全球遭遇第二次世界大战以来首次大范围的粮食危机。这场“无声的海啸”使全球新增大约1亿饥民,8亿人吃不饱饭，任何一个国家都不能独自解决这一危难，唯有团结起来，与国际社会一道共渡难关。
World Bank officials, American politicians and scholars gathered Wednesday in Washington to discuss measures in response to the current world food crisis. Participants point out that the crisis has evolved far beyond the food and agricultural areas, and no one country or group can meet these interconnected challenges alone. Our Washington correspondent （一致）Shanshan has more.
Reporter:
More than 200 politicians, scholars in the United States, as well as high-ranking officials of some international organizations attended the one-day seminar（研讨会） in Washington on Wednesday to exchange ideas about how to meet the great challenges put forward by the current food crisis. The seminar was hosted by one of the famous American think-tank, the American Enterprise Institute.
Robert Zoellick, president of the World Bank, says the food challenge is unprecedented.
"I think we're starting to see a breakdown in the international agricultural and food markets. More and more countries under treat are applying price controls, they are putting restrictions on the exports of their food. Contracts are failing. What this represents is that food stocks are already quite low. Those in poor countries are now getting hit by a double jeopardy （危难）of food and fuel prices. While analysis a couple of months ago was heavily in the food area, I think you have to look the food and fuel together."
Participants agree that the current food crisis has evolved far beyond the realm of food and agriculture, as explained by Mauro De Lorenzo, a research fellow with the American Enterprise Institute.
"Today's food crisis is different. It emerged into full public view months ago. It's been understood that the causes and consequences of this crisis go far beyond the humanitarian, and extended into area not normally associated to food and agriculture."
The outlook of the food crisis is not promising. World Bank President Robert Zoellick says the realities of demography,（人口统计学） changing diets, energy prices and biofuels, and climate changes suggest that high and volatile food prices will be with us for years to come. Amid the challenge, the role of the World Bank has changed accordingly.
Participants may not agree with each other on viewpoints as to how the world could refrain the food crisis from escalating. But they agree that no one country or group can meet these interconnected challenges alone. To be most successful, it's necessary to integrate and mobilize a diverse range of partners to deal with the crisis with concerted efforts.
Shanshan, CRI news, Washington.
