The state of food insecurity in the world 2008. High food prices and food security - Threats and opportunities

The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2008 presents the latest statistics on global undernourishment. It reviews the impact of high food prices and concludes Chat chronic hunger in the world has increased rapidly, now affecting well over 900 million people, and placing tremendous pressure on achieving hunger reduction. Governments worldwide have adopted measures to contain the negative impacts of high food prices. However, these have had limited effect, with some proving detrimental to world prive levels and stability. This report also examines how high food prices present an opportunity to relaunch smallholder agriculture in the developing world. With appropriate inventives, farming households could see immediate gains, while other rural households could benefit in the longer run.