Will there be food shortages in the next decade?

The rich West is also, for the most part, temperate and fertile. This means that, with modern farming methods, we can easily grow enough food to feed our own populations (though we will have to accept more seasonal produce and less choice).

If the poor world cannot produce enough to feed its growing populations then it needs to start controlling population growth. It must take responsibility for its predicament, or nature will do so instead.

[debs]

I'm afraid this problem might "solve" itself within a decade or so: either via worldwide famine as GW-induced droughts and disease wipe out crops on an unprecedented scale, or via bloody wars brought on by food shortage.

Population growth needs to be curbed, but it is impossible to do so in a moral, civilized way - thus it will not be done.

[Cricket Tragic]

Originally Posted by debs

I'm afraid this problem might "solve" itself within a decade or so: either via worldwide famine as GW-induced droughts and disease wipe out crops on an unprecedented scale, or via bloody wars brought on by food shortage.

Population growth needs to be curbed, but it is impossible to do so in a moral, civilized way - thus it will not be done.

Deb, I doubt any of this is likely to come to pass in the next decade. Global warming is unlikely to have increased the Earth's temperature by enough to cause major disruption to agriculture in that time. In any case, agriculture will adapt. More droughts are only predicted for certain parts of the Earth (unless you subscribe to the continuous El Nino view), other parts of the Earth will have higher rainfall. Decreased production in some areas will be offset by increased production in others. More likely to cause problems in the short term is the increasing cost of transport, inhibiting out ability to make food cheaply available to the poor in areas that produce less food than for the local population. We could well end up with a world of haves and have nots - those who can afford to use energy and those who need to do with less.

The soaring cost of food is threatening millions of people in poor countries, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has warned.

Food prices have risen an unprecedented 40% in the last year and many nations may be unable to cope, the agency says.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7148880.stm

[agent orange]

A surge in the price of wheat, barley and sea freight has forced Japan to order an unprecedented 55 billion yen (£231 million) emergency budget increase to secure the nation’s food supply.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/to...cle2827784.ece

BEIJING, Dec 21 (Reuters) - China is suffering its worst drought in a decade, which has left millions of people short of drinking water and has shrunk reservoirs and rivers, state media said on Friday.

http://www.reuters.com/article/lates.../idUSPEK201059

That can't be helping matters.

[sciencefirst]

Hysteria! Hysteria!

The world has never been full of more obese porkers.

[seven]

You'd think there was a food shortage now the way people are cramming into the supermarkets this week

[screener]

Merry Christmas everyone, let us have a little thanksgiving for this years meal.

[screener]

An interesting report from the financial sector concerning food pricing and availability for the near term. I don't believe that they are yet recognizing the impact of fuel costs and supplies in the makeup of fertilizers, herbicides, and farm fuel needs.



http://www.financialsense.com/fsu/ed...2008/0104.html

Hang on to your hats.