Food security

Hunger: Is the G-8 Ready to Clean Its Plate?

This weekend, agriculture ministers from the G-8 will gather in a beautiful castle above the city of Treviso, in central Italy, to discuss the global food crisis. Missing among the scheduled gala dinners, aperitifs and wine tastings are those most affected by the food crisis, as well as a clear understanding of what has gone wrong.

The G-20's Opportunity on Commodities Exchange Regulation

When the Group of 20 heads of state meet later this week in London to discuss responses to the global financial crisis, one item directly affecting global food and energy security will be missing from the agenda: the regulation of commodity exchanges.

Water at the Center

On Sunday, the New York Times Alexei Barrioneuvo wrote about the disastrous water wars in Chile. The article highlighted the dangers of privatizing something that should remain in the public commons, but also described the direct link between water policy and agriculture.

Integrated Solutions to the Water, Agriculture and Climate Crises

This report outlines the connections between the water, agriculture and climate crises and the role industrial agriculture has played in contributing to the problem. Because these three areas are so inter-connected they can no longer be handled in isolation from each other and a comprehensive approach is now needed.

Global Solutions to Limit Speculation

Last year, the United Nations organized a special Commission of Experts on Reforms of the International Monetary and Financial System, headed by Nobel Prize winner Dr.

Rite of Passage: U.S. Senate Hearing on a Speculation Regulator

Last week, the U.S. Senate Agricultural Committee held a hearing to review Gary Gensler’s record, the first step in confirming him as the head at the U.S. Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

Radio Sustain on Food Chemicals and the Global Food Crisis

Check out our latest Radio Sustain podcast including interviews with:

Organic Agriculture in Africa

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) issued a remarkable little briefing paper last week titled "Sustaining African Agriculture: Organic Production." Right out of the gate, the brief directly takes on proponents for a "Gr

Joined at the Hip: The Food and Financial Crises

Last week's headlines were blazing with Congressional hearings on the Bernie Madoff fraud scandal and President Barack Obama's proposal for some non-retroactive limits (no disgorgement of ill-gotten riches!) to Wall Street "senior executives'" (whatever that means) compensation (excluding options to buy stock at discounted rates) for financial institutions whose libertine imprudence has been re

This is what colonialism looks like

When I landed in Geneva for a conference in mid-November, after the usual grueling 35 hours or so of travel from Adelaide, one of my first treats was to order a "renversé" (Genevois for café au lait) and to sit down to read the Financial Times, one of my favorite papers.

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