Techno-Phobes and Famine Fanatics

At least since the days of Thomas Malthus, a steady chorus of opinion-makers has routinely put forward the case that the world will soon face widespread famine.  Now, in the face of rising food prices, we're seeing a new wave of such warnings.  Are today's warnings justified?  What factors could actually lead to genuine food shortages?  What can government, businesses, and consumers do to minimize these risks?  We'll explain. 

One of the fundamental principles in economics is ".....