Food security assessment 2008-2009

Over the next decade, food security in 70 developing countries is projected to deteriorate according to USDA’s Economic Research Service. After rising nearly 11 percent from 2007 to 2008, the number of food-insecure people in the developing countries to rise to 833 million in 2009, an almost 2-percent rise from 2008 to 2009. Despite a decline in food prices in late 2008, deteriorating purchasing power and food security are expected in 2009 because of the growing financial deficits and higher inflation that have occurred in recent years. Food-insecure people are defined as those consuming less than the nutritional target of 2,100 calories per day per person. For more on the report visit:http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/GFA20/GFA20.pdf