My Opinion: Food Aid vs. Food Dumping
In my opinion, the main purpose of food aid is to help people, so if it isn't then we need to reevaluate food aid policies. Food aid has presented too many problems for the current system to continue the way it is. At this point, I think that food aid is doing more harm than good. In recent years there have been proposals for improving food aid. Below are some ways in which the current food aid system could be greatly improved. Each of the ideas below help to prevent against food dumping.
What should we do?
When another country is in need, the rest of the world shouldn't just stand around. At the same time, we also do not want to do more damage by food dumping. We must find the most beneficial balance between giving to others, and allowing them to be self-sufficient. Here are a few ways in which we can do this:
1. Support local farmers in developing countries by providing them with the necessary supplies for them to thrive (Stewart, 2012)
2. Provide aid during emergencies and natural disasters (Stewart, 2012)
3. Meet with local leaders of developing countries and set guidelines for how much we should give and what is most needed (Watkins & von Braun, 2003)
4. Help to support education in developing countries by donating school supplies or money (Stewart, 2012)
5. Send agricultural products that the farmers in developing countries are not able to grow, therefore reducing competition on local goods (Stewart, 2012)
The video below, which was created by the World Food Programme, demonstrates several examples as to how we can reduce world hunger without food dumping.
1. Support local farmers in developing countries by providing them with the necessary supplies for them to thrive (Stewart, 2012)
2. Provide aid during emergencies and natural disasters (Stewart, 2012)
3. Meet with local leaders of developing countries and set guidelines for how much we should give and what is most needed (Watkins & von Braun, 2003)
4. Help to support education in developing countries by donating school supplies or money (Stewart, 2012)
5. Send agricultural products that the farmers in developing countries are not able to grow, therefore reducing competition on local goods (Stewart, 2012)
The video below, which was created by the World Food Programme, demonstrates several examples as to how we can reduce world hunger without food dumping.