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Food Aid or Band-aid?

A large portion of food aid to the developing world is brought in from the outside. Some analysts have recommended that food be purchased locally for distribution to the needy or that cash be given to targeted recipients for purchase of food. Food from outside or food from within: which should it be? Governments and aid agencies are increasingly monetizing food aid. In other words, they are selling food in the markets of recipient countries to generate cash resources for other hunger alleviation programs. For instance, in 2001, over two-thirds of non-emergency food aid from the United States was handled in this manner. Is this a positive trend or a negative one? John Rivera of Catholic Relief Services and FPIF's Conn Hallinan square off in a strategic dialogue on these important questions. (FPIF, September 2006)

http://fpif.org/fpiftxt/3480

(Added: Thu Sep 07 2006   Hits: 48)

NEPAL: Undying Hunger in the Hinterland

This article looks at the challenges faced in tackling the food crisis in Nepal. (Marty Logan, IPS News, 10 August 2006)

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=34299

(Added: Mon Aug 21 2006   Hits: 41)

Barter Markets: Sustaining people and nature in the Andes

As regulative institutions, Andean barter markets help sustain local food systems and the ecosystems in which they are embedded. Action research with indigenous communities in Peru generated new evidence on the importance of barter markets for: - giving some of the poorest social groups in the Andes better food security and nutrition; - conserving agricultural biodiversity (genetic, species, ecosystem) through the growing and exchange of native food crops in barter markets; - maintaining ecosystem services and landscape features in different agro-ecological zones; and - enabling local, autonomous control of production and consumption - and more specifically control by women over key decisions that affect both local livelihoods and ecological processes. (IIED, July 2005)

http://www.iied.org/pubs/pdf/full/14518IIED.pdf

(Added: Thu Jul 27 2006   Hits: 280)

Trade in the Americas: Women Central to the Debate (pdf)

This report looks at US plans for trade agreements with Latin American countries. It oulines the common criticisms of these: that they are the wrong model for regional integration; that they lack democracy (accountability, transparency and meaningful dialogue); that they threaten food security, food sovereignty and agriculture; that they threaten human rights, access to essential medicines and essential services such as water; and the effects of foreign investment. It explains how women's vocies are missing from the debate. (Alexandra Spieldoch, Center of Concern, January 2006)

http://www.igtn.org/pdfs//TradeintheAmericas.pdf

(Added: Mon Jul 10 2006   Modified: Thu Jan 18 2007   Hits: 266)

Groups in Africa, Latin America condemn World Bank biosafety projects

The World Bank is set to secure funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for two projects that will undermine public debate and aggressively drive GM crops into the heart of peasant agriculture. The two projects, one in West Africa and the other in Latin America, will hasten the spread of GM crops into farmer seed systems and even into certain centres of origin. The projects are clearly being driven by an outside corporate agenda, the complete disregard for genuine public debate manifest in the fact that the proposals have only been released in English, rather than the languages of the countries they threaten. (ETC Group, June 2006)

http://www.grain.org/front/?id=92

(Added: Wed Jun 28 2006   Modified: Fri Jan 12 2007   Hits: 147)

Abandoned to the famine

The ghost of famine hangs over the Turkana nomads of northern Kenya. Over the whole drought-hit area, stretching into southern Ethiopia, southern Sudan and east into Somalia, people who spend their time moving with the weather from the valley-floor grazing sites to the springs in the hills have lost almost all their livestock. Animals are everything - food, wealth, insurance and savings accounts. Eight million people in this dry triangle are hungry and thirsty. Experts and charity workers believe the nomads' plight in times of natural disaster is exacerbated by wilful neglect of people with no political clout. In this article, we meet some of the people who expect to die. (Tracy McVeigh, Guardian Weekly, June 2006)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianweekly/outlook/story/0,,1797399,00.html

(Added: Mon Jun 26 2006   Modified: Mon May 28 2007   Hits: 191)

"You must help"

This article ponders the effects cell phones could have on giving a direct voice to the too-often-forgotton, after a text message from a Somali refugee camp in Kenya to the comfort of the London office of the UN World Food Programme brought the recent cutting of rations to hungry people into sharp focus. (Greg Barrow, Guardian, 20 June 2006)

http://society.guardian.co.uk/aid/comment/0,,1801779,00.html

(Added: Wed Jun 21 2006   Hits: 238)

