The UN is warning of food shortages to come.
Inernational governments especially across North Africa, from Mauritania to Egypt, are nervously monitoring increasing food prices and wondering what political impact increased food prices will have should things not ease soon.
Poor people in cities, who can spend half of their income on food, are the most vulnerable.
The main conclusion of a new UN report is that prices will drop from the high spike of late 2007, however, prices will level off at a far higher average level than witnessed prior to the food crisis erupting. The long era of cheap food is considered to be over.
Our diets are all likely to be impacted and we will think more than twice about buying the foods we wish to buy.
We will need to consider growing as much of our own food as possible and becoming as self sufficient as possible.
An opportunity to invest in agriculture arises here as investment in agriculture is going to become more attractive.
The report stresses the need for expenditure on agricultural education, training and the infrastructure to maximise upon the potential of available talent.