This is a FEEDBACK assignment and will count towards your Participation mark.
Read the article entitled "Fresh records for price of wheat" on the BBC news site at this URL:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7264239.stm (There are also several links to related articles to help you understand the issue better).
"Discuss" the following question:
Thinking back on the research you did on aid to Africa, what will the likely consequences of increasing wheat prices be on poor people around the world? What can/should governments and other organisations do to help?
You should respond to other classmates' points, agreeing and disagreeing and expanding the argument where appropriate.
To contribute, add a Comment to this post.
This discussion is open from Friday, 29th February to Friday, 14th March. Please contribute several times to develop the thread. I will participate as well and provide feedback at the end.
Happy arguing!
Read the article entitled "Fresh records for price of wheat" on the BBC news site at this URL:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7264239.stm (There are also several links to related articles to help you understand the issue better).
"Discuss" the following question:
Thinking back on the research you did on aid to Africa, what will the likely consequences of increasing wheat prices be on poor people around the world? What can/should governments and other organisations do to help?
You should respond to other classmates' points, agreeing and disagreeing and expanding the argument where appropriate.
To contribute, add a Comment to this post.
This discussion is open from Friday, 29th February to Friday, 14th March. Please contribute several times to develop the thread. I will participate as well and provide feedback at the end.
Happy arguing!
55 comments:
Thinking back on the research you did on aid to Africa, what will the likely consequences of increasing wheat prices be on poor people around the world? What can/should governments and other organisations do to help?
Affects of drought and cold weather conditions affected production of wheat seriously. According to this reason, some countries applied some restrictions on wheat exports. These led to increase of wheat prices (BBC news). Rising demand and declining supply is the most important point. Reduction of supply also affects prices of meat in the world and this situation has bad results for poor people. Cost of main foods such as pasta produced with wheat will increase and poor countries which import wheat from other countries will face food crisis dramatically. In my opinion, governments can help those countries by limiting import prices and they can also help them by providing more food help.
The World Food Programme is anxious in reaching people because they say that if doesn't get more money, it will have to start cutting shares.
Number of people who need help is increasing and The United Nations agency blames them cause of rising prices for food and oil.
Cause of rising of wheat prices is supply problems. However, demands are growing.
(BBC News)
Food production is decreasing because of drought,the most important of these is wheat and this causes to increase of wheat prices. Also this case affect meat production and meat prices. I think that, rich countries can overcome this case but poor countries cannot such as Africa. It struggles with hunger and I think,it is more in times of need because when prices increase, number of people who are hungry increase. In my opinion, governments and other organizations can help them by providing food security or they should reduce prices.
In present days,world wheat prices hit record levels and immediently after high rise of prices for bread and other food products are expected. The balance of supply and demand and short-term,speculative financial activities lie behind the rising. Global population increase, the growth in global economy and expansion of consumption are factors that cause imbalance in supply and demand of the world. Moreover, water stock shortage in the world as a result of global warming and rapid urbanization and the reflection of oil price rise on food products by transportation and other cost of production expand rising of wheat demand and prices. However,I think the most important cause of increase in wheat prices is to appear alternative fuels such as ethanol and bio-diesel due to costliness of oil price. These alternative fuels are made from food products as wheat,corn and soy bean. While these new fuels are superseding oil,food products prices in the world are increasing. If this situation continues in same way, countries that can not manufacture sufficient food products, will be faced with the problem of nutrition. I believe more people are going to suffer from mulnutrition and dehydration because of the idea, transformation fuel to food products in the future.This idea only gets deepen the gap of developing and industrialised countries.
Works cited
“ Gıda fiyatları niye %23 arttı ” Gidabilimi. 19 july. 2007. 8 march. 2008
“Dünyada gıda fiyatları artarken...“ Kuresellesmeden Sonra. 18 january. 2008-03-08
(BBC news)
It is stated in the article that aid is going to be curbed, it is obvious that people in reduced circumstances will suffer more.Also wheat is a necessary nutrient for human health, deprivation of it may bring more poverty and consequent deaths.So this is a serious problem that is a result of drought and incerasing demand on wheat products.I think governments should develop irrigation systems in order to overcome the negativities that drought causes.In paralel with the increasing production of wheat, prices will dicrease.But providing more food aid until inflationist period is over is another solution I guess.
