Food: the perennial Concern of humankind

WU WEI

sity of the people.” This is wisdom that has been passed down the generations in China for two millenniums. But in recent years China and the world have been facing growing problems around this substance so important to human survival. Scandals of food quality and worries about food security have become a regular topic in the media and everyday discussions among average citizens. Here in China, the public has been afflicted by illegal use of toxic food addictives such as Dioxin and Sudan dyes and taken aback by the exposure of the use of cooking oil recycled from sewage by several eateries. They also hold qualms about what dangers genetically modified food might be hiding.

Looking back at history, we can find that worries about food have persisted through the ages. For much of history the top concern has been sufficient supply, which has brought about both numerous conflicts and world-changing inventions. The specter of hunger still haunts mankind to this very day, and the need for continued development of agricultural technologies stands unchanged.

Modern technology has profoundly changed the traditional way of farming. As the results of scientific and technical advances are applied to soil improvement, fertilization, pest control, livestock breeding and food processing, output has been significantly increased. But the side effects are alarming: land and water are polluted, ravaging the landscape and leading to accumulated toxins in agricultural products. The seismic changes in agricultural production have, woefully and inadvertently, triggered off threats to food safety.

Though there is still a large population in the world for whom filling their stomachs is a daily struggle, there is a growing focus on healthy eating. The shift of attention from food quantity to food quality has given rise to such practices as eco-agriculture and prompted policymakers around the world to make laws and rules to stimulate their development.

Eco-agriculture began in Europe in the 1930s and 1940s. China was a latecomer to the trend, but caught up quickly. Green agriculture can provide the solution to Chinas specific challenges, allowing a happy marriage between traditional and modern agriculture, and bringing a healthy balance between production and protection. This populous nation sees it a solution to several of the more difficult problems it faces, including pollution, poor management of agricultural resources, low agricultural production efficiency that is predominantly based on small operations, and the contradiction between a huge farming population and limited agricultural resources.

Green development is a relatively new trend in contemporary agriculture, improving the health of the sector and alleviating the stress on nature by intensified human economic and social activities. Being green doesnt necessarily mean regressing to the way our ancestors tended fields and animals, as the application of appropriate technology is sufficient to secure adequate production without damaging the environment.

The calls for harmonious, balanced social development can be heard all over the world. But it takes painful effort to make these words fact, and the situation is complicated, for the government and public have to deal with varied alternatives and different priorities. Food shortages and food safety will both continue to be a concern for a long time to come, however. As potential solutions to these problems, transgenetic food and organic food will both see rapid growth under the support of public policy.

Quality also comes at a price, and a persons financial position will have a strong influence on the food theychoose to consume. Green food has a bigger market in developed countries and among the more affluent. This is largely because it costs more, as its growing and processing require elaborate management and stringent testing. As an approach that requires modern technology, lavish capital and good management, the cost of goods produced by eco-agriculture is high, and justifiably so. Therefore, for a large proportion of any country, organic food is not a choice.

Food safety has also become a barrier in international trade, often cited as an excuse for protectionism. Economic factors including market demand, the cost of environmental protection, and the temptation of profit-boosting illegal practices hinder the agricultural industry and further complicate food issues.

It is imperative for us to develop and employ more advanced and environment-friendly agro-technology, produce safer foods and establish an effective monitoring system appropriate for domestic situations. Food, its quantity and quality, remains a top concern of the people, and thus increases our motivation to make progress and deepen reforms.