Why be interested in food security?

The most obvious answer to this question is that every human being on the face of this planet, that includes you and me, need to eat food to survive and thrive, physically and mentally. If you’ve ever gone without food for more than a couple of days you would know exactly what it feels like to go without food – it is certainly not a habit we would want to repeat on a regular basis.

The less obvious answer to this question is that food security is a complex and multi-faceted area of local and global concern that is currently facing many challenges – challenges that will only intensify into the future.

Let’s consider the glaringly obvious challenge that is population growth. The world’s population is currently 7.1 billion people, which is predicted to increase to approximately 9.1 billion by 2050. It is estimated that the world will need to increase food production by 50% to 70% between now and 2050 if we are to ensure that everyone is fed adequately.

An example of a less obvious reason why we all should be concerned with food security against the backdrop of an ever increasing population to feed is the rapid decline in the number of farmers globally and an ageing farming workforce.

The world’s population is currently 7.1 billion people, which is predicted to increase to approximately 9.1 billion by 2050

Currently, the average age of farmers around the globe is 55 years old, with almost a quarter of them aged 65 years or over. By 2050, even this median group of farmers will be 89 years old. In a nation such as Australia with a small population of around 25 million people, the number of farmers has continued to decline rapidly for decades. Over the last 30 years to 2010, the number of farmers has declined by a whopping 106,200 or 40%. This equates to a loss of an average of 294 farmers each month over that period.

We can do the basic math and all agree that these predictions of a rapidly growing global population will require a vast increase in sustainable food production. In the meantime, we can also agree that our declining and aging farming population will not be able to maintain the demand, resulting in a less secure food future. It’s becoming obvious – we need to come up with food security strategies as a matter of urgency.

So where do we start? In my view the first place to start is with INFORMATION. I think it would be a true statement to say that the vast majority of people, at least in the developed world where we presently have current access to an abundant food supply have never even thought about the issue of FOOD SECURITY. My priority is to ensure that everyone has access to information about the direction global agriculture is taking and what is happening within the food industry generally.

Information in itself does not solve the problems the world is about to encounter in relation to food security, but at least it acts as a vital early warning system. What we do with this information is entirely UP TO US. I hope that the information presented in this Project Genesis web site will cause many of us to consider being part of the solution in regards to local and global food security.

I teach the subject of food security in my local community. I always ask my classes to consider the challenge at hand – how can we continually produce higher quantities of food in a sustainable way, but with less farmers? Machines, science, technology, robots etc, are a common answer, particularly in developed countries. It reminds me of a recent School’s Science Week that we had recently in Australia I attended, entitled “Science Feeding the World”.

It is this type of thinking that tends to promote the convenient notion that we shouldn’t need to do a thing in relation to food security – that somehow, someone else will sort it all out for us. It’s not that science and technology cannot help or be of any benefit when it comes to food production. Rather, it is this increasing lack of recognition amongst the general public and especially amongst the younger generation that its PEOPLE themselves that are the drivers for present and future food security.

It’s the classic “passing of the buck” that very conveniently allows us to firstly delegate the problem to others, and secondly to blame those same people – organisations, governments, businesses and technologies – when things do go horribly wrong.

In my opinion, if we pursue the current path of global agriculture, which is becoming overwhelmingly industrialised – it’s not a question of can the whole system fail, but WHEN!

Just recently, I asked my high school class the question – “Who is going to feed us in light of the many issues we are facing in regards to food security?” I was thrilled when one of my students responded with a bold “WE ARE!” This is exactly right. We are the ones who will feed the world in the coming decades. Of course – we may not all become full-time farmers, but each of us can all play a starring role in insuring local and global food security. I will write about some of the roles each of us can play shortly. For some of us, it may be something as simple as adjusting our spending habits to support our local farmers, for others you may feel to make a radical and dramatic life style change and start your own farm.

The notion that new and exciting innovations in global agriculture are going to suddenly appear out of thin air or even some of the current so called advancements like Genetically Modified (GM) crops are going to solve the growing problems associated with global food security is fanciful. On the contrary, I believe that many of these new technologies that we are seeing emerge in agriculture will, in the longer term, actually add to the problems.

