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Episode details

World Service,09 Jun 2022,26 mins

UN warns over food insecurity

World Business Report

Available for over a year

The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization has warned of growing global food insecurity. We hear why Russia's invasion of Ukraine could cause the global food import bill to rise to a record $1.8tn this year from Upali Wickramasinghe, senior economist at the FAO. And we find out about the challenges faced by people in Uganda with food prices from Nebert Rugadya, who is a business reporter in Kampala. Also in the programme, the BBC's Mariko Oi reports from Tokyo on why inflation in Japan is significantly lower than in many other parts of the world. There's been an overhaul of drugs laws in Thailand, where it's now legal to cultivate marijuana, and some consumption of it is now also allowed. The BBC's Jonathan Head has been to visit some farms in the north of the country, where cannabis plants are being handed out to farmers. Plus, energy price rises as a result of the conflict in Ukraine have focused attention on the prospects for more renewable energy. But one challenge is how to store solar and wind power so that it can be used when the sun isn't shining or the wind isn't blowing, and the BBC's Hannah Bewley explores a range of promising new technologies aimed at tackling the issue. Today's edition is presented by Rob Young, and produced by George Thomas, Elizabeth Hotson and Sara Parry. (Picture: Food aid is loaded at a UN warehouse. Picture credit: Getty Images.)

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