African Farmers, Solution for the Spiraling Food Prices

There are so many reasons why food prices sky-rocketed during the last twelve months, but more important than blaming, is to find a viable solution.

Jeffrey D. Sachs, head of Columbia University’s Earth Institute and adviser to the U.N. chief, talked on Monday about the food crisis in developing countries. He said that simple reforms could double Africa’s food production in just a few years and this solution may probably cool down food prices. He also mentioned that the African farmers need help from wealthy countries to invest into better practices including fertilizers, water management systems or drought-resistant seeds.

In an interview in Nairobi, Sachs also mentioned that in his belief, a $10 billion aid to small farmers would probably solve the problem which is worse than believed. During the last year, rice prices went up more than 40-percent and reached higher values because of the cyclone in Myanmar, a large rice exporter, that devastated the whole area.

According to Sachs, the only solution is to immediately invest in agriculture.

Picture by Frankie Roberto

If every person from a rich country would pay $10, Africa would double its production and help reduce the burden on poor countries, because those are the most affected by high food price.

Riots and protests in Asia, the Caribbean and several African countries, arose last month which means that the food crisis is real.

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