Look Who it Was Random video

Christopher Barrett, Mark Cane, Upmanu Lall: Food Security

558 views · Published 12 December 2013 · 58:04 · Indexed 10 October 2026

Channel: Joe Friendly · 2013 · News & Politics

Watch on YouTube

Christopher B. Barrett about latest book, Food Security and Sociopolitical Stability with comments by 2 contributors of chapters, Mark A. Cane and Upmanu Lall, as the beginning of an Earth Institute seminar at Columbia University December 2, 2013.  before the Q and A.  Video of the entire event is at http://youtu.be/fe6wCP4QAzA
video by Joe Friendly. 

Chris Barrett teaches and conducts research in the areas of international development, environmental and resource economics, international trade, markets and price analysis, agricultural production and distribution, and applied econometrics. 

There are three basic, interrelated thrusts to Professor Barrett's research program. The first concerns poverty, hunger, food security, economic policy, and the structural transformation of low-income societies. The second considers issues of individual and market behavior under risk and uncertainty. The third revolves around the interrelationship between poverty, food security, and environmental stress in developing areas.

 Christopher B. Barrett is the Stephen B. and Janice G. Ashley Professor of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University; Mark A. Cane, is Columbia University Unger Vetlesen Professor of Earth and Climate Sciences and Professor of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics; Director, M.A. Program in Climate and Society, The Earth Institute, Columbia University; Upmanu Lall is Director, Columbia Water Center; Senior Research Scientist, International Research Institute for Climate and Society, The Earth Institute, Columbia University, Alan and Carol Silberstein Professor, Earth and Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Engineering Mechanics, Columbia University.

The Earth Institute presents the second in the 2013-2014 Sustainable Development Seminar Series:  Food Security and Sociopolitical Stability: 

Earth Institute: "Global food price spikes in 2008 and again in 2011 coincided with a surge of political unrest in low- and middle-income countries. Angry consumers took to the streets in scores of nations. In some places, food riots turned violent, pressuring governments and in a few cases contributed to their overthrow. Foreign investors sparked a new global land rush, adding a different set of pressures. With scientists cautioning that the world has entered a new era of steadily rising food prices, perhaps aggravated by climate change, the specter of widespread food insecurity and sociopolitical instability weighs on policymakers worldwide. In the past few years, governments and philanthropic foundations began redoubling efforts to resuscitate agricultural research and technology transfer, as well as to accelerate the modernization of food value chains to deliver high quality food inexpensively, faster, and in greater volumes to urban consumers. But will these efforts suffice? "

More from this channel