Today much of the food people eat gets transported from farms that are thousands of miles away. Some people believe it would be better for the environment and the economy if people only consumed food produced by local farmers. Would the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

Some people are of the opinion that most of the

food

consumed is transported from overseas causing a negative impact on local produce by farmers which could be avoided by restricting import from other areas. Since the global

economy

would be affected if local consumption were to be enforced, I am of the opinion that

this

policy should not be made mandatory. A few people think that the only

food

consumed should be locally farmed.

This

will encourage the population of that area to buy fresh produce and will

therefore

benefit the

economy

.Incentives could be given to propagate

this

.

However

, by mandating

this

policy, in times of a natural disaster

such

as drought or infestation by pests, the yield may not be sufficient to sustain consumption and may lead to scarcity.

On the contrary

, if consuming global produce were to be encouraged,

then

although

this

would be less beneficial for the environment, in times of shortage, global production will ensure sustainability and supply would meet the demand. Global trade will not only improve the

economy

of countries but

also

enable people to taste exotic

food

. An example could be the transport of tropical fruits namely mangoes, to different parts of the world increasing the demand and in turn resulting in the generation of wealth for the farmers. In conclusion, the

food

that is

consumed should not be constrained to produce by local farmers

instead

, trade on a global scale will allow for a growing world

economy

and ensure sustainability in dire times.