Adam Calo
@adamcalo.bsky.social
Assistant Professor | land and food governance | Land Food Nexus Newsletter: https://adamcalo.substack.com/about | Landscapes podcast: https://landscapes.libsyn.com/
https://www.ru.nl/en/people/calo-a
https://www.ru.nl/en/people/calo-a
Pinned
Adam Calo
@adamcalo.bsky.social
· Jul 15
This week we have members of the Agroecology Research-Action Collective ( @adamcalo.bsky.social , Maywa Montenegro de Wit , @beniuliano.bsky.social , @alastairiles.bsky.social ) taking on the productivist roots of the "feed-the-world" approach to food security.
spectrejournal.com/the-enduring...
spectrejournal.com/the-enduring...
The Enduring Fantasy of “Feeding the World” – Spectre Journal
Members of the Agroecology Research-Action Collective argue against the productivist logic underlying the "feed-the-world" approaches to feed security.
spectrejournal.com
What drives the enduring myth of “feeding the world?”
@tabledebates.bsky.social
@tabledebates.bsky.social
Reposted by Adam Calo
“Land is about the relations between the material aspects some people might think of as landscapes—water, soil, air, plants, stars—and histories, spirits, events, kinships, accountabilities, and other people that aren’t human.” — Max Liboiron
The Enduring Fantasy of “Feeding the World” – Spectre Journal
Members of the Agroecology Research-Action Collective argue against the productivist logic underlying the "feed-the-world" approaches to feed security.
spectrejournal.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:23 AM
“Land is about the relations between the material aspects some people might think of as landscapes—water, soil, air, plants, stars—and histories, spirits, events, kinships, accountabilities, and other people that aren’t human.” — Max Liboiron
Open positon for a cutting edge community-engaged agroecology project in California: recruit.ucsc.edu/JPF02013
NextGen Academic Coordinator
University of California, Santa Cruz is hiring. Apply now!
recruit.ucsc.edu
November 24, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Open positon for a cutting edge community-engaged agroecology project in California: recruit.ucsc.edu/JPF02013
20000km on the cargo bike.
Do I get Dutch citizenship for this?
Do I get Dutch citizenship for this?
November 23, 2025 at 9:05 AM
20000km on the cargo bike.
Do I get Dutch citizenship for this?
Do I get Dutch citizenship for this?
Reposted by Adam Calo
With COP 30 winding down, we're reposting some of critiques of Green Capitalism and productivism from the previous year.
By @kaibosworth.bsky.social , @andrewonearth.bsky.social , @beniuliano.bsky.social , @alastairiles.bsky.social , @adamcalo.bsky.social , and Maywa Montenegro.
Links 👇🏽
By @kaibosworth.bsky.social , @andrewonearth.bsky.social , @beniuliano.bsky.social , @alastairiles.bsky.social , @adamcalo.bsky.social , and Maywa Montenegro.
Links 👇🏽
November 21, 2025 at 9:46 PM
With COP 30 winding down, we're reposting some of critiques of Green Capitalism and productivism from the previous year.
By @kaibosworth.bsky.social , @andrewonearth.bsky.social , @beniuliano.bsky.social , @alastairiles.bsky.social , @adamcalo.bsky.social , and Maywa Montenegro.
Links 👇🏽
By @kaibosworth.bsky.social , @andrewonearth.bsky.social , @beniuliano.bsky.social , @alastairiles.bsky.social , @adamcalo.bsky.social , and Maywa Montenegro.
Links 👇🏽
City regions may turn to urban agriculture to solve a variety of problems. How can we ensure this action centers justice alongside production?🧪
Frontiers | The JUST GROW framework: conceptualizing how city regions can govern urban agriculture for equity and sustainability
City regions hold much potential for advancing sustainable and just food system transformations. A mosaic of models for producing more food in and around cit...
www.frontiersin.org
November 13, 2025 at 12:09 PM
City regions may turn to urban agriculture to solve a variety of problems. How can we ensure this action centers justice alongside production?🧪
The defunct Ministry of Spatial Planning:
The Ministry of Spatial Planning
An institution with real power to shape land use, relegated to a meme
open.substack.com
November 3, 2025 at 11:28 AM
The defunct Ministry of Spatial Planning:
Reposted by Adam Calo
Which is to say, yes, land sharing (preferably commons based) is the ideal, and should be first choice when available, but there is also room for non-market based sparing as well.
