Is there a global food shortage? The simple answer is: yes! Prices of cereal foods like and corn have skyrocketed over the past two years, and the export prices of rice have nearly tripled from January to April 2008. Prices rose almost another 50 percent since the cyclone in Burma. These price increases have devastated the world’s developing countries and have even resulted in riots in countries like Haiti, Bangladesh and Burkina Faso. What caused this situation and what can be done to solve the growing issue of food shortages?
According to Jeffrey Sachs, director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University, there are four reasons for the current global food shortage:
1.Low productivity of farmers in developing countries
Due to the cost of seeds, fertilizers and irrigations, farmers in many of the world’s developing countries have not been able to produce food to meet the demand. In addition, in many Asian countries, such as China, farmland is disappearing as cities grow.
2.Subsidization of food crops slated for biofuels
The U.S. and European governments have been subsidizing farmers who grow corn for biofuels instead of growing corn for food or animal feed. While there is no argument against producing biofuels on non-food producing land, such as palm oil from tree crops or fuel from grasses or wood products, there is an objection to subsidies that encourage growing food solely for biofuels. It is estimated that biofuels ate up 1/3 of America’s grain production in 2007.
3.Climate change
Climate change is being blamed for droughts in Europe and Australia in past few years. These dry periods have resulted in a serious global grain shortage.
4.Limited food supply vs. a growing demand
All the above issues – low productivity in developing countries, food grown for biofuels, and droughts caused by climate change – have combined to create a food shortage at a time when there is increased demand for food. Not only is the population growing worldwide, but there is a new middle class in both India and China that is demanding a more Western-style diet, such as meat and dairy. It takes more land to raise animals for food than to grow cereal crops. And, in addition, the cyclone that recently hit Burma caused devastation to their rice production.. Now instead of exporting rice, Burma is in need of food aid.
So what is the answer? Sach’s proposes these logical solutions:
•Provide support for farmers in developing countries. If these countries could get fertilizer and high-yield seeds, they could experience the success that Malawi’s farmers have had recently – the harvest doubled in just one year.
•Do away with subsidizing the production of corn for biofuels.
•Support the establishment of a Climate Adaptation Fund, which would help developing countries to climate-proof farming. For example, a pond could collect rain water for emergencies when water is not available.
•An immediate solution surfaced recently when Japan agreed to resell 1.5 million tons of American rice that has been stockpiled in Japanese warehouses. This could immediately ease the rice shortage in many countries which would result in lower prices.
A global food shortage is a frightening thought to most of us. It is important to keep informed, get involved by writing or phoning your government representative and, if possible, grow your own food. As inhabitants of this planet, we all need to do our part.
Source: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1734834,00.HTML
According to Jeffrey Sachs, director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University, there are four reasons for the current global food shortage:
1.Low productivity of farmers in developing countries
Due to the cost of seeds, fertilizers and irrigations, farmers in many of the world’s developing countries have not been able to produce food to meet the demand. In addition, in many Asian countries, such as China, farmland is disappearing as cities grow.
2.Subsidization of food crops slated for biofuels
The U.S. and European governments have been subsidizing farmers who grow corn for biofuels instead of growing corn for food or animal feed. While there is no argument against producing biofuels on non-food producing land, such as palm oil from tree crops or fuel from grasses or wood products, there is an objection to subsidies that encourage growing food solely for biofuels. It is estimated that biofuels ate up 1/3 of America’s grain production in 2007.
3.Climate change
Climate change is being blamed for droughts in Europe and Australia in past few years. These dry periods have resulted in a serious global grain shortage.
4.Limited food supply vs. a growing demand
All the above issues – low productivity in developing countries, food grown for biofuels, and droughts caused by climate change – have combined to create a food shortage at a time when there is increased demand for food. Not only is the population growing worldwide, but there is a new middle class in both India and China that is demanding a more Western-style diet, such as meat and dairy. It takes more land to raise animals for food than to grow cereal crops. And, in addition, the cyclone that recently hit Burma caused devastation to their rice production.. Now instead of exporting rice, Burma is in need of food aid.
So what is the answer? Sach’s proposes these logical solutions:
•Provide support for farmers in developing countries. If these countries could get fertilizer and high-yield seeds, they could experience the success that Malawi’s farmers have had recently – the harvest doubled in just one year.
•Do away with subsidizing the production of corn for biofuels.
•Support the establishment of a Climate Adaptation Fund, which would help developing countries to climate-proof farming. For example, a pond could collect rain water for emergencies when water is not available.
•An immediate solution surfaced recently when Japan agreed to resell 1.5 million tons of American rice that has been stockpiled in Japanese warehouses. This could immediately ease the rice shortage in many countries which would result in lower prices.
A global food shortage is a frightening thought to most of us. It is important to keep informed, get involved by writing or phoning your government representative and, if possible, grow your own food. As inhabitants of this planet, we all need to do our part.
Source: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1734834,00.HTML
