"let this be the last famine of our lifetimes"

The title of Alun Mc Donald s commentary in The Times today, with regard to the famine in the Horn of Africa. Mr Mc Donald feels that it is disgraceful that in the 21st century we are still allowing famines to happen. I agree with him but the world has gone mad. Whilst 2,500 lives are lost each day in Somalia to starvation, in Britain alone we spend £9 million a day on obesity related health issues! There is enough food in the world, but the west eat to much of it, and waste too much of it, whilst parts of Africa struggles with civil wars, lack of rain, corrupt governments and very poor infrastructure. The British public are always generous as pictures of starving children fill the pages of our newspapers, but as Mr Mc Donald points out more investment is needed long term to support agriculture and food production in a region which has enormous potential. Sadly I think it is wishful thinking that this will be the last famine of our lifetime.