Food Crisis

Lately I've been trying to stay at least slightly more informed about what's going on in the world, thanks to the handy-dandy Google Reader. Hooray, a new distraction on the internets! Just what my studies need...

Anyway, I have noticed an alarming motif in world news: high food prices, leading to food shortages and domestic unrest. A search for "food" in the BBC headlines for the past couple of weeks reveals the following:

• "France to double food aid budget" for poor countries b/c of rising prices (4/18)
  
• "South Africans march over food prices" (4/17)
• "EU warns against food export bans" - warning food producers "not to restrict exports because of rising prices" (4/17)
• "North Korea 'faces food crisis'" (4/16)
• "Steep rise in Chinese food prices" - up 21% this year (4/16)
• In Afghanistan, poor families are "marrying off their girls for food" (4/15)
• "Bangladesh faces growing queues as food prices soar" (4/10)
• "Hungry mob attacks Haiti palace" - "in protest at rising food prices" (4/8)

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. I haven't even mentioned the articles on some of the possible reasons for what might be the beginnings of a global food crisis, as voices debate the controversial issue of increased production of biofuels and cry for fundamental changes in the global food system as a whole.

What response should we give? Prayer, yes; increased awareness, yes - but this does not seem enough. But as Christians, is this enough?