As already mentioned in former blog posts, are the prices for food as maize, cerials and rice rising frequently. This steady increase enlarges the danger of unrests in Africa, especially since hunger not any longer hurts only the countryside areas. Urban districts are also affected by now.
Josette Sheeran identifies these changes as the “new face of hunger. Rising prices means that people in the cities which just eight months ago did not need food aid need it now.” (FT on April 4th) By the way, this in a situation, were the WFP doesn’t have enough money at all. (see blog March 26, 08)
She further told the FT that prices of goods rise much faster than wages. This leads to store shelves packed with food but people are unable to buy it. She pointed out that “Now it is clear to everyone that we are not facing just a short-term problem but a structural change in the price of food, there is no such thing as normal prices any more.”
This new situation let arise the fear of unrests. Kanayo Nwanze, vice president of the UN International Fund for Agriculture says in the FT that food riots could become a common feature. “The social unrest we have seen in places such as Burkina Faso, Senegal or Cameroon may become common in other places in Africa.”
In April last year, the crises of increasing food prices already led countries like e. g. Ethiopia to create a grain stabilisation programme. Hope remains that activities such as this will be able to stem the onslaught of famine.
(Further reading on Financial Times)
