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The FAO Food Price Index averaged 204 points in May, representing a 4 percent drop from April prices and the biggest percentage decrease since March 2010. At this level, the Food Price Index is 14 percent below its peak in February 2011.

Sustainable development is receiving increasingly widespread attention, being prioritized by the recent G8 Summit and upcoming G20 and Rio+20 Summits. But how can sustainable development realistically be achieved when millions of people worldwide live in food insecurity?

FEWS NET has released the latest Monthly Price Watch for May 2012. The report cites slight fluctuations in the international grains markets, with wheat increasing in many markets and maize export prices continuing to decrease. In both East and West Africa, staple food prices (particularly cereals prices) increased in April. These increases were due to diminishing stocks from previous harvests (East Africa) and a rapid increase in demand that is still unmatched by supply (West Africa, particularly the Sahel).

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During the Second APEC Ministerial Meeting on Food Security in Kazan, Russia, APEC Ministers unanimously endorsed a comprehensive plan to address food security and development issues. The Kazan Declaration focuses on increasing agricultural productivity, facilitating trade and developing markets, enhancing food safety and quality, and improving vulnerable populations' access to safe food sources, and ensuring sustainable development.

The seventh joint report of the UNCTAD-OECD on G20 countries' investment policies was released on May 29. This report is released every seven months and looks at recent policy measures taken by G20 countries to determine possible impacts they may have on the global investment and economic situation. The report was called for during the 2011 Cannes Summit as part of the G20 leaders' commitment to reduce protectionist policies.