Global Food Supply

In A Grain Of Golden Rice, A World Of Controversy Over GMO Foods

Daniel Charles — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 07:59:00 +0000

There's a kind of rice growing in some test plots in the Philippines that's unlike any rice ever seen before. It's yellow.

Egypt Looks To Secure Loan As Feeding Families Gets Harder

Merrit Kennedy — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 12:43:00 +0000

Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Scott Simon. The Egyptian military's been deployed to the streets of Port Said today. Riots erupted in that city last night just northeast of Cairo after a controversial court verdict. At least 25 people have been reported dead. The violence comes amid mass street protests in Egypt against the ruling Muslim Brotherhood.

It is a challenging time for the Egyptian government. The country's grappling with serious budget deficit in order to secure a $4.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund.

Episode 320: How Fear Turned A Surplus Into Scarcity

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 16:03:00 +0000

Today on the podcast, the story of one of the most destructive and mysterious food shortages in recent memory. Colbert described it on his Threatdown segment:

The global food shortage is finally becoming an important story, because now it is affecting me. Costco and Sam's Club are now both rationing rice. You can't buy more than 80 pounds in a single visit.

U.S. Serves Up New Food Security Effort In Africa

Michele Kelemen — Fri, 18 May 2012 07:18:00 +0000

The Obama administration is announcing a major new initiative to boost investments in rural Africa in hopes of lifting millions out of poverty. Several African leaders are in Washington, D.C., for the announcement, which comes as President Obama hosts leaders of the Group of Eight in Maryland. Food security is a key agenda item.

Ertharin Cousin, a former Obama administration official who now runs the United Nations' World Food Programme, says the world needs to act now to avoid a crisis in the Sahel — a large swath of Africa south of the Sahara Desert.

A Food Security Expert On When 200,000 Tons Of Rice Went Missing

Dan Charles and Jordan Calmes — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 09:55:00 +0000

In 2008, food prices around the world surged and awakened fears – which continue to this day — that the world could re-live the disastrous food shortages of the early 1970s.

Harvard economics professor emeritus Peter Timmer's life and career was shaped by that food crisis in the 70s.