Barley is a Grain that’s been cultivated pretty much since Grain was first cultivated. It’s a key ingredient in beer, which is enjoyed in some form or other in most parts of the world. But scientists are predicting that Barley yields will be reduced substantially by Global Warming…
Barley on the stalk: An endangered species?
Though most of us associate Barley mainly with Beer and certain Scottish Soups and Stews, the fact is, only about 17 per cent of the world’s Barley is used for brewing. The rest is prized as animal feed.
It’s obvious…
A serious Barley shortage will certainly cause a Beer supply crisis. But one thing we often forget is, Barley isn’t the only Grain used for brewing. In fact, popular mass-produced American (and other) Beers are already made with significant amounts of What and/or Rice. It’s the Hops that give Beer much of it’s distinctive flavour, and the sprouted Barley (or whatever) is mainly there to provide Sugar for the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells to feed on, producing the Alcohol.
Rice production is on the rise, and Chinese researchers, in particular, are making great strides in breeding new strains that can withstand warmer temperatures and Salt Water. Similar research is being conducted on Wheat.
A tough choice?
But let’s say there is a Barley shortage in the coming decades. Then, the experts say, we may have to make a tough decision: use the Barley we have to feed animals or to make Beer?
By then, we’ll have bigger problems facing us. We’re already being warned that we must get used to eating to each much less Meat by 2040 or 2050. That’s just to ensure that we can feed the estimated 10 billion people who’ll be alive on Earth by then. agriculturalists agree that the only way to provide enough food will be to use our resources more efficiently, and that means growing more vegetable-based Protein and drastically reducing our emphasis on Meat.
Going Veggie…
Some of us are already going Vegetarian and even Vegan, but not for the reasons I’ve just stated. Nevertheless, they’ve proven that humans can get along, basically, on Beans and Rice which together provide a complete Protein package. Recently popularized Quinoa is one of a very few Veggie crops that provides a complete protein all by itself.
But where do you get your Umami fix? All veggies and no Meat makes me a dull person. But wait… There’s Soy Sauce (from fermented Soy Beans), and Worcestershire Sauce (a fermented mixture of Fruits and Veggies), as well as aromatic Oils such as Sesame and Olive. There’s a whole galaxy of Herbs and Spices, as well. Though I’m not sure how those plants will weather Global Warming. I’m betting they’ll survive, and hopefully thrive, if we as consumers make them a priority in our efforts to adapt to Global Warming. That’s the real question: what do we value most? Something tells me that Beer will be one of the last traditions we sacrifice in our quest to survive.
Overall shifts…
I can’t just leave the question hanging, there. It’s important to point out that a number of commercial concerns are pushing forward on the Cultured Meat front. Their processes are much more efficient and humane than the traditional method of raising animals and slaughtering them. Perhaps their products, and others like them will predominate in the Meat Department of the future and we won’t have to completely give up Meat completely. And don’t forget the other guys in the meat substitutes sector. Makers of Veggie based substitutes for Beef, Seafood and Chicken are making their own impact on the alternative Protein scene.
Once again, though, success in feeding everybody in the future comes down to our willingness to try something new.
~ Maggie J.