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Food safety to be discussed at V EU-LAC Summit held in Peru

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© Andina

Food Security will be one of the key issues to be discussed at the V European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean Summit (EU-LAC) which takes place in Lima this week; while the Peruvian potato will be the star due to its high nutritional value and great variety, like no other food in the world. The minister of Agriculture Ismael Benavides said that although Food Security was not considered at first one of the key issues of the event, it is now important to discuss it because of worldwide food shortage and increasing prices.

News Source: Andina

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# CapitanDan says :
12 May, 2008 [ 21:25 ]

It's amazing my friends, food wasn't considered an important topic. Our illustrious leaders again have failed us. They are too well fed to be concerned with our daily survival. It is important that Peru shift it's priority away from tourism to developing more efficient farming of the seas and the land. Tourists will come, but with airfares skyrocketing the Sol becoming stronger , tourism I hope will remain at it's present levels. We need to adopt new farming techniques and convert large tracts of useless desert land to productive farmland like the Israeli's. Use alternative power sources, That's the future. We must become self sufficient in food production. If we continue to import a large amount of our food, then we are at the mercy of others. Prices for food (wheat,corn, soybeans) to name a few have tripled in price since last year and outpace oil. Everyone forgets you have to eat first. I am not a fortune teller or Vegas Bookie, but I would bet my last Sol, Euro or Dollar that Peru will find it's import export balance cut substantially next year by the high cost to import these grains. The government is already handing out food. What next? Why wait.Poorly fed people are the first to revolt and will grasp at any idea. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are mounting their horses. The time is now to act. Adios Amigos.

# agreed says :
12 May, 2008 [ 22:47 ]

Dan good points, agriculture should be a high priority of the government.  Didn't Brazil's farmers find some way to make better use of mostly arid soil also along with Israel?  Regardless food independence is an important goal.  One thing you didn't mention also is water.  The government needs to build and maintain an adequate system for water that will both meet the needs of the people and to grow agriculture substantially.   Energy is the third, although still tremendously important component.

# CapitanDan says :
12 May, 2008 [ 23:22 ]

Agreed, Gracias for your comment. I hope that somewhere out there a not so myopic Politician will read these comments and institute some change in national policy. Unfortunately in my views in the case of Politicians the longer they are in office they develop a good case of nearsighted with acute tunnel vision. Imagination and foresight are only in the eyes of the young and inspired or in my case the old with a good memory. History has a terrible tendency to repeat ,alas our leaders fail to remember the mistakes of past generations. Peru is blessed with an abundance of Solar energy. This combined with nuclear power can provide an enormous amount of fresh clean water. Peru's deserts could rival the garden of Eden. My thoughts. But the politicians will say I have been at sea too long and swallowed some salt water. But, Alas I do have a dream. Chau Amigos.

# ED says :
13 May, 2008 [ 01:40 ]

The potatoe has "high nutritional value"..

Pleaaassse

If you consider pure carbs to be of "high nutrional value"
sort of like white bread and white rice... I think you
need to get an education...

# Irish Potato says :
13 May, 2008 [ 08:29 ]

Ahhhh my pretty little red, you forget your history of the potato. The main staple of our lands developed a pathogenic water mould that caused thousands to starve from 1845 to 1852. As a result, thousands more immigrated to the United States to aviod not being able to eat this poorly Non-Nutritional food item that many gerations had come to depend on for their very survival. So quit chasing that little green man with the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow in regards to perhaps you are the one that needs an education on the potato instead Mr. ED