Agricultural Globalization in Reverse: The Impact of the Food Crisis in West Africa

John Staatz, Nango Dembele, Valerie Kelly () and Ramziath Adjao

No 55466, Food Security Collaborative Working Papers from Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

Abstract: Trade bans and high international food prices are pushing many West African countries away from their historical reliance on regional and international trade as a key component of their food security strategies. No longer confident that international and regional markets are reliable sources of basic staples, many countries are pushing for greater food self sufficiency—a sort of agricultural globalization in reverse. This paper examines West Africa’s globalization in reverse and raises a number of questions about what role regional and international trade should play in the region’s future quest for food security. The objective is to stimulate discussion about the different strategies available to West African governments for ensuring food security in the current environment of high world market prices for staple foods. These strategies need to take into account not only the need to provide safety nets for vulnerable groups who cannot afford the higher food costs but also the need to stimulate production in response to growing regional and world demand.

Keywords: Food Security and Poverty; International Relations/Trade (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 19
Date: 2008-09
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (14)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:midcwp:55466

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.55466

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