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Africa is the concern on the population front. I sort of feel we need Malthusian pessimists to warm us when we are heading for the cliff. The Green Revolution,
by GreeniFi 8y ago
Africa is the concern on the population front.
I sort of feel we need Malthusian pessimists to warm us when we are heading for the cliff. The Green Revolution, and what it achieved in India and elsewhere, was achieved in substantial part through public investment in research. I guess we’re all rather glad we didn’t continue blithely believing the Gods would save us from the Malthusians! Right now, the Malthusians are warning us of the physical limits to further crop productivity increases. I’d take this as a signal that we need to start investing in solutions!
- goatlover 8y agoAfrica has a lot of arable land that's uncultivated. So I'm not sure the Malthusians are right this time about crop productivity increases worldwide. Google tells me there are 600 million hectares in Africa, which is 60% of the world's total. That's a lot of potential food. Also, much of exiting agriculture in Africa is inefficient, and could be increased.
- GreeniFi 8y agoMuch of Africa’s soils have only 20 years of harvests left. This paper, by the British Warren Buffet, explains the problem and is well worth the read if you have the time. It’s well-written so not as daunting as it’s length otherwise makes it look. https://www.gmo.com/docs/default-source/research-and-commentary/strategies/asset-allocation/the-race-of-our-lives-revisited.pdf https://www.gmo.com/docs/default-source/research-and-comment...