China to share farming expertise with poorer nations

At least 3,000 Chinese scientists will spend three years working in rural communities in developing countries to help improve their food security. The arrangement is part of a strategic partnership between China and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. (Zhao Huanxin, SciDev.Net, 22 May 2006)

http://www.scidev.net/News/index.cfm?fuseaction=readNews&itemid=2856&language=1

(Added: Wed May 31 2006   Hits: 55)

Food Aid or Food Sovereignity? Ending Hunger in Our Time

This 48 page report is a critique of food aid as it exists today, offering analysis and recommendations to help shift the terms of debate around hunger and food aid. Recommending food sovereignty as a policy tool, the report advocates for food self-sufficiency as the means to eradicate world hunger. It details the history and evolution of the food aid system, assessing the extent to which the recent shifts bear any hope for a more appropriate response to world hunger. The report examines issues raised by the increased use of relief food aid and the role of international relief agencies in the fight against hunger. On the basis of this analysis, it proposes strategies for successfully reducing food aid needs in the long run. In a dramatic departure from prevailing thought about international food aid programs, the report, recommends using the framework of food sovereignty in aid programs. (Frederic Mousseau and Anuradha Mittal, The Oakland Insitute, October 2005)

http://www.oaklandinstitute.org/pdfs/fasr.pdf

(Added: Tue May 30 2006   Hits: 152)

The Soy Case

Soy production has been booming the past 25 years. Most of this protein and oil containing bean goes as animal feed to the meat industry in Europe and China. Protein from fish meal has become scarce, other animal sources have been forbidden because of BSE, but the demand for meat is rising rapidly world-wide. As a result of the focus on monoculture export crops, such as soy, millions of people in one of the world's biggest food exporting regions are now suffering from malnutrition. GM-soy is contaminating the countryside and the risen use of pesticides is polluting water and soil. This resource discusses the soy case in Latin America. (A SEED, 2006)

http://aseed.tuxic.nl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23&Itemid=108

(Added: Wed May 24 2006   Hits: 354)

Violations of Peasants Human Rights 2005

Since 2004 Via Campesina has released an annual report on violations of peasant's rights in different parts of the world highlighting important cases and typical forms of violations on peasants' human rights. This new report of violations of peasants' rights contains grave cases in Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Philippines, and South Africa. We learn about peasants who are facing forcible evictions from their lands and situations in which their right of access to productive resources is neglected. The report also presents other cases of violations of civil and political human rights. (Via Campesina & FIAN International, 2005)

http://www.fian.no/nedlasting/g37e-01PeasantsRights.pdf

(Added: Wed May 24 2006   Modified: Thu Feb 08 2007   Hits: 130)

A Matter of Survival: The North Korean Government's Control of Food and the Risk of Hunger

According to this report, recent decisions by the North Korean government to suspend the operation of the World Food Programme, ban the private sale of grain, and fully reinstate the discredited Public Distribution System could lead to renewed hunger for North Korea's already poor and destitute people. (Human Rights Watch, May 2006)

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2006/northkorea0506/index.htm

(Added: Fri May 05 2006   Modified: Fri Jul 21 2006   Hits: 136)

Buying matters: consultation: sourcing fairly from developing countries (pdf)

This report considers 'responsible purchasing' by drawing on four case studies: bananas, coffee, cotton & garments and tea. It looks at how buyers can assess and improve their purchasing so that they can deliver for their businesses and for suppliers overseas The report also considers the role that governments could play in responsible purchasing. (European Fair Trade Association, February 2006)

http://www.responsible-purchasing.org/downloads/Buying%20Matters_small.pdf

(Added: Fri May 05 2006   Modified: Thu Feb 01 2007   Hits: 189)

State intervention for food price stabilisation in Africa: can it work? (pdf)

This paper discusses the options for the stabilisation of the prices of staple foods principally in Eastern and Southern Africa. It addresses three broad questions: Why is the stabilisation of food prices desirable? What is technically feasible? How can resultant governance and trade issues be addressed? High food price volatility is a major impediment to climbing out of poverty. The report looks at the hotly debated role of economic liberalisation in food price stability, finding that governance standards need to improve if the food systems of these countries are not to be stuck between state failure and market failure. (C Poulton, J Kydd, J Wiggins, A Dorward, Programme of Advisory and Support Services to DFID, May 2005)

http://www.passlivelihoods.org.uk/site_files%5Cfiles%5Creports%5Cproject_id_240%5CFINAL_State%20Intervention%20for%20Food%20Price%20Stabilisation%20in%20Africa_Kydd,%20Dorward,%20Poulton%20and%20Wiggins_WB0239.pdf

