We need a small farming renaissance

Photo: Charles O'Rear/Corbis

Great article in today's Guardian about the emerging trend for local shops and farmers' markets. Half of the species on Earth could be extinct by the end of this century, mainly thanks to unsustainable, large-scale industrial farming. "We need to turn things round and fast. And we means us, all of us – ordinary Joes, because the governments and corporates who run the world, and their attendant experts and intellectuals, are not going to. The standard ways to bring about change are by reform or revolution – but reform is too slow and today's politicians and the big business they are beholden to cannot change course. Revolution is too chancy and too dangerous.  So we need the third route – renaissance: build something better in situ. In effect, a people's takeover. All over the world individuals and communities are starting small mixed farms of the kind the world really needs, while others are starting small shops and farmers' markets and delivery services to serve those new farms. Thousands of organisations worldwide are seeking to promote and co-ordinate these efforts."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/sep/18/small-farming-renaissance-greed-agriculture