Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Food Aid But Were Afraid to Ask

Three food aid delivery systems are discussed. They illustrate the possible benefits and costs related to food aid activities. Case one is an example of anticipated food aid obligaticns, where commitmeots to food aid relief increase domestic produc:ticn in the dcnor nation. Case two illustrates the sibJation where potential export markets are autailed by a lack of foreign exchange, thereby leading to balance-of-paymeots support by the dcnor nation. Case three illustrates how food surpluses can be disposed of through food aid programmes. The Consultative Subcommiuee on Swplus Disposal (CSSD) was established to ensure that normal canmercial trade and recipient agriculwral production were not adversely affected by food assistance programmes. The analysis reported on here reveals that the CSSD is clearly hampered in its attempts to fulfil its mandate, although it is still a necessary watchdog of food aid activities. The CSSD could be better used if the impact of food aid activities were better understood