'Bailout the hungry,' activists tell World Bank

From the article:
'As developed economies scramble to stabilize their financial markets through more vigorous regulation, the international anti-poverty agency ActionAid is urging leaders at a World Bank summit in Washington on Oct. 11-13 to take action to save the lives of people who are dying because of the world food crisis, which has catapulted another 100 million people into the ranks of the hungry. Nearly one billion people - a sixth of the world's population - now face devastating hunger. Shefali Sharma, Head of ActionAid's Food Crisis Taskforce, said:

"We are witnessing an unprecedented effort to bail out the global financial industry and an acknowledgement that for too long, lack of government involvement and oversight has led to massive failures in the market. A similar rethinking needs to take place on the food crisis. At least $30 billion a year is needed now to invigorate environmentally friendly small scale food production in developing countries and to ensure that the poor and vulnerable are spared the brunt of the fuel and food crisis. But for this investment to be effective, we need a clear break from past Bank orthodoxy and prescriptions on agriculture and for the institution to support the Right to Food Framework enshrined at the UN."

The financial, fuel and food crises form the backdrop of the World Bank and IMF annual meetings. Over the weekend, governments and the Bank will discuss the three crises and potential responses. In its new report, Rising Food And Fuel Prices: Addressing the Risks To Future Generations which will be released on Oct. 12, the Bank acknowledges that "For those already struggling to meet their daily food and nutrient needs, the double shock of food and fuel price rises represents a threat to basic survival. The poorest households are reducing the quantity and/or quality of the food, schooling, and basic services that they consume, leading to irreparable damage to the health and education of millions of children." Women and girls will be the hardest hit, the report warns, because "gender disparities in the quantity and quality of food consumed increase during times of shortage," compelling mothers and daughters to "skip entire days of eating." Ironically, Women grow 60-80% of the world's food.

Having acknowledged the food crisis and the immediate need for social safety nets, the Bank continues to struggle with a bigger role for the State in resolving these crises even as it supports the financial bailout.

Commenting on the Bank's strategy ActionAid USA's Governance Policy Analyst, Rick Rowden said:

"Today when countries' social protection mechanisms are being stretched, the World Bank has noted that 'Many countries have inadequate safety nets and some are realizing that they have underinvested in these systems,' but countries are not just 'realizing' this now. In fact, such chronic underinvestment has long been a result of the loan conditions and policy advice of the Bank and the International Monetary Fund over many years to cut back on spending and public investment in order to achieve the IMF's overly-austere definition of 'macroeconomic stability.' Even now, as the IMF announced emergency lending to 15 countries, it has kept in place its unnecessarily restrictive fiscal and monetary policy targets that will continue to block countries from being able to increase public investment. These contradictions must be addressed."

Jan, you're very right, as usual. I like it that you do your research before you open your mouth:)

There are organizations out there that do their best to train people in third world countries on how to farm, use water responsibly, how to set up community wells, build better sanitation, etc.

Unfortunately, wars, genocide and threats to all who try to help, is keeping the aid and the help away from those who need it most.

Instead of waging an illegal war in Iraq, the US should have taken the lead in helping to stop the genocide in Darfur and surrounding countries. That way aid and education could reach the areas that need it so desperately.

You have probably heard of http://www.kiva.org/ but I'll put it up here again. It is a way for each of us to do what little we can for others.

Kiva is a good organzation, and you are correct that there are many out here doing good things apart from the governments and their affiliated organizations like the World Bank and getting good results. And I agree with you as well that there are threats to those who help, and political upheaval and now the effects of climate change (such as what recently happened in Haiti with the storms) that are keeping aid from people who need it as well. But it is hopeful to know that there are organizations out here doing good for people and giving them tools and education to sustain themselves and not just throwing money at a problem that doesn't go away unless the money is put to good use. And two organizaitons that I respect in that vein are Water Partners International and also Heifer.org. So we can all have a stake in changing the future for the better and in helping to solve these crises by becoming more involved with the good organizations that put the wellbeing of those they teach and serve first.

'At least $30 billion a year is needed now to invigorate environmentally friendly small scale food production in developing countries and to ensure that the poor and vulnerable are spared the brunt of the fuel and food crisis. But for this investment to be effective, we need a clear break from past Bank orthodoxy and prescriptions on agriculture and for the institution to support the Right to Food Framework enshrined at the UN." '

The right to food. Is food a human right? I think it is just as water is.

STOP REMOVING MY TAGS.

RIGHT ON.