Sunday, October 19, 2008

Food aid does more harm than good

In recent times, there has been a lot of discussion about how effective food aid is in poor, developing countries. Some argue that welfare dependency creates ever more dependency instead of looking at changing policies that would promote self sustaining practices. This is why Africa has gotten poorer while other regions of the world have improved their standards of living.


In other words, should agencies spend more time, money and services in helping people develop their own food crops, than handing out food parcels all the time?

Do you think food aid is doing more harm than good?

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well there is a saying... give a man a fish and he'll have dinner, teach him to fish and he'll never go hungry again... I think this saying is relevant to this predicament..

S Kelly said...

i agree with Bridget, you may as well teach people to get there on food in their own environment!

I.Boram said...

Not really because not all of the food that they give them r that bad. Even though some things like white rice isnt that good and makes them feel more hungry at kleast they are getting some food to eat.

S Kelly said...

Also if they teach someone to hunt or produce thier own food there may not be as many cobnflicts! :)

T.M.C.S said...

how can food aid do harm?!?! it gives people nutriants and food. so who ever said it was bad is wacky! By T.Kite & S.Harris

I.Boram said...

By the way shaun! all people cant get their own food because they may be in a drought and they cant do anything about it!!!

S Kelly said...

wot u mean!? of course if they have rivers and lakes they may as well teach them to fish!!

S Kelly said...

And i said if they DO!! have a river or lake!! :(

I.Boram said...

And allso shaun it isnt that great to hunt if there are no animals around at all is it?!

S Kelly said...

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

S Kelly said...

we shuld probably stop!? we r sitting next to eah uther argueing

I.Boram said...

And by the way i said a drought so that means there would probably be no rivers or lakes left around!

S Kelly said...

NOT ALL COUNTRIES R IN DROUGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

S Kelly said...

well dont!!!!!!! :(

I.Boram said...

well i was just saying for an example and even if it was a flood all the water would be like poisoned because of the surage.

S Kelly said...

ROFL!!! :)

S Kelly said...

thats not how u spell SEWAGE!

Reddy Devil said...

All people who say food aid is bad are wacked. These people are starving! Any food is good food, even though it might be something like white rice. Like I said, you are seriously wacked people.

M.Bennett

JORY E.B said...

I can see both sides to this point but i think it's like giving food to ferral cats... they'll kepp coming back for more and forget to hunt their own food... they become completely independent on you