The Fu-ture-ture-ture

The Now:
For the dreams of tomorrow to come true I must first realise the dreams of today. A year ago I was made redundant from my job and in spite of the economic recession I decided to start my own business and follow my own dreams. The last 12 months have been hard, little money, long hours and plenty of hardship. Life doesn't go easy on you just because you are doing something difficult. In that time I gained a son and lost a father in-law and faced many challenges along the way.

2010-2020:
For me a major goal of the business is to reach people. Within my various ventures I plan to value people and build them up positively. With clients and customers I see lasting relationships and friendships growing over time. Globally I plan to donate to causes through donations and spend personal time to make this world a better place for today and tomorrow. So were does this lead me? Ten years from now I am a successful business entrepreneur and philanthropist. I spend my days working on projects that help humanity.

The Call:
If Alchemy were to call. Travel from New Zealand to Tokyo would take 14 hours (as current air-travel allows), enough time to prep an initial action plan in flight. This time will most resolve around a conference call over satellite phone. On landing I would be meeting with the team to determine priority on tasks, assignment of portfolio and begin working on the initial plan of action. I imagine I have a portfolio for managing people, motivating teams in the field and making sure that everyone is performing their job to the best of there ability. This would involve fostering the necessary culture to success, e.g. teamwork, holistic thinking, innovative thinking, plus hard-work and reward (not necessary money).

The Plan
Food sources can be difficult to replace quickly, especially if there has been long term damage suitable growing areas. Unfortunately Tokyo's initial outlay would most likely be to buy food stuffs on the international market while the solution is being implemented. This probably will be expensive, but Tokyo may be able to seek it as aid through diplomatic relations or the UN. At the same time an analyse will been complete of where the food supply has failed.

If there is adequate land then it may simply be a seed and plant operation, initial priority on short term crops that grow well in the area and then the planting of long term crops. It's more likely however the food crisis has arisen out of other factors, pollution, urbanisation and industrialisation could be factors.
Environmental pollution would require a lengthy and expensive clean up operation, it would take real innovation here in chemistry and earth science.
Urbanisation could be tricky with it being difficult to relocate and redesign entire suburbs at a time, with factors of land acquisition and population resentment towards the government, this option would be last resort but long term may be necessary.
Industrial space, such as warehouses could be quickly converted into green-house or hydroponic growing rooms. Open parks and green space could be converted short term into growing areas. However it would be important to preserve historical and heritage areas at all costs, including national parks, temples and woodlands.

All this comes at a cost. It will be important for the use media to instil national pride and put emphasis on the importance of making changes. It is important to keep the public positive and informed, as well as involving them to be part of the solution and to reduce social costs. Financial, the short term costs could be rapid set-up of growing areas and purchases of food on the international markets. Ongoing long term costs are likely to be farming subsidies. While the initial plan focuses on plant based foods it may be possible long to introduce the more resource intensive options such as cattle, pig and chickens. For long term stability it may be important to look at limiting population growth and city re-development

All this of course is my theory, it would take much discussion to formulate a plan. There are complicating factors, for example climate change, exhaustion of fishing grounds and preference of diet of the population. If the world is going through a food-shortage it could be really difficult to source more food via the international markets. Tokyo has 13 million as at 2007[*1], this probably would have increased by 2020. Dispersing the population over Japan in complete food crisis may possibly ruin the economy and could only be done in an absolute failure situation. This scenario probably would require involvement of the military and result in public outbursts such as nationwide food riots.


[*1] http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/ENGLISH/PROFILE/overview03.htm