So far, the Club of Rome is a quaint anachronism, rather like platform shoes. With the prospect of a lot of new oil coming from the former Soviet Union, especially the Caspian, we have no clear idea when the era of cheap oil will be over. If, for example, oil consumption is partially undercut by the development of hydrogen fuel, the point may be moot anyway, and oil may be reserved for specialized uses.
Yes, subsidies distort the picture, but mainly by keeping marginal farms going. All that would happen would be that efficiency would come to be more important to keep farmland productive, and as far as I know that means further mechanization.
I am sure that resistances will periodically be found among pests. I am sure that having a range of potential solutions will be beneficial. I am not sure that it bears on the main idea you are putting forward.
I am sure that biotechnology will be promising. I am all in favor of introducing new methods, once assured of their safety, that may enhance soil productivity or the killing of weeds and pests. I do not quite see how it bears on the question of overall mechanization, unless you expect to genetically engineer grain to thresh itself and store itself in silos........ |
