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Food Service at ERAU
Food Service at ERAU
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October 24th, 2013.
Table of Contents
Content……………………………………………………………………………………..…Page
1.0 Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………..3
2.0 Introduction……………..……….……………….……………………………………….4
3.0 Methodologies……………………………………………….……………………………4
3.1 Primary Sources…..………………………………………………………………………4
3.2 Secondary Sources……..…………………………………………………………………5
4.0 Limitation………………………………………………………………………………..5
5.0 Results….….………………………………………………………………………..……5
6.0 Analysis of Study Findings……………………………………………………………….8
7.0 Conclusion…………..……………………………………………………………………10
8.0 Recommendations……………………………………………………………………….11
9.0 References……………………………………………………………………………….12
10.0 Appendix……………………………………………………………………………….12
Table of Figures
Figure 1: Breakdown of study responses by category………………………………………6
Figure 2: Responses concerning request for more variety………………………………….6
Figure 3: Responses Categorization Concerning Service Quality………………………….7
Figure 4: Responses Concerning Healthier Foods………………………………………….7
Report on the investigation of Food Services at ERAU
1.0 Abstract
This report offers an analysis of the opinion of students concerning meal services at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), along with some recommendations for improving those meal programs. Data collection method comprises survey of 6 multiple-choice questions, and was carried out on a website known as HYPERLINK “http://www.surveymonkey.com/”www.surveymonkey.com opinion of the ERAU campus students’ meal programs.
In the survey, 32 participants responded to asked question: “What would you prefer see changed concerning the food on the University? At no given time in the course of the study did the current main meal service provider alluded to or mentioned. This question was chosen because of its open-ended design, which minimized the effect of leading questions. The survey responses were summarized into six main themes as follows.
Quality of service
Cost
The dietary needs access inability
Quality and access to healthy meals
Meal variety
Diverse meal requests
The study established that 97% of the ERAU students’ fraternity is unsatisfied with the present meal service, 2.5% did not comment, while 0.5% gave positive comments. The cost of meal, access to healthy quality meals and meal variety were the three major concerns. A look at ERAU’s peer institutions reveal that they have devised solutions to these common concerns to develop meal programs, which cater for the student’s needs. The report also includes some recommendations for meal program improvements at ERAU, with the ultimate objective of developing meal services that satisfy the student’s needs and enhance campus-wide satisfaction. The recommendations have been crafted from wide study of literatures from articles and journals as well as consultation with food professionals.
2.0 Introduction
As an on-campus student, acquiring a meal program has become a conformist trend. Initially, meal programs developed by the institutions were considered to be valuable and a noble approach of saving cash on meal expenses. At ERAU, the meal program is composed of two components- dinning dollars and base cost. The base cost caters for all the non food expenses for running the meal services, for example the utilities, maintenance, supplies and labor and on the other hand, the dinning dollars are utilized to make purchases within the on-campus meal program facilities. All the items on the menu have a cash price, which comprises both the operations’ base cost and food costs. Due to the fact the meal program members must pay for the operations’ base cost in up front, the meal purchases are discounted, and for commodities i.e. prepackaged vender items they do not get any discount. Purchases for meal items made within the ERAU coffee shops using the food program get some small discount as well, but the convenience store purchases are not entitled for any discount (ERAU, 2013).
This report aims to offers an analysis of the opinion of students regarding meal programs at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), along with some recommendations for improving those meal programs.
3.0 Methodologies
3.1 Primary Source
The online survey, which serves as my primary source, was carried out over duration of one week. Students were asked “what would you wish be changed concerning meal on campus?” The online survey question made no reference to ERAU’s present main meal service provider Sodexo or any other meal service provider within the campus. The survey question was chosen because of the nature of it open-endedness, and also to minimize any bias on the current meal providers. Although the nature of this open ended question is difficult for analysis of data, it reduced the effect of a leading question and harnessed the ingenuity of data development. The responses were divided into eight themed common groups that were broken down further into subgroups to refine the data further. Appendix 1 shows responses on this these categories as well as their subcategories.
3.2 Secondary Sources
To support my primary sources and theories, using key words I utilized Google search and found two articles, which offer valuable information campus meal programs. The article I chosen include:
About Diversity Food Service by Diversity Food Services which talks about the impact of meals served on colleges and universities to student health.
