We are at a critical point in human history and that of the planet. In
this book, a world leader in agricultural research, Professor Sayed
Azam-Ali, proposes a radical transformation of our agrifood system. He
argues that agriculture must be understood as part of global
biodiversity and that food systems have cultural, nutritional, and
social values beyond market price alone. He describes the perilous risks
of relying on just four staple crops for most of our food and the
consequences of our current agrifood model on human and planetary
health.
In plain language for the wider public, students, researchers, and
policy makers, Azam-Ali envisions the agrifood system as a global public
good in which its practitioners include a new and different generation
of farmers, its production systems link novel and traditional
technologies, and its activities encompass landscapes, urban spaces, and
controlled environments. The book concludes with a call to action in
which diversification of species, systems, knowledge, cultures, and
products all contribute to The Ninth Revolution that will transform
food systems for good.