Uncertain Harvest: The Future of Food on a Warming Planet

by Ian Mosby, Sarah Rotz, Evan D.G. Fraser

A menu for an edible future

In a world expected to reach a staggering population of 9 billion by 2050, and with global temperatures rising fast, humanity must fundamentally change the way it grows and consumes food. But can we produce enough food to feed ourselves sustainably for an uncertain future? How will agriculture adapt to a climate change? How will climate change determine what we eat? Will we really be eating bugs?

Uncertain Harvest questions scientists, chefs, activists, entrepreneurs, farmers, philosophers, and engineers working on the global future of food on how to make a more equitable, safe, sustainable, and plentiful food future. Examining cutting-edge research on the science, culture, and economics of food, the authors present a roadmap for a global food policy, while examining eight foods that could save algae, caribou, kale, millet, tuna, crickets, milk, and rice.

Genres: Food, Science, Nonfiction, Environment, Audiobook, Earth, Agriculture

258 pages, Paperback

Published May 9, 2020

Reviews

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well researched book by three Canadian scholars on 8 foods that could be instrumental in feeding the planet as our population continues to grow and our climate continues to change. It discusses foods that are important for one reason or another like millet, kale, crickets and caribou. I appreciated the inclusion of caribou because of how important it is to indigenous people, instead of only focusing on what middle class Americans eat. The news is pretty bleak and sobering here, though that is realistic. It's a very scholarly book, certainly not light reading, but an important topic.

I read a digital ARC of this book via Net Galley.

[Krystelle (based on the novel by Stephen King) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating and comprehensive insight into global food chains and the necessity of ensuring that food supplies are secure in the future of a constantly expanding world. This book covered a lot of angles, and it made me very damn happy to be a vegan when I read the segment on the sushi shop analysis. With that being said, it doesn't come as a shock that such issues would arise- when there are so many people to feed and so little done about equitable access, of course there will be misdirection.

I appreciated the fact that this book doesn't give a one-size-fits-all solution to the issues that we have in the world regarding food. The first chapter examining Indigenous food access was particularly notable and draws attention to something that First Nations Peoples have been saying since time immemorial. There's a lot to be learned from Indigenous peoples and their management of food, both in terms of sustainability and access, and this book lays that out really well.

The chapter on beef brings up the salient point that maybe vegetarian eating doesn't have to be to directly replace meat, but instead to ensure that vegetables have their time in the limelight. There's a lot more focus on making veg more prominent in dishes now which is really admirable, and I can only hope that continues on.

This book is really fascinating and very much well worth the read, especially if you have any interest in sustainability and learning exactly where your food comes from. The segment on fish substitution is especially important, and may indeed put you off seafood (and other meats) for life. A really interesting look at an issue that impacts all of us.

[Melissa S · Rating 4 out of 5]

This definitely isn't a light read, and if it hadn't been for Read Harder, I probably wouldn't have been brave enough to tackle it. But it's really important, and has a Canadian focus that I appreciated. The value of the book is in its collaborative format - these three authors with different backgrounds and interests acknowledge the complexity and nuances in the most polarizing of issues in the food industry (GMOs, anyone?), but also strive to find common ground while delving into some of the most pressing challenges relating to the future of the world's food systems and the effect of climate change on our ability to feed everyone while protecting the planet from further harm.

The simplicity of the chapter headings is misleading, though, which threw me for the first little bit.

[Jacquelyne Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a great blend of interdisciplinary knowledge and effort that it is going to take for the world to prevail against the climate crisis. I found it terrifying to learn that the First People and Indigenous tribes in Canada are already experiencing the brutal changes to our climate, but it is important information; a group of people I feel are often forgotten when we talk about food security.
The book ended in a more optimistic note than other climate books which is nice, I am certainly going to read more from all three authors!

[Erika Nerdypants · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good book! I loved the focus on Canada's agricultural practices, so often in research, we get lumped in with our neighbours to the south, so this was especially refreshing.

[Alex Mulligan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book “tells it like it is.” Often, food based books border on science fiction and or either gloss over the social consequences of food innovation or downplay their seriousness. Uncertain Harvest confronts those challenges head on (e.g. eco-colonialism) and instead of downplaying or dismissing them treats them as essential pieces of the puzzle we must address. I appreciated the systems level approach to analyzing the future of food, including price, policy, and indigenous land rights.

