Does Food Aid Stabilize Food Availability?

Barrett, Christopher B.

doi:10.2139/ssrn.146030

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Does Food Aid Stabilize Food Availability?

Cornell University, Department of Agricultural, Resource and Managerial Economics Working Paper No. 99-01

22 Pages Posted: 23 Jan 1999

See all articles by Christopher B. Barrett

Christopher B. Barrett

Cornell University - Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics & Management

There are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: January 1999

Abstract

This paper explores the empirical relationship between U.S. food aid flows per capita and nonconcessional food availability per capita in PL 480 recipient economies. The evidence suggests PL 480, while modestly progressive in its distribution, is if anything procyclical in recipient economies. Food aid fails to stabilize food availability. Both increased domestic food production--i.e., agricultural development--and commercial trade appear more effective than food aid in advancing food security objectives through the stabilization of food availability per capita in low-income economies.

JEL Classification: O1, Q1, F1

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Barrett, Christopher B., Does Food Aid Stabilize Food Availability? (January 1999). Cornell University, Department of Agricultural, Resource and Managerial Economics Working Paper No. 99-01, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=146030 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.146030