On yesterday's public radio program, "On Point," a segment was devoted
to the global food crisis. Guests included John McArthur, executive
director of Millennium Promise and a research associate at the Earth
Institute at Columbia University; and Joia Mukherjee, medical director
for Partners in Health (which organization was featured on "60
Minutes" Sunday night <http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/60minutes/
main3415.shtml> click "Dr. Farmer's remedy").
The "In Point" discussion was excellent and I commend it to you.
Here's a link:
<http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2008/05/20080505_a_main.asp>

and here are some quotes from Dr. Mukherjee:
"The World Bank has set a threshold of extreme poverty as $1 per day
income. … Frankly if we look at global inflation and purchasing power
parity, as food prices go up, this $1 per day is really insufficient
to purchase food."
"We see increased risk… women that have to bargain sex for food
because they have no other commodity and they’re faced with starving
children, so HIV risk goes up...."
"I think, unfortunately, the sound of daily hunger is one of silence…
As one of my colleagues said about our people who are also starving in
Malawi… 'At least the Haitians are riotting.' …This kind of crisis is
happening everywhere and most people are suffering and dying in
silence and have no voice... and that goes beyond the crisis today but
is ongoing. There’s a sort of acute-on-chronic crisis and I think we
would be wise to use this as a reason to address the chronic crisis."

More and more people are becoming increasingly aware of acute hunger
and poverty. Hopefully, they will not be so overwhelmed by their own
economic crises that they are unable to reach out to help others.