PHM-Exch> Article: India is Not a 'Vegetarian Country' Like the EAT-Lancet Report Would Have Us Believe

[Ryz Tyb]

Thanks so much for this discussion.

There are many issues that need to be addressed. There is a tendency in the
North, but not only, to focus on consumption systems, whereas a great many
of the problems are created by the profit maximizing approach in
essentially monopolised or oligopolized markets. Indeed, one can say that
the global food system is shaped by the North, as they dominate in
agricultural rule making and maintain an unfair advantage in food
production with subsidy system (I am not against subsidies, but the
lopsided rules makes burning the Amazon not only profitable but desirable,
while rich country farmers can out compete low wage Third World countries).

The corporatised system is hurting small and family farms in the North, and
ALL agriculture in the South. It is essentially a dual currency regime by
the rich countries, which is maintained so that they can project force and
maintain food security, irrespective if there is hunger in the Third World.

Alan Savory
<https://www.ted.com/talks/allan_savory_how_to_fight_desertification_and_reverse_climate_change>,
a Zimbabwean, has conduct research and experiments in Africa, and puts paid
to much of the understanding of African pastoralists, nomads and herders
causing devastation to the environment and just moving on while leaving
nature to clean up the mess. Some of this colonial anthropology and
human/enviro metabolism needs rethinking - as instead of being "primitive",
these people were actually restorative of the land, and their movement
patterns brought nutrients, tilled the soil, and mulched the waste into the
land, in a way that was generative. Similar findings are coming out of
other regions.

Of course a system that is based on profit maximisation and survival of the
fittest/ruthless in the market will not be open such practices. And is a
dialectical point to make for those cultures that seek to maintain a
metabolic balance. It goes without saying that production which causes a
metabolic rift are to be challenged. And very little will change unless the
North sorts out its agriculture, unfortunately. And we know even
progressive groups like Via Campesina, while doing mostly good work, cannot
confront the issues of unfair rules at the WTO or in trade agreements in a
way that saves people and the environment.

In short, consumption and production need to be looked.

Riaz Tayob
SEATINI South Africa

On Sat, 7 Dec 2019 at 06:30, Maureen McCue <mickiq at earthlink.net> wrote:

> "largely" being the operative word!  Some meat, some of the time can
> actually be beneficial for the environment, jobs, and health depending on
> how it's organized.  It's the current situation where meat is promoted 3
> times/day, 7 days/week after being raised in CAFO's or on lands that were
> once forested that is so harmful.  When it comes to food, nutrition, health
> and well being, careful language is key.  People around the globe evolved
> eating different diets, plant/grain based, fish based, meat and dairy
> based.  No where at no time were any people being exposed to profit based
> promotion of peculiar, environment or health destructive diets like they
> are today.  M.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kaaren Mathias
> Sent: Dec 4, 2019 10:27 AM
> To: Sulakshana Nandi , phm-exchange at phm.phmovement.org
> Subject: Re: PHM-Exch> Article: India is Not a 'Vegetarian Country' Like
> the EAT-Lancet Report Would Have Us Believe
>
> Hi Sulakshana/ Sylvia and all -
> Thanks for sharing this excellent article in The Wire - you underline many
> important points in this article. At the same time I find as someone
> vegetarian for environmental reasons, that many in India believe that
> eating non-veg is somehow a politically progressive thing to do (in the
> face of Hindu nationalism). In this age of climate change and carbon
> footprints and over-eating, I think it behoves all of us with the
> privilege of being well-nourished, and above the poverty line to choose a
> largely plant based diet.
>
> Kaaren
>
> On Wed, Dec 4, 2019 at 5:30 PM Sulakshana Nandi <
> sulakshana.nandi at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Dear Friends
>> Please find the link to an article by Dr. Sylvia Karpagam (who is part of
>> Right To Food Campaign and JSA) and others on the EAT-Lancet Commission
>> report and recommendations, in the context of India
>> https://thewire.in/food/eat-lancet-commission-vegetarian-country
>> I am sure that the issues raised in this article would be relevant for
>> many other countries too.
>> with regards
>> Sulakshana
>> _______________________________________________
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>
>
> --
> Dr Kaaren Mathias
> Public Health Physician - Director Burans
> Programme manager Mental Health - EHA
> www.eha-health.org
>
> Board Director - Health systems global
> Regional representative - South East Asia
> https://www.healthsystemsglobal.org/
>
> Cell +91 8755105391
>
> _______________________________________________
> PHM-Exchange People's Health Movement
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> - To view the archive, receive one weekly posting with all the week's
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