How effectively does multilateral food aid respond to fluctuating needs?

This paper tests the targeting efficacy of multilateral food aid at the level of nation states, exploring whether it stabilizes food availability in recipient economies, flows most to those with the greatest need, or both. We find that, unlike bilateral flows from the United States under PL 480, mul...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Food policy 2002-10, Vol.27 (5), p.477-491
Main Authors: Barrett, C.B., Heisey, K.C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Distribution
Food
Food aid
Food policy
Inequality
Multilateralism
Nation state
Policy studies
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Summary:This paper tests the targeting efficacy of multilateral food aid at the level of nation states, exploring whether it stabilizes food availability in recipient economies, flows most to those with the greatest need, or both. We find that, unlike bilateral flows from the United States under PL 480, multilateral food aid distribution by the World Food Programme flows countercyclically, thereby stabilizing food availability in recipient economies. WFP flows also exhibit significant progressivity at the regional level, helping to resolve international inequalities in food availability per capita.
ISSN:0306-9192
1873-5657
DOI:10.1016/S0306-9192(02)00050-7