confronting a crisis

IN FOCUS

Confronting a Crisis :
The story is far from over ...
"Nothing is more degrading than hunger, especially when man-mades."

The World Bank and aid agencies estimate soaring food prices could push as many as 100 million more people into hunger. About 850 million are already hungry. Ban Ki-moon estimated the “global price tag” to overcome the food crisis would be $15-20 billion a year and

that food supply had to rise 50% by 2030 to meet the demand.

The present crisis is in part a consequence of transforming biodiverse systems to monocultures of globally traded commodities. With commodities getting transformed to feed and fuel, there is a shortage in food availability. Unless food sovereignty is put back in the equation, the crisis will continue to deepen.

In the current crisis, the food sovereignty model that puts local producers and local markets first is winning over more and more followers. Investment in sustainable farming practices and genuine land reform would mark an important first step in that direction.

The lack of government support sees farmers in Punjab selling toxic wheat to the mandis, while growing organic food for their own homes.
Wealth Over Health,
-by Tushar Mittal,
Tehelka Magazine, 17 May 2008

UN calls for lower trade barriers and lifting of export bans as nearly one billion people face starvation
$15-20 bn a year needed to deal with food crisis,
-by Stephen Brown and Robin Pomeroy,
MINT, Mumbai, 04 Jun 2008

Food warning for Indian children,
-by Damian Grammaticas,
BBC News, 13 May 2008

The best way to tackle the worldwide food shortage is to raise farm productivity, the World Bank has said
World Bank wants farming to bounce back,
-by Robert Zoellick,
The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, 08 May 2008

The Rich Get Hungrier,
-by Amartya Sen,
The Times of India, Mumbai, 29 May 2008

Winners and losers in multi-billion dollar industry - small farmers at risk.
Food shortage likely in global rush for biofuel: U.N.,
-by John Vidal,
The Hindu, Madras, 10 May 2007

soaring prices for staple foods are creating political tensions from North Africa to Southeast Asia, and the world is scrambling for solutions. Last week, wealthy countries pledged hundreds of millions of dollars in crops, seeds, vouchers and funds for "food security." That may help to stave off the current emergency, but what are the long-term solutions? Two experts from Columbia University have chimed in with their ideas. Here are excerpts from short articles by Jagdish Bhagwati, author most recently of 'In Defence of Globalisation'. and Jeffrey Sachs, whose new book is called 'Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet'

Managing Globalisation-The Food Crisis,
The Asian Age, Mumbai, 08 May 2008

Why bush is wrong in blaming Indians,
-by Vandana Shiva,
The Asian Age, Mumbai, 12 May 2008

What has caused the current global food crisis?
Time for better seeds,
-by Bhaskar Dutta,
The Telegraph, Calcutta, 07 May 2008

After biofuels, a new culprit that threatens food supplies: fertilizer,
-by Keith Bradsher,
MINT, Mumbai,01 May 2008

The severity of the global food crisis is undeniable. It affects hundreds of millions of vulnerable people. There is need and scope for decisive action for the short, medium, and long runs.

How to respond to global food crisis,
-by Arvind Subramanian,
The Hindu, Chennai, 19 May 2008
Food crisis: stop digging!,
-by John Hilary,
guardian.co.uk, 04 Jun 2008

The World Food Crisis,
-by Fred Magdoff,
Analytical Monthly Review, 01 May 2008

READ MORE [ Critical Concerns May 2008 issue ]>>>

IN FOCUS - April 2008 issue

Food : Crisis of Availability or Affordability ?
"The waiver does bring great relief to large numbers of farmers.
But it is no solution to even the immediate crisis let
alone long-term agrarian problems."