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Rising food prices curb aid to global poor

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mwkruse
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Christian Science Monitor: Rising food prices curb aid to global poor

Food commodity prices have risen by 21 percent since 2005, which will stretch aid groups' resources.

Rising food prices are threatening the ability of aid organizations to help the world's hungriest people.

Worldwide, basic foods now cost 21 percent more at the wholesale level than in 2005, with key commodities such as grains and oils up more than 30 percent, according to World Bank price indexes.

For poor people, that means the quality and quantity of nutrition are at risk. For relief organizations, it means aid resources are stretched thin.

Typically, donor governments boost their food-relief funding when a crisis demands it. What's happening now is not so much a crisis as a quiet squeeze. …

Comments

2 responses to “Rising food prices curb aid to global poor”

  1. Peter Kirk Avatar
    Peter Kirk

    The other side of the coin is that higher food commodity prices help less developed countries, which tend to be net exporters of them, and so help the poor in that way. I suspect that this effect is generally greater than the other one, especially as long term development aid usually does not consist of food. But things may be getting more difficult in crisis situations where food aid is needed.

    Reply
  2. Michael W. Kruse Avatar
    Michael W. Kruse

    I think the one challenge is that the US and Europe tend to engage in protectionism when it comes to food stuffs. This is where the developed world needs to truly embrace free-trade.

    Reply

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