Science and Technology news... :: View topic - Global Hunger is Increasing, UN Report Says

Torsten Brinch · Guest

Global Hunger is Increasing, UN Report Says
USAgNet - 11/25/2003

After declining for years, the number of people in the world who are
going hungry is on the rise, the United Nations' Food and Agriculture
Organization stated in its annual hunger report. Throughout the first
half of the 1990s, hunger fell steadily, according to the report. The
number of hungry people in developing countries declined by 37 million
during the first half of the 1990s but increased by 18 million in the
second half.

The FAO estimates in its fifth annual report on The State of Food
Insecurity in the World that 842 million people were undernourished in
1999-2001, the most recent years for which data are available.

This is not the famine-type hunger associated with drought, telethons
and world-broadcast rock concerts. It>s a diet that routinely supplies
1,400 to 1,700 calories a day. Several U.N. agencies say 2,300
calories is the minimum needed for a healthy life.

"The degree to which they are suffering from hunger is unimaginable to
those of us in affluent countries," says Hartwig de Haen, FAO
assistant director.

Nineteen countries, including China, Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka,
Peru, Brazil, Ghana and Namibia, succeeded in reducing the number of
undernourished throughout the 1990s, the report says.

But in 26 countries, including Afghanistan, Congo, Yemen, the
Philippines, Liberia, Kenya and Iraq, the number of undernourished
people went up.

Jim Webster · Guest

"Torsten Brinch" <iaotb@inet.uni2.dk> wrote in message
news:g1o6sv0mnqo7id59datf9niedq08v5ldbj@4ax.com...
[quote]Global Hunger is Increasing, UN Report Says
USAgNet - 11/25/2003

just as the EU is cutting food production[/quote]

Jim Webster

Bruce Sinclair · Guest

In article <bpvrja$88o$1@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk>, "Jim Webster" <Jim@feeswerve.spam.co.uk> wrote:
[quote]
"Torsten Brinch" <iaotb@inet.uni2.dk> wrote in message
news:g1o6sv0mnqo7id59datf9niedq08v5ldbj@4ax.com...
Global Hunger is Increasing, UN Report Says
USAgNet - 11/25/2003

just as the EU is cutting food production
[/quote]
Production is not the problem ... it>s the distribution :)

Bruce

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to
think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone´s fault.
If it was Us, what did that make Me ? After all, I´m one of Us. I must be.
I´ve certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No-one ever thinks
of themselves as one of Them. We´re always one of Us. It´s Them that do
the bad things. <=> Terry Pratchett. Jingo.

Jim Webster · Guest

"Bruce Sinclair" <bruce.sinclair@NOSPAMagresearch.NOTco.NOTnz> wrote in
message news:D7Pwb.9631$ws.864110@news02.tsnz.net...
[quote]In article <bpvrja$88o$1@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk>, "Jim Webster"
Jim@feeswerve.spam.co.uk> wrote:

"Torsten Brinch" <iaotb@inet.uni2.dk> wrote in message
news:g1o6sv0mnqo7id59datf9niedq08v5ldbj@4ax.com...
Global Hunger is Increasing, UN Report Says
USAgNet - 11/25/2003

just as the EU is cutting food production

Production is not the problem ... it>s the distribution :)
[/quote]
yes and no.

Currently we have large stocks of food, so distribution is a problem
But grain production has been less than demand for (from memory) the last
four or five years. Those large stocks are shrinking.
The EU has cut set-aside to 5% from 10%, they reckon this will bring in
about another 7 million tons.
However the CAP reform will almost certainly lead to a fall in grain
production, unless the world market price remains at current levels.

Jim Webster

Bruce Sinclair · Guest

In article <bq0mbl$1oh$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk>, "Jim Webster" <Jim@feeswerve.spam.co.uk> wrote:
[quote]"Bruce Sinclair" <bruce.sinclair@NOSPAMagresearch.NOTco.NOTnz> wrote in
message news:D7Pwb.9631$ws.864110@news02.tsnz.net...
In article <bpvrja$88o$1@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk>, "Jim Webster"
Jim@feeswerve.spam.co.uk> wrote:
"Torsten Brinch" <iaotb@inet.uni2.dk> wrote in message
news:g1o6sv0mnqo7id59datf9niedq08v5ldbj@4ax.com...
Global Hunger is Increasing, UN Report Says
USAgNet - 11/25/2003

just as the EU is cutting food production

Production is not the problem ... it>s the distribution :)

yes and no.

