Faced with the risk of famine in several southern countries, the commodity specialist also wants the emergence of a new agricultural model.
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How to prevent what the UN calls “famine hurricanes“? With the war in Ukraine, the prices of basic agricultural materials are reaching record highs, because Ukraine and Russia are major exporters, and the countries that import these foodstuffs find themselves in difficulty. Eco guest of franceinfo, Tuesday 12 April, the economist Christian de Perthuis, founder of the Climate Economics Chair at Paris-Dauphine University, pleads for emergency solutions, and also for new agricultural policies.Western countries have a role to play.
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“Short termhe explains, the urgency is to make the markets work properly (…) States can intervene, consult each other, stock and destock”even though “It’s very difficult, especially because Europe no longer has a safety stock and has withdrawn from market management”. For the economist, it is also necessary to activate without waiting for a “emergency food aid”without destabilizing local markets in southern countries, which need to transform.
In the medium term, the best response to the risk of famine is to accelerate the development of food crops in developing countries, and to protect small producers against international competition.
Christian de Perthuis, economiston franceinfo
Without action, a serious food crisis threatens, believes the specialist. The FAO food price index rose another 12.6% last month: “Never has the real price of basic agricultural materials been so high for sixty years.”