Food and agriculture policy decisions - Trends, emerging issues and policy alignments since the 2007/08 food security crisis

Abstract

The report reviews a broad range of food security and agricultural development policy decisions implemented over the period 2007 to 2012 in more than 70 countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. Selected policy decisions were analysed following FAPDA’s classification, dividing policy decisions into three main categories: producer-oriented policies, consumer-oriented policies, as well as trade-oriented and macroeconomic policies. Policy decisions reviewed included those most deb ated and most frequently implemented since the 2007/08 food price crisis. The report finds that the initial responses to the crisis tended to address immediate food security concerns with short-term, ad-hoc measures. Over the following years however, policy decisions reflected a more long-term and institutionalized approach. Governments are gradually moving from universal subsidies for food and fuel towards more targeted interventions to reach vulnerable and food insecure households. Moreo ver, a growing number of countries have shifted from short-term, ad-hoc cash or food-based interventions towards mainstreaming and institutionalizing social safety net programmes. The initial trade response was to ban or restrict exports and increase imports in efforts to achieve domestic food availability, measures which have since relaxed in support of producers. Also, Countries are increasingly establishing public food reserves to protect domestic supply in times of crisis. We also see a high degree of policy integration at the national level. However, protective trade policies at national levels have contradicted the efforts of regional food security and policy harmonization advocated by many regional economic communities.