2. The impact of the 2007 global food crisis in Sierra
Leone
In early 2017, the United Nations declared that food crises
are largely «manmade» and the result of violent conflict or internal
strife that are preventing people from accessing food when it's available in
adequate quantity (Welthungerhilfe et IFPRI 2017). Whatever causes food crisis,
the fact remains that they have an immediate impact with lingering effects
especially on developing and poor countries.
a. The causes and consequences
In 2007, Sierra Leone suffered from yet another setback due to
the food crisis that affected economies worldwide. It caused substantial surge
in the cost of food, especially staple foods such as rice, which is the number
one staple food in Sierra Leone. Multiple factors led to the crisis but it was
mainly the rise of oil price and the drought in major wheat-producing countries
the previous years (Shah 2008) that caused the unfortunate situation. Rice
occupies a predominant place in the Sierra Leoneans food consumption. A study
conducted in 2013 by the World Food Programme (WFP) showed that Sierra Leoneans
households used 63% of their income in food. The share of the budget allocated
for food is significantly high for precarious social groups, and about 52% of
the country's population borrows money for food (WFP 2003). In the context
where households have little margin for other spending such as education or
health, a spike in the price of rice can have dramatic impact on their mean of
substance. They resorted to reducing their food spending and ceased the
consumption of nutritious food such as eggs, meat or vegetables. The
impoverishment of their diet may have increased the nutritional risk of
vulnerable groups. Encouraged by the government in an effort to diversify their
diet, some supplied rice for cassava. But the implementation of this coping
strategy only resulted in higher level of food insecure household (Mendez del
Villar, et al. 2011). About two thirds of the rice consumed in Sierra Leone is
produces domestically, the rest is imported. The preponderance of imports,
coupled
10
with the high level of poverty, Sierra Leone was amongst the
countries most vulnerable to the shock of a food price rise on the
international market. When the market is not subject to a crisis, local rice is
sold at a higher price than the imported one in Sierra Leone (Steve Wiggins
2010). So when the price of imported rice began to rise in September
200715 consumers were left with no choice.
b. The government's efforts and their results
In reaction to the global food crisis the government of Sierra
Leone launched a series of actions. The export of local rice and re-export of
imported rice were banned and import duty on rice experienced a 5% cut. The
government also negotiated an import deal with India allowing for a 40, 000
tonnes of Indian rice to enter the market. Pursuant to the deal, a 2000
Leones/kg maximum price was enforced. These measures coast a great deal in
revenue to the government as a consequence of reduced tariffs, but the country
was supported by the World Bank that provided US$3 million. The results were
mixed as price control was only moderately helpful and by the end of the crisis
imported rice price peaked at 73%. The export ban was unsuccessful in blocking
the flow of rice into Guinea16. Lastly, the reduction of import
tariffs was somewhat minimal (Steve Wiggins 2010).
| 
