Originally published on February 22, 2012
Introduction
On September 30, IIEP held a daylong conference on “Food Price Increases: Causes, Impacts and Responses.” IIEP brought eight leading experts to GW to examine the reemergence of the “food problem”: prices have reversed their downward trend of much of the 20th century; over the last decade global food prices have risen about 80%. In response, the number of people suffering from hunger as measured by the Food and Agriculture Organization has increased by more than 100 million people. But variance also seems to have increased significantly – returning to volatility not seen since the 1970s. Finally, a third feature emerged – two sharp upward food price spikes – that demanded improved understanding. More than 100 participants attended the event. The speakers presented new, groundbreaking research addressing each of these three changes in food price dynamics.
* Parts of this review first appeared in an article in World Ark:http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/heifer/worldark_201202/#/14
