A.G. Kawamura wants to start a new dialogue about agriculture. The former California secretary of agriculture said it’s time for everyone to recognize that the clock is ticking and that people need to become more resilient when it comes to water and
food
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LINCOLN, Neb. – A.G. Kawamura wants to start a new dialogue about agriculture. The former California secretary of agriculture said it’s time for everyone to recognize that the clock is ticking and that people need to become more resilient when it comes to water and
food security.
“When you live in a state of abundance, consumers tend to think food is a right,” he said. “Food is not a right; food is a privilege.”
Today’s abundance has led to some groups challenging the agricultural industry on issues such as water restrictions, Kawamura said during the final Heuermann Lecture of the 2016-17 season April 12 at Nebraska Innovation Campus. This conflict has made the already difficult task of feeding the world even more complex.
Kawamura shared examples of how the view of agriculture has evolved throughout history. For instance, in 1948 Israel’s food and water supply was limited, which caused the country to unite to focus on critical systems needed to survive. While the United States is not facing such extremes today, Kawamura said he thinks it’s time to rally around a common goal of water and food security like Israel did.
“Successful agriculture sustains civilization,” he said. “We don’t have to talk about what kind of agriculture it is, as long as it’s successful. That should be our focus right now.”