Blog Post #14- Food Dumping Is Not As Good As It Seems

When it comes to under-developed nations, many wealthier Countries want to pitch in and help with the relief efforts. From donating money and school supplies to one of the most important ways to help less fortunate Countries to date: supplying them with food which many are lacking. Giving food do donations is often seen as an act of kindness and smiled upon. However, is it completely curing poverty or is it just causing more? The food that gets shipped to these under-developed nations are always free, subsidised and below market prices. This process is called food dumping. Although it is an act of kindness, it is actually building into the cycle of poverty and causing more. If you are reading this now, you may be thinking that I am crazy, but the fact has been proven and debated. Even though previous individuals that have been starving get food, what happens to the farmers that take care of the crops and give them away to these nations? Local farmers become undercut because they cannot compete and are driven out of jobs and into poverty, further slanting the market share of the larger producers such as those from the US and Europe. This is one of the ways that food dumping is not as good as it seems and how it fits into the cycle of poverty. As well, food dumping from wealthier Countries floods the market and drives down the value of crops in poor Countries so far that it is more economical for them to import the food or accept it as foreign aid than to invest in their own agricultural development. Therefore, reducing possible job opportunities.

One solution that I would put forward for this issue of food dumping is to change the economic system in the developing nation to reduce the impact of dumping. Lower costs and less tariffs to make the transition of food significant and not just one big long term mess.