A candid assessment of the world food crisis must ask i) about the fundamental causes, which have apparently not been addressed to prevent the crisis in the first place, ii) about the deficiencies of crisis management, and iii) about best institutional arrangements to prevent future food crises.

Filling such a framework of assessment must lead to comprehensive action. In the absence of such action to mitigate and prevent the food crisis, larger political uncertainties can emerge as a consequence.

Professor Dr Joachim von Braun
Director of the Center for Development Research (ZEF)
University of Bonn
Bonn, Germany
jvonbraun@uni-bonn.de