Increasing Food Prices = Chaos and Hunger
Josette Sheraan, head of the World Food Programme, has termed the recent sharp increase in food prices of grains such as rice, corn and wheat around the world, as the “Silent Tsunami.” A perfect storm has created this mess which has resulted in massive food insecurity with 100 million more at risk of severe hunger, and violence around the world. What the hell happened and why are so many, particularly in the developing world, at risk? That storm, includes increasing oil prices, crops going towards biofuels, high demand for grains in countries such as India and China, along with recent rice crop failures in Vietnam, droughts in Australia, depleted surpluses, and other catastrophic turn of events. The Economist published a good summary here on the “Silent Tsunami.” The New York Times also has been publishing a series of articles called the “Food Chain” that cover all facets of the global food supply and how and why we are in the situation we are in now. The articles are here.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008