VEGFAM PUTS THE SPOTLIGHT ON ANIMAL FARMING AND HUMAN FAMINE
The world food problem is now common knowledge. The Ethiopian famine,
which first hit our headlines in late 1984, has changed forever the
'developed' world's consciousness of the problem. No longer is famine
news one day and forgotten the next, but a fact we must all live with
daily. Yet awareness is only the first step. We need to ask, and find
why, famine occurs. It is not because of overpopulation - enough food
is produced on this planet to feed at least twice its present
inhabitants. Neither is it because of unchangeable climatic conditions
- drought does not arrive purely as a chance bolt from the heavens,
but as a consequence of consistent environmental mismanagement. Much
of what is now desert was once fertile land, and much of what is now
fertile will become desert if present trends continue. HOW? The first
step is the clearing of natural tree cover so that the land may be
used for agriculture. But trees increase humidity, check the run-off
of rainwater from the land, maintain the water table close beneath the
surface, and protect the soil from the erosive effects of wind. So
when extensive areas are devoid of trees the desert is ready to take
over. The process is continued either by overgrazing or
overcultivation. Grazing animals prevent the regeneration of plants by
eating young shoots.
The land becomes gradually more barren, at the mercy of wind and rain;
less a pasture and more of a dust-bowl. Intensive cultivation, by
never giving the soil time to lay fallow and recover nutrients, takes
more from the earth than it puts back. Nature is amazingly resilient,
but eventually this approach means that the land must lose its
fertility. By these processes the deserts of the world are spreading.
It becomes harder and harder for their inhabitants just to survive.
PLANTS CAN FEED THE WORLD
Some 40% of the world's cereal harvest is fed to livestock. In Europe
we import vast amounts, much from Third World countries to feed to
animals to produce more dairy foods and meat than we can use, thus
creating the infamous EEC surpluses. Slowly the realisation is dawning
that to feed plants to animals and then feed on the animals or their
products is grossly inefficient.
On average only 15% of the protein in plants is made available in the
final carcase, and whilst 10 acres growing soya beans can provide
protein for 60 people, 10 acres supporting grazing cattle can provide
for only 2. It would be quite impossible for everyone in the world to
eat the average Western diet, since there is simply not enough land.
This leads us to a vegan solution to the immense problem. Whilst funds
are certainly needed to ease immediate crises, and for long-term
projects to green the deserts again, sending money for famine relief
whilst consuming animal products is short-sighted and ignores the
underlying causes. Good intentions are not enough; if we cannot make
the changes that would benefit us all, things will stay as they are. A
vegan Britain could be self-sufficient in food on only 25% of the
agricultural land presently available, and could demonstrate that
human and animal rights are indeed compatible. Globally, veganism can
point a way to the end of both mass starvation and animal
exploitation.
Such a workable answer to the world's food crisis could have been seen
many years ago. The facts were there but the ability to understand
them was not; animal products had been such a traditional part of our
diet that their removal was unthinkable. Now things have changed. The
Vegan Society is over 50 years old, and as the medical world stresses
the importance of plant-based foods, report after report confirms the
soundness of a vegan diet. Nutritionally, ethically and
environmentally it makes sense.
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our Supporters control how much of their donation goes on
administration since VEGFAM operates three separate Funds:
GENERAL DONATIONS paid into
will be apportioned (by % shown) between
A/c No. 65023307 00
PROJECTS (91%)
Administration Expenses (7%)
Office Building Fund (2%)
A/c No. 65023323 00
A/c No. 65023310 00
A/c No. 65023336 53
at The Co-Operative Bank PLC (SORT CODE 08-92-90), 242 High Street,
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can continue as these accounts are being retained). Postal cheques,
IMO's, MO's and PO's to Lydford address, please.
USA. In the U.S. the American Vegan Society has agreed to take U.S.
dollar donations and make them available to VEGFAM in British
Currency. Please make your cheque payable to AVS. Donations will go to
VEGFAM's General Donations accounts unless you specify it is all for
PROJECTS. The American Vegan Society, 501 Old Harding Way, PO Box H,
MALAGA, N.J. 08328-0908 (Phone (609) 694 2887 Fax (609) 694 2288).
Australia. VEGFAM has a PROJECTS Donations account at Westpac Banking
Corporation (Sydney Office), 341 George Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. BSB
& a/c no. 732-000 74-8282.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
Distributed by VEGFAM . The Secretary, c/o Cwm Cottage, Cwmynys,
Cilycwm, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, SA20 0EU, UK .
www.veganvillage.co.uk/vegfam
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