Guardian Article Endangered Foods
- Thread starter Kav
- Start date
-
BushMoot: Come along to the amazing Summer Moot 31st July - 5th August (extended Moot : 27th July - 8th August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.
It's such a pity that Ms Finney's article lacks balance.
The statement that she quotes from Dan Saladino that
is demonstrably untrue as five minutes with a search engine would have told her.
The high yield crops that her article dislikes so much were pioneered in large part by Norman Borlaug - notably but far from exclusively the high yield, short stemmed wheat so ubiquitous now.
Those crops increased wheat yields in starving countries by 80%+
Whilst yes, there is a much lower diversity of plant material consumed than there once was, what she signally fails to address is that without these crops we cannot feed our current population.
Whilst she may dislike high yield crops, I suspect that the world appreciates Mr. Borlaug's agricultural contribution more than she does. He's credited with saving a billion lives and won the Nobel Peace Prize
en.m.wikipedia.org
The statement that she quotes from Dan Saladino that
is demonstrably untrue as five minutes with a search engine would have told her.
The high yield crops that her article dislikes so much were pioneered in large part by Norman Borlaug - notably but far from exclusively the high yield, short stemmed wheat so ubiquitous now.
Those crops increased wheat yields in starving countries by 80%+
Whilst yes, there is a much lower diversity of plant material consumed than there once was, what she signally fails to address is that without these crops we cannot feed our current population.
Whilst she may dislike high yield crops, I suspect that the world appreciates Mr. Borlaug's agricultural contribution more than she does. He's credited with saving a billion lives and won the Nobel Peace Prize
Norman Borlaug - Wikipedia
Yes, his contribution saved millions. And now their children face hunger from other sources. Biodiversity has a reason. The Pueblo people’s of our Southwest abandoned traditional foods for a western diet.
They now suffer pandemic levels of obesity and diabetes. NATIVE SEED SEARCH in Arizona is active in preserving and marketing native crops. Luther Burbank saved Southern Agriculture with new peanut uses.
Our food supply IS in the hands of fewer giant Ag businesses, numbers irrelevant. Climate change will see a very different world, and menus soon enough.
Options are always wise.
They now suffer pandemic levels of obesity and diabetes. NATIVE SEED SEARCH in Arizona is active in preserving and marketing native crops. Luther Burbank saved Southern Agriculture with new peanut uses.
Our food supply IS in the hands of fewer giant Ag businesses, numbers irrelevant. Climate change will see a very different world, and menus soon enough.
Options are always wise.
Unfortunately we can't step off the modern world conveyor belt with current populations and desires.
On another forum I visit occasionally someone started a thread about not giving hydrocarbon sector any money. Some bright spark pointed out that it was impossible. Mentioned posting on the forum using tech containing plastics derived from the hydrocarbons.
I feel that this is similar issue. We've gone too far from the natural, biodiverse way of living to actually go back. Not without reducing population.
On a slight aside. Would the OP hold the same view in a country struggling to feed it's population? Is this more a first world / developed world issue in that they're the only ones likely to be in a position to change this?
On another forum I visit occasionally someone started a thread about not giving hydrocarbon sector any money. Some bright spark pointed out that it was impossible. Mentioned posting on the forum using tech containing plastics derived from the hydrocarbons.
I feel that this is similar issue. We've gone too far from the natural, biodiverse way of living to actually go back. Not without reducing population.
On a slight aside. Would the OP hold the same view in a country struggling to feed it's population? Is this more a first world / developed world issue in that they're the only ones likely to be in a position to change this?
In reality, it's a rich world wake up to what has been happening for a very long time. There are many poor countries, and indeed, poor sectors of better off countries, who's populations have had to survive on a very low range of diet variation for a long time.
It's far from a new problem. As has been said before, when we switched from hunter/gatherer to farming in the Neolithic in Britain, life expectancy went down because of the lower dietary range.
It's far from a new problem. As has been said before, when we switched from hunter/gatherer to farming in the Neolithic in Britain, life expectancy went down because of the lower dietary range.
The higher you climb, the harder you fall. It could be that the people who have struggled most or been the slowest to adjust to modernisation - subsistence farmers, nomadic herders, etc - are the ones best positioned when the wheels fall off.
Can't say I'd be upset if celery took a bullet.
Broccoli can get it as well.
Broccoli can get it as well.
This is not OPs first rodeo regarding world hunger. I posted an article of interest. There is merit in heirloom agriculture. People took issue. I assume they stop at that U.K. chain market for
Bangers and beer to cook under a basha , reconnect with some inner Rousseau Noble Savage and pick a fight on this forum regarding industrial monoculture VS a Apple specific to a rural local
By light of campfire.
I’ve lived in impoverished communities facing malnutrition.
Last edited:
We have impoverished communities facing malnutrition in the UK. Probably in most towns and cities! I reckon it's not much different in USA and other developed countries. The state of the modern world!
However in struggle how to see reducing the efficiency of food production will help with food difficulties.
However in struggle how to see reducing the efficiency of food production will help with food difficulties.
WHO suggested reducing efficiency? You are protected from
GMO soy. I am not, along with maize and countless other crops.
I buy blue corn meal from a Pueblo tribe in New Mexico and Alaskan wild caught salmon vs Atlantic farmed. Will it bring down British society saving a local apple?
GMO soy. I am not, along with maize and countless other crops.
I buy blue corn meal from a Pueblo tribe in New Mexico and Alaskan wild caught salmon vs Atlantic farmed. Will it bring down British society saving a local apple?
Similar threads
