Food riots of the 21st century
 

Food riots of the 21st century
Jonathan Watts
06 Jan 2008

http://www.mg.co.za/articledirect.as...ticleId=328941

The risks of food riots and malnutrition will surge in the next two years as the global supply of grain comes under more pressure than at any time in 50 years, according to one of the world’s leading agricultural researchers.

Recent pasta protests in Italy, tortilla rallies in Mexico and onion demonstrations in India are just the start of the social instability to come unless there is a fundamental shift to boost production of staple foods, warned Joachim von Braun, the head of the International Food Policy Research Institute.

The growing appetite of China and other fast-developing nations has combined with the expansion of biofuel programmes in the United States and Europe to transform the global food situation. After decades of expanding crop yields and falling food prices, the past year has seen a sharp rise in the cost of wheat, rice, corn, soya and dairy products.

“Demand is running away. The world has been consuming more than it produces for five years now. Stocks of grain and of rice, wheat and maize are down at levels not seen since the early 1980s,” said Von Braun, whose organisation is the world’s largest alliance of agricultural researchers, economists and policy experts..............

http://www.mg.co.za/articledirect.as...ticleId=328941

Re: Food riots of the 21st century
 

Wow that's a pretty telling article, good find. And to think this is all being done by design. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.