In dire straits

AGRICULTURE all over the world has suffered many aid cuts in the recent past,according to the director general of theum Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO), Jacques Diouf This has led to theworld grain stocks plummetting to theirlowest level in 20 years and a concomitant increase in cereal prices- Diouf, whorecently released the Without Waiting ... How the International Community canPromote Food Security report on theworld food security, in London, UK, Saysthat while agricultural assistance in1981-83 was US $16 billion, in the period1991-93, it fell to US $11 billion.

The price rise will prove detrimentalfor the low-income food-deficit countries as it will be difficult for them to goto the world market and buy sufficientfood, The FAO has launched a specialprogramme on food production to augment food security in these countries.