“The Coming Food Crisis” by John Klar
The Coming Food Crisis by John Klar is one of those rare books that manages to be both a warning and a call to action. Rather than treating food as merely another economic commodity, Klar reminds readers that food security is the foundation upon which every civilisation ultimately rests. When food systems become fragile, societies become fragile.
Klar writes from the perspective of a farmer rather than a bureaucrat. This gives the book a practical grounding often missing from discussions of agriculture. He argues that family farms are disappearing under pressure from corporate consolidation, regulatory burdens, globalised supply chains, and ideological campaigns that frequently ignore the realities of food production. Whether one agrees with all of his conclusions or not, he raises questions that deserve serious consideration.
One of the book's strengths is its focus on resilience. The modern supermarket creates an illusion of abundance. Shelves are full, choices are endless, and food appears magically available. Yet behind that abundance lie complex international supply chains vulnerable to economic shocks, geopolitical conflict, fuel shortages, disease outbreaks, and natural disasters. Klar asks readers to think beyond the supermarket shelf and consider where food actually comes from and how easily those systems could be disrupted.
For Australian readers, the themes resonate strongly. Australia has experienced rising food prices, increasing farm consolidation, water disputes, labour shortages, and growing dependence on global markets. The COVID years demonstrated how quickly supply chains can become strained. Recent geopolitical tensions and concerns over fertiliser, fuel, and shipping routes only reinforce the relevance of Klar's concerns.
Yet the book is not simply doom and gloom. Klar advocates rebuilding local food systems, supporting independent farmers, improving soil health, and encouraging communities to regain some measure of food self-reliance. The message is not that collapse is inevitable, but that resilience requires conscious effort.
Perhaps the most valuable aspect of The Coming Food Crisis is that it encourages readers to think strategically about a subject often taken for granted. Most people spend more time thinking about the latest political controversy than about the systems that put food on their table. Klar reminds us that agriculture is not just another industry. It is the industry upon which all others depend.
Whether the future brings a genuine food crisis or merely continuing pressures on affordability and supply, Klar's central lesson remains sound: societies that neglect their farmers eventually discover how important they were all along. For that reason alone, The Coming Food Crisis deserves a wide readership among anyone concerned with the future of food, rural communities, and national resilience, and the importance of farmers.
https://www.amazon.com.au/Coming-Food-Crisis-Corporations-Activists/dp/1631441027