(Added: Fri May 05 2006   Hits: 62)

Agroecology and the Struggle for Food Sovereignty in the Americas [pdf948k]

This book seeks to: 1.examine the political, economic, cultural, and ecological dimensions of food sovereignty 2.generate and exchange technically informed and practically applicable knowledge 3.provide an interactive space for the formation of cross-cultural alliances between the U.S. and Latin America among academics and practitioners. It addresses a recurring question on how to build stronger relationships between academics and practitioners, including farmers and NGOs, working at the intersection of food, agricultural, and environmental issues. The book grew out of a workshop at Yale University on "Food Sovereignty, Conservation, and Social Movements for Sustainable Agriculture in the Americas". In the spirit of this unique workshop, the organizers have compiled this book, which synthesizes the proceedings, expands on insights derived there, and provides concrete recommendations to academics, policy-makers, farmers' movements, and other audiences. (Avery Cohn, Jonathan Cook, Margarita Fernández, Rebecca Reider, and Corrina Steward, IIED, April 2006)

http://www.iied.org/pubs/pdf/full/14506IIED.pdf

(Added: Fri Apr 21 2006   Modified: Thu Aug 17 2006   Hits: 228)

Ethical Trade: a Reveiw of Current Literature

Ethical consumerism is a growing phenomenon. Alternative approaches such as fair-trade, conservation-driven trade and the trade in organic produce began as market niches but are making their presence felt in the commercial mainstream. Who is the ethical consumer and what do they mean by ethical consumption? This publication reviews the large number of consumer surveys of ethical consumerism, and describes the different types of ethical consumer, their motivation and concerns, their willingness to pay an ethical premium, and the ways they learn about ethical products. (Anne Tallontire, Erdenechimeg Rentsendorj and Mick Blowfield, Natural Resources Institute, 2001)

http://www.nri.org/publications/policyseries/PolicySeriesNo12.pdf

(Added: Thu Apr 20 2006   Hits: 242)

Agrarian Reform in the Context of Food Sovereignity, the Right to Food and Cultural Diversity

This paper provides a civil society perspective on agrarian reform and rural development, develop ing the concept of food sovereignty as an overarching framework or paradigm. Food sovereignty essentially defines the policy package that would be needed so that policies of agrarian reform and rural development might truly reduce poverty, protect the environment, and enhance broad based, inclusive economic development. The most fundamental pillars of food sovereignty include the recognition and enforcement of the right to food and the right to land; the right of each nation or people to define their own agricultural and food policies, respecting the right of indigenous peoples to their territories, the rights of traditional fisherfolk to fishing areas, etc.; a retreat from free trade policies, with a concurrent greater prioritization of production of food for local and national markets, and an end to dumping; genuine agrarian reform; and peasant based sustainable, or agroecological, agricultural practices. (International NGO/CSO Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty, January 2006)

http://www.icarrd.org/en/icard_doc_down/Issue_Paper5sum.pdf

(Added: Fri Apr 07 2006   Modified: Fri Sep 15 2006   Hits: 106)

30 year war creates shadow of hunger over Eritrea

War and drought have reduced this East African country to a state of almost total dependence on food aid. Most of the fertile land was caught up in the conflict with Ethiopia, and now that peace has returned, farmers have found their land covered with land mines and their cattle stolen. This special report by Panos Features says Eritrea is destined to be dependent on food aid for some time to come. (Donica Tesfamariam, Panos, April 2006)

http://www.panos.org.uk/global/featuredetails.asp?featureid=1038&ID=1003

(Added: Tue Apr 04 2006   Modified: Tue Aug 29 2006   Hits: 335)

