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Re: China and Food (was Re: Ecological Economics and Entropy)
McGinnis says that China doesn't grow potatoes, and I say the FAO says
that China grows the most potatoes in the world, and McGinnis says I
have a knack for ignoring the point. He has a knack for ignoring the
facts.
It seems to me that earlier in the thread there was a statement that
the number of malnourished had doubled. At least we are now not so
far apart on the number of malnourished.
Note that the figures for 69-71 were before the last
international food conference in '74, at which time mass
famine was being faced in many areas. This resulted in
substantial efforts by the world community and hence 'the
green revolution'. These efforts didn't last, and my
original point that things have been getting worse for the
past decade or so stands.
As for the Green Revolution, it was certainly not the result of a
conference in 1974. It is referred to in Ehrlich's 1968 _Population
Bomb_. In fact the Rice Research Center was established in 1962 and
continues its work. I don't think McGinnis's original point stands.
--
John McCarthy, Computer Science Department, Stanford, CA 94305
http://www-formal.stanford.edu/jmc/progress/
During the last years of the Second Millenium, the Earthmen complained
a lot.
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