ARTICLE: "The Economics of Hunger: A brutal convergence of events has hit an unprepared global market," by Anthony Faiola, Washington Post National Weekly Edition, 5-11 May 2008, p. 6. ARTICLE: "In Mauritania, Evey Meal Becomes a Sacrifice," by Anthony Faiola, Washington Post National Weekly Edition, 5-11 May 2008, p. 9.

Graphic: The Global Grain Trade: The Haves and Have-nots North America and former Soviet Union (FSU), South America and Oz/NZ are the big exporters: -->NA imports 25m metric tons and sends out 130 (105 up) -->FSU does 7 in and 28 out (21 up) -->South America does 24 in and 42 out (18 up) -->Oz/NZ does 1 in and 10 out (9 up) Inward zones are: -->East Asia takes 47 in and sends 5 out (42 down) -->Middle East takes in 33 and sends out 3 (30 down) -->North Africa takes in 30 and sends out 1 (29 down) -->Sub-Saharan Africa takes in 20 and sends out 3 (17 down) -->Europe takes 26 in and sends 15 out (11 down) -->Southeast Asia takes in 20 and sends out 15 (5 down). India just barely balances for now: takes in 7.5 and sends out 7.9, but India's ag production predicted to drop a large amount due to global warming. So four big export hubs (North America, South America, FSU and Oz/NZ). Of those, NA and FSU likely to do best (meaning not too bad) with global warming. The rest can all expect to be importing more. Here's the kicker: so little of food actually traded across borders for now. Remember my column on dairy? Only 7 percent traded there. Same is true in other categories: -->18 percent of wheat -->14 percent of sorghum -->12 percent of corn -->7 percent of rice. Tell me this won't be a major "flow," to use my PNM vernacular, in the 21st century. I now know how to frame global warming. Map in second story lists countries most dependent on food imports: all Gap except South Korea, Japan, and Norway. Amazing match with my map. How regions compare: -->North America imports 39 percent of total food -->LATAM imports 27 percent -->North Africa 68% -->Sub-Saharan 71% -->Middle East 76% -->Europe and Central Asia 54% (weird category) -->South Asia at 37% -->East Asia and Pac at 53%. I have Bradd Hayes working these slides already. Huge long-term opportunity for Enterra: imagine all the rules that must be dynamically managed for future global food nets!?!?!