Investigations on Building a Food Marketing Policy Evidence Base in Nigeria

Understanding access to markets and the institutions of the food sector is a major challenge for pro-poor growth. Pro-poor growth in the food sector will not only raise incomes (for poor producers, poor traders and the poor who operate in related sectors, notably transport), but will also reduce the cost of food for poor consumers. It will thus reduce the vulnerability of the poor in general. This report presents results of a short programme on access to different types of market (principally food and transport) and the linkages between markets (food, transport, credit etc.) conducted by 15 researchers across Nigeria's major regions, using an innovative networked research approach. The study incorporates syntheses of previous studies with new field research. It aims to make a significant contribution to building a food marketing policy evidence base across Nigeria. (Universities of Durham and Middlesex, The Nigerian Marketing Network, November 2005)

http://www.dur.ac.uk/nigerian.marketing/

(Added: Tue Apr 04 2006   Modified: Thu Jun 01 2006   Hits: 58)

The Asia Pacific Network for Food Sovereignty (APNFS)

APNFS is a regional network of social movements, farmers' organizations, women's organizations and NGOs established to address the issues of increasing trade liberalization in agriculture, worsening food insecurity, massive dislocation of peasants, landlessness, erosion of agricultural biodiversity, and the suppression of peasants' democratic rights common to many countries in the region. The website includes its members, information on its workshops and activities, and an archive of documents and articles.

http://www.apnfs.org/

(Added: Mon Apr 03 2006   Modified: Wed Jun 21 2006   Hits: 113)

Modernizing Small Holder Agriculture to Ensure Food Security

The slow growth of agricultural and food production has resulted in growing food imports and food insecurity. In Nigeria, as in many other developing countries, women play a major role in agriculture and food production but women face major obstacles that prevent them from increasing their productivity and living standards. This study examines the strategies adopted to raise agricultural growth and increase food security as well as empower women engaged in agricultural activities. (Emmanuel Ukeje, G-24, 2004)

http://www.g24.org/ukeje.pdf

(Added: Fri Mar 31 2006   Modified: Thu Jun 01 2006   Hits: 106)

Southern Nation, Nationalities and People's Region, Ethiopia Livelihood Profiles [PDF]

Funded by USAID and with technical direction from FEWS NET, in 2005 the Ethiopian Government Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Agency (DPPA) undertook a full livelihoods baseline study of the whole of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Regional State (SNNPR). The Region contains one-fifth of Ethiopia's population and the country's highest population densities, its largest number of languages and ethnic groups, and its most complex mixture of ecologies and production systems. The main aim of this nine-month effort was to provide a baseline and analytical framework for improved food security early warning and monitoring. But the relevance of the resulting rich and unprecedented information resource goes beyond food to the assessment of overall economic security, and beyond emergencies to the analysis of development issues.

http://www.fews.net/livelihoods/files/et/profiling.pdf

(Added: Wed Mar 22 2006   Modified: Thu Aug 31 2006   Hits: 270)

Indonesian Food Policy Program

Under USAID Indonesia funding, DAI is assisting the Government of Indonesia to reappraise Indonesia's macro food policy. Macro food policy focuses on national food security evidenced by adequate farm incomes, consumers with access to sufficient nutrients and participation of the poor in rapid economic growth. Links between the macro economy and the rural economy are brought about by changes in food production, consumption, and prices. The project is helping develop and implement policies to promote domestic food production, ensure the equitable expansion of rural incomes, and contribute to a more dynamic rural economy, while minimizing costs for the state budget. Activities of the project thus include policy-oriented research, analysis, advice, and teaching. The project is sited in Jakarta and based in BAPPENAS and the Ministry of Agriculture but has an extensive outreach program for regional universities and policy-makers.

http://www.macrofoodpolicy.com/

(Added: Fri Feb 24 2006   Hits: 54)

Kenyan food crisis compounded by 'serious flaws' in distribution system

Thousands of lives are being put at risk because of the disintegration of the Kenyan food distribution system, says Oxfam international today. The 'single pipeline' - which ensures coordinated and efficient aid delivery through a single structure - has broken down as the UN World Food Program has too few resources to deliver all the food needed. The Kenyan government are now having to run a parallel system leading to duplication, waste and in some cases the most needy going. Oxfam NZ, 18 Jan 2006.

http://www.oxfam.org.nz/news.asp?s1=news&aid=869

(Added: Fri Feb 03 2006   Hits: 67)

The State of Food and Agriculture 2005

Agricultural trade and poverty. Can trade work for the poor? FAO, 2005.

http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=/docrep/008/a0050e/a0050e00.htm

(Added: Mon Dec 12 2005   Hits: 496)

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