Last week I argued that the United States’ obsession with producing ethanol from corn was unnecessarily driving up food prices for millions of people inside and outside of our country. Yet the current problem with the global food supply extends far beyond corn production.
Wheat and rice prices have both been dramatically affected by rising demand, changing climate conditions and failing crops. Here in the U.S., the price increases have been more of an inconvenience rather than a disaster. However, for many of the developing nations in Africa and Southeast Asia, crop failures and price increases have created a dangerous situation.
A number of key suppliers of wheat and rice in the global market have failed to grow enough produce to fulfill their normal export commitments. Hurt by years of drought, Australia’s wheat crop failed dramatically last year, and the country has lost almost all of its rice production. Other major producers of rice have faced similar problems, with several instituting export restrictions and further cutting the stocks available for countries to purchase internationally.
For countries that rely on international purchases to make up the shortfall between domestic production and demand, the high prices have made this task much more difficult. An even larger problem, especially for some of the poorest nations in sub-Saharan Africa, is the inability of a number of food aid programs to meet their normal distribution amounts due to high purchase prices. Without this food aid, millions who might otherwise have food will go hungry.
While the situation is dire, this crisis represents an incredible opportunity for the U.S. to step back on to the world stage and take action. The Bush administration has pointed out in the past how U.S. aid to Africa has increased dramatically over the past eight years. However, much of that aid has gone to help the fight against HIV/AIDS.
While this is an important step, other areas needing vital investment should not be overlooked in the zeal of working to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS. Earlier this week President Bush announced $200 million in emergency food aid for developing countries. This aid should be expanded to help other food programs maintain their operations. However, direct food aid will not solve the structural problems, namely growing populations and inefficient farms, that have led to the shortfall in agricultural produce for Africa and developing countries.
While current U.S. foreign aid programs include an agricultural component, this needs to be expanded to fill the needs of future demand so that the current situation will not reoccur. This aid could take the form of providing larger agricultural training programs, improved farm implements, better seeds or any number of other useful items.
More efficient farming methods could also help poor farmers cope with the sometimes-difficult growing conditions caused by climate change. The other area that deserves more funding priority is birth control. There is no doubt that the growing demand for food is partly caused by rising populations in developing countries. Yet this year, the Bush administration is proposing to spend an amount less than 1/3 the 1995 level on birth control. Family planning programs and birth control are essential needs for Africa. Without a reduction in birth rates to sustainable levels, growing populations will eat away many of the gains made by increases in agricultural productivity.
The world’s image of the United States has been hurt over the past several years by a number of actions. Implementing a more comprehensive development program for poorer nations in reaction to this latest crisis would have the benefit of helping struggling countries as well as our own reputation.
Arguably, reducing agricultural subsidies to our own farmers would help avoid distorting the market in the way the ethanol subsidy has. However, the powerful farm interests in the United States have thus far blocked any action from being taken on this front. Given the unlikelihood of domestic action to help developing nations, increased development aid looks to be the best possibility to help alleviate the current crisis and avert a repeat of the current situation in the future.
Andrew Wagner ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in history and political science.
