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Old 09-08-2003, 04:23 AM
Don Foster
 
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Default Feeding the World?

Taking an earlier post one step further...

An exploration into the notion of how Iowa farmers would fare in feeding
the world produced an unlikely result: the soy and corn crops of
thirty-five Iowa(s) would feed the worlds population at 3500 Cal./day.
Further comparison with total area in cultivation worldwide is more
curious. I would appreciate a review of my figuring if someone is willing.

Estimated world population 5/23/03 = 6,294,523,715 human beings

World kcal. requirements @ 3500 Kcal./day/human being = 2.20308E+13 kcal.

World kcal. requirements/year = 8.04125E+15 kcal.

Iowa 2002 corn = 1,960,000,000 bushels
Iowa 2002 soy = 494,900,000 bushels

Iowa 2002 corn @ 56 lb./bushel =1.0976E+11 lbs.
Iowa 2002 soy @ 60 lb./bushel = 2.9694E+10 lbs.

Kcal./lb corn = 1828 kcal./lb
Kcal./lb soy = 1579 kcal./lb

Kcal. Iowa corn 2002 = 1.7331E+14 kcal.
Kcal. Iowa soy 2002 = 5.4281E+13 kcal.

Total kcal. Iowa corn & soy 2002 = 2.27592E+14 kcal/year

World annual kcal. requirements/ Iowa 2002 corn & soy kcal. production =
35.33


So, by the number, an area of roughly thirty five times that which Iowa
has in corn and soy production could feed the world's population at 3500
Kcal/day.

Taking it one step further, we can compare the acreage Iowa has in corn
and soy with the total acreage in cultivation worldwide. Figures as
follows:

Iowa 2001 soy =11,000 acres
Iowa 2001 corn =11,700 acres
Total Iowa acres = 22,700 acres

Total world cultivation = 17,820,900 sq. kilometers
Total world cultivation = 4,403,483,977 acres (@ 247.01 acres/sq.kilometer
)
Ratio - Total world cultivation/Total Iowa acres = 193,986


So, while a hypothetical area roughly 35 times that of Iowa's in corn
and soy should be sufficient to feed every person on the planet; an
actual area roughly 194,000 times that of Iowa's is insufficient.

Somewhat surprising, yes? Illumination?

My thanks,
Don Foster
Colorado

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Old 09-08-2003, 06:44 AM
Michelle Fulton
 
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Default Feeding the World?

Xref: 127.0.0.1 sci.agricultu63301

"Don Foster" wrote in message
...
An exploration into the notion of how Iowa farmers would fare in feeding

the world produced an unlikely result: the soy and corn crops of
thirty-five Iowa(s) would feed the worlds population at 3500 Cal./day.
Further comparison with total area in cultivation worldwide is more
curious. I would appreciate a review of my figuring if someone is willing.


I don't have a clue about any of your other figures, and I'm just jumping in
because I'm bored, but isn't 3500 cal/day an awful lot? I think 2000 is a
more appropriate average need, but maybe I'm just think of the lazy
industrialized population????

M


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Old 09-08-2003, 07:03 AM
James Curts
 
Posts: n/a
Default Feeding the World?

"Michelle Fulton" wrote in message
...
"Don Foster" wrote in message
...
An exploration into the notion of how Iowa farmers would fare in

feeding
the world produced an unlikely result: the soy and corn crops of
thirty-five Iowa(s) would feed the worlds population at 3500 Cal./day.
Further comparison with total area in cultivation worldwide is more
curious. I would appreciate a review of my figuring if someone is

willing.

I don't have a clue about any of your other figures, and I'm just jumping

in
because I'm bored, but isn't 3500 cal/day an awful lot? I think 2000 is a
more appropriate average need, but maybe I'm just think of the lazy
industrialized population????

M


I'm just tagging along here but the numbers thing interests me. Many of the
folks I help support would believe they were hosts of an unlimited
supermarket with much less than even 2000 cal/day.

James Curts


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Old 09-08-2003, 09:24 AM
Michelle Fulton
 
Posts: n/a
Default Feeding the World?

"James Curts" wrote in message
news:V1%Ya.102039$Ho3.13327@sccrnsc03...

I'm just tagging along here but the numbers thing interests me. Many of

the
folks I help support would believe they were hosts of an unlimited
supermarket with much less than even 2000 cal/day.


That's what I was thinking, but I'm definitely not an expert. I'll be
interested to find out where Don got that figure from.

M


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Old 09-08-2003, 09:24 AM
James Curts
 
Posts: n/a
Default Feeding the World?

"Michelle Fulton" wrote in message
...
"James Curts" wrote in message
news:V1%Ya.102039$Ho3.13327@sccrnsc03...

I'm just tagging along here but the numbers thing interests me. Many of

the
folks I help support would believe they were hosts of an unlimited
supermarket with much less than even 2000 cal/day.


That's what I was thinking, but I'm definitely not an expert. I'll be
interested to find out where Don got that figure from.

M


His figure is not far off for a large, 6' 1", 180-190 pound, active male 30
years old. A large percentage of the world population is of considerably
smaller stature.

However his numbers are an indication of the world's needs and provide a
realistic base from which to visualize the required land needs to achieve
that particular goal.

When one realizes that if each person in the world had 3500 cal/day
available to him/her the gun runners would be hard pressed to make a go of
it. Hunger, after religion, is the most easily and cruelly wielded tool in
manipulating a populace. North Korea comes to mind.

My doctor has some very pointed remarks for me when I insist that 2150
cal/day is inhumane treatment of a taxpayer and good citizen.

James Curts





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Old 09-08-2003, 09:24 AM
Gordon Couger
 
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Default Feeding the World?


