The second green revolution at hand

A vision to reach those who are left behind on the Indian subcontinent

Meet the basic needs in symbiosis with natural systems

By Dr. Ashok Khosla and Gunter Pauli

Based on dialogues from June 13 to 19, 2004

The country of monsoons houses 1.3 billion people spread over 7 nations. This represents a fifth of humanity. Almost three -quarters of the population lives in rural areas. Half of hunger in the world is in South Asia. Environmental problems are enormous: excessive degradation of land, massive exhaustion of forests, mediocre quality and rarity of water, as well as energy demand in sharp increase. Women 'literacy rate reaches only 36 %, and the caste system continues to predetermine the lives of the vast majority of populations.

The region can rely on 5,000 years of tradition and culture. It was one of the richest on earth to foreign invasions and colonization at the beginning of the 17th century. The cultural and scientific advances that have arisen have enriched humanity. Its biodiversity is unique and it is the cradle of the first green revolution. Dr. Norman Borhaug, director of the International Center for the improvement of corn and wheat in Mexico, managed to introduce the Green Revolution in India and Pakistan. If no one disputes the immense benefits brought to the suffering populations, indisputable facts force us to consider the second green revolution, and much more.

The time has come to meet the basic needs of all on earth. The current situation is far from being satisfactory, especially when we see daily the suffering of the poor and their lack of access to water, food, housing, energy, health care, to the 'employment and education. The authors of this vision document believe that a radical change - going from a vertical approach and focused on isolated issues to a systemic approach in symbiosis with nature - will allow communities to pass from rarity and poverty to the 'Abundance and sustainable livelihoods, in harmony with the ecosystem and based on the richness of their tradition and their culture.

 

The end of patience

 

During the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (CNUD) held in Johannesburg in 2002, governments agreed with a daring objective: to reduce poverty by 2015. Our immediate reaction was, "What about the other half? It is necessary to imagine a development framework which does not give up from the start of 50 %, but which aims to reach all those who are left behind.

We believe that there are enough renewable resources to meet the basic needs of all, because, in reality, the only species on earth incapable of satisfying all of its essential needs is the human species. Worse, human beings is the only species capable of producing things that no one wants. It is estimated that 90 % of all raw materials - renewable or not - end in waste. Our agricultural programs, full of important subsidies, cause soil erosion and are based on artificial inputs which, although increasing short -term productivity, will long -term compromise the effectiveness of the whole ecosystem of which We depend.

The poor can no longer wait for the rich to decide. At a time when donors' weariness and budget reduction is common in aid agencies - and where assistance is limited to the most serious crises - the suffering continues for the vast majority. Admittedly, there are a few pockets of progress in the world, but the statistics confirm what the author wishes to demonstrate: "If you immerse one hand in icy water and the other in boiling water, on average, You should feel good. ” The reality is very different!

When a mother cannot feed her children, when corruption drains rare resources and simplistic analyzes lead to equally simplistic solutions, causing collateral damage, despair sets up. But when the communities are empowered and the priorities are defined locally, initiatives emerge quickly. This vision document calls for end -to -off and getting involved now to reach everyone.

The heart of this approach is based on a system: several objectives will be achieved thanks to multiple tools. This is how natural systems work. The incredible biodiversity, with its millions of species each having been able to carve a single niche and continuously adapting to the changes of this long path of Coévolution - where nothing is permanent and where everything seeks partners to meet the essential needs - offers us inspiration.

 

The 5 kingdoms of nature

 

According to the Lynn Margulis biologist, species must be classified according to "5 kingdoms of nature": animals, plants, fungi, algae (protostistes) and bacteria (Money). Each kingdom has millions of members sharing a common approach to chemistry, biology and physics. Mushrooms digest food outside their bodies, micro-algae can penetrate rocks without destroying them, bacteria constantly realize genetic changes, the majority of animal species consist of worms, and inorganic magnesium becomes accessible to plants thanks to algae. Each of these kingdoms transforms nutrients and energy, but together, they are able to integrate and separate any material at room temperature and pressure.

Each species produces waste, but nothing is lost. What is waste for one can be nutrient or energy source for another. This ensures the continuous transformation of matter and energy on earth. In addition, this process purifies, since viruses cannot survive more than two changes in chemistry and ambient biology. Toxins, likely to compromise the life of a species, are neutralized and most likely become a nutrient for one species of another kingdom. We thus realize that natural systems are all the more effective when they are diversified, and all the more resilient when they are local.

Ecosystems are satisfied with what they have and tolerate the erratic behavior of a few-because the exceptions confirm the rule. Few inputs come from outside, although the wind and migratory birds provide connections with external systems. As soon as a niche arises, a new element arrives or an environmental change occurs, the system fits, adopts and adapts quickly to this dynamic process of coevolution.

The vision is that the design of sustainable livelihoods is inspired by the functioning of ecosystems, their evolution and their ability to meet the needs of each with what is available in the system. This is not a call to return to primitive life systems, but an invitation to merge the best of science with the generative capacity of natural systems, thanks to the ingenuity of biology, chemistry and physics. This will allow us to obtain ambitious results while strengthening our confidence in the production and consumption system that appeared on earth after billions of years of evolution.

