Chapter 10 HEADLINES: Hunger and Food Security Back on Political Agenda
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This article expresses skepticism that the promises of the G8 countries for billions of dollars to assist farmers in developing countries will be forthcoming.
Global food security is a political and economic priority for the first time since the early 1970s. That should be the key message from the decision by the G8 group of leading economic nations to endorse a “food security initiative” at their meeting in Italy this week. But this welcome decision needs to be followed up by further significant policy change at national and international level if food security is to be achieved for the world’s growing population over the coming decades… .
It is reported that the initiative will involve a commitment of $12 billion for agricultural development over the next three years. But before giving three cheers for the G8, two critical questions must be answered. Is the $12 billion additional resources or a repackaging of existing commitments? How can this initiative feed into sustained policy change aimed at increasing food security at household, national and global level?
Policy change is necessary in many countries which are currently food insecure. Investment in agricultural and rural development has been shamefully neglected over the past 30 years. Donors, including the World Bank, also bear responsibility for this. There must now be an acceptance that budget allocations to agriculture must increase and must be sustained… . The history of such summits is not good: the gap between the promises and subsequent actions is great. At the first such summit in 1974, Dr. Henry Kissinger made the pledge that “within 10 years, no child will go to bed hungry.”
The G8 food security initiative at least provides a positive backdrop to the summit. It should provide an opportunity to many developing countries to commit to the type of policy change necessary to increase their own food security. With one billion hungry people in the world, with growing populations and with the threat that climate change presents to agricultural production capacity, such a commitment is both critical and urgent. It is good politics and good economics to do so.
Source: Excerpted from Tom Arnold, “Hunger and Food Security Back on Political Agenda,” The Irish Times, July 8, 2009, electronic edition.
Questions to Consider
After reading Hunger and Food Security Back on Political Agenda, consider the question(s) below. Then “submit” your response.