U.S. State Department Video on Food Security. These are the folks with their finger on the pulse of conditions worldwide to assess threats to political stability. A quote from the video highlights an interesting assessment of part of what is required;
“By working together with small scale farmers around the world, we can succeed.”
Among other things, the video goes on to talk about the increase in yields in wheat and rice in the last several decades. Depending on your personal take on farming, you may interpret the video differently. Proponents of small scale farms will find comfort in the acknowledgement made in the video that such farms are an important part of the solution to food security in an uncertain future. Proponents of industrial agriculture will no doubt want technology to get due credit for the increase in yields that have come about recently, and the video mentions. The truth is, many types of farms are going to be important for food security as we move into the future.
Whether you believe that organic agriculture is the future, you happen to believe that biotechnology will feed the world, or you feel that diversity of farming operations holds the key to our future food security, you must acknowledge population growth will have a major impact on the future of farming. Farming operations of all types will only continue to face challenging issues related to remaining both economicaly and environmentally sustainable.
Someday, as world population continues to increase and cheap fuel for transportation decreases, it may be that rooftop farms such as this one and other forms of urban agriculture will be be increasingly important for feeding urban population centers. As we move towards a more sustainable agriculture that can meet the demands of the world’s growing population, sharing stories about what works and what doesn’t when it comes to both economic and environmental sustainability will also be increasingly important. If you have a story to share, no matter what type of farming practice it relates to, you can do it here on Farm Stories.
