U.S. food aid: time to get it right

This paper takes a critical look at food aid, particularly U.S. food aid. It argues that much U.S. food aid, especially non-emergency food aid, is not nearly as effective as it could be and some of it is unacceptable. The paper concludes by recommending&nbsp;fundamental changes to U.S. food aid practices and a stronger rules-based approach to food aid in the multilateral system.&nbsp;<br /><br />The paper considers the following issues: food security, as the context in which food aid should operate the mechanics of food aid: who gives what food, in what ways, to whom, comparing the U.S. to other donor states and multilateral institutions food aid to sub-Saharan Africa and how this interacts with the wider context of food security and agricultural development the main criticisms of U.S. food aid, related specifically to the dominance of domestic interests, including commercial shipping and food processing firms and the role of PVOs international and local market problems that poorly planned and implemented food aid programs cause. Key points include the following: U.S. in-kind food aid&mdash;the transfer of food grown in the U.S. for distribution or sale abroad that makes up the bulk of U.S. food aid&mdash;is a grossly inefficient resource transfer large sums of money are paid to prop up U.S. shipping firms and to buy food at higher than market prices from U.S. based food processors and other agribusinesses U.S. private voluntary organizations (PVOs) generate millions of dollars of revenue for their operating costs and for development aid by selling U.S. commodities in local markets in developing countries a well-organised U.S. lobby advocating the status quo is an obstacle to reforms that would make U.S. food aid more effective to make a&nbsp;real contribution to development, a food aid programme&nbsp;must not only meet emergency needs, but must also help build sustainable and self-reliant food systems for the future. The paper makes a number of detailed&nbsp;recommendations for reforming U.S. food aid, which include: transition to untied, cash-based food aid phase out sales of food aid impose strict limits on in-kind food aid invest in agriculture establish strong and enforceable multilateral guidelines and trade rules. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />