The debate over whether or not GMO and industrial agriculture is necessary in order to feed the world (at the expense of reducing organic or small scale farming) has been getting a large amount of attention recently. In part because of rising food prices and in part because of a nascent movement in the U.S. to simplify our networks of food delivery.
Beyond acknowledging that there are enormous problems with the way we distribute food today (there are just as many morbidly obese people in the world as there are starving people) and that U.S. farm subsidies help nobody, I'm not sure where I come down on this issue. My personal preference is for local, organic and small scale farming but I'm not convinced that it's possible to feed the world - especially if we reach 9 billion people - in this way and not destroy the environment.
However, below are four articles or papers that make succint arguments for the idea that not only can we feed a global population of 9 billion people without industrializing global economy, but that it would be better for individuals in developing countries and might help to combat some of the rural to urban population flight that the developing world is going through. Enjoy!
Shorter:
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/sustainable-farming/?hp (if you think the debate is settled, take a look at the comments on this piece)
http://www.grist.org/article/2011-03-10-debunking-myth-that-only-industrial-agriculture-can-feed-world
Longer:
Agri Assessment
UNEP Report
Beyond acknowledging that there are enormous problems with the way we distribute food today (there are just as many morbidly obese people in the world as there are starving people) and that U.S. farm subsidies help nobody, I'm not sure where I come down on this issue. My personal preference is for local, organic and small scale farming but I'm not convinced that it's possible to feed the world - especially if we reach 9 billion people - in this way and not destroy the environment.
However, below are four articles or papers that make succint arguments for the idea that not only can we feed a global population of 9 billion people without industrializing global economy, but that it would be better for individuals in developing countries and might help to combat some of the rural to urban population flight that the developing world is going through. Enjoy!
Shorter:
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/sustainable-farming/?hp (if you think the debate is settled, take a look at the comments on this piece)
http://www.grist.org/article/2011-03-10-debunking-myth-that-only-industrial-agriculture-can-feed-world
Longer:
Agri Assessment
UNEP Report
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