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About this book
Modern day Malthusians warn that Malthus will ultimately be right: the world will be less and less able to feed itself as populations keep expanding and crop yields seem to have reached a peak. The authors of this volume believe that this pessimism is misplaced, and that there is in fact no worldwide food crisis. On the contrary, they show that the world food situation has improved dramatically over the past three decades: prices of agricultural commodities are at their lowest level in history in real terms and crop output is continuing to rise faster than population. This book provides a much needed and reasoned view on a subject that is too often treated emotionally. The important changes in the international food economy are considered in historical context and provide a basis for projections to 2010. The situation should continue to improve and food should become cheaper than it is today.
Contents
Preface; 1. The world food problem; 2. The price of food; 3. Gains in consumption levels; 4. World food production increases; 5. Population growth and food demand; 6. The quantity and quality of the resource base; 7. Raising yields; 8. Changing consumption patterns; 9. Simulating the future world food situation; 10. The world can feed twice as many in twenty years; 11. A robust prediction? 12. Africa presents a special challenge at the turn of the century; References; Index.
Customer Reviews
By: Donald Mitchell, Merlinda D Ingco and Ronald C Duncan
216 pages, Figs, tabs
'The world food outlook provides a careful, systematic and accessible analysis of past and future production and consumption trends ! For years to come, The world food outlook will remain an important historical record and an insightful economic analysis of the world's food situation during the last half of the twentieth century.' Australian Economic History Review