A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing?

The report critiques 'sustainable intensification' as a productivist ideology that prioritizes high-tech solutions—specifically genetically modified (GM) crops and chemical inputs—over agro-ecological practices. It argues that this approach is driven by international donors and agribusinesses, often ignoring the expertise of small farmers and failing to deliver promised yield increases. The document contrasts this model with 'food sovereignty' and the recommendations of the IAASTD report, advocating for a shift toward agro-ecology, land rights, and the reduction of food waste and livestock consumption in the West.

• Sustainable intensification is criticized as a 'catch-all' concept that allows industrial agribusinesses to label their existing high-input technologies as sustainable, effectively maintaining 'business as usual' rather than implementing radical change.
• The 'land sparing' premise—that increasing yields on existing land protects natural habitats—is unsupported by evidence; in some cases, such as in Tanzania and Brazil, increased yields actually encouraged farmers to expand into more land.
• Current GM crops, primarily focused on herbicide tolerance and insect resistance, have not consistently delivered higher yields; for example, in the US, genetic modification accounted for only 14 per cent of the yield increases in Bt maize.
• The adoption of herbicide-tolerant GM crops has led to the rapid evolution of glyphosate-resistant 'super weeds,' affecting 12 million acres in the USA and increasing the use of more toxic herbicides.
• GM seed technologies are often unaffordable for the poorest farmers and lead to corporate monopolies; in the US, seed prices for maize, soybean, and cotton have doubled, tripled, and quadrupled respectively since the introduction of GM crops.
• There is a significant disconnect between the research priorities of sustainable intensification proponents and the actual needs of small farmers, who prioritize local seed varieties, agro-ecological knowledge, and protection from unfair international competition.
• Agro-ecological and organic farming methods are presented as more viable alternatives for smallholders, with a UNEP/UNCTAD report finding average yield increases of 116 per cent for organic agriculture in Africa.
• The report advocates for 'food sovereignty,' which empowers people to define their own food and agriculture systems, as an alternative to the productivist ideology of sustainable intensification.

APA

Collins, E. D., & Chandrasekaran, K. (2012). A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing? Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Wolf-in-Sheeps-Clothing-for-web.pdf

Chicago

Collins, E. Diamond, and Kirtana Chandrasekaran. A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing? Friends of the Earth International, 2012. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Wolf-in-Sheeps-Clothing-for-web.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Collins |first1=E. Diamond |last2=Chandrasekaran |first2=Kirtana |title=A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing? |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=October 2012 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Wolf-in-Sheeps-Clothing-for-web.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{collins2012wolf, author = {Collins, E. Diamond and Chandrasekaran, Kirtana}, title = {{A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing?}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2012}, month = oct, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Wolf-in-Sheeps-Clothing-for-web.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }