FAO, ECLAC and IICA will promote two high level intergovernmental forums in Chile and El Salvador to examine the threats and opportunities arising from this situation.
Santiago de Chile, June 1, 2011 (ECLAC-FAO-IICA). In the face of increases and volatility in food prices, FAO, ECLAC and IICA will organize two forums to bring together governments in Latin America and the Caribbean to analyze the responses already in place and the measures that are still to be taken to tackle this situation in the future.
On June 7 and 8, the situation facing South America will be discussed, while on June 15 and 16, the governments of Central America will gather in San Salvador, El Salvador.
The seminars are being promoted by the Economic Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA). The Regional Unit for Technical Assistance will also participate in the Central-American seminar.
According to Alan Bojanic, the Representative of the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean of the FAO, “High food prices represent an opportunity for farmers, but it is the poorest persons who are the most impacted by increases in food prices, since they sometimes spend up to 60% of their income on food. Governments have reacted in different ways, but we need a broader debate on what we can do jointly to tackle this situation”.
Given that the forecasts point to continued high and volatile food prices in the years to come, the agencies consider this strategic topic to be one that cannot be avoided by the governments of the region, since it has a direct impact on poverty levels and food security.
In a recent statement, the Executive Secretary of ECLAC, Alicia Bárcena declared: “High prices tend to increase inflationary pressures, reduce food consumption by the poorest segments of the population and generate unsustainable imbalances in the countries’current accounts”.
While food price increases present opportunities for agriculture in food-exporting countries, they represent serious risks for the countries that import food and for the most vulnerable segments of the population.
In support of this argument, Víctor Villalobos, Director General of IICA concured, “All things considered, we must make a greater effort to invest more in agricultural innovation and technology, and create opportunities for dialogue that will allow our countries to be pre-emptive and to take the appropriate decisions to guarantee food security”.
In both seminars, the government representatives and the agencies will examine alternatives for intervention, identify opportunities for collaboration and analyze the lessons learnt by each country in this situation.
Prices remain high and volatile
Despite the fact that annual food inflation in Latin America and the Caribbean has been exhibiting a downward trend since the beginning of 2011, it has remained higher than inflation in general, impacting mainly the the most vulnerable populations within the region.
At the global level, international food prices in April 2011 continued to be 36% higher than in April 2010.
The forums that will be held in Santiago and San Salvador are part of a series of high level seminars that the FAO has been promoting throughout the world. Intergovernmental meetings have already been held in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Central Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
For more information:
ECLAC-FAO-IICA Bulletin “Price volatility in agricultural markets (2000-2010) : implications for Latin America and policy options” (Spanish only).
Monthly report of the FAO Food prices in Latin America and the Caribbean (Spanish only).
Press contact:
ECLAC
dpisantiago@cepal.org
(56 2) 210 2040
www.twitter.com/cepal_onu
FAO – Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean
Lucas Tavares lucas.tavares@fao.org
(56-2) 923 2314, (56 9) 9802 7300
Cristián Albagly cristian.albagly@fao.org
(56-2) 923 2176
RLC-prensa@fao.org
www.twitter.com/FAONoticias
IICA
Patricia León patricia.leon@iica.int
(506) 2216 0310
www.twitter.com/IICAnoticias
www.facebook.com/IICAnoticias
