Local lessons from world travels

Food's Frontier:
The Next Green Revolution

Richard Manning's latest book is a fascinating look at alternative approaches to research in food production. He travels the globe reporting on an array of projects funded by the McKnight Foundation, but captivates us with his easy writing style and more than research details.

He spends the first chapter discussing the accomplishments of the first Green Revolution. Manning reports his interviews with leading scientists from around the world, which lead to a discussion of the problems that have arisen due to solutions espoused in the Green Revolution. He touches on several issues including chemical pollution, energy use and displaced populations.

Manning is not overly critical of the Green Revolution but he points out changes in the world that have occurred and the fact that we must look beyond the solutions proposed by the Green Revolution. We must begin to consider local knowledge and work more closely with indigenous peoples rather than merely presenting them with outside answers.

Manning reports on nine projects in Ethiopia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, India, China, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Peru, and places each project in context with its local situation. He also illustrates problems encountered by people working in underdeveloped countries. He shares tales of scientists working in nearly empty offices and laboratories, funding problems and ever-present threats if one does not embrace the correct political persuasion.

Manning devotes one chapter to a discussion of biotechnology and its role, especially as it relates to projects for less developed countries. He presents the best, most rational discussion of the pros and cons, applications and misapplications, of biotechnology that I have seen.

The final chapter summarizes what Manning has learned during his travels. Many of the problems encountered by people working on these projects could have been avoided had there been more communication in all directions—from researchers, funding agencies, government and local farmers.

Food's Frontier is not just a whack at the Green Revolution. Quite the contrary, this book looks at the present situation and tries to offer suggestions about how it could be improved. Manning writes, "If there was a key mistake of the Green Revolution, it was in simplifying a system that is by its very nature complex."

Manning has done a marvelous job explaining projects in their broader context. He is balanced and not afraid to offer his observations on what appears to be working, not working, and why. This is truly a remarkable book that should be read by anyone interested in the dynamics of the world's food security. — Mike Duffy, Associate Director