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The Right Price of Food: Reflections on the Political Economy of Policy Analysis and Communication

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  • Johan F.M. Swinnen

Abstract

Only a few years ago the widely shared view was that low food prices were a curse to developing countries and the poor. The dramatic increase of food prices in 2006-2008 appears to have fundamentally altered this view. The vast majority of analyses and reports in 2008 and 2009 state that high food prices have a devastating effect on developing countries and the world’s poor. This reversal of opinion raises questions about the old and the new arguments and about the proposed remedies. It also raises questions about the causes of this dramatic turnaround in analysis and policy conclusions. In this paper I document these changes in perspective and I discuss potential implications and offer hypotheses on the cause of the change in views.

Suggested Citation

  • Johan F.M. Swinnen, 2010. "The Right Price of Food: Reflections on the Political Economy of Policy Analysis and Communication," LICOS Discussion Papers 25910, LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance, KU Leuven.
    • Handle: RePEc:lic:licosd:25910
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    13. Johan F.M. Swinnen & Thijs Vandemoortele & Mara Squicciarini, 2010. "The Market for Policy Communication," LICOS Discussion Papers 27210, LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance, KU Leuven.
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    Cited by:

    1. Headey, Derek, 2011. "Was the Global Food Crisis Really a Crisis? Simulations versus Self-Reporting," Research briefs 17, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    2. Johan F.M. Swinnen & Thijs Vandemoortele & Mara Squicciarini, 2010. "The Market for Policy Communication," LICOS Discussion Papers 27210, LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance, KU Leuven.
    3. Negi, Digvijay S., 2022. "Global food price surge, in-kind transfers and household welfare: Evidence from India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    4. Johan Swinnen & Kristine Van Herck, 2012. "Food Security: Challenges and Opportunities for Eastern Europe and Central Asia," Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), vol. 9(1), pages 37-52, June.
    5. Ciaian, Pavel & Kancs, d'Artis, 2011. "Food, energy and environment: Is bioenergy the missing link?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 571-580, October.
    6. Ecker, Olivier & Headey, Derek D., 2012. "Improving the measurement of food security:," IFPRI discussion papers 1225, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    7. Yuksel, Hatice & Karantininis, Konstantinos & Hess, Sebastian, 2014. "A media analysis of food crisis: from qualitative analysis to a quantitative approach," 2014 International Congress, August 26-29, 2014, Ljubljana, Slovenia 182685, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    8. Headey, Derek D., 2014. "Food prices and poverty reduction in the long run:," IFPRI discussion papers 1331, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

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    JEL classification:

    • J11 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • Y80 - Miscellaneous Categories - - Related Disciplines - - - Related Disciplines

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