The overproduction scenario mentioned in the full article in Spectre is very relevant and as a matter of fact it is already reflected in obesity and food waste as well as in biofuel industries (the latter could of course be seen as a necessary thing similar to the draft animals of the past, but that is not how biofuels work today).
Thank you for this post! This is exactly the same conclusion I've come to in my own research into the history of the "feeding the world" idea. I gave a presentation on that history this winter at the NOFA-NJ and OEFFA conferences: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Crnnab6ZdKY . I've identified this "feeding the world" idea as one of the biggest reasons that organic farming hasn't been more widely adopted, especially in the US, and have written several posts related to this topic, including this one: https://annelieseabbott.substack.com/p/flawed-logic-would-4-billion-people-die-without-nitrogen-fertilizer . It's really encouraging to see that you've come to the same conclusion. Keep up the good work!
When I say widely adopted, I mean by farmers--less than 1 percent of US farmland is certified organic. There was a concerted attack against organic farming by agricultural scientists and chemical companies starting in the 1950s and peaking in the 1970s-1980s, which used the "feeding the world" argument along with others to convince farmers that organic wasn't a viable option: https://annelieseabbott.substack.com/p/cultists-and-hippies-and-quacks-oh
Great post Adam, I couldn't agree more. We see this narrative used as an excuse for why we need industrial production, pesticides, etc., all focused on yields, while we fail to look at rising levels of food waste, unequal distribution, and a larger system focused on profit rather than genuine concern for rising hunger.
I agree with the notion of “silver bullets” when it comes to anything food related. We often lean into one-stop narratives that offer up one-way solutions. But we forget (or are willfully blind to) that every square meter of soil across regions all over the world vary. Prescriptive approaches are needed. And that means that throwing any method or approach (including intensification strategies) is shortsighted. Let’s use whatever methods we need to to empower and equip people to grow food. Let’s lose the intellectual colonialism.
Good post Adam,
The overproduction scenario mentioned in the full article in Spectre is very relevant and as a matter of fact it is already reflected in obesity and food waste as well as in biofuel industries (the latter could of course be seen as a necessary thing similar to the draft animals of the past, but that is not how biofuels work today).
I have compiled quite a relevant set of data on that in a series of posts. https://gardenearth.substack.com/p/not-more-but-better-part-1
Thank you for this post! This is exactly the same conclusion I've come to in my own research into the history of the "feeding the world" idea. I gave a presentation on that history this winter at the NOFA-NJ and OEFFA conferences: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Crnnab6ZdKY . I've identified this "feeding the world" idea as one of the biggest reasons that organic farming hasn't been more widely adopted, especially in the US, and have written several posts related to this topic, including this one: https://annelieseabbott.substack.com/p/flawed-logic-would-4-billion-people-die-without-nitrogen-fertilizer . It's really encouraging to see that you've come to the same conclusion. Keep up the good work!
I look forward to watching this!
by widely adopted do you mean by policy makers (who probably are most swayed by the narrative)? or by land owners? or by farmers and consumers?
Surely the reason for the latter is the economics and culture of food production and eating versus any grand idea of what can feed the world.
When I say widely adopted, I mean by farmers--less than 1 percent of US farmland is certified organic. There was a concerted attack against organic farming by agricultural scientists and chemical companies starting in the 1950s and peaking in the 1970s-1980s, which used the "feeding the world" argument along with others to convince farmers that organic wasn't a viable option: https://annelieseabbott.substack.com/p/cultists-and-hippies-and-quacks-oh
Great post Adam, I couldn't agree more. We see this narrative used as an excuse for why we need industrial production, pesticides, etc., all focused on yields, while we fail to look at rising levels of food waste, unequal distribution, and a larger system focused on profit rather than genuine concern for rising hunger.
I agree with the notion of “silver bullets” when it comes to anything food related. We often lean into one-stop narratives that offer up one-way solutions. But we forget (or are willfully blind to) that every square meter of soil across regions all over the world vary. Prescriptive approaches are needed. And that means that throwing any method or approach (including intensification strategies) is shortsighted. Let’s use whatever methods we need to to empower and equip people to grow food. Let’s lose the intellectual colonialism.