A review - Global Food and Agricultural Institutions

  
ISBN 978-0-415-44504-7

This is the thirty-first volume in the dynamic series on 'global institutions', written by D. John Shaw. He has been involved with and worked for the United Nations World Food Program. He was there at the beginning in 1963, he has also been a consultant with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and currently he is on the International Editorial Board of the Journal of Food Policy.

Chapter one looks at the background of the current poverty and hunger in the world, it also covers the global crises related to the spread of genetically modified (GM) crops, and dramatic increases in food and oil prices. He also covers the issues of global warming and globalization that is exacerbating the poverty and hunger in the world today.

In chapter two he covers the origins of the four United Nation organisations the FAO, World Bank, WFP and IFAD that are concerned with food and agriculture. Charting their beginnings from 1941 with the speech of Franklin D. Roosevelt gave at the joint session of the US Congress.

In chapter three, he looks at the mandates, governance starting with the four UN bodies. He also covers the financing arrangement of each of the four global food and agricultural institution in turn. Looking at how each has their own arrangement for managing their operations.

Chapter four looks at the policies, programs and projects of each of the four institutions. Instead, an attempt is made to provide a broad sweep of the activities undertaken with a concentration of what are regarded as their key activities.

The finale chapter looks at the future directions that the four UN institutes might take, in the meantime, many significant changes have taken place in the world in which they operate.

An interesting book not for everyone, but a remarkable book full of good solid information and certainly a good tool, this book is essential reading for all academics, students and anyone with an interest in international organisations, agricultural development and economic and humanitarian affairs.




This blog is written by Martin Little The Global Miller, published and supported by the GFMT Magazine from Perendale Publishers.