Dear friends,
There are many places in the world where organic Cannabis hemp agriculture could have substantial, uniquely beneficial effects on food security, nutrition, environmental integrity, water purification, insect control, and economic prosperity.
In many places, the greatest obstacle to solving many of the problems that afflict people is the lack of access to Cannabis because of the suppressive influence of the misconceived "drug war" that prohibits hemp agriculture.
Consider that hemp is the ONLY crop that produces complete nutrition and sustainable biofuels from the same harvest. This means food security & nutrition are improved by cultivation of a crop that produces sustainable biofuels.
Responding specifically to your questions,
1. Under what conditions can agriculture succeed in lifting people out of extreme poverty? Particularly those households with limited access to productive resources.
Cannabis is a non-invasive pioneer crop that grows extremely well with minimal input, under a wide variety of soil & climate conditions. Hemp is capable of producing essential food and energy resources, while it also provides multiple income streams from the seed, oil, fiber, stems, and roots. A valuable source of nutrition for animals and fish, hemp is a versatile, adaptable, ancient crop.
2. What is the role of ensuring more sustainable natural resource management in supporting the eradication of extreme poverty?
"Ensuring more sustainable natural resource management in supporting the eradication of extreme poverty" begins with objectively considering ALL possible species of agricultural crops. Currently, hemp is excluded from consideration because of obsolete, counter-productive policies that prohibit hemp farming.
3. Can those without the opportunities to pursue agricultural production and to access resources such as fish, forests and livestock find pathways out of extreme poverty through these sectors?
Cannabis hemp is a plant that grows well in wild places, attracts wildlife, and phytoremediates depleted and contaminated soils.
4. What set of policies are necessary to address issues connecting food security and extreme poverty eradication in rural areas?
Ending Cannabis prohibition is necessary for allowing organic agriculture to work.
5. Can you share any examples of experiences that succeeded in reducing (or eradicating) extreme poverty through an agricultural pathway?
There are many examples of farmers all over the world who plant hemp with great success. What has yet to be realized are the benefits to ending extreme economic disparity that global redistribution of hemp would have, through expansion of the arable base and standardization of energy production using hemp cellulose to produce hydrogen with which to generate electricity.
Thank you all for your great works and objective consideration.
Best wishes,
Paul von Hartmann
Cannabis scholar
Ashland, Oregon
USA
السيد Paul von Hartmann