Wheat prices increase because of biofuels,bad weather conditions and
drought.Stocks of wheat is the worst in last 60 years.Because of this and although stocks are lower developing countries want to it, wheat prices increase.Acoording to
World Food Programme,if countries that help WFP don't increase their aid,it will restrict its aid to poor coutries.I think,to prevent this countries that help WFP should increase their aid and more countries should start to help it.And demand of developing countries should be decreased against meat.Because this causes that prices increase.Wheat is food of animals.Demands are a lot but stocks are limited.
Wheat prices are increasing because of drought and cold weather.
Some countries put export resteiction on wheat.
Wheat inventories are the lowest level in the last 60 years. For poor countries, this situation is
very bad because they have to import wheat. On the other hand, rich countries eat more meat than wheat.
And animals eat grain. This causes that demand is icreasing and production is decreasing. When demand is increasing,
wheat prices is increasing because production is limitted. I think, for poor countries prices can be lower.
"What is the possible consequences of high wheat prices?". According to BBC, "Extreme weather has already damaged crops in other parts of the world and US wheat inventories are expected to fall to their lowest level for 60 years." so it is bringing on to increase of wheat price. I think, it won't affect the big countries which acquire the power. On the other hand, bread is main wheat product for whole world because of this, increasing of wheat price affect many countries, especially sub-sahara region.
Drought and unusually cold weather affect the production of wheat.
Many countries who produce wheat restrict on wheat export and as a consequences, wheat prices increase. Increasing wheat prices cause supplement of wheat. Demand become rising but supply become decreasing. Then many poor countries are down in the dumps because of the limited import. I think governments and other organizations should implement a solution programme. Wheat imports should be done at a fixed prices for poor countries and also aid to poor countries should be increased by variety.
Increasing wheat prices impacts on poor people around the world negatively because wheat is the basic aid for poor people to survive. Bad weather conditions and drought prevent to produce wheat, so it is produced less than past. Therefore, it causes increasing wheat prices. Because of this, poor people can not get wheat and aid that is given by organizations or councils becomes getting less. I think governments in which poor people live, should do import in steady price so increasing wheat prices does not affect the governments a lot. Also, other organizations should not cut food aid because poor people need to get aid to survive.
Wheat production was weakened and prices were changed all around the World because of bad weather. Wheat prices were increased up to 25% which is a record level in US. This price effected other countries wheat prices. As it was written on BBC page, prices went higher and demand for wheat increased because people started to eat meat more and to feed animals people need wheat which can be a serious problem.
The world price of wheat is on high nowadays, as you know. Wheat price has been increasing as doubled. This situation is up to some reasons. In theory, the reason of increasing wheat price is that the United States took a frequenting decision on interest rate floor in order to grow. On the other hand, as friends mentioned that bad climate conditions had caused to the increasing wheat prices as a result drought killed plants and it is still carry on as global warming, unfortunately. In addition, wheat stocks became smaller because of some farmers were directed towards growing bio-fuels. Food prices, in the world, are an important risk for inflation. As the World Food Programme declared, increasing food prices has threatened to become hunger crisis in developing countries. The likely consequences of increasing wheat prices will be lived much more hunger crisis and poor people will start to die as quick because of starvation. What should be done for this problem? Something is necessary to solve the world hunger crisis and to save poor people from the terrible situation. To be honest, production of wheat is decreasing while its price is increasing. States should struggle in order to floor price can integrate with the world prices instead of they interfere to the floor price of wheat. If we want to increase production of wheat which has a strategic importance, and if we do not want to be faced with hunger, necessary free market conditions should be got and wheat should be sold by its worth.
Ezgi S., when you say governments should "provide more food help", what exactly do you mean?
Deniz E., is there anything governments or other agencies can do to help?
Pınar, what can governments do to alleviate this situation?
Göktuğ, what can countries do to help the affected people?
Ezgi A., what do you mean when you say aid should be increased "by variety"? Can you explain this more clearly?
Uğur, is there any solution to this crisis?
Since once of the causes of rising wheat prices is the diversion of land for growing biofuels, what can be done to address this issue?
Pınar, it's great to see you are reading more articles - can you find anything in the Turkish press?
