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FOOD RESOURCESDr. Stucky I. ELEMENTS OF THE PROBLEM - THIS YEAR BETWEEN 20-40 MILLION PEOPLE WILL DIE OF INFECTIONS AND DISEASES WHICH THEIR BODIES CANNOT COMBAT BECAUSE OF MALNUTRITION. 55,000/day = 20 million/year 110,000/day = 40 million/year 93% OF INDIVIDUALS BEING BORN, ARE BORN IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. Somalia helps create an awareness of problems which can occur. It helped bring into focus several things about hunger. For example: Americans can die while on a humanitarian mission. That hunger can be a very complex issue involving, availability, distribution, political structure and economic aspects. It brought into our homes an awareness that many individuals are suffering and the impact of lack of food - the visual images you have seen on your TV is mother natures way of bringing population under control. The primary diseases which take their toll include measles, diarrhea, and chicken pox. In Mexico the death rate from measles is 180 times that in the U.S. In Guatemala it is 268 times and in Ecuador it is 480 times. The World Health Organization estimates that diarrhea kills at least 5 million children under age 5 each year. In Lima, Peru, malnutrition now stunts the growth of one in four children. In Somalia refugee camps, children had bleeding gums and "pain and weakness in joints so terrible that the youngsters could barely walk and often, could not stand." It was diagnosed as a Vitamin C deficiency and after having received megadoses "it was like Lazarus rising from the dead. They just got up cured." - MALNUTRITION IS PRIMARILY, BUT NOT SOLELY, CONCENTRATED IN DEVELOPING NATIONS. Several U.S. cities, including WASHINGTON, DETROIT. AND PHILADELPHIA, now have Third-World infant death rates. In the U.S. 40,000 children die each year from preventable causes (2/3's die from being born prematurely with an abnormally low birth weight - the number ONE cause of low birth weight is lack of prenatal care or delayed care). Ten % of deaths, many in the rural South, are due to diarrhea. USA TODAY, 9-27-90. In July 1990 a report was released by the Illinois Hunger Coalition concluded "a total of 1.5 million Illinoisans go with out food or cannot secure food on their own at some point in any three-month period". The coalition survey, covering the period from 1984 through 1989 questioned food pantry and food bank directors, collected personal stories told at public hearings, and analyzed federal nutrition programs, including the food stamp program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture commodity distribution program. The demand for food pantry services increased 147% in Illinois from 1985 to 1989 and the demand for food stamps has grown by more than 32% over the last 10 years, according to the state Department of Public Aid. In 1985 - Physician's Task Force On Hunger In U.S. - J. Larry Brown Harvard, estimated that 20 million U.S. citizens may be hungry at least some period of time each month. In U.S. a number of counties in the states of Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana - particularly along the Mississippi river, 40 to 50% of the people are classified as having incomes below the poverty level. Even in southern Illinois we have pockets that run as high as 30%. The real tragedy is that those in poverty along the Mississippi river live on some of the worlds most fertile agriculture soil. - BETWEEN 1984-88 PER CAPITA FOOD PRODUCTION FELL BY 14%. It rose 15% between 1950 and 1960; 7% between '60 and '70; and only 4% between '70 and '80. - IN DEVELOPING NATIONS THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE, BECAUSE: - POPULATION INCREASES FASTER THAN THEIR ABILITY TO INCREASE FOOD PRODUCTION. In Africa, which has the fastest population growth rate of any continent, the per capita food production dropped 21% between 1960 and 1980. - LACK OF MONEY TO PURCHASE FOOD THIRD WORLD DEBT IS SKYROCKETING. The net flow from developing to developed is $60 billion. The most destitute people labor and exhaust their mines and forests in vain. Total annual exports of Somalia, Mozambique, and Sudan will not service their debt. - LACK OF TRANSPORTATION AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS. II. COPING WITH THE PROBLEM 1. ASSIST DEVELOPING COUNTRIES TO TRAIN INDIVIDUALS AND DEVELOP AN AGRICULTURE INFRASTRUCTURE WHICH WILL INCREASE THEIR ABILITY TO PRODUCE, PROCESS AND MARKET FOOD 2. INCREASE FOOD AID TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES It is important to strike a balance. It is difficult to do because: If you give them aid then the tendency is to divert resources to industries with a potential for quick financial returns. Depresses prices in receiving country, thus reducing the incentive to produce more domestic food. 3. INCREASE COOPERATION AND COMMUNICATIONS AMONG EXISTING INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES There are hundreds of well-intentioned international agencies who seldom cooperate or even communicate with each other. Instead, they compete for publicity, funding and access to potential recipients. 