Policy Paper How is the EU Food Diplomacy Responding To Tackle The Global Food Crises

Published: 19 Sep 2023

Introduction

“Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life” these words were given to define Food security at the World Food Summit in 1996 held at the Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters in Rome, Italy.1 According to this broadly used definition, food security relies on the following pillars: availability which consists in having enough supply of suitable food on hand. The second pillar on which food security relies is access, which means having sufficient sources of income or other resources to access food. The third pillar is utilization, which means having a healthy diet and the ability to consume and utilise nutrients. The last pillar is stability, which relies on having access to enough equals food secure and no one should run the risk of going without food as a result of unexpected shocks or cyclical events.2 The FAO’s definition was designated because it is quite comparable to the perspective on food security held by the European Commission “food and nutrition security are about ensuring that everybody is able to access sufficient, affordable and nutritious food”.3 In other words, a basic human right is the ability to eat. In fact, it’s possible to consider having access to at least an acceptable quantity of wholesome food to be the most fundamental of all human rights.4 Yet, this right isn’t being acquired for hundreds of millions of individuals, typically for completely uncontrollable causes. Climate change, population growth, geopolitical conflicts, rising food prices, and environmental stresses will all have major but unknowable effects on food security during the ensuing decades. The world urgently needs adaptation techniques and policy solutions that address choices for managing water allocation, land use practices, commerce in food, postharvest food production, and food costs and safety.5 More than enough food has been produced over the past few years to nourish the whole world’s population, but up to 829 million people still lack sufficient food. World hunger is increasing, affecting approximately 10% of people worldwide, after consistently dropping for a decade. The number of undernourished people increased by much to 150 million from 2019 to 2022. 6 These are indeed startling numbers, and no one needs to be humanitarian to see that such numbers are excessive by any standard. Thus, understanding how and why this phenomenon arises and persists to the level it has reached, can be viewed as a simple and basic definition of food security. This implies that the idea of food security is a universal phenomenon that affects every person’s everyday life.7 Furthermore, a bad scenario for food security, with extremely high food prices and an increasing number of food insecure and malnourished people, is made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as climate change that has been going on and that has pointed out the challenges facing the world food system in providing a sustainable supply of food for an expanding population. In addition to this, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to sharp price increases in groceries and raised concerns about food shortages. Inflation, which was already rising prior to the invasion, has gotten worse as a result of significant increases in food prices and rising energy costs. The burden on governments’

1. Current State of Play

Eight years of steady increases in hunger and malnutrition have reversed decades of improvement. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that in 2020, between 720 and 811 million people worldwide would suffer from chronic hunger, the highest number since 2014.10 It’s essential to be transparent regarding the causes of the significant challenges facing the global food market in light of rising commodity prices, particularly the Kremlin’s war on Ukraine is to blame for endangering the world’s food supplies. In 2021, Russia and Ukraine were among the main exporters of grains, sunflower oil, and sunflower seeds around the globe, with Ukraine providing for more than half of this trade. Furthermore, 49% of the winter wheat, 38% of the rye, and 63% of the maize slated for harvest in the summer of 2022 are in zones that are at risk because Russia is occupying or shelling portions of agricultural Ukrainian land. As a result, between 20% and 30% of the Ukrainian land used for the production of winter wheat, maize, and sunflower seeds won’t be harvested or cultivated in spring 2022. 11 The effects on food security of the Russian invasion of Ukraine extend far beyond Europe. Considering Ukraine’s exporting position, they may already be seen in the decreased availability and increased costs of basic agricultural goods like grain, animal feed, and fertilizers. These circumstances suggest an increasing food import expense for many low-income countries, at a time when debt has climbed and currency rates are under pressure. This mainly affects food supply and price in countries that rely heavily on the import of Russian and Ukrainian grains and oilseeds. The ongoing conflict is particularly likely to worsen the already serious complications of food insecurity

2. Food Crises

The EU has urged its international partners, in particular the FAO and the Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS), to offer timely advice in international fora as food security is a global issue with many developing nations that import food suffering the most serious repercussions. 21 The EU and its member states are dedicated to providing all with affordable, secure, ample, and nutrient-rich food on a worldwide scale. This is stated in the EU policy framework to help developing countries in addressing food security challenges defined in 2010 and enshrined in the European Consensus on Development adopted in 2017.22 When it comes to enhancing maternal and child nutrition, the EU outlined the 2013 policy framework23 along with the EU action plan on nutrition defined in 2014 and which aims to reduce the number of stunted children under the age of 5 by 7 million by 2025.24 On the 31st of May 2021 the Council of Europe reaffirmed EU order of priorities on food security.25 Six main priorities are outlined in the Conclusions of the Council26: 1. Strengthening sustainability and resilience. 2. Promoting healthy diets through sustainable food systems. 3. Strengthening food safety and public health. 4. Contributing to the sustainability and resilience of food systems through trade. 5. New finance solutions and business models. 6. Improving scientific knowledge and ensuring a strong science-policy interface. In order to promote international collaboration with a nutrition goal, the EU has committed at nearly €2.5 billion including €1.4 billion for development and €1.1 billion for humanitarian assistance for the period of 2021–202427 . This amount entails ensuring together humanitarian and development actions in nutrition-related sectors to enhance nutrition outcomes including those in the areas of food aid, agriculture, water, sanitation, as well as social protection, health, and education.28 Approximately 70 partner nations have identified food systems as a priority subject in the 2021–2027 international cooperation initiative (NDICI–Global Europe). 29 In April 2022, over €1 billion has been donated by the EU and its member states to tackle the Sahel’s food security30, additionally to €633 million for emergency aid and to help boost the food systems and sustainability in the Horn of Africa. Furthermore, the EU has adopted a support package of €225 million for the Southern Neighborhood region to lessen the effects of any future food crises caused by the region’s strong reliance on the Russian war on Ukraine-affected food imports.31 In late June 2022, this package was supplemented by €600 million suggested by the European Commission and taken from the European Development Fund reserves for aid to the most vulnerable nations in the Pacific, the Caribbean, and Africa

