Global food crisis versus the culture of excess

You only have to peruse the supermarket aisles to realise that food prices are spiralling out of control, staple items like bread, pasta and rice have seen some supermarkets impose rationing to prevent bulk buying. Prices of rice alone have increased by 93% over the last year (granted some export restrictions have affected this) and they show no sign of stopping any time soon. These kind of scary statistics should give us serious food for thought (I'm so sorry!), living in a western society often blinds us from the global implications of the food crisis. The US and most of Europe (including UK) spend less than 25% of their annual income on food, fuel and drink, essentially most of us can take the hit, but those who spend closer to double that are struggling and rising prices could see an additional 30m fall into poverty in Africa alone. This map below shows world spending on food, fuel and drink in relation to income.

The recent G8 summit made these rising prices a priority but just how much can be done by the nations who are least affected by it, where is the incentive? Well now that the summit over we can see that the only consensus to improving the situation is to throw a little more aid to Africa. Honestly, I'm not turning my nose up at a few extra billion but it's not enough, nowhere near enough, world leaders need to get creative.

The truth is that in the west there are no signs of us relinquishing the idea that excess is a good thing (insert random obesity statistic here). Only three days before the G8 summit in Japan, Americans around the world were celebrating Independence Day and since 1916 (and growing in popularity ever since) the International July Fourth Hot Dog Eating Contest was taking place. Contestants see how many hot dogs they can shove down their throats in a certain time and are awarded prizes for their gluttony. Is it just me or do events like this exemplify a level of ignorance that I can only describe as sickening.

I admit that I'm using an extreme example here but in a country where food spending in relation to income is the lowest in the world (9.5% in 2007) what do we expect? There is a definite need to educate ourselves in matters like these and I would hope that in the future events like the International July Fourth Hot Dog Eating Contest are boycotted but I'm probably asking a lot.

By the way, why aren't we teaching current affairs in schools? It seems to me like current attempts to raise awareness of any global issue is often futile once people are set in their ways. Get 'em early, that's what I say.