Perhaps the most valuable part of the book is that it does not attempt to predict the future, or make sweeping predictions. The book left me rather... “Uncertain”. Some readers may not like the absence of a tidy conclusion, but the fact of the matter is, there is no one solution to the future of feeding our planet. As the authors pointed out, you should be critical of one size fits all approaches, or “simple” answers through tech.

What should we do? Respect indigenous autonomy, assess the political and policy decisions affecting farms, and look to already existing solutions or simpler technologies to address our food issues. This is a valuable contribution to food and agriculture and a must read for anyone interested in food, policy, agriculture, and world events.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be a very fascinating look into global food systems. Some areas were explored more in depth than others, but the authors considered large- and small-scale farming, ranching, and fishing, as well as food distribution in the context of sustainability (in the sense that they can continue at current rates and with current returns), viability for those involved, and the implications for consumers and the environment.

The authors are transparent in their unique perspectives, which adds to the credibility of the book. They are up front about ideological differences that represent different ends of spectra regarding GMOs and other issues. The differing perspectives allowed, maybe forced, a more complete and considered look at pros/cons and realistic solutions. They consider historical advances and failed predictions as well as viability of current practices and predictions. Ultimately, it was a convincing look at multi-faceted dimensions of food systems to conclude that much of the solution lies in policy. Which doesn't make me hopeful. But I do, at least, feel more informed.

I look forward to hearing how those who are more involved in and aware of the details of these issues (I'm a relative neophyte here) to weigh in on the considerations here.

[Patrick Pilz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The future of food effects us all. It seems that every spring, a new stellar book arrives on the scene which presents us with different stories about the aspects of the changing ways on growing foods. In 2018, Paul Shapiro expanded on the new ways of growing animal based products in his 'Clean Meat', followed in 2019 by Amanda Littles 'Fate of Food',

This year, a group of scholars of different disciplines and at the heart of Canadian Food Science got together to tell us their stories. In 7 different chapters, they mostly travel domestically and explain impact of climate change an possible ways out. These typically include changes in policy, technology or consumer behavior.

Certainly an interesting read, especially for the participants of the Canadian food supply chain, future food scientists and others concerned about our food supply chain, especially in the current changing times.

[Lisa Konet · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I am categorizing as climatology and the sixth extinction is already happening under our noses. This book interviews all the experts in food as well as scientists how food sources will change dramatically due to warming temperatures. Will certain types of fruits and vegetables still be around in 50 years or will we be forced to eat canned or processed foods? Will the honeybee still be alive as it is responsible for many of the fruits and vegetables and household items we use? This book covers a lot of ground and has some very sobering truths that the world shouldn't be blind to.

This book was well written and researched and I am looking forward to purchasing a copy when it is available. I will also be recommending it to many other people and my family to read. Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 5/9/20

[Susan Swift · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a master gardener. More than that, I have worked in issues of food policy and in nonprofit organizations focused on food resilience for decades. This is the most comprehensive book I have seen on the subject. Not only that, it is well-written, witty, and full of data without being too academic, patronizing or prescriptive. Among the many subjects it tackles are: Indigenous food sovereignty, fisheries, economics and equity, The Green Revolution, population, and technological innovations. Chapters are organized by food (kale, tuna, crickets, millet, caribou, etc.) but branch off on tangents like a good novel. Because the authors do not hold unanimous views, the book lays out different perspectives and the research behind them. I hope that Raj Patel and Frances Moore Lappe get wind of this book, it can change lives and hopefully our future - for the better.

[Piyush Shah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book. that answers several fundamental questions about how we are going to feed so many people 10 billion by 2050. The authors combine a journalistic, 1st person point of view with well researched facts as well as historical context. The opening of the book and the focus on algae as well as historical predictions (like Churchills synthetic meats) - sets the context.

It becomes clear that there are many, many creative solutions that have been tried and that are being tried to address food requirements and the problem is multi-faceted.

Not many books provide such a wide and deep context of the problem, while at the same time not being boring. The personal anecdotes combined with historical references make the book come alive.

