The Global Food Crisis: How Our Choices Impact the World

We live in a world where we rarely have personal connections to the people who produce our food. Production practices have shifted dramatically, making global supply chains more complex and disconnected from local communities.

For example, here in Australia, if I go to a major supermarket to buy frozen berries, the most affordable ones are imported from Chile—despite the fact that many berry farms exist right here in Australia. Why is that?

The Hidden Costs of Our Food Choices

Consider Quinoa,a staple food once central to the diets of Bolivians and Peruvians. As demand from Western markets skyrocketed, prices inflated beyond what poorer locals could afford. Now, many are forced to rely on cheaper, less nutritious options like refined grains or junk food, leading to nutritional deficiencies.

What was once an accessible, healthy staple for entire populations is now a luxury item priced out of reach. And it’s not just quinoa—many foods that are staples in developing countries are now being driven by Western demand.

What We Do Matters—Globally

These examples highlight the global context we operate under. What we do in one country can, and does, have a direct impact on another. Our choices aren’t isolated. They ripple across the world in ways we rarely consider.

Water Scarcity and Conflict: Is a Lack of Water to Blame for the War in Syria?

Consider the Syrian conflict. According to Aaron Wolf, as quoted in the Smithsonian, a severe drought in Syria in 2006 forced many rural residents to migrate to urban areas. As unemployment rose and frustration grew, these dislocated populations helped ignite the revolution that spiraled into the devastating civil war we know today.

Turkey also played a significant role in this crisis. Their construction of dams and hydropower infrastructure led to a 40% water reduction in Syria since 1975. Could the war—and one of the greatest humanitarian crises of our time—have been avoided if Syria had access to the water it once naturally received?

Food for billions: The Challenge Ahead

The World Food Bank predicts that by 2050, we’ll need to produce 50% more food than we currently do to meet demand. With the world population expected to rise from 7.125 billion to 9.6 billion, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

The tragic irony? We already produce enough food to feed everyone. But it’s not where it needs to be. Right now, over 1 billion people are starving, and 1 billion more suffer from nutritional deficiencies. That’s 2 billion people without food security, with 2 billion more on the way by 2050.

So what can we do about it?

Make your dollar count. 

1. Shop Local

Supporting local producers helps ensure your country continues to produce food sustainably. It strengthens food security and helps keep farming industries alive.

2. Eat Your Food—Don’t Waste It

In Australia, we waste about 20% of our food, often simply because it expires before we get around to eating it. Reducing food waste is one of the simplest and most impactful steps we can take.

3. Grow Your Own Food

Even if it’s just a small herb garden, growing your own food can reduce demand on larger supply chains and reconnect you with what you consume.

4. Check Your Super/ Pension Funds and Investments

Support companies that practice sustainable farming. Your money is powerful, and where you invest matters.

5. Question Where Your Food Comes From

Why are we importing berries from Chile when we have perfectly good berry farms in Australia? Are we pricing our own suppliers out of the market? And by increasing demand for imported produce, are we taking supply away from people who rely on it?

These aren’t just abstract questions. They are critical for ensuring our food supply is consistent, ethical, and sustainable.

How Do We Feed an Extra 2 Billion When 2 Billion Already Don’t Have Enough?

1. Shop locally.

2. Don’t waste food.

3. Grow your own food.

4. Check your investments—make sure they reflect your values

Thanks for reading! Comments are most welcome.

Emma x

Further reading:

http://fortune.com/2014/12/21/why-the-next-world-war-will-be-fought-over-food/