FAO predicts 2011 20% world food price inflation

The UK Guardian yesterday:

“The UN today warned that food prices could rise by 10%-20% next year after poor harvests and an expected rundown of global reserves. More than 70 African and Asian countries will be the worst hit, said the Food and Agricultural Organisation in its monthly report.

In its gloomiest forecast since the 2007/08 food crisis, which saw food riots in more than 25 countries and 100 million extra hungry people, the report's authors urged states to prepare for hardship.”

“…food riots in more than 25 countries and 100 million extra hungry people…”

That was 2007/8, how severe will 2011 (and beyond) be?
Check what a non-UN world food analyst says about wheat (the 20% wheat flour price increase I noticed locally)
‘"2011 will not be a good harvest. The condition of winter wheat crops is not good. Neither the US nor Russia are expecting good harvests," said Lester Brown, founder of the Washington-based Worldwatch Institute.’

Buy food and stockpile now, even if you have to use credit. Food won’t get any cheaper in the short or medium term. Stockpiling food and growing food (including raising livestock) are two of the best ways to increase food security.

We have been warned.

Even more food price increases

Three months ago, I paid $50 per 10kg bag of wheat flour. That same bag cost $60 today. An increase of 20%! Or a basic commodity that all Trinis use, regularly (if not daily).

Chicken prices are up at one of the biggest producers. An increase varying between 3-5%. Prepare for even more food inflation in the short and medium term.


On a positive note, I bought more food grade lidded buckets. So more food storage. The garden continues to produce fresh tasty healthy food, with enough to share in the bounty. Growing new soil is really fun, rewarding and satisfying.

Food prices rise yet again

Food prices are on the rise. Again. Remember the bad old days of 2007? They’re here again. In the last 4-6 weeks I’ve noticed a trend developing. Quietly – as is the custom – packages have shrunk in content, but the prices remain the same. Prices have increased, sometimes with attendant re-branding. Sometimes not.

Sugar, flour, tinned beans and peas, fruit juices, even chicken Vienna sausages. The increases have ranged between 10-33.3%.

Our family has started doing what we can to alleviate the strain these price increases will create. We are planting more food, while buying whatever we can in bulk. Planting food and sharing your garden’s bounty has a wonderful effect. There is instant gratification from being charitable, and there is sometimes a delayed gratification from receiving homegrown food from other gardeners. Talk about a win-win situation!



The Ministry of Food Production celebrates this year’s World Food Day, themed “United Against Hunger” with a Food Fest Exhibition at the University of the West Indies St Augustine campus tomorrow, Friday 12th November 2010.

The Ministry promises,
“visitors can check out Exhibitor Booths showcasing local agricultural produce, seafood and livestock, including local game (wild meat), get some shopping done at the Market Place, see live animals on display, sample tasty local delicacies such as wild meat, vegetable burgers, cassava granola and crayfish, and take a cinematic tour of our islands’ agricultural heritage.

There will also be tours of The UWI Zoology museum, diabetes testing, and free seeds and seedlings available.”

Sounds promising.

Smart to be prepared

Colonel Rodney Smart, acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) says what is obvious: “…it's better to have a well prepared citizenry that an under prepared one,". This blog has been beating that particular drum for years. In fact, preparedness is part of our raison d’etre.

AirgunsTT commends the ODPM and our national government on decisive action last Friday, with regard to warnings on Tropical Storm Tomas. Just look at the resultant damage to Barbados and St Vincent and the Grenadines. They received late warnings.

Food Gardening

"Humankind, despite its artistic abilities, sophistication and accomplishments, owes its existence to a six-inch layer of farmable soil—and the fact that it rains!"—Anonymous

For the past few months I have not been blogging much. The reason is simple. I have been learning new skills, and improving on old ones. Regular gardening has brought a new element of joy (and nutrients) into my life. I still shoot airguns, but less frequently.

With new activities comes an expanded vocabulary. I now toss around words and phrases such as biochar, open pollinated, organophosphates, community supported agriculture, locavore, food miles, terra preta, humus, beneficial soil organisms.

Growing more and more of the food my family eats has produced remarkable results. My children now love (homegrown) vegetables and would often eat tomatoes and corn right off the plant! But the taste. Incredible. I have been an enthusiastic supporter of the local farmers markets for years. My own homegrown fruit and veg has continuously outperformed the best of the farmers markets in the area of taste. All who’ve tasted have talked about the full flavoured taste of the garden’s produce.


I have started a new garden in tired, overworked, nutrient-depleted soil. This has given me the opportunity to learn how to ‘grow soil’. Utilising inputs such as seaweed, seawater, kitchen scraps, eggshells, spent coffee grounds, expired vitamin and mineral supplements among other things, I have actually created small quantities of the rich ‘black gold’. Twice. And now on my third set.

My family now consumes the bounty of this new garden, daily. I’ll try to post some pix in the coming weeks and months, as I share this journey of joy and learning.

