The increase of power and control of organizations such as the World Bank and the WTO exacerbate the problem. They replace national food banks without a care for local conditions. They promote cash crops for export over basic foodstuffs. They force concentrations of production into areas far from markets. Sharply rising fuel costs can have an exponential effect on commodity prices. A relatively small number of traders in futures can devastate the lives of ordinary citizens.
Already, the Americans speak of geopolitical power by allocating grains to offset the fuel advantages of potential foes. I'm waiting for them to shift water supplies to their advantage.
The world is not kind.