Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
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“
Anger over spiraling world food prices is becoming increasingly violent. Deadly clashes over higher
costs for staple foods have broken out in Egypt, Haiti, and several African states, and an international
food expert yesterday warned of more clashes with no short-term relief in sight. 'World food prices
have risen 45 percent in the last nine months and there are serious shortages of rice, wheat and
[corn],' Jacques Diouf, head of the Rome-based UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said at
a major conference in New Delhi yesterday. 'There is a risk that this unrest will spread in countries
where 50 to 60 percent of income goes to food,' he said.
The FAO has reported popular unrest over rising food prices in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Indonesia,
Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Mozambique, Bolivia and Uzbekistan, among other countries. The Philip-
pines, the world's biggest rice importer, moved to head off protests after global prices doubled in a
year. . . . World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick said earlier this month that nearly three dozen coun-
tries face social unrest because of surging food and fuel prices. For the countries most at risk 'there
is no margin for survival,' he said.
”
—David Sands, “Global Food Riots Turn Deadly,”
The Washington
Times
, April 10, 2008.
It used to be that people thought things like food riots, famine, and starvation were “other coun-
try's problems” and could not happen here in America. Nowadays, people are not so sure. In
uncertain times, it makes prudent sense to stock up on critical items, food, and supplies for
weathering long-term shortages and widespread disasters. Knowledge is power, and this
chapter provides valuable information and checklists to help you prepare to handle longer-term
shortages and emergencies. Topics covered include storing food and water; basic supplies and
equipment; calculating how much food you'll need; food-storage tips; sprouting seeds to make
fresh food; and a guide to the best camping and cooking equipment.
Long-Term Planning and Food Storage
If you are planning to store food, water, and other items to supply your household for signific-
ant periods of time (more than one month), the packaging, preservation, and nutritive quality of
your food stores will be vitally important. You can purchase specialty prepackaged bulk foods