Without some sparing this planet would already be one big parking lot, at the “debate” would me moot.
Without some sparing this planet would already be one big parking lot, at the “debate” would me moot.
November 2, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Which is to say, yes, land sharing (preferably commons based) is the ideal, and should be first choice when available, but there is also room for non-market based sparing as well.
Without some sparing this planet would already be one big parking lot, at the “debate” would me moot.
Without some sparing this planet would already be one big parking lot, at the “debate” would me moot.
Reposted by Adam Calo
Mentioned this almost a year ago, could be fun to dive into the land sparing debate: bsky.app/profile/adam...
(previously bsky.app/profile/vive... )
(previously bsky.app/profile/vive... )
In his new book, Saving a Rainforest and Losing the World, Dr. Gregory Thaler presents a 6-years study on the fate of land sparing forest governance at the agrarian frontiers of Brazil, Bolivia, and Indonesia. 🧪
open.spotify.com/episode/2Kgt...
An Alibi for Ecocide
Listen to this episode from Landscapes on Spotify. An apparent "success story" of Amazonian forest conservation motivates a 6-years investigation of the land sparing hypothesis. Dr. Gregory Thaler's n...
open.spotify.com
November 1, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Mentioned this almost a year ago, could be fun to dive into the land sparing debate: bsky.app/profile/adam...
(previously bsky.app/profile/vive... )
(previously bsky.app/profile/vive... )
Reposted by Adam Calo
While Bill Gates is in the news, this is a great read
Are philanthropic juggernauts like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation a force for good?
Go beyond the typical fawning, hagiographic accounts from mainstream media with Alex Zaitchik's tremendous longread informed by on ground field work
www.thenation.com/article/worl...
Go beyond the typical fawning, hagiographic accounts from mainstream media with Alex Zaitchik's tremendous longread informed by on ground field work
www.thenation.com/article/worl...
The New Colonialist Food Economy
How Bill Gates and agribusiness giants are throttling small farmers in Africa and the Global South.
www.thenation.com
October 29, 2025 at 7:39 AM
While Bill Gates is in the news, this is a great read
Reposted by Adam Calo
@adamcalo.bsky.social and Maywa Montenegro talking about agroecology and the problems with productivist solutions to hunger on Sustainability Now!
With SNAP benefits in jeaopardy, the question of how best to feed hungry people is in the air. Out of many interventions, I'd put intesifiying commodity production very low on the priority list.
Pod interview based on The Eduring Fantasy of Feeding the World piece for @journalspectre.bsky.social
Pod interview based on The Eduring Fantasy of Feeding the World piece for @journalspectre.bsky.social
Sustainability Now! Oct. 26, 2025: The Enduring Fantasy of ‘Feeding the World’ with Professors Adam Calo and Maywa Montenego
The Enduring Fantasy of ‘Feeding the World’
with Professors Adam Calo and Maywa Montenego
On Sustainability Now! Sunday, October 26th, 5-6 PM
Even before the publication of Paul Ehrlich’s The Populat...
ksqd.org
October 27, 2025 at 8:42 PM
@adamcalo.bsky.social and Maywa Montenegro talking about agroecology and the problems with productivist solutions to hunger on Sustainability Now!
With SNAP benefits in jeaopardy, the question of how best to feed hungry people is in the air. Out of many interventions, I'd put intesifiying commodity production very low on the priority list.
