Expropriation of Cargill?

Not many details here, but this recent Wall Street Journal piece got me thinking. Talk about a clash of the world's two largest paradigms.

It's an odd confrontation with capitalism, from a socialist government dependent on oil exports. Cargill is the world's largest grain processor/trader and the seventh largest food corporation in the world. Venezuela's gross national income is over 210 million (just below Thailand's). Venezuelan people - also like Thai people - depend on rice as a daily staple.

Venezuela already faces food shortages and nationalizing further doesn't seem to be a solution.
What are the implications for food security? How is this kind of populism an alternative? If agribusinesses like Cargill didn't control supply, would Venezuelan communities be able to create local food systems?

''Prepare the decree and we'll expropriate Cargill."

In other news, we've just wrapped up this week's "Organic Learning Center" with villagers from Ban Khlot, in Khok Yang sub-district and from Ban Pru, Grasang district, Buriram province. Focusing on low input costs and farming to provide healthy food turned out to be a worthwhile approach with these farmers, who are just beginning their transition to farming organically. More to come once the photos are ready...