An article written by Kitchen Standards, which explores the barriers and limitations for present on-campus catering organizations.
4.0 Limitations
Since this research survey is meant to collect information or data within a single point in time, (in summer semester) it would be cumbersome to assess the changes in students’ population unless I conduct two or more research surveys at various points in time. This kind of survey repetition would be time consuming and expensive.
5.0 Results
The study survey has a total of 32 participants (n=32). The survey data was subdivided into eight categories. Chart 1 shows the results of that breakdown.
Chart 1 showing the breakdown of study responses by category.
Category Breakdown
In every category there was a chance for more breakdowns of the data that could be utilized to create a wider understanding of the students’ concerns. This further sub-categorization was carried out on the three major response categories, for example higher service quality, healthier foods and more variety. The results of these sub-categorizations are illustrated in chart two, three and four.
Chart 2: Responses concerning request for more variety
On responses concerning request for more meal variety, 11% indicated that those options were beyond sodexo, 55% wanted to see more diverse list of ingredients and 34% indicated they wanted to see more diverse meal choices.
Chart 3: Responses Categorization Concerning Service Quality
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This charts shows categorization regarding meal quality, whereby 41% of the respondents indicated that food quality needs changed, 2% suggested that meal spaces need improved, 23% said that service quality should be sedexo specific, 19% indicated that meal hours be changed, 9% wanted staffing changed and 6% wanted meal plans changed.
Chart 4: Responses Concerning Healthier Foods
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In the above chart responses concerning healthier foods, 23% of the respondents indicated that they concerned about the impact of meals on health and food quality, 22% suggested that healthy meals are too expensive, 36% asked for nutritional information and 19% indicated adeqaute healthy foods.
6.0 Analysis of the Study Findings
Within the current meal program, students have limited choices concerning who provides the meal they eat in campus. All the on-campus dinining areas and other small meal service outlets within the campus are managed by Sodexo with no competition. The inability to access a diverse meal menu in ERAU is the single larget issue from the survey findings, 33% of the respondents asked for more choices in the meals served. Among the respondents asking for more diverse menu, (18.2%) gave different requests concerning changes to the menu that the results imply that no single meal provider is capable of satisfying all the dining needs within the campus.
The study findings show that one of the biggest issues with the present meal program at ERAU is lack of diversity and variety in food provided. It is then apparent that the diverse food needs within the campus cannot be achieved by one exclusive meal provider. ERAU can begin to address the issues raised by 33% of the respondents through allowing students to use their monies on a variety of meal service shops or outlets.
In the study, 36% of the respondents who indicated health as their main issue responded by asking nutritional information. Presently, about 40% of the Sedoxo menu has nutritional information accessible online (considering that in the course of summer and spring semesters have 0 percent nutritional information online). According to Diversity Food Services (2013), it is important for students to have information regarding ingredients and nutrition concerning meals so as to make informed dietary, healthy choices.
The ERAU community is composed of a diversity of persons with a diverse needs of dietary restrictions and needs. Every person at ERAU should be in a position to access foods that satisfy their dietary needs and which are nutritionally adequate and fully balanced. Nonetheless, a third of the survey participants (33%) cited that such foods are not available for them. The survey findings suggested that the present meal services offer inadequacy of complete, balance food choices for students who are vegan, vegetarian, have food allergies or medical food restrictions and or require Halal meals. In a nut shell, the meal provided within the ERAU is short of satisfying the ERAU’s diverse community needs and the alternative options are often nutritionally lacking and inadequate.
As you would have thought, students are the main population served by the on-campus meal providers. On-campus meal program alone record approximately $3.5 million of the revenues collected by Sodexo every academic year. Hence, students should have their rights catered for by the University meal contract. ERAU Students Association regard culturally sensitive, nutritional, sustainable and diverse food options are rights. In addition students should have proper grounds, through which these rights can be advocated if one feels that meal service provider has dishonored their rights. The existing ERAU Charter of Students Responsibilities and Rights, a document that should regulate and govern meal services fails to address this matter.
