[Special] The International Food Crisis

[Mitch]

This forum was created to encourage discussion on the increased problems of food shortage and high prices around the world.
This problem actually started a while back, but was not brought to the new headlines due to the visible price increases of Rice and Grains on store shelves.
Many factors are creating this food crisis, including, but no limited to, the discovery and increased production of "Biofuel", drought and flooding due to global warming and increased prices due to market investments.

Enjoy, and hopefully we can put this forum in the archives very soon :frust:

[Cattraknoff]

You might also include US and EU corporate patents on seeds which have caused over 150,000 farmers (conservatively) in India to kill themselves because their "improved" genetically modified crops failed, and has also led to western monopolization of the world's food supply; Most third and second world nations have been stripped of their ability to produce food (especially if the west were to decide not to allow them to, or that they should grow something else eg. ethanol).

[Locke]

You might also include US and EU corporate patents on seeds which have caused over 150,000 farmers (conservatively) in India to kill themselves because their "improved" genetically modified crops failed, and has also led to western monopolization of the world's food supply; Most third and second world nations have been stripped of their ability to produce food (especially if the west were to decide not to allow them to, or that they should grow something else eg. ethanol).

The EU had little part in it, as did the U.S. (as a sovereign). The WTO ruled that India's laws against the patenting of life forms was unjust for the global market, and thus Cargill introduced their "Terminator" seed, which does not self-propagate, causing farmers, if they wished to sustain themselves, to buy new seeds every season. The seed replaced most other native forms of Indian agricultural flora. What was the "breadbasket" of Asia is now a minimal agricultural producer.

[Cattraknoff]

The EU had little part in it, as did the U.S. (as a sovereign). The WTO ruled that India's laws against the patenting of life forms was unjust for the global market, and thus Cargill introduced their "Terminator" seed, which does not self-propagate, causing farmers, if they wished to sustain themselves, to buy new seeds every season. The seed replaced most other native forms of Indian agricultural flora. What was the "breadbasket" of Asia is now a minimal agricultural producer.

Oh, I wasn't referring to the government. Though the US government certainly doesn't seem to care. It's corporations within the two entities who are abusing trade laws for their own gain and to the detriment of the majority of the human race.

[octoparrot]

what we really need is some population control. There are too many people on the planet, and not enough food. It's as simple as that.

[Mitch]

Actually, population will no longer be an issue quite soon.
Japan's fertility rate is VERY low, it was below 1.29 in 2004
The baby boomers are getting very old and retiring.
The overall world population is getting very old and there might be a shortage of labor in the near future.
The scare of overpopulation pushed China and Japan to have less children, which in turn, there won't be enough young people to take care of the old.

It's not overpopulation that's the problem, it's overeating.

[Cattraknoff]

what we really need is some population control. There are too many people on the planet, and not enough food. It's as simple as that.

There would be more food if we let the third world grow it.

[Locke]

There would be more food if we let the third world grow it.

Which would be promptly whisked away to our awaiting dinner tables.

[octoparrot]

GM foods are the answer :D

[Cattraknoff]

GM foods are the answer :D

GM foods are a substantial part of the problem.

[Locke]

GM foods are a substantial part of the problem.

GM seeds are. GM foods would alleviate it.

[Cattraknoff]

GM seeds are. GM foods would alleviate it.

With corporations reaping sizable profits, no doubt. The food shortage will not be solved unless it becomes profitable for it to be (in other words, don't count on it; it's far more profitable when such essential resources are made scarce).

[octoparrot]

GM foods are a substantial part of the problem.

how? i think they're a brillient idea. we can create huge fruit and vegitables to feed the starving millions.

[Cattraknoff]

how? i think they're a brillient idea. we can create huge fruit and vegitables to feed the starving millions.

You appear to have some strange misconceptions about genetically modifying foods.

[Locke]

You appear to have some strange misconceptions about genetically modifying foods.

There is no doubt, however, that we can increase yields and protection from pestilence. As well, we can potentially alter the necessary climate for a certain seed, thus allowing higher yields to become widespread.

[Cattraknoff]

There is no doubt, however, that we can increase yields and protection from pestilence. As well, we can potentially alter the necessary climate for a certain seed, thus allowing higher yields to become widespread.

That would require corporations actually wishing to end the food shortage. It's far more profitable to allow scarcity economics to take root in vital resources such as food. Genetic modification has primarily been used in the patenting of seeds, which allows further monopolization of the food supply which is of course (as was I believe previously stated) the primary reason for the shortage to begin with.