VOA标准英语2008年-Economists: Investment in African Farmers Can D

By Terry FitzPatrick
Cape¹ Town
05 June 2008

The global food crisis can be solved, and at the same time African countries can prosper², if the world invests in Africa's agricultural sector³. That's the assessment⁴ of experts meeting this week in South Africa for the World Economic Forum⁵. For VOA, Terry FitzPatrick has details from Cape Town.
　

Monty Jones

Monty Jones directs Ghana's Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa. To him, the recent rise in food prices is more than a humanitarian⁶ crisis. He says it's a business opportunity.

"We all believe that agriculture is the backbone⁷ for economic growth in Africa," said Jones. "And I think that Africa should turn around this as an opportunity to increase its food production. And, I believe that we are getting ready for that."

Jones was speaking at a debate on how Africa should respond to the growing problem of food insecurity. Panelists agreed that African farmers have been neglected. As a result, they grow less per acre than anywhere else in the world. Experts predict the current food crisis will force leaders to provide farmers with better education, affordable⁸ fertilizer, high-yield varieties of seeds, and improved irrigation.
　

Sheila Silulu

The deputy director of the United Nations World Food Program, Sheila Sisulu, says $1.2 billion of help is coming.

"There is an agreement that we have to save lives and buy time for the investment in agriculture to kick in," she said.

"We would insist that the investments in agriculture need to be targeted to women farmers in Africa because women in Africa are the ones who product 70 percent of the food consumed," she added.
　

Trevor Manuel

South Africa's Finance Minister, Trevor Manuel, cautioned the forum against overreaction and trade protectionism. He says countries are feeling pressure to look out for themselves instead of working together. He noted⁹ that fishermen in Europe have been demanding subsidies¹⁰ that could hurt Africa.

"Fishermen were out in town, throwing Molotov cocktails¹¹, demanding that Brussels subsidies their diesel¹² prices," said Manuel. "Well, if Brussels does it, it puts fishermen in the developing world out of business because we can't do it."
　

Jacob Zuma

The leader of South Africa's ruling party, African National Congress President Jacob Zuma, is also worried. He told the forum that hunger could cause political instability.

"The issue of the food prices is actually a time bomb," said Zuma. "Because with those who have the budgets to adjust, it's one thing. But with those who have no money to buy at all, once the food price goes up, they are cut out even from the possibility of buying food. Then you are sitting with the situation that an uprising could emerge."

Zuma told the forum that if leaders do not move quickly, the current crisis will deepen.

1 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

2 prosper   

v.成功，兴隆，昌盛；使成功，使昌隆，繁荣

参考例句：

• With her at the wheel,the company began to prosper.有了她当主管，公司开始兴旺起来。
• It is my earnest wish that this company will continue to prosper.我真诚希望这家公司会继续兴旺发达。

3 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

4 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

5 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

6 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

7 backbone   

n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气

参考例句：

• The Chinese people have backbone.中国人民有骨气。
• The backbone is an articulate structure.脊椎骨是一种关节相连的结构。

8 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 cocktails   

n.鸡尾酒( cocktail的名词复数 )；餐前开胃菜；混合物

参考例句：

• Come about 4 o'clock. We'll have cocktails and grill steaks. 请四点钟左右来，我们喝鸡尾酒，吃烤牛排。 来自辞典例句
• Cocktails were a nasty American habit. 喝鸡尾酒是讨厌的美国习惯。 来自辞典例句

12 diesel   

n.柴油发动机，内燃机

参考例句：

• We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
• My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。