food prices

This report elaborates on the importance of food markets for food consumption in African cities and rural areas. It argues that food systems in West Africa are rapidly changing and that, contrary to popular belief, the percentage of subsistence farming for food consumption in rural areas is also declining. Therefore, market supply is becoming the main source for food consumption and rural as well as urban household tend to become more vulnerable to fluctuation in food prices on these markets, which impacts their food security. »

This IFPRI blogs shares highlights from Chapter 7 of the 2014-2015 Global Food Policy Report. The blog shows that natural disasters aggravate existing civil conflicts or may contribute to fueling new conflicts, by intensifying social tensions, by deepening inequalities between groups or by raising food prices. Also, food price shocks are both a determinant and effect of conflict. »

A collaborative project between Cornell University, University of Copenhagen, and UNU-WIDER on the political economy of food price policy studied how selected governments responded to increasing food price volatility, and explains why they responded as they did. On the basis of the findings from the 16 study countries, eight policy recommendations are given. »

This book tries to enhance knowledge on responses to price volatility of governments and on the political economy of agricultural policy-making in general. The analysis starts from the global food crises of 2007-9 when prices surged for key staple food commodities and uses the variety of reactions from governments of different countries to generate knowledge on responses to price volatility. Since governments experienced similar food price shocks, the author argues that this case offers an excellent natural experiment for generating this knowledge. »

This study (PDF) by the World Bank, aims to assess the impacts of changes in global food prices on poverty in individual countries and for the world as a whole. Household models based on detailed expenditure and agricultural production data from 31 developing countries were used. »

The Food Price Crisis Observatory by the World Bank is an interactive information platform for policymakers, civil society and global organizations, the private sector and anyone else interested in identifying multi-country food crises as they unfold, tracking where and why food riots take place, and monitoring country-specific policies that can mitigate food price crises. Four modules are covered, providing an integrated approach to food crisis monitoring. »