Havana, Cuba. - Jacques Diouf, Director General of the Organization for Food and Agriculture of United Nations (FAO), has said: “The problem of hunger is not a priority for the wealthiest countries.”  
 
In this regard, the example that $ 44 000 millions would be enough to eradicate hunger in the world, is a valid one. That sum amounts to 66% of the fortune of Bill Gates, the richest millionaire of the planet. 
 
The FAO was not kidding when it advised Bill to keep $ 16 000 millions and give away the rest to solve the drama of the hungry in the world. 
The statistics are lethal: every 6 seconds an infant dies of hunger in the world and 17 000 children lose their lives everyday because they have nothing to eat. 

More than 1 000 million people suffer hunger and poverty at the beginning of this year, the highest figure in history. In addition, there are 3 000 millions of undernourished in the planet, which amounts to almost half the world population. 

Nevertheless, the estimates of what is needed to solve the problem of hunger are in fact a small quantity if compared to the $ 365 000 millions paid in subsidies to the farmers of rich countries. 
 
In that scenario, food production and commercialization is not subordinated to the logic of social wellbeing, but to the meanest logic of capitalist profitability.  
 
According to FAO, 10 transnational corporations control 80% of the world trade of basic foodstuff nowadays. The same number of mega-companies controls the global market of oil, whose speculative thrust spurs the ascent of food prices, one of the main causes of the famine that is spreading to the whole planet.  
 
Factors like financial speculation and the quest for capitalist profitability with oil and food prices add large quantities to the ranks of hungry people. The lapidary list will reach this New Year the figure of 1 000 millions, to the shame of the international community. 

Translated by: Pedro A. Fanego

( 03.12.2009 10:13 AM )