Agriculture and Nutrition

Abstract

MR. F. LE GBOS CLARK delivered on February 19 the first of a series of lectures arranged by the Harpenden Branch of the Association of Scientific Workers on “Agriculture and World Nutritional Needs”. Speaking on “The Problems of a Freedom from Want Economy”, he pointed out that in implementing the principles of the Atlantic Charter, the first need is the acceptance of standards of suitable nutrition applicable with slight modification to populations in all parts of the world. Such standards can easily be agreed upon and should be subject to regular adjustment as knowledge advances. When these standards are applied to existing populations, it appears that in the world as a whole food production has fallen far short of requirements. In a given population, changes in income-level invariably produce such changes in diet as indicate that the low nutritional-level of the major sections is more a function of economic conditions than of racial tradition or disposition. The exported food of the world as a whole shows a markedly erratic distribution: for example, the English-speaking countries and parts of Western Europe absorbed in times of peace almost the whole of the fruit and sugar which came on to the world markets. What is to be the policy of these favoured countries in a world governed by the principles of the Atlantic Charter ?