The rising global food crisis (+video)

A car drives past a billboard reading 'That absurd first world consumes three quarters of the energy produced in the world' in Havana yesterday. Photo /Reuters

Recent reports have spread fear across the globe that the world is heading towards a major famine. The disaster is such that World Food Program executive director Josette Sheeran, has dubbed the situation 'a silent tsunami'.

With predictions from a senior Brazilian farm official that high world food prices will not ease for another four to six years, is there time to act and prevent a world-wide famine?

Fidel Castro's warning

Castro was already warning leaders that "more than three billion people in the world are being condemned to a premature death from hunger and thirst," last year. So, what's happened since then?

Food prices around the globe

Food prices have risen leaving many hungry and with many more to come. Anger over high food prices has sparked protests in several countries and surging food prices have posed a particular risk to poor economies. Here are some details of recent price rise protests and disturbances.

Already one of the poorest countries in the world, Afghanistan has been severely hit by the rising price of food and while some Afghans have taken to the streets to protest most wonder how they will get by.

Singapore's government is advertising food stalls that offer S$2 ($1.47) meals to help people in Asia's second-richest country cope with consumer prices at a three-decade high.

Which foods?

Castro first warned of trouble when he spoke of the price of basic foods from corn and wheat to soy, powdered milk and rice being in some cases more than double what they were a year ago.

Watch video: US Bread prices are on the rise

Watch video: Rice prices hit record highs

Watch video: US Domino's Pizza fast food chain struggling

What action is being taken to help the crisis?

Despite the negativity surrounding the situation, leaders are acting. A group of US Senate Democrats called on the White House yesterday to support a $200 million increase in international food aid this year beyond the spending boost President George W. Bush has already requested.

UN agencies and the World Bank also pledged yesterday to set up a task force to tackle an unprecedented rise in global food prices that is threatening to spread social unrest.

Poor farmers will already see the benefit of this money during the upcoming cropping season.

However, money isn't enough to curb the issue of our lack of food and global warming. The harsh reality is that human activity is largely to blame.

In order to curb the current food crisis, society and thus communities must also look at our drought problem.

Climate issues and lack of food go hand in hand. Both must be addressed in order to uphold an economic and social wellbeing.

- HERALD ONLINE