Technologizing ahead on global warming

THE FOOD CHAIN: "Less Water, More Biotech: Drought Resistance Is the Goal, But Methods Differ," by Andrew Pollack, New York Times, 23 October 2008.

This stuff will become so important on food security in the future, as the closer you live to the equator, the harder it will become to grow food due to droughts.

Neat fact: people drink only about two quarts a water a day but they eat food each day that requires—upstream—of 2-3,000 quarts, driving home the reality that ag use is the King Kong of water depletion.

Thus the key of "more crop per drop" for ag firms like Monsanto.

Comments

[Larry Y]

There's other cereal crops that are better suited to more arid and marginal conditions (millet, sorghum). Another alternative is that we'll have to end up eating less meat.

Another story is that global warming may lead to changes in crop types and intensity. For example, take the recent decline of rice and Australia.

[Douglas Samuels, Pres. Clean W]

Clean Water Corp. is working with the UN international Water Conference to remediate the worldwide water crisis. Clean Water Corp. (Douglas Samuels) spoke at the last Conference about a new generation of water saving soil conditioners that can reduce AG water usage by 30%- reduce fertilizer requirements by 30%- and improve production by 10-40%. These additives- which were developed in drought prone Australia- are cost effective and remediate erosion and AG run-off. AG run-off is a major source of pollution degrading surface waters and killing off coral reefs.Since AG uses 93% of the water, reducing AG water demand is the only immediate method to substantially increase the water available for the public and idustry.Clean Water Corp. is actively working with the USDA in implementing this revolutionary technology in the US. For more information see www.cleanwatercorp.net

[Tom Barnett]

I think the less meat thing has to happen on some level, but then there's the question of replaced protein, which in turn requires a lot more fish farming, and I'm not sure how that one plays out--except to say it ain't cheap.