To 5 percent of the survey participants, having a more sustainable local meal options is their main issue. ERAU Student Association acknowledges that what is not or what is considered to be local could be confusing. It is therefore important to establish a local procurement guideline specific to ERAU and its community. I feel that the University and ERAU Students Association have stake in establishing ERAU-specific regulations, as viability and availability of local procurement is majorly reliant of the locale. Beside, with a guideline specific to ERAU with can uphold the university ideals as a sustainable institution and assert our support and commitment to the locals and minimize our ecological footprint as well (Heller, 2010).
Within the present meal contract, nearly all catering within the campus has to be done by Sedoxo. This arrangement is seriously limiting since it does not allow establishments on university the autonomy to seek for food services, which best meet their needs. It has been proven in the past that Sedoxo meal services are inadequate to fulfill the specific demands of a group. ERAU (2013), states that the latest example of Sedoxo’s failure to meet the demands of a specific catering function is the contract violated at the 25th Annual Indigenous Gathering. In the course of this meeting, Sedoxo was contracted to offer cultural appropriate meals, however they failed to provide on the particular contract by failing or sheer refusal to offer food specific for that gathering. The ERAU Students Associations has a feeling that all food service contracts within the campus ought to be available for event-by-event and on open-tender basis. The primary meal provider has the right to for this tendering, however the student run enterprises and local catering businesses should be accorded an equitable opportunity while receiving meal contracts.
Presently, ERAU runs classes staring at 8.00 AM. But there is no meal services outlets operating within the campus before this time, implying that students who stay in residence do not have the opportunity to have meals prior to classes. Students should have meals before classes as this is important for their well being. Moreover, 19% of the respondents citing dissatisfaction with the meal service indicated operation hours as their main concern. Within the status quo, there is no even one location, which is frequently or accurately updated, for the meal provider to communicate with the students. This results to confusion or poor communication regarding meal service concerns, comprising changes of nutritional information, change of operation hours as well as allergen information (Kitchen Standards, 2012).
The study established that 18% of the campus fraternity is concerned about the effect of the meal on their health. More often, students have numerous health needs and these are not catered for by the meal service on the university. In addition, most of the meals served are highly saturated in sugar, sodium, cholesterol and fats among other substances, which might have negative effect on the health of the students. Nonetheless, this study alone is not adequate in scope to tackle the effects on meals served at ERAU on health. Hence, I recommend a thorough investigation into the effects on meals served at ERAU to health to be carried out.
All in all, of the positive remarks obtained from the survey, Sodexo staff was praised for their professional, prompt and friendly service. Although I am seeking to transform meal services at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, this should not result at a cost of the present unionized employees losing their jobs.
7.0 Conclusion
The findings of the survey indicate that Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University community is fundamentally dissatisfied with the meal service status quo. The issues are varied; however the very conclusive finding of this research is that Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University students want to see change or transformation in meal services at the campus.
I suggest that the below recommendations can methodically address the various issues found through the survey and data analysis. These recommendations have been chosen to improve satisfaction with any meal service provider contracted to offer meal services on Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
8.0 Recommendations:
An investigation should be carried out on to the effects on meals provided on the university.
A centralized location should be developed for post meal-associated information.
Make sure that whenever lectures are being conducted, students have the opportunity to take meal within the campus both after and prior to their lectures.
Transform the present monopoly for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University meal program to a process of open tender.
The meal program providers should make sure that all visitors, staff, faculty and students have access to complete nutritional meals irrespective of their dietary constraints.
There should be more flexibility on “flex dollars” through allowing students to utilize the flex dollars within various meal services outlets on the campus.
9.0 References
“About Diversity Food Services.” Diversity Food Services. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 October 2013.
<http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/food-services-overview>.
“Kitchen Standards.” Diversity Food Services. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 July 2012.
<http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/food-services-standards>.
erau.edu. (2013). Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. [online] Available at <http://www.erau.edu/campuses/daytona.html> [Last accessed: 22nd October, 2013]
Heller, S. (2010). Paying for College: Is that Meal Plan Worth it? [online] Available at <HYPERLINK “http://www.examiner.com/article/paying-for-college-is-that-meal-plan-worth-it”http://www.examiner.com/article/paying-for-college-is-that-meal-plan-worth-it> [Last accessed: 21st October, 2013]
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. ERAU University Charter of Student Rights and Responsibilities. N.p.: n.p., n.d.<hHttp://www.erau.edu/studentaffairs/scrr/overview.php. Web>.
