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Food Aid as Part of a Coherent Strategy to Advance Food Security Objectives

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  • Christopher B. Barrett

    (Cornell University)

Abstract

This paper outlines a coherent strategy for the use of food aid in addressing food insecurity. It surveys recent literature on poverty traps, the rights-based approach to food security and discusses where food aid fits into an integrated analysis of poverty and food security. The paper distinguishes between transitory and chronic poverty and between ‘safety nets’, designed to prevent people from falling below a certain poverty threshold, and cargo nets, aimed at lifting people out of chronic poverty. The appropriateness of food aid is discussed in the context of three situations: emergency humanitarian assistance, asset protection, and asset building and productivity enhancement. The paper argues that food aid, like all forms of foreign assistance, should first seek to do no harm.

Suggested Citation

  • Christopher B. Barrett, 2006. "Food Aid as Part of a Coherent Strategy to Advance Food Security Objectives," Working Papers 06-09, Agricultural and Development Economics Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO - ESA).
    • Handle: RePEc:fao:wpaper:0609
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tschirley, David L. & Howard, Julie A., 2003. "Title II Food Aid and Agricultural Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: Towards a Principled Argument for When, and When Not, to Monetize," Food Security International Development Working Papers 54572, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    2. Barrett, Christopher B. & Carter, Michael R., 2002. "Can't Get Ahead for Falling Behind: Development Policy, Poverty, and Relief Traps," Choices: The Magazine of Food, Farm, and Resource Issues, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 17(4), pages 1-4.
    3. Bob Baulch & John Hoddinott, 2000. "Economic mobility and poverty dynamics in developing countries," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(6), pages 1-24.
    4. Barrett, Christopher B., 2006. "Food aid's intended and unintended consequences," ESA Working Papers 289062, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Agricultural Development Economics Division (ESA).
    5. Michael Carter & Christopher Barrett, 2006. "The economics of poverty traps and persistent poverty: An asset-based approach," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(2), pages 178-199.
    6. Christopher B. Barrett, 2005. "Rural poverty dynamics: development policy implications," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 32(s1), pages 45-60, January.
    7. Christopher B. Barrett & Stein T. Holden & Daniel C. Clay, 2002. "Can Food-for-Work Programmes Reduce Vulnerability?," WIDER Working Paper Series DP2002-24, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    8. Dasgupta, Partha, 1997. "Nutritional status, the capacity for work, and poverty traps," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 77(1), pages 5-37, March.
    9. Donovan, Cynthia & McGlinchy, Megan & Staatz, John M. & Tschirley, David L., 2006. "Emergency Needs Assessments and the Impact of Food Aid on Local Markets," Food Security International Development Working Papers 54566, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Pradip K. Bhaumik & Arindam Banik, 2010. "Rigidities restraining movement of a rural artisan from poor to non‐poor state," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 37(1), pages 17-40, January.
    2. Barrett, Christopher B., 2006. "Food aid in response to acute food insecurity," ESA Working Papers 289057, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Agricultural Development Economics Division (ESA).
    3. Trylee Nyasha Matongera & Shenelle Sewell & Romano Trent Lottering & Thomas Marambanyika, 2017. "The Relief Food Aid and its Implications on Food Production and Consumption Patterns: A case study of Communal Farmers in Chigodora Community, Zimbabwe," Review of Social Sciences, LAR Center Press, vol. 2(3), pages 24-38, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    food aid; poverty trap; safety net; cargo net; right to food.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F35 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Aid
    • O19 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - International Linkages to Development; Role of International Organizations
    • Q17 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agriculture in International Trade
    • Q18 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Policy; Food Policy; Animal Welfare Policy

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