[Wpn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book extremely informative and well researched. Opened my eyes to an indepth discussion on securing the food supply in our ever expanding world (and its fate around climate change). Feels realistic and i thought it lended itself well to anyone merely curious on the subject and to those looking to research it furthur. It answers some of the critical questions that our society needs to prioritize and does an excellent job of communicating the research. Recommended it to numerous friends and would purchase it as paperback.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was interesting, informative, mind expanding, depressing, exciting-- excellent book. Very well researched, it says 280 pages but about 100 pages of that is notes. If you're interested in food or the earth or the future this is a must read. I enjoyed the way it was written with the three food scientists blending together. I hope they write more books together. Also amazing how they managed to have me not feel completely hopeless after reading!

[Jwf · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book! It really resonated with me, I am an ex-dairy farmer who left the industry because I was not willing to assume the debt load needed to expand to a herd size that is currently viable. I am surrounded by large, modern farms, whose owners have an endless appetite for cheap credit and red ink. The farm debt crisis of the early 1980's seems to be totally forgotten.

[Laura Wheeler · Rating 2 out of 5]

DID NOT FINISH (rare) ... made it about a quarter ways through I think?
Libro.fm ALC for teachers
Found the narrator robotic or "commercial" sounding?
Denser & more academic treatment than I had hoped. Was wanting something that sounded a bit more "for the general public" maybe more like a podcast in tone?
Decided it to DNF it for now & I can always return to it later if I'd like.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

They cover various problems in regards to the future of food which I found very interesting.

This quote is especially interesting:

"For too long, southerners and settlers have tried to tell Indigenous Peoples how to live; it's now time that southerners and settlers actually start to listen to Indigenous Peoples about how best to face the threat of global climate change."

[Julia Veitinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enlightening dense read.

[Megs McCrary · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75 ⭐️

[Nina Zhao · Rating 4 out of 5]

read this for class and i thought it was pretty cool! i really liked how many different perspectives they offered, and it taught me a lot about global food systems

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to LibroFM's Educator ALC program for a review copy of Uncertain Harvest. Frankly, this book was anxiety-inducing. It is about the very uncertain future faced by our global food production systems. With human populations growing and the climate quickly changing in ways unfavorable to our ecosystems, how much longer can we sustain our current dietary needs and preferences? Possible solutions are discussed, but it's still a lot to "digest". It's definitely a wake-up call to make some big changes in our diets and lifestyles.

[Paulina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing read, I learned something new every chapter and it was an entertaining read, very well done and would recommend to everyone

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

My takeaway notes:

1. Monocultures: "The vast industrial monocultures that define modern food production, as they stand right now, are not sustainable in the long term for both farmers and the planet." (p. 174)

2. Political and economic policy-making: "Few of the most pressing problems facing humanity require a technological 'moonshot' in order to be solved… nearly all of these problems could best be tackled, in the immediate term, at the level of political and economic policy making." (p. 175)

3. Indigenous sovereignty: "[Indigenous peoples are experiencing climate change most acutely and] have already survived generations of profound food insecurity and devastating political violence at the hands of settler-colonial states such as Canada and the US, so it's clear that the only viable step going forward to protect the wild foods they continue to depend on is real and meaningful sovereignty over their Traditional Territories." (p. 176)

4. Appropriate technology: "It's also clear that respecting the food sovereignty of subsistence farmers in the Global South means that we should stop looking for the One Big Technological Fix such as GM seeds and instead look to the smaller, cheaper, and more appropriate technologies that will improve the livelihoods of these farmers on their own terms." (p. 176)

5. Proteins: "Some of the most pressing problems we're facing could be solved using existing technologies… the problem is fundamentally both a cultural and economic one. A start would be to include, or internalize, all of the environmental costs of meat production in the cost of meat itself." (p. 177)

6. Transparent food systems/food fraud: "The policies and tools we need to ensure sustainable fisheries going forward are simply not being implemented. Instead, we're leaving it up to consumers and private organizations to seek more sustainable products, guided by programs like MSC certification." (p. 177)

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, covid-19 has added some kinks to this story, hasn't it? I remember many all the horror stories we were told as children, that people would be starving and dying due to food shortages due to any number of factors, yet here we are, mostly all hail and hearty. Somehow I think we will manage to find a way to feed everyone, but seriously, the population of the planet has to be gotten under control! It's an interesting read and very insightful.
I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.