2013 A Year Of Food Crisis

A lot of people were relieved the End of the World eluded Earth again… Many saw this as an opportunity to party hard, hang out with family and friends, share love and positive thoughts and smile more often. Which I strongly recommend. But, without having the intention of being the Grinch here, I feel the need to remind you the world hasn`t changed its color to pink. Just the opposite.

According to The Guardian, world grain reserves are so dangerously low that severe weather in the United States and other food-exporting countries could trigger a major hunger crisis next year.

 

This is due to several reasons:

 

• Failing harvests in the US, Russia, Ukraine and other countries, which brought reserves to the lowest level since 1974.

The US has already reached a historically low 6.5% of the maize that it expects to consume in the next year. On a global level, wheat production is expected to be at least 5.2% below last year, and other grains such as rice or soybeans are on the brink of extinction.

 

“We’ve not been producing as much as we are consuming. That is why stocks are being run down. Supplies are now very tight across the world and reserves are at a very low level, leaving no room for unexpected events next year,” said Abdolreza Abbassian, a senior economist with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).” (guardian.co.uk)

 

• Prices of main food crops (wheat, maize) are now close to the 2008 level and are estimated to reach a brand new historical level in 2013.

According to the FAO, 2012 has brought food prices to a sore point, raising 1.4% September following and an additional 6% (!) in July. But that`s piece of cake comparing to what`s in for us next year…

 

Lester Brown, president of the Earth policy research centre in Washington states for The Guardian:

 

“We are entering a new era of rising food prices and spreading hunger.

Food supplies are tightening everywhere and land is becoming the most sought-after

commodity as the world shifts from an age of food abundance to one of scarcity…

The geopolitics of food is fast overshadowing the geopolitics of oil.”

 

The geopolitics of oil have already caused at least two wars in the past decade. And oil is simply something we use for fuel. Just think of what will happen when people start fighting over food. And I don`t mean neighbors trying to get the last pack of wheat… I mean countries fighting over food sources! I`m talking about…

 

• A Food War that`s basically inevitable, since…

 

When Food Banks go dry, people get angry. A LOT of people! You`ve surely seen the last food stamps statistics. 1 million Americans went poor in just two months. These people depend on help from the state. And when the state won`t be able to feed them anymore, they`ll will take the streets by the time they have to skip a third meal.

 

But, you see, the government would do anything (and I do mean ANYTHING) to keep people under control. This means the prospect of having millions raging on the streets is unacceptable. Therefore, they`d rather start a Food War than deal with a mass of angry, hungry citizens.

 

And since our army budget is about 30% of our economy income, war shouldn`t be a problem for the government. It`s all business. In the past 10 years, we`ve been involved in nearly every military conflict in the world. Starting a Food War to keep the sheeple fed and quiet is just another thing on the list…

 

Lester Brown seems to predict a similar fate for countries affected by the food crisis, such as the U.S.:

 

“Food shortages undermined earlier civilisations. We are on the same path. Each country is now fending for itself. The world is living one year to the next. (…) We are beginning a new chapter. We will see food unrest in many more places.”

 

In the light of these dark predictions for 2013, I urge you to take action and protect your family from the looming meltdown. We not be able to control weather, food prices or food reserves… but we can make a better future for our loved ones. Better enter the New Year prepared for whatever it may bring than being caught in the first line of combat in the Food War. Stay safe in 2013!

 

 By Alec Deacon

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