Improving Food Security in Arab Countries

World Bank; FAO; IFAD

Improving Food Security in Arab Countries

Autores

World Bank

FAO

IFAD

Editor

World Bank, Washington, DC

Descripción

This joint working paper lays out a rationale and strategic framework for improving food security and managing food-price shocks in the Arab countries. The paper does not provide country specific policy and project recommendations. Such recommendations will follow from the country by country application of the framework, taking into account each country's political and cultural preferences, resource endowments, and risk tolerance. In 2007 and the first half of 2008, a sharp rise in agricultural commodity and food prices triggered grave concerns about food security, malnutrition and increased poverty throughout the world. While the threat of a prolonged food-price shock receded with falling energy and commodity prices and a weakening global economy in the second half of 2008, many factors underlying the volatility in food prices appear here to stay and will require careful management if the world is to avoid future food-price shocks. This paper suggests three critical strategies that, together, can serve as pillars to help offset future vulnerability to price shocks: a) strengthen safety nets, provide people with better access to family planning services, and promote education; b) enhance the food supply provided by domestic agriculture and improve rural livelihoods by addressing lagging productivity growth through increased investment in research and development; and c) reduce exposure to market volatility by improving supply chain efficiency and by more effectively using financial instruments to hedge risk.

Palabras clave

ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES, AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT, AGRICULTURAL GROWTH, AGRICULTURAL INPUTS, AGRICULTURAL LAND, AGRICULTURAL PRICES, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH, AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, AGRICULTURE, ANIMAL FEED, ARBITRAGE, AUCTION, AVERAGE RATES OF RETURN, BREAD, CALORIE INTAKE, CASH TRANSFERS, CEREAL IMPORTS, CEREAL PRICE, CEREAL PRICES, CEREAL PRODUCTION, CEREAL YIELD, CEREALS, CHEAPER FOOD, CLEAN WATER, CLIMATE CHANGE, COMMODITIES, COMMODITY, COMMODITY EXPORTS, COMMODITY PRICE, COMMODITY PRICES, CONSUMER, CONSUMER DEMAND, CONSUMER PRICE, CONSUMER PRICE INDEX, CONSUMER PRICES, COOKING, COST OF LIVING, CROP PRODUCTION, CROP YIELD, CROPLAND, CURRENCY, DEBT, DEMAND FOR FOOD, DEMAND MANAGEMENT, DEMOGRAPHIC, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, DROUGHT, DROUGHTS, ECONOMIC CRISIS, ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, ECONOMIC GROWTH, EDUCATION PROGRAMS, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, ENERGY SUBSIDIES, EXPENDITURES, EXPOSURE, EXTREME POVERTY, FAMILY PLANNING, FARM-GATE, FARMERS, FEEDING PROGRAMS, FINANCIAL CRISIS, FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS, FISCAL DEFICITS, FISCAL SURPLUSES, FLOUR, FOOD ACCESS, FOOD AID, FOOD AVAILABILITY, FOOD COMMODITIES, FOOD CONSUMPTION, FOOD DEMAND, FOOD DISTRIBUTION, FOOD FOR WORK, FOOD FORTIFICATION, FOOD GRAINS, FOOD IMPORTS, FOOD INSECURITY, FOOD MARKETS, FOOD POLICY, FOOD POLICY RESEARCH, FOOD PREFERENCES, FOOD PRICE, FOOD PRICES, FOOD PRODUCTION, FOOD SECURITY, FOOD STAMPS, FOOD STAPLES, FOOD SUBSIDIES, FOOD SUBSIDY, FOOD SUBSIDY PROGRAMS, FOOD SUPPLY, FOODGRAINS, FOODS, FOREIGN CAPITAL, FOREIGN EXCHANGE, FOREIGN INVESTMENT, FRAUD, FUTURE PRICE, FUTURES, GLOBAL CLIMATE, GLOBAL ECONOMY, GLOBAL MARKET, GOVERNMENT BUDGETS, GRAINS, GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT, GROWTH RATE, GROWTH RATES, HEALTH INSURANCE, HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY, HUMAN CAPITAL, IFPRI, IMPACT ON POVERTY, INADEQUATE FOOD, INCIDENCE OF POVERTY, INCOME, INCOME GROWTH, INCOME ON FOOD, INCOMES, INFLATION, INFLATIONARY PRESSURE, INPUT PRICES, INSURANCE, INTEREST RATES, INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INTERNATIONAL MARKETS, INTERNATIONAL PRICES, INVESTING, INVESTMENT OPTIONS, IRRIGATION, KIND OF INVESTMENT, LAMB, LIQUIDITY, LOW INTEREST RATES, MACROECONOMIC STABILITY, MAIZE, MALNUTRITION, MARKET EXPECTATIONS, MARKET PRICES, MARKET PROJECTIONS, MARKET VOLATILITY, MARKETING, MEAL, MEANS TESTING, MEAT, MEDICAL CARE, MONETARY POLICIES, NATIONAL POVERTY, NATIONAL POVERTY LINE, NATURAL RESOURCE, NATURAL RESOURCES, NUTRITION, NUTRITION INTERVENTIONS, PAYMENT MECHANISMS, PAYMENT SYSTEMS, PENSIONS, PETROLEUM PRICE, PETROLEUM PRICES, POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS, POLITICAL RISKS, POOR, POOR COUNTRIES, POOR FAMILIES, POOR HOUSEHOLDS, POOR PEOPLE, POOR RURAL PEOPLE, POTENTIAL INVESTMENTS, POVERTY DATA, POVERTY RATES, POVERTY REDUCTION, PRICE CONTROLS, PRICE INCREASES, PRICE RISK, PRICE SUBSIDIES, PRICE SUPPORTS, PROBABILITY, PRODUCER PRICES, PRODUCTION OF WHEAT, PURCHASING, PURCHASING POWER, RAPID EXPANSION, REAL ASSETS, RECESSION, RETAIL, RETAIL PRICE, RETAIL PRICES, RICE, RISK MANAGEMENT, RISK TOLERANCE, RURAL, RURAL AREAS, RURAL COMMUNITIES, RURAL FAMILIES, RURAL LIVELIHOODS, RURAL POOR, RURAL POVERTY, SAFETY NET, SAFETY NETS, SANITATION, SCHOOL FEEDING, SECURITY CONCERNS, SECURITY RISKS, SELF-SUFFICIENCY, SMART CARD, SOCIAL ASSISTANCE, SOCIAL FUND, SOCIAL PROTECTION, SOCIAL SAFETY NETS, STAPLE FOODS, STOCKS, STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT, SUBSTITUTES, SUBSTITUTION, SUGAR, SUGARCANE, SUPPLY CHAIN, SURPLUS, SURPLUSES, TARGETING, TAX, TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE, TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, TRADE DEFICITS, TRADITIONAL INVESTMENTS, TRANSFER PROGRAMS, UNEMPLOYMENT, URBANIZATION, VALUABLE, VITAMINS, WFP, WHEAT, WHEAT FLOUR, WHOLESALERS, WORLD FOOD PROGRAM, WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME, WORLD FOOD SUMMIT, WORLD MARKETS