Long before synthetic fertilizers, the global guano trade reshaped farming, fueled American expansion and exposed the hidden human costs of feeding the modern world.
Articles on Commodities
Displaying 1 - 20 of 94 articles
A labour and political ecology expert looks back at imperialistic logic and how chemical fertilisers have repeatedly served as strategic objectives and weapons, particularly in wartime.
Competition for shea trees is rising in west Africa, leaving the poorest women collectors with less access and fewer gains.
If reports are true, the ‘ban’ is less of a final break than a negotiation tactic. It is China’s way of showing Australia the old rules no longer apply.
Financial markets have reacted very badly to the upending of global trade. But that doesn’t mean you should panic.
Gold is considered a safe haven in times of economic turmoil. That’s just one of the reasons it is rallying to new highs.
New innovations and technological advances are needed to lift Australia’s flagging growth and productivity.
Both countries are committed to what will be the first dialogue since 2021 when China suspended talks over the “belt and road initiative”.
China’s engagement with Africa has evolved over the past 24 years, with a shift towards mutually beneficial investments.
Severe weather and disease in Brazil’s main growing regions have led to a major global shortage. Australia does grow a lot of its own oranges, but still relies heavily on imported juice.
A gradual drawdown of gold mining is a critical step towards sustainability.
He faces strong headwinds at home and abroad as his third term as president gets underway.
Why the UK’s reliance on natural gas means the energy crisis is unlikely to end this winter.
Subsidies to shield the general population from oil price increases do not automatically reduce poverty and inequality.
Inflation is perhaps the biggest poverty accelerator in the economy due to its weakening effect on people’s purchasing power.
Producers in Zambia should be getting more for their crops, and buyers in East Africa should be paying less, alleviating food price spikes.
Negotiations between Russia and Turkey to ensure safe passage of Ukrainian grain hint at a new era of global food diplomacy.
Russia’s war has had an unexpected impact on global trade patterns, raising the price on goods but weakening currencies. What’s behind this unexpected blip?
One of the oldest industries, fishing, is entering the world of advanced analytics and data-driven planning. With oceans under stress and key fish stocks dwindling, can precision fishing help?
Two weeks into the invasion, here’s what’s been happening so far.
Top contributors
-
retired, The University of Western Australia
-
Professor of Finance, The University of Western Australia
-
Professor, Finance, The University of Western Australia
-
Professor and Head, School of Business, Monash University Malaysia
-
Lecturer, Department of Economics, University of Ghana
-
Emeritus Professor of Innovation, University of Technology Sydney
-
Professor Emeritus, The University of Melbourne
-
Emeritus Professor of Economics (Griffith University) and Teaching Associate (University of Queensland), Griffith University
-
Professor of Economics, Director of the Australian Institute for Business and Economics, The University of Queensland
-
Professor of Geography, Durham University
-
Lecturer in Economics, Finance and Entrepreneurship, Aston University
-
Professor of Economics, The University of Western Australia
-
Professor, Melbourne Institute and Managing Editor Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne
-
Nonresident Fellow in Energy Studies, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University
-
PhD Candidate in American History, University of Oxford