Food Politics: What Everyone Needs to KnowThe politics of food is changing fast. In rich countries, obesity is now a more serious problem than hunger. Consumers once satisfied with cheap and convenient food now want food that is also safe, nutritious, fresh, and grown by local farmers using fewer chemicals. Heavily subsidized and underregulated commercial farmers are facing stronger push back from environmentalists and consumer activists, and food companies are under the microscope. Meanwhile, agricultural success in Asia has spurred income growth and dietary enrichment, but agricultural failure in Africa has left one-third of all citizens undernourished - and the international markets that link these diverse regions together are subject to sudden disruption. The second edition of Food Politics has been thoroughly updated to reflect the latest developments and research on today's global food landscape, including biofuels, the international food market, food aid, obesity, food retailing, urban agriculture, and food safety. The second edition also features an expanded discussion of the links between water, climate change, and food, as well as farming and the environment. New chapters look at livestock, meat and fish and the future of food politics. Paarlberg's book challenges myths and critiques more than a few of today's fashionable beliefs about farming and food. For those ready to have their thinking about food politics informed and also challenged, this is the book to read. |
Contents
1 An Overview of Food Politics | 1 |
2 Food Production and Population Growth | 9 |
3 The Politics of High Food Prices | 18 |
4 The Politics of Chronic Hunger and Famine | 31 |
5 Food Aid and Agricultural Development Assistance | 49 |
6 The Green Revolution Controversy | 64 |
7 The Politics of Obesity | 81 |
8 The Politics of Farm Subsidies and Trade | 100 |
10 Livestock Meat and Fish | 137 |
11 Agribusiness Supermarkets and Fast Food | 153 |
12 Organic and Local Food | 166 |
13 Food Safety and Genetically Engineered Foods | 184 |
14 Who Governs the World Food System? | 205 |
15 The Future of Food Politics | 220 |
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING | 227 |
| 237 | |
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Common terms and phrases
50 percent advocates agribusiness agricultural development agroecology American animals average biofuels CAFOs calories chemical China climate change commercial companies consumers corn costs cotton crops damage declined developing countries developing world diet environmental ethanol Europe European Union export famine farm subsidies farmers fast food feed fertilizer fish food aid Food and Agriculture food and farming Food Policy Research food politics food production food safety genetically engineered global grain green revolution greenhouse gas grown growth hectare hunger important income increased India industry International Food Policy international food prices investments irrigation land less livestock meat consumption ment million Monsanto NGOs nutrition obesity organic farming organic food pesticides plant poor countries population price spike purchase reduce rice rich countries risk roughly rural sector seeds Sub-Saharan Africa supermarkets tion today’s trade U.S. Department United Nations urban Wal-Mart wheat World Bank world food