Havin' a Bad Day?

Hey! Wait a minute! These pomegranates aren't organic.

Damn! I'm out of fresh ground organic peanut butter too!


WFP: 100 Million People Worldwide Going Hungry
By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
28 December 2008


The United Nations World Food Program is appealing to governments to come up with the $5.2 billion it needs to feed 100 million hungry people next year.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reports high food prices have pushed 40 million more people into hunger this year, bringing the total number of those going hungry to nearly one billion.

"A mere one percent of the money that has been spent for financial bailout packages in recent weeks would completely fund the World Food Program's 2009 budget. And, in addition, permit us to provide hot meals in school for 59 million children around the world, which is what we would aim for in our school feeding program," she said. "Our school feeding program now feeds about 19 million children around the world. But, it is about 59 million who need it."

The WFP spokeswoman says money also is needed to boost the agricultural production of small farmers who can no longer afford to buy seeds and fertilizers. She says the price of these commodities has more than doubled since 2006.