- The global food crisis is not caused by a shortage of food crops being grown.
- Biofuel production does not cause food shortages or global hunger.
- Genetically modified crops are not the answer to the global food crisis, because the effects of these foods are still unknown.
1. Biofuel Production Causes World Hunger Due to Food Shortages
One myth that many around the world believe is that the production of biofuels causes world hunger because of a shortage of food crops. This myth is not true, and biofuels today use crops and materials which are not edible, such as rapeseed, municipal solid waste, castor plants, forestry waste, agricultural waste, and even algae and fungus. Biofuel production is moving away from food based crops and towards crops and materials that cannot be used as a food source.
2. Genetically Modified Crops Will Solve the Global Food Crisis
Genetically modified crops have been touted as a way to prevent a global food crisis, but this is a myth that many companies continue to facilitate. These foods and crops are genetically altered, and there is no way yet to know about the safety of these foods over the long term. There have already been deaths thanks to these food science experiments, because sometimes two genes together will have an effect that neither alone will produce. Right now foods that are genetically altered are not even required to carry a label in the USA, so it is impossible to avoid them unless you grow your own. The effects of these foods are unclear, and may even be risky.
3. Global Hunger Is Caused By a Food Shortage
One myth about the global food crisis is that there is a food shortage, and that is why global hunger is rampant. The truth is that around the world there is a sufficient amount of food grown to feed the entire global community, but unfortunately many times this food does not reach the people who need it most. High prices and a lack of food availability locally are the two main reasons for world hunger. Science has shown that the food grown around the world each year is sufficient if it is distributed to all who need it.
4. Third World Countries Can Not Feed Their Population Adequately
One myth about the global food crisis is that many developing and emerging third world countries cannot adequately feed their populations. This is untrue, in many of these countries the government controls the food release, and it does so in an unjust and unfair method. Many who are powerful in the government receive plenty of food, while farmers who grow it go hungry. This is especially true in Communist countries, and those run by warlords, dictators, or military regimes. Giving the farmers the equipment and technology needed would help increase the amount of food that they can grow, and keep to feed themselves and their families.
5. Food Aid Shipments Always Help In a Global Food Crisis
Food aid shipments are becoming more common, especially when famine and starvation are rampant in a country, but these shipments are no guarantee that hunger will be stopped. In recent years news reports have shown that food shipments sent to help out the hungry are often intercepted by thugs and corrupt governments, who get rich while selling the food intended for the hungry on the black market.
6. Third World Debts Have No Effect On a Global Food Crisis
Third world countries that are most effected by a global hunger crisis are also the same countries who have large amounts of debts. Haiti is one of these, and the value of the food donated by the world is often less than the yearly debt payments these countries are forced to pay. This debt is or was normally racked up under corrupt governments, but the population of the country is the one most affected.
7. America Does Not Send Edible Corn to Aid Hunger But Makes Biofuel Instead
One common myth is that the United States uses edible corn to make ethanol, instead of sending it to countries where hunger is prevalent. This myth is completely untrue, and almost all of the corn used for ethanol is feed corn, and not sweet corn. Feed corn is used as animal food, and is not consumed by humans. Biofuels no longer use food crops for production, and use agricultural waste and other materials as well.
I’m so glad that someone is finally starting to point these obvious truths. Of course I don’t know how to solve the problems, but the problem seems more to be getting the food to where it is needed, not the actual lack of food around the world.
When dealing with the food aid shipments, I often wondered about those. It seems like even if there were to be a huge amount of food shipped somewhere where people were starving, it could never be enough. It would feed a lot of people for a little while, but it still leaves open the problem that there is simply not enough food available to these people.
I guess I never really thought about the fact that we were using corn to make gas when other countries were starving… and to be honest if I had, I would have had the same concerns that myth number 7 is talking about. I’m glad that I had the confusion cleared up, before it actually occured.
I’m glad someone is finally bringing out the truth about genetically modified foods. There is so little evidence on the side effects of these foods. I’m nervous about the push to get these out on the market and hope that I’m not around when they become acceptable.
It is so sad that governments are witholding food from their starving population. It’s terrible that it is true, and wish that there was a way that we could do something about it. Unfortunately is seems as though there is little that anyone can do about it.
At this point, we all should do our share in correcting world hunger. In our own little ways, like not wasting any food and just buying what we can consume, we can help feed more people.
That is pretty interesting. It gave me several ideas and I’ll be writing them on my blog shortly. I’m bookmarking your blog and I’ll be back. Thanks again!