Is a food crisis looming? Can solutions be implemented fast enough?

The cost of food remains high.  The UN is addressing the issue as a matter of urgency.

While energy prices have halved over the past year, the cost of food remains high, particularly for people who spend most of their wealth on food.  The buoyancy of trade also hinders access to food.  Though the financial crisis occupies our minds and hearts, the challenges of nature, from food to weather to biodiversity remain far more dangerous to the peace of humanity.

There are alternative production and consumption systems which can alleviate the challenges.  Locally grown food is important to reduce transport and bring communities back in touch with nature.  The massive greenhouses in the UK discussed here are a step in the right direction, though micro-technology is more appropriate than macro-technology. We must also eat more naturally – better balance in our inputs, fewer calories, fewer refined and packaged foods, less meat.

But these changes will not occur quickly until everyone takes responsibility for their health and energy footprint.  If we don’t change fast enough an ecological crisis will just reduce the population quickly for us.