Appendix
food security prblem in burkina faso
Food Security Problem in Burkina Faso
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Course:
Lecturer:
Date:
Introduction
Food security occurs when there is an assurance to all human beings within any geographical region that they have physical and economical access to all basics of food without risk of losing such access (Thomson, Metz & Food and Agriculture Organisation, 1997, p. 4). At the national level, food security can be described as a reasonable balance between food demand and supply at rational prices. In other words, a country is said to be food secure when the whole of its population has access to food. The opposite of that brings about the problem of food security. This discussion focuses on the nature of the problem of food insecurity in Burkina Faso. As suggested by various written sources, several factors have contributed to the problem, some of which are disclosed here. In addition, some of the responses of Burkina Faso to the problem of food security have been highlighted including evaluations on their effectiveness. But before engaging into the main discussion, it will be prudent to give a brief history of Burkina Faso, in relation to the stated problem.
Burkina Faso is a land locked country located in West Africa. It is located within the southern fringes of the Sahel region. The entire northern part of the country lies under the Sahara Desert. Most of central parts of the country lie on a savannah plateau that ranges between 650 – 1000m above sea level. The savannah plateau has characteristics of tropical climate, with scattered trees, bushes and glass land. The largest part of the southern region of this country is green. This country is comparatively dry country with an average annual rainfall of about 1100 mm in the south and 500 mm in the north. The dry season in the country increases in length from 6-7 months a year from south to north (Thomson, Metz & Food and Agriculture Organisation, 1997, p. 4). Due to this unfavourable climate, farmers in the country are unable to practice agriculture successively. Being one of the poorest countries, this has magnified the impact of the persistent drought on this country’s population. Recently, the famine situation in the country has worsened due to prolonged dry climate, leading to severe droughts especially in the north (Cavendish, 2001, p. 51). This explains the reason why Burkina Faso has not so far succeeded in the fight against the problem of food security.
Some of the causal factors
According to Wood and Ryden (1992, p. 67), Burkina Faso, like other countries in Sahel region, has a highly rising population with considerable demographic momentum. This has been evident both in rural and urban areas over the past few decades. The rate of job creation has not kept up with the highly increasing population growth rates. This has led to an increase in involvement of the residents with informal sector. One of the problems associated with the informal sector is that it places a heavy burden on natural resources. Stretching of the natural resources beyond limit has led to environmental degradation and an eventual increase in poverty levels in this country.
Secondly, farmers in this country lack good access to agricultural inputs. Ukaga and Afoaku (2005, p. 198), found out that, agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, improved seeds and other necessities have not been available at the right time and in the right package to the farmers. In addition, credit necessary for adequate investment in agricultural inputs has not been available to farmers. Consequently, the farmers have ended up using low quality seeds, archaic methods of farming and rudimentary equipment – all of which have led to low productivity and also reduced profits. Consequently, the produce from the agricultural sector has been low and not enough for consumption by the whole population. In short, the supply of food recourses in the country is low compared to demand.
Ukaga and Afoaku (2005, p. 197) also observe that national income in Burkina Faso is not distributed equally among all segments of its population. Only a small section of the country’s population has been enjoying growth. This has so far resulted into two class societies, a small one which is food secure, and bigger part of society that suffers from food insecurity. Ukaga and Afoaku (2005, p. 197) also indicate that lack of adequate infrastructure for production, storage, processing marketing and distribution has been a major problem for agriculture in this Burkina Faso. Poor transportation systems and bad roads make it difficult for farmers to transport inputs into and farm produce out of their farms. This leads to wastage of up to 40 percent of farm produce when there are people facing food shortages just a few hundred miles within the country. In addition, in those areas, returns from agricultural produce have been low relative to areas with adequate infrastructural facilities. In particular, there is lack of economic and social infrastructure to enhance sustainable agriculture and also maintain positive economic growth.
