NEWS

WIRES

OTHER

Hindus Ask for Urgent Solution to Rising World Food Prices

Hindus have expressed serious concerns at the recent historic rise in global food prices.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed said that one sixth of all humanity are already suffering from hunger. These price hikes would further deteriorate the situation. About 1.2 billion people were reportedly living below the poverty line .

Zed is the President of the Universal Society of Hinduism. He further said that United Nations (UN) and other world organizations should urgently come up with solutions regarding this serious issue of rising food prices. Many feared that it would continue to rise given the global conditions. World's poor spent most of their income on food.

According to World Bank, global food prices are 36 percent above their levels a year ago and remain volatile, pushing people deeper into poverty.

"More poor people are suffering and more people could become poor because of uncontrollable food prices," World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick adds.

A World Bank release argues that anotherr 10 percent increase in global prices could drive an additional 10 million people below the extreme poverty line.

Rajan Zed also demanded that UN should declare access to adequate food as a fundamental human right. It is immoral and ungodly for the world to watch one sixth of all humanity suffering from hunger everyday and not come up with a permanent solution.

Zed pointed out that it is unfortunate that numbers of hungry people were increasing and the number of malnourished is roughly now over one billion. Besides governments and private sector, religions should also join hands on this issue.

The world needs to dramatically change its lifestyle and thinking. It should take care of its vulnerable populations, Rajan Zed added.

The World Bank was established in 1944. It claims to be a "vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world".