goes, “Who controls the food supply controls the people”. Now, whether or not Kissinger

「掌握糧食就掌握人民」無論季辛吉是否說過這句話

actually said that doesn’t take away from the fact that food, like water, can be a powerful

糧食和水源都是人民和政府有力的籌碼

bargaining tool for people and governments alike, despite being considered a human right

而糧食也是聯合國認定的人權之一

by the UN. So, just how powerful is food?

究竟糧食的影響力有多大？

The biggest agricultural exporters in the world are the EU and the US, which together

全球最大農產出口國是歐盟和美國

account for roughly 300 billion dollars a year. Each nearly doubles Brazil's exports,

兩者每年共有約3千億美元產值，出口量各是巴西的兩倍

and triples China’s. The EU’s high ranking, however, is almost entirely due to the Netherlands,

或中國的三倍，不過歐盟之所以名列前茅幾乎全靠荷蘭

who are the second largest food exporter in the world, after the US. Additionally, many

荷蘭是僅次美國的第二大糧食出口國

staple foods are overwhelmingly produced by a single country. For example, as much as

此外，許多主食由單一國家大量生產

40% of the world’s corn is grown in the United States, and just over a quarter of

例如，全球40%玉米產於美國

the world’s rice is grown in China. With only a few players controlling the world’s

超過1/4稻米由中國栽種，由於少數國家掌握全球糧食

food, they end up wielding a great deal of international power .

他們的國際影響力極大

In 1976, the US Secretary of Agriculture said, “Food is a weapon”, alluding to the use

1976年，美國農業部長說：「糧食即武器」

of food as in promoting US goals, and as a tool against difficult countries,  For example,

指的是美國用糧食以達成目的、打擊麻煩國家

in 2012 the US offered North Korea some much needed food aid in exchange for suspending

例如2012年，美國以提供糧食援助為籌碼，要求北韓停止發展核武

their nuclear program. Then, after North Korea attempted to launch a long range rocket later

並在該年北韓試射長程導彈後停止提供糧食

that year, the US rescinded their aid offer. However, attempts at food embargoes since

不過1960年代起，糧食禁運大都成效不彰

the 1960s have mostly fallen flat, as the global economy has made it possible to maintain

因為全球經濟確保了供給不斷

supply, and international pressure has criticized the ethics of restricting food. On the flip

而國際社會又撻伐禁運侵犯人權

side, Russia’s recent ban on food imports in response to EU sanctions has had a strong

換個角度來看，俄國最近以禁止進口回應歐盟的制裁

effect on food producers. In Germany, pig farmers, who alone supply a quarter of Russia’s

嚴重影響糧食生產者，由於俄國進口豬肉1/4來自德國

pork, are expected to lose out on 40,000 euros per farm this year.

德國豬農今年預期每戶將損失4萬歐元

The status and control of food on an international level cannot be understated. But using food

國際糧食情況與控制不容忽視

as a political tool has been met with mixed results, and restricting access to food has

但將糧食用作政治手段的結果不一

regularly been frowned on and legislated against.  So how powerful is food? Powerful, but not

而糧食限制歷來不受歡迎也遭立法禁止，究竟糧食的影響力有多大？

always for the right reasons.   

很大，但不見得用在好地方

Changing climates are threatening a number of important crops across the world, and chocolate

氣候變遷威脅全球許多重要作物，巧克力便是其一

is an interesting example. To learn more about how the industry is being threatened, check

想知道可可業受氣候影響多深，請看AJ+的影片

out this video from AJ+. Thanks for watching TestTube, please remember to subscribe!

感謝觀賞TestTube，別忘了訂閱