Food security

Hunger and the human rights solution

As we step into a new decade, imagine we have an eraser to wipe away the tired yet relentless drive to further liberalize trade at nearly every corner—and instead, take a fresh look at what policies could help the over one billion people around the world without enough food to eat. How could

Agricultural Land Acquisitions: Implications for Food Security and Poverty Alleviation

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 1.2 billion people worldwide live with hunger. This is an increase of more than 100 million people since 2006, and represents a major setback in efforts to halve (and ultimately to eradicate) hunger in the world, an objective that governments committed to in 2000 with the adoption of the UN Millennium Development Goals.

US on the wrong track

Long, long meeting this afternoon (Dec. 10) on sectoral language for agriculture. First of all, there is confusion as to what the text will end up being—part of a comprehensive Copenhagen agreement? A separate COP decision? Something else still? Everything seems pretty much up in the air on this topic as different countries hold very different views on this matter.

New book provides blueprint for more just trade system

A new book highlights the need for a fundamental reshaping of international trade and investment rules to put human rights, particularly the right to adequate food, at the centre of economic and development policy.

Faster and Further in the Fight Against Hunger

IATP's Alexandra Spieldoch is blogging from Rome at the World Summit on Food Security.  

World food summit: rhetoric or action?

Today at the World Summit on Food Security, there was plenty of lofty rhetoric. United Nation's Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon told delegates that "food is a basic right" and "ou

U.S. groups call for Obama leadership at world food summit

U.S. Groups Call for Leadership from the Obama Administration at the World Summit on Food Security

At the World Summit on Food Security in Rome, U.S. civil society organizations expressed concern with the Obama administration's support for increasing intensive, large-scale agriculture production and trade expansion as a solution to rising global hunger - failed approaches that have actually contributed to the global food crisis.

Minnesota farm to school efforts catch eye of USDA Deputy Secretary Merrigan

Minnesota farm to school efforts that provide students with healthy, locally grown food are attracting national attention.

Monsanto and Pioneer duke it out over biotech corn, farmers take the hit

There is an old African saying “Whether elephants make love or war, the grass suffers.” The two elephants in the agricultural seed business are now making real war, although they have been wary of each other for years. Monsanto, a relatively recent entry into the business, has become the “dominant male” in the battle after moving to acquire a large nu