Source:
ReutersCaution urged on food miles issueWed Nov 7, 2007 12:05pm EST
By Jeremy Lovell
LONDON (Reuters) - Ending imports of fresh food
from Africa under the pretext of combating climate
change risks destroying entire communities that
have become dependent on the trade, Ghana's High
Commissioner to Britain said on Wednesday.
So-called food miles -- the distance food travels
from producer to consumer -- have become a highly
divisive issue as environmentalists try to persuade
people to reduce the amount of climate warming
carbon gases their lifestyle emits.
"We do understand, of course, that our friends here
are anxious to make a difference. However, the
figures simply do not add up," said Annan Cato,
noting that less than 0.1 percent of Britain's carbon
emissions relate to airfreighted food.
"At what cost to global justice do we shut the door
on the economic prospects of small farmers in Africa
by refusing to buy their produce," he told a meeting
of artists, musicians and scientists to discuss global
warming's impact on Africa.
-snip-Read more:
http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSL0784940520071107