Melito, T., (2009 p. 5) explains that, farmers in Burkina Faso have been lacking of capital to establish processing facilities In addition, most of them are not well versed with ways on how to market their products. This forces the farmers to sell their produce when “green” thus receiving minimal returns. It has been seen that, during times of harvest, the prices of those products are usually low and the buyers determine prices in the market. In the end, farmers lose motivation and produce less in the subsequent seasons. This has resulted into minimal produce with time.
Like many other developing countries, Burkina Faso has been depending on imports to augment domestic production so as to feed its residents. This means that any increase in prices of imports forces a decline in imports making, the problem of food security to deteriorate (Ukaga & Afoaku, 2005, p. 199).
Further examination indicates that the rich and developed countries tend to protect their domestic markets from agricultural products that African countries can offer at competitive prices while they seek more foreign markets where they operate as they choose. These industrialized countries use tariffs and other non-tariff barriers to protect their markets from foreign goods while they and the international institutions that they control force the less powerful countries to remove market barriers to global trade. Such unfair market conditions have been unfair to farmers in Burkina Faso and other countries, since they jeopardise their incomes from their farm outputs. Consequently, the ability of farmers to invest in agriculture is reduced. A reduction in cultivation automatically poses a threat to food security (Ukaga & Afoaku, 2005, p. 199).
Responses and their effectiveness
Reacting to the increasing food prices in Burkina Faso, the government has come up with policy measures that have both long-term and short-term impact. The first policy response is producer-oriented and is intended to support farmers to raise production levels (FAO, 2009, p. 5). To attain this, there have been strategies to support investments through encouragement of savings and credit schemes to rural farmers. Apart from that, farmers have been encouraged to adopt integrated approaches, i.e., combining of livestock breeding, growing of crops and forestry development. There have been improvements and modification of land tenure system through permission of private ownership of land which is communally owned and creation of effective local management institutions. In addition, the government has been supporting the farmers with subsidized fertilizers, tractors, pumps for irrigation as well as free seeds. It has also been invested in research to come up drought resistant crops. Assessment of the ways in which the traditional production systems can be modified to apply to the modern agriculture so as to encourage participation by all farmers in grassroots has been underway (FAO, 2009, p. 5).
The second policy measure that has been laid by the government of Burkina Faso is the consumer-oriented policy response. This includes direct support to consumers and vulnerable groups through various ways. One of these ways is through introduction of cash transfer programmes for the most vulnerable, landless and poor in the rural areas. Also, there has been development and expansion of urban social net programmes using imported food aid where food supplies are insufficient (Dry Lands Programme, 1998, p.2).
Another way that has been undertaken by the government is through development of post-harvest handling initiatives so as to protect quality of produce for a longer time. While addressing immediate food crises, the government has considered relocation of funds from development projects to increase food importation. In addition, domestic production has been augmented with importation and also through seeking of foreign aid humanitarian assistance from donors. Finally is the trade-oriented policy response. In this case, the government has used policy instruments such as reducing tariffs and restricting exports to reduce prices and increase domestic supply. There have been efforts such as consolidation of market information services in the country and linking market information and market intelligence to support food security mapping and trade both domestically and regionally (Dry Lands Programme, 1998, p. 2).
Wiebe (2003, p. 280) notes that apart from government efforts, farmers in Burkina Faso have proved to respond to the food security problem. They have been nurturing trees in their fields using more inputs such as manure and constructing soil erosion barriers. This has helped to conserve soil and maintain its quality in their farms. Due to uncertain rainfall, farmers have been forced to adopt sequential decision method in order to control the risks associated with dry seasons. This approach involves the survey of season cycles and coming up with decisions on production strategies which are dynamic to reduce chances of loss. In reality, the farmers in Burkina Faso have now come up come up with decisions on sowing, re-sowing and timing of weeding including cultivating variety of crops – all which have helped to diversify risks.