3. Policy Recommendations

Policy Recommendations Beyond wishing for a rapid exit of all Russian forces from Ukrainian territory, what can the EU do to lessen the costs imposed by the Russian invasion? 1) Boosting EU agro-production capacities to counter future shortfalls The full effect of the Russian invasion of Ukraine will not be apparent until the autumn cropping period the following year. Future deficiencies may be anticipated, which would help greatly to mitigate the impact and reduce the global humanitarian effects of future food supply shocks.48The EU and its member states, among other major producers such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Australia, can all become ready to address these shocks. These nations’ agroindustries are quite effective, and they might increase production on unused land. The EU in particular has to provide its farmers the ability to significantly increase grain production due to its proximity to 42 https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/french-foreign-policy/development-assistance/food-security-nutrition-and-sustainableagriculture/international-food-and-agriculture-resilience-mission-farm-initiative-for-food/article/international-food-and-agricultureresilience-mission-farm-initiative-for-food. 43 https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2022-03/safeguarding-food-security-reinforcing-resilience-food-systems_0.pdf 44https://epthinktank.eu/2022/05/20/future-shocks-2022-safeguarding-eu-and-global-food-security/ 45 https://www.greenheartsuop.com/eu-announces-e25-million-for-education-in-crisis-contexts-and-e140-million-to-supportresearch-in-sustainable-food-systems-world/ 46 https://www.fsinplatform.org/about-us 47 https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2022-03/safeguarding-food-security-reinforcing-resilience-food-systems_0.pdf. 48 https://www.swp-berlin.org/en/publication/war-in-ukraine-and-food-security-developing-a-judicious-food-first-strategy-forautumn 8 HOW IS THE EU “FOOD DIPLOMACY” RESPONDING TO TACKLE THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS? the most endangered markets and hence support them. Wherever possible, crops for human use should take precedence over those for biofuels and fodder, highly demanded in developed nations as a result of spiking energy prices. Although there is probably very little room for flexibility during the current grain growing season, it will be essential to guarantee that food reserves are restocked for the following season. Moreover, the escalating cost of inputs, such as fuel and fertilizer, continues to be a significant problem for EU farmers.49 This may support targeted assistance to guarantee farms continue to be financially viable. Because they already have everything they need, some farmers in the EU may be spared this year’s fertilizer hit, but next year’s shortages will be felt completely. Important variations in exposure should be kept an eye on this year. Global efforts to increase the effectiveness of fertilizer use should be made as the energy crisis is expected to endure for some time. 2) An EU strategic short-term “food first” approach is required for food security concerns Global EU stakeholders may be ready to take steps to prevent the worst-case in the future. Three key approaches can assist lower risks in the near future: – Pursuing economic and political sanctions on Russia. – Unblocking the Black Sea logistical pathway in order to reroute commerce and goods away from Ukraine’s ports. – The EU and its member states should supplement their regular assistance expenditures with emergency funding to low-income nations in order to support vulnerable populations and countries globally. The cancellation of debt and wealth taxes are additional government initiatives to shield the poorest citizens from the effects of inflation. 50 EU stakeholders should develop plans to prevent the next crisis while they consider ways to lessen the impact of the current one. The management of global supply-demand shocks has to be improved by both governments and participants in the food value chain of food agriculture. Being resilient in the face of the many dangers mentioned here is crucial, especially in a time when climate change is causing more catastrophic events, including droughts. As the Black Sea crisis has so brilliantly illustrated, such disruptions may only happen in one area of the world, but as a result, prices may soar everywhere. 3) EU and its member states should develop a more coordinated effort to the impending issue of global food insecurity Prices will continue to rise and the quantity of food will be less accessible. With the enormous increase in food and energy prices together, global inflation will soar. Several low-income, importdependent regions, like in Africa and the Middle East, face a significant burden as a result. Humanitarian needs and political threats will grow as the cost of basic commodities rises. Food price inflation can spark unrest, undermine societies, and even overthrow governments, as seen in 2008. When food costs last reached their current highs, the Arab Spring uprisings were mostly put in motion. So, for humanitarian grounds, a significant, well-coordinated policy response to this impending crisis is essential. Growing food insecurity poses a threat that might be used to demonize and sow dissent in Western nations. As the EU’s migration chief said, the conflict in Ukraine runs the possibility of causing a food scarcity crisis, which would lead to a significant influx of people 49 https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/higher-gas-prices-deepen-europe-s-fertiliser-crunch-threaten-food-crisis122082700098_1.html 50 https://www.oxfam.org/en/research/first-crisis-then-catastrophe 9 HOW IS THE EU “FOOD DIPLOMACY” RESPONDING TO TACKLE THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS? into Europe from Africa and the Middle East.51 A scenario that would make the EU’s determination and solidarity weaker. Furthermore, Russia has been supported by its disinformation campaign designed to hide the cause of the global food crisis. Russian government officials, state-funded media, and proxies with ties to Moscow are attempting to deflect attention from their country’s role in the escalating global food crisis by accusing the EU and its allies. 52 Their disinformation campaign focuses mostly on the Middle East and Africa, the two continents most severely impacted by the food crisis. 53 4) The EU and its member states should respond fast to put together a well-coordinated strategy. This requires: – Restraining oneself from making ‘unanimously’ pro-cyclical policy choices, such as export restrictions that essentially transmit hunger to the poorest countries. Instead of taking actions that reduce the efficiency of the market, EU member states should use social policy tools to mitigate the impact of rising food prices. The latest wheat export limitation announced by Hungary is a good illustration of the kind of bad behavior that must be prevented54 . Export limitations that are typically brought on by a crisis but raise prices must be prevented, both within the EU and globally. – Combatting Russian misinformation and propaganda that claims Western sanctions are to blame for the interruption of the world’s supply of grains and fertilizer, the EU must put in place a more proactive and offensive strategy. – Supplying low-income nations with the funds needed to buy grain and providing targeted aid. Emergency food help in the form of goods will continue to be necessary in some places of the world. Yet, it is important to encourage the transition to cash-based food aid wherever it is feasible. As grain prices are currently high, increasing food aid and assistance will be expensive as well, thus high-income states will need to increase their efforts in accordance.

