Rising Food Prices - Nearly One Billion Go to Bed Hungry

Commentary by Dr. Stephen Hall, Director General, The WorldFish Center - Achieving any large scale change requires powerful messages about why change is needed. The recent short video by the World Bank on the plight of the poor and the consequences of rising food prices provides such a message - it is well worth watching. The video also offers solutions, among which increased investment in agricultural research features prominently. Fisheries and aquaculture have an important role to play as part of that investment. WorldFish is doing its part by focussing on two key development challenges: 1) improving the livelihoods of those who are especially poor and vulnerable in places where fisheries and aquaculture can make a difference and 2) achieving large scale, environmentally sustainable increases in supply and access to fish at affordable prices for poor consumers in developing countries. Meeting those challenges is going to be difficult, but I am confident that, by working with our partners, it can be done. But, it will only be done with increased and sustained investment - the case for which the World Bank video makes clear.  www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxJEwC38Wsc