The politics of food is changing fast. In rich
countries, obesity is now a more serious problem than
hunger. Consumers once satisfied with cheap and
convenient food now want food that is also safe,
nutritious, fresh, and grown by local farmers using
fewer chemicals. Heavily subsidized and underregulated
commercial farmers are facing stronger push back from
environmentalists and consumer activists, and food
companies are under the microscope. Meanwhile,
agricultural success in Asia has spurred income growth
and dietary enrichment, but agricultural failure in
Africa has left one-third of all citizens undernourished
- and the international markets that link these diverse
regions together are subject to sudden disruption. The
second edition of Food Politics has been thoroughly
updated to reflect the latest developments and research
on today's global food landscape, including biofuels,
the international food market, food aid, obesity, food
retailing, urban agriculture, and food safety. The
second edition also features an expanded discussion of
the links between water, climate change, and food, as
well as farming and the environment. New chapters look
at livestock, meat and fish and the future of food
politics. Paarlberg's book challenges myths and
critiques more than a few of today's fashionable beliefs
about farming and food. For those ready to have their
thinking about food politics informed and also
challenged, this is the book to read.
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