FAO Policy Guide for High Food Prices

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has released an updated guide for policy makers in developing countries on how to address the negative impacts of high food prices. "The experience of the 2007-2008 food crisis shows that in some cases, hastily taken decisions by governments to mitigate the impact of the crisis, have actually contributed to or exacerbated the crisis and aggravated its impact on food insecurity," said Richard China, Director of FAO's Policy and Programme Development Support Division.

China cited the case where export restrictions by surplus food-producing countries worsened the global food market situation. Prices went up further while depressing domestic prices and curtailing incentives to produce more food.

The FAO guide says there is no "one size fits all" solution. Instead, a mix of policy and programmatic actions have to be adapted to local conditions and agreed upon by key stakeholders in each specific country.

View the FAO press release at http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/49954/icode/