THE GLOBAL FOOD SHORTAGE: Food Scarcity on Our Planet and What We Can Do About It

While the extent, implications and even existence of the world food shortage continue to be violently debated, Lila Perl's simplified outline and unquestioning projections seem complacent (though her view of the problem is not optimistic). The need to educate third world farmers and their countrymen who ""still cling to the idea that numerous offspring are a blessing"" is often unfortunately phrased, and though Perl is just as insistent that ""the haves also have lessons to learn"" she doesn't propose anything much more specific than ""consumer awareness and vigilance."" Even her final conclusions--that the developing countries need a Green Revolution and population control, affluent ones must send aid and cut waste, and all must limit industrial development--are bromides that ignore the tougher issues. But, however superficially, Perl at least mentions the example of China, the need for land reform and rural development, the vestiges of colonialism where the hungry export luxury foods, the bearing of energy problems on the food supply, and some practical flaws in the triage approach. Minimum standard requirement.