- ISBN13: 9780802135919
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
In this completely revised edition of the classic on world hunger, three experts on food and agriculture expose the myths that prevent us from effectively addressing the problem. Written in a straightforward, easy-to-read style, “World Hunger” shakes many tenaciously held beliefs and strives to convince readers that by standing together with the hungry we can advance not only humanitarian interests but our own well-being…. More >>
A friend of me, who lives in Europe, lent this book to me, some months ago.I’m an agronomist and I live in Brazil.As an agronomist, I found this book so bad, that I didn’t read all of it.
On chapter 5, this book claims that “Green Revolution” wasn’t an answer.In fact the “Green Revolution” gave food fo billions of people in the world.Today, because of modern agronomy there’s more per capita food than any other time in world history.
On chapter 7, this book is against free market, as a good solution.Well even recognizing the failures of free market, I should tell you that any other possiblity is far worse.We must remember that Lenin, Stalin,Hitler and Mao Tse-Tung killed more than 100,000,000 people, by hungry.And any of these marxist was using “free market” to produce all this famine.
In fact,modern agronomy ( mecanization, fertilizers, bigger farms, transgenic seeds,etc.) gave to the mankind better and cheaper food.
Another fact is that old agriculture produces food at a very high price and low quality also.If we return to agriculture from about 100 years ago, the majority of world population will be sentenced to death by famine.
Claiming absurds about agriculture, this book can be used as a fertilizer.
Rating: 1 / 5
I was not impressed with it. The information is very basic and no new ideas were presented.
Rating: 3 / 5
Lappé et al.’s “World Hunger: Twelve Myths”, a production of the Institute for Food and Development Policy, does exactly what it promises: it mentions and then subsequently refutes twelve often held false beliefs about global food issues and worldwide hunger.
Although most of the material in this book will be familiar to anyone who has made some study of development issues, economic theory, and Third World politics, it is nonetheless an excellent primer for those who do not. The accessible and simple writing style, the useful examples, the systematic approach to all the relevant issues in food policy, and the historical awareness in the book all combine to make it the best introduction to the world problematic of agriculture that one could give to family, friends and so forth.
The twelve myths addressed are familiar: that the world is overpopulated, that hunger is caused by absolute lack of food, that food production cannot be both efficient and good for the environment, that biotechnology will solve the problem for us (or has), that free trade or free markets will solve the food issue, that foreign aid is the best way to address it, and so forth. Though the authors of the book shy away from any too radical conclusions in their refutations of the above, and they are sometimes quite naive in their appeal to people’s interests (particularly in the part where they argue that the American working class has broadly the same interests as the Third World poor), nonetheless their facts and arguments are correct and to the point, and the conclusions the authors do not wish to draw are no less obvious for that. Lappé et al. can even help refute misconceptions about food widely held among the left, such as a distaste for organic production as inefficient or elitist, or the idea that as long as you eat vegetarian, you’re not contributing to food or environmental problems.
In summary, although one should not take all the conclusions the authors draw at face value, this book is an excellent primer and introduction to global agriculture issues when it comes to the facts.
Rating: 5 / 5
This book is only 270 pages including about 75 pages of notes and references and tries to cover a massive issue.Not only is the solution to hunger a huge problem but is different all over the world,even different issues within a single country or area.Therefore it will require the wisdom of Methusala and the strength of Goliath to make inroads.
The world abounds in theories and agendas of how to end hunger and all efforts are hampered by power structures,politics and on top of all that,injustice.
The authors tackle what they claim are generally accepted myths about hunger.They are:
1 There’s Simply Not Enough Food.
2 Nature’s to Blame.
3 Too Many Mouths to Feed.
4 Food vs. Our Enviroment.
5 The Green Revolution is the Answer.
6 Justice vs.Production.
7 The Free Market is the Answer.
8 Free Trade is the Answer.
9 Too Hungry to Revolt.
10 More US Aid will Help The Hungry.
11 We Benefit From Their Hunger.
12 Food vs. Freedom
Overall an excellent effort to dispel many commonly accepted myths.
Rating: 5 / 5
This book – World Hunger – explodes12 provisional myths about world hunger, ranging from defeatist reflexes such as that food shortages are unavoidable to similarly silly notions like food supply is a zero-sum game, i.e., for me to eat you must starve and vice-versa. The authors explain each myth well and support their explanations with fine scholarship.
Beyond the description of the myths is an excellent demonstration of “what we can do”, and how. What we can do is change to avoid the myths. An “essential ingredient” for change is “moral courage.” As on how we can change, the book provides an invaluable 10-page “Resource Guide” to get us started.
This is a very good guide for anyone interested in human welfare. For researchers and policy-makers, I recommend studying the “Notes” (pp.179-246).
Amavilah, Author
Modeling Determinants of Income in Embedded Economies http://www.amazon.com/Modeling-Income-Determinants-Embedded-Economies/dp/1600210465/102-0646972-1335324?SubscriptionId=1NNRF7QZ418V218YP1R2
Rating: 4 / 5