False-Linkage of Food and Population The man-made scare for corporate solutions
False-Linkage of Food and Population The man-made scare for corporate solutions; Farida Akhter; First Edition: 15 June 2025. Published by Narigrantha Prabartana. Dhaka: 47 Page. Price: 50/=
Preface
This booklet is a compilation of various information collected from various sources on the false-linkages of food and population. This was necessary because everytime the racist and imperialist population policies are challenged they give an excuse of food scarcity. On the other hand, everytime the introduction of new and harmful technologies in agriculture are challenged, the question of population is raised. So there is always a false linkage made between population and food production. 'How do you feed so many people?' a question that is asked to the activists who are trying to raise very genuine question related to population control policies and the so-called modern chemical based agriculture. From the beginning of the so-called Green Revolution, the questions of over population were raised and thereby the new technologies were introduced as if they were going to solve the problem of feeding the people. But now after 40 years of experiences with HYV seeds, it is a well acknowledged fact that they could not solve the problems of feeding the people. This was simply because neither the problems nor the solutions were in the number of mouths of people. The promoters of Green revolution and the Population Control Establishment had one common principle of blaming the number of people, but as solutions they were promoting HYV seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides on the one hand and chemical based contraceptive pills, IUDs, condoms and the other methods produced by multinational corporations.
Even now, after proven failure of the Green revolution to meet the food needs of the people, the mainstream agricultural institutions and UN body Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) continue to promote so-called improved seeds or hybrid seeds in the name of "feeding increased number of people". The genetically modified food are also being proposed on these grounds.
So, I thought the notes which I have been taking since 1996 World Food Summit might still have relevance as they continue to talk on the basis of 200 years old Malthusian theories. It might be useful to share these materials to understand the politics of the false linkages of food and population.
I have simply compiled the information from various sources. I will be glad if these are useful to the readers.
Farida Akhter
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Contents
Introduction. 9
From Malthus to FAO or Population Control and Green Revolution 12
Malthusians of 20th Century.. 17
The story of demographers establishing Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO). 20
More Food Production and Less Children: The Green Revolution-Cum-Family Planning Solution 22
The World Bank and the UNFPA 29
Abundant Production for Population Control: The Food Aid. 31
Amartya Sen discards Malthus 33
Why FAO play up the population threat?. 36
Julian Simon on Famine 37
Visit of the Population Monster' Dr. Norman Borlaug to Bangladesh. 41
A Second Green Revolution is NEEDED?. 44
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