AlQa'dah 12, 1432, Oct 10, 2011, SPA -- Prices for rice, wheat, and other key foods are expected to remain volatile and possible increase, and poor farmers and consumers particularly in Africa will be hurt most, the United Nations (UN) food agencies said Monday. In an annual report on global food insecurity, the three UN food agencies urged governments to honor pledges to share information about farm forecasts and food-stock levels to avoid the price volatility that resulted in food riots in 2006-2008 and an 8 percent increase in the number of undernourished people in Africa. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Program (WFP), and the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) also urged greater long-term investment in the agricultural sectors of poor countries so that farmers can increase production to meet rising demand and better deal with food crises. Failure to do so, the agencies warned, will result in continued price fluctuations, which make poor farmers and consumers in food-importing countries at greater risk for poverty in both the short and long terms, the report said.
