| I have been thinking about the great benefits us | | | | beneficial? Seems like change is around the corner. |
| humans have been experiencing with globalization and | | | | With the projected increase in food demand for the |
| trade relationships between countries. It is amazing to | | | | ever growing world's population (estimated to hit 8 |
| see how globalization is essentially changing our | | | | billion by 2030) and diminishing arable land, the |
| perception of the world and opening us to the | | | | situation is far from being fixed or even close to a |
| broader scope that we were not previewed to | | | | potential solution. |
| before. It is great to see how different countries are | | | | Here are my thoughts. I think the situation with food |
| interdependent and supporting each others economy. | | | | crisis is only going to worsen. The developing and |
| Take for instance the economies in BRIC (Brazil, | | | | developed countries will increasingly protect their |
| India, Russia and China) nations. These economies | | | | agricultural outputs for their own citizens, and |
| have seen significant uplift in the recent past, thanks | | | | rightfully so. With that I think that there is a potential |
| to developed countries such as US, Canada and EU. | | | | for major unrest in places like Africa that heavily |
| Much needed skills in developed nations can be found | | | | depend on foreign aid for survival. Oxfam not so long |
| in these and other developing nations. A mutually | | | | ago appealed to the world to bring awareness to this |
| beneficial relationship has raised the economic and | | | | increasing crisis in Africa. Research has also shown |
| living standards of these and many countries. | | | | that when ever there is less arable land or lack of |
| While on one hand one may think these relationships | | | | food (due to even lack of rain) it resulted in civil |
| will last for ever, one recently emerging crisis in the | | | | unrest. |
| world could throw a wrench in this seemingly | | | | While developed and possibly some developing |
| amicable relationship between these countries. Believe | | | | nations are well equipped to handle such crisis (for a |
| it or not, with the current food crisis, some countries | | | | certain duration of course), it is the underdeveloped |
| may actually resort to protectionism again. A practice | | | | that are going to face the most difficulty. In a deeply |
| where by countries establish certain economic policies | | | | destabilized world the country that is the least |
| where by they create trade barriers between | | | | favorite is likely to have the most sufferers. |
| countries, be it in the form of tariffs, stopping export | | | | It is probably time to evaluate and test alternative |
| of their absolute advantage goods or by other | | | | resources and advanced technologies that will help |
| means. | | | | with higher crop yield, in probably most unstable |
| Take for example Indonesia a once major exporter | | | | environment drawn by global warming. Under some |
| of wheat and rice. With food crisis hitting an all time | | | | very recent and reasonable estimates the |
| high in recent past has stopped or limited the export | | | | preservation of human life would require such radical |
| of these items to other countries. Essentially | | | | innovation and even tougher actions around the |
| advancing towards practicing protectionism that once | | | | world. These attempts are probably our best bet to |
| was followed only when kings ruled our world. I | | | | averting a potential human catastrophe. Unfortunately |
| wonder if this practice will creep into other countries | | | | this time it is likely to be triggered by lack of food, a |
| too? | | | | crisis that many citizens of the world have never |
| This begs the question, what about globalization | | | | experienced in their entire lives and may not be |
| where countries share resources that were mutually | | | | equipped to cope with. |