The latest global food price spike which peaked in mid 2008 put the issue of staple food price volatility and its impacts on impoverished people’s ability to access reliably adequate food in the spotlight—particularly given the vast majority of poor people, including subsistence farmers, are net buyers of food. How do events like this impact on the livelihoods of vulnerable groups in developing countries? What actions should or should not be taken by governments in developed and developing nations in response? Our research looks at short, medium, and long-term drivers of the crisis, as well as how it was transmitted from world markets to poor households, at the coping strategies adopted by individuals, the policy responses of governments, and the mitigating actions taken by civil society, humanitarian groups, and international agencies. We welcome engagement with other organisations working in this area. Key publications to look for over the next several months include a synthesis study of impacts on the vulnerable, a study on transmission of international prices to the domestic level, a study on effectiveness of responses taken by individuals, governments, international agencies, and civil society groups in the wake of the crisis, and a look back at the underlying causes.
Objectives
The aim of this programme will be to:
- Improve understanding of the causes, consequences, and remedial policy options of the sharp rise in world food prices seen since 2007;
- Contribute to public policy debates concerning the rise in food prices; and to,
- Provide evidence and analysis to assist DFID’s Food Team, Policy Division, as well as other parts of DFID including country offices.
Activities and proposed programme of work
The objectives will be met by three sets of activities: a planned programme of studies; additional studies that respond to the needs of DFID as and when they arise; and communications and dissemination.
Food prices update February 2012
Food prices update January 2012
Food prices update November 2011
Food Prices – is the only way up?
Food price dynamics: Where to now?
Where are prices of cereals headed over the next ten years? And what does this imply for policy?
These questions were addressed at a workshop with presentations from Merritt Cluff of FAO, Dirk Willenbockel from IDS and Chris Gilbert from...
Incorporating global food price spikes into the risk management agenda
Food prices update September 2011
International rapid responses to the global food crisis of 2007-08
Food prices update August 2011
Food prices update July 2011
Food prices update June 2011
Food prices update May 2011
Food prices update April 2011
Impact of the global food crisis on the poor: what is the evidence?
This review draws together evidence from field studies on the effects of high food prices and compares this evidence with the predictions made at the beginning of the 2007–08 price spike.
Food Price Crisis Frequently Asked Questions
The issue of rising food prices came to international attention in early 2008. This document answers the following questions about the crisis and responses to it.
Non‐staple foods & micro‐nutrient status: effects of the 2007/08 food price spike
This paper considers the food price spike of 2007/08, non‐staple foods, and people’s micro‐nutrient status — that is their supply and use of vitamins, minerals and trace elements needed in small amounts to allow full physical development and functioning.
...Country responses to the food price crisis 2007/08: Case studies from Bangladesh, Nicaragua, and Sierra Leone
This report uses three country case studies to look at responses to the 2007/8 food price spike
Preparing for future shocks to international staple food prices
The objective of this paper is to review the policy options available to deal with future food price spikes.
What caused the food price spike of 2007/08? Lessons for world cereals markets
Since cereals prices began to rise rapidly in 2007, there have been attempts to explain why; now there have been sufficient analyses to identify what is reasonably known and agreed, and what remains in doubt.
Impact of the global financial and economic situation on agricultural markets and food security
This paper considers the impact of the global financial crisis on agricultural markets and food security.
Grain stocks and price spikes
Current state of food security in Africa and the Africa–EU partnership on the Millennium Development Goals
This paper, prepared for Second Joint Experts Group Meeting, Africa-EU MDGs Partnership, Sub Group on Priority Action 2: Accelerate the Food Security targets of the MDGs, (24 March 2009, Pretoria) has been drafted to summarise the current state of food...
Rising food prices: A global crisis
This Briefing Paper examines the causes of rising food prices, expected trends, the likely impact, and possible policy responses.