Food Empowerment

Over 800 million people in the world today are starving.  Fourteen million are enslaved in agricultural and other industries.  Over a billion animals die each year in slaughter, a majority of which have lived bleak lives in dehumanizing factory farms.

Something is woefully wrong about the way food is produced and distributed.  And the problems seem to be as ancient as civilization itself.  I am reading a book "The History of Food" that suggests slavery may have begun with the advent of the domestication of animals for agriculture.

It is enough to make me want to throw up my hands and avoid food altogether, as this gentleman has done: http://robrhinehart.com/?p=298.

But respect for individuals and human rights has gradually been increasing.  And I think a good solution to these problems is possible with today's technology.

I feel that part of the solution will involve people in developed nations lessening their demand for food.  This includes not overeating, but more importantly lessening the demand for animal-derived meat, either by eating cultured meat, or eating less meat altogether.

The solution must also include the empowerment of people in developing nations to control the production and distribution of their food and to benefit from the fruits of their own labor. I am not yet familiar with the politics of this, though I am learning of the impacts of subsidies from governments to large agricultural corporations.

Genetic modification of food is part of the solution, not the problem, I think.  Fortified peanut paste and other fortified foods will help people all over the world get more nutritional bang for the caloric buck.  Also, I could not have eaten a vegan diet for any amount of time without cereals fortified with iron and vitamin B12.


I don't want to be a judgmental food fundamentalist or impose my opinions on others.  But I would like to learn more about food production. It is strange that something as simple and everyday as food affects so many people around the world.  I am not yet sure what I can do to lessen my negative impact on animals and humans.  I just know that I'd like to give it my best try.

Resources/References for numbers listed above:
http://faostat3.fao.org/home/index.html
http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_181961/lang--en/index.htm
http://www.foodispower.org/