Looming World Food Shortage

[harm_less]

Interesting article from The Economist (image is link):


This situation was threatening originally due to climate change, then COVID exacerbated the situation, then Ukraine happened. NZ isn't likely to starve as such but expect food shortages and increasing prices for the foreseeable future.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

The poor will starve. As they always have. If they don't suffer famine, they will be raided, slaughtered, and brutalised by predators.

Which is pretty much been happening forever.

[Oldfellah]

It will be a busy time for food banks all over the world 

[Oh_hunnihunni]

And all so unnecessary. We can produce food in industrial complexes, enough food to feed the world population. It just takes the will power to do it, and the investment. Build farms instead of war machines...

[king1]

so, what's the best food product to stock up on in case of a global food shortage - Rice maybe?

Might have to start digging me a bunker...

[Olive]

I would stock up on non-perishable protein - things like lentils, chick peas, turtle beans, nuts, plus some rice. Get a big freezer and freeze meat, cheese, butter and veges. Tins of extra virgin olive oil, salmon and tuna.

We are lucky enough to have the space to grow fruit and veges, so I would make sure we had plenty of vege seeds. People with less space could think about growing edible greens in pots - silver beet will grow in almost any situation and is very nutritious.

And cat biscuits.

[Lilith7]

It certainly doesn't look good. And as usual, those with least will cop the worst of it.

https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/agri...ood-crisis

How to prepare for & survive a food shortage.

https://ezprepping.com/how-to-prepare-fo...Dehydrated)


"What should I buy to prepare for a food shortage?
Here’s a list of what you should buy to prepare for a food shortage:

Flour
Rice
Noodles and Pasta (various varieties, white & wholewheat)
Vegetables (Freeze Dried, Canned, and Dehydrated)
Fruit (Freeze Dried, Canned, and Dehydrated)
Oats
Sugar (white, soft brown, dark brown)
Vegetable and Olive Oil
Powdered Milk
Salt, Baking Powder, Baking soda, other Herbs, and Spices
Chicken (Canned and Freeze Dried)
Beef (Canned, Freeze Dried, Dehydrated, and Jerky)
Cans of Soup
Peanut Butter (protein)
Nuts (variety of)
Beans (various varieties of dried and canned)
Full Freeze Dried Meals."

They also advocate having a garden, which isn't a bad idea.

[Zurdo]

From what I see around here, the poor eat KFC and McDonalds - how can we keep them in the foods they need to survive ?

I have a small garden that produces waste...and food for my small appetite. I currently have a lemon tree groaning under the weight of overproduction....and I might eat a couple a week. There are unsung heroes out there who can get this excess food to those who need it. We need more of this.

[Lilith7]

I'm far from wealthy & I don't eat that garbage. I think the attraction is that its cheap & most think it tastes good; its high in fat/sugar/salt, which apparently can be addictive, which might explain it.

[harm_less]

From what I see around here, the poor eat KFC and McDonalds - how can we keep them in the foods they need to survive ?

......

Dietary ignorance and sheer laziness is far from a shortage of food that presents lethal results in third world countries. Horse to water, etc.

The possible parallel for NZ's poorly nourished is that disruption of (affordable) food is potentially destabilising politically. Starving populations put extreme pressures on their governments and neighbouring countries. As the article I posted alluded to the war in Ukraine will likely have harmful effects on countries worldwide in terms of food, energy and other commodities.

[Olive]

It certainly doesn't look good. And as usual, those with least will cop the worst of it.

https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/agri...ood-crisis

How to prepare for & survive a food shortage.

https://ezprepping.com/how-to-prepare-fo...Dehydrated)


"What should I buy to prepare for a food shortage?
Here’s a list of what you should buy to prepare for a food shortage:

Flour
Rice
Noodles and Pasta (various varieties, white & wholewheat)
Vegetables (Freeze Dried, Canned, and Dehydrated)
Fruit (Freeze Dried, Canned, and Dehydrated)
Oats
Sugar (white, soft brown, dark brown)
Vegetable and Olive Oil
Powdered Milk
Salt, Baking Powder, Baking soda, other Herbs, and Spices
Chicken (Canned and Freeze Dried)
Beef (Canned, Freeze Dried, Dehydrated, and Jerky)
Cans of Soup
Peanut Butter (protein)
Nuts (variety of)
Beans (various varieties of dried and canned)
Full Freeze Dried Meals."

They also advocate having a garden, which isn't a bad idea.

That looks like an American list, and I think it includes items that are really not essential such as flour, pasta, powdered milk, sugar and baking powder.   None of these are nutritious, and given that we're talking about an apocalyptic shortage I think we can all do without baking and reconstituted milk.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Beans. Beans. And more beans. Plus chili.

[Oldfellah]

Beans. Beans. And more beans. Plus chili.

Ohhh Shit !!!!

[Lilith7]

That list is more of a rough guide I think, & obviously you won't get stuff you loathe & will never eat. I don't mind beans sometimes but hate chilli.

Might be time though to stock up on whittaker's dark chocolate...

[Praktica]

Beans. Beans. And more beans. Plus chili.

You'd not want for gas...

[Zurdo]

Prepare your beans properly and you remove the fart before you eat them...apparently. I'm sure whatever my favourite food is that I stock up on...comes the time to eat them...they will no longer be my favourite.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Waste is a real issue. In my experience, op shops are happy to take excess produce so long as it is clean and local. If they don't sell it themselves, they know who can use it for charitable purposes.

Thing is, many families have no idea how to use it. So a bit of research might put you in touch with the folk who can make jams and curds and pass those things on. They are easy to use, even if all you have in the cupboard is bread...

[Olive]

Prepare your beans properly and you remove  the fart before you eat them...apparently. I'm sure whatever my favourite food is that I stock up on...comes the time to eat them...they will no longer be my favourite.

That's right.   Dried beans need to be soaked for 24 hours (in a cool spot so there is less risk of them fermenting), ideally change the water once or twice, then drain and cook in fresh water until they are properly tender.   That means that the lectins which contribute to flatulence are much reduced.

[Lilith7]

Some of my family are vegan, & since I no longer eat red meat (because I just went off it) have been trying a few vegan/vegetarian things - found some really good vegan hot dogs (which according to DIL are a dead ringer for the ones they had in America) & came across some Rosemary & sage sausages (bean based) which are also good.

There are also tinned beans of various sorts now as well as the dried ones so if I could be bothered I could probably try making sausages or fritters or something.

[Zurdo]

I don't get the pretend meat thing...you are not eating it, why do you need something that looks like meat and tastes like meat ? But some of it is pretty good. Over the first lockdown one of my daughters worked at the local food bank, and so we got a lot of the vegan stuff people didn't want. That was good because she is vegan, I'm vegetarian. They are good, but not necessary.