FOOD SECURITY
Food security depends on many components. How can we create a virtuous cycle, or a dynamic and sustainable balance? Human affairs in general seem to be perpetually out of balance. Despite thousands of years of accumulated experience, why do we continue to blunder into plainly-visible obstacles to achieving food security?
A public lecture entitled "What is Food Security? Lessons from the Book of Taro". was presented by Peter Matthews at the National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka, in July 2004. Comments by readers on the online version of this talk are welcome at any time.
Outline and precis
I. Bad news
Food scares in news reports changes in food habits (Japan and other countries) war and food shortage many obvious causes for social conflict world population size not an obvious cause, but our high population makes it difficult to achieve peace and food security.
II. Taro a world crop that needs water
Names for taro many kinds of taro - where it grows (world distribution) learning about food security as a crop historian meeting people the need for communication across many languages how interpreters can help the struggle for water in Cyprus taro in Cyprus (video filmed in 1996).
III. The literal Book of Taro
Dramatic events are favoured in historical writing a Chinese Book of Taro: dramatic lessons from ancient times (still relevant) a less dramatic but huge problem today: indoor smoke from cooking fires kitchen design in Africa wealth, power and obesity the need for effective use of good knowledge choosing what to grow.
IV. The metaphorical book of taro
Learning from the study of one food plant a book without words biodiversity provenance (natural and social context) scenes from Myanmar: wild taros as food for animals wild taros processed for export, a minor source of cash taro as a reserve crop in Cyprus, for food and trade a positive view of the situation in Japan.
V. Conclusions
Science-for-growth, versus science for balance - living within limits other goals for science the threat of population growth as a kind of blackmail biodiversity and cultural diversity large-scale and small-scale production many approaches needed.