Currently we have large stocks of food, so distribution is a problem
But grain production has been less than demand for (from memory) the last
four or five years. Those large stocks are shrinking.
The EU has cut set-aside to 5% from 10%, they reckon this will bring in
about another 7 million tons.
However the CAP reform will almost certainly lead to a fall in grain
production, unless the world market price remains at current levels.
[/quote]
I suspect that the reason for cuts is to push the price up. That>s
what oil producers do ... just produce less if you want more
bucks/barrel :)

Bruce

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to
think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone´s fault.
If it was Us, what did that make Me ? After all, I´m one of Us. I must be.
I´ve certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No-one ever thinks
of themselves as one of Them. We´re always one of Us. It´s Them that do
the bad things. <=> Terry Pratchett. Jingo.

Jim Webster · Guest

"Bruce Sinclair" <bruce.sinclair@NOSPAMagresearch.NOTco.NOTnz> wrote in
message news:m1Swb.9671$ws.865913@news02.tsnz.net...
[quote]In article <bq0mbl$1oh$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk>, "Jim Webster"
Jim@feeswerve.spam.co.uk> wrote:
"Bruce Sinclair" <bruce.sinclair@NOSPAMagresearch.NOTco.NOTnz> wrote in
message news:D7Pwb.9631$ws.864110@news02.tsnz.net...
In article <bpvrja$88o$1@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk>, "Jim Webster"
Jim@feeswerve.spam.co.uk> wrote:
"Torsten Brinch" <iaotb@inet.uni2.dk> wrote in message
news:g1o6sv0mnqo7id59datf9niedq08v5ldbj@4ax.com...
Global Hunger is Increasing, UN Report Says
USAgNet - 11/25/2003

just as the EU is cutting food production

Production is not the problem ... it>s the distribution :)

yes and no.

Currently we have large stocks of food, so distribution is a problem
But grain production has been less than demand for (from memory) the last
four or five years. Those large stocks are shrinking.
The EU has cut set-aside to 5% from 10%, they reckon this will bring in
about another 7 million tons.
However the CAP reform will almost certainly lead to a fall in grain
production, unless the world market price remains at current levels.

I suspect that the reason for cuts is to push the price up. That>s
what oil producers do ... just produce less if you want more
bucks/barrel :)
[/quote]
there are a handful of big oil companies who can determine the market, a
group of member states who get together and plan these things. I forget how
many million grain producers there are.

In the EU with CAP reform the land could well go out of agriculture into
timber or such things as pony paddocks etc

Jim Webster

[quote]
Bruce

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to
think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone´s fault.
If it was Us, what did that make Me ? After all, I´m one of Us. I must be.
I´ve certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No-one ever thinks
of themselves as one of Them. We´re always one of Us. It´s Them that do
the bad things. <=> Terry Pratchett. Jingo.[/quote]

R. Geeta · Guest

On Tue, 25 Nov 2003, Jim Webster wrote:
[quote]
"Bruce Sinclair" <bruce.sinclair@NOSPAMagresearch.NOTco.NOTnz> wrote
In article <bpvrja$88o$1@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk>, "Jim Webster"
Jim@feeswerve.spam.co.uk> wrote:

"Torsten Brinch" <iaotb@inet.uni2.dk> wrote in message

just as the EU is cutting food production

Production is not the problem ... it>s the distribution :)

Currently we have large stocks of food, so distribution is a problem
But grain production has been less than demand for (from memory) the last
four or five years. Those large stocks are shrinking.
[/quote]
Presumably Bruce SInclair>s response was in reference to the hungering
nations. That may be unequally applicable to different nations: In India,
where there are many hungry people, at this point production is not the
problem--distribution, rather poor access due to lack of purchasing power,
is.

--Geeta

Jim Webster · Guest

"R. Geeta" <geeta@life.bio.sunysb.edu> wrote in message
news:Pine.GSO.4.05.10311260703110.12986-100000@life.bio.sunysb.edu...
[quote]On Tue, 25 Nov 2003, Jim Webster wrote:

"Bruce Sinclair" <bruce.sinclair@NOSPAMagresearch.NOTco.NOTnz> wrote
In article <bpvrja$88o$1@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk>, "Jim Webster"
Jim@feeswerve.spam.co.uk> wrote:

"Torsten Brinch" <iaotb@inet.uni2.dk> wrote in message

just as the EU is cutting food production

Production is not the problem ... it>s the distribution :)

Currently we have large stocks of food, so distribution is a problem
But grain production has been less than demand for (from memory) the
last
four or five years. Those large stocks are shrinking.

Presumably Bruce SInclair>s response was in reference to the hungering
nations. That may be unequally applicable to different nations: In India,
where there are many hungry people, at this point production is not the
problem--distribution, rather poor access due to lack of purchasing power,
is.

