How Not To "Feed the World"
 

The debate over how to "feed the world" amid population growth and climate change often hinges on crop yields. The theory is that if we can squeeze as much crop as possible per acre of farmland, we'll have abundant food for everyone. This idea dominates the marketing material of giant agrichemical firms like Monsanto. "In order to feed the world's growing population, farmers must produce more food in the next fifty years than they have in the past 10,000 years combined," proclaims the company's web site. "We are working to double yields in our core crops by 2030." Such rhetoric is routinely echoed by policymakers like US Department of Agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack.

But jacking up yields—even if Monsanto and its peers can accomplish that feat, which they haven't so far—wants solve the hunger problem on its own. The globe's farms are already producing enough food to feed 12 billion people—twice the current population and a third again more than the peak of 9 billion expected to be reached in 2050. Yet at least 925 million people lack access to enough to eat. What causes hunger isn't insufficient crop yields but rather people's economic relationships to food: whether they have access to land to grow it, or sufficient income to buy it...

http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philp...top-land-grabs

It also appears that the GMO labeling bill, prop 37, is poised to pass in CA, despite massive spending by all your favorites; Dow, Monsanto, etc. Sorry, GOP.

Re: How Not To "Feed the World"
 

(Are you ready to be pounced upon? ;))

Re: How Not To "Feed the World"
 

Okay, what is the point?

Re: How Not To "Feed the World"
 

That is the point. As a farmer I can tell you that big Ag is not for us and their biggest selling point is that only they can feed the nations... yet the nations continue to starve...

Give a man food and you have fed him... give a man the tools to farm and he can feed himself.

Re: How Not To "Feed the World"
 

The local farmer is more than sufficient to feed it's community....and has for centuries until big gov decided to give farm subsidies to big farms and make it hard for the local farmer to make a living. We had good food until monsanto thought they "perfected" the seed with toxins and poisons. I love corn but barely eat it now because I know most corn is GMO and "roundup ready".

I have to wonder if the pesticide spliced corn has been genetically modified more for a gasoline additive than for human consumption? It certainly would bring in more money for gasoline use than for consumption.

Re: How Not To "Feed the World"
 

Re: How Not To "Feed the World"
 

Add oil to that list dord.

Re: How Not To "Feed the World"
 

People have always lived in arid regions, severe drought is another matter... but there are ways to deal with almost all situations without having to move people from their homelands.

Re: How Not To "Feed the World"
 

Most people never heard of H.A.A.R.P.

Most people will never study it even when they are told about it.

Most people never even ask why is our sky full of chemical trails and what are they there for.

Re: How Not To "Feed the World"
 

Well part of the iussue is why don't they have irrigation?