Food crisis
Bangladesh's poor people are bearing the brunt of the food price rise as part of the global food crisis. According to a large number of critics the cause of the present food problem in Bangladesh is the inefficiency of the caretaker government. If we do not try to understand the problem in the global context, then the government or the public will not be able to solve or alleviate the food problem to reduce the sufferings of the poor.
There have been food riots in Egypt, Indonesia, the Philippines, Ivory Coast and Ethiopia. Countries like India, China, Vietnam and Indonesia are already restricting their rice export in order to protect their own stocks.
The cause of this global problem is complex. Increasing world population over the years created more and more demand on the world food supply. In recent times emergence of a prosperous middle class in India and China is changing the eating patterns in these countries with vast population. It is a fact of life that rich people eat more than the poor people.
Another factor contributing to the world food shortage is conversion of food crop to bio-fuel-- 30% of US corn crop will be converted to bio-fuel by 2010. By 2010, in the UK 5% of petrol will come from food crops.
This trend is followed by farmers of major food producing countries in the west, as there is a greater financial reward for doing so.
Over the last year global food prices have shown an increase of 130% for wheat and 74% for rice.
The solution of this complex problem will also be complex. Increased food production, family planning and change of food habits are some examples. Also genetically modified crops may have some part to play.
In the context of Bangladesh, one should not forget the role of potatoes. They mature in as little as 50 days and can yield between two and four times more food per hectare than wheat or rice.
The World Bank advised targeted subsidies to the poor to help buy food. In the longer term, more money is needed to support food production in developing countries like Bangladesh.
Awami League leaders are threatening the caretaker government with country wide hunger strike (not on the food crisis issue). On a lighter note, if all the rich and well fed politicians of all political parties of Bangladesh join this hunger strike or reduce their food consumption, there may be a slight impact (however small it may be) on the food crisis in Bangladesh.
Comments