Are we headed for an ecosystem collapse? Global changes to our ecosystems brought on by degradation of our resources are becoming more apparent. While the population continues to grow at an alarming rate, there is also a noticeable decline in the materials necessary to meet the needs of this population. Degradation of the environment, which occurs as a result of over-exploitation and improper use, decreases the land’s productivity and ability to replenish itself. This decreased productivity reduces the amount of food produced, thus becoming a prominent environmental issue through its impacts to society. More land is being degraded resulting in fewer and fewer food supplies being produced. As a result, malnourishment and starvation will increase. Because the markets increase prices when supplies begin to drop and demands either remain the same or rise, poorer countries are affected the most since the people cann
ot afford to buy their food at these higher prices. With fewer people able to provide for their families, political instability will ensue as the government will be blamed for these price increases. Water supplies are being diverted to cities, thus decreasing the quantity available for agricultural practices and further decreasing the quantity of food grown. Therefore, in order to halt political instability and environmental degradation, which in turn affects food supplies, our society must adopt population and land-use policies to stabilize not only our growth rate, but also the degradation and improper use of our land.In general, the amount of land that can be used for farming has decreased. Urbanization has taken over a lot of fertile land for suburbs and shopping malls. Improper management has led to desertification and erosion, which further decreases the amount of fertile land available. As a result of current climate changes, flooding, droughts, and rising temperatures have resulted in many crop failures as the crops can no longer adapt at the pace necessary to grow in locations once suitable. Arid regions are requiring more irrigation. Locations that once did not need irrigation have begun to divert water from reservoirs such as lakes, rivers, and underground aquifers to meet the needs of the agricultural industries. Therefore, the demand for food and the demand for water are conflicting forces in our market. As we increase the allocation of water to one location, we are then decreasing the allocation to the other.
Currently, one could argue that we are not experiencing a food scarcity despite the large levels of poverty and starvation around the world. Our planet is actually able to provide enough food resources to support the current population. Therefore, a lack of food in third world countries is not a matter of scarcity, but rather a matter of entitlement. Because our global economy is based on a market system, the prices are set by the industrialized countries that have the dollar vote. As a result, less developed countries cannot meet this price and therefore can’t purchase necessary food items. In other words, because they do not have the money buy these products, they are not entitled to them. Food suppliers are going to provide the products that are demanded by the industrialized countries rather than cater to the needs of the people who will not provide them with a high profitable income. Some croplands are being converted to grow luxury goods such as tea and coffee rather than more essential crops like corn and wheat. The people with money demand these products, and thus will make it more efficient and profitable for the farmer to grow them.
Furthermore, the majority of the food produced in developing countries is often exported to feed the wealthy in industrialized countries. If a person walks into a supermarket and looks at the produce, they will see labels from New Zealand, Australia, and possibly Africa. For countries like Africa who have a great food shortage, they sell their products only to have some of it shipped back in as poverty relief. Part of the problem stems from a lack of local markets and not enough infrastructure, such as roads, to move the food within the borders of its own country. Therefore, the notion of steal from the poor to feed the rich will continue so long as an unequal distribution of incomes and resources continues between industrialized and developing nations.
Easton T. Classic edition sources: environmental studies. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2009. pp. 141-5.
Picture from...
Alberta Irrigation Projects Association. Every drop counts. [Online]. Avail from: http://www.aipa.org/About_Us.html [2009 Nov 5]
Related link....
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Canada-Saskatchewan irrigation diversification centre. [Online]. Avail from: http://www4.agr.gc.ca/AAFC-AAC/display-afficher.do?id=1186153747182&lang=eng [2007 Aug 3]
