While "food systems" are dominated by international commerce, there are unlikely to be many locally sensitive solutions. The price increases are only a crisis for the poor; for the major producers they are a windfall, so unlikely to stimulate fundamental change. There needs to be more political will towards enlightened national interest and local solutions, and less obeisance to the vagaries of the "free" market with all its inbuilt distortions and excesses.

Polly I do hope you read the post in the same edition by Robert Paarlberg. I certainly agree with Mr. Paarlberg and suggest you google "The agrarian revolution" it will explain much to you. This silly subsistence (more accurately hand to mouth!)farming you think is right is just wasting lives, many lives. Australia worked out over one hundred years ago that the best/only option is to out-source agriculture, that is leave it to committed and serious professionals.
If it's any consolation people have had your delusions for hundreds of years, read a bit of history and you will not feel so bad. The world was running before you were born and will continue after you are gone believe me.
J Bowyer

The staple food system of this planet used to involve abundant and adequate supply from the sea. Fish fed sailors, settlers and nations. I submit devastation of fish resources has now been causing impact for some time and worse is to come. Higher cost of fish caused feed-meal producers to buy offal from abattoirs to make meat-meal in place of fish-meal, resulting in mad cow disease, CJD in humans, herd destruction and national export/import bans. Very serious further consequences are imminent without debate and solutions.

Certainly the world was "running before" but war was often fought over food and land to grow it. Navy shots are often fired in dispute over fishing. War is destuctive.

Never before has malnutrition-linked disease been able to spread worldwide so quickly. Animals are susceptible to malnutrition and disease. Perhaps bird flu originates from malnutrition in poultry fed on newspaper and cardboard in poverty stricken countries. Why would hungry malnourished humans give good food to animals?

Toward solutions, there is no rule stating climate change is the only issue on this planet. There is dire urgent need for debate about an almost empty ocean, debate why European fishing fleets now seek to travel to the Pacific at such expense to catch fish. Guess who will pay for the fuel?

European fish and food supply experts are in for a big shock. Many food plates in the Pacific are already covered with rice only and no fish. World fish resource devastation is linked to world rice supply and demand and cost. Without doubt there are consequences of local and worldwide ocean fish stock depletion, including increased fuel consumption to spend more and more time catching dwindling fish stocks to feed aquaculture.

Clearly, people with money may well be able to afford high cost of food but most will not escape worldwide economic turmoil and/or pandemic impacting a family member. Civil unrest also has impact indirectly and directly. Jealousy and anger driven by hunger is unnecessary when debate and solutions can lead to prosperity and peace.