Is it true that there is an oversupply of food in the world ? How can we distribution food to the poor, free ?

Question

Local government can buy product from local farmers in suitable price.

The poor countries may not suitable for agriculture, but they may suitable for industry.
The rich countries can invest technology there, so in the future, they can help themselves.

Answer 1

Unfortunately, capitalism provides the largest amount of food to the largest amount of people at the lowest price to all. Poverty is caused by being unable to produce goods valued at a high enough price by consumers. The median American produces 200 times as many goods and services a the median Bangliadeshi worker in a given unit of time. It is also likely the American doesn't work as hard either to do the same thing.

There is, somewhat, an oversupply of food caused by subsidies to farmers. However, these subsidies in practice hurt by producing the foods people are not buying and not enough of the foods people want or can afford, they distort food prices. If you want to reduce poverty, increase the amount of food reaching the poor, then end subsidies and do not give away food at all, except in the narrow case of weather created crop disasters and even then sparingly. The economic data on food donations shows that it causes famine. Famine is a social construction not a natural one. It occurs, in part, because food donation, selling food for free, means local farmers cannot compete and so stop growing food. During the next growth cycle, there is famine because aid workers put local farmers out of business.

The better question is how do we make marginal workers more productive so they can support their families.

Check out the most recent copy of "The Economist" on rising food prices.

Answer 2

There is an over supply but distributing food for free makes local farmers poor by destroying the market for their goods. It hurts their economy and creates even more poor people unless there has been a crop failures and a real shortage of food. Poor countries economies depend on agriculture and we would help them more if we would buy their food so they would have the money to invest in technology.

Answer 3

First we subsidize our farmers so they overproduce, which drives down prices on the world market, making it impossible for third-world farmers to make a living. Then we send them some of our surplus food (some of it we leave to rot in warehouses) because we're such good guys.

Maybe if we stopped distorting the market they'd be able to start taking care of themselves?

Answer 4

do you realize how many times this country has sent food to some starving country ? and, the rulers of the country sold the food to russia or china for guns, to keep their people under control? the food rarely reaches the people. i think we should start worrying about US. god helps them that help themselves.