ABSTRACT
Food crises have haunted humanity throughout the ages, yet acquiring an intellectual grasp of them is challenging. What constitutes a food crisis is already contentious; NGOs have sounded famine alarms where others only perceived moderate distress. Additionally, there are so many different types of crises: preindustrial ‘old regime crises’, modern famines resulting from war or oppression, hunger caused by poverty-amidst-plenty, the ‘new food crisis’ of obesity, the recent ‘food price crisis’ in international markets, and the impending food scarcity for which eco-pessimists are warning. Explanations, likewise, vary. Malthus’ overpopulation view was opposed by Marx’s class-based vision and Boserup’s view that population growth caused innovation rather than crisis; experts disagree about whether today’s famines in sub-Saharan Africa are to be blamed on economic crisis or political crime; and so on. Last but not least, there are vehement debates regarding how to remedy food insecurity. Some plead for state supported Green Revolution; others for macroeconomic liberalization with social protection; and others for participatory approaches and organic methods.
