- Reaction score
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I was just watching the news on CBC and saw a report on skyrocketing food prices worldwide, how rice had gone up 30% and was expected to keep climing in the coming months. The report mentioned afghanistan as one of the countries that may be hardest hit by this crisis.
Things are already getting downright 'revolutionary' in countries like Haiti, where violence is erupting over food prices. My food for thought here is what kind of damage could a food crisis have on our headway in Afghanistan, and what do you think is the best way we should address it as part of a strategy for success in the region.
It is a troubling situation to me, because hungry men are easy targets for recruitment into revolutionary armies or insurgencies, and the promise of food for their families could swell the ranks of Taliban if the crisis gets as abd as they are saying. My only thought so far is that if we could be proactive enough there is a chance to convince poppy farmers to start growing food for their nation instead of seeds to make narcotics. I know that doesn't sound likely, but if world food prices keep rising it may actually begin to be a viable alternative to the drug trade in Afghanistan. If we act on this crisis, and get ahead of it, we may be able to help secure the food supply in that country, provide a solid basis for the Afghani economy and also deprive the Taliban of potentially fertile recruiting opportunities.
Anyways let me know your thoughts, when I heard of this food crisis it immediately made me thing that soemthign so basic could actually undermine everything we have done up to this point. So enough of my musing let me know if you think I'm all wet
Edit to include link to CBC info:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/food/prices.html
Things are already getting downright 'revolutionary' in countries like Haiti, where violence is erupting over food prices. My food for thought here is what kind of damage could a food crisis have on our headway in Afghanistan, and what do you think is the best way we should address it as part of a strategy for success in the region.
It is a troubling situation to me, because hungry men are easy targets for recruitment into revolutionary armies or insurgencies, and the promise of food for their families could swell the ranks of Taliban if the crisis gets as abd as they are saying. My only thought so far is that if we could be proactive enough there is a chance to convince poppy farmers to start growing food for their nation instead of seeds to make narcotics. I know that doesn't sound likely, but if world food prices keep rising it may actually begin to be a viable alternative to the drug trade in Afghanistan. If we act on this crisis, and get ahead of it, we may be able to help secure the food supply in that country, provide a solid basis for the Afghani economy and also deprive the Taliban of potentially fertile recruiting opportunities.
Anyways let me know your thoughts, when I heard of this food crisis it immediately made me thing that soemthign so basic could actually undermine everything we have done up to this point. So enough of my musing let me know if you think I'm all wet
Edit to include link to CBC info:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/food/prices.html