This paper argues that the disproportionate attention that policy solutions to the food price crisis give to rural dwellers is probably misplaced. Although in developing countries rural poverty is often deeper and more widespread than urban poverty, rural dwellers are often net producers of food, frequently of the very staples whose prices are rising.

The paper begins by laying out the current state of global food insecurity and malnutrition, including magnitude, trends and future projections. The causes, consequences and costs of food insecurity and malnutrition are explored. Malnutrition is clearly a severe impediment to sustainable development and human security as it slows down economic growth and the achievement of equity. The paper briefly lays out a number of factors besides climate change, bioenergy and rising prices that will likely contribute to malnutrition in the future.

This paper begins by laying out the current state of global food insecurity and malnutrition, including magnitude, trends and future projections. It then explores the implications of climate change and rising bioenergy demand for nutrition. It also examines the direct nutrition effects of rising bioenergy demand, as well as its contribution to rising food prices. A chapter on policy implications provides a number of options for improving food security and nutrition, as well as for addressing the links between climate change and bioenergy demand on the one hand and nutrition on the other.