VOA examines impacts of U.S. drought on global food security

VOA News examines the impacts of drought in the U.S. on global food security. "More than half the United States is experiencing the dual problems of too little rain and temperatures that are too high," the news service writes, adding, "Shenggen Fan, head of the International Food Policy Research Institute [IFPRI], said that's not only driving up prices, but contributing to price volatility as well." Noting "[t]he United States is the leading producer of corn and soybeans -- two commodities that developing countries rely on," the news service writes, "The decline in maize production has boosted prices by 30 percent in the past two months" and "[s]oybean prices are up 19 percent." VOA adds price rises for corn and soybeans also have a negative effect on wheat and meat prices.

According to VOA, "Fan ... recommends the U.S., IFPRI, various U.N. agencies and the World Bank closely monitor the situation" to "allow them to take quick action in any emergency." The news service adds, "The International Food Policy Research Institute continues to recommend increasing agricultural investment in developing countries to ease the volatility of food prices" (DeCapua, 8/8).