The Food Crisis Bites Back

When a crisis arises, opportunity knocks, says food analyst Sam Urquhart. In fact, the food system has been suffering from chronic hunger pangs for decades, the result of globalization, genetically modified seeds and the green revolution. The crisis has taken a different form and function depending on how it positioned and by whom. Version one focuses on the role of supply and demand, serving the interests of agribusinesses like Monsanto, Cargill, BP, and the like. The second version, represented by NGOs such as Food First, Via Campensina and GRAIN, counsels a reform in the system that supports small farmers, hence, food sovereignty, fair trade and sustainable agriculture. At the emergency summit in Rome, the author contends that the FAO has demonstrated selective hearing - excluding "alternative" responses to agricultural development and the voices of civil society. The acknowledged version of the food crisis will reflect the types of policies formulated to address the issue - hiccup! To access the article, please click here.