Another Harbinger?

Lately a lot more people have been finding this blog through search phrases like “ “inspiration during hard times,” “hard financial times,” “dark times,” and “how do I grow my own food?” – things of that nature.  It’s both touching and worrisome, especially when the searches are put into question form.  I imagine someone awake and worried in the middle of the night, typing in the question to Google as if to an oracle. 

It’s a fact that the effects of the high cost of food is “trickling up” from the hotspots where it was first reported.  Here’s an interesting and clearly-written article by Fred Magdorff, professor Emeritus of plant and soil science at the University of Vermont.  In it he discusses the recent acute crisis in light of the long-term crisis that has been unfolding for two decades.   It’s definitely worth the read.  At the end, he offers some solutions, or at least a change in direction from where we’ve been headed:

“Almost every country in the world has the soil, water, and climate resources to grow enough food so that all their people can eat a healthy diet. In addition, the knowledge and crop varieties already exist in most countries so that if farmers are given adequate assistance they will be able to grow reasonably high yields of crops.

Although enhanced agricultural production is essential, much of the emphasis in the past has been on production of export crops. While this may help a country’s balance of payments, export oriented agriculture does not ensure sufficient food for everyone nor does it promote a healthy rural environment. In addition to basic commodities such as soybeans, export-oriented agriculture also leads naturally to the production of high-value luxury crops demanded by export markets (luxuries from the standpoint of the basic food needs of a poor third world country), rather than the low-value subsistence crops needed to meet the needs of the domestic population. Production of sufficient amounts of the right kinds of food within each country’s borders—by small farmers working in cooperatives or on their own and using sustainable techniques—is the best way to achieve the goal of “food security.” In this way the population may be insulated, at least partially, from the price fluctuations on the world market. This, of course, also means not taking land out of food production to produce crops for the biofuel markets.”

This should be an inspiration to continue to educate ourselves about what part we play in the policies that are causing this kind of world-wide suffering (I recommend Vandana Shiva's "Stolen Harvest" - see sidebar).  And, on the homefront, to encourage us to buy local from our farmers here and to learn and share how to grow our own.