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Food Price Volatility

It may seem that commodity prices are down, but countries remain nervous about food price volatility. At the United Nations, they passed a resolution (A/RES/66/188) that will keep food pricing at the top of the agenda. In a process led by the Dominican Republic, there has been good G77 support for a variety of measures including:

  • Establishment of a special open-ended working group to present recommendations towards “reducing excessive price volatility and speculation in food commodity markets, including derivatives such as futures and over-the-counter transactions, taking into account relevant work done at national, regional and international levels”

  • Asking the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), FAO, and the United Nations Development Programme and others “to continue their research and collaboration with relevant international organisations, to continue their research and analysis on this matter” and submit a joint report by March, 2012.

The resolution includes agreement to have food price volatility as an agenda item for the next General Assembly of the United Nations.

Robynne Anderson

Robynne has extensive experience in the agriculture and food sector, working throughout the value chain – from basic inputs to farmers in the field to the grocery store shelf. She works internationally in the sector, including speaking at the United Nations on agriculture and food issues, and representing the International Agri-Food Network at the UN.Throughout her career she has worked with farm organisations like the Prairie Oat Growers Association, the National Smallholder Farmers Association of Malawi and the Himalayan Farmers Association, as well as global groups, to further the voice of agriculture in the food debate. She has also worked with Fortune 500 companies growing worldwide businesses to assist them with issues management and strategy decisions.

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