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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 |
#2
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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 |
#3
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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 |
#4
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Feeding the World?
"James Curts" wrote in message
news:V1%Ya.102039$Ho3.13327@sccrnsc03... I'm just tagging along here but the numbers thing interests me. Many of the folks I help support would believe they were hosts of an unlimited supermarket with much less than even 2000 cal/day. That's what I was thinking, but I'm definitely not an expert. I'll be interested to find out where Don got that figure from. M |
#5
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Feeding the World?
"Michelle Fulton" wrote in message
... "James Curts" wrote in message news:V1%Ya.102039$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 |
#6
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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 |
#7
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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. |
#8
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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 |
#9
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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 |
#11
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Feeding the World?
"Larry Caldwell" wrote in message k.net... (Don Foster) writes: 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. And the resultant malnourishment would kill people fast enough that there would quickly be a large surplus. Where did you get the idea that humans can thrive on a diet of corn and soy? I think they would die of pellagra in short order. Gordon |
#12
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Feeding the World?
"Larry Caldwell" wrote in message k.net... (Don Foster) writes: 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. And the resultant malnourishment would kill people fast enough that there would quickly be a large surplus. Where did you get the idea that humans can thrive on a diet of corn and soy? I think they would die of pellagra in short order. Gordon |
#13
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Feeding the World?
"Larry Caldwell" wrote in message k.net... (Don Foster) writes: 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. And the resultant malnourishment would kill people fast enough that there would quickly be a large surplus. Where did you get the idea that humans can thrive on a diet of corn and soy? I think they would die of pellagra in short order. Gordon |
#14
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Feeding the World?
"Larry Caldwell" wrote in message k.net... (Don Foster) writes: 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. And the resultant malnourishment would kill people fast enough that there would quickly be a large surplus. Where did you get the idea that humans can thrive on a diet of corn and soy? I think they would die of pellagra in short order. Gordon |
#15
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Feeding the World?
"Larry Caldwell" wrote in message k.net... (Don Foster) writes: 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. And the resultant malnourishment would kill people fast enough that there would quickly be a large surplus. Where did you get the idea that humans can thrive on a diet of corn and soy? I think they would die of pellagra in short order. Gordon |
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