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Food Fight Special
- The demand for food around the world is getting higher and the supply is getting lower. What’s happening wher... more info
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- $$$ PAID ASSIGNMENT
- FORMAT:
- ENDS: 05/16/2008 10:00 PM
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Haiti Food Prices
Prices for basic staples have dramatically increased in Haiti this year – so much so that some people are resorting to eating “earth biscuits” made from mud and water. Prices for basic staples have dramatically increased in Haiti this year – so much so that some people are resorting to eating “earth b... more
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Picket of plenty
While the world food market is hungry for more, Argentina's farmers are on strike, refusing to export grains.
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Rising Cost of Food, Dairy Industry
Over the past several years the dairy industry has been hit hard by rising costs of food that stems from the increased production of corn based ethanol.
Here's a small glimpse into the life of a dairy farmer and his view of why producing corn based ethanol is a problem. Over the past several years the dairy industry has been hit hard by rising costs of food that stems from the increased production of c... more -
charity organization managar on rising food prices
This is a part of the interview with the manager of Caritas - a polish charity organization. He's name is Łukasz Sidorowicz.
Here's what the manager is saying:
Where we do get the food? Well, partly we buy it, actually we buy most of it, that is the way it works. First we need to raise the money, then go to the store and purchase the products. Some of the products are delivered directly to us, but we still have to pay. We need large quantities of food to run our soup kitchens. There are basic staple foods which we use to make breakfast, lunch, or dinner, but we also prepare food packages for those who need help but are unable to come to our soup kitchens, or maybe just need help occasionally, for the holidays. There are also others, who simply don’t have anything to eat, and they come to us for help.
The rising food prices are affecting us. We are trying to find the cheapest places to buy food. Every year we feel the difference in the prices, especially the price of meat, which is the most desired product. The prices are constantly on the rise—there is no time when they would just remain stable. You many not notice it form day to day, as it happens gradually, there are no drastic changes overnight, but still the prices are rising. Something as basic as bottled water, which is a must during the hot days of the summer, is more expensive every year (NOTE: in Poland tap water is not potable, and also there is no conditioning in most places, so hot summers mean a need for a lot of bottled water). The prices of all products are rising: milk, other staple foods which we use to prepare our meals
This is a part of the interview with the manager of Caritas - a polish charity organization. He's name is Łukasz Sidorowicz. ... more -
High Prices from Senegal; where meal pots are getting smaller and citizens angrier
Like elsewhere in the ever so slowly developing world, residents angry at rising prices in Dakar are regularly taking to the streets wanting the government to do something, anything immediate to make eating affordable again.
But the government cracks down against protesters. Organizers are detained, while government officials make promises that are never materialized.
To make matters worse, authorities have been tearing down informal stalls in an effort to attract outside investors. These stalls are where prices are the least expensive. Like elsewhere in the ever so slowly developing world, residents angry at rising prices in Dakar are regularly taking to the streets w... more -
Soaring Prices Cause Anger in African Markets
In Abidjan, like elsewhere, vendors and customers get angrier by the day, despite government efforts.
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Food Fight: Greater PGH Community Food Bank, deleted scenes.
Hey everyone,
Here's two really nice moments from my interview with Joyce Rothermel, the CEO for the Greater PGH Community Food Bank, which didn't make it to the rough rough cut that I posted earlier.
Hey everyone, ... more -
"Groceries for solidarity" facing rising food prices
I made this report in France, in Paris. It's about the problem of rising prices of food stuff:
I focused on rising prices for associations which help poor people to become cheap products such as rice, milk or pasta. These association or "groceries for solidarity" sells very cheap products for poor people but nowadays they're facing difficulties to become cheaper products because of rising food prices.
At the same time, more and more homeless or jobless people are asking them for help. That's quite a vicious circle. I made this report in France, in Paris. It's about the problem of rising prices of food stuff: ... more -
Iowa Corn Farmer Profile (rouch cut and b-roll)
An Iowa corn farmer talks about the rising cost of corn and how it affects him.
