More than 1 billion people suffer hunger today, according to the UN. A crucial part of this complex problem is food production and distribution. Is it possible to increase food production in an environmentally and socially sustainable way? Can modernisation, research and investment enhance food security? Is there anything to learn from traditional knowledge? How do trade and energy policies affect the equation? And gender? Where and when is food aid really needed? Can the upswing of commodity prices be positive for some countries? How are farmers coping with climate change?

IPS finds the stories behind the current food crisis to understand local and global causes of shortages and rising prices, and their long term effects.