food system”.

Concept:

Permaculture is a philosophy of farming but not any chemicals. The activities considered under this philosophy are Organic farming, agro-frosty, tree-crops, and the use of appropriate techniques that are suitable for environment. The main concept of this method is to produce enough food for all small farms, households and surplus food to the world.

Positive impact:

This concept is favorable to the small farms and households. Protect food from political bargain chip. They are aiming is to maintain environmentally sustainable and the fruit of their hard work should reach to the desired people.

Negative impact:

This method has very small market and it has very little impact in Thailand. Farmers have noticed that trees are occupying more space and that can reduce sun light results in limiting crop growth. Most of the farmers ignored the used of this method in Thailand. This philosophy is not applicable to all type of lands.

Organic farming:

Modern Organic farming was started in Britain in 1943. Organic farming has introduced in order to produce healthy food, avoid chemicals and pests in agricultural crops etc,. For better human health.

Concept:

To produce food in accordance with ecosystem management. Things that are taken into consideration for organic farming. Marinating soil fertility, recycling farm products, maintaining nitrogen self-sufficiency, controlling weeds, pests and diseases and careful attention to the impact of farm etc.,

Positive implications:

There were only 10% farmers using this concept in Thailand before but, later on numbers began to grow. It produces healthy food, more earth friendly and more sustainable farming method, almost very less use of weed etc.,

Negative impacts:

Its time consuming process and requires more attention where crops are grown. Can’t produce more quantity from same crops, costly process and it is more expensive food to buy than non-organic food.

HORIZON INTERNATIONAL SOLUTIONS SITE. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.solutions-site.org/node/47.

Assessing the food system for global context:

Assessing the food system for the global context has characterized into 6 steps there are as follows:

Recognize the problem:

It is important to recognize the problem associated with food system in Thailand from sowing seed to the food on the table every process to be carefully examined and it should be communicated with the government health officials and to be able to obtain necessary safety requirements for food.

Scope:

By considering appropriate boundaries, components and assumptions in the supply of food chain in the country and around the world. Then there should be “appropriate methods of analysis and synthesis”. How it will be affecting health, environment, social and economic factors in the supply of food chain. What are the steps to be taken for appropriate output.

Scenario:

There should be a baseline for the food system. We have to take alternatives to compare best suitable for food system. We should even recognize how it is affecting social, economical, health and environmental factors and if any inappropriateness is recognized that alternative should be terminated for use in the food system.

Analysis:

After selecting best alternative out of it. We should interpret the data and should make sure if it is safe to use and is it matching all the factors. Then we should send it for the “public and private decision making”.

Synthesis:

Outcome of the alternatives are important and enough judgment should be made. Both benefits and harm of the scientific results to be enclosed. The best of the scenario should be displayed and it replay on decision makers and stakeholders to select best scenario out of it.

Report to the stakeholders:

Clearly written report of scope, interpretation, implementation, analysis, assumptions, and outcome to be discussed with the stakeholders, government officials and civilians. Information should be written clearly, understandable, transparency, detailed to make good decision. Based on the national academic of science report decision making of risk management communicating and involvement of stakeholder are considered as very important role. Because information from stakeholder helps to figure out important issues, problems of the assessment, errors of alternatives etc.

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