Stop banks increasing food prices: limit commodity speculation & prevent a global food crisis | World Development Movement

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Stop bankers betting on food: our campaign to curb commodity speculation

Banks are earning huge profits from betting on food prices in unregulated financial markets. This creates instability and pushes up global food prices, making poor families around the world go hungry and forcing millions into deeper poverty.

What is the problem?

A woman tossing black beansBig investment banks are betting on the price of staple foods, like wheat, maize and soya. This is causing food prices to rise and making people go hungry.

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What is being done?

A thumbnail of the infographicWDM is campaigning to put pressure on the UK government to back European proposals regulating betting on food prices in financial markets. 

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Food speculation resources

Indian woman throwing grain out of a basketFind out more about food speculation and how it is
affecting the world's poorest people by looking at our resources.  

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Take action - Bankers Anonymous

Traders at a stock marketBankers are addicted to
gambling on food - and driving
up the price of food. Join our
five-step programme and help bankers quit their addiction.

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What is food sovereignty?

Leila Ladera in VenezuelaFood sovereignty puts the
people who produce, distribute and consume food at the centre of food systems, instead of markets and corporations.

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Regulation timeline

A photo of a field of wheatA timeline outlining the legislative process for the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive which contains proposals to regulate food speculation.

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Regulate food speculation - take action