“The World Food Programme (WFP) has said that high food prices are creating the biggest challenge that WFP has faced in its 45-year history, a silent tsunami threatening to plunge more than 100 million people on every continent into hunger” (April 22 press release). The Washington Post has recently run a five-part series entitled “Global Food Crisis: The New World of Soaring Food Prices” “exploring causes and effects of the world's worst food crisis since the 1970s. A complex combination of poor harvests, competition with biofuels, higher energy prices, surging demand in China and India, and a blockage in global trade is driving food prices up worldwide. Some countries, especially in Africa, are facing an increasingly dire situation while even consumers in wealthy nations are being forced to adjust.”
The comprehensive number for economics of food supply is 338.19 Food supply, which has the note: “Class here economic causes and effects of, economic remedies for maladjustments in food supply; measures for attaining and maintaining adequate amounts of food; food requirements (demand); reserves (stocks, supply) of food; prices of food to the consumer; comprehensive works on the economics of production, storage, distribution of food.” An example of a work classed in 338.19 Food supply is The World Food Economy.
Regular standard subdivisions for geographic treatment are bracketed under 338.19 Food supply, with do-not-use notes pointing to the special notation (displaced standard subdivision) that is to be used instead; for example, 338[.19091] Treatment by areas, regions, places in general has the note “Do not use; class in 338.191.” Food Security: Indicators, Measurement, and the Impact of Trade Openness, which has “Food supply—Developing countries” as the first subject heading, is classed in 338.191724 Food supply in developing countries (built with 338.191 Food supply in areas, regions, places in general plus 724 from T2—1724 Developing regions, following instructions at 338.191).
The interdisciplinary number for food supply is also the number for works that emphasize social causes and solutions for food supply problems, 363.8 *Food supply, which has the note: “Class here famine, hunger; interdisciplinary works on food supply, on nutrition.” World Hunger is an example of a work classed in 363.8. Starvation in Africa is classed in 363.8096 Food supply in Africa (built with 363.8 *Food supply plus T1—09 Historical, geographic, persons treatment plus T2—6 Africa, following instructions at T1—093-T1—099 Treatment by specific continents, countries, localities; extraterrestrial worlds. To be sure of building the number correctly, one must follow the footnote at 363.8 *Food supply, “*Add as instructed under 362-363,” to the add table under 362-363 Specific social problems and services, where 09 Historical, geographic, persons treatment indicates that T1—09 Historical, geographic, persons treatment is applied as a regular standard subdivision.)
The Manual note 363.5, 363.6, 363.8 vs. 338 Housing, public utilities, and food supply vs. Production offers guidance in choosing between 363.8 and 338.19.
According to various studies (e.g. check out http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/the-big-question-is-changing-our-diet-the-key-to-resolving-the-global-food-crisis-809566.html , 100 million tons of grain are being diverted to make biofuel this year, but over seven times as much (760 million tons) will be used to feed animals to produce meat. Depending on the type of animal, it takes up to, and sometimes more than, 10 plant calories to deliver 1 meat calorie. Meat consumption is therefore by far the biggest waste of grain globally.
Possible ways of future nutrition without livestock are presented at http://www.futurefood.org
Posted by: Harald F. | July 15, 2008 at 05:11 AM