Re:From Spain to Germany, farmers warn of fresh food shortages
by 6510 on Saturday March 28, 2020 @11:28PM
(#22716125)
In biology the health of a species is in its fertility. High GDP is associated with low birth rate. Life expectancy drives it down even further.
> But modern society strongly relies on complex economies for even basic functions like food supply.
This is as true as it is stupid.
> The health of that economy can be roughly measured using GDP
I would argue that if you have to depend on others you are not fit enough. You do want efficiency but not to the point where it dramatically eats into your resilience.
> Unfortunately plenty of people already rely on food banks to avoid starvation. You can’t feed an entire country like that.
It wouldn't be pretty but agriculture employs amazingly few people, we makes a lot of luxury products we don't need and we feed a lot to our cows, pigs and chickens. If it is impossible or not will depend on administrative tasks/logistics/bean counting. I could see us screw that up tho.
> But modern society strongly relies on complex economies for even basic functions like food supply.
This is as true as it is stupid.
> The health of that economy can be roughly measured using GDP
I would argue that if you have to depend on others you are not fit enough. You do want efficiency but not to the point where it dramatically eats into your resilience.
> Unfortunately plenty of people already rely on food banks to avoid starvation. You can’t feed an entire country like that.
It wouldn't be pretty but agriculture employs amazingly few people, we makes a lot of luxury products we don't need and we feed a lot to our cows, pigs and chickens. If it is impossible or not will depend on administrative tasks/logistics/bean counting. I could see us screw that up tho.