I have blogged before about the rise in global food prices, back in December . The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warned at the time that food prices have risen by 40% in the last year. The FAO stated that there were 37 nations at risk of food shortage due to a variety of factors including natural disasters, conflict, a transition in diet in many parts of the world and the switch of food materials to produce bio-fuels. It was with horror that I read a report yesterday in the National Geographic that reported that Haitians are eating mud! The family they describe are eating cookies made of dirt, salt, and vegetable shortening. The report quotes prices at a local market where two cups of rice costs 60 U.S. cents, an increase of 20 percent since December and 50 percent in twelve months.
In China the Guardian reports that the heaviest snowfall for 50 years has severely hit the major winter fruit and vegetable growing region. In Beijing there was only 20 per cent of the expected vegetable supply, and in some areas food prices had doubled.
I have spoken to many policy makers about food security and having resilience strategies in past times of plenty. They said there was not a problem, now I hope they begin to change their minds. In the UK we throw away a third of the food we purchase so we have some slack in the system, but the summer floods have increased the prices of many food stuffs as we run into shortages. As a family we have made a pact not to throw away food. We compost all vegetable peelings and we cook to a portion size, but that still doesn't help those in need around the world. To quote a Zulu proverb, "Abundance does not spread, famine does". Food for thought!
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