Pub. 8 2018 Issue 3

20 AT THE CENTER OF UTAH INDUSTRY T homas Malthus published an anonymous es- say in 1798, when he was a 32-year-old British economist. His rather grim work was called “An Essay on the Principle of Population,” and in it he presented the case that although the human popula- tion increases geometrically (1, 2, 4, 16…), the food supply increases arithmetically (1, 2, 3, 4...). Starting from the fact that food is necessary to survival, Malthus determined that eventually there wouldn’t be enough food to go around, and some people were going to starve. He thought even world- wide starvation was possible. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of July 1, 2011, world population is estimated to be 6.94 billion. Current projections show a continued increase in population numbers. By 2050, the world’s population will be hovering around nine billion. Providing food for so many is a demanding task that involves many significant issues and challenges. Even today, too many people are hungry and in some parts of the world are starving. Unfortunately, there is not just one easy answer. The U.N. has said the expected global food crisis will be a “silent tsunami.” Many people are unsure whether local and global commodity markets are up to the task of feeding the 6.6 billion people we currently have, never mind the 2.7 billion who may be alive in 2050. Many people world-wide are increasing their concern and attention, and they are looking aggressively for solutions. POTASH: THE FUEL FOR FOOD THE GHOST OF THOMAS MALTHUS