Discussing Open Science and Agroecology: Dialogue with Miguel Ángel Núñez
The world we live in is in a state of crisis, an era known as the Anthropocene. This is an age where the societal order is crumbling under the weight of modernity, and Miguel Ángel Núñez, author of the book The Science of the Konuco and Its Integral Vision, believes that a new approach to agriculture is vital. This alternative? The konuco.
In Venezuela, the US blockade has imposed limitations on traditional corporate food production, while at the same time pushing the country further towards agroecology. Núñez, working in association with the Science and Technology Ministry, believes that the konuco is the key to survival in the Anthropocene.
Despite claims that Venezuela is an oil-producing, port-based economy, Núñez's book debunks this notion, arguing that 92% of the food the country consumes is domestically produced. The konuco, with its 462 agri-food species, showcases the country's biodiversity and yields food through non-exploitative methods. It not only sustains the population but has even increased food production during the current crisis.
The konuco is deeply rooted in the region's traditions, and Núñez claims that it is integral to the social fabric in Venezuela. However, official recognition of the konuco and campesino agriculture is still pending.
Núñez aims to make a compelling case for the use of the konuco and other traditional agricultural practices, as he sees these methods as key to addressing the challenges posed by the Anthropocene. He highlights the importance of non-predatory food production systems that both enhance food production and contribute to local, national, and even Latin American food sovereignty.
One of the most emblematic primary food production methods in Venezuela is the konuco. However, it is essential to recognize that the konuco is not a new or isolated practice; similar methods can be found throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.
Núñez argues that shrinking access to conventional inputs, such as fertilizers and pesticides, due to the US blockade, has led to a transition towards agroecological, organic farming. This shift has been beneficial, as studies show that agroecological practices have positive implications not only for Venezuela but for Latin America as a whole.
In Venezuela, the konuco is alive and well, serving as the cornerstone of primary food production. However, official recognition of the konuco and campesino agriculture is still a pending task.
As society seeks to forge a new order under the Anthropocene, it is crucial to consider trends that are emerging among campesino economies. Historically, there has been a misunderstanding, both within Venezuela and globally, about the source of the nation's food supply. In reality, according to some recent studies, 92% of the food that Venezuela consumes is domestically produced.
The konuco's development ensures ecosystem preservation while delivering high, diversified yields. These eco-sustainable practices involve the conscious protection of agrobiodiversity and the environment. In 2019, a study conducted by the Ministry of Science and Technology identified 64 open-air campesino markets in Caracas, which more than quadrupled to 265 markets in the same territory by 2021. This demonstrates the wide reach and expanding influence of campesino production in Venezuela.
The konuco is integral to food sovereignty and an expression of local self-sufficiency. Although some may label it as "inefficient," the West's technological rationality and corporate interests often seek to suppress such practices. In the Anthropocene, however, the konuco and other traditional agricultural practices offer a vital path forward.
- Miguel Ángel Núñez, author of The Science of the Konuco and Its Integral Vision, suggests that the konuco, an agricultural approach deeply rooted in Venezuela's traditions, could be the key to surviving the Anthropocene.
- As society attempts to establish a new order in the Anthropocene, it is important to recognize the konuco's development, which not only ensures ecosystem preservation but also delivers high, diversified yields through eco-sustainable practices.
- Núñez advocates for the recognition of the konuco and other traditional agricultural practices, arguing that they are essential to addressing the challenges posed by the Anthropocene, particularly in terms of enhancing food production and contributing to food sovereignty.
