agriculture during the economic depression of the 1930s. Some measures were
designed to raise the price of foodstuffs to a level remunerative to the producer by
limiting the amounts marketed. He considered that while it was desirable to make
agriculture prosperous, it was equally desirable to ensure that the food supply of
a nation was sufficient for health and available at a price within the reach of the
poorest. He felt that the necessity for reconciling the interests of agriculture and
public health raised questions of the utmost importance on government measures
affecting the food supply.
quickly, adult stature was greater and general health and physique improved. He
concluded that the results, if accepted, raised important economic and political
questions. One problem was that they were not all within the sphere of any single
department of government, or, by extension, any single agency. This was what was
called the `new knowledge of nutrition', which showed that there could be signi-
ficant improvement in the health and physique of a nation, coming at the same
time when the power of producing food increased markedly, created an entirely
new situation, which demanded `economic statesmanship'. The prominence given
to this new social problem at the Assembly of the League of Nations showed, in
his opinion, that it was occupying the attention of all civilized countries.
between nutrition, health and agriculture with industry and trade. These interre-
lationships are set out in some detail here not only because it shows the thinking
of the time but also, more importantly, because they explain why the dimensions
of the WFB proposal were cast so wide. First, the relationship between nutrition,
health and agriculture, which the League of Nations had earlier examined. FAO's
first world food survey of 1946 estimated that 1 billion people consumed less than
2250 calories a day. (By contrast, average intake per person in the United Kingdom
was 2750 calories even with acute food shortages.) But calorie intake did not tell
the full story. A diet sufficient for health should contain animal products, fruit and
vegetables. These supplied calories at much higher cost but were rich in constitu-
ents necessary for health. Food consumption depended on purchasing power. As
family income rose, the consumption of more expensive foods increased. And
food consumption directly correlated with health. As diet deteriorated in quality,
health and physical ability declined and length of life decreased. Although these
facts had been stated at length many times in the past, it was considered necessary
to repeat them again as they were fundamental to the long-term problems of food
and agriculture.
the world's population because for a number of countries statistics were absent
or unreliable. It was known, however, that even in the wealthiest countries in
pre-war days between 20 and 30 per cent of the population did not have enough