Public investment

for food &

nutrition security
Steve Wiggins

Key messages

Agricultural development
can help:

Its not just about farming

if the right kind

Big picture & detail

Other public investment

Big picture & detail

How does agricultural

development improve FNS?

21000

1980/1981
1981/1982
1982/1983
1983/1984
1984/1985
1985/1986
1986/1987
1987/1988
1988/1989
1989/1990
1990/1991
1991/1992
1992/1993
1993/1994
1994/1995
1995/1996
1996/1997
1997/1998
1998/1999
1999/2000
2000/2001
2001/2002
2002/2003
2003/2004
2004/2005
2005/2006
2006/2007
2007/2008
2008/2009
2009/2010
2010/2011
2011/2012

Production, Mt, milled

Price, Taka per tonne, constant

2000

Reduce cost of food

by higher productivity

25000

23000

Dhaka Wholesale

19000

17000

15000

13000

11000
9000
Jul 80
Jul 81
Jul 82
Jul 83
Jul 84
Jul 85
Jul 86
Jul 87
Jul 88
Jul 89
Jul 90
Jul 91
Jul 92
Jul 93
Jul 94
Jul 95
Jul 96
Jul 97
Jul 98
Jul 99
Jul 00
Jul 01
Jul 02
Jul 03
Jul 04

35

30

25

20

15

10

#hashtag

In LIC, agricultural development

strong reducer of poverty -- still

Promoting agricultural
development

Consensus on Agricultural Growth

Fundamental #1

Rural Investment
Climate
Doesnt have to
be perfect! [Rodrik]

Consensus on Agricultural Growth

Fundamental #2

Rural Public Goods

Roads, Power, Irrigation, etc.
Education, Health, Water
Research & Extension

Tricky Challenge

Failing Rural Markets

Inputs: absent, wrong
type, high cost
Credit: absent

Detail: sharpening impact of agriculture on nutrition

More diverse farming

Neglected crops & animals
Home gardens and
horticulture
Bio-fortification

Correct disadvantages faced

by women farmers

Not just
agriculture!

Stunting
1970 = 54%
2010 = 29%

Safe Water

What made
the
difference?

Female in Secondary
School

Sanitation

Fem/Male LE
Diet Energy Supply
Diet share from nonstaples

What to do?
Invest in social
infrastructure

Nutrition interventions

Is investing in infrastructure
best way for development
finance to enhance FNS?

Yes

Blunt instruments work

No

We can sharpen them