International
Photos: World Food Crisis
Global Food Crisis: Unrest, hunger grow
From Argentina to Egypt to Indonesia, soaring food prices have sparked a 'silent tsunami' that threatens to push 100 million people into poverty, and increase unrest around the globe, according to the World Food Programme. Nor is the situation likely to improve anytime soon. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, the prices of wheat and rice have doubled in the last year, and that of corn is more than a third higher. In some nations, says World Bank president Robert Zoellick, the cost of staples has increased by up to 80 percent. Behind the price rises: a complex set of factors including rising inflation, the use of crops for biofuels, inclement weather and increasing fuel costs. The protests have claimed their share of fatalities. In Egypt at least one person was killed during rioting; in Haiti (pictured here) demonstrators in Port-au-Prince threw rocks at the presidential palace and demanded immediate action to solve the nation's food crisis. U.N. peacekeeping troops held protesters at bay, but after two weeks of violent confrontations, at least six people have been killed. Photo: Ariana Cubillos
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Posted By: Galasso @ 05/02/2008 6:56:53 AM
Comment: Rhodesia and South Africa used to feed all of the neighboring countries - some five to seven in all - they produced far more food than they could consume. The three major difficulties that Africa faces are extreme overpopulation - when I was in East Africa the average woman had six whildren who managed to live after birth; War - Angola, Somalia, Mozambique, Sudan, Chad, and now Kenya etc have been in turmoil for years, and the fact that Africans simply have never made the leap from tribalism to self governance - and likely never will. You have to have lived there to fully understand what that means. The US poured food into Somalia when we made the mistake of sending troops in the early 1990's. The Warlords took the food and held it hostage over the people who needed it and much of it rotted When the UN decided to fix the problem by sending tons more than the Warlords could manipulate - it put some local farmers out of business - people were getting it free - so why go to the market? Rhodesia used to be a paradise and after the white Rhodesians were driven out, and wealth and land was redistributed, it went right down the tubes because the people who seized it were without a clue as to how to be productive farmers - just look at it now. I would defer to whatever humanitarian organizations are in-country now as to where the most need is - and most importantly - how we can strictly control the distribution of it - because just sending money and supplies to Africa in this day and age - without a smart, disciplined infrastructure (people) is the same as pouring money down a rathole. We will be taking care of Africa for the next few generations.
Posted By: kalamere @ 04/18/2008 6:57:36 PM
Comment: One of the causes of world food deficit is the idiot Mugabe who has ruined farming in Zimbawe, aslo Zaire was the bread basket and now it's gone to hell in a hand basket.
Bad leaders and no freedom is killing Africa. Not anyone else. The money that has been poured into that continent has just made it a useless dependent.
Posted By: jessieflower @ 04/17/2008 8:09:27 AM
Comment: What's with the freakshow below me?
Anyway, Can you guys do a report and break it down to us elementary style as to what has lead to these increases? We need a some solutions here. I honestly cant eat a decent meal knowing there are people who dont have that luxury. Somehow, I think it will all geat better in the future but looking at some of those faces in the pictures breaks my heart. What CAN we do?