I have no problem with Bruces point, indeed it is one I have put forward[/quote]
myself. I just point out that with falling output and consumption that is
static or rising, distribution may well not be the only problem.

Jim Webster

Bruce Sinclair · Guest

In article <Pine.GSO.4.05.10311260703110.12986-100000@life.bio.sunysb.edu>, "R. Geeta" <geeta@life.bio.sunysb.edu> wrote:
[quote]On Tue, 25 Nov 2003, Jim Webster wrote:
"Bruce Sinclair" <bruce.sinclair@NOSPAMagresearch.NOTco.NOTnz> wrote
In article <bpvrja$88o$1@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk>, "Jim Webster"
Jim@feeswerve.spam.co.uk> wrote:
"Torsten Brinch" <iaotb@inet.uni2.dk> wrote in message

just as the EU is cutting food production

Production is not the problem ... it>s the distribution :)

Currently we have large stocks of food, so distribution is a problem
But grain production has been less than demand for (from memory) the last
four or five years. Those large stocks are shrinking.

Presumably Bruce SInclair>s response was in reference to the hungering
nations. That may be unequally applicable to different nations: In India,
where there are many hungry people, at this point production is not the
problem--distribution, rather poor access due to lack of purchasing power,
is.
[/quote]
Indeed. The case can be made within and between nations and is
similarly valid.

Bruce

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to
think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone´s fault.
If it was Us, what did that make Me ? After all, I´m one of Us. I must be.
I´ve certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No-one ever thinks
of themselves as one of Them. We´re always one of Us. It´s Them that do
the bad things. <=> Terry Pratchett. Jingo.

Bruce Sinclair · Guest

In article <bq2p0m$e5u$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk>, "Jim Webster" <Jim@feeswerve.spam.co.uk> wrote:
[quote]"R. Geeta" <geeta@life.bio.sunysb.edu> wrote in message
news:Pine.GSO.4.05.10311260703110.12986-100000@life.bio.sunysb.edu...
On Tue, 25 Nov 2003, Jim Webster wrote:
"Bruce Sinclair" <bruce.sinclair@NOSPAMagresearch.NOTco.NOTnz> wrote
In article <bpvrja$88o$1@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk>, "Jim Webster"
Jim@feeswerve.spam.co.uk> wrote:
"Torsten Brinch" <iaotb@inet.uni2.dk> wrote in message

just as the EU is cutting food production

Production is not the problem ... it>s the distribution :)

Currently we have large stocks of food, so distribution is a problem
But grain production has been less than demand for (from memory) the
last
four or five years. Those large stocks are shrinking.

Presumably Bruce SInclair>s response was in reference to the hungering
nations. That may be unequally applicable to different nations: In India,
where there are many hungry people, at this point production is not the
problem--distribution, rather poor access due to lack of purchasing power,
is.

I have no problem with Bruces point, indeed it is one I have put forward
myself. I just point out that with falling output and consumption that is
static or rising, distribution may well not be the only problem.
[/quote]
Quite so. I guess I have the general and continuing fall in commodity
(in this case food) prices generally in the back of my mind ...
meaning or implying that we have lots of it (or the price would be
higher).

As you say, most systems are by no means simple and are usually
changing as well just to complicate matters :)

Bruce

..

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to
think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone´s fault.
If it was Us, what did that make Me ? After all, I´m one of Us. I must be.
I´ve certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No-one ever thinks
of themselves as one of Them. We´re always one of Us. It´s Them that do
the bad things. <=> Terry Pratchett. Jingo.

Dean Hoffman · Guest

On 11/26/03 1:01 AM, in article bq1jsd$kuh$1@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk, "Jim
Webster" <Jim@feeswerve.spam.co.uk> wrote:

[quote]there are a handful of big oil companies who can determine the market, a
group of member states who get together and plan these things. I forget how
many million grain producers there are.

In the EU with CAP reform the land could well go out of agriculture into
timber or such things as pony paddocks etc

Jim Webster
[/quote]

The number of places farmers can sell their production is decreasing.
Something like 4 or 5 companies account for something like 80% of the U.S.
grain exported.
The number of meat packers also declining. I don>t know how many of those
are left.
If there is such a thing as a food cartel it might be somewhere in the
processing area.

Dean

-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
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Jim Webster · Guest

"Dean Hoffman" <dh0496@ineINbrasVALkaID.com> wrote in message
news:BBEADD61.45248%dh0496@ineINbrasVALkaID.com...
[quote]On 11/26/03 1:01 AM, in article bq1jsd$kuh$1@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk, "Jim
Webster" <Jim@feeswerve.spam.co.uk> wrote:

there are a handful of big oil companies who can determine the market, a
group of member states who get together and plan these things. I forget
how
many million grain producers there are.

