An international program seeks to marshal the hearts, minds, and buying power of the world's religious faiths to change farming and food systems seen by many as bad for the planet and people's health.
The goal is to "shift a billion people into eating, growing, purchasing, investing, and praying [toward] a proper relationship with their food and land," asserted Martin Palmer, the secretary general of the Alliance of Religions and Conservation, which is spearheading the Faith in Food program.
According to Palmer, the world's religions are major economic and environmental players as property owners, investors and consumers. As much as 8 percent of the world's land surface is controlled by religions from farms to shopping centers to office buildings! Religious institutions are the world's third largest investing group.
Many have long withheld investment in businesses that didn't match their moral interests, Palmer asserted. Now, many are beginning to specifically invest in businesses that do things they like, he added, and 'people of faith' have the power to influence food and farming practices that don't deplete the soil and are more sustainable.
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