1 October 2008: In an editorial column published on 30
September 2008 in the Washington Times, John Holmes, UN Under-Secretary-General
for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, stressed the urgent
need for a Green Revolution in Africa to deal, inter alia, with the challenges
of climate change and the food and oil crises.

Holmes, who recently visited
Ethiopia and saw how the food crisis is affecting the most vulnerable people,
warned that a large part of the developing world could be “pushed to the
margins of survival.” He called for short- and long-term strategies to address
the problem and explained that, beyond food aid, a greater emphasis must be
placed on reducing the impact of climate-induced crises.
He also urged
increased investments in developing countries’ agricultural sectors, including
in drought management techniques, crop adaptation and improved access to
credit. [UN
Press Release]