The wheat price increase in the world day to day. The reason of that is of course “Global Warming”. Global warming causes a drought all around the world and the drought reduce arable fields. So the wheat farming is done in a narrow area. Thus the wheat is not produce enough for the population of the world because the demand of the population increases but the supply doesn’t. Finally the price of wheat increases. That mean the bread price will increase (because it is made from wheat) and (animals) feed will increase, after that it affects the meat and milk price. So the economy will come in a recession period. At that point, the most important question is that what can be done for this circumstance to protect poor people not to die because of they can’t afford to buy this most important protein for their lives?
As you now If we want to deal with wheat price, we must destroy the globalization effects on it. How can we deal with global warming? May be we can use plant oil when we crop the products instead of ethanol, diesel or other liquids. The governments must sing the Kyoto Protocol not to leave the dangerous gas to the atmosphere. Lastly the organizations must encourage the people for not to use the water unduly.
In addition; the government must encourage the people to eat meat of farm animal which damage the grains instead of bread to offset the protein need. I believe that If all of these can be done , the wheat price will be decrease and people will get it easily, will not die through the deprivation of protein in the poor countries.
i mean that aid to poor countries should be increased in variety. In other words, various types of aid should be supplied.
OK Ezgi A., that's clear now.
In order to decrease wheat prices and hunger,not only state itself,world companies,special sector,social organisations and state should work together.In the interest of cheering agriculture,New formations and arrangements should take effect.Such as waiving grand debts of underdeveloped countries,supporting manufacturers with credits with low interest rate,free circulation for poor countries,educating farmers for a better and accurate agriculture.It should be a circumstance to any underdeveloped country to canalize the financial power for ease the poverty and building a social network when borrowing money.Organisations such as ‘Virtual Souk’ works well,but organisations should take effect to make it wide-spread.Also female labour shouldnt be under estimated,they should be supported by budget encouragement.
Aid is necessery for poor people, but even USA needs more wheat. Climate change affects wheat badly. In recent years, global warming, increasing carbon rate, unconscious mistake on farming business, etc... are related to this situation. So we face wheat shortage. It causes increasing product which related to flour. Bread one of the most important food what we need. In Turkey, people overreact to government and chamber of commerce for increasing bread prices, but they can not do anything, they can take precautions like wheat stock and follow a right policy (unconscious mistake on farming etc...) As a result, our first aim should try to find new methods for saving whealt stock, after that we can extend whealt aid. (of course, i do not say, they should not extend food aid, but it should organizes well.) If unions, nations do not complete first issues, we can not find bigger whealt stock than today and developed countries also will need food aid like africa.
Increasing on wheat prices affect whole world. But poor countries affect mostly. They already do not have enough food. Increasing prices, low supplies and export restrictions makes their case worse and worse. Alternative crops must be found to deal with this situation. I mean crops should be affected from drought less than wheat because of water shortages.
I think governments,especially the US should reduce to manufacture fuel from food products in the time that millions of people die because of mulnutrition. In near future this situation can arise other developing countries, not only Africa. Governments should not people can go their works without car but not go without eating so I believe governments should set a limit for production of bio-fuel.
I read some articles in the Turkish press because Turkey suffer from same problem and nowadays this subject is so important in Turkish economy if we think turkey is an agriculture country. Therefore I found many articles about this issue easily
Doruk, you make some really thoughtful suggestions. Well done.
I would like to point out that the word "canalize" does not exist - you mean "channel".
Melih and Pınar, you rightly mention the importance of bread to the Turkish economy. Is the Turkish government doing anything to address this issue? Have you read or heard anything?
Governments and other agencies can help these countries with food aid.
They also can limit import prices.
Food production decreases because of the drought and weather conditions, it affects the prices of wheat negatively. Because wheat is used to make staple foods such as bread, pasta and noodles.(BBC News) All around the world there are many poor people which maintain and keep the pot boiling with governments and other organizations aid. On the other hand, export curbs have to be removed. When trade between undeveloped countries start, it helps to arouse the export again and decrease the prices. Wheat prices have risen 83% in a year(BBC News) If high prices persuade the people who labour the agriculture, it will devote more land to the crop. In my opinion,governments have to reduce prices for both sides of people(poor and rich) and other organizations have to help poor people.
