World food scenario: Emerging trends and issues

Badar Alam Iqbal¹* and Theo Van Der Merwe²

¹Visiting Professor, Department of Economics, University of South Africa, Pretoria (South Africa)

²Chair, Department of Economics; University of South Africa; Pretoria, (South Africa).

*Corresponding author. E-mail- ba.iqbal.cm@amu.ac.in .

Accepted 30 June, 2009

   Abstract

Global food scenario has been under heavy odds. This has been due to spiraling food prices and scarcity of food grains world over. The result is that the specter of a hungry world that stood at 800 million, roiled into unrest and political upheavals. One of the contributory factors is more population and lesser output of food grains. It is also assumed that that the Asian Economies and the US have also contributed towards global food crisis. A lot of efforts have been made out both at international level and national levels. However there is improvement in trends and situation and it is hoped that the worst may be over. The need, therefore, is to take more effective measures to tackle this alarming and burning issue that the world is facing. The present paper reviews emerging issues and trends in respect of global food situation and crisis.

Key words: Food prices, food crisis, food situation, insecurity, stability, disparities, hunger, poverty.