food prices

This article argues that nonviolent mobilization is made possible in ethnically polarized contexts when broader cross-cutting grievances are present as they enable local activists to widen their appeal across social lines. The focus is on food price spikes as an example of a cross-cutting issue that is likely to affect consumers from different ethnic groups. »

Food is essential for all living organisms to survive and flourish, but for human beings, food transcends biological needs and has long been an integral part of social life and culture. Over the past century, the food system has done very well in producing enough food to outpace population growth – reducing the real price of food to make it more accessible to the poor and drive down global hunger and poverty.  While the remaining pockets of hunger require continued attention, the global food system is rapidly transforming, including in the less developed regions of Africa, Asia and parts of Latin America. »

This working paper aims to assess the affordability of nutritious foods in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan and India. Results suggest that there may be strong economic reasons why consumers consume little of the most nutrient-dense foods: They simply cannot afford it. More policies must be implemented to improve affordability of vegetables, legumes, fruits, and animal-source foods. »

This paper aims to stimulate a discussion of how to raise the farmers’ income by providing another way of looking at prices. Since farmers do not earn a sufficient livelihood, alternative ways than market prices have to be looked at: the ‘fair prices’. »

This article connects the discussion on the trade-offs between agricultural production and environmental concerns, including the asserted need for global land use expansion, and the issues of rural livelihoods and food security. »

This working paper analyzes animal-source foods (ASF) price patterns in the last decade. In many developing countries in which staple foods dominate the composition of diets, higher consumption of ASF is associated with significant nutritional benefits. Prices are important for consumption decisions in these settings. »