Feeding Frenzy: The New Politics of Food

by Paul McMahon

This subject is as big as they the world's food supply. Written for a popular audience, Feeding Frenzy traces the history of the global food system and reveals the underlying causes of recent food shortages and price spikes - what the media has labelled a 'world food crisis'. As the tectonic plates of the world food system shift, forces are being unleashed that threaten the security of billions. Food-producing countries are banning exports to benefit their own citizens, even if this means that other countries starve. Most worryingly, they are acquiring huge areas of under-utilised farmland in poorest countries to grow crops for export, often at the expense of local communities. Some of the trends identified in this book are unstoppable. But McMahon also outlines actions that can be taken to lower the risks of conflict and to produce fairer outcomes. It is possible to envisage a more benign scenario, associated with a shift to a sustainable and productive form of agriculture. Which path will the world choose?

Genres: Food, Nonfiction, Politics, History, International Development

356 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2013

Reviews

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I borrowed this book from the library as research for my PhD.

Feeding Frenzy is a well written, thought-provoking account of the current state of the global food system. The author maps out food from the beginning of the recorded knowledge of agriculture through to what the future may hold from a Malthusian point of view. This book is a little harrowing when discussing that food politics has become realpolitik, the impact of the climate, political allegiances and their fragility and so on. This book is very real and visceral and I think it provides an important narrative on the political nature of food availability.

[Tim Pendry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very solid and informative account of the global food system, marred only by an occasional tendency to speculation and the odd bit of indulgence in what might be called 'apocalypse porn'.

One suspects that the book was partly guided in this respect by the needs of the marketing department of the publisher and by the somewhat excitable atmosphere to be found amongst NGO activists.

But the claim of an 'unleashing' of 'dangerous forces' by 'turmoil' on the blurb, the occasionally excessive use of 'may' (viz. speculation) and a degree of normative assertion when it suits should not deter you.

The vast bulk of the book is, in fact, a solid fact-based account of how a total system works in clear English and is highly recommended.

The bits of standard excitability may irritate but you can grit your teeth and go on and it makes up only a small percentage of the whole.

McMahon appears to know his stuff and even to act as a responsible corrective on worse activist hysteria. He is measured and thoughtful and I will be keeping this on my bookshelf as a ready reference.

NB: I have a conflict of interest as professional adviser to a major investor in the sector so you should only accept the review in that light

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read conflicting reports over the years about the cause of food shortages, famines, and price hikes, but this book provides some plausible answers as to what’s really going on with the world’s food supply and why. One of the essential questions author Paul McMahon raises has haunted me for some time. If the world’s population reaches 9 billion people by 2050 as predicted, how will everyone be fed? This book confirms that far too many people are going without food now, but is it because there isn’t enough or are other factors at play?

McMahon’s answer reveals that farming resources, food distribution, and pricing are far more complex issues than most of us realize. He says that this planet is capable of feeding 9 billion people, but the real issue is whether there is political and economic will to do so, especially when self-interest seems more important than the well being of our neighbors.

This is a heavy read with tons of information, but the upshot is that we can’t take food for granted, regardless of where we live. Many countries are capable of doing more to make the food supply sustainable for everyone. The question haunting me now is will there be sufficient motivation?

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book bringing together the key strands of the global food system. Packed full of relevant facts, explanations and examples. The first book I've read on the topic, it seems to be relatively non-idealogical. The solutions proposed to the challenges at the end of the book are a little short on specifics but it probably couldn't be any other way....hard to solve global food crisis in a single chapter.

[Senake Atureliya · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book, well researched and written. It offers solutions and explains the complex interdependencies in the global food supply chain. Definitely worth a read.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an articulate, readable and accessible account of the issues with the current food system from a conventional viewpoint (alternatives are presented in the final chapter).

I was uncomfortable with the standpoint that modern farming techniques are superior to traditional or indigenous farming methods, a stance which is not nuanced until much later in the book. On p.184 Paul McMahon sympathetically recounts how Anuak farmers are being told "You do not use the land well. It is lying idle", yet throughout the book McMahon himself portrays poor African farmers as "unproductive". If a second edition is in the works, recognition of traditional knowledge is vital. A simple example in Australia would be mosaic burning, a bushfire management technique which is now sought out by government authorities.