Target To be Achieved During Next Three Years
Maxium Production Control of Population Food For All Stop Food Wastages

Advantages of EU Policy Papers
Foods Security Food Avaiability Strive to the Nation Achievement of Goals

4. Conclusions

Conclusion In this paper, effects of food crisis mainly caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine were highlighted. It stresses how the ongoing war as well as other factors have put food security and the resilience of the global food system at the center of the EU political and diplomatic agenda. Food security is now given the same political weight and urgency as energy security, defense, and the battle over climate change, both at the EU and worldwide levels. 55 Josep Borrell, Vice-President of the European Commission stated that “After the “mask diplomacy” and the “vaccine diplomacy”, we are probably entering now a period of “food diplomacy”, and we have to fight an additional “battle of narratives with the Russian disinformation machinery”.56 From this perspective, the paper underlines the global role of the EU including its actions in seeking to 51 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-24/food-crisis-risks-messy-migration-wave-into-europe-eu-warns 52 https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-says-west-is-spreading-lies-about-causes-worlds-food-crisis-2022-06-22/ 53 https://www.state.gov/disarming-disinformation/russias-disinformation-cannot-hide-its-responsibility-for-the-global-food-crisis/ 54 https://www.world-grain.com/articles/16580-hungary-puts-controls-on-grain-exports 55 https://reneweuropegroup.app.box.com/s/twq1gdq7atfyiyxyonsygdp7nojhns6v 56 https://www.euractiv.com/section/agriculture-food/news/agrifood-brief-a-little-less-conversation-a-little-more-action-please/ 10 HOW IS THE EU “FOOD DIPLOMACY” RESPONDING TO TACKLE THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS? accelerate autonomy and sustainability in developing countries. Therefore, this paper represents the EU as a long-standing and reliable partner for nations worldwide who is operating to counter global food insecurity. Nevertheless, in the paper three policy recommendations are addressed. The aim of these recommendations is to opt for increasing EU agro-production capacities to mitigate global future shortfall, to develop a short-term food security approach, and for a more coordinated action between EU member states in order to stop the acceleration of global food insecurity.

References

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-24/food-crisis-risks-messy-migration-wave
into-europe-eu-warns 52 https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-says-west-is-spreading-lies
about-causes-worlds-food-crisis-2022-06-22/ 53 https://www.state.gov/disarming
disinformation/russias-disinformation-cannot-hide-its-responsibility-for-the-global-food-crisis/
https://www.world-grain.com/articles/16580-hungary-puts-controls-on-grain-exports 55

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Policy Paper How is the EU Food Diplomacy Responding To Tackle The Global Food Crises

Introduction

Table of Contents

1. Current State of Play

2. Food Crises

3. Policy Recommendations

4. Conclusions

References