World food situation : what is the US role?

THE UN ESTIMATES THAT 430 MILLION OF THE FOUR BILLION PEOPLE IN THE WORLD HAVE AN ABSOLUTE SHORTAGE OF CALORIES OR SUFFER FROM SEVERE MALNUTRITION. IN THE LAST DECADE, TOTAL FOOD PRODUCTION IN LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES HAS INCREASED BY 35 PERCENT, BUT THEIR POPULATIONS HAVE GROWN ALMOST AS MUCH. THERE IS A CRISIS IN WORLD FOOD. POLITICS AND LOGISTICS WILL PREVENT THE U.S. FROM REACHING MANY HUNGRY PEOPLE IN THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES. BUT, IF WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE BENIGN OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, FOOD STOCKS WILL BUILD UP AND THE FOOD PROBLEM WILL BECOME LESS SEVERE. TECHNICAL BREAKTHROUGHS HAVE MADE EMERGING NATIONS MORE DEPENDENT ON FERTILIZERS AND OTHER INPUTS WHOSE PRICES ARE RAPIDLY RISING, BUT THE REAL CULPRIT IS SOARING POPULATION. PERMANENT SOLUTIONS INCLUDE POPULATION CONTROL, ALONG WITH CONTINUED TECHNICAL RESEARCH AND ASSISTANCE TO LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES AND A LOWERING OF BARRIERS TO IMPORTS FROM LOW-WAGE-RATE NATIONS.