Sustainable Agriculture As a Solution to Global Challenges

Helmy Abouleish, 2010

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

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.

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’!

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

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.

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

helmy.abouleish@sekem.com

Thank you for your attention!