From Foraging to Fossil Fuels, Unveiling Agricultural Paradoxes and Remembering the Beauty of Limits with Gunnar Rundgren

What if humanity's quest to control nature has led us to a precipice of both technological triumph and ecological disaster? Join us on a journey from the ancient practices of foraging and controlled burning to the modern complexities of mechanized agriculture. We uncover how early agricultural methods created both stability and fragility, and how our evolving belief in dominating nature has woven itself into the fabric of modern society and historical texts.

As we navigate the tangled web of market forces and agricultural practices, we question the effectiveness of capitalist logic in solving environmental crises. We'll explore the historical context of sustainable farming, the disruptive influence of fossil fuels, and the commodification of agriculture. Reflecting on insights from the Substack article "Capital and Growth," we challenge the idea that markets are self-correcting and consider moving more elements out of this system to better address ecological and social issues.

Finally, we reframe the narrative around global food production and hunger, highlighting the real culprits behind food shortages. By examining the inefficiencies in resource allocation and the unsustainable nature of continuous population growth, we emphasize the need to respect natural limits and foster biodiversity. We share thought-provoking perspectives on sustainable agriculture, cultural significance of food, and the inherent boundaries that shape our existence. Tune in to rethink our relationship with nature and agriculture, and discover a path to true sustainability.

Gunnar Rundgren is a critical thinker with vast experiences from more than 100 countries in the world. He has worked with most parts of the organic agriculture sector since 1977, starting on the pioneer organic farm, Torfolk. He has been engaged as a consultant by NGOs, the government, private companies and intergovernmental organisations such as OECD, UNEP, UNCTAD, the World Bank and the FAO. Gunnar is the initiator of several organisations for organic agriculture in Sweden, including its main eco-label KRAV (www.krav.se) where he was the director for the first eight years. He served as the first President of the Accreditation Programme Board of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) 1992-1997. He Rundgren was an IFOAM World Board member in 1998 and the IFOAM President during the period 2000-2005. In 2002 he was a founding board member of the ISEAL Alliance. He has published several books related to organic farming. In 2010, he published a book about the major social and environmental challenges of our world, Tradgarden Jorden, which was translated into Japanese in 2012 and is now published in English. He also co-authored the book Jorden vi Ater, published in 2012, about the challenge of feeding the world's population in a sustainable way. Rundgren was awarded an honorary doctorate in Science at the Uganda Martyrs University 2009. The same year, he was appointed a Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry.

Follow Gunnar on his Substack HERE.