 

From the linear approach to a systemic conception

 

The objective of social and ecological development is to meet basic needs. These needs are interconnected: the ability to produce drinking water is directly linked to energy production, and the possibility of guaranteeing health services is intimately linked to food. Although everything is interdependent, we often act on isolated issues without considering their impact on other species, nor on the thin terrestrial crust and the thin layer of air on which we depend.

The vision of sustainable livelihoods is based on the fact that no element can be successfully treated without the other essential needs identified by the community being too. If a community wishes to have drinking water (which rare are those who refuse), it is essential to guarantee access to renewable energy resources. The search for these resources will probably introduce biodiesel, a new lucrative culture likely to compete with the use of agricultural land. The design of a project, by creatively evaluating what is immediately available and by establishing connections, will considerably reduce dependence on external sources.

An external observer would see nothing where everything exists, or on the contrary, would see a lot where the local population perceives nothing. The key lies in the ability to initiate dialogue, to discover what is at hand and to connect the points to transform the whole into a generator system indefinitely of basic needs.

When the local population suffers from gastrointestinal diseases, we would try to solicit medical assistance, cheap medicines and the construction of a hospital. The international donor community could then provide these elements, but this would generate permanent dependence. As soon as an international supply agreement expires or a change of government redefines priorities, funding would evaporate and the social system is collapsing. It is impossible to achieve self -sufficiency in such a model.

If, on the other hand, gastrointestinal diseases are caused by powerful bacterial strains developing in highly acidic water-a consequence of deforestation-then trees must be replanted. This reforestation cannot be carried out without a symbiotic plantation with mycorrhizal fungi, which will provide the necessary nutrients to young trees. During their adaptation period, these trees will lose a lot of leaves and needles, forming a humus carpet that will modify the pH, chasing harmful bacteria and promoting increased precipitation. The water thus generated can be used by the local hospital, reducing the need in beds, while the region will kidnap carbon dioxide and may claim carbon credits. This is what a systemic conception is.

 

System budgets

 

If you propose to produce drinking water, this will require a budget. If you are launching a program to combat diseases, a budget will also be required. If you want to undertake a reforestation program, you still need a budget. When these three initiatives are envisaged simultaneously, the lack of funding will require priorities. How to choose between these basic needs? By simultaneously performing these three actions within the same system, we create a lasting model that will work and evolve indefinitely.

The authors' vision is that all initiatives will tackle several objectives. The process of learning social and ecological systems will reveal unsuspected links between phenomena, process and results. It is the symbiosis and synergy that will make it possible to obtain faster and more ambitious results, at a lower cost. This is the type of agenda we need.

If we proposed to increase the availability of essential amino acids of a 1,000 factor with current resources, we would hardly be taken seriously. Likewise, focusing only on the increase in wheat or corn production would not achieve such an ambitious result. The Green Revolution cannot accomplish such a feat. But by combining the available resources and "taking action the 5 kingdoms", we obtain amazing results. These results, which would be fantasy for a single objective approach, are the norm in a systemic approach.

Take the example of coffee and tea. Farmers from around the world suffer: prices are historically low and overproduction leads to bankruptcy and poverty. A careful analysis shows that we only consume 0.2 % of the biomass of a coffee tree (0.1 % for tea), the rest being considered waste. This waste, rich in caffeine, cannot be used as a fodder for animals. While a cup of coffee is sold at around 3 USD in a simple coffee from industrialized countries, the farmer receives only about 0.1 cent for the raw materials used.

The reality is that, from India to Africa via Latin America, farmers are pointing out and must choose between hunger, drugs or flight to the city. Coffee from fair trade, organic coffee or substitution programs have so far been able to get farmers out of poverty - it takes more.

However, the potential is immense. The hidden value lies in the possibility of multiplying by 500 the productivity of this biomass (from 0.2 % to 100 %). If this biomass could obtain the same added value as that generated by a coffee which, by pouring water on ground coffee or a sachet of tea, transforms a gross product into a big value drink, it would be obvious to see the 'Huge economic potential. The crucial question is therefore: how to transform the 498 current waste units into a resource generating considerable income?

In the case of coffee-a plant rich in caffeine-it could constitute an excellent nutrient for mushrooms, especially shiitakes. However, these mushrooms sell on the international market at a high price (40 USD per kilo dehydrated) and their production, stimulated by caffeine, is twice as fast as on hardwood logs such as oak. Better still, cultivating mushrooms on coffee-itself hardwood-helps preserve the oaks of the farm. Coffee residues, after harvesting mushrooms, are enriched with protein (including essential amino acids), making these leftovers an ideal food for chickens and pigs. Animals produce manure, which can be converted by bacteria into methane gas, and the liquid residue constitutes an excellent food for algae rich in trace elements. By adding the amount of essential amino acids generated from coffee waste, we understand how natural systems manage to create abundance and livelihoods.

 

Development principles for the Indian subcontinent

 

The concepts presented were experienced by a rich process of tests and errors. They rely on available resources, add up multiple issues and guarantee rapid implementation in coevolution with the local ecosystem. When communities realize that they can quickly meet their needs with what they have, the implementation will only depend on the natural cycles of seasons and monsoons as well as their own discovery process.

