Food First News & Views Fall 2008, Vol. 30 #110
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TWIN TSUNAMIS?
The World Food Program described the global food crisis as a “silent tsunami” surging over an unaware populace, helpless in the face of massive destruction. The financial crisis—rapidly going global—now threatens to increase everyone’s vulnerability to hunger. The compound
effect of the twin crises seems overwhelming.
But though hunger and financial shock may come in waves, not everyone will “drown” in famine or financial ruin. In fact, both crises are making a handful of investors and multinational corporations very rich—even as they devastate the poor and put the rest of the planet at severe environmental
and economic risk. Thus far there has been little leadership on the food crisis, and the sketchy $700 billion U.S. bailout for a few giant financial houses is a desperate attempt to keep credit flowing through a stumbling economy. There are, unfortunately, no guarantees. Already, when we need them the most, farmers are running into problems finding production credit. Though massive and destructive, the food and financial crises are anything but silent, or natural, and—as long as we are aware of their true causes—we are not helpless.
The food crisis ushered in the financial crisis. Now the financial crisis is exacerbating the food crisis. No one knows how deeply, broadly, or for how long the financial crisis will affect economies around the world. All we know is that the storm is coming, and we will need to lay up reserves and reach out to our family, friends and neighbors to ride it out. How do we do that?
