It’s the Soil, Folks!

On top of everything else we face in the global mess that industrialism has left us — crashing financial markets, ponzi scams passed off as economic theory, peak oil, disappearing forests, ocean dead zones — we also face a global soil crisis. Note these interesting developments regarding food production and arable land: nnU.N Agriculture head, Lennart Bage, says, "fertile land with access to water has become a strategic asset." Oh, really? When did you notice?Fertile land has been a strategic asset since the Egyptian and Persian empires. Today, however, our global soil crisis appears urgent. nnIn the summer of 2008, Iran bought over 1 million tons of wheat from the U.S., their bitter enemy, something they have not done since 1980. Iran would not come begging to the U.S. if they had any other option to buy grain, but these options are dwindling. The planet at large faces a fertile soil shortage, loss of top soils, desertification in Africa, China, and elsewhere, all aggravated by water shortages. nnFinancial analyst Chris Mayer at Daily Wealth, one of those investment sites that advises people how to profit from the crashing economy and depleted ecosystems, says: “Fertile soil may become more important to land values than oil or minerals in the ground.” He calls soil “a strategic asset on par with oil.” nnIs this the economic community waking up? The problem is, these people think you "buy" everything. I wonder if any of these types know you can make soil at home. Yes, with compost and good agricultural practices. Instead of raking up the leaves in your yard and putting them in plastic "trash" bags, make a compost pile! But perhaps that is too peasant-like for the investment community. The “strategic asset” they’re talking about is the arable land itself. They still don’t really get it. nn"We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect." – Aldo LeopoldnnWe borrow the land we use, from nature and from our children. nnMeanwhile, Libya is trying to lease farms in the Ukraine because Ukraine farmers have stopped global wheat shipments due to local demand, and now, only three major grain exporters remain: North America, Australia, and New Zealand. All of these grain producers are propped up with fertilizers and fossil fuels. As cheap liquid fuel depletes, and as arable land is used to grow ethanol fuel, these grain supplies will also decline. One U.S. farmer put it this way recently: "Oh, great, we’re going to use the last six-inches of our top soil growing SUV fuel." nnIran, the Saudis, and other oil-rich Middle East nations rely on global agriculture for their grain. They are now scouring the globe for food. The United Arab Emirates are attempting to buy farmland in Sudan and Kazakhstan. South Korea is seeking land in Mongolia, China in Southeast Asia. China’s problems are twofold: decreasing water supplies and deserts sweeping in over their depleted soils in the north. China has purchased its "impressive" economic growth with ecological devastation. nnAny well-informed, aware person knows that soil and food are fundamental to human life and society, but it is interesting that this is now a global investment issue. The so-called "free market" system that wants to privatize the entire planet still has not learned the fundamental truth that humanity must face: nnThe ecology is the economy. nnIt’s the soil, folks. nnFor years, I’ve been advising highschool and college students: If you have dreams of going into international finance, you should probably take some permaculture courses as well. Here are some useful permaculture sites: nnPermaculture information and linksnnPermaculture International, with links, articles, networkingnnA simple, good permaculture primer. nnMore good permaculture links. nnAnd remember to save and take out the kitchen compost. nn nnSee Rex Weyler’s ecology blog at www.rexweyler.com nnAnd his "Deep Green" blog at Greenpeace International