THE COMING FAMINE
The coming famines of the mid-21st century cannot be solved by governments,
by scientists or by farmers alone. We need a change in behaviour by every person
on the planet, especially in rich and urban societies.
This is a challenge at the species level.
It will decide, once and for all, whether or not we are truly worthy of the title
Homo Sapien (wise human).
Farmers not only grow food. Our 1.8 billion farmers - mostly women - also manage
half the world's land, three quarters of its fresh water, a third of its atmosphere
and much of its wildlife. They need our help to do so. And they need fair prices
for their produce to do so sustainably.
Farmers, and the scientists who serve them, are today the most important human beings
The world has forgotten this. It needs to be reminded.
Delivering new farming systems and technology to all the world's farmers, paying
fair prices and changing our eating habits is a matter of both national and global
It is time that humanity as a whole, and governments in general, awoke to this.
*Unless otherwise stated source material for this discussion paper is provided in
'The Coming Famine: the global food crisis and what we can do to avoid it