WSJ.com – An Indian Paradox: Bumper Harvests And Rising Hunger describes how international agencies are (finally) embracing some fairly simple economic principles:
The world is producing more food than ever before as countries such as India, China and Brazil emerge as forces in global agriculture. But at the same time, the number of the world’s hungry is on the rise — including in India — after falling for decades. Despite its overflowing granaries, India has more hungry people than any other country, as many as 214 million according to United Nations estimates, or one-fifth of its population.
The paradox is propelling a shift in strategy among the world’s hunger fighters. International agencies that once encouraged countries to solve starvation crises by growing more food are now tackling the more fundamental problem of rural poverty as well. The old development mantra — produce more food, feed more people — is giving way to a new call: Create more jobs, provide income to buy food.
It looks like we’ve moved one step past “teach a man to fish” to “teach a man to drive a taxi so he can buy fish”…