In the EU with CAP reform the land could well go out of agriculture into
timber or such things as pony paddocks etc

Jim Webster

The number of places farmers can sell their production is decreasing.
Something like 4 or 5 companies account for something like 80% of the U.S.
grain exported.
The number of meat packers also declining. I don>t know how many of
those
are left.
If there is such a thing as a food cartel it might be somewhere in the
processing area.
[/quote]
In the UK something like 80% of food is sold through four supermarkets.

Jim Webster

Jim Webster · Guest

"Bruce Sinclair" <bruce.sinclair@NOSPAMagresearch.NOTco.NOTnz> wrote in
message news:pNaxb.9941$ws.883480@news02.tsnz.net...
[quote]I have no problem with Bruces point, indeed it is one I have put forward
myself. I just point out that with falling output and consumption that is
static or rising, distribution may well not be the only problem.

Quite so. I guess I have the general and continuing fall in commodity
(in this case food) prices generally in the back of my mind ...
meaning or implying that we have lots of it (or the price would be
higher).
[/quote]
or it means that there are too few purchasers for the market to operate
properly.

High prices in the international market do not necessarily knock on to high
prices at the farm gate.
Indeed prices at the retail level in the UK are so high that the price of
wheat could double and bread prices need not chance noticably for the
consumer. In fact between last year and this year, wheat virtually did this

Jim Webster

Bruce Sinclair · Guest

In article <bq48tc$k03$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk>, "Jim Webster" <Jim@feeswerve.spam.co.uk> wrote:
[quote]"Dean Hoffman" <dh0496@ineINbrasVALkaID.com> wrote in message
news:BBEADD61.45248%dh0496@ineINbrasVALkaID.com...
On 11/26/03 1:01 AM, in article bq1jsd$kuh$1@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk, "Jim
Webster" <Jim@feeswerve.spam.co.uk> wrote:

there are a handful of big oil companies who can determine the market, a
group of member states who get together and plan these things. I forget
how
many million grain producers there are.

In the EU with CAP reform the land could well go out of agriculture into
timber or such things as pony paddocks etc

The number of places farmers can sell their production is decreasing.
Something like 4 or 5 companies account for something like 80% of the U.S.
grain exported.
The number of meat packers also declining. I don>t know how many of
those
are left.
If there is such a thing as a food cartel it might be somewhere in the
processing area.

In the UK something like 80% of food is sold through four supermarkets.
[/quote]
Here in NZ we have effectively 2 chains with various brands.
Have also heard how at least one food processor operates ... they set
the price they will buy at x ... and if you don>t like it ? ... tough.
Sell elsewhere ... if you can.

Bruce

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to
think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone´s fault.
If it was Us, what did that make Me ? After all, I´m one of Us. I must be.
I´ve certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No-one ever thinks
of themselves as one of Them. We´re always one of Us. It´s Them that do
the bad things. <=> Terry Pratchett. Jingo.

Bruce Sinclair · Guest

In article <bq48tc$k03$2@news6.svr.pol.co.uk>, "Jim Webster" <Jim@feeswerve.spam.co.uk> wrote:
[quote]"Bruce Sinclair" <bruce.sinclair@NOSPAMagresearch.NOTco.NOTnz> wrote in
message news:pNaxb.9941$ws.883480@news02.tsnz.net...
I have no problem with Bruces point, indeed it is one I have put forward
myself. I just point out that with falling output and consumption that is
static or rising, distribution may well not be the only problem.

Quite so. I guess I have the general and continuing fall in commodity
(in this case food) prices generally in the back of my mind ...
meaning or implying that we have lots of it (or the price would be
higher).

or it means that there are too few purchasers for the market to operate
properly.
[/quote]
Agreed.

[quote]High prices in the international market do not necessarily knock on to high
prices at the farm gate.
[/quote]
Agreed. Happens very rarely from what I>ve seen.

[quote]Indeed prices at the retail level in the UK are so high that the price of
wheat could double and bread prices need not chance noticably for the
consumer. In fact between last year and this year, wheat virtually did this
[/quote]
Nasty. Someone (a middleman presumably ?) is making a pot of money
somewhere :)

Bruce

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to
think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone´s fault.
If it was Us, what did that make Me ? After all, I´m one of Us. I must be.
I´ve certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No-one ever thinks
of themselves as one of Them. We´re always one of Us. It´s Them that do
the bad things. <=> Terry Pratchett. Jingo.


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