Time dependence of FAO Food Price Index from January 2004 to May 2011

Red dashed vertical lines correspond to beginning dates of \food riots" and protests associated with the major recent unrest in North Africa and the Middle East. The overall death toll is reported in parentheses [26{55]. Blue vertical line indicates the date, December 13, 2010, on which we submitted a report to the U.S. government, warning of the link between food prices, social unrest and political instability [56]. Inset shows FAO Food Price Index from 1990 to 2011

Source:

M. Lagi, K.Z. Bertrand, Y. Bar-Yam
The Food Crises and Political Instability in North Africa and the Middle East.
New England Complex Systems Institute, August 10, 2011