Nonetheless, some of these efforts have been unsuccessful. As indicated by Wiebe (2003, p 283), this is mainly because the projects have been structured along certain sectors. More emphasis has been put on large-scale production. The government may have overestimated the benefit associated with large-scale production and underestimated the negative consequences. At the same time, people in the grassroots have not been very supportive of the implementation of these projects. Another reason for the poor performance is managerial weaknesses of existing institutions (Wiebe, 2003, p. 283). Even with adoption of soil conservation practices the prime objective of increasing agricultural output has not been met. This is because other than soil conservation, other factors which affect output and profitability in the farm have not been looked at. Such factors include a) the nature, rate and severity of soil damage; b) the consequent effects on productivity; c) the extent to which fertilizers and manures can substitute for soil damage; d) the relative riskiness of production with or without conservation; and e) the degree of interference of conservation measures to the cultivation practices. The way to achieve progress in this area is through extending educating to the farmers (Wiebe, 2003, p. 283).
It has also been found out that institutions and individuals that advise the country and other African governments assume that western approaches of farming are better than African traditional ways (Wood & Rydén, 1992, p. 67). This is a costly mistake and may not be better. For example, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) persuaded farmers in Burkina Faso and other Sahel regions to grow potatoes. Unfortunately, this crop was not popular among the people and thus lacked market. As a result, the whole produce was left to rot. Reliance on foreign aid has been quite unpredictable and unreliable. The main weakness with this assistance is that it is largely dependent on the donor’s perception. This means that high profile and politically interesting emergencies may be funded while others may be ignored. In addition, it has been suggested that the reliance on foreign aid and availability of cheaper food in the international market has a negative impact on levels of investment and support to agriculture in the country.
Conclusion
In summation, there is a clear and strong link between climate change and food security. Burkina Faso is one of the developing countries, and a great area of its land falls under the Sahel region of Africa. Consequently, a great part of the country experiences desert climate which poses the danger of food insecurity. Apart from that, some of the other factors that have influenced food security problem are poor distribution of country’s wealth, over-reliance on imports, poor infrastructure, high population growth rate and poor storage and processing facilities among others. As a result, the government of Burkina Faso has to come up with policy measures to address the optimal ways for dealing with the factors leading to the food security problem both in the short run and in the long run. These policy measures are trade, consumer and producer oriented. Farmers have also devised their own ways to cope with the challenge. However, the country faces a lot of challenges in an attempt to deal with the factors that lead to the problem of food insecurity. Weak management systems of existing institutions, lack of adequate education concerning agricultural practices such as soil conservation, unreliability and unpredictability of foreign aid assistance and selective support of large scale sectors among others. As it has been discussed, the government is incapable of tackling the problem of food security alone. It has to encourage participation of the people that benefit from the efforts. This implies that the people expected to reap from the efforts have to be involved in the formulation and of development policies.
References
Carvedish, M. (2001) Peoples of Africa: Burkina Faso-Comoros, Marshall Cavendish, N.Y.
Dry Lands Programme (1998) Issue paper, No. 75, IIED, London
Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) (2009) Country responses to the to the food security crises, Government of Spain
International Monetary Fund (2007) Burkina Faso: Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, Washington DC, USA
Melito, T. (2009) International Food Assistance, Diane Publishing, Washington DC,
Thomson, A. M., Metz, M. & Food and Agriculture Organisation (1997), Implications of Economic Policy for Food Security: A Training Manual (vol. 40), Food & Agriculture Organisation, Rome
Ukaga, O. & Afoaku, O. G. (2005) Sustainable development in Africa: a multifaceted challenge, Africa World Press, Asmara
Wiebe, K. D. (2003), Land quality, agricultural productivity, and food security: biophysical processes and economic choices at local, regional, and global levels, Edward Elgar Publishing, Massachusetts
Wood A. P. & Rydén, P. (1992) The IUCN Sahel Studies 1991, IUCN Publisher, Cambridge
food security in UAE
Food security
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Affiliation
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Introduction
In the period of 2007-2008, there was a steep rise in food prices. Since then, the graph of food insecurity in parts of world has been increasing steadily. Due to that incident, food insecurity has been a problem to the undeveloped and poor countries only; the effects were global and affected the developed countries too (Abuzeid & Hamdy 2004) .
This piece of work digs deeper into the issue of food insecurity in the Middle East. It contains several chapters containing information that was derived from an original fieldwork study. The problem of food insecurity in the Middle East region is new since this place has been known for its food abundance for many years. Because of adopting modern development policies, this region has started experiencing food insecurity hence becoming a contrast to its past whereby it was a food basket and could cater for the food needs of its population and the nearby areas as well (Lofgren & Richards 2000).
