The Archbishop of Canterbury is reported as saying that the hunger crisis “stalking large parts of Britain” is more shocking than in Africa. The most Rev Justin Welby said that it is “astonishing” how much food is being wasted and left uneaten despite the number of people desperately resorting to food banks to feed themselves and their families. He is right.The price of our weekly shopping is escalating out of control. Where we used to get away with a trolly full of groceries from the supermarket in return for £50 or £60, we now see hardly any change from hundred pounds worth of notes. There is a huge hike in food prices, and they are rising at their fastest rate for last couple of years. The reasons are given as global demand from emerging markets like India and China. Global food prices have risen 83 per cent over the last few years. On top of the food prices, rises in electricity and gas prices are also creating a hole in the family budget.
So what could be done to meet this rise in demand for food? Perhaps the vast areas of land that are used to graze animals which are being reared for their meat can be put to alternative use for grain and vegetable production. After all, we do not need to eat meat. That must be one of the reasons why the Jain doctrines vehemently oppose the killing of animals for food.
Dinesh Sheth
Newbury Park, Ilford
