G8 helpless towards food crisis

“We welcome the fact that the rich industrial states are going to invest more money in the agriculture of developing countries,” explains Wolfgang Sterk, president of FIAN Germany. “But it is alarming that the 10 billion US$ mentioned at the summit is going to be spent mainly on chemical fertilizers, partly genetically modified high-yielding seeds, food aid and import subsidies”, says Sterk. “No countermeasures have been initiated to fight against the root causes of the current crisis like agrofuels, world trade liberalisation, the unjust distribution of land and speculation.”

“The planned ‘new green revolution’ in Africa is indeed a good bargain for corporations like Monsanto, but does not represent an effective remedy against hunger”, criticizes Armin Paasch, FIAN expert on agriculture. “Smallholders are driven into dependence on capital intensive and unsustainable technologies”.

For the use and production of agrofuels, the G8 is merely planning to “develop scientifically based objectives and indicators” as laid down in the decisions. “Scientific studies, however, clearly show that the promotion of agrofuels through the US and the EU has significantly contributed to the price increases and the crowding out of smallholder food production”, says Armin Paasch. “The EU must suspend its admixture targets as long as violations of the Right to Food continue. The best standards won’t help as long as instruments for the implementation of those standards are lacking.” “Simply more money is no way to overcome the food crisis,” concludes Wolfgang Sterk. “Until the G8 fundamentally reconsiders its trade, agricultural and energy policy, development aid is going to remain a drop in a bucket.”