Prices of basic foods have sharply increased amid a rise in costs of commodities. The crisis has led to riots in poor countries by people who have limited access to food. Dr. Vandana Shiva is a physicist, ecologist, activist, editor, and author of many books. She talks to Al Jazeera about the food crisis in India, and what can be done to overcome it. Al Jazeera: One of the causes of the huge rises in India's food prices is the soaring rate of inflation. India is experiencing its highest rate of inflation in three years. What is behind this increase? Dr Shiva: There are a number of reasons why the prices of food commodities are rising in India. The first is related to economic policies - the policies of integrating India with global markets. There is a huge agrarian crisis but it's not from the beginning of our freedom, it's not a leftover of feudalism. The agrarian crisis is a result of globalisation.
Prices of basic foods have sharply increased amid a rise in costs of commodities.
The crisis has led to riots in poor countries by people who have limited access to food.
Dr. Vandana Shiva is a physicist, ecologist, activist, editor, and author of many books. She talks to Al Jazeera about the food crisis in India, and what can be done to overcome it.
Al Jazeera: One of the causes of the huge rises in India's food prices is the soaring rate of inflation. India is experiencing its highest rate of inflation in three years. What is behind this increase?
Dr Shiva: There are a number of reasons why the prices of food commodities are rising in India. The first is related to economic policies - the policies of integrating India with global markets. There is a huge agrarian crisis but it's not from the beginning of our freedom, it's not a leftover of feudalism. The agrarian crisis is a result of globalisation.
WASHINGTON: The world's economic ministers declared that shortages and skyrocketing prices for food posed a potentially greater threat to economic and political stability than the turmoil in capital markets. The ministers, conferring Sunday in the shadow of a slumping U.S. economy that threatens to pull down other countries, turned their attention to the food crisis and called on the wealthiest countries to fulfill pledges to help prevent starvation and disorder in Asia, Africa and Latin America. "Throughout the weekend we have heard again and again from ministers in developing countries and emerging economies that this is a priority issue," said Robert Zoellick, president of the World Bank. "We have to put our money where our mouth is now, so that we can put food into hungry mouths. It is as stark as that." Zoellick said that almost half of the $500 million that the World Food Program recently requested in additional pledges for food aid this year had been committed but that the program would not meet a deadline of raising the money by May 1. The World Food Program is seeking the aid, on top of nearly $3 billion already committed, because of shortfalls in food distribution resulting from higher prices.
WASHINGTON: The world's economic ministers declared that shortages and skyrocketing prices for food posed a potentially greater threat to economic and political stability than the turmoil in capital markets.
The ministers, conferring Sunday in the shadow of a slumping U.S. economy that threatens to pull down other countries, turned their attention to the food crisis and called on the wealthiest countries to fulfill pledges to help prevent starvation and disorder in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
"Throughout the weekend we have heard again and again from ministers in developing countries and emerging economies that this is a priority issue," said Robert Zoellick, president of the World Bank. "We have to put our money where our mouth is now, so that we can put food into hungry mouths. It is as stark as that."
Zoellick said that almost half of the $500 million that the World Food Program recently requested in additional pledges for food aid this year had been committed but that the program would not meet a deadline of raising the money by May 1.
The World Food Program is seeking the aid, on top of nearly $3 billion already committed, because of shortfalls in food distribution resulting from higher prices.
