This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, from voaspecialenglish.com | http Food prices have risen sharply in the past few years. The good news is that the rate of increase has slowed. The bad news is that prices will not go down anytime soon. Also, the rate of global agricultural production is slowing. But it needs to increase 60 percent over the next 40 years to feed a growing world population. These are some of the findings in the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2012-2021. The OECD is the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The FAO is the Food and Agriculture Organization, a United Nations agency. FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva spoke at a news conference in Rome last month when the report was released. Mr. Da Silva said the world's poorest people will feel the greatest effects of higher prices.He said for millions of people living in extreme poverty, the meaning of higher food prices is clear. They might have to change their diets, often to ones with less nutritional value. In middle-income countries, people are gaining weight. They are eating fewer fruits and vegetables. And they are eating less nutritious, and cheaper, food.The report also shows that farmers in poorer countries will be leading efforts to feed an expected 9 billion people by 2050. The Outlook predicts that farmers in Latin America, the Caribbean and sub-Saharan Africa will drive agricultural production in the future. Angel Gurria is chief of the OECD. He says we ...

• published: 13 Aug 2012
• views: 36759
• author: VOALearningEnglish