World food shortage

[numbercruncher]

We are not the worlds food bowl by a long shot. We are only one of the worlds largest exporters of food because of our small population. There are many other countries who leave us for dead when it comes to production.

We, The West, are the worlds food bowl, Im not saying specifically Australia.

Yes other Countries produce more food but they have a damn sight more mouths to feed (unsustainably so), ie/ Take the Wests excess production offline and I bet 10s of millions will starve.

 

[numbercruncher]

Interesting little read ....

The poor world, it is said, is being torn apart by a food crisis. Parts are. Those who aren't yet affected are speculative because they aren't safe either as food prices have been rising all over the world.

According to "Rising Food Prices: Policy Options and World Bank Response," increases in global wheat prices reached 181 percent over the 36 months leading up to February 2008, and overall global food prices increased by 83 percent.

Today, Malthus must be smiling in his grave. After all, it was Thomas Malthus who predicted more than 200 years ago that population growth would outstrip food production in the course of time.

He predicted that the growing demand for grain, in particular, could soon overwhelm the capacity of the entire world's grain-producing countries.

World food output has been losing its shine lately. And the followers of Malthus are roaring yet again. And why shouldn't they be since according to UN reports, for the last couple of years the world has been consuming more food than it has been producing.

http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?no=382424&rel_no=1

Wow that last bit in bold is scary, obviously if correct, we have been dipping into reserves for two years now, food looks like a bigger Issue than oil, yet food production relys on oil, all going to end in tears im afraid.

Been browsing around various websites and forums etc, and Im amazed at the number of people who say they are hoarding food.

Game on soon me thinks.

 

[Smurf1976]

Globalisation has been tried before. It didn't work.

Stupidity = Repeatedly doing the same thing expecting a different result.

 

[Mofra]

Interesting little read ....



http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?no=382424&rel_no=1

Wow that last bit in bold is scary, obviously if correct, we have been dipping into reserves for two years now, food looks like a bigger Issue than oil, yet food production relys on oil, all going to end in tears im afraid.

Been browsing around various websites and forums etc, and Im amazed at the number of people who say they are hoarding food.

Game on soon me thinks.

Now you say you are a property bear - is that above ground only? It sounds like there might be quite a lucrative market in renting out underground "bunker space" once the oil/food/no more reality TV riots start

 

[numbercruncher]

I was just reading our American cousins provide half the Worlds food aid and only last week released 200m worth of emergency wheat to developing countries.

Isnt it high time that some other nations started taking some of the responsibility, with the US rolling into recession I can see the very charitable nature of our American cousins being severly undermined.

I see plenty of West hating nations rolling in cash and blaming us for everything but doing nothing.

 

[Aussiejeff]

I was just reading our American cousins provide half the Worlds food aid and only last week released 200m worth of emergency wheat to developing countries.

Isnt it high time that some other nations started taking some of the responsibility, with the US rolling into recession I can see the very charitable nature of our American cousins being severly undermined.

I see plenty of West hating nations rolling in cash and blaming us for everything but doing nothing.

Unfortunately, the focus for many rapidly developing nations from now on (eg China, India, Pakistan, Russia, Iran etc) appears to be more inward-looking ie: build up your own resource reserves first rather than give it to aid programs. Even the US is pretty good at stockpiling "stuff" in case the you-know-what hits the fan. Australia's reserves in comparison are pretty pathetic. However, we provide plenty of succour to the world (in the form of raw food and mineral resources) already through normal trade relations. In general, the future outlook for world aid looks pretty grim to me, given the sudden lurch into worldwide food disruptions and economic uncertainties everywhere.

No easy answers either since every nation's leaders want to primarily look after their own "barrow" before worrying about others. Unless world economies can enter boom times again in short order (personally I can't actually see that occuring any time soon) then international politics may well display a more "selfish" tone from now on.

