It's too early to say how many. But it's certain that the current drought in Australia will lead to a number farmers taking their own lives. In the Financial Times today is coverage of the Australian drought and its impact on farmers. From that report comes this augury:

“I think it will push people over the edge,” says Mr Donald. “The hedges have used up a lot of equity and a lot of people are faced with very difficult decisions.”

John Macdonald, professor of primary healthcare at the University of Western Sydney, says the drought has raised the risk of suicide among Australia’s farmers to a point where they should be classified alongside high-risk groups such as the country’s Aborigines and those who have been incarcerated. “There is no doubt that the severe economic stress that many farmers face because of the drought puts them at much greater risk of suicide,” he said. ... read more »

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Posted on 31 October, 2007 - 16:44

The good people at Food News sent me a snippet this morning that'll come in handy on my last day here in Australia. It's a piece from the Murdoch-owned Australian, that nicely sums up the pinch that we're going to be feeling in our pockets in the future... ... read more »

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Posted on 18 September, 2007 - 21:32

I'm here at the Brisbane Writer's Festival, buoyed by a good review in the Guardian, and by some great audience response here at the Festival. Seems only fair to give something back. ... read more »

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Posted on 15 September, 2007 - 07:19

Global Trade Watch is an Australian grassroots group campaigning for democratic, environmentally sustainable and fair trading systems. Visit their homepage here. They've also got a killer list of local markets and ideas here.

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Posted on 29 June, 2007 - 23:21

A link that's going to get more and more coverage here at Stuffed and Starved is that between climate change and the world food system. The best resource for anyone interested in finding out how the way we eat is hostage to fossil fuels, is this article by Richard Manning over at Harpers. "Every calorie we eat is backed up by at least a calorie of oil, more like ten."
What doesn't come out so clearly from his essay, or his book is the vast human cost of our dependence on fossil fuels for food. ... read more »

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Posted on 3 February, 2007 - 00:44