Here's a simple idea to make a dent in hunger in the Philippines that has experienced rice shortages and high prices recently: If the world Bank can set up financing to buy one of those shiny new rice harvesting machines to send to the Philippines and people around the world can contribute a little bit to make the payments for the harvester, then the people in the Philippines can increase their production of rice and lift themselves out of hunger and poverty. If the first machine works well, then more could be bought later. I think the World Bank would like to see everyone's email about that idea.
How to Feed the World
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For our part, the World Bank Group is doubling lending for agriculture in Africa to $800 million this year, creating a rapid-financing facility to provide support to poor and especially fragile countries and looking at how we can use insurance to help farmers manage risks such as drought. With partners, we are working to create a "green revolution" for sub-Saharan Africa, helping countries to boost productivity and smallholder farmers to break the cycle of poverty.
These are all critical issues for international action. But first and foremost, donors must act now to raise some $755 million. The world can afford this. The poor and hungry cannot.
Jeffrey Sachs
Director, Earth Institute, Columbia University
At the core of the challenge is producing more food to meet the growing world demand, and ensuring that the poor and vulnerable have access to that food.
First, the world should urgently establish a special fund to help the world's poorest farmers, especially in Africa, to gain access to fertilizer, seeds and small-scale irrigation. In many impoverished and hungry places, food output could be doubled or tripled in a couple of growing seasons. All "green revolutions," such as in India in the 1960s, got started with special help for impoverished farmers.
Second, the United States should stop subsidizing the diversion of our corn to ethanol. Similarly, Europe should stop subsidizing the displacement of food crops by oil seeds such as canola for use as biodiesel.
Third, governments around the world should help their farmers to make their crops more resilient to climate shocks, including through the adoption of new techniques for "supplemental" irrigation in rain-fed regions. Financial insurance against crop failures should also be promoted.
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