Topic: Al Berry Lecture in Critical Development Studies Assignment Feeding the Future: Understanding the Contemporary Food Crisis by Prof. Haroon Akram-Lodhi
Write a short reflection paper based on Prof. Akram-Lodhi’s lecture
Reflection Paper
Feeding the Future: Understanding the Contemporary Food Crisis
Resources are limited, but wants are not. This fact is the underlying rationale of contemporary economics. As there are limited resources; therefore, the exploitation or use of the resources must be rational and methodical. However, corporate greed and population are worsening economic realities, which are yielding various kinds of social, political, and economic challenges.
If we study major contemporary social-economic issues, we learn that these issues are somehow related to exponentially growing world population and drastically reducing world resources. One, of the significant issues, is a food crisis, which is becoming severe with the passage of time. In this article too, the food crisis has been discussed in detail, and the author has brought forth the reasons for the food crisis, in different parts of the world.
Food is sensitive of all the perishable commodities, as its surplus and shortage have not only economic but also political ramifications. For instance, when there is a surplus of food items or agricultural products in the market, it affects small and large farmers/dairy producers, which forces governments to provide monetary compensation to them, as governments do not desire any contraction in the supply of food/agricultural commodities. Similarly, when there is a shortage of food or agricultural products, governments take extraordinary measures to meet the shortage and at the same time take measures to keep prices of good/agricultural products in check. Therefore, the gradual decrease in food/agricultural items or the inability, of agriculture sector/dairy industry, to meet the demand of food products, is a serious concern, which requires of global institutions and world governments (Akram-Lodhi & Haroon, 2013).
Probable Reasons Contributing To Global Food Crisis
There are various reasons, which are contributing to this crisis; however, studies have identified three primary reasons. These reasons are discussed in detail in the selected article, which is 1) Dramatic Increase in World Population, 2) Growing Urban Population and 3) Economic Recession and Austerity Policy.
We also learn, from the systematic study of these three principal reasons, that they are interconnected, and because of their interconnection, we can understand the nature and size of the problem. In this article too, the author has provided evidence regarding the scale of the problem and how it affects life today and how it will affect life on this planet on future (Roser, 2017).
Drastic increase in World Population
The article suggests that dramatic and drastic increase, in world population, has severely impacted this contemporary food crisis. In 1800, the world population was around 0.9 billion, which increased to 1.65 billion in 1900 and 3 billion in 1960. From 1960 to 2015, the increase in the population was more than twice, as it crossed 7 billion (7.4 billion to be exact). There are several reasons for this radical increase in population; however, the most relevant and significant reason is that in last 100 years, the medical science has advanced remarkably, which has reduced infant mortality rate and it has increased average lifespan. These two factors have contributed immensely to the rapid increase in world population. Also, in many developing countries, such as India-Pakistan-Nigeria, the concept of a small family is still very much alien, which has contributed to extraordinary growth in population (Akram-Lodhi & Haroon, 2013).
As the population increases, the economy is getting under stress. However, it is the agriculture sector of the economy, which is under the most pressure. As the demand for the food and agricultural products are increasing, so do the prices, as the aggregate supply of excellent and agricultural products has not expanded to meet the demand. In fact, because of the urbanization, the supply of agricultural and food products have decreased, which is another reason for the contemporary food crisis (Roser, 2017).
Growing Urban Population
From the systematic study of economic systems and its various sectors, we learn that urban centers produce lucrative economic opportunities for groups and individuals. Therefore, in last two decades, there has been a mass migration to urban centers. If we study the reasons in detail, we learn that governments focus on urban centers and invest resources, financial and others, on urban centers, which produce opportunities at large scale. These opportunities are lucrative and attract individuals from rural regions, where economic opportunities are few and less attractive (Akram-Lodhi & Haroon, 2013).
Studies also reveal that in developing countries, this mass migration to urban centers is quite common. As per United nation Reports, most of the mass migration, to urban centers, will occur in China, India, and Nigeria. As per projections, the urban centers, of these three mentioned countries, will account 37% of the total growth of world urban population, by 2050. Most of this population will be working in the service and industrial sector of the economy, which implies there will be a smaller human resource to employ in the rural economy. We must also acknowledge that the agricultural sector of the economy is labor intensive, especially in developing countries, which is why it is essential that the available human resource not reduce significantly to the extent that it reduces the supply of food/dairy/agricultural products at a national and global level (UN.Org, 2014).
Developed Economies and Austerity
Developed Economies are service-economies or industrial economies, which implies that less these economies focus on the agricultural sector. However, this should not imply that agriculture sector of these economies is in manner primitive or less productive. In fact, the agricultural sector of developed economies is more productive than the agriculture sector of developing economies.
Also, developed economies, primarily focus on service and industrial sectors of the economy, which is why an agricultural sector of the economy is a little neglected. Also, because of the increased focus on industrialization, by developing economies, the challenge related to agricultural production has severed. Furthermore, the austerity policy, which is adapted to increase the efficiency of the economic system and to reduce fiscal expenditure, agricultural production has suffered. Therefore, it can be said that because of the reduced agricultural production by the developed countries and the increased urbanization in developing countries, Food Crisis has severed. As the time has progressed, the severity has increased, and it is projected that this crisis will intensify, which will bring the global economic system under severe pressure (Roser, 2017).
Suggested Remedies
At this point, it is quite difficult to reverse urbanization, as it will have serve consequences for the economy. However, this process of urbanization can be made more methodical, and it can be slowed down, which will have a positive impact on the economy; as there will be less burdened on economies of urban centers’ economies and more human resource will be available in the rural economy. Also, the modernization of agriculture sectors of the economy will increase the production and produce opportunities for individuals and groups that dwell in rural regions (Akram-Lodhi & Haroon, 2013).
As countries and economies start to modernize, the population growth slows down, which is why we can infer that population growth will naturally decline and with the awareness campaign, facilitated or sponsored by the government, the desired results can be achieved in a small span of time.
We also infer, from the systemic study of evidence and the selected article, that if developing economies invest in rural economies and facilitate modernization and industrialization of agriculture sector of the economy, it will produce lucrative opportunities, which will act as incentives to keep the rural population from mass migration to urban centers (Roser, 2017).
The entire exercise is cumbersome, and it requires consistency in approach. Governments, in both developing and developed countries, need to address the impending Food Crisis on a war footing.
References
Akram-Lodhi, & Haroon, A. (2013). Adi Serevi Buys Some Fish: Supermarkets, Peasants and the. In Hungry for change : farmers, food justice and the agrarian question (pp. 121-139). Halifax: Fernwood.
Roser, M. (2017, April 1). World Population Growth. Retrieved from https://ourworldindata.org/world-population-growth/
UN.Org. (2014, July 14). World’s population increasingly urban with more than half living in urban areas. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/news/population/world-urbanization-prospects-2014.html
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