A recent article in The Guardian 'Greener and Leaner - how the west could stave off disaster' attributes the current food crisis largely to underinvestment in agriculture research over the past decades. This blame is assigned to both developing and donor countries and stems from what the article's author Julian Borger calls short-sighted planning.

The article then considers what the Food Summit in Rome will tackle and offers short, medium and long-term strategies to the policy-makers. In the short term, commitment to food aid, the provision of seeds and fertilizers to farmers in developing so they can plant their next crop, and the lifting of exports bans on cash crops are all essential. In the medium term, the article suggests that the convergence of biofuels and food security needs to be assessed. There is also the call for the removal of tariffs to allow developing countries unfettered access to international markets. Finally in the long term, Borger advocates for more investment in agricultureal research and development. With cautions against reliance on GM solutions, there is a clear need for sustainable solutions that would require "rethinking western lifestyles and expectations".

The question that doesn't get asked is who is going to step into the void and meet the need for R&D. If multinational corporations fill the void the solutions may be profitable, but not ultimately sustainable. Is this the time to return to more public intervention to protect the public good and move in a truly sustainable direction that considers long term social justice, food security and environmental challenges? Please click here to access the article.