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Political Science > Agriculture & Food Policy

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Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Central African Republic: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
Selected Issues
Keywords:
reforming fuel price; import cost audit; cryptographic ambition; CAR authorities; fuel products; Virtual currencies; Food security; Fuel prices; Price structures; Global; Sub-Saharan Africa
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Central African Republic: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
This Selected Issues paper on the fintech and crypto assets in the Central African Republic (CAR). CAR’s initial steps in the form of the 2022 crypto law have created legal uncertainties at the Central African Economic and Monetary Community level and raised numerous concerns but some of the most controversial provisions have been recently revised. The authorities have proceeded with the launch of a digital coin named Sango and namesake platform-ecosystem with multifaceted features. While only a limited amount of coins have been issued and other elements of the project have not been launched, project Sango has attracted considerable interest as it can potentially bring opportunities through digitization, while also raising complex risks. This range from macro-fiscal and financial to financial integrity, governance, consumer protection and others. The Sango project appears too complex, creating interconnectedness between multiple sectors and private and public balance sheets in a manner, which could raise systemic risks, pointing to the importance of reconsidering the existing blueprint.
Keywords:
reforming fuel price; import cost audit; cryptographic ambition; CAR authorities; fuel products; Virtual currencies; Food security; Fuel prices; Price structures; Global; Sub-Saharan Africa
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Burkina Faso: Request for Disbursement Under the Rapid Credit Facility-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Burkina Faso
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
The paper presents Burkina Faso’s Request for Disbursement under the Rapid Credit Facility (RCF). This emergency financing under the Food Shock Window will help Burkina Faso address urgent balance of payment needs related to the global food crisis and mitigate the impact of the food shock on the most vulnerable. The authorities’ crisis response appropriately focuses on providing immediate food assistance to affected households, preventing malnutrition and improving drinking water supply, and protecting livestock and animal husbandry. The plans to prepare progress reports and audits on the implementation of the cash transfer program and all food emergency spending are important. Identification and publication of the beneficial owners of entities awarded public procurement contracts related to measures to address the food crisis would be key. The post-coronavirus disease 2019 economic recovery was disrupted by deteriorating security conditions, political uncertainty, and rising foodstuff prices because of Russia’s war in Ukraine, worsening the ongoing food crisis and weighing on the budget. Economic recovery in 2023 will depend on financing conditions, the security situation, and on efforts to mobilize domestic revenues to ensure priority public expenditure and public debt sustainability.
Keywords:
staff appraisal; NPV terms; HIPC initiative legacy; arrears from Burkina Faso; IMF team; Food security; Debt sustainability; Credit; Global; West Africa
Cover IMF Notes
Global Food Crisis Update: Recent Developments, Outlook, and IMF Engagement
Mr. Bjoern Rother
,
Mr. Sebastian Sosa
,
Majdi Debbich
,
Chiara Castrovillari
, and
Ervin Prifti
The global food crisis remains a major challenge. Food insecurity fueled by widely experienced increases in the cost of living has become a growing concern especially in low-income countries, even if price pressures on global food markets have softened somewhat since the onset of Russia’s war in Ukraine in February 2022. Targeted assistance to the most vulnerable households combined with policy measures to support trade and agriculture systems, including to better cope with climate shocks, can help countries withstand the fallout of the ongoing food crisis while building longer-term resilience. The IMF, working in close cooperation with other international organizations, has continued to contribute to international efforts to alleviate food insecurity by providing policy advice, capacity development, and financial support through Upper Credit Tranche Arrangements and the new Food Shock Window. New commitments to countries particularly affected by the global food crisis total $13.2 billion since February 2022, of which $3.7 billion has been disbursed as of March 2023.
Keywords:
Food insecurity; Russia’s war in Ukraine; global inflation; terms of trade shock; international cooperation; open trade; vulnerable households; agricultural production; IMF lending; IMF policy advice; capacity development
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Republic of Madagascar: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
This Selected Issues paper takes stock of developments in education, health, and social assistance and offers policy options in the Republic of Madagascar. The quality of education in Madagascar is falling with low school completion rates, a high share of untrained teachers, and declining test scores. Finding fiscal space to allocate more public resources to the education, health, and social protection sectors should be a key government priority. The resources currently budgeted for these sectors remain much lower than in other Sub-Saharan African countries and insufficient to improve development outcomes. Madagascar made some progress in improving access to primary education and basic health services, but the quality of the education system has deteriorated, significant human resource gaps remain in the health sector, and the poverty rate has increased. The paper recommends that in the area of social protection, identify clear and predictable funding sources with a view to gradually scale up existing social programs, while developing a national social registry to harmonize the social response among different interventions and actors and set a strong basis to gradually increase social assistance coverage of the vulnerable population.
Keywords:
policy recommendation; food value chain vulnerability; social spending; food inflation; education outcome; Climate change; Natural disasters; Food security; Sub-Saharan Africa; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Republic of Madagascar: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
This Selected Issues paper takes stock of developments in education, health, and social assistance and offers policy options in the Republic of Madagascar. The quality of education in Madagascar is falling with low school completion rates, a high share of untrained teachers, and declining test scores. Finding fiscal space to allocate more public resources to the education, health, and social protection sectors should be a key government priority. The resources currently budgeted for these sectors remain much lower than in other Sub-Saharan African countries and insufficient to improve development outcomes. Madagascar made some progress in improving access to primary education and basic health services, but the quality of the education system has deteriorated, significant human resource gaps remain in the health sector, and the poverty rate has increased. The paper recommends that in the area of social protection, identify clear and predictable funding sources with a view to gradually scale up existing social programs, while developing a national social registry to harmonize the social response among different interventions and actors and set a strong basis to gradually increase social assistance coverage of the vulnerable population.
