World Growth
August 7, 2012
How To Feed 18 Million People In One Day, All The Time
New Report: UK Aid Policy Undermines Food Security; Warns Development NGO; David Cameron Can Correct This At The
Olympics Hunger Summit
Melbourne – Development NGO, World Growth, today commended United Kingdom Prime Minister, David Cameron, for drawing attention at
the Olympics to the looming problem of food security, but pointed out UK aid policies needed to be changed. In a new
report, [The Development Tragedy —How Donor Aid Priorities and Land Use Policies Threaten Food Security], released to coincide with the Hunger Summit, World Growth research demonstrates how UK aid policies are hindering
increases in the global supply of food.
Ambassador Alan Oxley, chairman of World Growth, made the following comments:
"The fresh spike in grain prices caused by drought in the United States is a graphic reminder of the vital need to
increase food production. Last year the United Nations forecast world population could rise from 7 billion today to 10
billion by 2050. Yet the policies of all major aid donors undermine the action needed to increase food production. David
Cameron needs to reverse this at the Olympics Hunger Summit."
"Over the last decade, the share of global aid to support agriculture in poor countries shrank from 8.6 percent of all
aid to 5.2 percent. This mirrors the reduction in the share of aid to support economic growth. The United Kingdom and
other rich countries have instead given priority to redistributing wealth, increasing transparency, ensuring gender
equality and protecting the environment.”
"As noted British development economist Professor L. Alan Winters advised the G20 in 2010, increasing economic growth is
key to reducing poverty.”
Ambassador Oxley pointed out that, like other Western donors, in forest-endowed developing countries, the UK now gives
priority to halting conversion of forest land for production of vital food staples, such as grains and vegetable oils
such as palm oil; and funds projects to establish less productive industries on the grounds of claims that this will
reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.
“The British Government’s position on food security and deforestation is clear - David Cameron’s Government considers
that food security should be considered less important than preserving forest land.”
"It is disappointing that the UK Government shapes aid policy by listening to anti-growth groups like the World Wide
Fund for Nature rather than on the facts.”
“Salient facts are that developing countries targeted by the UK have relatively more forest land than the UK and have
already set aside forest areas to protect biodiversity which exceed international standards. They have plenty of land to
increase agricultural production. World Bank research also shows forest clearance is not a major source of greenhouse
gases.”
For more information on World Growth visit www.worldgrowth.org.
To contact World Growth email info@worldgrowth.org.
World Growth Palm Oil Green Development Campaign
Press Release - September 5, 2011
Press Release - June 30, 2011
Press Release - June 22, 2011
World Growth Forestry and Poverty Project
Special Newsletter – August 22, 2011
Press Release - August 14, 2011
Press Release – May 20, 2011
World Growth In The News
New Straits Times - June 27, 2011
The Age Editorial by Alan Oxley - June 9, 2011
The Australian - May 23, 2011
Resources
December 2011 – A World Growth Report
December 2011 - A World Growth Briefing
November 2011 – Green Papers: Issue IX
November 2011 – A World Growth Report
September 2011 – A World Growth Study
June 2011 - A World Growth Study
May 2011 – A World Growth Study
May 2011 – A World Growth Study
May 2011 – Green Papers: Issue VIII
April 2011 – A World Growth Submission
March 2011 – A World Growth Study
February 2011 – A World Growth Study
February 2011 – A World Growth Submission
December 2010 – A World Growth Study
December 2010 – A World Growth Study
October 2010 – A World Growth Submission
October 2010 – Green Papers: Issue VII
October 2010 – Green Papers: Issue VI
August 2010 – A World Growth Submission
August 2010 – Green Papers: Issue V
June 2010 – A World Growth Study
May 2010 – Green Papers: Issue IV
May 2010 – Green Papers: Issue III
December 2009 – A World Growth Study
December 2009 – A World Growth Study
December 2009 – A World Growth Briefing
December 2009 – A World Growth Study
November 2009 – Green Papers: Issue II
October 2009 – Green Papers: Issue I
September 2009 – A World Growth Study
September 2009 – A World Growth Study
August 2009 — A World Growth Study
April 2009 — A World Growth Study
December 2008 - A World Growth Study
December 2007 — A World Growth Study
November 2007 – A World Growth Study
August 2007 – A Study by Alan Oxley, Chairman of World Growth and former Chairman of the GATT.
About World Growth
World Growth is an international non-governmental organization established with an educational and charitable mission to
expand the education, information and other resources available to disadvantaged populations to improve their health and
economic welfare. At World Growth, we embrace and celebrate the new age of globalization and the power of free trade to
eradicate poverty and improve living conditions for people in the developing world. For more information on World
Growth, visit www.worldgrowth.org
ENDS