AJ

 

[77TRADER77]

What World Food Shortage?
Its only that the Chinese, now more affluent, are consuming 10 times more meat and more grains and have greater dietary demands now they have the money.
Its Food Distribution thats the problem now according to scientists.
Cost of food is causing many of these problems.
Investors in the US dont want to invest in their dollar nor their their companies expected to have further crippled profits or losses.
So investors are investing in OIL and FOOD SUPPLY.Theyre not investing in Gold because the World Bank can manipulate that price, UNTIL the demand takes that equation from their control.
Warren Buffet was already one of the first to get in to FOOD investment when I was looking to buy AWB at $2-40 months ago.
Truly my heart goes out to those in need of basic foodstuffs.
The Solution to the Food Crisis and the Environment is simple-reduce the World Population with each couple responsibly only producing their own number. World population would slow with food and wealth and natural resources aplenty for all.
This is just the humble opinion of the writer keen to listen to others opinions.
http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?no=382424&rel_no=1

 

[Spanning Tree]

Yes other Countries produce more food but they have a damn sight more mouths to feed (unsustainably so), ie/ Take the Wests excess production offline and I bet 10s of millions will starve.

If by West you mean developed countries then yes most of the food comes from the developed countries. I think the reason is because of agricultural subsidies.

I see plenty of West hating nations rolling in cash and blaming us for everything but doing nothing.

Are you prepared to name names?

The Solution to the Food Crisis and the Environment is simple-reduce the World Population with each couple responsibly only producing their own number. World population would slow with food and wealth and natural resources aplenty for all.

Each couple only producing their own number? You mean, two children per couple? If you want population reduction the best number of children is zero. You preach it, but do you practice it? I'm not going to have any children, not because I think any children I produce will cause food shortage but because children are quite expensive.

rape, murder and molestation of children are not "natural" human impulses but behavioural aberrations. if they were natural society wouldn't legislate against them (as it has since the 10 commandments)

So you think whether an impulse is natural or not depends on whether it is legal or illegal? Robbing a bank I would argue is pure animal instinct of greed working. It is nature.

Ahem. I wasn't aware we had a "class" based society here???

I thought there was. Remember according to statistics, after John Howard came to power the polarization between rich and poor has gotten more pronounced. We also see further polarization in property prices. Here in Melbourne last year, rich inner city properties in Toorak and Malvern went up 50 per cent but in Frankston prices only went up by about 5 per cent, which is pretty close to inflation rate.

Your generalisation that "affluent" people are skinnier than "the lower classes" would not hold any weight

I think I remember reading a Melbourne Uni publication saying that people in richer suburbs are leaner because they have access to parks, public transport, etc.

Parents who give [fat kids] a shocking start to life are effecting everything they can be and probably shaving a decade or more off the ends of there lifes. It effects everything from their academic to sporting performance to mental health and behaviour.

We dont let parents Give kids cigarettes or booze, we dont tolerate parents that bash kids, why do we tolerate parents that let their kids get so fat that its robbing them of a " normal " life ?

Some people say parents who feed their children fatty food should be labelled child abusers.

Im convinced we will see pull backs in globalisation, more nationalistic policies and closer bonds between certain groups of countries, the West should sit sweet, we are the worlds food bowl really

Isn't the world's largest exporter of rice Thailand? Maybe you classify Thailand as the West.

 

[Djayness]

Theres also a food shortage in my fridge....

 

[Happy]

From ABC, 30 Apr. 08

CHINESE FARMLAND ACQUISITION THREATENS AUST MARKETS: AGFORCE


Rural lobby group Agforce says a plan being considered by Chinese authorities to lease Australian farmland could put more pressure on the nation's farmers and resources.
Reports from Beijing say the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture is looking to lease or buy land around the world, to ensure long-term food security.

Agforce president Peter Kenny says it could put at risk Australian production and export markets, but it should also highlight the global food shortage.

"Really it's a wake-up call I think for the rest of the world to realise that there is a shortage of food and that is going to continue and it's going to be an even bigger problem if we're not careful and particularly as far as Australia is concerned," he said.

If Australia goes for it, I can almost see invasion, should there be put any water restriction down the track.

 

[Aussiejeff]

If Australia goes for it, I can almost see invasion, should there be put any water restriction down the track.

Captain RUDD: "Prepare to repel all boarders!"

First Mate GILLARD: "Aye aye, Cap'n - err ... hang on Sir, with what shall I repel them?

Captain RUDD: "Beats me GILLARD! Try using yer head, lass!

