An extremely important and well-done book, produced by one of the few people in the world with the global and interdisciplinary professional breadth to write it.
Dennis T. Avery, Center for Global Food Issues, Hudson Institute
Rich in facts, balanced in its analysis, and well-written, Smil's book is a welcome relief from the doomsday literature that has dominated the field forfar too long.
Gerhard K. Heilig, Senior Research Scholar, International Institute forApplied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Austria
This work is based on the best available empirical evidence, and it presents, in my opinion, a balanced and science-based assessment of the future world food and environment situation. The topic addressed is extremely important for current and future generations. Much of the existing literature is ideologically biased. This book is not.
Per Pinstrup-Andersen, Director General, International Food Policy Research Institute
Smil has written a remarkably broad and thorough book. Its extensive factual analysis is enlivened by evaluative opinions. While not everyone will agree with all his arguments, all will find the exposition highly informative, valuable, and challenging.
Norman Uphoff, Director, Cornell International Institute for Food, Agriculture and Development
Once again Vaclav Smil's assiduous smithing of numbers and interpretation of results profoundly inform us as we deliberate on how to buy time in a hungry world.
Wes Jackson, The Land Institute
