'One Poor Harvest Away From Chaos'

"The reality," he says, "is that the world is only one poor harvest away from chaos. We are so close to the edge that politically destabilising food prices could come at any time."

Article:www.telegraph.co.uk

Author:Geoffrey Lean

Countries like China are having to dip into their reserves in an attempt to fight against food inflation. Also in China, some smaller food wholesalers are folding up shop because the government won't allow them to raise prices. These guys can’t do business if they can’t raise their prices to cover their own expenses. Meanwhile, the price of everything else such as utilities,petroleum and real estate in China are going up sharply. This is a bad sign,indeed.

World reserves are being depleted at an accelerating rate. This isn't so much to due to shortages,while that is a factor,as it is to do with an increase in demand. Emerging economies such as China,India and South America are putting a huge strain on food supplies while the funky weather world-wide is delivering yet another blow to the system in the form of resulting bad harvests.

I don't think anything can be done at point to save and stabilize the global economy at this point. There are waaay too many broken parts in the global economic machine as a whole and not enough willpower,manpower or resources to set all of the problems the world faces right in the time necessary to do so. This food crisis is unfolding before our eyes, whether you recognize it or not. The days of easy access to cheap,prepared foods may end soon.

If you've got a Plan B,now might be the time to start putting it into action.

With regards to the West, I would say that is dead on the money.

To paraphrase a quote...people are only 9 meals away from anarchy...3 days worth of food and the whole system crashes.

Given that in today's world the average person could not build a fire, the most basic of technologies, without matches and this becomes even more likely.

A little desperation in a society of entitlement goes a long way.

You are so right! I've been following this for quite a while now and people don't seem to want to know. It is really on our doorstep and unfortunately those of us in the West have no idea what hunger means. We think we know! We see it on TV and read about it in various articles but a lot of people think it's scaremongering - well it is in a way - hey you had better be scared of this one.
Those who are used to eating convenience foods are the ones who will find it the hardest. But even those of us who don't touch the stuff are going to find basic food supplies are no longer there. Flour/Sugar/Butter/Rice and the many other ingredients we rely on to provide wholesome food. There will be some supplies in the beginning but they will be soooo very expensive that a lot of people will find them beyond their means.
The communities (not many left) that have relied on eachother for support will soon break up and understandably look after their own first. Charity Begins at Home.
You can prepare all you like but your stocks will eventually run out. So what on earth is the answer. I hope someone knows because there is nothing better than hunger for turning people into savages. Yes all of us! I would stoop to anything if my kids bellies were empty.
The Feeding America Study reveals: 70% of emergency food centers are reporting "one or more problems that threaten their ability to continue operating" (source: www.informationclearinghouse.info.article24581.htm)
The study, Hunger in America 2010, found that 37 million people, or roughly one in eight of the population received food aid in 2009. A 46% jump from a similar survey carried out in 2006.
All this and there is much more evidence to be found if members wish to research it., in these days of floods and weather events that MUST effect the worlds food supply - So sit up and listen - a lot worse is about to land on us.

reply to post by FlyingJadeDragon


Maybe it's not as bad as that all seems.

edit:

As long as you can deal without "civilized" society.

I posted this in the other food shortage thread as well.
I think this has less to do with a true "shortage", than with hyperinflation, big business interests (Monsanto), and I fear for all of us in the next couple of years if this continues.
This will open the door for Monsanto to leap in, crying that we need the genetically altered seed to "save" the world from "hunger".
This is all being very skillfully masterminded, I believe, by Monsanto's monopolistic interest's to get their seeds into every corner of the earth, destroying the open-pollination systems used by the poor farmers of the thrid world country (read seed saving farmers who then would not have to buy Monsanto's seed and weed killers every year)...

Added- This also ties in with Big Oil's interests too.

we dont even need food to live. just water

reply to post by Wiseupall


Living in Canada we hear all the time about the grain belt in our midwest being the 'breadbasket of the world'. What most people dont' realize is that the reason this area was so slow to be settled was because for several DECADES in the late 1800's-early 1900's it was a barren, drought-ridden wasteland.

...and that was due to completely natural forces.

There is basically nothing in Manitoba and Sask but 1000's of square miles of farmland (I worked for a courier company for several years...we didn't do deliveries in Manitoba because the farms are so large a driver could travel 200 miles just to deliver 1 package).

It has happened before, it can happen again.

The fact of the matter is few,if any,people these days know how to forage for food in the wild let alone maintain a garden. Once the food supply starts dwindling,you can bet there will be rationing and tight controls imposed on food production and distribution.

Food is probably going to be new Black Market and there is likely to be some horrendous consequences from it as people will fight for food in ways they wouldn't for other things. Just look at the food riots such as the recent one in Algeria. These are all just a preview of things to come if and when things get worse.

According to EconomicPolicy-journal.com, 32 US states have already run out of funds to make unevmployment benefit payments and so the federal government has been supplying these states with funds so that they can make their payments to the unemployed.

Originally posted by [davinci]
reply to post by Wiseupall

 

Living in Canada we hear all the time about the grain belt in our midwest being the 'breadbasket of the world'. What most people dont' realize is that the reason this area was so slow to be settled was because for several DECADES in the late 1800's-early 1900's it was a barren, drought-ridden wasteland.

