Banana Republic!

Today there was a shocking article in Canberra Times - Why bananas are a parable for our times by Johann Hari.

I just googled and found that it was originally published by "The Independent" (Read the story).

The story tell us the fact behind the "banana republics", the cruel intension of Western corporates (esp, United Fruit) in 'ordaining' mock governments in African nations, just to grow bananas, it's commercialization, and the awaiting death of the banana itself!

He comments: " What happened? They (the corporates) had one good entrepreneurial idea – and to squeeze every tiny drop of profit from it, they destroyed democracies, burned down rainforests, and ended up killing the fruit itself."

Shocking! .. and insightful!

World Food Crisis?

Is there a world food crisis looming?

I got a gut feeling that it is... (sadly).

We can see the resonances everywhere.. Here in Australia - the rivers are disappearing, Govt buying back water-rights (given to big farmers), Food production coming down and the food prices skyrocketing.

The same is the case at my home state - Kerala (India). They have abandoned agriculture decades back (Thanks to Commies.. for their cruel unionism). They were depending on the rice from the neighboring states - esp, Tamilnadu and Andra. But due to climate change effects - their food productiton gone down and they reduced supply to Kerala. Result: food prices (esp, rice price) are skyrocketing.

These are only examples. We can hear stories from around the world - Africa, Latin America and Asia. The Western and European countries are only complaining about the escalating food prices. They don't have a crisis yet, coz, they can afford it!

I think, things are going to be worse in the coming years. A cumulative effect of climate change, continued emission of green house gases in the developed nations (along with the emerging developing world), the scarcity of fossil fuels (A recent TV debate argued that the petrol prices are set to triple or at least double within 3 years and I think is only a reasonable guess), the developing food crisis (and may be of fresh water, in the near future) may create a far more difficult world for us to live in.

It may not be as pleasant as WE lived to-date, I fear. Let my fears never be a reality. I pray that all my observations go wrong!