Ghana is currently facing the threats of food insecurity. This is as a result of the low production of food crops and climatic changes that has hit the major food growing regions in the country. Major food crops growing areas like the Eastern and Brong Ahafo Regions of the country have already started recording increase in the prices of food items as a result low production.Already, there are signs that the food crisis will affect the entire world which developing countries like Ghana will be the worst hit. In view of that most rice producing countries have started reducing the number of rice they import to other countries. It is estimated that only 6% of global rice produced are exported. 

Already, there are signs that the food crisis will affect the entire world which developing countries like Ghana will be the worst hit. In view of that most rice producing countries have started reducing the number of rice they import to other countries. It is estimated that only 6% of global rice produced are exported. This food insecurity threat has already taken a global dimension. The crisis of surging food prices could mean "seven lost years" in the fight against worldwide poverty, World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick said. "While many are worrying about filling their gas tanks, many others around the world are struggling to fill their stomachs, and it is getting more and more difficult every day," Zoellick said at a press briefing on the eve of the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings.To meet this crisis, Zoellick is calling for a "New Deal on Global Food Policy". Ghana's situation was worsened by the heavy floods that hit the northern part destroying farmlands and homes last year. These floods caused severe food shortage in the north thereby, affecting the southern part of the country. It must however be noted that there had been series of cautions to government over an imminent food crisis since last year in order for it to position itself to prevent such occurrence. Abibimman Foundation and its partners; The Ghana Trade and Livelihood Coalition (GTLC) and Food Security and Policy Advocacy Network (FoodSPAN) have since raised the alarm of looming food crisis. There seem to be every indication that government failed to take prudent measures to arrest the looming crisis. This comes in the wake of statements by the Minister of Food and Agriculture to the effect that Ghana is not threatened by food insecurity. With the recent high prices of foodstuffs, Ghanaians must pay more for the consumption of food even if locally produced. It is sad to state that Ghana has failed to optimize the agric sector for an all round food supply. This is due to inadequate attention given to the sector by the government. Should this trend continue, then the country's quest of attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will be hampered. Young people and youth stand to suffer the more since they will not get the necessary nutrient they require to grow as future leaders of this nation, thus increasing the rate of hunger in the country. Something quick must be done. For instance the Aveyime rice project which would have been a major supply of food is still lying down gathering dust. Other farm areas are either been encroached by developers or are not given the necessary attention they require. Government must show strong commitment to the mechanization of the agriculture sector to ensure better yield. Currently most of the farmers in the country are practicing small scale farming. There is an urgent need to turn our focus on them and see how best to help these farmers improve into large scale mechanized farming. Incentives such as farm materials, storage facilities and capital injection must be made available to make the sector more vibrant. Government should ensure that there is ready market for farm produce. Also it must see to the provision of reliable irrigation systems at these farming areas to facilitate year long farming. The issue of land for farming in recent times has become a major problem for farmers. To this end there should be strict regulation with usage of land. Land meant for farming must be solely used for that purpose.

As part of Global Education Week, I wanted to highlight that Columbian pop star Shakira spoke to NPR yesterday after testifying on the Hill for the Education for All Act. You can listen to the interview here. Shakira explains that in order to enroll boys and girls in schools, we need to do at least four things: Hire qualified teachers, provide uniforms and text books, abolish school fees and provide school meals. She says: “I grew up in a country where unfortunately education is sometimes seen as a luxury, as a privilege, and not as a human right. This always bothered me. So this is personal to me. In the developing world, people who are born poor will die poor, and that is because of the lack of opportunities, opportunities that come from education. Education can actually save lives.” If the Education For All Act passes, it would increase U.S. funding from $465 million to $3 billion by 2012 and help 77 million children around the world have access to education.

A striking piece in the New York Times today about the hunger crisis in Haiti and across the globe:

“Haiti’s hunger, that burn in the belly that so many here feel, has become fiercer than ever in recent days as global food prices spiral out of reach, spiking as much as 45 percent since the end of 2006 and turning Haitian staples like beans, corn and rice into closely guarded treasures. Saint Louis Meriska’s children ate two spoonfuls of rice apiece as their only meal recently and then went without any food the following day. His eyes downcast, his own stomach empty, the unemployed father said forlornly, “They look at me and say, ‘Papa, I’m hungry,’ and I have to look away. It’s humiliating and it makes you angry.” That anger is palpable across the globe. The food crisis is not only being felt among the poor but is also eroding the gains of the working and middle classes, sowing volatile levels of discontent and putting new pressures on fragile governments.”

