Feeding the hungry is lucrative

Dumping surpluses

By dumping grain surpluses through food aid deliveries, food prices drop.

Communities won’t purchase food from neighbouring farmers when they can receive it for free or at drastically distorted low prices.

Thus, one of the biggest criticisms of food aid is that it functions as a driver for US grown food commodities, rather than African-grown food, which in turn profits US firms instead of African farmers and peasants.

Food aid doesn’t address the root causes of hunger: it’s a band-aid for emergencies that require immediate attention.

Despite all of its faults, emergency food aid is still extremely important for addressing immediate hunger needs, but must be accompanied by programmes and policies that protect small farmer and pastoralist livelihoods, support sustainable agriculture and protect natural resources.

Perrey is a food policy analyst.