I would also have liked to see mention of the problems associated with monocultures. Here's a current example (July 2022): almond orchards in my home state of Victoria are now in trouble because bee hives interstate are infected with varroa mite, meaning we can no longer import hives from thousands of kilometres away to pollinate our almond orchards. If we intercropped with rows of flowering plants instead of spraying everything except the almond trees, we could have our own bees living in the orchards year round, and biosecurity issues in other states would not affect us.

A few other ideas I would have liked to see get a mention: you can get more calories per acre from nut orchards than wheat (and it's less work and better for the soil); vertical farming can help cities grow more of their own food; and there are thousands of heritage seeds available to choose from which already provide the benefits genetic engineers are seeking (ie drought-proofing, disease resistance).

I love the way McMahon gets his (considerable) knowledge across, the opening is brilliant, and he gets bonus points for describing Allan Savory's methods in the final chapter. With more qualification of his portrayal of modern farming earlier in the book, plus a mention of a few more ideas, I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in how we will feed ourselves in the future.

NB: If there is a second edition, which I think is warranted, please fix the howler on page 20: "A dairy cow in 1900 could produce 2,000 litres of milk a day; now with enough feed, she can produce up to 10,000 litres". The poor cow. Obviously the proofreader was not a farmer 🙃

[Shidiq Thoha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Banyak problem pangan. Tapi McMahon(konsultan bisnis McKensey) menuturkan bbrp hal, ketimpangan pangan negara maju dan berkembang, peerubahan mode makan kelas menegah, pengalihan fungsi pangan ke ethanol,oligopoli pangan dan akses perbankan yang menyulitkan.
Argumen kedaulatan pangan vis a vis ketahanan pangan yg mendorong revolusi di beberapa negara.
Mc Mahon menutup : Tal ada waktu lagi untuk bertindak sia-sia, sistem pangan kita sudah terbukti gagal memenuhi kebutuhan dasar ratusan juta saat ini. Karena kata Soekarno, pangan adalah urusan hidup dan mati.
buku yang recomended.

[Cameron Ledingham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this, fascinating reading - especially about the link between food and energy (markets). Comprehensively mapped out the global food system, and its political and economic drivers. Also included future challenges and potential solutions. Sometimes slightly weakened with speculation, c’est la vie

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dense but mostly engaging read. You should be aware that this book is mostly economics with a bit of politics in there, there's very little about the environment. This isn't a problem, just something you should be aware of before reading. Very informative and interesting.

[mantareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

An impassioned, sobering but fiercely hopeful look at food security today. A substantial read.

[GM · Rating 2 out of 5]

provided insight in the supply side of the food industry which we often ignore and how it's affected by commodities trading etc.

writing was too academic

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feeding Frenzy
Paul McMahon (Author)
'Feeding Frenzy' is one of those books that makes you think about something we all take for granted, food. It looks at the political system that keeps food production at the level it is now, and how the system needs to be changed and adapted to cope with the ever-increasing population.

Paul McMahon has obviously put a lot of work and effort into this exhaustively researched book, which contains educational facts but still comes across in a way that anyone with a basic knowledge will understand. Although at the moment, the system is not perfect by any means, McMahon argues persuasivley across a number of factors, that if there was more cooperation between countries, governments and farmers, there would be enough to go around even if the eventual worldwide population (as has been predicted) grows to more than 9 billion.

This is a timely, excellently written book that seeks to address a number of serious issues. There would be much for any group to discuss contained within these pages.

[Shaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

As good as any non-fiction book I've read and far less doomy n gloomy than I was expecting. Opened my eyes in many ways on a topic I thought I had a good handle on. Well set out, well written, straightforward and convincingly reassuring account of a complex and concerning issue.

[Colin Ledlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Might seem like a dull topic but remained pretty interesting all the way through. Not just a list of problems but a sensible set of solutions proposed as well. Very balanced and generally plotting a sensible middle course between more extreme points of view. Can't really fault it in any way.

[Simon Bager · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well researched and with lots of good points. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in the global food security debate.

[Ruth Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rather scary. But very well written.