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In this issue

366 Drought in Sahelia by Reid A . Bryson Is the drought along the southern edge of the Sahara caused by air pollution in Europe and North America?

372 Does Africa need an ideology?

by Jimoh Omo-Fadaka Is socialism an appropriate political philosophy for Africa?

378 Acid rains in Scandinavia by Arild Holt-Jensen A Norwegian scientist argues that the increasing acidity of rainfall over Norway and Sweden is caused by industrial air pollution in North West Europe

384 Planning a wood by Penny Anderson How to design a habitat for wildlife

388 Hampshire's growth pains

389 Organic farming in New Zealand

389 US Highway Trust Fund to be used for public transport

363 Comment Hunterston: the rape of Scotland ?

390 Notebook 392 Friends of the earth 393 Down to earth 394 Books 398 Letters 396 Coming events 400 Classified advertisements

Note: While every care is taken with manuscripts submitted for publication, the Editors cannot guarantee to return to their authors those not accepted. Articles published in the "Ecologist" do not necessarily express the views of the Editors. Publisher: Edward Goldsmith; Editors: Peter Bunyard, Edward Goldsmith; Managing Editor: Michael Allaby; Associate Editors: John Day oil, Jimoh Omo-Fadaka, Gerald Foley, Lawrence D. Hills, Brian Johnson, Jean Liedloff, Andrew MacKillop, John Papworth, Graham Searle, Robert Waller, Richard Wiflson. All communications should be sent to The Editors, Ecologist, 73 Molesworth Street , Wadebridge, Cornwall PL27 7DS . Telephone Wadebridge 2996/7. All advertising enquiries to Interpress, 19 Anne Boleyn's Walk, Cheam, Surrey. Tel. 01-642 5826.

Published by Ecosystems Ltd., registered office 73, Molesworth Street, Wadebridge, Cornwall, PL27 7DS and distributed by the Hachette Group, Continental Publishers and Distributors Ltd., 164 Duke's Road, London W3 ; Telephone: 01-993 0744; Telegrams: Alibrairi London W1; Telex 25114. Subscriptions to : The Ecologist, 73, Molesworth Street Wadebridge, Cornwall PL27 7DS. Printed by The Garden City Press Ltd., Pixmore Avenue, Letchworth, Hertfordshire SG6 US .

© Ecologist, October 1973

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362

World grain continued from page 361

Every year it is estimated that American tractors alone consume about 8 billion gallons of fuel, whose energy value alone is equal to that of the food crops consumed in the US ("Farming with Petroleum", Michael J. Perelman, Environment, October 1972).

American farmers, in addition, consume about 2.5 per cent of all electricity used in the US, the equivalent of 350 trillion BTU's of fuel. I t has been estimated that more than 10 million BTU's of energy are used for each acre of land cultivated in the US (Perelman). In fact, about five times more energy is used by farmers than is consumed in food, and this does not take into account the energy required to produce the farm ^equipment, nor that used to store and distribute the food.

Consider that about 7 per cent of the total US rubber production, and about one third as much steel as goes into the automobile industry, are used to make products bought by farmers.

In 1969 US farms consumed about 7.5 million tons of nitrogen fertiliser, requiring for its production the equivalent of about 1.5 billion gallons of petroleum, and, it must be remembered, nitrogen fertiliser makes up only one fifth of total commercial fertiliser consumption.

As Perelman points out, Chinese wet rice agriculture can produce 53.5 per cent BTU of energy for each BTU of human energy expended. A Chinese farmer gets back 50 times his energy input, the American farmer barely a fifth. On this basis, Chinese wet rice agriculture is 250 times more efficient than US agriculture, 250 times cheaper in terms of ever more costly inputs (without taking into account those going into production of agricultural equipment).

America cannot afford her agriculture. The world cannot afford to provide her with the unbelievable quantities of the various inputs it requires, at an economic price (that is why prices are rising so dramatically). On the other hand, the world cannot afford to be without American wheat, feed grains, and vegetable oils.

This leaves us with a nice little dilemma to tax the ingenuity of our enlightened politicians and their august experts!

Edward Goldsmith