Shortage of food has cast great concerns over the world, and some fear that it may deter the political stability. Food is the basis of everything, and the dwindling food supply can be partly attributed to, if not totally, climate change. Rising temperature has culminated in decreased agricultural output in tropical and subtropical areas, which has initially been a reliable supplier of food, for example Australia.
With biofuel becoming more popular, the pressure for growing adequate crops to satisfy both human and energy consumption needs increased. Some farmers have since decided to plant less water-intensive crops to maintain sustainable export, with wine grape being a popular choice. However, the less water-intensive crops are often more expensive, and therefore the impoverished farmers couldn’t afford the lucrative business and decreased in export.
Ever since the global reserve of rice stocks has plunged in 2000, many exporting countries have inclined to reduce export. Apparently, the rice-dependent countries suffer most from the soaring food price. Subsidies have been given to rice-buyers by the government, although the effect was not as good as hoped, if not worse. Rich countries exporting subsidised rice to rice-dependent countries often created an absurd disparity between the selling price of the rice grown local and those being exported. This phenomenon discouraged local farmers to grow crops local and aggravated the country’s dependence on exported rice. If ever the price of rice soared to an exorbitant level, and subsidies are no longer available, how can the government guarantee stable supply of rice to the citizens?
The most efficient and sustainable way to ensure food supply has to be a good enough policy for local agriculture. Despite the fact that 90 per cent of the food grown local is consumed by its own citizens, quite a number of countries depend on exported rice. Rice grown in a place that is half-a-globe away to its destination inevitably need to be flown in by large cargo planes. While growing the crops itself doesn’t create pollution, the exported rice exacerbated the environmental condition. As far as I am concerned, a good agricultural policy not only makes sure their citizens are well-fed, but also brings income to the country. Look at Israel for example, a successful agricultural policy has not only ensured the 7.1 million populations don’t go hungry, but also made it possible for the country to export 30 per cent of its cultivation.
For the rice-dependent countries, there has to be a radical change in its agricultural approach; for the smart countries which have already developed an efficient policy, they should generously support those in needs and help them gain success in becoming a rice-independent country.
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