Food Security

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), funded by USAID, has released its latest monthly price watch detailing staple food prices for January 2011. These reports provide food security updates for 25 countries vulnerable to food insecurity, focusing on impacts on livelihoods and markets. These updates can help policymakers recognize and mitigate potential threats to food security.

Download the latest reports below. For more information regarding FEWS NET, please visit www.fews.net .

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The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS Net), funded by USAID, has released its latest Food Assistance Outlook Brief. This report provides forward-looking analysis of projected external emergency food assistance needs in 20 developing countries for the next six months. Overall needs at a national level are compared to typical needs at this time of year during the last five years.

Dowload the latest Food Assistance Outlook Brief below. For more information regarding FEWS NET, please visit www.fews.net .

Files:

2011 has seen continuing fluctuations in the international price of agricultural commodities such as wheat, maize, soybeans, and corn. These staples often make up the bulk of the diet of the world’s poor; thus, any drastic change in the price of these commodities can have serious impacts on the economic stability and food security of the developing world. The fear and uncertainty surrounding changing commodities prices panic policy responses that only exacerbate food insecurity.

As food prices rose in 2010, the issue of food security was once again brought to the forefront of global attention. Wildfires in Russia, floods in Pakistan and Australia, and drought in China contributed to widespread concern about the cost and sustainability of the world’s food supply. With high and volatile food prices causing potential long-term problems for economic growth and poverty reduction, particularly in the developing world, the need for research-based policy responses is clear.

Nutrition has been gaining momentum as an important issue in high-level global development debates. Dr. David Nabarro of the UN High Level Task Force on the Food Security Crisis recently shared his views on how human nutrition is being prioritized, addressed, resourced, and assessed by different groups of stakeholders at global, regional, and national levels. At the 20th Annual Martin J. Forman Memorial Lecture, held on November 4 at the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington DC, Dr.