World hunger crisis is imminent, warns FAO

By Kabanda Chulu
Fri 13 Nov. 2009, 04:00 CAT

FOOD and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) director general Jacques Diouf yesterday warned that a world hunger crisis is imminent due to lack of concrete plans of action by several countries in addressing droughts and changes in weather patterns.

And Diouf has challenged countries to consider looking at small-scale farmers as capital and not as burdens when allocating resources in the national budget.

During a video tele-conference in Lusaka ahead of next Monday’s world summit on food security themed ‘Hunger summit’ to be held in Rome, Italy, Diouf said there was need to take urgent action against hunger which was afflicting over one billion people around the world.

He said the high interest on global economic and food crisis that dominated headlines last year seemed to be fading away due to the rise in other pressing issues on the international agenda.

“Despite good harvests in 2009, many poor countries are still experiencing higher food prices which show that ending hunger is utopian and a daunting task but we can end hunger and leaders should be encouraged to take practical measures,” Diouf said.

“We have more than one billion reasons to end hunger and the one billion figures for those who are hungry can rise since it is compounded by diseases and other factors hence the global hunger crisis should not be forgotten and it will emerge anytime due to lack of concrete plans of actions in addressing droughts and changes in weather patterns.”

He said the figure of one billion people facing hunger today presents the seriousness of the situation.

“Where there is a will there is always a way and supporting small scale farmers should be the first step since these farmers are the most efficient and effective in ending hunger and we should view small- scale farmers as our capital and not our burden because they are capable of wiping hunger from the earth considering their huge figure of over two billion people out of the global population of about six billion,” said Diouf.

WHY ARE AMERICANS JOBLESS?

John Smith started the day early having set his alarm clock (MADE IN JAPAN) for 6 a.m.

While his coffeepot (MADE IN CHINA) was perking, he shaved with his electric razor (MADE IN PHILIPPINES). He put on a dress shirt (MADE IN SRI LANKA),designer jeans (MADE IN SINGAPORE) and tennis shoes (MADE IN VIETNAM).

After cooking his breakfast in his new electric skillet (MADE IN INDIA), then he sat down with his calculator (MADE IN MEXICO) to see how much he could spend today.

After setting his watch (MADE IN TAIWAN) to the the radio (MADE IN INDIA), he got into his car MADE IN GERMANY) filled it with GAS (from Saudi Arabia) and continued his search for a good paying AMERICAN JOB.

At the end of yet another discouraging and fruitless day checking his computer (MADE IN > MALAYSIA), John decided to relax for a while.

He put on his sandals (MADE IN BRAZIL) poured himself a glass of wine (MADE IN FRANCE) and turned on his TV (MADE IN KOREA), and then wondered why he can’t find a good paying job in AMERICA.

AND NOW HE’S HOPING HE CAN GET HELP FROM HIS PRESIDENT (MADE IN KENYA)

Somali Islamists whip women for wearing bras
Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:35am GMT
By Abdi Sheikh
MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Somalia’s hardline Islamist group al Shabaab has publicly whipped women for wearing bras they say violate Islam by constituting a deception, north Mogadishu residents said Friday.
The insurgent group, which seeks to impose a strict form of sharia Islamic law throughout Somalia, amputated a foot and a hand each from two young men accused of robbery earlier this month. They have also banned movies, musical ringtones, dancing at wedding ceremonies and playing or watching soccer.
Residents said gunmen had been rounding up any woman seen with a firm bust and then had them publicly whipped by masked men. The women were then told to remove their bras and shake their breasts.
“Al shabaab forced us to wear their type of veil and now they order us to shake our breasts,” a resident, Halima, told Reuters, adding that her daughters had been whipped Thursday.
“They first banned the former veil and introduced a hard fabric which stands stiffly on women’s chests. They are now saying that breasts should be firm naturally, or just flat.”
Officials of Al Shabaab, which Washington says is al Qaeda’s proxy in the failed Horn of Africa state, declined to comment.
The group’s hardline interpretation of Islamic law has shocked many Somalis, who are traditionally moderate Muslims. Some residents, however, give the insurgents credit for restoring order to the regions under their control.
Al Shabaab, which means “youth” in Arabic, control large swathes of south and central Somalia.
Abdullahi Hussein, a student in north Mogadishu, said his elder brother was thrown behind bars when he fought back a man who humiliated their sister by asking her to remove her bra.
“My brother was jailed after he wrestled with a man that had beaten my sister and forced her to remove her bra. He could not stand it,” Hussein said.
Men were not spared the’ moral cleansing’. Any man caught without a beard was been publicly whipped.
“I was beaten and my hair was cut off with a pair of scissors in the street,” Hussein said.
“My trouser was also cut up to the knee. They accused me of shaving my beard but I am only 18. They have arrested dozens of men and women. You just find yourself being whipped by a masked man as soon as leave your house.”

“Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you.”

Karen Armstrong: 2008 TED Prize wish: Charter for Compassion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJMm4RAwVLo&feature=player_embedded

This is one more reason why we have to thank God for the food that we can have easily. But in the otherhand….ironicly, we still waste the food that we buy
I feel very GRATEFUL for what I have today…….
We are so Blessed for the wonderful works of God’s hand in our life today, just think of this …………..

‘I felt very fortunate to live in this part of the world. I promise I will never waste my food no matter how bad it can taste and how full I may be. I promise not to waste water. I pray that this little boy be alleviated from his suffering.

I pray that we will be more sensitive towards the suffering in the world around us and not be blinded by our own selfish nature and interests. I hope this picture will always serve as a reminder to us about how fortunate we are and that we must never ever take things for granted.

Think & look at this…when you complain about your food and the food we waste daily…’ MAY ALL HUMAN BEINGS BE FREE FROM SUFFERING!!!!

VERY IMPORTANT , PLEASE READ THIS

Anyone-using Internet mail such as Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL and so on.

This information arrived this morning, Direct from both Microsoft and Norton

Please send it to everybody you know who has Access to the Internet..

You may receive an apparently harmless e-mail titled ‘Mail Server Report’

If you open either file, a message will appear on your screen saying:
‘It is too late now, your life is no longer beautiful…’

Subsequently you will LOSE EVERYTHING IN YOUR PC. And the person who sent it to you will gain access to your Name, e-mail and password.

This is a new virus which started to circulate on Saturday afternoon.
AOL has already confirmed the severity, and the anti virus software’s are not capable of destroying it.

The virus has been created by a hacker who calls himself ‘life owner’.

George Bush funny moments
http://wowmails.com/george-bush-funny-moments-ultimate-collection-video-t4691.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFKwFxDp660&feature=player_embedded

Extremely funny insurance agent over phone in India

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frNPL-0Kvro&feature=player_embedded