Summary: Youth Forum Preparatory Session on Peace

Final Statement: Agricultural Issues

We propose at this Youth Forum that governments reimburse or subsidize growth processes in both industrial and less developed countries.

We propose that a marketing component is essential to reaching out to the general public.

We propose that education is the key to creating a new way of thinking about biological agriculture.

We propose that the UN would be a vehicle for pressuring states to adopt this proposal.

Current state of organic foods consumption:

 Industrialized countries (the United States)

• Hegemony of genetically engineered produce
• Most of American society has a preference for processed foods
• Organic foods are expensive and they are reserved for a small elite
• The assumption is that the prettier and sweeter the food is, the healthier and tastier it is
• There is a quest for perfection and aesthetic quality

Less developed countries (Haiti)

• Aid has been given out in such a way that local farmers cannot compete with low, attractive prices determined by the governments of industrialized countries, who provide cheaper produce
• Consequently, local farming suffers tremendously and the population is subject to famine and disease
  Fields have become infertile
• Dependence on industrialized countries such as the US is increasing
• Today, Haitians are trying to obtain and control the last portions of fertile land that are fertile to practice biological agriculture, which is contrary to industrial agriculture supported by the US, destroying the environment and depleting the water supply
  

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