Name: World Food Problem

Keywords: environmental science, food famine

content

After World War II, world grain production developed rapidly. From 1950 to 1984, the world's total grain output increased from 630 million tons to1800 million tons, an increase of more than 180%. During this period, the world population increased from 25 1 100 million to 4.77 billion, an increase of about 90%. Because grain growth is faster than population growth, the per capita grain in the world is increasing. However, the distribution of grain producing areas in the world is uneven. The population of developed countries accounts for 1/4 of the world, and the grain output accounts for 1/2 of the world. Developing countries account for 3/4 of the world's population and grain output accounts for12 of the world, so the per capita grain output and consumption are low. Due to the rapid population growth in developing countries, the problem of food shortage in many countries is becoming more and more serious. From 65438 to 0970, the number of hungry and malnourished people in developing countries was about 500 million. On the other hand, a few developed countries have "surplus" grain and cannot sell it. For example, the United States, Canada, Australia, France and so on. It takes a lot of money to save food every year and even try to reduce food production. According to the press release issued by FAO on June 2nd 1992, poverty plagues about 65,438 billion people, and more than 500 million people, accounting for 10% of the world population, are malnourished, among whom about 50 million people are facing hunger.

General situation of food problem in 2008

Demand from emerging economies, rising energy prices, climate change and food export restrictions have changed the relationship between food supply and demand and increased the uncertainty of food prices.

World food price is a long-term problem.

The New Relationship between Supply and Demand in Grain Field

In 2008, the fluctuation of world food prices will intensify.

Food prices may continue to climb, at least at a high level. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization predicted in June this year (5438+ 10) that the output of major food crops in the world will be about 30-40 million tons lower than the demand this year, accounting for about 1.5%-2% of the total annual output. On the other hand, in the last 30 years, global grain stocks have been declining, and in 2007, it has fallen to the lowest point in 30 years. The structure of supply and demand and the level of stock determine the grain price trend in 2008.

In the short term, there are many factors for the increase in food prices in 2008 and even 2009. The price of oil has exceeded 100 USD, and if it rises further on this basis, the price of food will also rise. In addition, abnormal climatic factors may aggravate the food shortage, which may have a great impact on food prices this year.

Finally, in the long run, the current trend of rising food prices will continue. According to the model established by IFPRI, within 10 years, the grain price will increase by at least 10%, possibly reaching 20%.

Bio-energy squeezes out grain planting resources.

Climate change affects food supply.

Worried about food trade barriers

It is necessary to keep a certain grain stock.

Rising food prices will affect food safety in poor countries.

Four measures to alleviate the food problem

First of all, we should strengthen investment in agriculture, especially the research and development and popularization of agricultural technology. This kind of investment should choose those projects that can get the fastest results. While increasing investment in agriculture and agricultural market, we should especially increase investment in cultivated land.

Secondly, we should open the grain market and promote grain trade, not restrict it, which is beneficial to both grain exporting and importing countries.

Third, the government should use the social security system and other projects to subsidize the poor people and families in China, or take other measures to meet their basic survival needs, so as to protect the poor people who are most vulnerable to the rise in food prices.

Fourth, agriculture and food issues should be put on the agenda of climate change policy discussion, and the relationship between bioenergy production and food prices should be fully considered.

China's food prices are more and more in step with the world.

In 2008, China ensured the basic stability of grain market and price.

In 2008, China's grain work will take maintaining the basic stability of grain market and price as the primary task, strengthen and improve macro-control of grain, deepen the reform of grain circulation system, and effectively guarantee the stability of grain and oil market and national food security.

Nie Zhenbang, director of the State Grain Administration, said at the National Conference of Grain Directors held here on the 3rd that according to the arrangements of the Central Economic Work Conference and the Central Rural Work Conference, this year's grain work should focus on strengthening and improving the macro-control of grain to ensure the basic stability of the grain and oil market and prices. At the same time, deepen the reform of the grain circulation system and state-owned grain enterprises, and continue to improve and perfect the system and mechanism. Promote the development of modern grain circulation industry, conscientiously implement the national grain purchase and sale policy, better protect the interests of grain farmers, mobilize the enthusiasm of grain production, and ensure national food security.

Nie Zhenbang said that maintaining the basic stability of the grain market and price should be the primary task of this year's grain work.

It is reported that in 2007, against the background of the sharp rise of international food prices, China maintained the basic stability of the grain market by strengthening macro-control of grain. At the same time, China's grain supply and demand situation and price trend are more complicated, and the task of further strengthening and improving grain macro-control and deepening the reform of grain circulation system is still arduous. The problem of food hygiene and safety has aroused great concern in society, and the supervision of food quality and hygiene needs to be further strengthened.