LOL



AJ

 

[Temjin]

It's funny though, when the mainstream news talk about food shortage crisis and how soft commodities have risen so much for the last few months, it is exactly this time that almost all soft and grain commodities have crashed in prices (except rice & corn) over the last 3-4 weeks.

For example, wheat reached a peak of roughly USD $1300 / 5000 bushels just before Mid March and now fallen to USD $790 today. That's like 40%drop in less than 2 months! From a technical point of view, it is largely oversold but no clear signals for buying yet despite the fundamentals.

 

[Kauri]

I hear they are marching in the streets of St Petersburg protesting the food prices, and that the masses are also assembling in Cheltenham..

Cheers
............Kauri

 

[numbercruncher]

I also read that China and a few others are tearing around the Globe buying up farmland, I guess theyve worked out they cant grow food in toxic wastelands destroyed by unsustainable manufactoring practices.

I sure hope we dont flog off any of our farmland or water assets, shaping up to be some of the best assets around by the smell of things.

 

[Whiskers]

Originally Posted by Happy
If Australia goes for it, I can almost see invasion, should there be put any water restriction down the track.

Captain RUDD: "Prepare to repel all boarders!"

First Mate GILLARD: "Aye aye, Cap'n - err ... hang on Sir, with what shall I repel them?

Captain RUDD: "Beats me GILLARD! Try using yer head, lass!

LOL



AJ

Yeah, water's a problem alright specally when... theres-a-hole-in-the-bucket dear liza.

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/theres-a-hole-in-the-bucket/1053630970

 

[Aussiejeff]

Hmmm. This is one rather ominous result of the terrible devastation left by the cyclone in Burma ... from a Herald-Sun news item today.

"The cyclone, which hit Burma's main rice-growing region, could also have consequences for the growing global food crisis. Jack de Groot, chief executive of Caritas Australia, said the disaster would devastate Burma's rice supplies over the coming year.

"The affected area of the Irrawaddy Delta is the rice bowl of Burma, the largest per-capita consumers of rice in the world,'' he said. "This will have enormous impact on the supply of rice in Burma for the coming year.''

Other countries in the region had already been experiencing rice shortages due to drought and increasing worldwide demand."

A very sad situation unfolding over there, not helped at all by yet another Militaristic "Government" sticking it's head in the sand to try and save "face". Instead, they now have egg plastered all over their rotten faces and their people are going to suffer more for it.


AJ

 

[wayneL]

I hear they are marching in the streets of St Petersburg protesting the food prices, and that the masses are also assembling in Cheltenham..

Cheers
............Kauri

That's only for the Jazz Festival.

Brits will whinge, but they won't march unless it's really dire... or it looks like a queue.

 

[Julia]

We are all aware that the people in Zimbabwe are being kept alive by food aid programmes. A journalist with many years in this area was discussing this in a recent radio interview. He suggested that the majority of Zimbabweans do not actually understand that what food they do receive is from outside aid. They assume it is coming from the great leader Mr Mugabe.
His suggestion was that if all outside aid was withheld, then the people would get rid of Mugabe in a heartbeat.

 

[numbercruncher]

We are all aware that the people in Zimbabwe are being kept alive by food aid programmes. A journalist with many years in this area was discussing this in a recent radio interview. He suggested that the majority of Zimbabweans do not actually understand that what food they do receive is from outside aid. They assume it is coming from the great leader Mr Mugabe.
His suggestion was that if all outside aid was withheld, then the people would get rid of Mugabe in a heartbeat.

Got to love how Guba and his cronies through all the evil farmer guys off the Farms, Rolled the tractors , burnt the crops, grew some more desert , claimed a moral victory and still get Fed ...... All whilst adding to the global food crisis at both ends of the string

 

[The Once-ler]

We are all aware that the people in Zimbabwe are being kept alive by food aid programmes. A journalist with many years in this area was discussing this in a recent radio interview. He suggested that the majority of Zimbabweans do not actually understand that what food they do receive is from outside aid. They assume it is coming from the great leader Mr Mugabe.
His suggestion was that if all outside aid was withheld, then the people would get rid of Mugabe in a heartbeat.

Yeah, heard that interview Julia. He said we are keeping Mugabe in power by feeding the people.

And a lot of other places in Africa, the more food we send, the more kids they have.