Wake up to threat of global food scarcity
IT seems it’s going to take an old man of the soil to state the obvious. When are politicians going to take the great threat of global food scarcity seriously?
The knock-on effect of crop failures will force starving people to migrate in numbers which will make the current problems of illegal movements look minuscule.
Lack of water is a greater threat to our civilisation than any war. Food is key and the policy introduced by Prime Minister Blair, of get it from abroad – anywhere as long as it’s cheap – has long since passed. Self sufficiency is key.
The truth of the matter is if you want a controllable population keep them fed. Even mighty China resorted to scouring the world for pig meat, which forms 30% of the diet of millions of less well-off people in China, after their pigs contracted swine fever which wiped out a large part of their producers. They have big cold stores in every key area; food shortage breeds discontent, followed by revolution when people get to the point of total despair, a point not lost on a dictator!
The point is we must give equal focus to food as we do on energy; 30% of energy produced by renewables in a relatively short time span is highly commendable.
The same intensity needs to be immediately applied to agriculture. We have the main constituent, namely water, which is sadly missing in many parts of the world; California, for example, where many crops are grown by using irrigation, there the water table is more than 60ft below the surface from continuous extraction. How long can that continue? We need more reservoirs to save this indispensable commodity in our country... in times of plenty save for times of shortage.
So we have the main ingredients for sustainable food production; what is essential is a well thought out long-term programme to enable the young generation of men of the soil to have confidence to invest in food production.
Only the dedicated and efficient young men are left in agriculture, as a result of political shenanigans and well paid opportunities elsewhere. They need support in the form of certainty, a long-term plan.
Political decisions, at the moment buying votes, will lead to us being as vulnerable to food shortages as we were to energy disruption as a result of Russian invasion. Subsidies to grow flowers, whilst buying votes, is an absolutely reckless use of foodproducing land, and the idea of rewilding is equally as concerning.
All the self-promoting experts on saving the planet are picking soft targets. If they really feel they can exact meaningful change, I suggest they take their message to America, Russia, or India and China... that’s the home of all the biggest threats to our survival.
I think I speak for the majority of farmers – oh, there will be some who write “not in my name” – but the majority want a well thought out plan, not for two years but 10, with tools within to give governments room to adjust. Yes I know some will say fudge, but you have to have a plan that both sides can buy into.
Who will draw up such a plan? Obviously political parties of all colours will want a say; after all they will be paymasters in some form or another. Horticulturalists, agriculturalists and a good smattering of people with mud on their boots so that the decisions will carry weight within the agricultural community; oh, and for clarity the participants should be paid so you get the proper farmers, not just landowners with time to spare – sorry for the generalisation. Note, there’s not a place at the table for any more self-serving quangos or their ilk; they have caused enough disruption and distress and the farming community have had their fill. Well, that’s it for now. Unpalatable maybe, controversial definitely, but stimulating I hope.
John Watts Botus Fleming, Cornwall