UN warns food crisis could re-emerge

Bangkok: A UN report says the food crisis that hit many developing countries last year is likely to re-emerge following the recession, so countries in Asia must put measures in place to ensure the poorest have enough to eat while protecting others from rising prices.

The report was released Friday. It calls for governments to implement social assistance programs such as cash transfers and food-for-work schemes that ensure the poor have food during periods of sharp price increases.

At the same time, it recommends that governments boost the productivity of small-scale farmers by making it easier for them to get their crops to market, introducing micro-credit programs that allow them buy new equipment and land and insurance schemes that help communities cope with disasters.