4. REDUCE CORRUPTION It is widespread. The most publicized is the fact that in Somalia, representatives of "warlords" would not allow shipments to pass from one territory to another without extracting "tribute". 5. ELIMINATE TRADE BARRIERS Most controversial from U.S. perspective. Roses Inc. & Floral Trade Council. Imports, primarily from Columbia account for 40% of roses, 75% of carnations, and about 75% of pompon market. Recent Senate proposal to restrict import of textiles and apparel to 1% per year and freeze imports of shoes at 1989 levels. Estimated it would cost U.S. consumers 25 to 27 billion a year in higher prices. Southern Illinoisan, 7-18-90. . Protectionism is counterproductive and dangerous to long term health of U. S. economy. Restricts variety of products, raises prices, frees an industry from discipline of having to become more efficient, invites retaliation against U. S. exports. III. METHODS TO INCREASE FOOD SUPPLIES OF HUMANS A. CATEGORIES WITH SOME BUT LIMITED POTENTIAL 1. CULTIVATE NEW LANDS EARTH'S SURFACE AREA WATER 70% ICE 4% MOUNTAINS 5% DESERT 6% JUNGLE 8% SAVANNAH 4% FARM LAND 3% Reason in category: 1. Limited suitable area on surface of earth. 2. Best land already being farmed. You could grow tomatoes on the top of Mt. Everest. However, at too great of cost. The same is true - to a lessor degree to bringing deserts etc. under cultivation. In our history many nations who developed a dependence on irrigation declined because irrigation demands high maintenance, and during war, labor was diverted from maintenance to the battlefield. Thus, the nation was no longer able to provide enough food, first for the war effort, and then for the general population. Texts states that about 83% of potential new crop land is in remote rain forest of the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in South America and in Africa's rain forests. Most of the land is located in just two countries, Brazil and Zaire. In these areas intensive agriculture does not make much economic and ecological sense. Would require capital, chemical inputs and present a potential for erosion. 2. FOOD FROM OCEANS AND LARGE BODIES OF WATER Distribution of the estimated productivity of the sea.
As a world community we get about 25% of our animal protein directly from fish and shellfish and another 5% indirectly from fish meal fed to livestock. Almost 1/2 of the catch is taken by five countries: Japan-16%, Russia-13%, China-7%, U.S.-6%, and Chile-6%. Reason in category: 1. Coastal zones are the most productive and they receive tremendous quantities of man's pollutants. We use our rivers, which empty into the coastal zones, as sewers. Off the east coast and southern U.S. we dump our garbage. Both actions significantly reduce the capability of our coastal waters to reproduce subsequent generations of marine life and to sustain the existing marine life . 2. Fish production 1970 and 1986, on a per capita basis has declined, in spite of slight increases in the annual harvest. The catch of the most desirable species has declined. By the early 1980's over-fishing had depleted stocks of 42 valuable species of fish. Included were salmon and the Alaska king crab in the northwest Pacific and cod and herring in the North Atlantic. Some fear that the "critical" mass' needed for populations to sustain themselves are no longer available. 3. Little or no control over habitat. Attempts on the west coast to raise salmon have resulted in lawsuits over who owns the bays to devaluation of property values. 4. Coastal fishing takes five times (distant fishing takes 20 times - slightly higher than feedlot beef) the energy to produce food than does it does to produce food from intensive wheat (two times for corn). III. B. CATEGORIES WITH KNOWN POTENTIAL 1. INCREASE YIELDS ON EXISTING FARM LAND Primarily what text refers to as Industrialized agriculture. It is capital and energy intensive. Agriculture uses 1/12th of the worlds oil production. Less than 1% of the U.S. work force is engaged in farming. Americans spend less of their disposable income, than any other country - 10-14`, on food. The food industry employees about 20% of the work force and generates about 18% of the nations GNP. It is the countries largest industry. It consumes about 17% of the energy used in the U.S. Farming itself accounts for only about 2% of the GNP. On the average U.S. citizens spend 10.4` of our income on food. In Sudan, it averages - 63% India - 53%, China - 48% and in Japan - 19% . RATIONALE -BULK OF RESEARCH DEVOTED TO "CONVENTIONAL'' FARMING PRACTICES. Categories of research include: integrated pest control, improved varieties of plants and animals, mechanization, irrigation. In the last three decades between 70-90` of increase in production has been attributed to improvements in industrialized agriculture. -AVERAGE YIELDS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN POTENTIAL OR BEST YIELDS. -LEVELS OF RESOURCES EMPLOYED IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IS VERY LOW. In U.S. we apply over 200 pounds of chemicals (primarily fertilizers) ( ~ 240) versus less than five pounds in developing nations. Developing nations lack the education, finances, and the agriculture infra structure which we have in the U.S. In the early '90's, economics columnist Warren Brookes recently reported that France adds more than four times as much to each acre of soil as the U.S., West Germany more than six times and Japan more than nine times. THE NEXT TWO CATEGORIES TAKE A DIFFERENT DIRECTION BUT I BELIEVE HAVE TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL 2. REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF FOOD CONSUMED BY INSECTS, RODENTS AND SPOILAGE ADVANTAGES -MORE PEOPLE COULD BE FED AN ADEQUATE DIET. In the early 1980's, a study which investigated insect infestations in 27 states found that 25% of wheat, 56% of oat, and 80% of corn storage facilities contained live insects. The saddest thing is that where they can least afford spoilage - developing countries - is where they have the biggest problem. In addition, an estimated 25% of all food produced in the U.S. is wasted; it rots in the supermarket or refrigerator or is thrown away off the plate. -REDUCE DISEASES. 3. ENRICHMENT OF CONVENTIONAL FOODS ADVANTAGE -INCREASES NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF EXISTING DIET We are much healthier individuals because of an USDA survey in the 1930's. It determined that our diets were lacking certain essential vitamins and minerals. As a result, our milk is fortified with vitamins A & D (A promotes normal skin growth, eye differentiation between light and dark; D prevents rickets and promotes the absorption of Ca and P). Each year more than 500,000 children in LDCs are partially or totally blinded because their diet lacks vitamin A. Bread is fortified with the three B vitamins plus iron. The B vitamins promote the health of our skin, hair, nerves, protein synthesis, and red blood cell production. Flour and other grain products are now required to be fortified with folic acid, a nutrient that reduces the risk of neural-tube birth defects like spina bifida. About 2,500 infants are born each year with such defects, which occur in the fetus before most women know they are pregnant. Time, 3-11-96, p 19. Salt has iodine added to it which prevents the enlargement of the thyroid gland - a condition known as a goiter. Lack of iodine can cause goiter, an enlargement of the thyroid gland in the neck. It can lead to deafness if untreated. It affects up to 80% of the population in the mountainous areas of Latin America, Asia, and Africa, where soils are deficient in iodine. Lack of iron causes anemia. Anemia causes fatigue, makes infection more likely, increases a woman's chances of dying in child birth and increases an infant's chances of dying from infection during the first year of life. In Asia, Africa, and Latin America, iron deficiency anemia affects about 10% of the men, more than 1/2 of the children, two-thirds of the pregnant women and about 1/2 of the other women. At an annual cost of $5 to $10/child UNICEF estimates that between 1/2 and 2/3's of the worldwide annual childhood deaths from undernutrition, malnutrition, and associated infections and diseases could be prevented. III. C. CATEGORIES WITH UNKNOWN POTENTIAL 1. INLAND FISH FARMING ADVANTAGES -LOW CHOLESTEROL, HIGH PROTEIN -SPECIES AND HABITAT CAN BE CONTROLLED -VIRTUALLY ELIMINATES CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION Results of a study reported in Consumer Reports indicated that much of the fish sold to consumers was contaminated by bacteria and chemical toxins such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), mercury and DDT (dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane). The bacterial contamination is introduced after the fish leave the source. ILL Agri News. pA7. 2-7-92. -FEED TO FOOD RATIO VERY FAVORABLE -KNOWN ACCEPTABLE TASTE In 1991, 17% of the fish consumed in the U.S. are raised on fish farms. In U.S. Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas are the leading producers. In 1990, 360 million pounds (MP) of Catfish, 80 MP of rainbow trout, 10 MP of salmon, 5 MP of talapia, 3.5 MP of hybrid striped bass. Illinois In Illinois, an Aquaculture Development Act went into effect on January 1, 1988. In the first six months 37 aquaculture permits were issued. By 1991 there were 96 licensed aquaculturalists in Illinois. AGRI-NEWS, pg. D6, 11-1-91. 