World-Wide Food Crisis 2009

In Central Texas, we are experiencing the worst drought since 1918. Another cold front just blew through without a trace of rain. Looking out my upstairs window at the bare tree branches convulsing in the witheringly dry wind, I had a brief and terrible vision of what the city might look like if the drought continued month after month, if the trees died.

California is suffering from severe drought (state of emergency just declared by Gov Schwarzenegger). North Carolina farmers debating whether or not the drought there will break in time to get crops started on time. Southern Australia burning up. I wondered what was happening in the rest of the world.

Found this article:

*****Catastrophic Fall in 2009 Global Food Production*****

According to this article, whose author has provided the sources listed below, many of the food producing regions of the world are suffering from severe drought, which means that food prices will probably increase significantly over the coming months. In some places, food will be hard to get at all.

I plan to go ahead with my spring garden in Lockhart, despite the dessicated land there. Will plant everything farther apart than usual, mulch heavily, and hope the La Nina weather pattern breaks up soon.

Sources for info on drought:

CHILE: Drought Raises Likelihood of Energy Rationing

Severe drought expected this time in Kerala, India

UN agencies provide food, supplies in drought-ravaged Burundi

Ethiopia said on Friday that 4.9 million of its people will need emergency food aid in the first six months of 2009 due to drought

Communities in northeast Kenya have struggled to survive without rain

foodstuff inventory data

possible 15% reduction in Europe's winter crop yield

Uruguay's intense, prolonged drought has limited summer crops, killed livestock, and scorched land

Greece forced to import water to drought stricken Aegean islands

Portugese water storage is still down from averages for the period 1990 to 2007

Prepare for possible worsening drought in Georgia-Carolina

South Africa scraps wheat import tax to ease shortage

Southern Africa: Maize Difference Yields

East Africa: Maize Difference Yield - Second Growing Season 21 January 2009

As of mid-January, cumulative rainfall across Tunisia’s growing region amounted to just about half its average level, the lowest in over five years