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Hungry for More. Reforming U.S. International Food Aid Policy. May 2008 Kate Kingery Rana Merza Simon Meyer Obinnaya Oji Jennifer Thill. Introduction.
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Hungry for More Reforming U.S. International Food Aid Policy May 2008 Kate Kingery Rana Merza Simon Meyer Obinnaya Oji Jennifer Thill
Introduction According to the U.N.’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), an estimated 852 million people—1 in 8 people in the world—do not get enough to eat. - Barrett & Maxwell, 2005
Introduction “A ‘silent tsunami’ of hunger is sweeping the world's most desperate nations.” Josette Sheeran, World Food Program
Introduction “The Bush administration and Congress have been caught flat-footed by rapidly escalating global food prices and are scrambling to respond to a crisis that they increasingly view as a threat to U.S. national security, according to government officials, congressional staffers and human rights experts.”- Washington Post, April 26, 2008
The overall vision for change is to have a coordinated and efficient international system of food aid distribution that effectively meets the needs identified by recipients.
Current Policies – Current Inefficiencies • Origin: 1954 - P.L. 480. Now “Food for peace” • Tied/Surplus system • System comprises Producers, Shippers and Implementers. • Ostensibly Commodity based – No Cash
Framing the issue View # 1: Protecting U.S. interests with a donor driven response.
Framing the issue View #2: Program structure is not beneficial for recipients
Stakeholders • Recipients (Receivers of donor commodities)
Stakeholders • Recipients • (Receivers of donor commodities) • Facilitators • (USAID, USDA, WFP)
Stakeholders • Recipients • (Receivers of donor commodities) • Facilitators • (USAID, USDA, WFP) • Policy Makers • (Congress)
Stakeholders Interest + Agribusinesses In Country Recipients USAID U.S. DOT USDA NGOs Receiving Governments WFP Congress WTO Power + Donor Farmers U.S. Taxpayers Media
Stakeholders Producers Iron Triangle Implementers Shippers
Recommendations 2. Create a pilot project to determine feasibility of shifting U.S. food aid assistance from commodity donations to cash donations 3. Pending outcome of the pilot project, shift all U.S. food aid contributions from commodity donations to cash donations to be coordinated by USAID. 4. Sponsor a global summit for the purpose of recasting the strategy and role of international food aid, and to create a new global compact on food aid. 1. Incrementally shift P.L. 480 Title II allocations from humanitarian assistance to agricultural development.
Implementation Strategy • Build a domestic constituency to raise awareness of food aid • Develop a Political Strategy for food aid reform • Coordinate an International Food aid summit
What success will look like • Increase in efficiency will translate into effectiveness gains. • Longer term strategy should reduce need for emergency aid • Faster developing potential markets • Food security will positively impact national security. • Nett reduction of hunger
Help hunger become a memory Go to reformfoodaidnow.org to support PFAR