The Role of Media in National Development
CAN,T WE ENSURE FOOD FOR ALL
If global financial crisis comes can global food crisis be far behind?.This may sound awfully pessimistic,but believe it or not our worlds is inching towards this murky situation,we eat to live,not vice versa as away of life.But this is a travesty of truth that food crisis does not mean shortage of food,for to quote, Coleridge with an impish twist or modification,”Food,food everywhere but not a grain to eat”.Then what can be the cause of impending global food crisis? It is the absence of purchasing power on the part of toiling millions across the globe. Rich G-8 nations in their last meet in Italy in the month of July ,2009 said they wanted to provide $20 billions over the next three years to augment food production ,in underdeveloped, countries and help the poor feed themselves. In the global fight against hunger ,they wanted to give, stress ,less on sending food,to te poor ,and more on helping small farmers in developing countries produce more and better crops.In the words of President Barrack Obama”one thing I think ,is absolutely true is that for us to think that we can somehow deal with with some of the global challenges,in the absence of major powers- like China ,India andBrazil ---------- seems to me wrong headed” Let us shift our attention to the domestic arena I,e India. What we have done so far to overcome our rural poverty ? comparisons,is odious,but in the area of rural poverty reduction,China our neighbouring country ,is far ahead of us.In 1980 poverty in China was32 % and in 1995 figure came down to only 8.In India the corresponding figure was 52%and in 2005 the figure was brought down to 30.Alas India is aland of contradiction ,here the infaltion rate is sub –Zero,but the toiling masses reel under zooming prices of essential commodities like cereals ,pulses and sugarAgain India’s GDP (Gross domestic product) growth rate is high ,but here poor people are getting richer and poor people poorer. Several national
If global financial crisis comes can global food crisis be far behind?.This may sound awfully pessimistic,but believe it or not our worlds is inching towards this murky situation,we eat to live,not vice versa as away of life.But this is a travesty of truth that food crisis does not mean shortage of food,for to quote, Coleridge with an impish twist or modification,”Food,food everywhere but not a grain to eat”.Then what can be the cause of impending global food crisis? It is the absence of purchasing power on the part of toiling millions across the globe. Rich G-8 nations in their last meet in Italy in the month of July ,2009 said they wanted to provide $20 billions over the next three years to augment food production ,in underdeveloped, countries and help the poor feed themselves. In the global fight against hunger ,they wanted to give, stress ,less on sending food,to te poor ,and more on helping small farmers in developing countries produce more and better crops.In the words of President Barrack Obama”one thing I think ,is absolutely true is that for us to think that we can somehow deal with with some of the global challenges,in the absence of major powers- like China ,India andBrazil ---------- seems to me wrong headed” Let us shift our attention to the domestic arena I,e India. What we have done so far to overcome our rural poverty ? comparisons,is odious,but in the area of rural poverty reduction,China our neighbouring country ,is far ahead of us.In 1980 poverty in China was32 % and in 1995 figure came down to only 8.In India the corresponding figure was 52%and in 2005 the figure was brought down to 30.Alas India is aland of contradiction ,here the infaltion rate is sub –Zero,but the toiling masses reel under zooming prices of essential commodities like cereals ,pulses and sugarAgain India’s GDP (Gross domestic product) growth rate is high ,but here poor people are getting richer and poor people poorer. Several national