Synergistic Cooperation In The Food System

Meeting basic food needs involves using photosynthesis to harvest solar energy over extensive areas. This work-intensive process can consume the majority of human productive capacity - leaving only small amounts of this capacity to provide other features to which most societies aspire. There are systems of technology which can make food production more efficient in terms of human productive inputs. Because these technologies have high requirements for capital, energy and information they must be "grown" in place. This growing process is made more efficient by synergistic cooperation among many farm input, on-farm and post-farm sectors. Much of this growth and efficiency increase can be financed by having stable and rewarding prices for farm and food products. However, the information developments essential to this growth (food system research and extension) require special attention to their financing and organization.