Political Science > Agriculture & Food Policy

You are looking at 1 - 7 of 7 items for :

  • Type: Journal Issue x
  • Labour; income economics x
Clear All Modify Search
Chen Chen
,
Koralai Kirabaeva
, and
Danchen Zhao
Financially constrained governments, particularly in emerging and developing economies, tend to face a fiscal trade-off between adapting to climate change impacts and pursuing broader development goals. This trade-off is especially relevant in the agriculture sector, where investing in adaptation is critical to ensure food security amidst climate change. International trade can help alleviate this challenge and reduce adaptation investment needs by offsetting agricultural production shortages. However, in the presence of trade fragmentation, the adaptive role of trade diminishes, exacerbating food insecurity and increasing investment needs for adaptation. In this paper, we present a model to guide policymakers in deciding on the cost-efficient balance between investing in adaptation in the agricultural sector versus in broader development under financing and trade constraints. We apply the model to Ghana, Egypt, and Brazil, to examine the adaptation-development trade-off and highlight factors that would potentially lower adaptation investment needs. These factors include trade openness, higher agricultural productivity and efficiency of adaptation spending, and reduced labor market distortions. The key takeaways from the model applications suggest that (i) promoting trade openness and accessing concessional finance for adaptation help tackle climate challenges and ensure food security in lower-income countries; and (ii) domestic structural reforms are necessary to facilitate adaptation investments and reduce investment needs, by improving labor market flexibility, adaptation efficiency, and agriculture productivity.
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
This Selected Issues paper highlights trends, impacts, and policy implications in Burkina Faso. Regional insecurity has also created increased cross-border displacement, both into and out of Burkina Faso. Burkina Faso has devised several policy responses, including in cooperation with international partners. Despite these measures, the persistent crisis of forced displacement means that the need for humanitarian assistance remains. A successful strategy for addressing the displacement crisis should be broad-based in terms of partners and approaches. Given the country's economic and financial challenges, an in-depth understanding is needed of the economic impact of forced displacement and possible solutions. In other countries, studies show positive economic outcomes to host regions of forced displacement. The inclusion of forced displaced persons in the Unified Social Register and national social nets programs would facilitate the implementation of assistance and, along with other national repositories help improve urban management and budget planning.
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
Le Burkina Faso est confronté à d’importants besoins en matière de balance des paiements et de sécurité aggravés par une insécurité alimentaire aiguë et une instabilité politique. Les autorités ont obtenu en mars 2023 un financement d’urgence de la part du FMI au titre du guichet « chocs alimentaires » de la facilité de crédit rapide pour répondre à la crise provoquée par l’insécurité alimentaire, qui demeure très vive dans certaines régions. L’aide internationale au développement a diminué après les deux coups d’État militaires survenus en 2022. Le Burkina Faso est parvenu à un accord avec la Communauté économique des États d’Afrique de l’Ouest (CEDEAO) sur un retour à l’ordre constitutionnel et des élections doivent se dérouler d’ici juillet 2024.
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
This paper discusses Burkina Faso’s Request for a Four-Year Arrangement Under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF). Burkina Faso faces protracted balance of payments problems, reflecting large development needs and the impact of shocks such as the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, adverse weather conditions, deteriorating domestic security, the food insecurity crisis, and spillovers from Russia’s war in Ukraine. These shocks have disrupted economic activity, affected livelihoods, and exacerbated macroeconomic imbalances. The ECF will help create fiscal space for priority spending, strengthen resilience to shocks while reducing poverty, and bolster fiscal discipline, transparency and governance. It will also help close financing gaps reflecting tight financial conditions, large fiscal deficits, debt vulnerabilities, food insecurity, and fragile security conditions. For the country’s long-term development process, it remains essential to sustain structural reforms to foster economic growth and diversification as well as to reduce poverty. In this context, further efforts to improve the business environment, reinforce governance and anticorruption efforts, and address the security crisis are critical.
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
This Selected Issues paper focuses on climate vulnerabilities and food insecurity in Mali. Mali is extremely vulnerable to climate change and the country is already facing acute climate-related challenges from higher temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events. The impact of climate change has also contributed to a rise in food insecurity, with almost a quarter of the population expected to be either facing food insecurity or at risk of doing so by mid-2023. That is already having a hugely damaging effect on Mali’s economy and action is needed immediately to avoid a further increase in food insecurity. Building future resilience to climate change will require effective adaptation strategies in the primary sector. With climate change already adding to food insecurity in Mali, there is an urgent need to address these related issues. The country is extremely vulnerable to climate change, and food insecurity is rising. Any further increase in food insecurity has the potential to exacerbate social tensions, with the risk of further conflict. It will also have a lasting adverse impact on economic growth and poverty. There is therefore a pressing need to act immediately.
International Monetary Fund
This Joint Staff Advisory Note describes the progress made on the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) in Sierra Leone on the basis of the June 2008 progress report. The report analyzes key elements of the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS), including: macroeconomic performance; good governance, peace, and security; pro-poor sustainable growth for food security and job creation; human resource development; and monitoring and evaluation of the PRS. The progress report correctly indicates that implementation of poverty reduction programs suffered setbacks owing to weak revenue performance and delays in external budget support since late 2006.
International Monetary Fund
The aim of the paper is to shift the focus of famine analysis away from food supply towards the macroeconomic determinants of food entitlement—i.e., to the ability of individuals to purchase food. Towards this end, we develop a model to demonstrate how loose monetary and fiscal policies may give rise to famine even when there is no change in per capita food output. We illustrate our findings with a description of the 1974 Bangladesh famine.