A new era of high and volatile food prices is causing life-changing shifts in society, according to Oxfam and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) in a joint report published today.
The report, entitled 'Squeezed', highlights how the failure of wages to keep pace with five years of food price rises is putting a strain on families and communities including: increased incidences of domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse; dramatic changes in the workforce as agricultural jobs are abandoned in favor of riskier but better paid work such as mining; and a breakdown in community life as expensive social events such as weddings are put on hold. The report also highlighted that people are skipping meals or relying on cheaper, lower quality and sometimes contaminated food to make ends meet.
'Squeezed' is the first of four annual reports that will assess the how high and volatile food prices are impacting on the wellbeing of urban and rural communities in ten countries: Bolivia, Guatemala, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Zambia, Indonesia and Vietnam.
See full Article: http://www.oxfam.org/en/grow/pressroom/pressrelease/2013-05-23/food-prices-social-costs-risky-jobs-domestic-violence-new-report
Posts
