VOA标准英语2008年-Food Security High on Agenda at ECOWAS Meeting

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
19 May 2008

West African agricultural and trade ministers are holding emergency talks in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, to plot strategies for a regional solution to the rising food prices. The Economic Community of West African States says soaring food prices are a major threat to economic growth and stability in the sub-region. From Abuja, Gilbert da Costa has more in this report for VOA.

Experts say sustained high food prices could be extremely damaging to the fragile economies of the 15-member bloc¹. Thousands have taken to the streets across West Africa to protest the skyrocketing price of staples² in one of the world's poorest and most volatile³ regions.

Nigeria Finance Minister Shamsudeen Usman urged participants to adopt emergency measures to halt a slide into chaos⁴ and anarchy⁵.

"The crisis has fueled social unrest, even rioting in some member countries thus undermining peace and stability, which are pre-requisites to growth," Usman said. "The crisis, which is a source of concern to us, requires that we seek regional solutions to the emergency situation. In the meantime, we have to prepare an emergency solution to provide food for our teeming⁶ populations, while developing a medium and long-term solution to the inadequate⁷ food self-sufficiency."

ECOWAS experts estimate that more than $11 billion will be needed to address food shortages in the region.

Only Nigeria and Ivory Coast produce and export oil in West Africa, and the persistent⁸ rise in oil prices could have grave consequences for most of the region's impoverished⁹ countries.

ECOWAS President Mohammed Ibn Chambas says the fact that some West African countries have banned food exports, even within the region, is also a factor in the current food crisis.

"It is important to know that faced with this critical food situation, some member states had to impose temporary ban on food exports, thus further threatening the market stability of foodstuffs¹⁰ in the region," he said. "Clearly there is a compelling need, and indeed by the very tenets of our community vision, there is a need to complement¹¹ the national response with a comprehensive regional response."

The United Nations says about 33 million young children across sub-Saharan Africa face starvation and malnourishment.

ECOWAS says gross domestic product in West Africa is expected to reach a record $230 billion in 2008, with growth rates above five percent.

Experts say all that could be wiped away if the current food crisis is not tackled. Representatives of eight international organizations involved in agricultural development and water resources management are attending the one-day meeting.

1 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

2 staples   

n.（某国的）主要产品( staple的名词复数 )；钉书钉；U 形钉；主要部份v.用钉书钉钉住( staple的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The anvil onto which the staples are pressed was not assemble correctly. 订书机上的铁砧安装错位。 来自辞典例句
• I'm trying to make an analysis of the staples of his talk. 我在试行分析他的谈话的要旨。 来自辞典例句

3 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

4 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

5 anarchy   

n.无政府状态；社会秩序混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• There would be anarchy if we had no police.要是没有警察，社会就会无法无天。
• The country was thrown into a state of anarchy.这国家那时一下子陷入无政府状态。

6 teeming   

adj.丰富的v.充满( teem的现在分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注

参考例句：

• The rain was teeming down. 大雨倾盆而下。
• the teeming streets of the city 熙熙攘攘的城市街道

7 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

8 persistent   

adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的

参考例句：

• Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。
• She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。

9 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 foodstuffs   

食物，食品( foodstuff的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Imports of foodstuffs accounted for a small proportion of total imports. 食物进口仅占总进口额的一小部份。
• Many basic foodstuffs, such as bread and milk, are tax-free. 许多基本食物如牛奶和面包是免税的。

11 complement   

n.补足物，船上的定员；补语；vt.补充，补足

参考例句：

• The two suggestions complement each other.这两条建议相互补充。
• They oppose each other also complement each other.它们相辅相成。