It is in this context that the social fabric and the capacity of engineering, developed for decades by alternative development, wish to associate with Zeri in order to study the communities of the Indian subcontinent and to launch a series of projects demonstrating The viability and fructuance of strategic options described above. The two organizations undertake to listen to the needs of communities as a priority and, thanks to a better understanding of opportunities and a creative connection of apparently disparate elements, to translate them into concrete actions in the field in order to reach those which are left behind.

This will require for all a rediscovery of what exists, a desire to be inspired by natural systems, to rely on biodiversity and to transform the dreams of children in reality.

 

Some pilot cases: chickens, stones and irrigation

 

A young entrepreneur buys two -day chicks from industrial farming; He pays in cash for food and for a series of colored bottles. He learns to weigh the chickens after 28 and 45 days. At this point, they should be ready to be sold at around 50 rupees per kilo. The objective is clear: to obtain a chicken of at least 1.2 kg after 45 days. The materials are there: if the chicken does not reach the target, we add growth hormones. The concept is simple: the entrepreneur invests in cash and receives ripe chickens in return, thus generating income. Unfortunately, this approach is not durable, because it is strongly based on artificial additives and creates total dependence on external suppliers. The quality of the chicken is then questionable and the margins very low.

Imagine the following scenario: The region cultivates peanuts. Part of the peanuts is reserved to feed the chickens, a local species which will put 90 to 120 days to reach a maturity of 3 to 3.5 kg of meat. To obtain 3 kg of animal protein, it is necessary to provide 6.5 kg of vegetable proteins or from fungi. Awards are only marketed dissected; Their shells are recovered and, associated with local herbs or wheat and corn straw, are transformed into a substrate for the cultivation of mushrooms. These fungi, which are part of the local food, contribute to food security. The exhausted substrate is then enriched with essential amino acids - especially in lysine, very popular with chickens - and the remains of cooking in the community complete their food balance.

These chickens, rich in nutrients and inexpensive to raise, transform local resources into a much higher value. They will sell at a good price on the market and will be able to successfully compete with industrial chicks without taste and quality. And that's just the beginning.

Around the city of Jhansi, rock crushers dominate the landscape. Clusters of rock dust, rich in magnesium, remain unused for years. However, this dust is an essential element to regenerate the arable soil. After the disappearance of forest coverage and years of intensive agriculture, the region suffers from soil erosion. This problem can only be resolved by adding sufficient trace elements, allowing millions of microorganisms-micro-algae bacteria-to transform these elements into a fertile base for plants. Without effort to reconstruct the soil, the cultivation of peanuts will only accelerate erosion. Years of focus on the three nutrients N, P and K (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) have left the essential trace elements aside. However, as we know, plants cannot live without chlorophyll, which depends on magnesium. So let's free the magnesium contained in the rock dust.

An initiative has been launched to transform agricultural and municipal waste into compost and animal manure into vermicompost. This high quality material, enriched by 10 to 15 % of rock dust, would not only provide nutrients immediately available, but also the micro-nutrients necessary to reconstruct the arable soil. Rock dust, already produced and considered a nuisance, would regenerate the ground at a rate of 1 to 10 cm per year. Even an increase of one centimeter would considerably improve the retention of water brought by the monsoon, thus reducing the need for irrigation and retention dams.

Water is, of course, the basis of life. When you drill a well to provide a city with drinking water, it is essential to check the water temperature. If it is cold and has a differential of about 20 degrees with the ambient air, it becomes easy to use this water to create condensation. The piping systems designed for drunk irrigation will then stop losing water from the inside to the outside, leaving only the exterior. Like a glass of cold water which "sweats" when exposed to wet air, cold water from rivers, artesian wells or deep aquifers should not be exploited without generating A surplus of condensate. Rather than consuming water, why not create it?

The effects are immediate: water generates more water. With an efficiency of 5 %, it would even be possible to pump the water only once up to a high point - using a manual pump or a generator - by coloring the intake hose in white (or by keeping it transparent) and the output hose in black. This pumping system would then become effective and practical, providing water without consuming it, with a minimum of energy. If we manage to eliminate the need for irrigation water by creating irrigation water, we will reduce the pressure on aquifers in depletion, and the condensate will be clean and abundant. Does that seem to be fantasy? However, this is how many plant species and insects survive every day.

 

From fantasy to reality

 

The challenge of creating sustainable livelihoods is immense, but the opportunities offered by a systemic approach are considerable. Development Alternatives and Zeri will imagine systems capable of approaching multiple problems and engage in a perpetual quest for the best solutions, based on the old Sanskrit proverb:

 

The Sanskrit proverb

 

Asato mā Sat Gamaye-lead me from the illusion to the truth

Tamaso mā jyotir gamaye-lead me from fantasy to reality

Mrityor mā amritam gamaye-lead me from death to immortality

The result will be the advent of the second green revolution, or rather of the brown revolution (for mushrooms) and the blue revolution (for water). It will be the rainbow revolution, by which humanity will be able to meet its needs in coevolution with nature.