(Some of these people are down to eating one meal of day because of the increase in the cost of food.)
World Bank Echoes Food Cost Alarm
The rapid rise in food prices could push 100 million people in poor countries deeper into poverty, World Bank head, Robert Zoellick, has said.
His warning follows that from the leader of the International Monetary Fund, who said hundreds of thousands of people were at risk of starvation.
"Based on a rough analysis, we estimate that a doubling of food prices over the last three years could potentially push 100 million people in low-income countries deeper into poverty," Mr Zoellick said.
The price of staple crops such as wheat, rice and corn have all risen, leading to an increase in overall food prices of 83% in the last three years, the World Bank has said.
FULL STORY at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7344892.stm
Hunger. Strikes. Riots. The food crisis bites
Across the world a crisis is unfolding at alarming speed. Climate change, China's increasing consumption and the dash for biofuels are causing food shortages and rocketing prices - sparking riots in cities from the Caribbean to the Far East. Robin McKie and Heather Stewart report on the millions facing starvation - and the growing threat to global security.
Hundreds of millions of men and women who, only a few months ago, were able to provide food for their families have found rocketing prices of wheat, rice and cooking oil have left them facing the imminent prospect of starvation. The spectre of catastrophe now looms over much of the planet.
In less than a year, the price of wheat has risen 130 per cent, soya by 87 per cent and rice by 74 per cent. According to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation, there are only eight to 12 weeks of cereal stocks in the world, while grain supplies are at their lowest since the 1980s.
FULL STORY at
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/apr/13/food.climatechange
Map of Where Food Riots Have Taken Place
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/2008/04/food_riots.html
Soaring food costs risk 'starvation and unrest'
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, 37 countries currently face food crises. Robert Zoellick, the president of the World Bank, urged members yesterday to provide £250 million to help alleviate the problem.
FULL STORY at
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/14/wfood114.xml
Food Crisis: US Supply Is Not Secure
http://standeyo.com/NEWS/08_Food_Water/080413.US.not.secure.html
The World Food Crisis is Here Now
it cannot be too long before the unrest and riots we see in Third World states overflows into First World countriesFULL STORY at
http://standeyo.com/NEWS/08_Food_Water/080413.food.riots.html