Alteration of climate and government policies have effected worldwide wheat prices.As usual poor people will suffer because of these facts.We can think price increase of wheats as a chaining effect.
International Wheat Company has to be established with FAO to avoid from market crisis.By this way FAO can apply wheat exporters countries to allacote %5 of their wheat crops each year.Furthermore this company can export wheat to the countries that demand.
I mean by saying "providing more food help" that poor countries will need more help when prices of meat increased and so other governments can help them by providing more help in terms of food.
Many people argue that with each other for this topic wheat prices and according to this world hunger wheat prices increased dramatically due to decreasing in the wheat production rate.This price raise made a bad effect on world hunger for wheat is the main product of the most affordable foods and hungry countries in Africa suffer from this price change.
Wheat has recently started to have an irrepressible accretion on its prices because in the world its consumption has been accruing continuous so wheat productions can not enough to supply this large demand. It is clear that under developed countries are mostly affected negatively by this accretion and when people can not get bread-such a basic need of human-, this situation would probably cause a food crisis. Extreme weather, drought and contraction of plantation are reasons which have damaged crops and agriculture (BBC News and IGC). Wheat is also used in biofuels incorrectly in such a hazard of famine (Sabah). Moreover, high demand of wheat and scare buying in market have triggered the fresh records of price.(Maguire)
To prevent to face with a food crisis, many countries have put export limitation on wheat such as Argentina, Russia and Kazakhstan (BBC News). However, this restriction damages the states which are depended on wheat producers such as Japan and Taiwan.
As a result governments should make communities conscious of the consumption of wheat and sensitivity of environment to foreclose the famine and improve agriculture.
As it is known that wheat prices have gradually increased and this affects the grain trade around the world. The reasons of high price of wheat are global warming (drought), increase the number of people who need wheat and using wheat for producing bio-diesel. All of these factors affected the price of wheat all over the world, so some countries like Argentina took some steps in order to control the export of wheat. The worst thing is that people who need food are affected by high price of wheat. They already live in poverty and rising wheat prices affected not only them but also UN because administration claims that we can provide less food for Africans and many people can face the lack of food. For these reasons, governements and some organization should try to find a solution to this problem. Governments should evaluate carefully the soils to produce wheat and distribution of farming areas should be followed.
Wheat prices are getting higher because of global worming,drought and low stocks of wheat.Global worming has important effects on it.There is not enough rain for wheat's growing.So it can not grew up or can not get to enough amount for people needs.So, the stocks are getting lower and the prices are getting higher.Also drought has the same effects on wheat prices. Whwn there is drought, the stocks getting lower and the prices are getting higher.
To help to this problem, firstly we ought to solve the global warming and africa's poverty.I think when we solve the worming, we automatically solve the wheat problem.Also we should solve Africa's poverty.When the drought problem is solved, the probably solve so many things whit it.
we need wheat in order to survive because wheat is one of the most important food for us and bread is main wheat product for whole world but nowadays wheat price is increasing because of climate change ı mean global warming ı mean globalization. I think if we find permanent solution for this problem we should take measures in order to stop global warming and in my opinion if want to solve a problem we must go back to the start point of the problem. I mean if we can't stop global warming we can not solve high wheat prices and Finally, we should stop search guilty because everybody have a share at global warming
I think that There are third big reasons in this issue. First of all, drought, as everybody knows bring us corruption of the natural balance. With this corruption people could not find enough water to produce enough grain. Secondly, urbanization is the biggest and long term problem, because day by day people are going to big cities from their villages and they do not run their fields. Hence, the production of grain decreases year by year. Thirdly,world nature has a limited sources to feed humanity. As we see that the quantity of wheat production decreases. Result of it, demand of wheat increases and countries which are Kazakhstan, Russian, Argentina and etc, also restricted their wheat exported. As we read in the BBC articles, aid face to bad stiuation because foundations deal with high wheat price. it can be done that there can produce wheat on the suitable fields in the poor countries. Otherwise, people could not find bread and pasta or other grains. As a result, people can be face to hunger in the future because of global worming. People should be sensitive about environment. If we go on to dirty the nature, drought would affect the fields and gradually, grain and other plants could not grow because of that.
