Proposed strategies for mitigating the impact of high food prices on nutrition and health in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Abstract

High food prices are expected to have detrimental impacts on the dietary intake of vulnerable populations around the world, exacerbating malnutrition and poor health. Prior to the onset of the price rises, 53 million individuals in Latin America already lacked sufficient daily energy intake, and the rates of anaemia and high child stunting suggest widespread vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Where households cope with high prices by eliminating more expensive, nutrient-dense foods from their diets, the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies will increase, especially among those with the highest nutrient needs: pregnant and lactating women, young children and the chronically ill. Unaddressed, food price increases will stunt the growth and development of a generation. This paper reviews market-based and non-market-based options for augmenting the emergency nutrition safety net in Latin American and Caribbean nations. Because the region has the unique advantage of numerous established conditional cash transfer programmes enabled by political stability and well-functioning market economies, much focus is given to their strengths, weaknesses and potential to mitigate the effects of high food prices. Yet, as these programmes sometimes fail to target the urban poor or reach marginalized rural communities that lack access to infrastructure and markets, food-based interventions remain indispensable for restoring micronutrient and health status across the region. Contextual factors, including the specific nutrient deficiencies of concern and the condition of and access to infrastructure and markets, should inform the combination of interventions selected.

Household Dietary Diversity and Food Expenditures Are Closely Linked in Rural Bangladesh, Increasing the Risk of Malnutrition Due to the Financial Crisis

“…Indeed, analysis of data from Bangladesh has consistently shown that the percentage of underweight children was lower in households who spent more on nonrice foods (6,26). While the findings presented here reinforce the idea that lowering the price of rice will enable households to diversify their diets, the fact that even those in the upper quintile of expenditures consume animal source foods infrequently suggests the need for interventions that specifically address micronutrient deficiencies to be part of the response to food crises (27).…”

High Food Prices and the Global Financial Crisis Have Reduced Access to Nutritious Food and Worsened Nutritional Status and Health,

“…Because each setting will experience different effects of food price increases and have different resources to respond, planners must account for contextual factors when deciding upon which interventions to utilize. Irrespective of whether the modality consists of food assistance or conditional cash transfer programs augmented with vouchers, or a creative combination of the 2, adequate access to micronutrients should be assured (33). Future work should involve the establishment of effective surveillance systems to monitor changes in the vulnerability and food security of populations over time.…”

Current and Potential Role of Specially Formulated Foods and Food Supplements for Preventing Malnutrition among 6- to 23-Month-Old Children and for Treating Moderate Malnutrition among 6- to 59-Month-Old Children

“…Ways are sought to target different socioeconomic groups in a country in different ways with the same product, which may be packaged differently for this purpose, so that wealthier households can cross-subsidize poorer households and public sector organizations can buy and distribute to the poorest. The use of vouchers for specific groups that are targeted for specific public programs is also considered [44].…”

“…Eligibility for receiving a voucher can be linked to conditional cash transfer or food-for-work programs. Collecting vouchers and reimbursing shopkeepers requires reasonably functioning markets and administrative systems [44] MN, micronutrient; RUF, ready-to-use food; RUTF, ready-to-use therapeutic food…”