Current high international  food prices are due to both longer term fundamental factors, such as rising demand by emerging economies, and temporary factors such as production shortfalls. In the past declining prices have led governments to reduce support to agriculture. As agricultural development, under certain conditions, can be both growth enhancing and poverty reducing, the current world food situation offers an opportunity to reverse this trend. 

Alexander Sarris
Director Trade and Markets Division Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) of the United Nations - Rome, Italy
alexander.sarris@fao.org