Good news, at least in the long term, from today’s NY Times:
Everywhere, the cost of food is rising sharply. … Many factors are contributing to the rise, but the biggest is runaway demand. … The high growth rate means hundreds of millions of people are, for the first time, getting access to the basics of life, including a better diet. That jump in demand is helping to drive up the prices of agricultural commodities.
Farmers the world over are producing flat-out. American agricultural exports are expected to increase 23 percent this year to $101 billion, a record. The world’s grain stockpiles have fallen to the lowest levels in decades. …
In the long run, the food supply could grow. More land may be pulled into production, and outdated farming methods in some countries may be upgraded. …
David Streitfeld, A Global Need for Grain That Farms Can’t Fill, NY Times, Mar. 9, 2008 (emphasis added).
“In the long run, the food supply could grow.” Indeed. There’s money to be made in figuring out ways to increase food production. And if there’s anything (most) humans can be counted on to do, it’s to respond to opportunities to make money.
Thus does our pursuit of our individual desires (eventually) end up helping the human race to make progress. Whoever set this system up must have been pretty smart ….
Leave a Reply