The Politics of Hunger

Paul Collier, author of the book The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries Are Failing and What Can Be Done About It, has written an article in Foreign Affairs on how to end the global food crisis. His strategy consists of overturning nostalgic ideas of peasant agriculture and the long-term feasibility of biofuels, supporting the development of genetically modified crops and getting rid of agricultural subsidies. While the article focuses on economics it also provides practical solutions coupled with coherent explanations that you will find useful when considering your own policy arguments. He also explains why countries have been so slow to move on the rising food prices which many delegations representing developed countries will find instructive when shaping their policies.