World food situation volatile — Tanchanco

Despite great strides in science and technology, many parts of the world are being overtaken by want, hunger and famine "and it seems that no immediate solution to the problem could be worked out, not even by world food conferences," said former food minister Jesus T. Tanchanco Sr.

"Indeed, we have reached the age where population growth is fast overtaking the availability of food resources. Experts have predicted that with the present trends where population continue to outpace that of food production, many countries will be having severe problems on food," he said.

Speaking before the general homecoming of the Araneta-De La Salle University graduates held last week at the university hall in Malabon City, Tanchanco said that in India, Bangladesh and in many parts in Africa, thousands of children and adults alike are dying everyday because of hunger and malnutrition.

Being the most basic element for survival, food is a priority concern by governments and countries the world over. Food, he said, has become a common denominator for the interaction among nations whether as an object of trade, as a form of aid or assistance or even as a political sanction.

"From all indications, the world food situation is volatile. Natural and othe forces beyond control could instantly change the whole picture. What compounds the situation is the unexpected off and on occurence of typhoons, drought and other natural calamities which greatly deplete the food resources of the world," he said.

According to him, the number of hungry people in the world remains unaccountably high at 790 million and the goal of governments to reduce it by half by the year 2015 will not be reached because the current rate of progress is too slow.

The world today, Tanchanco said, is ridden with too many crisis. Each nation is fighting her kind of war – be it political, military or economic. No one is spared in the struggle for survival. "We are all affected, whether as a nation or as individuals," he said.

Tanchanco, who was also former administrator of the National Food Authority (NFA), said that "while we are not yet experiencing any acute food shortages, the government should take the necessary steps to avert such eventuality that would adversely affect our people."