permaculture

[John Schinnerer <John-Schinnerer@data-dimensions.com>]

Aloha,

>How about a reply to this "simple" question ..... 

>x <and@cyberback.com> 
> > wrote: 
> 
>Is their a formula wherby we can get a rough estimate of how much land it
takes to support a >given number of people?  Also how much water it takes to
make the land productive for one >month?     - gerald

...nothing "simple" about it - I would be highly dubious of any "answers,"
especially if claimed to be "universal."  

Just a few facets of the complexity...Where?  Growing What?  What sort of
diet?  Terrain?  Climate?  Water source?  What in the existing ecosystem is
altered to do this?  "Support" in what sense - basic food, food including
"luxuries" (oils, spices, sweeteners...), food and shelter, food and shelter
and clothing, ...?  What does "make the land productive" mean?

Some extrapolations have been done for pre-assumed parameters.  Ecology
Action ( http://www.crest.org/sustainable/ecology_action/index.html ) has
done some estimates based on UN statistics, particular food sources,
climates and growing methods, for example - but these are highly situational
and like all such attempts there are countless hidden assumptions.

Best wishes... ;-)

John Schinnerer