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'The End of Food' author interview: Part 1 listen

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Tags: Famine, global food prices

The United Nations World Food Program said today that North Korea needs $503 million in food aid between now and November 2009 to avoid famine, an effort which could be hampered by China's unwillingness to grant food export licences.

North Korea, with a population of about 23 million, lost around 1 million people in a famine in the mid to late 1990s brought about by a mismanaged farm sector and floods. Even with a good harvest, North Korea falls about 1 million tons, or 20 percent, short o...