World food security is facing an emergency.

In the past three years, the global wheat price has risen181%; At present, the global grain reserve has fallen to the lowest level since 1980.

Since 2008, international food prices have been running at a high level, and the prices of rice and wheat are very high. Some international organizations have warned about the possible consequences of high food prices. At present, many countries and relevant institutions are seriously concerned about the rising international food prices, and are actively studying countermeasures.

The reasons for the rise in food prices are complicated.

According to a research report published by the World Bank on the 9th of this month, in the past three years, the global wheat price rose as high as 18 1%, and the overall grain price rose by 83%. The report predicts that food prices will remain high in 2008 and 2009. The report also predicts that most food prices will remain above the 2004 level before 20 15.

Regarding the reasons for the rise in food prices, Jose, head of the Latin American region of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization? Gracci Yano pointed out at the press conference held in Brasilia on June 10 that these factors include the decrease of output caused by climate change, the change of supply and demand in the world grain market and the increase of speculation in the agricultural futures market.

Some analysts also pointed out that the high oil price in the international market and the rise of biofuel industry are also important factors leading to the rise of food prices. The rise in oil prices not only pushed up the prices of agricultural products such as fertilizers and pesticides, but also led to the increase of comprehensive agricultural costs such as transportation. The consumption of food and land resources by the emerging biofuel industry is increasing.

Some scholars even think that "the world has entered the era of high food prices".

World grain reserves are decreasing.

"Food is the most important thing for the people", and soaring food prices are related to the interests of thousands of people in Qian Qian.

From the public interest, rising food prices will increase people's living costs, thus directly affecting the lives of ordinary people; From the macro-economic point of view, under the background of American subprime mortgage crisis and high oil prices, soaring food prices will also increase inflationary pressure in many countries, making the world economy, especially the developing economies, face more uncertainties.

The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund 13 Joint Development Committee issued a communique at the end of its spring meeting, saying that the sharp rise in food prices has hit many developing countries. World Bank President Zoellick warned that soaring food prices may lead to poverty of 654.38 billion people in poor countries around the world, and may also turn the poverty reduction achievements made by some countries in the past few years into a turning point.

What is more serious is that while food prices are rising, the world food reserves are decreasing, and the problem of food security is becoming increasingly prominent. According to FAO's estimation, the global grain reserve has fallen to the lowest level since 1980.

During his visit to India on the 9th of this month, FAO Director-General Diouf said that riots occurred in some African countries and Haiti due to food shortage and rising prices. We are really facing a state of emergency.

Actively respond to and overcome problems

Analysts pointed out that the rising international food prices have affected the food security of some countries, and only with the concerted efforts of all parties in Qi Xin can we avoid causing a wide range of economic and social problems.

At present, many countries and some international institutions have put forward plans to deal with rising food prices, which can be divided into short-term measures and long-term strategies. In the short term, the World Bank and other international organizations suggest that urgent measures should be taken to increase aid to low-income countries so as to reduce the threat of food shortage to the poor.

The World Bank appeals to the international community to increase 500 million U.S. dollars in aid to the United Nations World Food Program to meet the urgent needs of people in low-income countries. In addition, the World Bank plans to increase its agricultural aid loans to Africa from $400 million to $800 million in fiscal year 2009. FAO pointed out that in some low-income countries, 50% to 60% of residents' income is used to pay for food expenses, and the soaring food prices are particularly harmful to these countries. FAO calls on developed countries to increase their assistance to help them cope with the current situation.

In addition, some countries have put forward measures such as delaying the development of biofuel industry and reducing food waste to ensure the supply of food and grain.

philosophy

1. The world is universally connected, and there is a universal connection between things and the elements of the same thing. The sustained high level of international food prices has led to the reduction of international food reserves, and the problem of feeding poor people in poor countries has become increasingly serious, which is the embodiment of universal contact. We should look at the problem from the perspective of connection, make clear the stage and position of the development of things, take the development of things as a process as a reference, grasp the relationship between the whole and the part, and grasp the key parts, so as to maximize the overall function and grasp the causal relationship of things. Many countries have taken urgent measures to solve the problem of high food prices, and are looking at this problem from the perspective of materialist dialectics.

