Are we in crisis?

Are we in crisis?


Actually, some experts say that there is no rice crisis but food crisis instead. That there will be shortages of almost every commodity on earth e.g., rice, corn, wheat, oil, metals, minerals, and, yes, water.

And I agree with them.

As a piece of consolation, the crisis is a global one. There are a number of factors which are believed to have been the culprits of this food shortage such as global warming, supply disruption and waste. Even China is being blamed for wanting to buy everything it can buy on earth to feed its billions since it doesn’t produce enough.

I say enough of finger-pointing, and it’s about time to take matters into our own hands.

Maybe the best way to start is to deal with ‘waste’ in the context of space. Without going too far, Metro Manila is a classic example of space wastage where ‘empty’ parcels are either underdeveloped, weed-infested, and turned into smelly and dirty esteros and open drainage canals.

Why don’t we adopt the Japanese model where space is valued and maximized, whether it’s living space or food? When you visit Japan, the biggest concession you end up having to make is space. Everywhere, no space is wasted. You could just imagine a rice field in a small backyard. Available space is Japan is planted with fruit bearing trees, vegetables, rice, or even turned into fishponds.

It’s interesting to be living in such a massive metropolis where space is maximized in every way possible. Also, the lack of space also seems to mean that Japanese have become adept at being efficient in terms of recycling, allowing the country to avoid being overrun by rubbish.

According to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the Philippines ranks 9th among the top ten rice-producing countries, next only to Japan which is at number eight. This is very alarming considering that the country’s arable land area per capita is much higher at 1,346 sq. m. compared to Japan’s 374 sq. m. Perhaps there are other intervening factors and reasons which could explain this but the fact remains that there’s a problem elsewhere.

Technology might play a role, but I believe that it’s all about attitude and discipline. It’s about time that we value space too. J