What's New

Over the past four months, weather patterns and conflict have played a key role in the food security situation in several regions, according to the latest issue of the WFP's Global Food Security Update. While good rains in the Sahel have led to a predicted short-term improvement in the region's food security, drought and flooding in several other areas of the world have produced shocks that are likely to drive more people into hunger.

In honor of World Food Day (October 16, 2012), IFPRI Director General Shenggen Fan provided guest commentary on the World Economic Forum's Forum Blog . The piece focuses on the critical role that smallholder farmers play in the fight against hunger, undernutrition, and food insecurity.

Agricultural activities employ 77 percent of Senegal's workforce and account for 12.4 of its GDP. Despite the importance of agriculture to Senegal's development, however, the country is often subject to low rainfall and droughts, making its population particularly vulnerable to food insecurity. A new report from FEWS NET examines climatic trends in Senegal and finds several important implications for the country's agricultural production.

The latest USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate report was released today. This month's report cites lower world supplies for wheat and maize; global rice supplies, on the other hand, are up to a record 465.1 million tons.

When it comes to improving global food security and ending hunger, increasing access to reliable, up-to-date information and research is an important first step. National and international policymakers rely on credible data, statistics, and analysis to enact appropriate policies and respond to local, regional, and global food crises. In many developing countries, however, such information is often difficult to access; even when data is available, it may not be communicated to policymakers in an accessible, easy-to-understand way.