Presentation Transcript
IAO: IAO FOOD SECURITY COURSE
Florence
January/March 2004
FOOD SECURITY in the context of CHANGING DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES: FOOD SECURITY in the context of CHANGING DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES
Franco Viciani
Former Chief, Policy Support Service,
FAO
Why choose this topic?: Why choose this topic? Because :
Food Security is a primary objective of development
seing the evolution of ideas and event in a historical perspective helps understand them better
Purpose of presentation: Purpose of presentation Review and discuss in parallel the evolution through time of :
- the concept of Food Security
with special reference to the initiatives taken by FAO (original proponent of the idea of Food Security)
- the prevailing views on development by
- development scholars
- international organizations
1945 – ESTABLISHMENT OF FAO : 1945 – ESTABLISHMENT OF FAO FAO Constitution
- raise levels of nutrition and living standards
improve efficiency in production and distribution of food and agricultural products
better the condition of rural populations
thus contribute to an expanding world economy
and
- ensure humanity’s freedom from hunger
FAO AND FOOD SECURITY (1): FAO AND FOOD SECURITY (1) 1946 – First World Food Survey
1954 – Guidelines for Food Surpluses Disposal
1960 – Freedom from Hunger Campaign
1962 – Establishment of UN/FAO World Food Programme
Evolution of Development Perspectives - a simplified sketch - (1) : Evolution of Development Perspectives - a simplified sketch - (1) 1950’s – Growth through Industrialization
prevalent pessimism on prospects for lower income countries
risk of vicious circles
Evolution of Development Perspectives - a simplified sketch – (2) : Evolution of Development Perspectives - a simplified sketch – (2) 1950’s - proposed strategies
“Big Push”
“Balanced Growth”
“Backward and Forward Linkages”
….”Development with unlimited labour supply”
(..but..)
Limited hope to solve problems of
Poverty
Undernutrition
Food insecurity
Slide9: 1960’s - More optimism for development
positive experience in a number of newly independent countries
discovery of HYV’s – Green revolution
optimism on technology transfer
growth of technical assistance Evolution of Development Perspectives - a simplified sketch – (3)
IMPORTANT EVENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 1970’S: IMPORTANT EVENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 1970’S Nixon’s decision to abolish dollar convertibility:
end of stability of exchange rates
greater financial uncertainty
Major increase in oil prices:
benefits for exporting countries
difficulties for importing countries
IMPORTANT EVENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 1970’s (cont’d) …and… 1972/74 WORLD FOOD CRISIS: IMPORTANT EVENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 1970’s (cont’d) …and… 1972/74 WORLD FOOD CRISIS Fall of cereal production
Massive cereal purchases on world market
Reduction of grain availability
Price increases
…and, in general,
preoccupation on future availability of primary commodities
(“Limits to Growth”)
FAO AND FOOD SECURITY (2): FAO AND FOOD SECURITY (2) 1974 – WORLD FOOD CONFERENCE
PRIORITY: WORLD FOOD SECURITY
(first official reference)
Higher production (availability)
especially in developing countries
Greater stability
of food supplies
of food prices
1974 World Food Conference (cont’d): 1974 World Food Conference (cont’d) Implications:
Creation of food reserves
at national level
at regional level
Critiques
cost
management of regional reserves
Issue of food self/sufficiency
1974 World Food Conference (cont’d): 1974 World Food Conference (cont’d) 1975 – Establishment of IFAD
(International Fund for Agricultural Development)
Function: investment funding
Priority: improve the condition of the rural poor
Evolution of Development Perspectives - a simplified sketch – (4) : Evolution of Development Perspectives - a simplified sketch – (4) 1970’s -Accentuation of extreme views:
neo-marxism / neo capitalism
But, in the area of development theory, an intermediate line prevailed:
redistribution with growth
basic needs strategy
more: equity , employment
less: poverty, food insecurity
Evolution of Development Perspectives- a simplified sketch – (4 – cont’d): Evolution of Development Perspectives- a simplified sketch – (4 – cont’d) In relation to food, agriculture and RD:
attention to small farmers (WB)
integrated rural development
labour intensive technologies
critique of “urban bias”
FAO AND FOOD SECURITY (3): FAO AND FOOD SECURITY (3) 1976 – Food Security Assistance Scheme
1977 – Global Information and Early Warning System
1979 – Plan of Action for World Food Security
1979 – WCARRD (World Conference for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development)
…..but, meanwhile……..
…meanwhile, by end of the decade….: …meanwhile, by end of the decade…. soaring debt (petrodollars)
second oil price increase
international recession
higher interest rates
higher debt servicing cost
fear of crisis of banking system
…..therefore…..
