Solve World Hunger - Let’s Start With South Africa!
The 2 things that Klaus Schwab is most (in)famous for, are his “…own nothing and be happy” statement, and “…you will eat ze bugs and like it!” (paraphrased). Which both seemed like the musings of a madman - until we reflect on the events of the last 3 years.
Now we discover that food manufacturers are already using crushed insects in foodstuffs, without our knowledge. The EU Commission passed an application in 2019, allowing ‘insect powder’ to be an ingredient in a whole list of foodstuffs. Recently, Italy has banned this.
Let’s say this was being done with our knowledge; or maybe you’re one of those people who wouldn’t mind eating insects if you knew they were good for you (hey, I fell into that category! I’ve even eaten mopani worms).
What then? Is eating insects a way to solve the growing issue of world hunger? Is it the true carbon-neutral solution humanity needs?
Or is there a better way?
To properly consider this question, we have to start with understanding what a correct, species-appropriate diet IS for a human being. I mean, if we were considering this for, let’s say, cows, we wouldn’t be talking about feeding them raw meat. Or feeding bananas to hungry lions in the Kruger National Park. Or should I say, we need to consider this only if we really care about the health and wellbeing of humanity. So maybe Klaus Schwab wouldn’t be too interested!
As I’ve written about in a previous article, homo sapiens are FRUGIVORES. Please do read that article for a deeper understanding of this controversial topic! A frugivore diet is predominantly fruits, berries and melons, including ‘vegetable’ fruits like avocados, cucumbers and tomatoes; nuts, seeds and coconuts. We can get ALL the nutrition we need from just these foods.
Now here’s the good news, when it comes to feeding humanity.
A frugivore diet would allow an abundance of fresh, raw, healthy food to be grown on virtually every pavement, in every city and town - for free. And there’s no better carbon-neutral solution.
An easy way to start is for our current municipal departments that take care of our city parks, to start replacing their tree stocks with fruit and nut trees, and berry bushes. Townships can be ‘greened’ with fruit trees and berry bushes.
And then, programs can be developed within communities, to water, feed and care for the trees. We have a ton of local knowledge that could guide us on what grows best in which areas; natural pest control; healthy soils etc. We’d also need a grassroots education program to teach people about correct nutrition for themselves and their children.
In our private gardens, if every household had to grow just one fruit-bearing tree, or a couple of bushes or vines, we’d have such an abundance we’d be giving it away. A friend of mine has a fig tree, ONE fig tree, that gives her 3.5 tons of figs a year. If that was you, I’m sure you’d be delighted to swap me some figs for my avocados, or melons or berries.
Think Cuba in the 1980’s - but instead of vegetables, our landscape would be covered with fruit trees, berry bushes, and melon vines. Imagine how this would transform our townships? Imagine streets lined with a mixture of apple, peach, pear, orange, mango trees; berry bushes and grape vines everywhere? We’d soon have such an abundance of fruit, we could supply half of Africa! And, being the problem-solving species we are, we’d soon easily solve any issues of pests, storage, distribution and whatever else may arise.
It would also solve our malnutrition crisis. Here’s a shocking article talking about our obese but malnourished children: Child obesity study. Even more shocking, South Africa has been recently rated as the unhealthiest country in the world.
I recently attended a meeting by our local Red Cross in the town in which I live. Their consultants highlighted 4 crucial aspects to food security, which is a looming crisis in South Africa. Let’s have a quick look at how these could be solved with a ‘fruit revolution’:
Availability - is there food in the shops? Is food aid available for those who need it?
Fruit, berries, melons, and nuts available year-round, right outside your door, for free.
Access - can people afford food, and can they get to the food?
Other than during winter, food distribution is as easy as stepping out your front door, or walking to the neighbourhood fruit orchard.
We would of course see an explosion of the fruit storage, drying, and preservation industries.
Our well-established distribution networks will also mitigate accessibility issues, with a bit of planning.
Utilisation - is the food safe to eat? Do people know how to use it?
Pick, wash and eat. No cooking required. Fruit is the safest, easiest (and most nutritional) food with which to feed humanity. Hey, we can get fancy later!
Currently, our population’s staple diet is a GMO (genetically modified organism) food. In fact, we’re the only nation in the world who’s staple diet is a GMO crop (anything but safe!). A ready supply of free fruit solves this.
Stability - is food available in times of political unrest, or disaster?
Fruit grown in your neighbourhood is readily available. There are no supply chains to disrupt, no inflation that keeps driving up the cost of food. It becomes the most stable food source, if grown by the people, for the people.
Why South Africa?
Our climate is conducive to growing a wide variety of fruit, year-round. We already have a thriving fruit industry. With proper planting of fruit trees, berry bushes and vines, we’d have fruit growing in 10 of the 12 months, in most places. Storage and other logistics could easily solve any challenges.
Grapes are one of the best foods for humans on the planet, and we have a thriving grape economy.
The concept of ‘ubuntu’ (“I participate, I share” as defined by Archbishop Desmund Tutu) is already in our consciousness, and adhered to by much of the population.
Our population is in deep trouble. We’ve recently hit a record of close to 33% official unemployment rate - we all know in reality, it’s substantially higher than this. People are starving. We have no time to waste.
A fruit revolution, unlike charity, empowers people. Yes we may have to initially incentivise people to grow and look after the trees, and get into a cycle of planting. This in itself is a great opportunity to create jobs, and a sense of pride in every community.
Of course, the food monopolists are not going to like this. Neither is Big Pharma, as disease rates (and the need for chronic medication) drop. And definitely not the government, at least the way it is right now. It’s going to be up to US to make the changes.
Here are some things you can do:
Spread the awareness of our natural, primate diet. We are frugivores! Start eating more fruit yourself. How about just fruit till midday, as a start?
Need to give a gift? How about giving a fruit tree or berry bush?
Think about where you could do this on a small scale. Could you start a #fruitrevolution garden at your children or grandchildren’s nursery or primary school? Is there space to plant a tree or some berry bushes at your place of work?
Start planting fruit instead of vegetables. (Yes raw vegetables are mostly alkaline, but we are not herbivores! Our ‘best food’ is fruit.)
Feed your children fruit. Help them discover different types of fruit. Make smoothies and fruit ices. Cut fruit into interesting shapes. Teach them about the magic of fruit.
Help your domestic workers start a fruit garden where they live. Or, just give them a bag of compost and a fruit tree. Teach them about our species-appropriate diet. Getting people off ‘mielie-pap’ is going to be a generational thing. Help them start with their children.
Start using the hashtag, #fruitrevolution!
And if you’re not in South Africa, think about how this could work in your country or state, too.