The Growing Food Crisis

The building food crisis is having mixed effects in Latin America. While many are struggling to make ends meet, others are propering from the demand of other staple crops

"A rapidly escalating global food crisis has reached emergency proportions and threatens to wipe out seven years of progress in the fight against poverty, Secretary-General [of the United Nations] Ban Ki-moon warned Monday," reports the NYTimes.

The increase in staple food prices due in part to demand for biofuels and the high price of oil, is putting strains on many Latin American nations. Particularly countries that depend upon mais imports, such as Mexico, to feed their populations.

But, this issue has become a mixed blessing for some nations. As the price of rice and corn rises, it is making other staple crops, such as soy and potatoes, more attractive.

Reuters reports, "As wheat and rice prices surge, the humble potato -- long derided as a boring tuber prone to making you fat -- is being rediscovered as a nutritious crop that could cheaply feed an increasingly hungry world."

The same is taking place in parts of Argentina with their soy crops.

The UN declared 2008, the official year of the potato. As a way of attracting attention to other, healthy, staple options.

It's still unclear how this problem will unfold.