Tuesday 20 September 2016

On efficient farming (and driverless tractors)



This really does matter (although it will cause palpitations in all the locavores, organic food nuts and pseudo-environmentalists):

Globally, therefore, adoption of American farming techniques could increase agricultural productivity so much that a landmass the size of India could be returned to nature, without compromising the food supply to our apparently “peaking” global population – the world’s population is likely to peak at 8.7 billion in 2055 and then start to decline. Last, but not least, tens of millions of agricultural laborers in Africa and Asia will be freed from back-breaking labor, migrate to the cities and create wealth in other ways.

If you are truly concerned about the future of humanity in general, and hunger, poverty and equality in particular, forget about The Hunger Games and embrace the driverless tractor instead.

Absolutely. The problem is that the wealthy do-gooders of the developed West are intent on destroying agricultural efficiency in a mad belief that this results in both a healthier world and a planet saved. Since neither of these things are true, it's time we recognised the benefits of industrial agriculture.

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Migrating 10's of millions of labourers into cities brings its own problems and is not necessarily a good thing, at least in the short term. Ghettos, poorly educated in flux, surplus labour suppressing wages, increased crime, anti social behaviour, to name a few.

I once worked in an expanded industrial city in the Far East, the displaced land workers would drive their mopeds the wrong way up roads, they would deficate at the side of the road, in doorways, wherever the urge took them really. There were many no go areas and crime was high.

Some joined up thinking required to prevent a good idea creating another problem.