"Climate Change Increases Food Security Concerns" -- CGIAR

The following is my latest contribution to the FAO/FSN forum. We'll see if this one makes it past the moderators who didn't post my last statement, recommending UNFAO agricultural demonstration projects to study hemp in regions where it is allowed.

PvH

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"The developing world’s struggle for food security will increase unless new crop varieties are deployed to help poor farmers adapt to climate change, agricultural experts and climate scientists warned Monday.

"Speaking at the annual meeting of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, CGIAR, in Washington, DC, the panel said hotter, drier weather will result in shorter growing seasons and smaller crop yields across much of the developing world, challenging the livelihoods of billions of people.

"A new CGIAR research report finds projected temperature increases and shifts in rainfall patterns are likely to decrease growing periods in sub-Saharan Africa by more than 20 percent, with some of the world’s poorest nations in East and Central Africa at greatest risk."

--from "Climate Change Increases Food Security Concerns"
WASHINGTON, DC, December 5, 2006
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/dec2006/2006-12-05-01.asp


In addition to the effects of increased temperature ("global warming"), increasing UV-B radiation ("global broiling") must be considered when choosing which crops to plant. Cannabis agriculture is becoming more critical every year that we ignore the potential benefits of hemp. Because of the inhibiting effects of Cannabis prohibition on hemp production and education, it is absolutely essential that issues of drug policy and climate change be discussed, concurrent with discussions of nutrition and food security.

Cannabis is an ancient, primary agricultural resource that is being largely over-looked, and knowledge of its true value suppressed, because of a counter-productive, highly profitable, "drug war" being waged against 'marijuana.' Prohibition induces scarcity of essential food resources and creates a complexity of imbalance.

I invite people with knowledge and experience in growing hemp for food, fuel and other essential needs to participate in educating others as to the benefits of this crop. The anti-oxidant properties of hemp seed are, for example, relevant to

"Action research studies on introduction of vegetables in MDM as a major tool for improving vegetable intake among poor in India"
contributed by Dr Prema Ramachandran
http://km.fao.org/fsn/resources/fsn_viewresdet.html?no_cache=1&r=318&nocache=1

yet, incredibly, there is no discussion of Cannabis nutrition in this regard.

The fertilizer subsidies referred to by Anna Snider, would be of less concern if hemp were used in rotational planting to condition and re-mineralize depleted soils.

People are welcome to contact me directly at projectpeace[at]yahoo.com or consider Cannabis information at my blog

www.californiacannabisministry.blogspot.com

if you care to consider every remedy to problems being discussed.

Best wishes to all for a safe and meaningful holiday,

Paul