The price of food is on the increase again, and I suspect our garden will play an increasingly more important role in our family’s health and wellness in the coming years.

Unique opportunity for T&T

The M1 is described as “rugged, reliable, accurate, and durable.”

The US government has forbidden the sale of 850,000 rifles to the US.

“The South Korean government, in an effort to raise money for its military, wants to sell nearly a million antique M1 rifles that were used by U.S. soldiers in the Korean War to gun collectors in America.”

This is a unique opportunity to increase national and private gun ownership at a very affordable price. These rifles usually retail for about US$400-500 each. At that quantity, the TTDF could conceivably bag them at US$200 each, or even less. That would be just over TT$1B. Less than the cost of 2 summits, with more immediate and tangible return on investment.

Most air rifles in Trinidad sell for 6x more (at the lower end of the market!).

The government can easily recover that money by reselling some to other Caribbean governments, with some set aside for sale to T&T citizens.

Even though they aren’t considered “sexy”, they are functional rifles that have proven their utility during the Korean War, and over time. The M1 is described as “rugged, reliable, accurate, and durable.”

The TT Cadet Force, TT Defence Force Reserves and others are all short of rifles. This is an excellent, inexpensive training rifle and a battle-proven tool.

With the right planning and contract negotiation, we could manufacture our own ammunition, as the M1 has an uncommon caliber (.30). A new industry can be born. New armourers and gunsmiths can be trained. The same Caribbean governments that buy the rifles can be tied in by contract to buy our ammo too.


If the government doesn’t want too much risk, then we can partner with other Caribbean nations through CARICOM and share the risk.

With more armed citizens, we should see a dramatic decrease in murders and other violent crimes. The Minister of Food Production has said he is looking at re-starting the praedial larceny squad. The squad cannot be everywhere, and therefore cannot protect all farmland. Armed farmers can dispatch vermin attacking their crops and livestock, and also protect themselves, their families and employees from violent criminals. Arming farmers can improve food security for the nation.

A word to the anti-gunners: Please, no knee-jerk reactions. No tired platitudes of these rifles “falling in to the wrong hands”. The “wrong hands” are already filled with all the guns and ammo they need. It’s the “right hands” that are empty and defenceless.

This is one time we can ask Israel for technical assistance in creating a new industry and arming citizens, as they have expertise in that area. Be prepared for them to turn us down though, as selling arms and ammunition is one of their biggest industries. We can also ask Venezuela, the US, or Brazil for technical assistance.

Some legislation may have to be enacted, but with a three-fifths majority in Parliament, the government should not have any problems in this area.

This should be seen for what it is: an opportunity for our nation to improve national security, increase employment, create a new industry, re-skill our citizens and increase national food security.

“An armed society is a polite society.” -Robert A. Heinlein.

Happy Independence T and T

Today, our country is 48 years old. Happy Independence to all.

The Patriots Cave: How To Rescue Your Family Using Time-Travel

The Patriots Cave: How To Rescue Your Family Using Time-Travel

Joel the K shares his ideas on preparedness.

Venezuela and Colombia achieve détente

On the brink of war a few short weeks ago, Venezuela and Colombia have managed a loosening of tensions. Both countries presidents met and signed agreements in Santa Marta, Colombia recently. A re-establishment of diplomatic relations was pre-eminent.

The newly elected Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and his Venezuelan counterpart President Hugo Chavez agreed to set up five committees to address debt, border, security, joint projects and joint infrastructure.

Just a few weeks ago, the word ‘war’ was used in cross-border fiery rhetorical exchanges between President Chavez and (then) Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.

Trinidad and Tobago should follow these events very closely as the relationship between the two South American countries impact us because of geography, economy, military and social issues.

If minor flooding has us pushing out (firing) the ODPM’s CEO and apportioning blame, then an influx of Colombians and Venezuelans (maybe even US, British and Canadians fleeing to safety) will overwhelm us and our resources.

Then there is the issue of TT/Venezuela hydrocarbon agreements.

New Police Commissioner

Police Commissioner-designate, Canadian Dwayne Douglas Gibbs.


Trinidad and Tobago has a new Police Commissioner-designate. He is Canadian Dwayne Douglas Gibbs, a retired Superintendent of Police of the Edmonton Police Service in Alberta, Canada. Gibbs’ appointment was approved by Parliament last Friday.

Another Canadian, Jack Ewatski will be appointed Deputy Commissioner of Police. Ewatski is a retired Chief of Police at the Winnipeg Police Service.

Could this be the break that airgunners are seeking? Will this new Police Commissioner bring a fresh set of eyes and -- more importantly – ears to the office? Will we be able to shoot larger bore, and rifled airguns before the end of his contract?


Would FULs be renewable every five years, as in Canada, instead of the annual ritual that it is presently? Would the FUL application refusal rate be reduced from the present 95% to the 0.15% as in Canada?