Food aid : the political economy of international policy formation

This report seeks to answer this question by describing current food aid flows, with special reference to the United States; explaining trends in food aid over the past 30 years; and proposing steps to improve food aid"s effectiveness as a development tool. The author traces the history of food aid from the 1950"s to 1980"s and notes several trends - an increasing number of donors dispersing a falling volume of aid, changes in donor motivation from surplus disposal to development promotion, and the use of food aid as a replacement for instead of a complement to other assistance. Weighing food aid"s costs and benefits to both donors and recipients, the author cautiously argues for continued aid because it costs donors less than cash assistance but gives recipients comparable benefits and because it can compensate developing countries for exclusion from protected donor agricultural markets. An exploration of the donor"s role finds the motivation for food aid to combine humanitarianism and self-interest. Fluctuations arise from changes in the donor"s domestic economy; allocation is a product of recipient need, political considerations, and other donor programs. Using case studies of Kenya, Tanzania, and Egypt, the author explores the motivation for seeking and/or accepting food aid and the political and economic impact of receiving it. The author finds recipients could better use food aid by improving both food production policies (e.g., food subsidies) and management of food stocks (e.g., reducing waste). He highlights the need to consider pride, corruption, incompetence, subsidies, bureaucratic interests, dependency, export potential, and planning horizons in the recipient country. The author argues that donors should: become more reliable food aid suppliers; base allocation more on need; take steps to improve recipient countries" food systems; better coordinate their policies; integrate food aid and other aid programs. Finally, the author notes that international organizations such as the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programs and the World Food Program can assist these efforts by bringing pressure to bear on both donors and recipients. Appended are supporting reports, interviews, and statistical analyses.