Dr Eric Holtz-Gimenez visited Ruskin College having been part of a global civil society delegation invited to a conference in Dublin by the United Nations High Level Task Force on the global food security crisis.  

In a wide-ranging discussion Dr Holtz-Gimenez critiqued current agricultural practices dominated by the Global North, the World Trade Organisation and a small number of agro-industry Multinational Corporations (MNCs) that he argues are endangering the planets food sovereignty and climate. He demonstrated how the reason for the current global food crisis is not due to a lack of food, 'there is enough food, we have been producing enough food for at least 25 years to feed the world' he sated. 'Food shortages' and price increases are not due to market speculators, an increase in demand from Chinese and Indian consumers or drought as is argued in the media. Whilst these may be symptoms they are not causes. Rather than the global market being a solution as is commonly thought, it is part of the problem. As is the neo-liberal emphasis on increases in productivity and investments in agriculture by means of industrial inputs and technology and a reduction of tariff barriers allowing for a greater circulation of goods that all increase people's dependence on markets and MNCs. The emphasis on markets and a 'scientific fix' to increase food yields will not reduce the hunger of millions or improve the well-being of small-scale landholders, landless people and women farmers who make up the majority of the world’s poorest people. For their part, Food First combines action-orientated research with practical alternatives such as helping to establish farmer-owned corm processing plants in Mexico and Nicuragua or setting up food co-operatives in the US.  

In a very engaging question and answer session that followed, when questioned about what needs to be done, he made it very clear that the best way for students at Ruskin to help peasants and poor farmers in the Global South was for people to be active in social movements in the Global North. Finally, he stated that he would be happy to develop links with Ruskin College and encouraged students to work with Food First by writing about food sovereignty and other food related issues in the UK. Consequently, some students are now exploring the possibility of an Internship over the summer with Food First in Oakland, California.