Cobwebbed: International Food Price Crisis and National Food Prices. Some Experiences from Africa

The paper provides an overview of what caused high and volatile prices in international food commodity markets, the major causes of national food price increases, the winners and losers within countries when food prices are high and volatile, and then looks at some of the responses from national governments before concluding with some recommendations. It draws on three case studies carried out over 2011 that looked at the effects and responses to the food crisis in Senegal, Uganda, and Burkina Faso. The paper also draws on other studies, some of them commissioned by ActionAid.