McGill Conference Examines Impact of Economic Crisis on the Hungry; UN Report Shows Sharp Increase in Undernourished Population as a Result of Worldwide Downturn.(Conference news)

Byline: McGill University

MONTREAL, June 23 (AScribe Newswire) -- The global economic crisis has had a devastating impact on the world's hungry. In the past year, approximately 100 million people have been added to the ranks of the roughly 1 billion people worldwide considered by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization to be undernourished, according to its report issued June 19, 2009.

Thus, the second annual McGill Conference on Global Food Security, Oct. 5-7, 2009, could not be more timely. This year's conference, which draws on leading experts from around the world on various aspects of food supply and production, is focused on questions related to the effect the economic crisis has had on food supplies and prices and what can be done to alleviate nutrition problems that are particularly acute in the developing world, although not uncommon in the developed world.

"We know the economic downturn has punished the developing world in particular," said Chandra Madramootoo, Dean of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at McGill University's Macdonald Campus in Ste. Anne de Bellevue, and the driving force behind the conference. "While we in the West have seen some decreases in commodity prices, that hasn't resulted in lower food prices in other parts of the world. On top of that, there have been far-reaching effects on nutrition as people have lost jobs or had income reduced and can no longer afford a balanced diet."

"A dangerous mix of the global economic slowdown combined with stubbornly high food prices in many countries has pushed some 100 million more people than last year into chronic hunger and poverty," FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf said Friday in announcing the organization's report. "The silent hunger crisis - affecting one-sixth of all of humanity - poses a serious risk for world peace and security. We urgently need to forge a broad consensus on the total and rapid eradication of hunger in the world and to take the necessary actions."

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