Whose rules rule? Think global Act local, national regional and global Plan inter-generational Geoff Tansey FDIN, 16 Apr 08
Beyond Terror - the truth about the real threats to our world Climate change Competition over resources Marginalisation of the majority world Global militarisation Abbott, Rogers and Sloboda, Oxford Research Group, Rider / Random House, 2007
Lang’s fundamentals Commodity prices Climate change Fuel / oil/ energy Water Land use / biofuels Labour Demographics / affluence Health/Nutrition transition
Pingali: core points PROBLEMS Rapid urbanisation Globalisation Information / communication technologies Rising food and energy prices Climate change SOLUTIONS Empower communities Empower local governments Transparency and accountability Democracy at all levels Protect from climate change
Global rules and See: org.uk
1990s - global food rules change Convention on Biological Diversity (UN) –conserve, sustain, share benefits International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (UN) –Farmers’ Rights, IPRs, sharing benefits World Trade Organisation –Trade liberalisation, agriculture, TRIPS, SPS
Thanks: Food Ethics Council
Global rules, local needs Democratic deficit Complexity and coercion Which and whose future is enhanced? –Collapse, techno-dominance, ecological balance, bifurcation
Power Control Risk Benefits
Food System actors Input suppliers Farmers Traders Workers Processors / manufacturers Wholesalers / retailers Caterers Consumers / citizens
Food system basics Biological - ecological History Human needs –physiological –psychological –social –cultural
Limited demand Increased competition Technology Increased productivity Diversification
Key trends Economic Concentration Global markets Control
Tools for control Science Technology Information Management Laws, rules, regulations
Changing dynamics New country groupings - G-20 Expanding IP regime - TRIPS-plus Greater concern and interest Global NGO networks Media interest Health and equity concerns
Legal fictions - meeting whose needs? Conservative, protectionist response to new knowledge and technical change Going which way? –Open access, distributed innovation, ecologically supportive or the pharma model Inhibits necessary local / institutional / social / economic innovation