Robert Zoellick, President of the World Bank stated  a week ago that global food prices have risen 80% in the past three years. He then warned that at least 33 countries face serious social unrest  as a direct result of these rising food prices.

As I discussed briefly in yesterday’s post, skyrocketing food prices have already toppled the fragile government of Haiti and is seriously threatening the stability of other governments around the world. One frightening aspect is that these threatened governments span the entire globe.

 Other vulnerable governments include Egypt’s authoritarian regime which is being threatened by its inability to maintain a sufficient supply of subsidized bread for its poor, and a growing number of other countries, as well. Cameroon, Mozambique and Cote D’Ivoire have all experienced food riots or demonstrations in Africa. Yemen, in the Middle East has seen the same, as has Uzbekistan in Central Asia and Mexico in Latin America. Indonesia has also seen demonstrations and food riots in recent months.

One aspect of this unrest that needs to be understood is that food riots don’t normally occur when there is an absence of food supplies. This quickly changes, however, when there is food available, but the poor are have no ability to purchase it to feed their children. It’s this latter scenario that is now being played out. And the direct result is the stability of a growing number of governments is being seriously threatened.

Josette Sheeran, Director of the World Food Program (WFP) made this point in a presentation last month. She stated, “We are seeing food on the shelves but people being unable to afford it.”

My point is simply to point out the obvious. Doing whatever it takes to feed ones family is a basic instinct. If my child is hungry and all that stands between you and warehouse full of food is a locked door and the law, my hungry child will win every time.. And that is exactly what we are seeing happen. Governments will either respond to help alleviate the hunger of their poor or they will see those same poor take to the streets.