Comments on: Morsels: pricey tea, urban farms, Monsanto blog, pitiful aid, feeding Britain, royal food, Jersey Royals, restricted diet http://www.tracingpaper.org.uk/2009/04/02/morsels-tea-etc/ A piecemeal investigation into the origins of our food Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:42:30 +0000 hourly 1 By: Nick http://www.tracingpaper.org.uk/2009/04/02/morsels-tea-etc/comment-page-1/#comment-292 Nick Fri, 17 Apr 2009 09:14:06 +0000 http://www.tracingpaper.org.uk/?p=1004#comment-292 Interesting that <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/agriculture/food/4883941/Rare-crops-needed-to-tackle-world-hunger.html" rel="nofollow">Professor Stephen Hopper, director of the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, has called for cultivation of more diverse range of crops</a> - cowpea, breadfruit, tamarind, pigeon peas etc - to counter world hunger: “The world is currently fed primarily from just a dozen species – around 80 per cent of the world’s food comes from those few plants used in commercial agriculture. Yet there are more than 30,000 edible plants known on the planet, so it is baffling we are so reliant on so few species. “Diversifying the range of crop species is a sensible approach and could ensure food is available from alternative crops should staples fail in any given season.” Interesting that Professor Stephen Hopper, director of the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, has called for cultivation of more diverse range of crops – cowpea, breadfruit, tamarind, pigeon peas etc – to counter world hunger:

“The world is currently fed primarily from just a dozen species – around 80 per cent of the world’s food comes from those few plants used in commercial agriculture. Yet there are more than 30,000 edible plants known on the planet, so it is baffling we are so reliant on so few species.

“Diversifying the range of crop species is a sensible approach and could ensure food is available from alternative crops should staples fail in any given season.”

]]> By: Jeremy http://www.tracingpaper.org.uk/2009/04/02/morsels-tea-etc/comment-page-1/#comment-285 Jeremy Tue, 07 Apr 2009 11:58:19 +0000 http://www.tracingpaper.org.uk/?p=1004#comment-285 That one is not so difficult. It is often said that only 4 species -- rice, maize, wheat and potatoes -- account for 75% of calorie intake. And maybe three -- rice, wheat and maize -- for 66%. FAOSTAT makes it easy to play with the numbers, but I'm never sure how much of maize, in particular, is diverted into animal feed. That one is not so difficult. It is often said that only 4 species — rice, maize, wheat and potatoes — account for 75% of calorie intake. And maybe three — rice, wheat and maize — for 66%. FAOSTAT makes it easy to play with the numbers, but I’m never sure how much of maize, in particular, is diverted into animal feed.

]]> By: Nick http://www.tracingpaper.org.uk/2009/04/02/morsels-tea-etc/comment-page-1/#comment-284 Nick Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:50:38 +0000 http://www.tracingpaper.org.uk/?p=1004#comment-284 Jeremy - I share your unease about unattributed statements and find the seed company comment particularly hard to swallow. The claim that 8 species account for 75% of our food seems more likely, though I'll do some research myself when I have a chance. In the meantime, I've added some judicious quote marks. Thanks for the note! Jeremy – I share your unease about unattributed statements and find the seed company comment particularly hard to swallow. The claim that 8 species account for 75% of our food seems more likely, though I’ll do some research myself when I have a chance. In the meantime, I’ve added some judicious quote marks.

Thanks for the note!

]]> By: Jeremy http://www.tracingpaper.org.uk/2009/04/02/morsels-tea-etc/comment-page-1/#comment-283 Jeremy Mon, 06 Apr 2009 10:19:03 +0000 http://www.tracingpaper.org.uk/?p=1004#comment-283 Re Kingsolver's book. It's a good read, inspirational and all that. But I've tried very hard to track down the source for her comment that 98% of all seeds come from six companies, with no luck at all. I happen to think that the statement is unhelpful, but I have not been able to get any response from Kingsolver, her husband, or her publishers. Does that statement bother you? Does it affect how you see other statements she makes? Re Kingsolver’s book. It’s a good read, inspirational and all that. But I’ve tried very hard to track down the source for her comment that 98% of all seeds come from six companies, with no luck at all. I happen to think that the statement is unhelpful, but I have not been able to get any response from Kingsolver, her husband, or her publishers.

Does that statement bother you? Does it affect how you see other statements she makes?

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