Showing farmers conquer nature

Jimmy’s Global Harvest is by far the most inspiring documentary series I have seen on British television recently. Jimmy Doherty, a farmer with a PhD in entomology, is concerned with the practical business of how farmers can boost productivity in adverse conditions (see 20 July 2008 and 30 November 2008 posts for his earlier television work). In essence it is about human ingenuity: showing how farmers can feed the world by overcoming problems such as extreme temperatures, poor soil and inadequate water supplies. So far programmes have focused on Australia and Brazil with American and another country (not yet revealed) on the way.

It its subtle way it is sticking two fingers up to the Malthusians.