Wheat isn’t essential nutrient only for people whom bread is the main nutrient for, it is also necessary for animals which are fed with wheat. Therefore, rising prices may affect all corners of the world negatively and day by day numbers of hungry people increasing (BM). To stop increasing prices is made real by supplying wheat needs and stopping global warming. Is it possible or if nations try to fulfill what have to be done and stop to damage the Earth, can the Earth carry out self-refresh. If it is possible all countries have to stop to damage. Making better world is a process so nations have to start as soon as possible. Even if high prices decreases, at least higher prices can be prevented. During this time, aid mustn’t be stopped. Donors even have to increase aid and they have to help more countries.
“BM: Açların sayısı artıyor”. BBC Turkish. 25 Feb. 2008. 14 March 2008.
i did not read or heard anything about solving this problem, but last 3 years farmers receive financial assistance from Turkish government to buy less-price fuel. It is not cure, because if there are not more farming place, whealt price is increasing dy by day. the Turkish government can not solve tis problem,because it is a global issue. (unfortunately)
recently,most important effect is increasing prices of wheat in agricultural sector.This state's reason of foremost is global warming.Because of this is chancing climate weather,being drought and countries which export wheat is increased by goverment due to economy of their countries. Africa's countries that do not grow wheat affects increasing wheat.At the same time becoming prevalent feed production is drawin up enery sector such as bio-fuel.Wheat sector come up against Bio-fuel on a dangerous basis.United nations explain that we have to stop this situation. I think unıted nations is true, The coup is that agriculture products only use in nutrition sector. Because If wheat is drawed on in enery sector,wheat stock of world is going to be end soonest. it is much more dangerous for human life.
Especially Africa imports wheat, so it is affected worst by rising wheat prices. Even if Africa is supplied aid, it is not enough for the continent. Day by day Africa needs more and more wheat. Also Africa’s population currently increases. This is very important problem for especially Africa. So the countries and governments should solve this problem.
Actually, I do not think so rising wheat prices is not a wrong decision. Because there is a drought and a global problem in the world, so the staple crop is declining. Wheat exporters may earn much more money from wheat or they want to stock up the wheat for themselves or want to provide land for bio-fuels instead of supplying of wheat, but everyone should sensitive about the global warning which affects everyone. Only way to solve this big problem is working together, and helping each other.
Changing the climates because of the global warming effects whole environment especially human being.
With the global warming, the degree of our world heat is increasing insidiously thus rainfall decreaseses in the all placeses. This situation affect the production especially wheat; because this product want to grow up warm and cold climate . unfortunatelly weather condition put the lid on the production of wheat. firstly production was decreasing then it stopped. now wheat prices get ahead of fuel prices.
In addition, demand of wheat is growing because of population growth and increased wealth in developing countries like China and India. High income growth in these countries means consumers with a bigger appetite for meat.
There are many factors price rises one of them is market speculations in the world another one widespread fears of an economic slowdown in the all places. However, in my opinion main reasons are higher energy and fertilizer prices; increased demand for biofuels, especially in the U.S. and the European Union; and droughts in Australia and other countries.
World grain stocks are at record lows in the world ecomony it is a great threat for our future maybe our world will be encounter so bad scnerios because of this situation.
The governments, United natioans World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agriculture development (IFAD) - is to control its prices by getting new preventions and making new policies
climate change and the demand for agricultural commodities for biofuels production required complex trade-offs and economic, social and environmental policy decisions that would have important repercussions on world agricultural production.
Work Cited
'Bu�day fiyatlar� rekor k�rd�. BBC News. 24 August 2007. 14 March 2008.
Drought, adverse weather conditions affect wheat prices. The production of wheat falls for theese reason and the price of wheat increase. Because of high price, the countries applied restrictions on wheat exports. Acording to these reason the wheat price increase. A lot of people can't buy wheat crops. But people nedd wheat crops to survive. In my opinion, the big and rich government can help farmer who generate wheat and they can cut price of wheat for help world hunger.