It is a fact that the Middle East is one of the regions in the world that is experiencing rapid development. With such high rates of development, the region has been forced to deal with both the deliberate and undeliberate effects of modernization. Some of most noticeable effects has been the high rates of birth and sharp rise in the population, biasness in urban policy-making that has led to rural neglect and rural-urban migration, and the planned expansion of the state that has led to introduction of policies based on the interests of the state. While concentrating on such developments, the stakeholders have put less effort on improving agricultural standards that has led to a big gap between national food demand and the available domestic food.
Agricultural products were highly costly in 2007-2008. The same trend occurred in 2011. As a result, there was an increased concern over that negative trend and led to discussions across the globe on the issue of food security. There was an alarming 83 percent in international food prices by 2008 over a period of three years according to the World Bank. The impact of this increase was immense in the Arab states given the fact that such countries import over 50 percent of the calories annually. After a year of releasing the stated statistics, the World Bank went ahead to urge the Arab countries to be prepared for any future food crisis. In less than two years later, food prices reached one of their all-time high once again. Despite the rise in prices being a global effect, the Middle East suffered devastating consequences. This was the case since an approximated one quarter of the region’s population is poor. To make matters worse, seventy-five percent of the poor people live in rural settings where there is an uneven access to decent food.
In order to counter the problem, all the Middle East states agreed on one. They were to subsidize food prices by big margins in order to make it affordable for the poor people in the region. One may argue that this unified agreement could have been of such events like the “bread riots” of the early 1990s and part of 1980s as well as the recent Arab Spring uprisings that the regions has experienced since 2011 (Wright & Cafiero 2011). Apparently, the subsidized prices, although heavy, did not seem to salvage the situation because the international food price shocks always translated to price hikes in the domestic market in different parts of the Middle East region. As one of the statistics, in the period of between 2006 and 2011, for instance, prices of food went up by an estimated 10 percent every year in Iran, UAE and Yemen while in Djibouti, Lebanon, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, the rise was by over 15 percent.
It is important to note that the rise in food prices on the international level led to similar trends in the domestic markets across countries in the Middle East within a short time. However, the situation was different when it involved reduction in world food prices whereby it took so long to reflect the change domestically.
Various reasons were attributed to the ever increase in food prices. Experts on the other hand did not agree on a single factor that could have led to the increase in prices. In reality, the steep rise in prices was because of a collection of different factors that involved structural, supply side dynamics that included a slow-down in cereal productivity globally(Wright & Cafiero, 2011). Other factors included diversion of agricultural land for production of bio fuel, insufficient cereal stocks, export bans on important agricultural products or other trade restrictions, the high cost of petroleum together with high cost of fertilizer and production energy, and speculative investment on agricultural commodities. Increased demand for food also contributed to the increase in prices.
This demand came about because of the increasing global population and the ever-changing pattern of food consumption in the various developing countries. On comparing between the time before 2008 when food prices escalated and afterwards, the current prices are still higher despite the gradual drop in the prices since 2008 (Wright, Brian, and Carlo 89).
Conclusion
Experts continue to suggest that the increase in food prices as a trend will continue. They base their arguments on the fact that not much has been done to deal with the factors that led to the crisis. On the contrary, there has been an increase in encouraging programs dealing with bio-fuel production in grain-producing countries. Such steps like not enhancing global grain reserves and not keeping up with the pace of growth of demand for food have also been experienced in recent years. The issue of food insecurity is very likely to continue in the Middle East due to the poor structural factors that are present. Populist regimes in the Middle East that have brought about the issue of land reform programs have led to widespread fragmentation of arable land. For instance, 90 percent of landowners in UAE own land that is less than 1 hectare.
References
Abuzeid, M., & Hamdy, A, 2004. Water Crisis and Food Security in the Arab World: where we are and where do we go. Cairo (Egypt), 14th Apr, 76.
Lofgren, H., & Richards, A, 2000. Food security, poverty, and economic policy in the Middle East and North Africa (Vol. 5, pp. 1-31). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Wright, B., & Cafiero, C, 2011. Grain reserves and food security in the Middle East and North Africa. Food Security, 3(1), 61-76.