Slow Food’s 30th Anniversary

In a word – greatly. We could even go as far as to say that agriculture, through its land use and practices, is the chief influencer over global biodiversity. First, agriculture based on mass production and mass consumption means only a few species are cultivated over vast areas of land, with frequent use of agricultural chemicals. As a result, such regions suffer a drop in biodiversity.
Human beings have cultivated over 7,000 species of plant. However, in recent years, only nine major crops, including rice and wheat have been supplied for worldwide consumption. Through such so-called “efficiency,” we have lost not only the diversity of agricultural products including wild species but also the “insurance” they offer against changes such as future climate change and diseases. Mass production-mass consumption agriculture, as a system, also requires huge amounts of energy to transport crops to and from remote localities, and the greenhouse gases released during this process exacerbate climate change and impact on habitats.
Conversely, the agriculture employed in Slow Food involves aspects of both continuation of traditional agricultural products in combination with local food culture and conservation of biological and cultural diversity. Further, the energy required for transportation can be decreased as the agricultural products are cultivated and consumed locally. In addition, although use of native species and traditional vegetables is sometimes affected by what is currently in or out of fashion, locally cultivated products are often superior in nutrients and other health aspects.

Several policies have been promoted in cooperation with international organizations, national governments and local authorities. For example, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) advocates policies that have high affinity with the Slow Food movement. The Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) is one of such core strategies. Also, forms of protection such as certification systems involving geographical indication (GI) have been established by public organizations, in order to register and conserve cultivation and production. The GI Act of Japan was enforced in 2015.
GIAHS is not intended for products or landscapes but for regional agricultural systems. In this respect, such certification and related activities could be considered to represent the first stage in realizing Slow Food. This year has also witnessed the creation of agricultural heritage systems in Japan, which plug into and strengthen international mechanisms already in place. However, as mentioned just now, the current agriculture system only makes use of limited species throughout the world. Therefore, the policies we need now are those that bolster sustainability in the production-consumption cycle by not only relying on the branding of products but also looking at the broader aspects of agriculture, forestry, fishery and stock farming that also feature in our lives.

Lifestyles in harmony with regional and global environments, history and culture are inter-related with Slow Food. The number of people demanding Slow Food is steadily rising, and such movement is linked with international trends that force us to question our lifestyles anew, starting with food.
Other reasons making Slow Food more attractive are the satisfaction and reassurance that come from having made a contribution to ensuring local food culture is passed down to future generations. Such sentiments are also linked with conservation of the local and global environment, improved social connections and enhanced economic cycles. The people who are interested in Slow Food can understand those links and facilitate activities related Slow Food. As a result, the growth of Slow Food is self-perpetuating. Creating lifestyles that lead to satisfaction in sharing food in local areas also means society becomes more flexible and better able to cope in times of disaster.