Hunger: New Causes for Same Old Problem (2/2)

This comes as grain supplies are at their lowest level in years. Experts see a number of reasons. These include not enough investment in agricultural technology. A loss of farmland to development. Droughts and floods made worse by climate change. And, growing competition for water.

Population growth also means a greater demand on food supplies. The United Nations predicts a population of more than eight billion by the year twenty thirty.

By that time, demand for animal products could double, led by growing economies like China and India. Francois Le Gall of the World Bank says climate change and the globalization of trade raise the risk of spreading animal diseases. Experts say most countries are not ready for a health crisis" class="hjdict" word="crisis" target=_blank>crisis caused by a disease jumping to humans.

And, finally, they say the growing population of cities is adding to the world's hunger problem. Danielle Nierenberg at the Worldwatch Institute in Washington says the poor can spend fifty to eighty percent of their money on food. She points out that city people do not have farm animals to sell in times of need. So they are especially threatened when prices go up.

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出现这个情况是由于这几年的粮食产出处于历史最低水平。专家们发现了好些原因，其中包括：农业科技投入不足；为了发展经济占用农田；气候变化使得旱涝灾害加剧；以及对水资源（需求的）不断争夺。

人口增长也意味着对粮食供应的需求量变大。联合国预测到2030年，世界人口将超过80亿。

到那时，像中国和印度这样经济不断增长的国家，将导致对动物性产品的需求翻倍。世界银行的Francois Le Gall说气候改变以及全球化贸易使动物性疾病传播的危险增加。专家谈到，许多国家还没有准备好应对因动物性疾病转化为人类疾病所致的健康危机。

最后，他们指出不断增长的城市人口加剧了世界饥饿问题。华盛顿世界观察研究所的Danielle Nierengerg说穷人在食物上花费他们收入的50～80%。她指出城市居民因在需要时没有动物可以出售，故（粮食）价格上涨尤其危及到他们。