The time is now: how world leaders should respond to the food price crisis

Global food prices are up 83% compared with three years ago and it is estimated that current food price levels constitute an immediate threat to the livelihoods of around 290 million people. This brief argues that collective action is essential to devise solutions to the global food situation that are equitable and sustainable for the global population as a whole. It sets out a series of steps, both short- and medium-term, to deal with the current food crisis, and to put in place the reforms required to prevent future repetitions. 

Rrecommendations given for short-term action include:

• governments, UN agencies, and NGOs must expand safety nets and scale up humanitarian assistance to food-insecure people
• donors and developing country governments should invest in increasing short term agricultural production, as well as long-term support to the sector
• rich countries must stop adding fuel to the fire through their biofuel policies
• developed and developing countries should avoid resorting to trade measures that exacerbate the crisis or undermine long-term development goals
• additional financial support must be made available for net food importing countries facing balance-of-payments or fiscal crises due to food price rises

Recommendations for medium- and long-term action include:

• developing countries dependent on food imports should be supported to reconstitute some form of food reserve
• governments should invest in social protection programmes to enable people to meet their basic needs, protect their livelihoods against risk, and enhance their social status and rights
• donors and developing country governments must scale up their investments in agriculture and rural development, ensuring that such investments deliver sustainable agricultural growth with benefits for the most marginalised rural populations
• the food aid system must be reformed in order to eliminate tied food aid and to ensure that international assistance does not undermine local production in recipient countries
• multilateral and regional trade agreements must include a meaningful reform of current agricultural trade rules, in order to provide fair rules for poor countries and producers
• developing countries must be supported to plan for, and protect against, future shocks