Where did my breakfast come from? Now that's a good question for today. In highlighting the fact that Christian Aid helps farmers in 42 countries around the world I need to locate the source of my breakfast. Not so easy with a packet of cereal made out of countless ingrediants. Thinking about chocolate the other day made me realise the tension we have in our world when it comes to our food. On the one hand we need from an environmental point of view to save food miles and to support local produce, on the other we know that in importing from across the world we are helping those in poorer countries.
Like buying only fruit when it is in season I suppose one principle would be to buy products from overseas when they cannot be produced locally. However things are further complicated by the criss-crossing around the world of different parts of the process - my cereal box, inner plastic bag, and cereal were not all made in one place. There are somethings that are impossible to be purist about. Fairtrade though can be one principle we can adhere too, particularly when it comes to tea and coffee and that way we are supporting particular farmers in particular places.
Breakfast this morning will be spent working out exactly how many places the cereal did actually come from. I thought cereal was the simplist option when it came to breakfast until now, how I wish I was having local bacon and eggs today!
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