Ahead of the new year, Senior Research Fellow at CGIAR’s International Food Policy Research Institute Dr. David Laborde sat down with us for an interview. Reflecting on the state of play, David identifies areas for both optimism and pessimism in 2023 and calls for solidarity, leadership and systems reform to address the global food crisis. Find below an adapted transcript of this interview.
– QUESTION 1–
Recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, devastating climate events and an ongoing war in the world’s breadbasket – where are we at year’s end on the global food crisis and the state of food systems?
Beyond the most vulnerable countries, I think the world has really realised how food systems are sensitive, both economically and politically. Food price inflation has become a topic in every country, from the U.K. to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and so there is a global concern and realisation of what is at stake.”
– QUESTION 2 –
What can we expect to see in 2023 on the global food crisis?
On the positive side, hopefully peace will come in Ukraine and we will not see more conflict in the world. We have already seen the third year of the major climatic event called La Niña and we hope that the weather will go back to normal.
Now something we really have to worry about is the macro-economic situation and the debt crisis that a number of low and middle-income countries now face. Therefore the food insecurity situation may not be driven by the agricultural system, coming from climate shock or a conflict in a specific part of the world, but much more on the macro-economic front.”
– QUESTION 3 –
What are the biggest threats to global food systems and the current crises? What are the biggest opportunities for change and low hanging fruit?
In the medium term, the major risk is actually climate change and how the climate crisis is going to put our food systems under more and more stress, particularly in countries that are very vulnerable today in the tropics area. We really have to care about these countries that are already in a difficult situation today, in an economic situation that is very fragile and exposed to more and more climate shocks.
To be honest, I think we have to stop looking for low hanging fruit. We really need to transform the food system and to demonstrate global solidarity and that is not going to happen overnight. There is action that has to be taken very quickly, even if they do not bring a reward tomorrow. There are no easy and cheap solutions. We have a set of actions that require investing in the food system, both in the North and South, to make sure that farmers have access to technology and options that help them address the current crises. Actions that also make the overall system more equal because economic inequalities will remain a major threat to food security, as it is the poorest people that are the most food insecure.”
– QUESTION 4 –
Both domestically and internationally, what actions does the UK Gov’t need to take in 2023 to save lives, build resilience and secure the future now?
Money matters. Allocating and preserving a good level of spending in foreign aid will be key, even when the economic situation at home is challenging. Yes it can be politically difficult but when we think about global development and solidarity, you do not do it when it is convenient. What you can do is not what should drive action, it is what the world needs – and that would be a reminder to everyone. When you think about helping your neighbour, it is not just when you want but when it is needed.
Globally yes, I think that the U.K. can assert intellectual leadership, because beyond their economic size and their limited economic means, the U.K. is still one of the major voices in the world. The world needs leadership, especially on this global food crisis. We need a bit less conversation and a bit more action.”
– QUESTION 5 –
Looking toward to the U.S. Africa Summit, G20 hosted by India, Japan as Chair of the G7 and UAE holding the COP28 Presidency – how should these institutions and world leaders generally be approaching the global food crisis?
All these meetings are useful if people take decisions and go into action mode. Just gathering to discuss will not deliver what the world needs and that is where we need strong leadership. The agenda will start with the meeting of President Biden and the Heads of State of Africa in the White House in December, where obviously food security is part of the discussion. The continent of Africa itself next year will host the fertiliser and health summit that creates a 10 year action plan and so it is very important to have global partners aligned with Africa’s vision for their own development.
India has also its own vision of food security so during the G20, we need to find a consensus for the delivery of a global vision and action. And last but not least, Japan will lead the discussions on the G7, which still represents more or less half of international aid for food security. Therefore the G7 is an advocacy opportunity to make sure that they deploy their resources in the correct manner but also ensure that they maintain a high level of investment will be key.”
Dr. David Laborde Debucquet joined the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Washington DC, in 2007. He is a Senior Research Fellow in the Markets, Trade and Institutions Division and the Theme Leader on Macroeconomics and Trade. IFPRI is a a research centre of CGIAR, the world’s largest agricultural innovation network.
His research interests include globalization, international trade, measurement and modeling of protectionism, multilateral and regional trade liberalization as well as environmental issues (climate change, biofuels). He has developed the MAcMapHS6 and the ADEPTA databases on tariffs as well as the TASTE software. He is a contributor to the GTAP database and a GTAP research fellow since 2005. Recently, he has been focusing on costing the roadmap to achieving SDG2 in a globalized context while considering the role of goods, capital, and migration flows.
