Policies aimed at improving access to food

1. Policies aimed at improving access to food Text extracted from The World Food Problem Leathers and Foster, 2004 http://www.lastfirst.net/images/product/R004548.jpg

2. Its all about distribution isn’t it? • 2,807 calories of food/day available per person • Average requirement is 2,350 calories of food/day/person • Thus net surplus is 457 calories/day/person • Could increase surplus • 480 calories/day/person • By eliminating waste • 634 calories/day/person • By eliminating meat http://www.stonyfield.com/WebLogarchives/CreatingHealthyKids/pyramid.gif

3. Diet for a Small Planet • Claim: • If U.S. reduced meat consumption by 10% • it would free up 12 million tons of grain a year. • enough to feed 60 million starving people • Assumptions: • World food supply is fixed • If less is taken by some, it can be used by others • The increase in available grain could be allocated to the world’s hungry http://www.gladrags.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/diet-for-a-small-planet.jpg

4. What if the U.S. reduced meat consumption by 10%? • 102 Calories/day/person reduction in U.S. • Partially offset by increased meat and grain consumption elsewhere • Price of grain driven down • Increase in grain available offset by 60% reduced production • Results in increase of 4 calories/person/day in developing world • If everyone in developing world gave up meat: • would result in 120-180 calories/person/day • Need 200 calories/day/person http://brendoman.com/gallery/d/74-2/02ruthwithmeat.jpg

5. Redistribution • Redistribution policies would require • Reduction of over-consumption in developed countries • Production maintained at current levels • Under-consumption must be reversed in developing countries • Targeted to those who are undernourished http://www.sptimes.com/2002/11/24/photos/taste-overeating.jpg

6. Reducing over-consumption • Impractical • Would require huge taxes on food • Currently • U.S. consumes 3750 Calories/day/person • Income $32,350 • 1968 • U.S. consumed 3000 Calories/day/person • Adjusted income was $17,266 • To return to 3000 Calories • Would require an income surtax of about 45% plus a 4% food tax Carl’s Jr. 1 lb burger: 1420 Calories http://www.sgtstryker.com/weblog/archives/004476.php

7. Productivity • How can productivity be kept unchanged • If developed countries lower consumption? • Government purchase of food required • By developed countries • For U.S. to purchase 20% of its farm output • Would cost $50 billion http://www.kestan.com/travel/dc/monument/images/IMG_1383%20US%20Capitol%20&%20reflecting%20pool%20(+).jpg

8. Feeding the undernourished • Current U.S. foreign aid about $11 billion • Less than half goes to low-income countries • Getting food to undernourished a problem • Especially in a market-oriented system • Alternatives not very effective: • Central control of production and consumption • Subsistence agriculture Subsistence farming, Tanzania http://www.untotheleast.com/blog/uploaded_images/013006_%20b783-760459.jpg

9. Technology is important • Should not conclude that • Halting growth of food production will protect natural resources • Technology to increase food production is unnecessary • Disagrees with Food First • Need new technologies to • Increase food productivity • Protect environment • Integrated Pest Management • Low impact tillage • Drip irrigation • Need redistribution of food • Improves nutrition of undernourished • Requires political will http://www.joe.org/joe/2003february/figures/tt5-fig1.gif