Site Meter Globally Green Living » Blog Archive » Food Prices Rise Across the Globe

Food Prices Rise Across the Globe

by Sandra Williams

Food Crisis: World Food ProgramRiots are breaking out because of rising food prices and shortages on common staples such as rice, wheat, soy and corn. Millions are left vulnerable to be plunged further into poverty.

Countries that are dependent on imported food are in a worse position and likely to be hit harder.

Haiti is the latest country to experience unrest related to soaring food and fuel prices (others include: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Egypt, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Mozambique and Senegal).” (WFP calls for funds to curb more unrest in Haiti)

Experts researched and released a report for the UN calling for major changes in agriculture.

Unesco recommendations included using more organic, local and sustainable farming methods worldwide. See UN Calls for Farming Revolution, BBC News for more information and to see an executive summary of the report.

Although some land has already been stripped, if combinations of plants are grown or more crops are rotated, it will help prevent further environmental damage.

The food crisis has understandably panicked many people but it has also led to restrictions on exporting and hoarding which is making the situation worse.

Other Causes of increased prices and food shortages

  • The world’s population growth has led to more people eating meat, which also requires growing more crops to feed these animals.
  • There has been a bigger demand for ethanol as well so more corn is being diverted for that purpose. Unfortunately, this has contributed to the food shortage as many predicted it would.
  • Climate change and water shortages affect crops as well. When the rain doesn’t come or starts late and ends early, there is less food and/or ruined crops. Too much rain and melting snow leads to flooding which is just as devastating as drought for farmers.

All of this can leave many of us feeling helpless. If you’re looking for a way to help hungry people and haven’t tried the free rice vocabulary game, check it out and learn some new words at the same time. For each word that you get right, 20 grains of rice are donated through the UN World Food Program.


Leave a Reply


About Globally Green Living

Explore eco-friendly ways we can be kinder to the environment globally. Protecting our ecosystems on a global scale is becoming more important as many of our natural resources are becoming damaged or disappearing. By living more simply, we can conserve energy and decrease our carbon footprints on the world. Join us in learning how we can help contribute to saving the earth.

Globally Green Living Author(s)
    » Sandra-Williams

Blogging Flair

Environment Channel Posts

  • Your Money...Your Environment
    The key to balance is conscious awareness about your financial destiny and yoga is a great way to gain an environmental awareness of your finances. Take these steps to reenter yourself [...]
  • 20 Changes for a More Eco-Friendly Lifestyle (Post 3)
    1. Find some new uses for the old things you are wanting to throw out. 2. Compact your non recyclable within you trashcan, you will end up using fewer trash bags in the long run. 3. Always [...]
  • 20 Changes for a More Eco-Friendly Lifestyle (Post 2)
    1. Line dry your clothes whenever possible. 2. Find a greener dry cleaners and bring your own garment bags. 3. Don't use your dishwashers’ drying cycle. 4. Shut your computer down at [...]
  • Food Not Bombs Don't Want to Hide Hungry
    Food Not Bombs is an anti-poverty group dedicated to providing vegetarian food to anyone who is hungry. They do this voluntarily and because it is done publicly have drawn a lot of [...]
  • 20 Changes for a More Eco-Friendly Lifestyle (Post 1)
    1. Recycle your magazines, all of them. 2. Bring your own bags to the supermarket. 3. Support your local economy and curb excess fossil-fuel consumption by shopping close to your own [...]
  • A Guide to Products that go the Extra Mile in Living Green
    • CFLS: The Philips Soft White CFL comes in a recyclable packaging and according to Philips, they claim that it contains the lowest mercury levels of any CFLs on the market. To find a CFL [...]
  • Saturday's Nature Music
    Since I skipped last Saturday's songs, today I found a couple for you. I hope everyone is having a good weekend. I puttered around catching up on housework, made some candles, gardened and went for a [...]
  • Green your Own Lawn Naturally, Here's How:
    1. Pick the right kind of grass for your own area: Having grass that's adapted to your own climate area will be a natural grass and end up being less work for you or your lawn maintenance person in [...]
  • 6 First Nation People Jailed as Mining Continues
    Six people from northern Ontario, Canada were jailed from the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation over their opposition to exploring and mining for uranium on their land. The courts have [...]
  • U.S. Declares Polar Bears Threatened
    Polar bears have been declared a threatened species and the Bush administration has acknowledged global warming is affecting their survival. The ice is expected to continue to melt but it was also [...]

Hot Off The Press

  • Extended School Year for Special Needs
    This year my son does not qualify for Extended School Year (ESY), as he did last year. Some of your children will and that, depending upon the school district, may be a very good thing. For us, [...]
  • How about Some "Sketty"?
    Cooking spaghetti noodles is easy, the hard part is picky the right sauce to go with your spaghetti noodles. Here are five choices to lead you in the right direction in making the perfect spaghetti [...]
  • Nicole Kidman's Excited about Baby
    As if anyone would think differently, Nicole Kidman told People Magazine at the Academy of Country Music Awards that she was "very excited" about her baby. We all know that she's tried for many [...]
  • House's Slot for Fall and Ratings for Finale
    Well, the House finale did well. How well? The season-finale of House at 16.16 million viewers and a 5.7/14 among adults 18-49. That is an amazing score. House came in third, below American Idol [...]
  • NBC Is On Its Way Back To #1
    Rarely, well never, actually, do we get these kind of insider looks at the entertainment industry. But NBC was gracious enough to grant us access to the process of deciding their fall schedule. To [...]
  • Recap: SN1-04, "Intellectual Property"
    We're taking a second look at "Intellectual Property," the fourth episode of Sports Night. Following up on the review, here’s a recap of the episode. Still to come: memorable lines from the [...]
  • Help, Help, I'm Being Enabled
    You know how you're not supposed to bail out someone with an addiction, because it doesn't allow him to deal with the consequences of his behavior? And how you're not supposed to bring beer around an [...]
  • Tickets Available for NCAA Mideast Championships in Fayetteville
    FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas Razorback track and field will be hosting the 2008 NCAA Mideast Regional Track and Field Championships, Friday-Saturday, May 30-31, at John McDonnell Field. [...]
  • Hilary Duff Goes to Elementary School
    Hilary Duff is planning on visiting an Orange County Elementary School on Friday, May 23. She'll actually be going to "Grand Avenue Elementary" to promote the "Blessing in a Backpack."  For [...]
  • Lots More Updates on Travie’s Blog
    If you haven’t seen Travie’s blog since the last time I gave an update he’s got a bunch of new photos and videos on there for people to check out. One is a montage kind of thing from when [...]