Why do millions of people in the less-developed countries go hungry - while there is an abundance of food in the world? What can be done about it? These are the issues explored in this accessible and comprehensive text. In addition to incorporating updated data throughout, this new edition includes: a comprehensive description and analysis of the 2008 food crisis; an expanded discussion of the impact of using food crops to produce biofuels; new case studies and recent examples to illustrate key points; examples of successful and unsuccessful policy approaches; and reference to the latest research findings (with more than 150 new citations). The result is the best available analysis of the current world food problem, as well as a provocative assessment of prospects for the future.