My latest Punk Economics video takes some altitude and looks at the global food economy: where it is now, how we got here – and what we might see in the future. This is vital stuff for all of us – take a look and let me know what you think!
My latest Punk Economics video takes some altitude and looks at the global food economy: where it is now, how we got here – and what we might see in the future. This is vital stuff for all of us – take a look and let me know what you think!
[…] Punk Economics – Global Economics (David McWilliams.com) […]
Another very interesting graphically illustrated journey through a possible world crisis of the medium term future. It is certainly food for thought David. So, how can the world fend it off? One child policy like China’s for all nations? Acceleration in space travel development so humanity can move off this planet and ease population drag? Get all the market speculators into gambling rehab programs and when treated give them work experience on farms? If your vision pans out we may be heading for the biggest business opportunity the world has ever had in supplying allotments. There will not be a… Read more »
That seems to be the way its going, already news reports in Germany announcing large increases in electricity and food prices for 2013. I was very interested in a recent Economist article about the return of crop rust which is especially putting the gains of the past 50 years at risk and affecting the poorer nations in particular. The video is excellent.
On the ball (as usual) Mr Mac.
The writing is on the wall, but it will require a crash before anything meaningful occurs. We really are lemmings.
You didn’t mention global warming in relation to food production, which I think is going to impact the amount of arible land and increase the amount of “freak” events, which will cause much greater volatility in crops yields. But I’d imagine that wasn’t an oversight, more a case of you trying not to over complicate the message.
Keep up the good work!
Excellent overview. But i was moved to register and comment by the statement that Ireland didn’t have enough food to feed the population during the Famine.
It’s a well-trotted out fact that Ireland exported food during the Famine.
It was only an ecological disaster if empires, landlords, religious bigots and trade restrictions are regarded as forces of nature.
The application of existing technologies may be sufficient to provide meet increasing demand and decreased resource inputs. For example, a significant proportion of food along Indian supply chains (farm to fork) is wasted; refrigeration would reduce this significantly. Advanced breeding techniques are producing plants and animals with higher yeilds; for example, milk production is increasing by approximately 4% per animal every year, animal cloning can improve feed conversion ratios in a fraction of the time of traditional breeding practices. Increasing prices may send the signal necessary to encourage the use of existing technologies, reducing the impact of the pressures identified… Read more »
Hi David and greetings from Brazil which you mention “en passat” in your video. Coincidentally, I am Irish and am a Director of the largest meat producer globally, JBS. Although we have operations in Australia, we are originally Brazilian and most of our growth comes from our operations in South America. There are a myriad of aspects related to food and especially meat production which are still being developed in South America. Just as an example, Brazil has more than double the US cattle herd but produces only 80% of the beef the US produces. Chicken production here has such… Read more »
Given that meat consumption/production ticks all the wrong boxes regarding ethics, morality, economics, energy, water & land usage, shouldn’t we (inc governments) be encouraging a steady move towards vegetarianism? [didn’t know where to fit irresponsible use of antibiotics into that list] Technology may keep at least the rich parts of the world in meat for the next fifty years or so, but if this involves livestock it can only accelerate the reduction in natural biodiversity that we are already seeing. Unless we believe in (desire?) a world populated only by humans and sheds/abattoirs chock-a-block with cattle, pigs, sheep awash in… Read more »
As an Irish economist living in Argentina I have shared this video with a few contacts here. It is one of the richest that I have watched in the series. Well done!
I don’t suppose anyone translated it for subtitles in Spanish?
Tony Phillips
Ed. Europe on the Brink