Growing Bread on Trees: The Case for Perennial Agriculture

Argument for sustainable agriculture, including specific ways in which humans can derive the food and shelter they need from nature. Conventional agriculture has many serious problems. In the developed world, rural areas have been damaged and depopulated by unwise food-production strategies. The developing world has suffered greatly from agricultural practices that are unsustainable in relation to topsoil and water. And despite our best efforts, one fourth of humanity is still hungry. Is there a better way to feed ourselves? There are literally hundreds of plants that could easily enrich the current agricultural systems of the world, providing shade, shelter, fertilizer, fuel, animal feed, fruit, nuts, oil, medicine and even give us our daily bread. These are plants and trees that are sparing of water, thrifty of resources and wonderfully regenerative. The new cropping systems of the world should be based on these perennial plants.