Apparently, the chancellor is seeking to use the crisis as a political opportunity to speed up his efforts to "revitalise Britain's sluggish economy", as the FT puts it.

BBC: Market turmoil: UK is no port in the storm

She adds that we all (countries, the African Union, regional economic communities, UN agencies, government organisations, NGOs, base communities, the private sector etc.) have to increase our efforts in Africa and speed up progress for the countries to come as close as possible to the EFA goals, if not achieving them.

UNESCO: EDUCATION

The prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gilani, who had previously been almost absent, urged his ministers on August 4th to speed up relief efforts.

ECONOMIST: Blighted Pakistan

Money can help speed up the efforts, allowing tribes to hire language teachers or pay for apps.

NPR: To Save Endangered Languages, Tribes Turn To Tech

Given these strains, and the political ramifications of food, efforts to feed the 9 billion will sharpen geopolitical conflicts and speed up shifts that are happening anyway.

ECONOMIST: A prospect of plenty

"It took a hurricane to speed up and really jump-start the reform efforts in New Orleans, " says Gary Robichaux, principal of McDonogh 15 (named for a slave owner who over a century ago left an endowment for building public schools in New Orleans).

FORBES: Katrina's Surprise