Solving the World's Food Shortage Crisis

There is no doubt that a global food shortage crisis currently exists. With the prices of
staple grains such as wheat, rice, and corn rising from year to year, more people continue
to go hungry. ln countries such as Haiti and Bangladesh, the food shortage has become so
serious that people are rioting in the streets in protest of soaring food prices. Most
experts agree that the current food shortage problem is linked to the energy crisis that is
also threatening communities worldwide. The rising cost of oil has made it more and more
expensive for farmers to operate machinery that aids in mass food production. Higher oil
prices also make the transport of food to people in need much more expensive. Poor
farmers, who cannot afford to buy fuel, seeds, or other important agricultural tools have
begun to cut back on their own food production. ln addition, many scientists believe that
climate changes have adversely affected food production by causing droughts that make
it impossible for anything to grow. ln order to prevent this problem from growing any
worse and potentially ruining economies around the world, it is crucial that sound
solutions are sought and implemented. Several achievable solutions to the food shortage
crisis include eliminating biofuel subsidies, introducing new farming techniques, weather-
proofing farmland, and eating less meat. According to experts, one solution is to eliminate
government policies that encourage the development of ethanol and other biofuels. ln
order to help reduce the risk of global warming, both the United States and Europe have
become active in exploring alternative energy sources. One of the main sources that have
been discovered and widely used is ethanol. However, because ethanol is made from corn,
it has directly affected the food shortage by taking away corn that would otherwise be
used as food and feed for domesticated animals. It is critical that policies giving farmers
financial breaks for converting food to fuel are quickly suspended. Ending such policies
will not only make more food available, it will also free up land now used to grow corn for
biofuel so it can be used for growing crops that feed hungry people. Another solution is for
scientists to develop new tools to increase crop production. Researchers around the
world are studying ways to improve crops and farming techniques, weather-proofing
farmland, and eating less meat.
 Solving the World's Food Shortage Crisis

According to experts, one solution is to eliminate government policies that encourage

the development of ethanol and other biofuels. ln order to help reduce the risk of global
warming, both the United States and Europe have become active in exploring alternative
energy sources. One of the main sources that has been discovered and widely used is
ethanol. However, because ethanol is made from corn, it has directly affected the food
shortage by taking away corn that would otherwise be used as food and feed for
domesticated animals. It is critical that policies giving farmers financial breaks for
converting food to fuel are quickly suspended. Ending such policies will not only make
more food available, it will also free up land now used to grow corn for biofuel so it can be
used for growing crops that feed hungry people. Another solution is for scientists to
develop new tools to increase crop production. Researchers around the world are
studying ways to improve crops and farming techniques. Two such places that are
making important discoveries are the international Rice Research Institute in the
Philippines and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Mexico.
Scientists, there are growing staple crops such as wheat rice, maize, and soy that are
more pest resistant and weed resistant. The new and improved crops are also more
nutrient-rich and yield higher quantities. The goal is to offer more nutrition per acre of
farmed land. Helping farmers safeguard against bad weather conditions is another
possible solution to the global food shortage crisis. Unprepared farmers and
unpredictable weather have proven to be a recipe for disaster. For example, droughts in
Australia (the world's second-largest wheat producer) have left hundreds of farms barren
and even more people without food. A farm pond is one preventative method scientists
have developed to combat the threat of droughts. By creating a small pond on farming
land, a farmer can easily collect rainwater to use for emergency irrigation during a
drought. This simple solution is a great way to increase farm productivity in areas of the
world most affected by troubling weather conditions.
 Solving the World's Food Shortage Crisis

Governments and farmers aren't the only groups that must work towards a solution to the
global food shortage crisis. Consumers, the people actually buying the food that is
growing more expensive and less available, also bear the responsib¡l¡ty of helping
decrease shortage. One very simple thing that all consumers can do is purchase and eat
less meat. Cows, chickens, and pigs are all fed with feed made from corn and other
important grains. The large amount of food that is used to feed them before the slaughter
could easily be redirected for human consumption if the demand for such meats
decreased. There is no doubt that the global food shortage problem needs to be
addressed immediately. The only way to prevent further worldwide hunger and
malnutrition is for all parties to work together towards a solution. There are many thíngs
that governments, farmers, and even consumers can do to help fight today's growing food
shortage dílemma. New farming techníques, the elimination of biofuel subsidies,
weather-proofing farmland, and eating less meat are a few possible solutions. There is
never an excuse for people to go hungry. Hopefully, a growing awareness of the problem
will be the first step to finding ways to resolve it.

Picture from DW.