About two-thirds of global emissions of methane and the majority of the nitrogen oxide emissions come from agriculture taking into account indicates Austen, that there are a multitude of processes which make up the system of power in the world and that require energy to function: cultivation of food, storage, transport, processing, processing and packing, distribution, sale and treatment of waste. Manufacturing the majority of agricultural inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, drugs) is made by processing fossil fuels as raw material (natural gas to produce nitrogen fertilizer and oil to produce pesticides). From the so-called green revolution in the 1960s, the use of agrochemicals and irrigation water has increased tremendously. Take into account, that the industrial food system, dependent on extreme degree of fossil fuels, is responsible for a huge amount of greenhouse gases. It is estimated that one-third of global emissions of these can be attributed to the system global food. However, there are many different ways of feeding themselves that have different power consumption and therefore emissions of greenhouse gases.
Forms most basic and traditional food production such as displacement and the hunting and gathering agriculture, consume much less energy than that obtained. The most modern methods such as intensive beef and industrial fishing are very inefficient in its energy consumption, and sometimes consume up to 15 to 20 times more energy than what is achieved in the form of food. Not the slightest doubt, Austen, points out that the energy consumption of the food system of the more industrialized country on the planet, United States, has increased greatly in the past 100 years from less than one calorie per each calorie of food obtained until more than 10 calories today. In recent decades, as alternative response to large industrialization of the production and distribution of food throughout the world, has emerged an important movement of farmers and ecologists for food production of organically and the distribution thereof on the basis of local markets, linking producers with consumers. Finally indicates Austen, Yes to organic agriculture, or better agro-ecology, we add a feed system local food production for the local market instead of the agro-export model imposed on the majority of the countries of the world by institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, can downgrade even much more consumed energy by feeding the population. This is what is proposed for 10 years, la Via Campesina, the international peasant movement that represents millions of peasants, indigenous, small-scale farmers and rural workers in 69 countries around the world. In their struggle for food sovereignty, la Via Campesina claims the right of peoples to define their own policies on the production, distribution and consumption of food for ensure a healthy food to its population.
If they chose policies that develop ecological agriculture and localized food and energy systems, there is the potential to save more than 50% of energy consumption and emissions of greenhouse gases. Incorporating renewable energy, could supply more energy than necessary and remove the dependency on fossil fuels be present, that the forms most basic and traditional food production such as displacement and the hunting and gathering agriculture, consume much less energy than which are obtained. The most modern methods such as intensive beef and industrial fishing are very inefficient in its energy consumption, and sometimes consume up to 15 to 20 times more energy than what is achieved in the form of food.