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Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank (rough rough cut)
This is an interview with Joyce Rothermel, CEO of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank since 1987, which distributes items to 11 counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
This is an interview with Joyce Rothermel, CEO of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank since 1987, which distributes items to 11... more -
Koshary: Food of the poor
Even Koshary is no long affordable! Abdel Hameed juggles two jobs to barely provide for his family. At his lunch break, he usually eats Koshary; the cheapest meal you could get in Egypt.. but not anymore. Even Koshary is no long affordable! Abdel Hameed juggles two jobs to barely provide for his family. At his lunch break, he usually eat... more
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Food Vendors and Consumers at the Mercato (B-Roll and Interviews)
The Mercato, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is the largest open-air market in Africa. At the same time as food prices rise globally, Ethiopia is experiencing a drought, driving prices even higher. The Mercato, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is the largest open-air market in Africa. At the same time as food prices rise globally, Ethio... more
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Got Rice? rice seller b-roll
The rising cost of rice at home and abroad has put an increased strain on Los Angeles' rice-serving restaurants. In some parts of the LA county, restaurant owners have begun stockpiling rice, causing wholesale dealers like Costco to impose sales limits. The rising cost of rice at home and abroad has put an increased strain on Los Angeles' rice-serving restaurants. In some parts of the ... more
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Got Rice? interview selects and restaurant b-roll
The rising cost of rice at home and abroad has put an increased strain on Los Angeles' rice-serving restaurants. In some parts of the LA county, restaurant owners have begun stockpiling rice, causing wholesale dealers like Costco to impose sales limits. The rising cost of rice at home and abroad has put an increased strain on Los Angeles' rice-serving restaurants. In some parts of the... more
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Even Remote Somalia Is Hungry
The poorest of the local population decided they couldnt take any more!
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Working the Land
The price of wheat is skyrocketting in Colombia. But local farmers are unable to plant more of it.
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Khat in Yemen
Many people in Yemen spend their days chewing khat, a leaf with narcotic properties. But as food prices rise around the Middle East, the destructive nature of khat farming is forcing more and more Yemenis into poverty and malnutrition. Many people in Yemen spend their days chewing khat, a leaf with narcotic properties. But as food prices rise around the Middle East, ... more
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Make Food Affordable for us!
And so the vicious cycle continues. Make basic food so unreasonably expensive, and all hell breaks loose. When was the last time you actually felt hungry or saw someone who was so desperately starved for food? People like this man witness this horror in their homes and communities every day. While this does move a little away from the nature of what Current is looking for in the segment of "Food Crisis", but I can't help but continue to highlight how the right to eat, or have access to food, is so common.
I'll put up all the videos again with sub titles later on, but until then, this text may help to understand what this gentleman is talking about...
See, what happens when commodities become more expensive is, for example, Rice has become Rs.100 per kilo, Ghee (cooking oils) is more than Rs.150, one individual, earning even a salary of Rs.3,000 or even Rs.4,500 and he has an average of 8 people in his home, and he is the sole breadwinner, the Government needs to think about how this can possibly work. That is a household of 8 people, one person who is earning for those 8 people, with increasing prices, perhaps his salary or payscale should also be increasing at the same rate.
I don't think it is possible for the Rs.4,500 breadwinner to last even a week, let alone a month. Take vegetables, milk, rice, the cost of everything has gone up. He can hardly afford to buy any of the things needed to run his home.
Children are studying in schools and even the fees of those are so difficult to sustain - there are few government schools, and so children that study in the private schools also are a burden to have to manage their fees.
Question - What was life like before? How did you manage before the inflation in prices that you are talking about?
Answer: See, it used to be within our range to buy. We could afford something. Flour, that used to be 15 or 16 rupees per kilo was something we could afford. Now, all of a sudden, flour is being sold for 25 rupees per kilo. That is just difficult to manage. Now in order to afford the same amount of food, we have to work 16 instead of 12 hours and look for overtime separately.
