Paul Collier, an Oxford economist, has an article in Foreign Affairs on global food prices and the effect on the poor - especially in Africa. I disagree with practically everything in it (except for eliminating ethanol subsidies). The piece represents a view perfectly opposite to mine (I'm what he'd call a "romantic"). In short, he thinks corporate agribusiness and genetically modified foods are the answer to everything. I appreciate his emphasis on poor Africans and think his solutions may just be desperate measures for desperate times - but his article totally ignores environmental problems, soil health, unintended consequences of GM food, and doesn't explain how the poor peasants will earn a living if agribusiness jumps in and takes over the countryside and there are no jobs in the city.
I'm with Michael Pollan on this whole issue.
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