A Quarter of Wheat for One Penny and Three-quarters of Barley for a Penny: The Sky-Rocketing Food and Oil Price Rises Part One

Barley Fields in Canada's Prairies: Alberta

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By Louis Egbe Mbua

Part of what we have today in food and oil problems appears to have been envisioned about 2000 years ago. Biblical narratives estimated that to pay one penny for a quarter litre of wheat was an almost impossibility for the people to afford at that ancient of times. Whether they experienced such a dramatic price rise is not known. However, there have been recorded through out human civilisation and existence, periods of unsurpassed famine; and the subsequent mass starvation and expiration of hungry souls that followed.

On the other hand, these tragedies were not caused by man in practice; but by natural intervention: if the rains fail, there is almost certainly nothing man can do to water the the entire earth. Now, in this day and age, man has reached a stage of civilisation whereby, it would seem human problems such as search for sufficient food and energy that suffices the entire world, has become an extremely challenging task: because this time around natural calamities alone are not at play; but a combination of man's actions or inaction and the raging voice of nature.

Many have put forth reasons as to the cause of the massive increases in food and crude oil prices -- to the tune of at least 40 percent in combined average within last two years; and the subsequent cause of fuel and food riots around the world. In the UK, for instance, this is leading to stagflation and the threat of economic recession with house prices collapsing as people are financially immobilised by the credit crunch: partly due to unaffordable mortgages. Added to this high fuel and food prices, the bell of danger begins to toll.

Some have blamed, high crude oil prices for, well, high food prices; while others are settling scores with the ethanol industry for using corn and other food crops to create fuel thus driving up the price of staple food, especially grain and oil seeds, the world over. There may as well be good reasons to advance theories to explain apparently inexplicable phenomena; another matter to make a well thought out exposition to extract information from our own world. The first three parts of this four part writing will examine the human side of events that are thought to have caused the shortage and scarcity of food and oil for energy; and their consequent sky-rocketing prices; while the the third and fourth parts will examine the interventionist entities of the roaring nature that act either independently or as a reaction to the hostile or peaceful activities of man onto nature and earth.

Human beings, by nature, are hardly satisfied with what Providence has ushered for the day. In many countries of the world today, especially, the developed countries, there are reports of the rise in obesity. One has thought about this condition carefully; and safely arrived at the unfortunate hypothesis that its origins may lie in either overfeeding the children when they are young or when adults themselves, they decide to indulge in too much food; not as a result of hunger but on the simple reason that they have been conditioned to eat as long as they see food. Therefore, food that could be released into the world market to obviate scarcity of grain and other food crops is wastefully consumed causing grain and food prices to rise.

Furthermore, food that cannot be consumed are thrown away in their tons: bread, sausage, potato, pizza and cheese etc. This irresponsible action, if practised for long periods, is enough to add at least a penny on the price of food as a result of scarcity. The solution is not rationing; as people have the choice to do what they wish with their money. On the other hand, children should be educated at a young age to eat responsibly not only for reasons relating to subsequent food prices; but for the health of the population.

The vicious cycle is that the bigger one becomes the more food one has to consume to maintain that size. In addition, the inexplicable notion of "shop till you drop" or shopaholic may deceptively sound as good fun or even fashionable in the areas of fashion -- clothes, shoes, perfumes --but one believes it disingenuous to do the same for food. Why buy so much that one throws about one third away? Or eat so much so that one jeopardises their health while others have nothing to buy?