As news about food crisis and hunger grab national and international headlines, it is important that we look at the issue in its proper context and from a wider perspective. The article “Five Myths About Food and Hunger” that appeared in a quarterly publication of the Context Institute in 1995 dispels the myth that agrarian reform is passe or does not work. It argues that “not only is agrarian reform an issue of social justice, but redistribution can lead to increases in production at lower cost, as labor-intensive multiple cropping systems produce higher yields with fewer inputs.” It goes on to say that “Only agrarian reform that gives the poor access to land with regular rainfall or irrigation can make a difference. To succeed, peasants also need credit, education, extension services, and marketing channels.” (In the photo: Farmers rally in the Philippines to demand for reform and extension of agrarian reform law.)
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