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 9 July 2008
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"Food Crisis: Danger and Opportunity" Episode 6

09/07/2008

The consequences of soaring food prices -- starvation, malnourishment, riots and unrest -- are hitting millions of people around the world. The causes of the current crisis are complex, but the effects on people are clear, as is the need for solutions. The United Nations is among those taking the lead in responding to this challenge.

The Chinese characters for crisis are two -- one is the symbol for "danger", but the other is the symbol for "opportunity". It is with this view that UN Radio presents "The Food Crisis: Danger and Opportunity" a series that puts the human face on the crisis, while looking ahead to possible long and medium-term solutions.

Episode 6: Focus on climate change and more specifically on its impact on food security and the livelihoods of different populations, particularly those living in Africa.

It seems that while 2007 saw climate change emerge as the top issue in the global collective psyche, the current food crisis has replaced climate change as a topic of discussion. However, these phenomena are more closely linked than it may seem. For example, Lake Chad has shrunk tremendously in a period of only a few years. This development led UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to visit the lake last September so that he could personally see the extent of the damage for himself.

Producer: Jérôme Longué in collaboration with Charles van Caloen and Stéphanie Coutrix

Presenter: Geraldine Harris Adams

(duration: 12'57")