Preface


Since 2007, two rounds of food price hikes have contributed to millions of people being hungry or mal- nourished. Te same factors that contributed to the 2007–08 food price crisis triggered similar price spikes in 2011—factors including a declining growth rate of agricultural productivity, high energy prices leading to expanded biofuel production, depreciation of the US dollar, strong demand from emerging economies for agricultural products, and weather shocks. With such complex forces at work, it is clear that the food policies necessary to ensure that all people have access to safe, sufficient, nutritious, and sustain- ably grown food must go beyond traditional agricultural production. Fitingly, demand for evidence-based research to inform those policies is higher than ever, and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) produces global public goods to respond to that need. IFPRI’s 2011 Global Food Policy Report—the first in a new annual series—provides an in-depth, con-


textualized look at the past year’s major food policy developments and events. It both raises and answers these key questions: What happened in food policy in 2011 and why? What challenges and opportunities resulted? What could have been done differently? What should be done in the future? In 2011, agriculture moved to the forefront of the international development agenda. In addition to pro-


ducing adequate food, agriculture’s crucial role in improving nutrition and health, sustainably making use of land and other natural resources, and helping to address global threats like climate change has received long-overdue recognition. Investments in the sector are rising, and contributions are coming from indus- trialized countries as well as emerging and developing economies, the private sector, and philanthropic entities. In addition to higher investments, policymakers also scaled up collaboration across borders, in particular in their efforts to control food price volatility through the provision of beter market informa- tion. Tis type of global policymaking must continue to take into account that legislation in one country (particularly trade and environmental policies regarding biofuels) can harm food security in others. Inter- national agenda-seting meetings, like the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Develop- ment in June 2012, cannot neglect the concerns of the poor. As the humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa starkly reminds us, however, research agendas and information-sharing are not enough to avert or solve a problem; preventive actions are also needed. Te topics covered in the 2011 Global Food Policy Report were selected aſter numerous consultations by


a strategic advisory council consisting of policymakers, researchers, and other experts that sought to rep- resent the most profound, relevant, and broadly applicable food policy issues that arose in 2011. IFPRI’s Board of Trustees and senior staff then provided feedback on major development and research topics, and a review of related print and broadcast media from 2011 was conducted. Finally, leading policymakers and food experts from around the world were asked for their opinions on how to best capture national and regional perspectives. Contributions were commissioned from experts, scholars, and stakeholders on topics that represent


either a new development in food policy, a major change in food policy, or a new way of looking at a food policy issue. Te topics are regional or global in scope and feature high-quality research results as well as expert opinions that will enhance the quality of debate. IFPRI’s 2011 Global Food Policy Report is the first of its kind, and I hope it will contribute to an


enriched research agenda that informs sound food policies to the benefit of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. I welcome your feedback, comments, and suggestions at ifpri@cgiar.org.


SHENGGEN FAN Director General


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