cover photo by: Reuters
International (MNN) ― "The food industry is calling it 'the perfect storm.'" That's Food for the Hungry's Dave Evans describing the combined effect of rising food prices, the fall of the dollar, natural disasters, falling production, and biofuels.
The biofuel industry is blamed for using the world's food to power its vehicles instead of feeding people. Demand has also gone up to feed the growing appetites of China and India, which together account for more than a third of the world's population.
33 countries face social unrest because of food and fuel prices. Food riots have broken out in Egypt, Indonesia, Cameroon, Peru and Haiti--the last causing the government to fall.
High oil prices have made the problem more serious by forcing consumers to choose between fuel or food. That's hitting the poor particularly hard.
Runaway food prices are causing headaches for aid agencies committed to fighting hunger. Evans says, "The Bush Administration just released 200-million dollars worth of wheat from the trust of food that the government manages for something like this. We're just thrilled that this resource will now become available."
Food for the Hungry currently impacts individuals in 46 countries, providing emergency relief and implementing development programs throughout the world.
Even with the boost, Evans says they're asking God for a miracle of loaves and fishes to feed the thousands. They're looking to the Lord to provide because, "We can't just say, 'Well, don't worry about your physical need. Let's just talk about spiritual things.' They go hand in hand. Trying to stretch our food rations and our food aid programs, continuing to work with farmers to help them produce more--and then the hope that the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings to people--I think can be a real hope during this time."
Through child development programs, agriculture and clean-water projects, health and nutrition programs, education and micro-enterprise loans, Food for the Hungry seeks to end spiritual and physical hungers. Click here if you can help.