The shocking headlines have had our attention all week. The price of basic food staples have increased 45% in just the last nine months - and they’ve doubled in the last three years. As we all must know - these rising prices deal a crushing blow to the world’s poorest people - people who already spend more than half of their income on food. This weekend, World Bank President Zoellick said that this hunger crisis could “push 100 million people in low-income countries deeper into poverty” and that the effects would be equivalent of “seven lost years in the fight against worldwide poverty.” The shortage is fueling social unrest in some of the most fragile nations around the globe. Haiti, Egypt, Niger, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Mozambique, Bolivia and Uzbekistan discontent has already erupted. “For countries where food comprises from half to three-quarters of consumption, there is no margin for survival.”(Zoellick) We have to do something. Please sign our petition to President Bush urging world leaders to take action.

Yesterday afternoon, President Bush ordered $200 million in emergency food aid to help alleviate food shortages around the developing world. The money will come from the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust, a reserve account for emergency food aid needs.

From a Reuters’ piece: “White House spokeswoman Dana Perino had said Bush, who was briefed about the food crisis during a cabinet meeting earlier on Monday, was “very concerned” and asked senior aides to look into ways the United States could help ease shortages. Washington provided more than $2.1 billion in international food aid in fiscal 2007. Perino had said the administration was sticking to its proposal to buy more of the food used in assistance programs from suppliers closer to needy countries, which would cut transportation costs. U.S. agricultural interests have resisted the idea…. At the United Nations on Monday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said rapidly worsening food shortages around the world had “reached emergency proportions.” “We need not only short-term emergency measures to meet urgent critical needs and avert starvation in many regions across the world but also a significant increase in long-term productivity in food grain production,” Ban said.

Everyone here at ONE is watching and deeply concerned about impact of rising food prices on the poorest people around the globe - people who already spend more than half of their income on food. We just put up a new page, at ONE.org/worldfoodcrisis to highlight what is happening, make some statements and to keep track of the latest news.

For those who haven’t been following - Jacques Diouf, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization announced on Wednesday that the cost of the most basic food staples - rice, wheat and corn - have risen 45% in just the last 9 months. The cost of these staples have now increased 80% since 2005.

From the page:

“To address the current crisis and prevent long-term damage to development progress, the international community needs to address the problem of rising food prices and renew global efforts to combat hunger, malnutrition and agricultural development. In the short-term, quick action should be taken to increase emergency aid to food-importing developing nations and provide the $500 million needed by the World Food Program to meet immediate food needs…In the longer term, the donor community must work with developing nations to develop a comprehensive response to combating hunger and promoting broad-based agricultural development.”

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New figures show that rich country spending on international aid has dropped for the second year in a row.  despite promises made by rich countries nearly 40 years ago to give 0.7% of their Gross National Income as aid. This shows that new political leadership is required urgently if they are ever to be met.

The OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC) report released in Japan today, notes a 8.4% drop in real overseas development aid (ODA) in 2007.  Most donors are not on track to meet their stated commitments to scale up aid and will need to make unprecedented increases to meet the target of a $50 billion increase annually by 2010.  The 22 DAC member countries, the world’s major donors, provided USD 103.7 billion in aid in 2007.  Taking into account this is the end of a period of exceptionally high debt relief, this represents a drop of Gross National Income to 0.28% in 2007, against the internationally agreed target of 0.7% of GNI.

 “The OECD countries are dragging their feet. They made commitments but are not following through,’ says Kumi Naidoo, Co-chair of GCAP. “ The unwillingness of governments - France, Japan and Italy in particular - to honour promises on debt relief and aid, is increasing poverty, deepening inequality and adding to global insecurity. It’s outrageous that you can find the money for military spending but can’t find it for ODA,” he added.

GCAP campaigners in developing countries have seen first-hand how these shortfalls on commitments and poor aid quality directly impacts people’s lives.  Where debt cancellation has taken effect since the Gleneagles commitments of 2005, it has led to better healthcare, better education, treatment for HIV/Aids and some progress towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals.

In 2008, GCAP therefore calls on current G8 President, Japan, to show leadership at its July Summit by putting ODA high on their agenda and reversing what they call an 'appalling trend'.   GCAP will also be looking for action at the September Aid Effectiveness Summit in Accra, Ghana which represents a crucial opportunity to improve the quality of aid .

“In Accra, governments will be set a mandatory timetable for aid delivery and effectiveness.  This, combined with the G8 in Japan is a great opportunity for a change in direction and one we will not miss. We expect a more serious approach from leaders to ending poverty, the impact of failure is not worth contemplating,” said Christophe Zoungrana, GCAP Africa Coordinator.

The , with coalitions in over 100 rich and poor countries, simultaneously campaigns for domestic accountability in the developing world.