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Originally Posted by knightofalbion
You were in New Guinea as a boy as I understand it, which was what over 40 years ago? The world has moved on since then. In any case, if you lived there, you'll know, the diet of the inhabitants of Papua New Guinea is traditionally largely vegetarian. Yams, taro and sago forming the bulk of the diet.
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I left new guinea when I was 31, 18 years ago, but still have contact with people there. The mountain and valley folk have extensive agriculture so they eat mainly vegetables, but hunt and forage as well, and reserve livestock (mainly pigs) for ceremony, compensation, brideprice and feast, but poultry raising has become popular in accessible areas, which are consumed more frequently. The coastal and island peoples typically go fishing nearly every day, though. There are many cultural groups, so I'm just making generalisations. Villagers have next to no money, so tradestore goods are very basic, sugar, rice, canned fish/meat, salt.
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Per capita income is a fraction of that of Australia, true, but most of the people in the Pacific Region do live on a Western junk food diet. That's why they're suffering from chronic levels of obesity and diabetes.
Of the countries with the highest levels of obesity. The top 5 are all in the Pacific Islands! They certainly aren't starving.
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Of course, they are suffering new illnesses due to consuming junk, which is cheap and heavily marketed. I think high carb and sugar is the main issue, and very low quality fatty meat like lamb flaps and canned processed meat with high salt content.
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On the broader picture, the world CANNOT sustain the Livestock Industry, even at the present level.
It's destroying animals by the billion, causing untold suffering and harm; it's destroying the planet and it's tarnishing the Spirit of all those engaged in it, directly or indirectly.
In the future, people will be vegan or eating insects & test-tube meat. That will be the choice.
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Yes, I encourage vegan ethics for the reasons you mention, which are very sound reasons, but as we see in practice, most peoples can't afford health, so they eat what is cheapest.