Unfortunately, there will be no WHITE KNIGHT suddenly riding in – whether it is in the guise of some new technology, scientific discovery, government committee or private organisation – miraculously solving all the issues of food security for humanity. The answer to our present and future food security rests squarely with us – the solutions are in our own hands.

There has never been, nor will there ever be, a substitute replacement for the local farmer and gardener.

Project Genesis exists to explain the reasons WHY we should be thinking about the vital issue of securing the earth’s present and future food supply and HOW to go about doing that by offering realistic and workable solutions.

Having invested more than 20 years into researching and working in the area of food security, I am now more than ever deeply concerned with the direction that the global agricultural industry is taking. You don’t have to look far to find that there is a growing number of people around the world that share these deep concerns. Still unconvinced?

Here are some examples of the books and films that have been released over the last 20 years or so, they include titles such as these; Seeds of Deception, Food Inc, Stuffed and Starved, The Future of Food, Genetic Roulette- The Gamble of our Lives, Dead Aid, The End of the Line, Against the Grain, Seeds of Death, First World Hunger, The End of Food- The Coming Crisis in the World Food Industry, Twisted Genes Altered Truth, Soil not Oil, Corrupt to the Core, Biopiracy, Seeds of Truth, Bread for the World, Seeds of Survival, Seed Sovereignty Food security, The End of Plenty – The Race to Feed a Crowded World. Stolen Harvest, Seeds of Destruction, End Game, Farmageddon, etc.

The titles listed here are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to information available on the issue of global agriculture and food security generally. As you can see by the various titles the alarm bells are ringing loudly when it comes to the topic of food security.

They are written by a truly diverse group of people – farmers, scientists, consumer advocates, religious and non-religious groups, geneticists, political commentators, environmentalists, business people, foreign aid specialists, everyday men and women. I would also warn against jumping to conclusions in labelling people that express their concerns as merely fanatical alarmists.

In fact my own personal view is that the issues regarding food security are actually far more serious than many of these titles suggest and we are all in extreme danger if action is not taken immediately.

The future and security of our food is surely a topic worthy of consideration by us all, and a vital and relevant issue which should be treated with the upmost thought and seriousness. The core vision of Project Genesis is to add another voice, warning of the present and future dangers we all face – whether in the developed or developing world in regards to food security.

The current path that global agriculture is taking is one that is heading into a PERFECT STORM. There are many individual storm fronts presently on the horizon about to merge over the coming years in regards to food security – all of which I believe will create a giant mega-storm of unprecedented ferocity. When we talk about STORM FRONTS we are talking about those identified issues such as population growth as well as the ageing and declining farming workforce. But there are many other issues just as serious as those that are confronting the world in regard to food security as well which I will take a detailed look at as this website develops.

No one that is of sound mind would volunteer to get into a boat and head directly into the path of a hurricane, yet in my opinion – that’s exactly what the world is doing in relation to food security if we continue on our present global agricultural path. If we collectively allow the mega-storm to develop and engulf us, the world will simply not be able to escape the ramifications that follow. It’s hard to imagine that those terrible scenes of famine, which we occasionally see on the television, could eventually become commonplace in our own backyards.

Today is the day – action must be taken by each one of us if we are to avoid a certain date with destiny – a world with catastrophic food shortages.

The vision of Project Genesis is adding another voice, warning of the present and future dangers we all face, whether in the developed or developing world in regards to food security.

This website will firstly look at many of the practical issues that are either effecting food security today or will impact on our ability to secure the world’s future food supply tomorrow.

I will also take a look at the issues from a Christian world-view perspective. It is my firm conviction as a Christian that the answers to local and global food security ultimately lie directly with the counsel of the Lord – as expressed through His word, the bible. There isn’t a single topic that we will cover in this website that God has not provided a clear answer for – especially in the light of God’s eternal purposes for each of us. This in itself encourages me and fills my spirit with great hope, joy and optimism for the future. It is my prayer that you will also find what I have found to be true also.

In saying this, I am also realistic enough to recognise that a large number of people will disagree or may even take offence at my spiritual take on food security issues. Regardless of our beliefs, this in no way cancels out the consequences that we will all face if we do not work together at a local grass-roots level – regardless of our individual personal views. Facing all of humanity is an issue of unprecedented urgency that can only be solved by each of us working together in concerted effort.

Why be interested?

I hope you find this Project Genesis web site informative, motivating and encouraging.