Besides feeding us, farming is also profitable.

Stories of successful agripreneurs are many in our day.

The youth are encouraged to venture into it because of its potential to pay.

However, failure stories also exist.

We’ve seen real estate companies digging into the muddy fields of greenhouse farming and having their fingers burnt.

But some of the food we eat originates from mega enterprises running huge farms

They commandeer the production, packaging, and sale of our food products.

Some of them even ‘contract’ small-scale farmers for produce so that they market and sell only what seems desirable to them.

Outlets stocking fresh produce have also sprung up in plenty.

They’ve set up shop as convenient stores in gas stations or even in hyper malls where they tap into the pockets of the middle class.

All these developments are a good show of what agriculture can achieve given a chance.

Industrialization of agriculture could be defined as large-scale agricultural production that focuses on the use of pesticides, hybrid seeds, and mineral fertilizers as inputs.

Doing so helps optimize production and maximise on profits.

So, in many ways, industrial agriculture focuses on making the most out of the least – just like any commercial enterprise.

If that’s so, the question is:

Is food safety a priority in industrial agricultural production?

Why do I ask?

CROP PESTS AND DISEASES

To maximize on yields, pesticides must be used.

Pesticides are economic poisons used to target crop pests and diseases.

It’s quite likely that if the same pesticide is used over and over again on the same pest, it’ll become useless over time due to pest resistance.

So this means that pesticides undergo research and development phases to make them more potent on specific pests, which are a continual nuisance.

These phases produce more lethal pesticides than the previous ones.

But these pesticides are not only potent against pests but leave their residues on the produce.

Numerous studies have been done to determine levels of pesticide residues on foodstuffs and the news out there isn’t encouraging.

There are instances of some export produce from nations like Kenya being rejected in Europe because of this fact.

But do such checks and balances work for produce sold within?

Now that’s a question that attracts more questions because in some instances, even banned pesticides have been reported to be used on local produce.

Might there be a correlation between the amount of pesticide residues on our foods and the upsurge of lifestyle diseases?

Probably.

But what’s proven is that some of these pesticides have been linked to fertility and reproductive issues in both women and men.

In an age where many families are struggling to bear offspring, the culpability of pesticide residues can not be ruled out.

But besides pesticides, industrial farming obliges farmers to depend on multinationals for seed supply.

SEEDS

Nothing defines a nation’s resilience in food security like seed banks.

Some developed nations have managed to set up seed banks, allowing them to have a wealthy reserve of seeds for their people.

Not the case for many developing nations like Kenya.

Most small scale farmers (inculding myself) are forced to line up at agrovet outlets in search for the priced F1 hybrid seeds.

These are seeds produced through crossbreeding of different varieties to capture the benefits both have to offer.

Hybrid seeds produce crops whose seeds might not perform that well if replanted.

This means that a farmer must keep on going to buy seeds for the next crop…and the next…and the next.

And as s/he does so, other agricultural inputs from the same multinationals are put right infront of their faces – the pesticides, the livestock supplements etc.

Cut the long story short – they are left with no choice but to purchase these products even before an evaluation is done to determine whether they need them – such as soil testing, veterinary consultations, etc.

SO WHAT AM I SAYING?

Industrial agriculture might use data, IT, finance, and economics to boost productivity.

But as usual, where there is an opportunity, the strong muscle themselves to get to the centre of things.

Multinationals are pumping trillions of dollars in the ‘agricultural industry’ – never knew that the two words would go hand in hand.

Some (or most) of the food we eat – thinking that it’s from the farm – is produced as a result of application of industrial practices in the farm…

Industrial practices that focus on optimising produce at the expense of safety – and this is a problem we need to see.

So what’s the solution?

First, there is need to encourage sustainable agricultural practices such as agroecology, permaculture and regenerative farming.

These practises encourage the practise of environmentally and health-conscious agriculture.

They minimise or completely substitute the usage artificial inputs with compost and other forms of integrated pest management.

But these organic farming practices also help enrich depleted soils the way mineral fertilizers don’t.

They also help in management of waste by converting it into compost.

These practices do more than just improve our soils in a sustainable manner.

They also help build them over time by addition of organic carbon which boosts good microbiology.

There are farms which have found a niche in producing agricultural produce using organic farming concepts.

Some have even gone commercial and are doing a sterling job.

Perhaps more urban and rural farmers need to be encouraged to adapt such practices.

Second, there’s a need to encourage ourselves as consumers to demand for safe food.

Unfortunately, consumer organizations don’t seem to be doing enough and this is a great problem.

Consumer education about the risks of pesticide residues in foodstuffs might help create awareness and trigger consumer action.

Third, we need to develop and maintain our own seed banks.

Come to think of it…must we purchase even seeds for indigenous vegetables?

Thankfully, organizations like Kenya Peasant League (KPL) are at the forefront in building a seed bank composed of local seeds for local farms.

Local seed banks will help unshackle us from dependence on multinationals for such inputs.

CONCLUSION

We must be concerned not only with our food but how it’s produced.

So we must rise up to action and take control (or at least be aware) of what we eat.

That way, we’ll reduce the negative effects of industrial agriculture on our health.

#justsayin