...and that was due to completely natural forces.

There is basically nothing in Manitoba and Sask but 1000's of square miles of farmland (I worked for a courier company for several years...we didn't do deliveries in Manitoba because the farms are so large a driver could travel 200 miles just to deliver 1 package).

It has happened before, it can happen again.

edit on 10-1-2011 by [davinci] because: Form

Originally posted by Wiseupall

Originally posted by [davinci]
reply to post by Wiseupall

 

Living in Canada we hear all the time about the grain belt in our midwest being the 'breadbasket of the world'. What most people dont' realize is that the reason this area was so slow to be settled was because for several DECADES in the late 1800's-early 1900's it was a barren, drought-ridden wasteland.

...and that was due to completely natural forces.

There is basically nothing in Manitoba and Sask but 1000's of square miles of farmland (I worked for a courier company for several years...we didn't do deliveries in Manitoba because the farms are so large a driver could travel 200 miles just to deliver 1 package).




It has happened before, it can happen again.

edit on 10-1-2011 by [davinci] because: Form

I am not sure about your point - could you elaborate on this? It is not very clear. Perhaps its me! What is it you are trying to say. Just say it!
Thanks

Originally posted by questcequecest
we dont even need food to live. just water

Please show the evidence for this because I would and so would the whole world - save a hell of a lot of money! Unless you are a Buddist Monk of the Highest Order which is a very different thing, You can survive on water longer than you can survivie on food but without food YOU DIE!

Well that's the problem right there.

We have all of these "unemployed" people who are willing to work for food.

So why the hell isn't the government getting them into agriculture and livestock?
There is vast vast VAST tracts of arable land left unused. Not to mention all of the hydroponic techniques etc.

My God this world is run by nincompoops!

Don't blame the Sheep for being Blind. That is the nature of Sheep.
But you can blame the Shepard, who has led the sheep into a wolves den on purpose, because the wolf paid him under the table....

reply to post by Wiseupall


Something like 30-40% of the world's grain comes from Canada.

If a drought were to hit the prairies again and 1000's of miles of farmland were to become unusable the world would be in tremendous trouble.

I can't remember the exact numbers, but I think the drought in the 18-1900's lasted for 30+ years.

Sometimes it takes cold hard numbers for many of us to fully realize the situation that we are facing. So here we go:

In 2010 the US Government is projected to issue almost as much new debt as the rest of the governments of the world combined.
They are projected to have a budget deficit of approx., 1.6 trillion dollars. 1.6 TRILLION you hear that?

If you went out and spent one dollar every single SECOND , it would take you more than 31,000 years to spend a Trillion dollars.

In fact, if you spent one million dollars every single day since the birth of Christ you still would not have spent One Trillion dollars by now.

Originally posted by muzzleflash
Well that's the problem right there.

We have all of these "unemployed" people who are willing to work for food.

So why the hell isn't the government getting them into agriculture and livestock?
There is vast vast VAST tracts of arable land left unused. Not to mention all of the hydroponic techniques etc.

My God this world is run by nincompoops!

Don't blame the Sheep for being Blind. That is the nature of Sheep.
But you can blame the Shepard, who has led the sheep into a wolves den on purpose, because the wolf paid him under the table....

Why? It's simple. Big Food,like Big Pharma, is in control because their very size, presence and capabilities in the marketplace gives them great political and economic influence,not the people. Profits first,people second,remember?

Originally posted by muzzleflash
Well that's the problem right there.

We have all of these "unemployed" people who are willing to work for food.

So why the hell isn't the government getting them into agriculture and livestock?
There is vast vast VAST tracts of arable land left unused. Not to mention all of the hydroponic techniques etc.

My God this world is run by nincompoops!

Don't blame the Sheep for being Blind. That is the nature of Sheep.
But you can blame the Shepard, who has led the sheep into a wolves den on purpose, because the wolf paid him under the table....

And the name of the Wolf is the Elite/Bilderbergers/Elluminati/Rothchilds/Rockefellas - Check out that nice man Bill Gates and what he is up to. Such a Lovely Man. DEPOPULATION

Originally posted by [davinci]
reply to post by Wiseupall

 

Something like 30-40% of the world's grain comes from Canada.

If a drought were to hit the prairies again and 1000's of miles of farmland were to become unusable the world would be in tremendous trouble.

I can't remember the exact numbers, but I think the drought in the 18-1900's lasted for 30+ years.

edit on 10-1-2011 by [davinci] because: (no reason given)

Americans are told that They are the bread basket of the world. Australia has been told the same! Look at the unpresidented floods they're having. I wonder why the Russsians (who also beleive the same) have just signed a document preventing any more exports of Grain and Other Food Produce?

i will hear no whining. no, i don't tend a garden every year. but i can (and will this year, just to get the kids outside some more) and have. i can start a fire. i can dress an animal, bait a hook, set a trap...all the things needed to stay alive.

Am i an expert? Nope...but i have taken the time in my lifetime to make sure i knew some basic skills.

Personal responsibility, folks. Learn to tend your own.

IF YOU CARE - FLAG IT.