Sixty years of the World Food Programme: a historical analysis of international food assistance policy

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5380/cg.v10i2.80599

Abstract

What are the continuities and changes observed in the World Food Programme’s (WFP) international food assistance policy (1961-2021)? In the light of the Food Regimes Theory and from a historical analysis – supported by a literature review and documentary analysis and descriptive data – the article examines the process of creation and political-institutional changes in the 60 years of the World Food Program is examined ( PMA) from the perspective of the dispute between two fronts: a) the geopolitical and economic interests of its main financiers – with an emphasis on the United States; b) and the attempt to multilateralize the financing base, as well as to boost the development and promotion agenda of humanitarian assistance to fight hunger. The results show that, despite historic efforts to promote humanitarian/developmental goals and expand the WFP's donor base, the interference of the USA and other developed countries as indispensable financiers for the institution's functioning contributes to the maintenance of the food donation agenda linked to economic and geopolitical interests.

Keywords: International Food Assistance; International Cooperation; World Food Programme.

Author Biographies

Atos Dias, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, Pernambuco

Doutorando do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência Política da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (PPGCP-UFPE). Mestre em Gestão Pública e Cooperação Internacional e bacharel em Relações Internacionais pela Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB). Membro do Grupo de Pesquisa sobre Fome e Relações Internacionais (FomeRI) e do Núcleo de Estudos e Pesquisas Regionais e do Desenvolvimento (D&R). Os interesses de pesquisa incluem as áreas de Economia Política Internacional, Análise de Política Externa, Cooperação Internacional e tópicos sobre Segurança Alimentar nas Relações Internacionais.

Jenifer Queila Santana, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, Pernambuco

Doutoranda e mestre pelo Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência Política da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (PPGCP-UFPE). Bacharela em Relações Internacionais pela Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB). Membro do Grupo de Pesquisa sobre Fome e Relações Internacionais (FomeRI). Os interesses de pesquisa incluem as áreas de Regimes e Organizações Internacionais, Cooperação Internacional para o Desenvolvimento, Cooperação Sul-Sul e tópicos sobre Segurança Alimentar nas Relações Internacionais.

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Published

2021-12-08

How to Cite

Dias, A., & Santana, J. Q. (2021). Sixty years of the World Food Programme: a historical analysis of international food assistance policy. Conjuntura Global, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.5380/cg.v10i2.80599

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Vol. 10 No. 2 (2021)

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