Petition « Don’t Gamble with Our Food »

Peuples Solidaires

With the prospect of further global food crisis, this is not the time for leaders to back-out of their commitment to halving hunger. France’s President Sarkozy will host this year’s G20 meeting which could create a breakthrough in global hunger eradication – if countries agree the right actions. Make sure they do.

All countries agreed to half hunger by 2015, as set out in the millenium development goals. So far – on the whole – they’ve failed miserably. At this year’s G20 meeting, hosted by President Sarkozy in Cannes in France, the leaders of the world’s most powerful economies must take decisive action to end continuing food crisis. We know it is possible. There are no excuses. And there are very specific things they can agree to.

Firstly the G20 can reverse 30 years of bad ‘neo-liberal’ policies which have left poor countries hungrier than ever – by investing again in the small holder farmers who are proven to be the key to food security.

Secondly they can regulate their own financial institutions by stopping them from gambling on food stocks – a practice which creates food price flucuations. They can also make sure that their own companies are regulated to stop them from grabbing land in hungry countries, land which should be used for growing food by local people.

Thirdly can stop using food from hungry countries for fuel – by retreating on their biofuels policies which take food out of the system and cause land grabs in hungry countries.

And finally they can champion national and regional food banks to act as buffers in times of high prices or shortfalls.

There are almost no credible food experts in the world that disagee that these steps can help eradicate hunger.