Posted by Jerry West:
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Being a net exporter of food does not mean that a country is not starving its people. In fact it could be a sign that a country is purposefully starving its people.
According to 2005 FAO data, India had food exports of $51.1 billion US and food imports of $39.3 billion US. That positive trade balance of $10.8 billion raises the incomes of the hundreds of millions who live in rural India. The main reason 20% of Indians are under-nourished is because they are poor. By raising living standards, economic security (including food security) is improved. Families no longer feel compelled to have large numbers of children due to economic insecurity. Population stabilizes.
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Germany is consuming about 4 times its bio-capacity and the Netherlands over 5 times. Neither is sustainable.
According to 2005 FAO data, the Netherlands had food exports of $32.4 billion and food imports of $21.1 billion, for a net food trade balance of $11.3 billion US. The Netherlands is setting 12% of its area aside as ecological reserves and wilderness. It is also setting aside additional lands as commercial forests. There is an indefinite moratorium on any further large scale land reclamations from the sea. In some places, the sea is being allowed to re-flood land previously reclaimed. This isn't the picture of a country that is consuming 5 times its bio-capacity, whatever the heck that means.