European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 2, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                I la Earth Summit �?T92 no More easy victories in the Green revolution by William k. Stevens the new York times ten thousand years ago in the Middle East humans first freed themselves from dependence on what they could glean from the wild. By cultivating grains for the first time they were Able to expand food supplies so that an unprecedented growth in population was made possible. For millennia Farmers sustained population growth mainly by Clearing and cultivating new lands the Clearing escalated about three centuries ago and since then there has been a 450 percent increase in the world s cultivated acreage from a total area equivalent to Argentina to an expanse As Large As South America. Almost All prime agricultural land is now under cultivation. And although forests Are being cleared at a rapid rate scientists say the land now being freed for farming is of marginal productivity and will have relatively Little Impact on future food production moreover since world War ii agriculture deforestation and overgrazing have left an area about the size of China and India combined with moderately to severely diminished soil Quality reducing Overall productivity. The Green revolution based on higher yield seeds and fertilizer largely overcame these limitations starting in the 1960s and 1970s, enabling the world s Farmers to sustain the doubling of the global population that began alter world War ii. High yield strains of wheat and Rice bred in the world s agricultural laboratories doubled and tripled harvests in much of the developing world so abundant did the harvests become that world food prices declined by More than 20 percent m the 1980s. Sub saharan Africa is the main exception to the Rule it is the Only Region in the world with declining Lood production. It relies most heavily on imported food and a higher proportion of its people Are malnourished than for any other readers action line Region. But out and out famine As a result of under production has largely disappeared. World hunger today is caused mostly by political upheaval ineffective distribution of food and inability of the poor to buy if yet the demand for Basic food grains could double by 2020, and the ability of agriculture to keep Pace with the demand is being called into question. Some Neo malthusian insist that mass starvation is on the horizon while some economists counter that human ingenuity will come through As it always has. Even some who have brought the Green revolution about however acknowledge that it has made its biggest and easiest gains and that the Challenge ahead appears formidable. A the task will not be an easy one Quot said or. Donald l. Winkelmann the director general of the International Maize and wheat improvement Center in Mexico where the Green revolution s Quot Miracle wheat Quot was developed the Green revolution has entered a new and slower phase he said one in which increased production will depend on relatively simple measures like More intensive use of fertilizers More efficient water use and fast maturing varieties of plants that allow multiple crops. Intensive use of synthetic chemicals runs the risk of further polluting water supplies through Runoff and a number of advocates urge the adoption of alternative methods of cultivation that rely on organic fertilizers and natural pest controls. But alternative agriculture is making inroads slowly. Many scientists say that a variety of highly productive new strains of crops might be developed but there Are widespread fears that the natural genetic material from which they might be created is rapidly disappearing. Farmers As they embrace the Green revolution Are abandoning traditional crop strains that constitute part of this genetic capital. And the United nations food and agriculture organization warned recently that global agriculture could be threatened by the extinction of 40.000 important Plant species in the next 60 years unless conservation measures Are immediately stepped up. A the air today. 70% of All City dwellers More than 1,5 billion people worldwide will breathe unhealthy air at least 800 people will die prematurely because of air pollution. 56 million tons of Carbon dioxide will be spewed into the atmosphere largely through the consumption of Fossil fuels and the massive burning of rain forests. More than 1,500 metric tons of Ozone depleting chlorofluorocarbons will be pumped into the atmosphere irom leaking refrigerators and air conditioners aerosol Spray cans and some Industrial processes. The land today. 160 Square Miles of Forest a covering an area about one third the size of los Angeles will disappear largely As a result of the destruction of forests and Coral reefs up to 140 species of plants animals and other living organisms will be doomed to extinction. Another 63 Square Miles of the Earth will become wasteland due to overgrazing and wind and water erosion. About 66 million tons of topsoil will be lost from the world s cropland. Nearly 400,000 tons of chemical fertilizer will be used in an Effort to coax More food from degraded Farmland. The water today. At least 15,000 people mostly children will die from diseases caused by unsafe water. More than 500 million pounds of fish and shellfish Wilt be harvested from the world s oceans Rivers and lakes enough to fill 630,000 average refrigerators. Overfishing will threaten several of the Globe s major Ocean fishing zones. More than 12,000 barrels of Oil will spilt into the world s oceans enough to till 25 backyard pools. About 38 million pounds of litter will be dropped overboard enough to create a one foot High by one foot wide strip reaching from Long Beach to Camp Pendleton South of san Clemente. Economic activity today. About $55 billion Worth of goods and services will be produced worldwide. During the 14 Days of the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro global economic activity will nearly equal the entire output of goods and services in the year 1900. Nearly 140,000 cars trucks and buses will be added to the global motor vehicle population. The world s vehicles industries and utilities will consume More than 60 million barrels of Oil and 17 million tons of Coal. The world s 413 commercial nuclear reactors will produce about 5% of the worlds Energy and create More than 26 tons of irradiated waste fuel enough to fill a Small bedroom. More than $2.5 billion will be spent on the world s military and $12 million will be spent on family planning programs. Arrisi Anders Ramberg research Kevin Fox and Tom Lutsen / los Angalea times via a time sufficient to get promotion Points now Rogul Lions Are out on the number of years soldiers can slay on Active duty in certain ranks. Effective october 1993, sergeant promotable can Only stay in the army Lor 15 years and at that time will be involuntarily separated. What is the army saying to sergeants p that do not have 12 years As of dec. 31, 1991, to Quality under category 2, yet they have More than nine years of service As required in category 3, and their mos military occupational specially is not on the selected mos list. I Here has been no mention of the voluntary separations increasing promotions. The mos that most soldiers thought would surely be on the list was combat arms or the 19 series mos the reason Lor voluntary incentive programs is to assist in troop draw Down. Several of the deactivated divisions were that of combat arms 1 is army div in Ansbach Germany 2nd armed div in fort Hood Texas and 3rd army div in Frankfurt Germany. When looking at Overall no promotions it seems 19 series has been in the lowest percentile even though it s said to be a critical mos and selective re enlistment bonuses wore being paid to re enlist in that mos into late 1990. So what is the department of the army telling combat arms sergeants p with More than nine years and less than 12? Quot hang in there promotions Are coming Quot or Quot we will let you stay for 15 years and then we will discharge  a Soldier can go to College take correspondence courses and be an outstanding no to increase his her promotion Points but if the a keeps the Points at 998, How Many of the Quality sergeants will reach 15 years before they reach a cutoff score of 998? Are there exceptions for the category 3 mos list clarification from the department of the army is due for All the sergeants p on he mos lists that were not listed and who fall within the nine to 11 years of Active duty. Bonita Finch Karlstedt Germany be Dennis a. Stat Long marketing it advertising office office of the Deputy chief of staff for personnel department of the army Washington replies a Soldier with nine years of service has sufficient time three years to get his or her promotion Points up. Promotions rates should pick up in the next three  write us readers action line is the readers Quot court of last  striving to answer some of the questions about life overseas in a military environment or questions about policies and guidelines when other avenues for answers Are not readily available. If you have a question and Don t know where to turn for the answer write to readers action line co the stars and stripes unit 29480, Apo a 09211. Ail letters must be signed and preference will be Given to those seeking information of general interest to our readers. Page 16 a the stars and stripes tuesday june 2, 1992