"James Curts" wrote in message
news:P60Za.102371$uu5.14788@sccrnsc04...
"Michelle Fulton" wrote in message
...
"James Curts" wrote in message
news:V1%Ya.102039$Ho3.13327@sccrnsc03...

I'm just tagging along here but the numbers thing interests me. Many

of
the
folks I help support would believe they were hosts of an unlimited
supermarket with much less than even 2000 cal/day.


That's what I was thinking, but I'm definitely not an expert. I'll be
interested to find out where Don got that figure from.

M


His figure is not far off for a large, 6' 1", 180-190 pound, active male

30
years old. A large percentage of the world population is of considerably
smaller stature.

However his numbers are an indication of the world's needs and provide a
realistic base from which to visualize the required land needs to achieve
that particular goal.

When one realizes that if each person in the world had 3500 cal/day
available to him/her the gun runners would be hard pressed to make a go of
it. Hunger, after religion, is the most easily and cruelly wielded tool in
manipulating a populace. North Korea comes to mind.

My doctor has some very pointed remarks for me when I insist that 2150
cal/day is inhumane treatment of a taxpayer and good citizen.

Looking around 2,400 calories a day for a lactating mother and 15 calories
per pound of weight to maintain your body weight were number that came up
often. Extreme hard work can burn 4,500 calories and it is very difficult to
eat that much and work at the same time. Canoe racing and hauling hay on a
short haul with 90 pound bales fall in that range.

In humans as in cattle 10 to 15% under nourishment in energy in adolescence
with all the vitamins and mineral met seem to extend life. The short ration
need to be a long term way of life. So 2,000 calories should provide a
healthier life than the amount most of use eat.

The fact that the US can produce a very great deal more food than we use is
not the answer to hunger in the world. The answer to hunger in the world is
crops that local people can grow in gardens, on roof tops and in the wild
that will get them through the famine caused by drought, civil war or
political incompetence.

Food from the out side has little effect in times of war and political
incompetence or when food is being used as a weapon to starve off the other
side. Never before have we had the resources to improve the local substance
crops that we have now that we can do the work that would have taken years
on in the case of plants progated vegtativly been impossible in three or
four years. Work is almost finished on a sweet potato that is a staple crop
in Africa and ready for release pending the fiddling of politicians that
have been told so many lies by greens and threatened by the EU that they
will not take their products if they let GM foods in. Mean while insects and
fungi destroy up to 90% of the crop when it could be reduced to 10 percent
with the wave of a hand.

Gordon


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Old 09-08-2003, 09:24 AM
Oz
 
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Default Feeding the World?

Don Foster writes
So, while a hypothetical area roughly 35 times that of Iowa's in corn and soy
should be sufficient to feed every person on the planet; an actual area roughly
194,000 times that of Iowa's is insufficient.

Somewhat surprising, yes?


No. Try it again using the production of arizona instead of iowa.

Then try substituting canada and australia for iowa.

Illumination?


--
Oz
This post is worth absolutely nothing and is probably fallacious.
Note: soon (maybe already) only posts via despammed.com will be accepted.

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Old 10-08-2003, 02:12 AM
Torsten Brinch
 
Posts: n/a
Default Feeding the World?

On Sat, 09 Aug 2003 02:12:07 GMT, Don Foster
wrote:

Taking an earlier post one step further...

An exploration into the notion of how Iowa farmers would fare in feeding
the world produced an unlikely result: the soy and corn crops of
thirty-five Iowa(s) would feed the worlds population at 3500 Cal./day.

..
Taking it one step further, we can compare the acreage Iowa has in corn
and soy with the total acreage in cultivation worldwide. Figures as
follows:

Iowa 2001 soy =11,000 acres
Iowa 2001 corn =11,700 acres
Total Iowa acres = 22,700 acres


That can't be right, Iowa's acres would be in the millions.
I think you're a factor 1000 off here.

Total world cultivation = 17,820,900 sq. kilometers
Total world cultivation = 4,403,483,977 acres (@ 247.01 acres/sq.kilometer
)
Ratio - Total world cultivation/Total Iowa acres = 193,986


So, while a hypothetical area roughly 35 times that of Iowa's in corn
and soy should be sufficient to feed every person on the planet; an
actual area roughly 194,000 times that of Iowa's is insufficient.

Somewhat surprising, yes? Illumination?

My thanks,
Don Foster
Colorado


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Old 10-08-2003, 03:22 AM
Torsten Brinch
 
Posts: n/a
Default Feeding the World?

On Sun, 10 Aug 2003 02:10:13 +0200, Torsten Brinch
wrote:

On Sat, 09 Aug 2003 02:12:07 GMT, Don Foster
wrote:

Taking an earlier post one step further...

An exploration into the notion of how Iowa farmers would fare in feeding
the world produced an unlikely result: the soy and corn crops of
thirty-five Iowa(s) would feed the worlds population at 3500 Cal./day.

..
Taking it one step further, we can compare the acreage Iowa has in corn
and soy with the total acreage in cultivation worldwide. Figures as
follows:

Iowa 2001 soy =11,000 acres
Iowa 2001 corn =11,700 acres
Total Iowa acres = 22,700 acres


That can't be right, Iowa's acres would be in the millions.
I think you're a factor 1000 off here.

Total world cultivation = 17,820,900 sq. kilometers


Sorry, should have read on. I'd make that 15,000,000 sq. kilometers.

Total world cultivation = 4,403,483,977 acres (@ 247.01 acres/sq.kilometer
)
Ratio - Total world cultivation/Total Iowa acres = 193,986


So, while a hypothetical area roughly 35 times that of Iowa's in corn
and soy should be sufficient to feed every person on the planet; an
actual area roughly 194,000 times that of Iowa's is insufficient.

Somewhat surprising, yes? Illumination?

My thanks,
Don Foster
Colorado


 
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