By Julian Pecquet
Posted on Tuesday, 11 October 2022 10:13
Taming runaway food prices and their devastating impact on national economies and people’s livelihoods is a key concern as the world’s financial policymakers gather in Washington this week for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.
A series of calamities, including global warming, the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has driven food prices up worldwide, almost 40% over the past two years, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. Africa, with its heavy reliance on imports for key staples, such as wheat, palm oil and rice, has been among the regions hardest hit, with consumer prices up 19% in the past year alone.
READ MORE Stop blaming Russia-Ukraine War for Africa’s fertiliser woes
Related increases in the price of fuel and fertiliser have only made things worse by straining domestic food production and distribution, while the rising value of the US greenback has made imports of dollar-denominated items from refined petroleum to agrochemicals far more expensive.
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