Keywords:
policy recommendation; food value chain vulnerability; social spending; food inflation; education outcome; Climate change; Natural disasters; Food security; Sub-Saharan Africa; Global
Cover Selected Issues Papers
Food Insecurity in Nigeria: Food Supply Matters: Nigeria
Mr. Alun H. Thomas
and
Ms. Rima A Turk
Against the backdrop of high international food and fertilizer prices, this paper discusses food insecurity in Nigeria, investigates its drivers in a cross-country setting, and assesses the role of policies. Using two proxies for food security, we find that high per capita consumption, high yields and low food inflation support food security. Cross-country estimates of yields and production provided by the FAO/OECD reveal that use of inputs is lower in Nigeria than in other countries, and that policies to raise crop yields positively correlate with better food security conditions. The paper also uses detailed domestic commodity price indices to assess linkages with international prices and the role of import bans. Central bank policies for funding agriculture and import bans have not managed to stimulate agricultural output nor moderated the impact of international food prices. Rather, policies should focus on use of inputs that are severely underused in Nigeria as elsewhere in SSA.
Keywords:
Food insecurity; agriculture; yields; inputs; inflation support food security; food price inflation; vegetable oil; inflation differential; food inflation; food category; food import ratio; food consumption; food availability; food import reliance; Food security; Food prices; Consumption; Agricultural commodities; Food imports; Global
Cover Selected Issues Papers
Economic Effects of Climate Change and Food Insecurity in Niger: Niger
Diogo Miguel Salgado Baptista
,
Yoro Diallo
, and
Mr. Arsene Kaho
Niger’s exposure to recurrent shocks, including climate shocks, increases its vulnerability to food insecurity. This paper aims to quantify the combined effects of climate shocks and food insecurity on key economic variables and identify the most effective mitigation policy responses using a general equilibrium model. Results indicate that rural households would be the most affected by a climate shock resulting in a decline in domestic agricultural production, which would reduce their consumption, erode their capital, and thus increase urban-rural inequalities. Simulations show that cash transfers and the reduction of internal mobility costs appear to be more effective in mitigating the impact on households of a climate shock on agricultural production.
Keywords:
Climate Change; Food Insecurity; General Equilibrium Model; Niger; Niger's exposure; mitigation policy response; cash transfer; food goods; equilibrium goods price; utility function; factory gate; consumption requirement; food consumption; consumption bundle Cit; calorie consumption kcalit; iceberg trade cost; cost imports; Consumption; Food security; Income; Sub-Saharan Africa; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Nigeria: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
This Selected Issues paper presents stylized facts about food insecurity in Nigeria, investigates its drivers in a cross-country setting, and assesses the role of policies. The paper describes regional aspects of Nigeria’s food insecurity and compares the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 and the war in Ukraine on food security in Nigeria and other countries. It also provides an overview of agricultural production and consumption in Nigeria. The paper investigates the drivers of food security using an empirical cross-country framework including demand, supply, and price factors, and offers thoughts on policies to improve agricultural yields and production. The important role of inputs is evident in the policy experience of comparator countries. Nigeria has achieved a substantial increase in agricultural production associated with its policies but some have been less successful. Import dependency for key staples has not fallen and the cost of these agricultural products remains driven by international prices. Further, central bank credit to the agricultural sector has not succeeded in increasing production beyond the stimulus of high rainfall and high food prices.
Keywords:
EIU FOOD INSECURITY index; World wheat price inflation; tax revenue mobilization; food supply; fuel subsidy reform; food price inflation; Mobile banking; Financial inclusion; Food security; Excises; Global; Sub-Saharan Africa
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Haiti: Request for the Disbursement Under the Credit Facility-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Haiti
International Monetary Fund. Western Hemisphere Dept.
This paper discusses Haiti’s Request for Disbursement under the Rapid Credit Facility (RCF). While Haiti’s population was already suffering severe malnutrition and food insecurity before the war in Ukraine, especially its suffering has been compounded by the surge in food commodity prices. IMF emergency support under the food shock window of the RCF will help fill the balance of payment gap and support those most affected by food price rises through feeding programs and cash and in-kind transfers to vulnerable households, waives school fees and other measures. The combination of appropriate macroeconomic and structural policies under the Staff-Monitored Program (SMP) provides additional safeguards for the IMF’s outstanding obligations. While providing adequate liquidity support to the financial sector, the central bank should reduce monetary financing of the deficit and limit foreign exchange interventions to smoothing volatility. The SMP is also catalytic to donor support. A successful implementation of Haiti’s SMP would be key in the process of restoring macroeconomic stability and sustainability, strengthening the social safety net, and tackling governance weaknesses and corruption.
Keywords:
record price inflation; SMP objective; international community; Haitian authorities; transparency policy; governance Diagnostic; Commodity price shocks; Debt sustainability analysis; Credit; Global