Addressing the world food crisis
10/26/2008 03:36:13 PM
http://www.projectconcern.org/site/PageServer?pagename=World_Food_Crisis&JServSessionIdr001=qe7yb83se2.app6b
Despite growing attention in the world media and expanding aid efforts by many organizations, the world hunger crisis continues to worsen as many of the communities in which we work struggle with daily hunger and starvation. The basic staples that feed the world wheat, rice and corn continue their inexorable rise in cost and scarcity.
In Ethiopia and throughout the Horn of Africa, rising commodity prices, civil war, and imperiled aid operations have pushed many people to the brink of famine. In Zambia and elsewhere in Africa, the scarcity of food is acute and many are simply finding a corner and sleeping until death finds them.
Project Concern International is responding to the world food crisis by addressing the large-scale issues of world hunger and malnutrition through programs that not only provide food aid, but address the underlying causes of food insecurity.
“Now is the time for all of us to act. We at PCI are committed to addressing these humanitarian issues by discovering solutions that empower individuals and communities, assisting them to overcome intransigent and persistent food insecurity. Economic empowerment, family food gardens, and food support, are just some of the ways PCI helps people every day around the world,” said George Guimaraes, President and CEO.
UNDERSTANDING THE CRISIS
Although it is almost impossible to pinpoint the exact cause of soaring food prices, experts have placed the blame on rising fuel costs, lower agricultural production, weather shocks, more meat consumption, and shifts to bio-fuel crops. High prices threaten to increase malnutrition, already an underlying cause of death for over 3.5 million children a year.
What we do know:
* Wheat prices are up 120%
* Rice prices have risen 75%
* Poor families spend up to 80% of their budget on food
* According to the World Bank, an estimated 100 million people have fallen into poverty in the last 2 years
* Prices are expected to stay high through 2015
* 21 of 36 countries in a food security crisis are in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the United Nations FAO
* West Africa, the Horn of Africa, and fragile states are especially vulnerable
CHANGING LIVES
Read the stories of our beneficiaries and learn about programs that are truly changing and saving lives in Africa, Latin America and in Asia.
Despite growing attention in the world media and expanding aid efforts by many organizations, the world hunger crisis continues to worsen as many of the communities in which we work struggle with daily hunger and starvation. The basic staples that feed the world wheat, rice and corn continue their inexorable rise in cost and scarcity.
In Ethiopia and throughout the Horn of Africa, rising commodity prices, civil war, and imperiled aid operations have pushed many people to the brink of famine. In Zambia and elsewhere in Africa, the scarcity of food is acute and many are simply finding a corner and sleeping until death finds them.
Project Concern International is responding to the world food crisis by addressing the large-scale issues of world hunger and malnutrition through programs that not only provide food aid, but address the underlying causes of food insecurity.
“Now is the time for all of us to act. We at PCI are committed to addressing these humanitarian issues by discovering solutions that empower individuals and communities, assisting them to overcome intransigent and persistent food insecurity. Economic empowerment, family food gardens, and food support, are just some of the ways PCI helps people every day around the world,” said George Guimaraes, President and CEO.
UNDERSTANDING THE CRISIS
Although it is almost impossible to pinpoint the exact cause of soaring food prices, experts have placed the blame on rising fuel costs, lower agricultural production, weather shocks, more meat consumption, and shifts to bio-fuel crops. High prices threaten to increase malnutrition, already an underlying cause of death for over 3.5 million children a year.
What we do know:
* Wheat prices are up 120%
* Rice prices have risen 75%
* Poor families spend up to 80% of their budget on food
* According to the World Bank, an estimated 100 million people have fallen into poverty in the last 2 years
* Prices are expected to stay high through 2015
* 21 of 36 countries in a food security crisis are in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the United Nations FAO
* West Africa, the Horn of Africa, and fragile states are especially vulnerable
CHANGING LIVES
Read the stories of our beneficiaries and learn about programs that are truly changing and saving lives in Africa, Latin America and in Asia.