VOA慢速英语:Poor Suffer as Food Prices Likely to Stay High

There are growing concerns about food insecurity in the developing world. Rising food prices, weather emergencies and political problems are deepening the struggle of families in many countries.
对于发展中国家的粮食不安全问题的关注日益增加。食品价格上涨，天气突发问题和政治问题让许多国家的家庭深陷挣扎之中。

Three United Nations agencies published a report last week before Sunday's observance of World Food Day. This year’s "State of Food Insecurity in the World" report says high prices are likely to continue. Gregory Barrow is with the World Food Program in Rome.
在周日世界粮食日庆祝活动之前，三个联合国机构于上周公布的一份报告。今年的“世界粮食不安全的国家”报告称高粮价可能会继续。Gregory Barrow在罗马的世界粮食计划署工作。

GREGORY BARROW: "If you look at the places where World Food Program works particularly in developing countries, you see populations of people who might be spending sixty, seventy, eighty percent of their salaries on purchasing food for their families."
GREGORY BARROW：“如果你看一下世界粮食计划署工作的地方，特别是在发展中国家，你就会看到那里人们可能要花费他们薪水的60%，70%，80%来购买家庭所需的食物。”

The report says even short-term price increases can have a long-term effect. Reducing nutritious food early in a child’s life can affect mental and physical development and limit future earnings.
报告称，即使是短期的价格上涨也可能会产生长期的影响。一个孩子早期营养食物的减少，可能会影响智力和身体的发育和限制未来的收益。

East Africa is suffering its worst drought in years. In Kenya, at least three and a half million people are going hungry, mostly in the north. Yet food is going to waste in central Kenya. Now, farmers there want the government to buy their food and get it to those in need.
东非正在遭受多年来最严重的干旱。在肯尼亚，至少有350万人在挨饿，主要集中在北部。然而，肯尼亚中部粮食却在浪费。现在，那里的农民希望政府购买他们的粮食并送到有需要的人手里。

Farmers say bad roads and a lack of transportation make it difficult for them to get their produce to market. Storage is another problem. And they complain about a big drop in food prices.
农民称，路况不好和运输缺乏使他们很难将他们的粮食产品送到市场，粮食储存是另一个问题。而他们也抱怨粮食价格大幅下降。

Nahashon Gitau farms almost three hectares about a ninety-minute drive from Nairobi. He says he regrets that he wastes at least twenty-five percent of his harvest while other Kenyans are hungry.
Nahashon Gitau在距离内罗毕大约需要90分钟车程的地方种植了近3公顷土地。他说让他感到遗憾的是，在他却浪费至少25%的粮食收成的时候，却有其他肯尼亚人在挨饿。

NAHASHON GITAU: "It is for the government to make some arrangements -- perhaps even give transport. Then, they can buy it at a good price, then give it to those people instead of asking for food from overseas, which is very bad. When we are throwing away food, they are asking for food from overseas."
NAHASHON GITAU：“政府应该做出一些安排，或许应该提供运输。然后，他们可以出个好价格来购买，并派发给那些饥饿的人们，而不是寻求海外的粮食援助，这是非常糟糕的。当我们在扔掉食物的时候，政府却在寻求国外食物的援助。”

Economists say the imports reduce local food prices, decrease productivity and increase dependency among the people.
经济学家们称，进口粮食降低了当地粮食价格，降低了生产效率和增加了人们的依赖性。

Mr. Gitau says if he could receive higher prices for his crops, he could feed more Kenyans.
Gitau先生说，如果他的庄稼收成能够卖出更高的价格，他可以养活更多的肯尼亚人。

NAHASHON GITAU: "From my farm, I would perhaps sell every season, say, one hundred bags of potatoes, and perhaps ten thousand heads of cabbages, say, three times in a year. I can manage that product. And I have got some other farmers who can do even better than me."
NAHASHON GITAU：“我农场可能每个季节出售一百袋土豆，和近万颗卷心菜，每年可以种三遍。我可以管理这些产品，而我也能雇佣了其他一些甚至比我做得更好的农民。”

Kinangop District officer Peninnih Dzombo explained why local governments have not taken action.
Kinangop地区的官员Peninnih Dzombo解释为什么地方政府没有采取行动。

PENINNIH DZOMBO: "In our department, in most cases we usually work through reports and all that. So it depends on who will read the report. But we have not made the effort to have it like a priority that we want A, B, C, D addressed.”
PENINNIH DZOMBO：“在我们的部门，打大多数情况下通过报告来工作。因此这就取决于谁将阅读这些报告。但我们还没尝试，就像在这些报告标注ABCD等优先事项。”

Ms. Dzombo says her office does not get enough money from the central government to improve roads and take other steps to help farmers reach markets.
Dzombo女士说，她的部门没有从中央政府取得的足够资金，来改善道路和采取其他措施来帮助农民进入市场。