Food officials dispute that increased Swaziland sugar production will add to food stress

In Swaziland, Irin News is reporting on a controversy over whether soaring sugar prices, that are causing Swaziland farmers to switch to sugar production from other food crops, will add to food stress in the country.

A program officer at the UN World Food Program told IRIN, “food security is not just production; our position is that people are going hungry – not because there isn’t food production, but because they don’t have enough money to purchase food. Job losses, not crop losses due to bad weather, have had the biggest impact on food security this year; more than anything, joblessness hinders food security.” Sugar prices are expected to increase by 76 percent in 2009 due primarily to crop failure in India.

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