The U.N. has rightly minced few while warning of an unprecedented global food scarcity catastrophe if immediate short as well as long term measures are not undertaken to offset a crisis staring practically the whole world in the face.
Food prices have risen 71 per cent over the past two years to a 30-year high in real terms, 100 million people are estimated pushed into hunger worldwide, food production will need to double by 2050 to accommodate increasing demand and population numbers and food riots have erupted in Egypt, Bangladesh, Pakistan, besides collapsing the government in Haiti.
There is little disagreement as regards the right route to take as the much trumpeted market delivery system has already been thoroughly refuted and developments mandate a return to the old ways when official development aid spending in agriculture amounted to an impressive 17 per cent in the 80s, as opposed to a dismal three per cent now. However, while the emphasis on increased agriculture production sinks in, particularly in poor countries, debate on a number of important issues needs final settlement. ...
It needs little reminding that most of the precious time has been lost in endless policy differences. For concrete progress to be made, the above will have to be settled so words can begin translating into action. Even then, there'll be a lag before the outcome starts altering.
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