That doubling of food production over the next four decades will be needed to adequately nourish our human population is not news, but the incredible steps essential to achieve that goal and their political and social implications are less well reported. In this series of 16 essays edited by Fred Magdoff and Brian Tokar, several thoughtful specialists in global food issues explore the historical, biological, economic, energy, political and social dimensions of the current direction of development and their potential consequences for the future. The book provides a provoking and revealing perspective on the extent of challenges that must be overcome in reaching the daunting goal of feeding nine billion people.

From the opening words in Chapter 16 by Jules Pretty, eminent and prolific writer from the University of Essex,

Professor Pretty clearly summarizes the challenge in both ecological and social terms. The editors and several authors point out the large advances in production achieved by the Green Revolution, yet observe in a contemporary reflection the broader consequences of an all-out effort to increase crop yields and economic returns in the short term. To be sure, we initially reduced prices for some basic grains, but now recognize many of the emergent properties of this process, such as longer-term challenges to health of the environment, to the well-being of many now-marginalized farmers and families, and to social equity in distribution of benefits in most developing countries where high-tech agriculture has been implemented in some areas.

Simultaneous with the introduction of new crop varieties and improved cultural practices, including increases in external inputs such as fertilizer and pesticides, an economic push toward neoliberal free markets fostered by massive loans from the IMF and World Bank to simulate economic growth has resulted in higher yields and increased trade in many places. Yet, these incentives based on an industrial agricultural economic model that ignored many local cultural and traditional methods and food systems, as well as political systems in place that disfavor people who are poor and/or live in rural areas, have resulted in greater inequities in incomes and access to food. Currently, agricultural imports are growing in many LDCs, agrofuels and growing demand for grain for livestock consumption are pushing up grain prices, and there is loss of food sovereignty in many countries. This puts poor countries at a tremendous disadvantage in a globalized food system, and increases the probability of food shortage and social unrest. Those people who are poor suffer the most from lack of local food sources and opportunities for gainful employment.

Through the book, a number of current issues are explored and evaluated: production of food crops for local consumption versus commercial crops for export, food used for fuel versus that produced for direct consumption, inefficiencies of conversion of grain to meat—especially by ruminant livestock—and, most recently, the massive neocolonial land grab that is transferring control and sometimes ownership of large tracts of land in Africa, South America and South-East Asia into the hands of land-poor but cash-rich countries such as China and Saudi Arabia. Lest those of us in US universities feel smug and self-righteous about this not being any of our doing, we need to know that our own TIAA-CREF retirement fund is invested in some international companies involved in land acquisition. We are all part of this global economy, and we bear some moral responsibility to understand what is happening and what alternatives are available.

These issues have all been raised before. The most useful sections of each chapter are those that offer viable alternatives to the current march of agricultural and food system development. There are models described from Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guatemala and Mexico that illustrate the potential productivity and profitability of small farm systems that are biodiverse, traditional and based on current rainfall and solar energy rather than expensive imported inputs. We know from observation and measurement that the production efficiency per unit land in some of the better systems is greater than on those farms using intensive inputs, large fields and high technology. We have little information about the long-term potential of improving ecologically based systems using appropriate technologies because so little research has been done on them. An alternative strategy for development and improvement of traditional systems is advocated as one solution to the challenges presented by pursuit of a single industrial model.

The various chapters in this book view the challenge from multiple angles: how to increase productivity and production, how to move toward more equitable economic distribution of incomes and food, how to achieve our massive goal of feeding people while preserving the environment and how to do all this in a socially and politically acceptable way. One of the strong features of the book is the strong multidisciplinary focus, and the obvious message that it will take many people and groups working together to achieve the food sufficiency and food sovereignty that will provide lasting benefits to the global population. The authors are not anti-science, nor are they against development. But the clear message is that we should not continue to pursue and protect a system that is not currently feeding the world's population in an adequate way, and that we are unlikely to achieve that goal if we continue on the same path. There is valuable insight here that could be useful in courses in agroecology, rural development, agricultural economics and natural resources. It would be most applicable to upper division courses or to beginning graduate students, but Agriculture and Food in Crisis has lessons that are valuable to anyone interested in the future.