Evolution of Development Perspectives- a simplified sketch (5): Evolution of Development Perspectives- a simplified sketch (5) Prevalence of neo-conservative policies in rich countries
(more market, less state)
and, by international financial organizations
(IMF, World Bank):
CONDITIONALITY: loans and financial aid at the condition that policies be changed in the direction of: : CONDITIONALITY: loans and financial aid at the condition that policies be changed in the direction of: STABILIZATION
reduction of deficits in the
state budget (cut public expenditures)
balance of payments (devaluation)
STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT
privatization
liberalization
Stabilization and Structural Adjustment - Poverty reduction and food security no longer stated objectives - Faith that market forces would lead to general improvement of living standards - Stab. & S.A. were to be of a temporary character. In fact, they continued well into the 1990’s, assuming an ideological character (Washington Consensus): Stabilization and Structural Adjustment - Poverty reduction and food security no longer stated objectives - Faith that market forces would lead to general improvement of living standards - Stab. & S.A. were to be of a temporary character. In fact, they continued well into the 1990’s, assuming an ideological character (Washington Consensus)
FAO AND FOOD SECURITY (4): FAO AND FOOD SECURITY (4) 1983 – Expanded Concept of Food Security
Availability
Stability
Access
meanwhile:
Amarthya Sen: entitlements
1985 – World Food Security Compact (failed)
Evolution of Development Perspectives- a simplified sketch (6): Evolution of Development Perspectives- a simplified sketch (6) 1990’s - Elements leading to re-evaluation
S.A. did not produce expected results
too much dogmatism
asymmetric advantages of liberalization
wrong perception of supply elasticities
neglect of institutions
“throwing the baby with the bathwater”
Transition problems in ex-communist countries
Persistance and increase of
poverty / food insecurity / inequality
Evolution of Development Perspectives- a simplified sketch (7): Evolution of Development Perspectives- a simplified sketch (7) Research has taken important new line
Institutional economics
an abstract behavioural model cannot explain everything in economics
Critique to the Washington Consensus
Critique to the Washington Consensus: Critique to the Washington Consensus Stiglitz: the Washington Consensus has confused means with ends
Privatization and liberalization are not ends, but means towards a sustainable, equitable and democratic development
Too much emphasis on price stability and privatization
Too little on institutions and sustainable growth
Globalization has been inadequately managed
FAO AND FOOD SECURITY (5): FAO AND FOOD SECURITY (5)
1992 – International Conference on Nutrition (utilization)
1994 – Special Programme for Food Security (country level)
1996 – WORLD FOOD SUMMIT
and its follow-up
international commitment to reduce hunger and undernutrition
(next session by Skoet and Smulders)
Current areas of main interest for development studies relating to Food Security: Current areas of main interest for development studies relating to Food Security Poverty
Social exclusion
Sustainable livelihoods
Right to food
Development of human capital
Globalization – opportunities and risks
growth and inequality
Towards a Post-Washington Consensus
2000 – U.N. DEVELOPMENT MILLENNIUM: 2000 – U.N. DEVELOPMENT MILLENNIUM (following a series of initiatives by various UN agencies, all centred on the problem of poverty)
Main objectives:
Reduce extreme poverty and hunger
Ensure primary education for all
Reduce infant mortality
Improve health (HIV/AIDS and other diseases)
Promote gender equality
Ensure a sustainable environment
Promote a world partnership for development-
World Bank current orientation: World Bank current orientation Comprehensive Development Programme
Poverty reduction strategies
Assistance to low-income countries under stress
HIPC (initiative for highly indebted countries)
Education, health, drinking water
World Development Report 2004: “Making services work for poor people”
…but…
....in the context of which development paradigm??
(my own doubt)
Noble intentions, but how to put them into effect? With which policy measures and at what cost? Is there sufficient political will? These are still open questions. Some of them will be addressed in the rest of the course. Others are beyond the scope of the course – indeed of any course. They depend on the conscience and foresightedness of political leaders of all countries in the world. : Noble intentions, but how to put them into effect? With which policy measures and at what cost? Is there sufficient political will? These are still open questions. Some of them will be addressed in the rest of the course. Others are beyond the scope of the course – indeed of any course. They depend on the conscience and foresightedness of political leaders of all countries in the world.
For the moment, let us take stock of a change of orientation in attitude by most international organizations. Besides political will and financial means, what is needed is a new, better formulated development paradigm incorporating Food Security objectives, that is - socially acceptable, - efficiently implementable and - internally consistent A good starting point: go back to the concept of development proclaimed by Dudley Seers back in the 1970’s:: For the moment, let us take stock of a change of orientation in attitude by most international organizations. Besides political will and financial means, what is needed is a new, better formulated development paradigm incorporating Food Security objectives, that is - socially acceptable, - efficiently implementable and - internally consistent A good starting point: go back to the concept of development proclaimed by Dudley Seers back in the 1970’s:
There is no development if, together with economic growth, there is no reduction of: There is no development if, together with economic growth, there is no reduction of Poverty
Inequality
Unemployment
and, of course, of hunger and
food insecurity