Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Food security fade

The food issue has not gone away.  Food prices are rising, and food aid has been slowly declining.  Arguments about whether you need more open global trade, or more local protected production are being slung back and forth.

Of course, local production is not seem like a bad idea if you could realistically produce enough food to feed you populace.  But as we get closer to the (supposed) peak of 10 billion people on our planet, I suspect that is a moot point for many countries.

Carey L. Byron, IPS News, 20 April 2012, (hat tip NC)
According to information released by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation in early April, food prices have continued to rise during the first three months of this year, and currently remain higher than during the crisis period of 2007-09. According to many observers, high food costs have become the "new norm".
The social implications of fluctuations in food costs have been clear. The high cost of staple foods was a major driver behind the Arab Spring protests, for instance. Today, continued high food prices are fuelling inflation worries across the globe, notably in India and China.
Well at least gasonline prices are down a little for the moment.

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