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David Loyn of the BBC recently reported on a meeting in Rome between the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization and delegates after “the price of grain hit a two-year high at a time of year when the harvest in the northern hemisphere should be pushing prices down.” Following the release of this article the BBC opened up a debate under their Have Your Say section asking readers to comment on rising food prices in their region. Comments varied from ‘yes’ to criticisms of society as a whole, yet the undermining cause of rising food prices can be treated by investing time, financial resources, and attention, to the agricultural sector.
Time, or more specifically, patience, is a key investment to ensure careful monitoring over food supplies like grain. Nature itself takes time to develop what has become agricultural commodities such as apples and oranges but patience is closely linked to financial investments in the field of agriculture to ensure farmers a sustainable existence and better development of the land. Ultimately, none of this matters if the political will is not present. Related to patience, care, or rather the will to foster, plays a vital role when it comes to developing and monitoring food commodities like grain. Like raising an infant, hoping for the best outcome without actually devoting time and resources towards that outcome, is not a secure way of ensuring the future. Just as children may stall in terms of growth, so too will food prices fluctuate. By monitoring agriculture around the world it becomes easier to recognize events like the rising cost of grain, and alter practices to ensure a better outcome, such as lower food prices. With that said treating rising food prices is not the same as ‘curing’ them altogether.