I think that the major reason of the increase in the wheat prices is the effects of the global warming. depending on the negative impacts of global warming on agriculture, Turkey and many contries suffer from the inefficieny in the production of the crops. Turkey's economy is mostly based on agriculture. Hence there is an inefficiency in agriculture, it might cause of the decrease in the production. If we realize that there is also demand of wheat, this might increase the price of wheat. One of the major consequences might be that poor people are not able to consume some basic needs because wheat is the basic nutrition for making other ones. At this point, governments should give incentives to the producers and set some regulations on the price of the agricultural crops. Thus poor people do not suffer from the increasing in the wheat price.
Moreover I think that the governments, United natioans World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agriculture development (IFAD) should find possible solutions for climate change. Hence, they try to make new policies for increase in the prices of agricultural production.
Nowadays, the major issue that we all discuss is the global warming and the negative consequences because of the climate change. The major negative impact of the climate change is on the agriculture, because of the bad wheather conditions, the agricultural crops can not be grown and the prices increase because of the reduce in the production. On the other hand, people's demand for crops increases as we consider the increase in the population. Thus, the countries suffer from the increase in the prices of the food productionns, such as wheat. Wheat is one of the significant nutritions for human beings in order to make them survive and feed. Therefore, I believe that if the price of wheat increases, then the other food that is made by wheat might increase. Hence, poor people can not buy these food because of higher price. At this point the governments and some social organizations should consider the problem of climate change and its effects on agriculture and should find some possible solutions for alleviating the negative impacts of higher prices of crops on the populance. The governments should have regulations and possible restrictions on the exporting of wheat in order to keep the price constant.
Wheat is the fundamental nutrient and can be produced easily in expanded climate areas and lands. Therefore, both in developing and developed countries, wheat consumption is greater than any other nutrient. For this reason, the increase especially in the wheat prices will affect a wide range people all around the world and even may cause a lot of people cannot be able buy it. Moreover, as the poverty line cannot be dropped and the gap between the social classes has been getting increasing, the number of people will be affected from this situation is greater and the result may be more dreadful.
However, today, drought, desertification and global warming limit the agricultural lands and also limit the wheat production. While the production is getting limited, the wheat prices are getting higher. My opinion is that the wheat prices must be kept at price as lowest as possible. In order to make this not only the governments themselves but also the international organizations and private sector should take actions. Especially, in the poor regions, the agricultural and trade policy should be revised. Furthermore, all these sectors should informed people about the conscious consumption. It is strongly needed to prevent global food crisis.
After the recent increase in the prices of wheat, poor people's situation will become worse. IMF assumed an attitude by giving 100%extra credit to African countries. The reason of that situation is FAO's manager negligence and always aiding to Africa without teaching anything. By the way starving problem is getting worse according to UN and UN committed that prices of food increased as 40%. The other reasons are global warming and West type food consumption. People consume milk and meat with high rates in the West type food consumption. It means animals should eat more cereals and bread is made of cereals. That's why prices are high and stocks are low.
In addition stocks of wheat are empty in Turkey for the first time after 2nd World War and bread is the most common food in Turkey. But because of the situation of the stocks price of bread will be increased by 20%. That's why 80 millions of bread will be delivered to people who has certificate of ''being poor''.
Like it happened for many times in the history unjustly treated people are poor ones again
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7264239.stm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/turkish/news/story/2008/03/080311_food_prices.shtml
http://www.ihe.com.tr/basindan.asp
http://www.milliyet.com.tr/2008/02/06/son/soneko24.asp
I forgot to adding that link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/turkish/news/story/2008/03/080311_food_prices.shtml
This blog discussion is now closed. Thanks to all of you who participated and made sensible suggestions to solve this serious problem.
I see that many of you are using both in-text citations and a kind of Works Cited at the end - great for practice! Keep this up.
There was not much interaction in this blog discussion, but perhaps that was due to the nature of the assignment. It is clear you all read the article carefully and thought about solutions. Some of you also related your answers back to the work we did on poverty in Africa.
All in all, this was a successful discussion. Please keep up the good work.
The main nutriment that people can have to be alive is wheat.From discovery of wheat from now people prefer wheat and kind of its productions because of its cheapness. Now a days wheat prices are increasing and one of the most important nutriment is hard to buy. This situation causes hunger in under-developed countries like Africa.To solve this problem and stop the hunger governments and World Food Programme (WFP) should find real solutions.For example the can give extra aid to farmers to increase the production of wheat and automatically the prices will decrease by this way.
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