Food Security: A Global Issue

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There are those that believe our planet has reached its maximum capacity to sustain humanity and we need to reduce our population to rectify it. It is also said that our planet is well capable of providing both the nutrition and caloric needs for humanity, both now and into the future as well. Regardless of where one’s opinion of the facts fall between these two arguments, global food security is not where it should be. Uneven development could be argued to be a cause of this. But it is not the only issue affecting the planet.

One of these issues is the lasting legacy of the Age of Empires or colonialism. Spain lost its hold on Latin America due to Napoleon, the British, and the United States in the 19th century. And it was not that long ago that the British and French empires fell apart either after World War II. Yet many of these countries continue to operate as if they were still colonies.
Within these countries, a large number of the country’s land is owned by a small fraction of the population. These could be owned by strongmen that are within the “in” group of the political power. Or these lands could be owned by the political power themselves as well, such as Brazil. Within Brazil, the top 10% of farmers own 85% of the land. (Duffy) Land reform will allow people the chance to grow their own food which they also could be unable to afford due to a poor economy and other factors. There is currently a movement that is pushing for land reform within Brazil.

Though the issue of how do you handle land reform without it being forced redistribution or legal plunder should be on people’s minds. Venezuela is such a country where such acts are currently taking place where the small number of massive land owners is not within the “i...

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Works Cited

Arsenault, C. (2014, March 2). Is hoarding causing Venezuela food shortages? Retrieved April 24, 2014, from Al Jazeera: http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/03/hoarding-causing-venezuela-food-shortages-20143210236836920.html
Brazil expects a 90 million tons soybean crop, making it the world's top producer. (2013, December 12). Retrieved April 24, 2014, from Merco Press: http://en.mercopress.com/2013/12/12/brazil-expects-a-90-million-tons-soybean-crop-making-it-the-world-s-top-producer
Doyle, M. (2010, October 5). US urged to stop Haiti rice subsidies. Retrieved April 24, 2014, from BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11472874
Duffy, G. (n.d.).
Wilpert, G. (n.d.). Chávez’s Legacy of Land Reform for Venezuela. Retrieved from Review of Agrarian Studies: http://www.ras.org.in/chavezs_legacy_of_land_reform_for_venezuela

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