By Alan on Sep 06 in Blog tagged agriculture, catastrophe, DANGER, drought, food, obwise, prices, shortage, sure, taks, warning, water | Comments Off

DROUGHT 2012: U.N. NOW WARNING OF

LOOMING FOOD PRICE ‘CATASTROPHE’

Droughts in the U.S. have forced the U.S. Agriculture Department to slash its forecast for the nation’s corn crops to only 10.8 billion bushels, the lowest amount since 2006, TheBlaze reported last month.

“If that estimate holds, the federal government says it will be enough to meet the world’s needs and avoid shortages, but experts say food prices will almost certainly climb as corn is an ingredient in many products,” the AP reported.

These droughts, other global environmental events, and the food shortages they have caused have U.N. officials scared enough to warn that the world may soon face a food price “catastrophe.”

“We need to act urgently to make sure that these price shocks do not turn into a catastrophe hurting tens of millions over the coming months,” the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO, the International Fund for Agricultural  Development, and the World Food Programme said in a statement yesterday.

“We need to remain vigilant and prepare for the worst in the short run, while working on sustainable solutions for the long haul,” the statement adds.

The agencies claim poor and food import-dependent countries would be hit hardest by spikes in raw food commodities. They also argue world leaders need to take immediate action, including investing “much more in agriculture and social protection, including programmes that help poor people to access food that has become unaffordable in their local markets.”

“Until we find the way to shock-proof and climate-proof our food system, the danger will remain. In the short term, this has costs, not only for those directly impacted, but also for the international community at large,” the statement reads.

http://OBWise.com

“O be wise; what can I say more?”

http://surewatertanks.com

 For The Family