Global Food Crisis

ABSTRACT

At the World Food Summit of 1996, when an estimated 830 million people went hungry, governments pledged to reduce that number by half by 2015. Many now predict that, by contrast, this number will increase by 50% to 1,200 million, with major problems arising from the unpredictable climate chaos and the additional pressures arising from the production of bio-fuels. Before the collapse of stocks and fisheries and livestock prices shot of food and fuel, requires new policies, practices and structures to resolve the current food crisis and to prevent future and greater tragedies. Governments and intergovernmental organizations must now recognize their responsibility for implementing policies that have undermined agricultural productivity and food security and have destroyed some countries. The aim of this paper work is to identify how the use of any trade policy tools has eventually impacted on food crisis. Key words: Global Food Crisis, Agricultural Policy, CAP, Humanitarian Aid

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ACP - African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States CAP - Common Agricultural Policy CESCR - Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights EEC - European Economic Community FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations GATT – General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade UNTCAD – United Nations Conference on Trade and Development US – United States of America WTO - World Trade Organization

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1. Introduction

Beautiful phrases like "perfect storm" or "silent tsunami" unfortunately does not have anything in common with romance inspired by the sea, but apply successfully to the hunger and to its threat. That it is in fact very real. The "perfect storm" was a phrase used recently in Paris by Jacques Diouf, the General Director of FAO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Another expression, "silent tsunami" was heard in London at a conference on nutrition, concluded on April 24. Both evoke wave famine that threatens the poorest countries. World Food Crisis was "tested" even by America. Wall-Mart, the first distributor in the country and the world, announced that no one can buy more than one bag of rice. It is right, such a bag contained about 20 kilograms, but the problem is another. Ever since the end of the Second World War onwards, the United States have no food restrictions, whatever it was. It was a first time for America. Sometimes, after floods and natural disasters, it happens that certain products be missing from the supermarket, but from here until something like limit at “a bag per person "is a long way. Experts put the food crisis due to China and India, where economic growth has increased consumption. It is a convenient explanation that does not give answers. Last year, one of the focus points of the International Organization was the global food crisis. The global response was a special United Nation Taskforce, sessions at the United Nation General Assembly and a special Human Rights Council.

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In front of the food crisis that now it is affecting the entire planet, the analysis and action arising from the international organization like the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and from the rich countries are far from being adequate. In fact it sees an inconsistency between the real intention to resolve these crises and not identify those responsible and the lack of participation of the principals affected.