Now, there are developing regions which are home to hundred of millions of poor and hungry people because of their poverty. In Aflica, for example, about 60 percent of all citizens are farmers living in the countryside, so if aglicultural trade between developed countries is better than now, they can live more confortably.
There is another ploblem which is high food prices. The price of internationally traded food commondities jumped upward sharply. The reason why it happens is the increased use of agricultual commodities for biofuels, such as ethanol produced from corn. It is very interesting book for me, so I'll keep reading to get more information.
I'm glad that you're finding the book interesting, Meiko, even though it is quite a challenging topic. Don't hesitate to give your opinions about what you are reading as well as descriptions of the content.
返信削除Try to be a critical (i.e., thinking and questioning) reader. For example, you might question the notion that if agricultural trade between Africa and developed countries improved, Africans could live more comfortably. Actually, what often happens, is that crops are grown for 1st world markets by large-scale farms while many people in countries such as Kenya go hungry. Farmers may be pushed to grow "cash crops" that earn lots of dollars but deplete the soil and don't contribute to feeding people in their immediate area. I think that putting a priority on developing subsistence agriculture that can feed as many people in one's own country as possible should be the priority, rather than pushing for international trade. International trade tends to benefit the elite more than the average person.