Troublesome Times -Is a Worldwide Famine Approaching?

By Tucker Whitaker

In chapters 24 and 25 of Matthew we find Christ’s Olivet discourse.

It is Jesus teaching His disciples about: Things to come, the last days, and the end-times of the Tribulation. In Matthew 24:4-8 He is describing things which will take place during the Church Age preceding the end-times described by Christ as “the beginning of sorrows.” 

This is comparatively descriptive of labor pains experienced by a woman in childbirth, an ever-increasing in intensity series of events which will culminate during the End Times at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. There are several kinds of world-changing crises described in this passage; such as war, earthquakes, pestilence, and famine.

In today’s update I’d like to concentrate on famine.

Within this subject I think we find a couple of areas of concern. First of all, famine is a direct result of the inability to produce food to be consumed, and secondly it can be the result of the inability to procure food to be consumed. Let us explore these areas of concern a little further.

First: Some of the reasons restricting food production: The weather: not enough moisture or too much moisture; extreme temperatures; availability of seed stock; manpower; economics. 

Second: Procurement Issues: Economics; Availability; Location; Transportation.

Having established a framework for the examination of the subject of famine, I began to research news articles, weather reports, and crop reports, from various sources and governments to establish a baseline for a discussion of the subject. What I have come up with, is at the least disconcerting, and is quite possibly, truly a cause for alarm.

First of all, let me say that I am not a proponent of the hyperbole of climate change, either “Global Warming” or a coming “Ice Age,” as the catalyst for the events I’m about to describe. In fact, I believe that since the Genesis flood, the Earth’s weather has maintained a cyclical ebb and flow established by God. And, while I believe it is our responsibility to be good stewards of the creation within which God has placed us, I do not believe Man has the capability to permanently destroy God’s creation. 

And that the Scripture teaches that He alone will accomplish this in preparation for eternity future. That having been said, within the framework of God’s dealings with man, there are many instances throughout Scripture where weather, climate, and geography have been used by God to affect change in mankind. I believe that is what we’re beginning to see again today, as we are clearly living in the prophetic last days.

Worldwide production of protein, fruits and vegetables, and grains are increasingly falling behind demand. In some parts of the world these have been destroyed by extreme cold temperatures, while in others it has been either flood or drought which has affected production. During the last two winters in the US, China, and Russia, livestock (cattle, sheep, goats, etc.) numbering in the tens of thousands have been lost due to blizzard and extreme cold; while in Africa, Australia, and parts of Asia thousands have been lost due to drought.

Production of fruits and vegetables worldwide in 2014 is expected to be reduced by as much as 35% to 40% due to the effect of weather on the climate, in comparison to 2012 and 2013. Meanwhile, worldwide grain production in 2014 is expected to be affected in the same percentage range, again mostly related to the weather, although political and military conflict will be responsible in some areas to a lesser degree. All of this will result in higher food prices worldwide in 2014, in food shortages in some countries, and famine will begin or continue to grow more widespread in others.

Currently there are protein and vegetable shortages in Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Cuba, Thailand, Indonesia, as well as Eastern Europe and 90% of Africa. Food Grain Shortages continue to grow in the Middle East, Africa, China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, and the rest of Southeast Asia, Russia and in Eastern Europe. Sociologists tell us that there is a direct correlation between food prices and shortages, and civil unrest.

These shortages have already resulted in food riots in Venezuela, Thailand, Cameroon, Mali, Libya, and other African nations since the beginning of 2014. The cost and availability of food has been the common denominator in each of these situations, and food riots have been at the root of political and social change throughout history.

We can only expect this discontent to continue to grow throughout 2014 and beyond. The simple fact is that the world’s increasing population and demand for food has outstripped its capability (for a number of reasons which I will not go into in this article) for production of same.

Here in the United States, nearly 50% of the country is experiencing severe drought. Much of California has been in drought conditions for the past three years. And in fact, 100% of the state of California (where upwards of 85% of the fruits and vegetables consumed in this country, and made available for export are produced), is experiencing extreme drought, with nearly one-third of the state experiencing exceptional drought.

Exceptional drought is defined as a condition which will alter the area’s ability for production over an extended period, possibly even years. Because of the lack of water for proper crop production, estimates are that as much as one-third of California’s tillable acreage will remain unplanted in 2014.

This will result in as much as a 35% to 40% reduction in vegetable and fruit crop production. Currently, wildfires (which have started much earlier than normal and are being fed by vegetation left dry from prolonged drought) are raging over much of Southern California, driven by Santa Anna winds. Weather forecasters are expecting these conditions to only worsen as California, the Southwest, and Midwest are facing an El Niño weather system over the next 12 to 24 months.

As much as 50% of the state of Texas is also suffering from severe drought with approximately 50% of that area being labeled as extreme. These severe drought conditions extend northward from west Texas through western Oklahoma, eastern Colorado, and western Kansas. Late winter freezes coupled with early extreme spring temperatures and the lack of moisture damaged or destroyed much of this region’s winter wheat crop. It is estimated that there may be as much as a 30% to 35% loss in grain production throughout the Midwest and Southwest because of these drought conditions.

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