As discussed in the Great Decisions 2009 article “Global Food Crisis,” many food policy analysts have argued against the current, prevalent strategy favored by developing countries for providing food aid. Called “dumping” by its critics, this strategy includes requirements to use the developed countries’ surplus crops as the source of food aid. An alternative strategy would be to provide funds to developing countries and aid agencies to distribute existing local food stocks or to allow them to buy seeds and equipment to cultivate their own local food production capacity.
Last week, the World Food Programme initiated a new project to distribute food vouchers in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, for families to use in registered shops where they could receive locally grown food. The project, the first of its kind in Africa, would employ a stategy counter to “dumping” and is intended to primarily help those who are hungry and undernourished. Local farmers and businesses who grow and sell the food are also expected to benefit.
