One of the major villains of the piece, Brazilian agribusiness alone is responsible for half of the total emission emitted by my country. According to governmental statistics, staggering 75% of deforestation cases in the Amazon forest occurs due to cattle grazing. Such numbers are quite impressive and thus we are impelled to become vegetarian. There are so many variables in the chessboard, be it for the good of the environment, of the well-being of animals, of our health and of development in general. By the way, check out ‘10 reasons for being vegetarian’ from a member of our gang (if you have not yet).
Surely, if you are one of those lucky guys like me, there are no excuses. But, as there is always one, what about those who are not?
Poverty hits 46% of children and teenagers in Brazil, as the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics points. More, almost 24% of Brazil’s families live with the equivalent of a minimum wage per month. Over 24 million people live in extreme poverty in this blogger’s country.
So, do you think they have a choice?
They eat meat and will continue having it in the long run. After a hard day’s work in sweaty places people in poverty do not want buttered vegetables. They can not even buy it. Meat, on the other hand, is usually given to them.
In Brazil, meat is one of the cheapest things one can find. It is not like in Europe. Here ‘everyone’ can have it all the seven days of the week. The main reason lies in the fact that Brazil has got over 203 million livestock. It is the largest commercial bovine herd on the globe, crowning Brazil as the ‘Barn of the World’. I would say Brazilian culture is a meat culture.
Brazil is by far the fastest growing agricultural producer, with output expected to rise by more than 40 percent between now and 2019, as FAO says. Production growth is also expected to be well above 20% in China, India, the Russian Federation and Ukraine. For Europe, the growth rate expected in this area is of miserable 4%.
As anyone can see, the stars in this extremely ‘promising’ scenario are the emerging countries.
Such numbers palpably reflect the development stage of a region, as poverty and agribusiness are interconnected.
All that said, first to change long held habits which are destroying Brazil’s treasure houses of biodiversity and our planet as a whole, poverty has to be taken down. Without eradicating it, green policies will surely have little effect, especially in Brazil.
(Featured image by Michele Aquila)
Why would those poor Brazilians have to stop eating meat while we stuff ourselves with it?
Great post and a very important issue.
I guess dealing with hunger would give Brazilians A CHOICE in the first place, Luan.
So the Barn of the World is feeding the Western world with its meat, correct? In that case, the problem is once again the consumer who demands meat on their table anytime they wish. I guess this is what Hanna is saying, and I agree. Forests disappear because of steaks with baby new potatoes which are served for £9.95 and not because of the poor.
On the other hand, however, you are completely right in pointing at the meat culture as a problem. It’s dead flesh, after all.
Thanks for reading girls.
Yeah, dealing with poverty and the subsequent hunger situation it brings with would surely give them a choice. And only giving it is that green policies will bare fruits. Remember, I’m talking on the Brazilian case in particular. It is very cheap! It is spooky for me sometimes. Believe me, here such food you cited would cost half only. And 24% of Brazil’s families is quite a big number.
Of course, other consumers like us are accountable as well. We make the meat cycle run. You’re quite right.