has a superb article over at Foreign Policy pointing out
that 'organic, local, and slow - is not recipe for saving the
world's hungry millions.' Here's just a taste:
In Europe and the United States, a new line of thinking has
emerged in elite circles that opposes bringing improved seeds and
fertilizers to traditional farmers and opposes linking those
farmers more closely to international markets. Influential food
writers, advocates, and celebrity restaurant owners are repeating
the mantra that 'sustainable food' in the future must be organic,
local, and slow. But guess what: Rural Africa already has such a
system, and it doesn't work. Few smallholder farmers in Africa use
any synthetic chemicals, so their food is de facto organic. High
transportation costs force them to purchase and sell almost all of
their food locally. And food preparation is painfully slow. The
result is nothing to celebrate: average income levels of only $1 a
day and a one-in-three chance of being malnourished.If we are going to get serious about solving global hunger, we
need to de-romanticize our view of preindustrial food and farming.
And that means learning to appreciate the modern,
science-intensive, and highly capitalized agricultural system we've
developed in the West. Without it, our food would be more expensive
and less safe. In other words, a lot like the hunger-plagued rest
of the world.
Amen.
Go here for
Reason's 2008 interview with Paarlberg discussing his
book, And
here for his insightful Foreign Policy article,
'Attention Whole Food Shoppers.'
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