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Dubai: Soaring food prices worldwide are resulting in the emergence of a "new face of hunger" in developing countries, and it could lead to "disastrous consequences", a senior UN official has warned.
"The new face of hunger is that of those who are in urban areas and very poor, those in rural areas who are landless, and those who may produce some food, but much less than they need for themselves and their families," John Powell, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), said in an interview with Gulf News.
Political instability
"For these people, they see food in the market or in shops, but simply don't have the income to buy that, and that can lead to disastrous consequences," he said.
Food prices have been rising around the world in recent months, and there were protests in several countries. Experts are warning of political instability, as a result.
"We have had food riots in Cameroon, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Morocco and Egypt. We had security intervention in Indonesia for distribution of food, The growing demand for food has forced many countries to impose export bans, price controls or some kind of subsidy to deal with the problem," Powell said.
"This is an urgent problem for those who don't have enough to eat today. It is not something to talk about for the next 6 or 12 months to work out what we might do."
Do you think that the dip in the world economy is pushing the lower-middle class below the poverty line? Do you know anyone in your home country who benefits from such programmes? How do you think the world govenrnments can help fight the current hunger crisis?
Your comments
We are taken every step to build ourselves in every industry, except in the agriculture industry. We should immediately take major steps to develop agricultural lands and provide the facilities to farmers. For example: seeds, tractors, fertiliser, bore wells and so on, throughout the world, so that we can meet the requirement of growing demand.
Mohammad
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 08, 2008, 15:29
World stability is destroyed by the American policy and agenda which causes oil prices to sky rocket, which ultimately increase prices of all basic need items. The efforts which can be made to improve the lifestyle of human beings is worsened by the said war on terror and world is now facing another terror of hunger.
Sareer
Peshawar,Pakistan
Posted: April 08, 2008, 14:58
It's very sad to see that in this day and age, with so many advancements in agriculture and farming, a huge population still doesn't have access to the basic needs. I just had lunch and since I hadn't eaten for the past 18 hours, I felt like I was going to pass out and literally gobbled down my sandwich. While doing so, I read this article it just made me realise how fortunate we are that when we DO get hungry we don't have to think, "Can I buy food today?" I wish it could be the same for everyone.
Maria
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: April 08, 2008, 14:14
The rich countries around the world must assist to transfer skills and necessary funds via the UN to poorer countries, without strings attached. After all, we all live in the same planet and if one is affected, the other gets affected too, directly or indirectly. I feel countries like the UAE, KSA and other rich Gulf countries must come forward to invest in agriculture in poorer countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and many others. This will help them eventually to create their food basket and stabilise prices across the board.
Manzur
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: April 08, 2008, 14:11
A food crisis was predicted 80 years back in India, by Bhagat Puran Singh Ji. He said the world would face a water crisis, an electricity crisis and a food crisis. The way that the human race has become selfish, expanding his ever needs, would create problems not only for himself but also for nature. In short, that was action, now the world will see reaction.
Mohinder
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 08, 2008, 13:27
My personal opinion is that the countries that have vast agricultural facilities should promote the farmers, as well as the public, to take interest in the agricultural sector. The business heads of every country should be made to invest in the agricultural industry.
Rajesh
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 08, 2008, 13:00
All these scenes have created panic and people have started hoarding food. This has to be stopped by governments. Foods should be not banned by food producing countries.
Subodh
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 08, 2008, 12:39
Any food shortage is a result of greed and stinginess. While a lot of people eat more than they need, 3-4 times in a day, there are people who sometimes don't even get one meal a day. Fair distribution of wealth and sharing would give a sizeable increase to those people who have less than the middle to upper class segments of our society. Unfortunately we live in a time of excesses and indulgence. Sadly, few people are willing to part with a few luxuries or give up their third meal for the day.
Shairoz
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 08, 2008, 12:31
It has, or it will, soon become that there will be wars over food resources, since the population of the world is growing at a rapid rate and there is inflation.
Sunny
dubai,UAE
Posted: April 08, 2008, 12:08
The Chinese calendar says 2008 is the year of the rat, which means the year of hunger. I feel this kind of situation is bad news for the countries dependant on another country's product.
Abdulrhman
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 08, 2008, 11:54
Lots of currency, a wide range of electronics, flourishing industrialisation, more luxuries rather than basic needs; yet food shortage is a global phenomenon. Agro-based development has been refused by the majority of people in the world. The result, we have currency that cannot buy meals. There is no shortage of resources in the world, but there is impartial distribution. One side has eatables thrown away, the other side laments hunger.
Muhammad
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 08, 2008, 11:19
The food price increase is the result of several reasons and not only the dip in the world economy. Food importing countries face problems due to USD dependency and those countries that have food sufficiency should not face such problems. In India, the prices of food have been increased recently due to less production/cultivation, loss in summer rain, etc. The food problem is not happening overnight. This is to be addressed at micro level to improve the food sufficiency for each country. More importance should be given for natural resources/agriculture than any other industry.
JP
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 08, 2008, 11:16
Yes, it will for sure push more people below the poverty line and not just the lower-middle class but middle class itself. Most leaders blame this on the growing population. But there are many reasons to this and global peace is one of the major ones. World governments could redefine their visions and focus more on the issue of people's welfare, rather than fighting for no cause. I think the war on terror has put more stress on world economy than anything else.
Muhammad
Ajman,UAE
Posted: April 08, 2008, 11:11
Stick to the basics of living: Encourage people to increase farming by providing subsidies, bring about a Green Revolution campaign across the world, more awareness of consumption control and reduction of wastage. It is noted that the Middle East countries are the biggest wasters of consumption-ready food. If they reduce the wastage and over-purchase of food and limit it only to their requirement, a lot of food can be saved. We in the Middle East have to rise up as we depend on external sources, and oil will not fill our stomachs nor the dollars that they bring along.
Ashok
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 08, 2008, 11:04
If this trend continues, food will eventually be accessible only to the upper classes, taking mankind back to the dark ages. Governments should realise this before it is too late.
Mark
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: April 08, 2008, 09:49
The same thing is faced by developed countries these days, what has the UN got to say on this matter? Food prices are soaring in Dubai and we cannot blame the political instability here; so what's the reason behind it now?
Stew
Dubai,UAE
Posted: April 08, 2008, 08:02
Raised prices of food and other day-to-day items have already affected the middle class person, but now that there is no stability in rents this will push these classes below the poverty line.
Vikas
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: April 08, 2008, 07:25
Developing countries should avoid spending on luxury commodities, reduce the use of mobile phones, and finally, save more to create new investments by the next two years. It would help increase job opportunities and the income level.
Biplob
Dhaka,Bangladesh
Posted: April 08, 2008, 06:53
I was in Dubai in December 2007 and saw a very big difference between rich and poor people. I visited some people in Sharjah and they were living 8 to 10 people in a little flat, like animals in a small cage. Dubai is a beautiful city, and in this city you can give a lot of happiness to poor people.
Syed
Bergen,Norway
Posted: April 08, 2008, 02:39
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