Talk of the town：Why do global food price increase?
【明報專訊】In a recent announcement, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) revealed that global food prices witnessed a remarkable upsurge in September.
The recent increase in global food prices is mostly due to natural disasters and climate change worldwide. For example, in Brazil, the largest sugar producer globally, there have been forest fires that destroyed many sugar cane crops, leading to an increase in sugar prices. Other countries like China, the US, and European countries have also been affected by extreme weather, resulting in a decrease in global food production.
How does the rising global food price affect us?
When food prices rise, it becomes more expensive for individuals and families to purchase essential items, impacting their overall cost of living and causing food insecurity. As food prices may continue to increase, fresh foods may not be affordable for low-income families, leading them to consume unhealthy canned foods.
What is FAO?
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) under the United Nations leads international efforts to defeat hunger. It aims to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active and healthy lives.
Don't be a Big Waster (大嘥鬼)!
Each one of us has a responsibility to reduce food waste at source. By avoiding food wastage, we will play our part in easing further pressure on the world's food system, especially when many individuals and families worldwide, including in affluent Hong Kong, still face hunger. To prevent food waste, it is important to think before we buy, think before we cook, and think before we order.
■Glossary
upsurge (n)急升
affordable (adj)負擔得起的
responsibility (n)責任
affluent (adj)富裕的
■Game
Riddle
I am sometimes eaten steamed
And served up in a dish
I'm also used in sushi
Along with some raw fish
What am I?
■Gear up
Fill in the blanks with glossary below.
1. An _________ in government expenditure on healthcare has been linked to the problem of an aging population.
2. Mr Chan takes his _________ as a teacher very seriously.
■Grammar booster
An idiom of a food
A piece of cake
Something that is very easy to do.
E.g. It is a piece of cake for Jimmy to pass the driver's test.
(Criticisms on this publication, if any, are aimed at pointing out the errors or defects of certain systems or policies with a view to rectifying or eradicating such errors or defects, as well as prompting improvement or remedy for them via lawful means. There is absolutely no intention of inciting hatred, discontent or hostility towards the government or other classes of the community.)
[Smarties' Power English 第420期]
