In the first Food Crisis, there were several economic issues to blame. For instance, failing markets suchas the stock markets and housing markets lead to heavy uncertainty on the part of large corporate investors. These investors then turned to more stable markets to invest their money in. One of the most stable markets in which investments could be made was that of food and agriculture. Thus farmers would sell their crops at fixed prices as they always had. The only difference here was that larger corporations would then by the pre-sold crops and trade them for more and more money which led to the end price for these goods to be heavily inflated and far out of the price range for many families in third world countries. Some philosophers claim that this was a silent massacre of millions. The trade was occurring too fast for anyone involved to notice the inverse and unintended affects. Arguments have been made that in this industry the goods must not simply be observed as profit but as a necessary ingreedient for sustained life as well.
Additionally, areas in which high prices madefood unobtainable were at an even greater disadvantage. Large agri-business corporations such as Monsanto had been buying up foreign lands for years. This was done in order to produce even greater yields at a smaller cost to the producers. Wages were low, yields were large, and profits were endless. However, starving locals no longer had sufficient lands on which they could grow crops for subsistence. So, being too poor to buy food at inflated prices, and without any alternatives millions of people were left to starve.
In recent years this harmful practice has been revealed and some small steps have been taken against it. However, in a world run by money it is hard to inspire legislation to act against these corporations. So, just as food prices have begun to settle the next crisis is already being predicted
Reports from the UN and individual nations in late 2010 have sparked fears of an impending food crisis. This time global climate change may be to blame. Changes in anual weather patterns as well as natural disasters have been to blame for several large crops in various countries and markets to be wiped out. Without a full production of crop the only possible outcome would be heightened prices. In order to feed the hungry government aid in the form of millions of dollars would have to be spent which could inevitably lead to greater stress on the next year's crop. With this a vicious cycle begins to form in which a gradual decrease in funds available to cope with natural disasters and food shortages would lead to the rise of world food prices, and this would put us right back where we were three years ago.
However, today's world is presented with several alternatives. Changing the way in which we obtain our food could help, if not solve, many of these recurring problems. Putting greater emphasis on locally grown foods would increase health, the economy, and decrease dependance on imported goods. Also, modern technology can allow farming practices to put less of a strain on soils and natural resources. Several innovations such as vertical farms could change the food industry for the better. They would alloweasier access to locally grown and healthier foods. They would also be one of the first farming methods to be truly sustainable as water could be recycled and used time and time again, dependence on machinery and oil would greatly decrease, and market fluctuations would begin to settle.
Thus, in order to end the fear of food crises, we must become more conscious of the things we consume everyday and use our consumer economy as a means of power. In the future i see these practices gaining importance in the way we grow and purchase our foods as well as one more step towards our environmental goal of sustainability.
Vertical Farms:
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