Pod interview based on The Eduring Fantasy of Feeding the World piece for @journalspectre.bsky.social
Pod interview based on The Eduring Fantasy of Feeding the World piece for @journalspectre.bsky.social
Sustainability Now! Oct. 26, 2025: The Enduring Fantasy of ‘Feeding the World’ with Professors Adam Calo and Maywa Montenego
The Enduring Fantasy of ‘Feeding the World’
with Professors Adam Calo and Maywa Montenego
On Sustainability Now! Sunday, October 26th, 5-6 PM
Even before the publication of Paul Ehrlich’s The Populat...
ksqd.org
October 27, 2025 at 7:59 AM
With SNAP benefits in jeaopardy, the question of how best to feed hungry people is in the air. Out of many interventions, I'd put intesifiying commodity production very low on the priority list.
Pod interview based on The Eduring Fantasy of Feeding the World piece for @journalspectre.bsky.social
Pod interview based on The Eduring Fantasy of Feeding the World piece for @journalspectre.bsky.social
It all comes back to land.
It's #WorldFoodDay. Let’s talk about the source of our food – land.
Just 1% of agriculture operators now control 70% of global farmland.
That’s not just inequality, it’s a #foodsystem crisis.
🎥 Canadian farmer Nettie Wiebe explains:
ipes-food.org/video-and-me...
Just 1% of agriculture operators now control 70% of global farmland.
That’s not just inequality, it’s a #foodsystem crisis.
🎥 Canadian farmer Nettie Wiebe explains:
ipes-food.org/video-and-me...
Who Controls Agricultural Land? The shift from farmers to financiers | IPES-Food’s Nettie Wiebe - IPES-Food
Nettie Wiebe exposes the land squeeze and its devastating impact on farmers, communities, and biodiversity.
ipes-food.org
October 16, 2025 at 5:14 PM
It all comes back to land.
Reposted by Adam Calo
🥣 Brazil’s recipe to end hunger is shockingly simple – and it works.
👧🏽 Universal school meals
💸 Cash transfers + minimum wage
🌾 Buying from family farmers
🍲 Community kitchens
📜 The right to food in law
🌱 Support for agroecological farmers
ipes-food.org/brazil-beats...
#WorldFoodDay
👧🏽 Universal school meals
💸 Cash transfers + minimum wage
🌾 Buying from family farmers
🍲 Community kitchens
📜 The right to food in law
🌱 Support for agroecological farmers
ipes-food.org/brazil-beats...
#WorldFoodDay
October 16, 2025 at 9:43 AM
🥣 Brazil’s recipe to end hunger is shockingly simple – and it works.
👧🏽 Universal school meals
💸 Cash transfers + minimum wage
🌾 Buying from family farmers
🍲 Community kitchens
📜 The right to food in law
🌱 Support for agroecological farmers
ipes-food.org/brazil-beats...
#WorldFoodDay
👧🏽 Universal school meals
💸 Cash transfers + minimum wage
🌾 Buying from family farmers
🍲 Community kitchens
📜 The right to food in law
🌱 Support for agroecological farmers
ipes-food.org/brazil-beats...
#WorldFoodDay
October 7, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Useful repost if one believes glyphosate is the key to sustainable agriculture:
The Useful Idiot
Where I keep warning you about the resurgence of lazy land sparing rhetoric
open.substack.com
October 2, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Useful repost if one believes glyphosate is the key to sustainable agriculture:
Reposted by Adam Calo
“A scandal that the EU is funnelling large sums of public money [via the #CAP] into farms accused & even convicted of labour abuses.
“Social conditionality has proven toothless – failing to prevent abuse or trigger meaningful sanctions” says @deschuttero.bsky.social
www.desmog.com/2025/09/29/r...
“Social conditionality has proven toothless – failing to prevent abuse or trigger meaningful sanctions” says @deschuttero.bsky.social
www.desmog.com/2025/09/29/r...
Revealed: EU Farm Subsidy ‘Bankrolls’ Widespread Labour Abuse
This investigation was developed with the support of Journalismfund Europe. Farm owners convicted of exploiting migrant workers continue to claim millions in taxpayer-funded subsidies, DeSmog can reve...
www.desmog.com
September 30, 2025 at 1:21 PM
“A scandal that the EU is funnelling large sums of public money [via the #CAP] into farms accused & even convicted of labour abuses.
