The International Monetary Fund (IMF) appealed this Thursday to the governments of sub-Saharan Africa to be judicious in defining policies and public spending, taking into account the forecast that more than 12% of Africans face food insecurity.
“Addressing the lack of resilience to climate change and the resulting chronic food insecurity will require careful prioritization of policies, given financial and capacity constraints,” the Fund says in a new report, stating that at least 123 million people, or about 12% of the region’s population, “may be extremely food insecure, severely malnourished, or unable to meet their basic food needs.”
Global warming is contributing to a rise in the number of hungry people, with East Africa experiencing one of the worst droughts in its history, following the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic and the impact of the war in Ukraine. , which caused an increase in the price of food grains, says the Fund in the text quoted by Agence France-Presse.
The impact on the economy of the covid-19 pandemic was combined with a rise in grain prices fueled by the war in Ukraine, the IMF also notes.
Despite many challenges, some trade, regulatory and market liberalization reforms are feasible, the IMF says, warning against the temptation to help by intervening in agricultural production and food distribution.
“Interventions without a concrete approach can be inefficient and weigh on national budgets, increase food prices, hinder competition and reduce crop yields,” reads the text released in Washington, which points out that “the Price controls and lengthy regulatory processes contribute to disruptions in the food supply. availability by discouraging food production, storage and trade”.
Rather, the IMF recommends “local government engagement, such as support for research and development to increase agricultural resilience and productivity.”
Source: Observadora