2. Matter determines consciousness, and consciousness reacts on matter. The world is material, material comes first, consciousness comes second, and material is objective. Consciousness is a dynamic reflection of the objective world, and correct consciousness plays a positive role in promoting the development of things. This requires us to proceed from reality and the supervisor is objective. Many countries have taken urgent measures to solve the problem of high food prices, which reflects this.

3. Contradictions are both opposites and unity. Contradictions are universal and special. The universality of contradiction lies in that everything in the world has contradictions, and the particularity of contradiction lies in that one side of various contradictions has different contradictions. The universality of contradiction lies in particularity, and particularity cannot be separated from universality. Under the guidance of the particularity of contradiction, the problem is observed and analyzed by using contradiction analysis method. The main aspects of contradiction determine the nature of things, so we should grasp the main aspects of contradiction, and the main and secondary aspects of contradiction can be transformed into each other. We should look at the problem in two ways by contradiction analysis.

economy

World food security is facing an emergency. What should China do?

1. Under the guidance of people-oriented Scientific Outlook on Development, focus on economic construction and vigorously develop productive forces. Economic construction is the material foundation of all construction undertakings. Adhering to development is the top priority, adhering to the people-oriented core, and safeguarding, realizing and developing people's rights. Adhere to sustainable development, coordinate the harmonious development between man and nature, and adhere to the civilized development path of production development, affluent life and ecological civilization.

2. Change the mode of economic development, realize the optimization and upgrading of industrial structure, and adhere to the road of emerging industrialization. Change the mode of economic development from extensive to intensive, build a resource-saving and environment-friendly society, optimize and upgrade the industrial structure, promote the common development of the three industries, and realize civilized production. Adhere to the new road of industrialization with good economic benefits, high technology content and low resource consumption, promote industrialization with informationization, and promote informationization with industrialization.

3. Consolidate the basic position of agriculture and realize agricultural modernization. Agriculture plays a fundamental role in the national economy. Agriculture is the source of food and clothing for human survival. Agricultural food production is not only related to the food problem of 654.38+0.3 billion people, but also related to the national food security. We should vigorously develop modern agriculture, realize the optimization of agricultural structure, and take the road of high yield and high quality modern agriculture. Improve the rural labor rate and vigorously develop modern agriculture.

4. Give play to the role of science and technology as the primary productive force. The decisive role of science and technology in today's world economic development is increasingly prominent. The decisive role of science and technology in today's world economic development is conducive to improving labor productivity, improving the quality of workers, increasing the contribution rate of science and technology in agricultural production, expanding grain output and promoting the process of agricultural modernization.

5. Give play to the basic role of market resource allocation and strengthen and improve macro-control. Use the market to optimize the allocation of resources, expand China's grain market, cooperate with the use of national macro-control, use fiscal and tax policies to achieve stable economic development, give play to the leverage of tax economic regulation, prevent economic ups and downs, and achieve sound and rapid national economic development.

6. Improve the social security system in China to ensure that the poor have food.

7. Adhere to the principle of independence and self-reliance, adhere to the strategy of opening to the outside world, and implement the strategy of combining "going out" with "bringing in". Adhere to international competition and cooperation on a larger scale and at a higher level, make full use of both domestic and foreign markets and resources, introduce foreign advanced technology, improve domestic productivity, and make up for the shortage of domestic market resources.

8. Improve the way of life, establish the awareness of saving for the whole people, and advocate "green consumption".

politics

1. What role did international organizations play in the process of rising international food prices?

Peace and development are the themes of today's world. International organizations are the ties to develop political, economic, cultural, scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation between countries; It is the main force to coordinate international economic and political relations and adjust international disputes; It is an important organizational form to strive for world peace and promote economic development. They are playing an increasingly important role in the international community.

2. What should China do in the face of the world food security emergency?

1. Adhere to the people's democratic dictatorship of state power and perform state functions. In order to fulfill the function of organizing and leading socialist modernization, China's state power should strengthen economic management, improve macro-control of the national economy, implement the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education and strengthening the country through talents, and ensure the sustained, rapid, coordinated and healthy development of the national economy.

2. Adhere to an independent foreign policy of peace. Adhere to the diplomatic purpose of safeguarding world peace and promoting common development. Adhere to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and develop good cooperative relations with all countries. Strengthening unity and cooperation with third world countries is the basic standpoint of China's foreign policy, supporting the establishment of a new international political and economic order and promoting international multi-level development.

3. Adhere to the Party's leadership and strengthen the Party's ruling ability.

4. Continue to strengthen the transformation of government functions, better serve the people, solve people's livelihood problems, and organize and lead socialist modernization.