Topic: Global Food Crisis
Country: Paraguay
Delegate Name: Allie Surman
School: Forest Hills Central High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Paraguay position papers GLIMUN 2008 committees
The World Food Crisis has become in an immense predicament across the globe. The World Bank reports that global food prices rose 83% over the last three years and the FAO cites a 45% increase in their world food price index, solely in the past nine months. As of March 2008, average wheat prices were 152% above their level a year earlier, price of corn increased 122%, beef increased 20%, and the price of bananas increased 24%. The food crisis seemed to come up unexpectedly and appeared to explode overnight.
Rising food prices are a rising policy challenge for both middle-income and low-income countries in the region of Paraguay. It seems that a fundamental transformation in global supply and demand is the cause of the current food price inflation. This shift has been shaped by factors ranging from increased demand for biofuels and higher energy prices to poor harvests in key producers and climate change. Even though the country of Paraguay is a net seller of food, most people in the country are net buyers and are negatively affected by these intensifying food prices. Poor people are affected even more because a great deal of their income is relied solely on food. This crisis causes people to have serious nutritional and health consequences. The health and nutrition of the poor are a priority of Paraguay’s Government for reasons of impartiality.
Paraguay has a couple of ideas for solutions on the issue. Implicit subsidies, such as price controls, keep agricultural prices artificially low and thereby adversely affect agricultural supply. Targeted interventions such as school feeding programs, food stamps, and food for work programs protect poor people’s real income and insulate their consumption from food prices. The solution is in need of money to help the poor survive, which Paraguay would be looking for UN financial assistance. Governments are focusing on strategies to help households cope. The World Bank Stated, “Bank support to regional governments thus includes financing, technical assistance, and analytical work.” What Governments of different countries would need to do is make sure that these components are made to fit the country’s certain requirements. Paraguay is also looking to expand on current programs. Another statement Paraguay has made is that food should be used for what it is intended for, and not so much to be used as a biofuel.
Paraguay believes that this world food crisis is a very important issue, and needs to be resolved as soon as possible. The health and nutrition is very important to the citizens of Paraguay and the sooner this conflict gets resolved, the faster the number of malnourished people will diminish.
