WE MUST UNRAVEL THE SECRETS OF NATURE TO SUPPORT LIFE AND THE PLANET

By Jose Mujica Reprint | | Print |

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MONTEVIDEO, Aug 23 2010 (IPS) - Humanity has undergone a sort of sorcerer’s apprenticeship. We have set in motion a civilisation that has managed to incessantly improve the living conditions for large numbers of people, though perhaps in haste. There is no way of measuring the consequences that these myriad actions have had on the planet. This ship that carries us through the universe has its own complexities, and we are learning, painfully, that we have to change many aspects of our behaviour. This is absolutely necessary for all forms of life, including our own.

We are not as powerful and wise as we often believe we are. In truth, the deep interactions between nature and human activities involve mysteries that have yet to be solved. In this context, we must first of all thank the scientists who dedicated their lives to plumbing the secrets of nature with what can only be described as a passion for the human cause.

These days no one can ignore the challenges of co-existence and environmental sustainability. We are all responsible. However, paradoxically the responsibility is far greater for those who first enjoyed the benefits of modern civilisation. But it is not a national but a universal matter. No one is exempt. No country, however powerful, can guarantee the continuity of what is at risk.

This is why global agreements are more necessary than ever and should be fully complied with by all members of the world community and supported with a steady supply of resources, vigorous yet organised concern, and in particular a concerted effort on the part of scientists to meet the challenge of broadening agricultural extension.

Today we know that there are actions that we must take, but we don’t know how to carry them out on a massive scale. To do so, educating the people is essential. We need to conduct far more research and generate a form of knowledge that is the property of all and accessible to all and applied in the service of humanity.

In this part of the Americas there are challenges that need to be researched far more thoroughly. For example, the phosphorous cycle must be far better understood. Also, we are experiencing a troubling incidence of poisoning from mercury, lead, and other toxic substances. This is taking place in a part of the world with some of the largest agricultural reserves on the planet and where we must double production in order to meet the growing demand for food around the world. However, the types of fertiliser that we are using at present are harmful to the environment. And there is still a vast amount of knowledge of nutrition that we need to master.

At this moment, Uruguay is anxiously awaiting a development in the furthest reaches of the Pacific Ocean where the phenomenon known as El Nino is brewing and could eventually cause a drought here, as occurs with increasing frequency.

We need the genetic know-how to develop crop varieties that are far more resistant to drought. We need to transfer to the major grasses the resistance found in sorghum. Such research would constitute a service to all humanity; it is not a dream but rather a feat that is perfectly achievable.

Agricultural extension is in certain ways fundamental, but it is not sufficient. Research must be conducted intensely not only with a clear sense of current needs but also an understanding of what the future may hold. This is why we need science. All of these efforts must be aligned with sustaining the environment so that mankind can maintain and improve life, with unwavering attention to social needs, at least on this continent, which is one of the richest in natural resources and yet among the least just in the way it distributes this wealth. Life has shown us that when there is scarcity, it is the weakest that end up paying the price. (END/COPYRIGHT IPS)

(*) Jose Mujica is the president of Uruguay.