At least that way, we can make something extra to manage our needs. Maybe we'll get an additional Rs.3,000 in overtime in a night duty somewhere. At least we'll be able to manage.
I think the Government needs to look at the fact that perhaps they cannot reduce the cost of petrol or oil, but at least these commodities such as flour, lentils, sugar... if they can't make these at nominal prices, then at least figure out a way so that we can afford to buy these. And so the vicious cycle continues. Make basic food so unreasonably expensive, and all hell breaks loose. When was the last time you a... more -
2 Breadwinners Feeding 8 Mouths
Here's a random interview I got - Since it is in Urdu, the transcription of the dialogue is below - Is there a food crisis going on? Amongst so many other problems of the average person, yes. Life is difficult and frustrating, and its people like this young man, that bear the brunt of poor planning, short sightedness and, at times, plain stupidity - In this day and age of advancing technology and expanding media, is hunger REALLY a problem we can't resolve?!
Before when flour was cheaper, at least a poor man could eat and survive, but since prices have gone up and there is such a severe shortage, things are so difficult. At a salary of Rs.4,000 ($66) a month, and then even traveling by bus has become more expensive. Just surviving is difficult.
Flour costs about Rs.24-25 (40 cents) a kilo. How can a poor man afford it? Since food has become more expensive, job opportunities have just died out. Government isn't doing anything. They are also just waiting for something - just having their own issues and fun - not really sorting out the problems of the poor man.
How many breadwinners do you have in your home?
2. Myself and my younger brother.
And how many members in your home?
Between 8 and 10.
Are you able to manage?
Impossible. But you don't have a choice. You are forced to make it work. Where we used to eat a bit more, we now just have to survive by eating less. Buying less. Here's a random interview I got - Since it is in Urdu, the transcription of the dialogue is below - Is there a food crisis going on? A... more -
Situation Impossible
I hate to beat a dead horse, drive the point into the ground and keep posting up clips of similarly looking frustrated people off the streets saying almost the same thing: it's a challenge to live through a crisis that seems neverending.
By profession, I am a technology trade journalist and an entrepreneur. My optimism is almost an occupational hazard and I tend to have a lot of faith in the people, community and society around me - until I keep hearing the same message from the same lot of people, screaming out for help things I find are the most fundamental in nature - We're experiencing a FOOD CRISIS! In this day and age where we've landed on the moon and looking for ways to get to Mars; laugh at people who still think a floppy disk is the way to travel data and documents and poke fun at people who think PING PONG is a sport. This is sad beyond belief and disturbing beyond imagination. As long as there is a crisis, SOMEONE is making a profit, and it is inhuman. Absolutely - Listen to this guy off the street, once again, another random grab - the transcription of the interview is followed in this text.
Question: How have the rising prices effected you? How do you deal with the cost of living?
It's like this that, survival is very difficult. My older brother, who is also a breadwinner, has just come back home from the hospital after being involved in an accident, so I am the sole earning member in the home. Rs.6,000 ($100) is my monthly income. Out of this, food take up about Rs3,000, which leaves us just $50 for the rest of the expenses. Since President Musharraf has come, the cost of living has just gone up, I cannot even begin to describe this to you. We have young siblings, younger children. I have my own 2 children. How can we all survive. You tell me?
Question: What do you want? What do you think the solution for this is?
I want things to be affordable. My salary is just not enough because the cost of one bread, is Rs.5. How can a poor man live? Should we work 24 hours a day just to make ends meet? I am a watchman (chowkidaar) so I get paid a fixed salary as opposed to a daily wage or per hour wage. So even if I work 24 hours a day, it's not going to make a difference. I am alone. I don't even have a father or someone older to help me. What is an orphan like me supposed to do? Things are very difficult. Very unbearable. I hate to beat a dead horse, drive the point into the ground and keep posting up clips of similarly looking frustrated people off the ... more
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Food Fight Special
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Food Fight Special
