Poverty and food insecurity: A threat to billions

The much-heralded Copenhagen climate change summit in December 2009 offers an opportunity to tackle the plight of two billion of the poorest people who have contributed very little to the causes of climate change but will almost certainly bear the brunt of its impacts. Similarly the burdens from the current financial crisis and the negative side effects of biofuels development and agricultural subsidies all fall disproportionately on the poor. Seventy percent of the poorest two billion rely on agriculture for their livelihoods and wellbeing. Political will and resource commitments are required to tackle the threats of poverty and food insecurity and to help the world achieve the universal right to food for all its inhabitants. But will the ministers and officials meeting in Copenhagen be able to mobilize these? It seems unlikely.

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