Hungry for More Reforming U.S. International Food Aid Policy May 2008 Kate Kingery Rana Merza Simon...
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Transcript of Hungry for More Reforming U.S. International Food Aid Policy May 2008 Kate Kingery Rana Merza Simon...
Hungry for More
Reforming U.S. International Food Aid Policy
May 2008
Kate KingeryRana MerzaSimon MeyerObinnaya OjiJennifer Thill
Introduction
According to the U.N.’s Food and Agricultural
Organization (FAO), an estimated 852 million
people—1 in 8 people in the world—do not get
enough to eat.
- Barrett & Maxwell, 2005
Introduction
“A ‘silent tsunami’ of hunger is sweeping the
world's most desperate nations.” Josette Sheeran, World Food Program
Introduction“The Bush administration and Congress have been caught flat-footed by rapidly escalating global food prices and are scrambling to respond to a crisis that they increasingly view as a threat to U.S. national security, according to government officials, congressional staffers and human rights experts.” - Washington Post, April 26, 2008
The overall vision for change is to have a
coordinated and efficient international
system of food aid distribution that
effectively meets the needs identified by
recipients.
Current Policies – Current Inefficiencies
• Origin: 1954 - P.L. 480. Now “Food for peace”• Tied/Surplus system • System comprises Producers, Shippers and
Implementers.• Ostensibly Commodity based – No Cash
Stakeholders
• Recipients (Receivers of donor commodities)
• Facilitators (USAID, USDA, WFP)
• Policy Makers (Congress)
WFPWFP
NGOsNGOsReceiving GovernmentsReceiving Governments
U.S. DOTU.S. DOT
Donor FarmersDonor
Farmers
U.S. TaxpayersU.S. Taxpayers
MediaMedia
CongressCongress
USAIDUSAID
USDAUSDA
AgribusinessesAgribusinessesIn Country RecipientsIn Country Recipients
WTOWTO
Interest +
Power +
Stakeholders
Recommendations
1. Incrementally shift P.L. 480 Title II allocations from humanitarian assistance to agricultural development.
2. Create a pilot project to determine feasibility of shifting U.S. food aid assistance from commodity donations to cash donations
3. Pending outcome of the pilot project, shift all U.S. food aid contributions from commodity donations to cash donations to be coordinated by USAID.
4. Sponsor a global summit for the purpose of recasting the strategy and role of international food aid, and to create a new global compact on food aid.
Implementation Strategy
• Build a domestic constituency to raise awareness of food aid
• Develop a Political Strategy for food aid reform
• Coordinate an International Food aid summit
What success will look like• Increase in efficiency will translate into
effectiveness gains.• Longer term strategy should reduce need for
emergency aid• Faster developing potential markets• Food security will positively impact national
security.• Nett reduction of hunger