Lessons & Perspectives Dr. George Norton Agricultural and Applied Economics Virginia Tech Copyright 2006

Objectives Today: Finish discussion of food aid Finish discussion of food aid Summarize how components in course are linked Summarize how components in course are linked Consider prospects and challenges for the future Consider prospects and challenges for the future

The hunger problem and the solution process. Poor health Poor nutrition Low literacy Environmental degradation Hunger Low- and mal- distributed income Rapid population growth Short term food crises Political upheaval Natural disasters Need for long-term development Low productivity traditional agriculture Food aid and other development assistance Land reform Credit Marketing prices infrastructure communications Research, extension education New technologies available Adoption of new technologies More productive agriculture generating food, capital, and labor Income and employment up; hunger, population growth, and environmental degradation down Trade Development of nonagricultural sector Trade policy Industrial and macroeconomic policy

Seven Pro-poor Action Areas Investing in human resources – Education, health care Investing in human resources – Education, health care Improving access to productive resources and remunerative employment Improving access to productive resources and remunerative employment Improving markets, infrastructure, and institutions Improving markets, infrastructure, and institutions Expanding appropriate research, knowledge, and technology Expanding appropriate research, knowledge, and technology

Pro-poor actions continued Improving natural resource management- including secure water and land rights Improving natural resource management- including secure water and land rights Good governance Good governance Pro-poor national and international trade and macroeconomic policies Pro-poor national and international trade and macroeconomic policies

Prospects for the future Depend on region, stage of development, past investments in research, infrastructure, education, debt situation Depend on region, stage of development, past investments in research, infrastructure, education, debt situation Depend on restructuring of international institutions such as IMF, trade agreements Depend on restructuring of international institutions such as IMF, trade agreements

Global Food Security Challenges Declining investments in research and infrastructure Declining investments in research and infrastructure Water scarcity Water scarcity Climate change Climate change Malaria and HIV/AIDS Malaria and HIV/AIDS Need to transition to new energy sources Need to transition to new energy sources Continued conflicts especially in Africa Continued conflicts especially in Africa

There are no panaceas. Agricultural development requires a series of technical and institutional changes, with international linkages, facilitated by improved information flows.

Conclusion Women and their children in Ghana Bangladesh family Man with granddaughter in Ecuador