The potential of permaculture principles in the agrifood transition

As western European agriculture students in the year 2017, the first three authors of this report live in a world that reaps the full benefits of the successes of industrial agriculture. We do not grow our own food; in fact we grew up having nothing to do with food production. We have never experienced hunger and have no idea what food insecurity feels like. We cannot even imagine supermarkets ever running out of anything. Our situation is uniquely luxurious. Thanks for that, and good job everyone! Through this unprecedented situation of abundance and stability, we have the luxurious position to be able to look at the existing systems surrounding us, not from a perspective of need, but from one of purpose. And as students of agriculture, we wonder what the purpose of it actually is. Does agriculture only serve to satisfy our need to eat, or does it encompass more functions? The Industrial Revolution, amongst other things, has provided most of the world with sufficient, safe food. Even more than enough, in many developed places. Too little of it in other places, but most agree: we are producing enough food to feed every human being on earth. It is the practice of politics and international trade that function unfavourably for some.