Print
Email
ShareTapping Iraq’s Oil
Iraq says it wants to sell oil contracts to foreign energy firms. The potential impact on energy markets could be large, but practical and...
Interviewee: Daniel Gustafson
Interviewer: Toni Johnson
March 27, 2008
Global food prices have continued to rise, placing an extra burden on the poor. The World Food Program (WFP), a UN humanitarian agency, in March 2008 announced a shortfall of $500 million and could have to ration food aid. Daniel Gustafson, director of the Washington office of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, says the price increase is due to a confluence of events, including increased demand for meat worldwide, high energy prices, bad harvests in some countries, and the advancement of corn-based ethanol as an alternative fuel. For the world’s poor, those in developing countries who typically spend 70 percent to 80 percent of their entire income on food, he says “anything that relates to an increase in food prices can be a disaster for them.”
On the plus side, Gustafson says overall high prices will accelerate changes in trade regimes to help lower trade barriers. Gustafson notes a “critical change” in the proposed U.S. farm legislation (PDF) that would allow 25 percent of food aid to be purchased from local countries rather than being forced to rely on U.S. cereals. He says the next administration will want to see agriculture policy play a more prominent role in the development agenda. First it should look at the emergency food needs and the impact of high prices, then at access to food and better nutrition, and finally at investments in agricultural infrastructure.
Terms of Use: I understand that I may access this audio and/or video file solely for my personal use. Any other use of the file and its content, including display, distribution, reproduction, or alteration in any form for any purpose, whether commercial, noncommercial, educational, or promotional, is expressly prohibited without the written permission of the copyright owner, the Council on Foreign Relations. For more information, write outreach@cfr.org.
Countering Criminal Violence in Central America
The author assesses the causes and consequences of the violence faced by several Central American countries and examines the national, regional, and international efforts intended to curb its worst effects.
No One's World
A renowned scholar maps out the twenty-first-century world, providing a detailed strategy for reconciling the West with the "rise of the rest." More
The US-South Korea Alliance
A new volume explores the possibilities for enhanced U.S.-South Korea cooperation in both traditional and nontraditional spheres. More
Iraq says it wants to sell oil contracts to foreign energy firms. The potential impact on energy markets could be large, but practical and...
We are now several months into the global food crisis. Food prices have almost doubled in three years, threatening to push 100 million people...
Governments employ new high-tech methods to catch those employed by the multibillion dollar business of illegally trading in endangered...
This in-depth study of twelve producer, processing and consumer countries demonstrates that actions taken by governments, civil society and...
