BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

AS the world comes to the end of the era of cheap food, a call for urgent action for large scale agriculture to counter depleted natural resources of the world and and rising food prices has gone out to world leaders. As they  meet next month for the G20, the leaders have been charged to put the triple crisis of climate change, desolated natural resources and rocketing food prices at the top of the agenda.

The call, by ActionAid, which warns of the looming threat to the world’s ability to feed it’s seven billion population,  calls for greater investment in small farms in poor countries where the majority of poor people’s food is grown; immediate delivery of the climate cash needed to help poor farmers climate-proof their agriculture; binding cuts in rich countries’ carbon emissions; the creation of a system of pan-regional food reserves and the immediate elimination of biofuel targets that are driving land grabs in Africa, Asia and the Americas.

ActionAid’s Chief Executive Joanna Kerr said key findings reveal that over one and a half billion people are on the brink of a climate-driven food crisis.  “Every rural community surveyed across Africa, Asia and the Americas said that erratic and extreme weather was crippling their ability to feed themselves.

Unsustainable farming practices and an unprecedented rush from foreign investors to control resources such as minerals, oil, biofuel and water, could leave millions of the poorest people without enough arable land to produce food. In Africa alone, over 6 million hectares of degraded farmland must be regenerated to meet the demand for food from a population set to double by 2050.

“A dangerous new era of high food prices is set to push 44 million more people into poverty. The demand for biofuel – produced from wheat, corn, soybean and sugarcane – means that food prices will keep rising unless rich countries find alternative sources of energy.

In Africa, according to the report, the Democratic Republic of Congo is the most vulnerable country to the triple crisis while Ghana is least vulnerable. Nigeria is the 5th least vulnerable country. Amongst countries most prepared for the triple crisis, Brazil is most prepared in the world, while Kenya is rated the least prepared.

Nigeria is rated the 5th least prepared country behind Guatemala (4th), Vietnam (3rd) and The Gambia (2nd).

The  report surveys which covers 28 developing countries, examined the record of thecountries in overall vulnerability to the climate/hunger crunch, and key policy measures that can reduce vulnerability.