Haitians are apparently not satisfied eating mudcakes for survival---in Port Au Prince they are rioting, and looting, and demanding the resignation of president Rene Preval in part because global food prices have risen 40% in the past year, a fact particularly affecting islanders who import most of what they eat. Their staple, rice, is expensively imported more than it should be, thus diminishing local production. Taxes on food, too, appear to be an issue. Food that is on shelves in cities is too costly for the poor to buy. According to today's AP story, about 80% of the people struggle to survive on about $2 per day.
Many of those who marched on the capital chanted "we are hungry!," according to a report from The Canadian Press. Haitian riots followed protests in Egypt and elsewhere, prompting a UN official to state that "food insecurity" is a major threat to world stability.
Meanwhile, speaking of islands, when we recently visited family in the Abacos, Bahamas, we stayed in Hope Town, a place filled with well-off vacationers. Food, and most other domestic goods available at local groceries, was outlandishly expensive when compared to prices for the same items on the Florida coast. Even eggs were not raised locally for sale---people are dependent on small ferry boats for everything, and during a three day period of stormy seas, the hunt for eggs became paramount. Not, mind you, for human survival. It was Easter weekend, you see.
Early one morning, still in my robe, I walked from our seaside abode onto a small road heading into the lush undergrowth, following the sound of a rooster crowing, hoping to locate at least one local source of something to eat. After a bit I turned back on reflecting that my inappropriate garb might have caused the rooster's owner to have me arrested by the constabulary ( one guy) for some form of peeping or stalking or other addlepated old dame behavior.
Even the mere threat of " food insecurity" has me pondering( not for the first time,) where to live, what to grow, how to harvest enough water for growing, and how to get "off the grid" in time to do all the above. Perhaps my Jack Russell might be cajoled into trotting along on some kind of power-generating treadmill so that I could maintain my link to the Internets, too.
For outlandish eclectic pic, see post above.
Posted by: Foodie | April 21, 2008 at 01:52 PM
Add to the global food woes, the Chinese are now the largest importer of dairy products....contributing to the world wide rise in prices (which explains the rise in pizza slices, among other things.) Years ago visiting China, I craved anything made from cow's milk...now with expanded incomes, the Chinese are switching to milk and bread.
I enjoy the eclectic mix of food news and views expressed here.
Posted by: Win | April 20, 2008 at 08:44 AM