Food First
Ten Days for World Development

Gardner, Robert (ed.)
Publisher:  Inter Church Committee for World Development, Toronto, Canada
Year Published:  1977  
Pages:  8pp  
Resource Type:  Article
Cx Number:  CX231

Tabloid that exposes the "food myths" that are obstacles to people feeding themselves, particularly in the Third World.

Abstract:  Like the Leaders' Kit prepard for this year's Ten Days, Feb. 11-21, the tabloid seeks to expose the food "myths" that act as obstacles to people's feeding themselves, particularly in the Third World. The main article, entitled "Food First!" is based on the recently published book by the same name, written by Frances Moore Lappe and Joseph Collins, both of whom visited Canada for media and public appearances during the Ten Day period.

The article shows how multinational argribusiness firms are creating a single world agricultural system in which they exercies integrated control over all stages of production from farm to consumer. It raises three pertinent quesitons, namely: Who can grow: a few or all who need to? What is grown: luxury non-food or baisc staples? Where does it go: to the hungry or the world's well-fed? It suggests the following steps towards a commitment to food self-reliance.
1) work to build a more self-reliant food economy at home so that we become even less dependent on importing food from third world countries; 2) work for land reform at home; 3) support worker-managed producers and distributors to counter the increasing concentration of control over our food resources.

A "food for thought" section provides a list of educational kits, pamphlets and audio-visual resources. Practical suggestions are offered for both individual and group action.


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