News article reflections

I agree what the assistant general director said in the article. Having a steady supply to meet the needs of people are vital. If not, there would be a famine and increment in death rate. Hence governing authorities should never neglect it. I hope that the problem will be solved soon, so as to cater to people's need of food, especially in the less developed countries.

Article:


UN calls for rice production boost in Asia
Posted: 09 March 2011 2112 hrs
 
 
Photos 1 of 1

   
 


BANGKOK : The UN's food agency on Wednesday called on Asian nations to help small farmers to grow more rice to prevent food shortages in the face of expanding populations.

Asia is the world's "food basket," said Hiroyuki Konuma, assistant director-general at the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation.

"It's a very important region particularly for rice. Almost two-thirds of rice in the international market comes from Asia. Thailand and Vietnam alone share nearly 50 percent of the market," he told AFP on the sidelines of a seminar in Bangkok.

About 90 percent of the world's rice is grown in Asia but much of it is consumed domestically.

The FAO estimates that world food production will have to increase by 70 percent by 2050 to meet growing demand. In developing countries, it believes output will need to double over the same period.

In order to prevent a food price crisis and to reduce poverty in Asia, "helping small scale farmers to grow more food to enhance food security is very important," Konuma said.

"The neglect of agriculture and food production by the international community and national governments must come to an end. This is a prerequisite for dealing with food price spikes," he added.

The UN agency said last week that food prices in February hit the highest level since it began monitoring them in 1990, and warned that a spike in oil costs could push them even higher.

Prices have risen sharply in many local markets, with retail prices of rice reaching record high levels in January in China and Indonesia, Konuma noted.

- AFP /ls