5-1-92 Illinois Agri News. A survey found that the number of fish farms has increased 20%/year since 1987 and now totals 95. Catfish, bass, bluegill, tilapia and fathead minnows are among the most popular. The agencies aquaculture coordinator said the industry has created 200 on-farm jobs and about 1,350 others that are directly associated with the raising of fish. Illinois aquaculture produced about 720,000 lbs. in 1991. The U.S. accounts for less than .1% of the worlds fish catch. 2. NONCONVENTIONAL SOURCES A. OIL SEED CROPS Currently soybeans, cottonseed, and sunflower are primarily utilized for their oil content. Soybean contains 20% oil and 40% protein. When grown they can provide 33-36% more protein/acre than any other conventional crop (rice is 2nd - because of high yields) and soybean can produce 20 times the protein per acre realized via animals. "ENGINEERED FOODS" -BEVERAGES EX. VITASOY Importance of protein. If youth do not receive adequate protein, then they are not able to fully develop their mental capacity. In the late 80's in Japan, they have soft drinks which are fortified with Ca, protein and soybean sugar. Coca Cola's unit markets a drink called FiBi. In addition, there are 20 other brands being marketed. They are promoted as being good for the body. In two years the market grew from 0 to $350 million dollars. At one time in the 70's Coke developed a soft drink called Samson. It provided 1/3rd of an adults daily vitamins and mineral requirements and 10% of the daily protein requirement. It was tested in Atlanta grade schools which were in low income areas. It was determined that students which received the drink in the morning achieved higher grades than those who did not. -TEXTURED FOODS EX. MEAT EXTENDERS MEAT ANALOGUES -PROTEIN MIXTURES FOR INFANTS EX. CMS Named after its constituent components, corn, milk solids, and soybeans. At one time it was distributed by an aid program to 30 different countries and consumed by an estimated 400 million children each day. Eaten as a "mush" or cooked into an unleavened bread. ADVANTAGES -WIDELY PRODUCED IN LARGE QUANTITIES -PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING METHODS KNOWN -PROVIDES ANOTHER PRODUCT FROM CROP B. SOURCE UTILIZING PHOTOSYNTHESIS EX. ALFALFA ALGAE ADVANTAGES -SAME AS 2A -CAN PRODUCE LARGE AMOUNTS OF PROTEIN IN RELATIVE SMALL AREA. An acreage equivalent to the size of the state of Texas can produce enough protein to satisfy the protein demand of all of the world's people. C. NONPHOTOSYNTHESIS ORGANISMS EX. BACTERIA FUNGI YEASTS -NEED SOURCE OF CARBOHYDRATES AND NITROGEN Because of energy involved in man extracting N out of the air, the N may be a limiting factor in this option. On a commercial scale: Amoco has made high protein yeast from petroleum. By 1977, 112 U.S. food processors used the product in products ranging from meat, baked goods, frozen foods, infant foods, margarine, pizza, tortilla chips. Amoco made the product in Hutchinson, Minnesota in large high tanks (30' & 20,000 gallons. In the tanks ethyl alcohol, derived from petroleum, is mixed with yeast cultures for several weeks. The yeast is processed and sold as flavor enhancers, as a substitute for egg yolks, and as a nutrient supplement. Imperial Chemicals (British) has made animal feed from bacteria. In addition, there are operations in the U.S. that also process bacteria for animal feed. Another British firm (Rank, Hovis & McDougall, a milling and baking firm) developed a process which combined ammonium salts with a carbohydrate source which fungus utilized. ADVANTAGES -LARGE QUANTITIES OF CROP RESIDUES -3% OF WORLD'S OIL PRODUCTION COULD SUPPLY WORLD'S PROTEIN NEEDS IV. FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS A. DIFFERENTIALS AND PRIORITIES 1. PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION OF GRAIN UNDERDEVELOPED COUNTRIES - APPROXIMATELY 400 POUNDS. DEVELOPED COUNTRIES - BETWEEN 1,600 AND 2,000 POUNDS. APPROXIMATELY 80% CONSUMED AS ANIMAL MEAT. 2. EXPENDITURES FOR DEVELOPMENT AID DEVELOPED COUNTRIES SPEND LESS THAN 1% OF THEIR GNP ON DEVELOPMENT AID. Development aid includes agriculture and rural development, food relief, population planning, health, and economic development. In 1988, only Norway with 1.12% of GNP spent more than 1% . THE GOAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS IS THAT ALL DEVELOPED NATIONS SPEND AT LEAST 1% OF THEIR GNP ON DEVELOPMENT AID. After WW II the U.S. spent 2.9% of the GNP on development aid. To do so was politically acceptable because of the threat of communism and the fact that most Americans could track their ancestor linkage to Europe. The same factors are not present today. Web posted 11/16/96 |
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