El Salvador

Inside and out, the rusted towers of El Salvador's biggest grain silo show how the World Bank helped push developing countries into the global food crisis. Inside, the silo, which once held thousands of tons of beans and cereals, is now empty. It was abandoned in 1991, after the bank told Salvadoran leaders to privatize grain storage, import staples such as corn and rice, and export crops including cocoa, coffee and palm oil. "It's a monument to the mess we are in now," said Rosa Maria Chavez, whose food stand is propped against a tower wall, and saw price increases for basic grains this year whittled business down to 16 customers a day from 80. (Bloomberg)