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The Food Crisis: a Man-Made Problem High fuel costs have resulted in higher agriculture costs, falling food stocks, and land shifted out of food production to produce biofuels. The international community should help those in danger today and ensure the poor don’t suffer this tragedy again. The task is clear, but not simple. |
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World Food Programme
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Safety Nets Support safety nets, such as distributing food in schools or offering food for work, to quickly help those in severe distress. |
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Seeds and Fertilizer Get seeds and fertilizer for the coming planting season to farmers in poor countries. The key is not just financing, but fast delivery systems. |
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Agricultural Research Double spending on agricultural research and development to $800 million over the next 5 years through the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. |
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Agribusiness Invest more in agribusiness to tap into the private sector's ability to work across the value chain. |
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Risk Management Develop innovative risk management tools and crop insurance to protect poor farmers and help build food security. |
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Biofuels Ease subsidies, mandates and tariffs on biofuels derived from corn and oilseeds. Policymakers should consider "safety valves" that ease these policies when prices are high. The choice does not have to be food or fuel. |
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Export Bans Remove export bans that have led to even higher world prices. 28 countries have imposed such controls. Removing these bans could have a dramatic effect. |
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Trade Conclude the Doha WTO trade deal to remove agricultural subsidies and tariffs and create a more efficient and fair global food trade. The need for multilateral rules has never been stronger. |
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Collective Action Work together to counter global risks. The challenges of energy, food and water will be drivers of the world economy and security. The time to act is now. |
