March 25th is the birthday of Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Norman Borlaug, “Father of the Green Revolution” and “The Man Who Fed the World” by his work increasing crop yields around the world. In 1968 Paul Ehrlich published The Population Bomb, claiming that there was no hope to feed rising populations. Millions would starve to death no matter what remedial actions were taken. But, while he was publishing his predictions of doom and gloom, Dr. Borlaug had already set out to create a … [Read more...]
Does Climate Change Threaten the Global Food Supply?
Mainstream media tell us climate change has increased droughts and extreme heat events. (It hasn’t.) These, they say, reduce crop yields. For Christians concerned about poverty and hunger, this is an important issue. What does hard data say? Farmers are breaking all-time records for productivity. India for example, has produced record food crop output for three years in a row. The global picture is similar. World wheat production in 2020–21 will set a new record of around 768.49 … [Read more...]
Climate Change No Threat to India’s Agricultural Triumph
I meet a lot of farmers in India. Two-thirds of India’s 1.3 billion people depend on farming. When they learn that I do research in environmental sciences, the first question they ask is, “How is climate change going to impact agriculture in India?” Unpredictable Monsoon The answer is not clear. Indian rainfall seasons have shown no specific trend over the past hundred years, and it is extremely difficult to predict the impact of warming or cooling. The farmers … [Read more...]
GM Crops: More Important to Africa’s Food Security Than Ever
The economic situation in Africa has improved a lot since the 1990s. Yet, rampant poverty and food insecurity still impact millions of lives there. Currently, there is a huge demand/supply gap in the agricultural sector. At least three hundred million are malnourished. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization defines food security as “a situation that exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that … [Read more...]
The Marketing Genius of T. R. Malthus
Thomas Robert Malthus has had a very long run. Issuing his first essay on population in 1798, he has persuaded millions of people that the world is threatened by overpopulation. “The effect of Malthusianism was immediate and dramatic,” writes historian Gertrude Himmelfarb. “For half a century social attitudes and policies were decisively shaped by the new turn of thought.”[1] And the impact continues. Until November I had never read Malthus’s essay.[2] To my surprise, it is a … [Read more...]
Isn’t Gene Editing a Better Form of Crossbreeding?
Last month the Environment, Public Health, and Food Safety committee (ENVI) of the European Parliament voted to oppose the European Union’s plan to approve four crops—varieties of cotton, soybeans, and maize (corn)—genetically modified to resist herbicides. Their vote exemplifies the mistaken belief that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are unsafe. No one would be sadder than the late Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Borlaug. Aside from scientists and students in agricultural … [Read more...]
Climate change: a first-world problem?
Ever heard of “first world problems”? Like home Internet quitting for 15 minutes? Bad mobile signal? Online deliveries arriving late? Can’t fast-forward live TV? A closet full of clothes but “nothing to wear”? Sitting near an infant on a flight to Bali? Chipped nail polish? My quick survey suggests that, at least for Christians in developing countries, climate change/global warming is a “first world problem.” Sure, the politicians and bureaucrats in other countries care about climate … [Read more...]
Organic Food, Essential Oils, and the Gospel of Grace
One of the latest buzz words in Christian circles, and everywhere else, is “organic.” As a society, we are spending increasing amounts of money buying organic produce, cage-free eggs, and grass-fed beef. Anything with the label “natural” is quickly becoming the preferred method, even when we’re not totally sure what “all-natural” really entails. For some, essential oils are replacing traditional medicine, with promises to heal across the spectrum, from a simple cold to chronic illness. While … [Read more...]
GMO: The Missing Link of India’s Agricultural Future and the Solution to Food Poverty
India’s agricultural sector is in danger of being left behind, as its neighbors China and Bangladesh are moving ahead with their embrace of genetically modified food crops. Are GM crops the secret to India’s Next Green Revolution? China and Bangladesh, have been keen on utilizing the newly invented GM crop varieties to boost their agricultural sector and also address their food security. Among the various GM crops they’ve introduced in recent decades, GM rice is of special importance. … [Read more...]
Want to Have a Cornwall Speaker at Your Event? Here’s How!
The Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation provides speakers for a wide variety of events every year from our pool of over 60 allied scholars. Our Founder and National Spokesman Dr. E. Calvin Beisner also speaks often each year for conferences, churches, schools, and civic groups. We are currently booking available time in 2019 and 2020. If you or someone you know is interested in booking a Cornwall Alliance speaker, please fill out this speakers request form and email Megan Kinard … [Read more...]