“Social conditionality has proven toothless – failing to prevent abuse or trigger meaningful sanctions” says @deschuttero.bsky.social
www.desmog.com/2025/09/29/r...
“Social conditionality has proven toothless – failing to prevent abuse or trigger meaningful sanctions” says @deschuttero.bsky.social
www.desmog.com/2025/09/29/r...
From the General Coordinator of La Via Campesina International:
Can the food sovereignty movement really play a role in systemic transformation? Freedom, egalitarian societies, and planetary boundaries
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Can the food sovereignty movement really play a role in systemic transformation? Freedom, egalitarian societies, and planetary boundaries
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Can the food sovereignty movement really play a role in systemic transformation? Freedom, egalitarian societies, and planetary boundaries
From the nineteenth century to the end of the twentieth century, the belief that the industrial working class was destined to transform the world prevailed. That small-scale food producers and Indi...
www.tandfonline.com
September 21, 2025 at 7:43 PM
From the General Coordinator of La Via Campesina International:
Can the food sovereignty movement really play a role in systemic transformation? Freedom, egalitarian societies, and planetary boundaries
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Can the food sovereignty movement really play a role in systemic transformation? Freedom, egalitarian societies, and planetary boundaries
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
It's publication day!I hope the book helps to put an end to capital's imposition of bullshit abundance and artificial scarcity for once and for all.
September 20, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Reposted by Adam Calo
Finally! 🤩 Our position piece: Against the Uncritical Adoption of 'AI' Technologies in Academia:
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
We unpick the tech industry’s marketing, hype, & harm; and we argue for safeguarding higher education, critical
thinking, expertise, academic freedom, & scientific integrity.
1/n
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
We unpick the tech industry’s marketing, hype, & harm; and we argue for safeguarding higher education, critical
thinking, expertise, academic freedom, & scientific integrity.
1/n
September 6, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Finally! 🤩 Our position piece: Against the Uncritical Adoption of 'AI' Technologies in Academia:
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
We unpick the tech industry’s marketing, hype, & harm; and we argue for safeguarding higher education, critical
thinking, expertise, academic freedom, & scientific integrity.
1/n
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
We unpick the tech industry’s marketing, hype, & harm; and we argue for safeguarding higher education, critical
thinking, expertise, academic freedom, & scientific integrity.
1/n
Reposted by Adam Calo
Our summer fellow Meredith Song worked with Community Alliance with Family Farmers to analyze geospatial data of agricultural land transactions in California. She co-authored a @sfchronicle.com piece to explore what can be done to rein in corporate land ownership:
www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/open...
www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/open...
Who controls California farmland? The hard-to-find answer is disturbing
OPINION: “By creating a transparent, public record of ownership and transactions, we could then design fairer markets, protect local control and plan for a sustainable future.”
www.sfchronicle.com
September 2, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Our summer fellow Meredith Song worked with Community Alliance with Family Farmers to analyze geospatial data of agricultural land transactions in California. She co-authored a @sfchronicle.com piece to explore what can be done to rein in corporate land ownership:
www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/open...
www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/open...
Reposted by Adam Calo
@ netherlands 👀
To regain democratic control of the food system, we call for the establishment of a Land Observatory.
Who controls California farmland? The hard-to-find answer is disturbing
OPINION: “By creating a transparent, public record of ownership and transactions, we could then design fairer markets, protect local control and plan for a sustainable future.”
www.sfchronicle.com
September 1, 2025 at 1:35 PM
@ netherlands 👀
To regain democratic control of the food system, we call for the establishment of a Land Observatory.
Who controls California farmland? The hard-to-find answer is disturbing
OPINION: “By creating a transparent, public record of ownership and transactions, we could then design fairer markets, protect local control and plan for a sustainable future.”
www.sfchronicle.com
September 1, 2025 at 1:22 PM
To regain democratic control of the food system, we call for the establishment of a Land Observatory.