Food Insecurity: Disability and Demagoguery Again the State President of Bolivia, Juan Evo Morales Ayma, surprises us with his statements: "The Government is promoting a national strategy that not only ensure food security for Bolivians but for the world said on Friday President Evo Morales. " (Bolivian Information Agency: 235134 01/28/2011 13:40:55 ABI 1-E ABI: BOLIVIA-PRESIDENT-FOOD SAFETY ).
5 years later, President Evo Morales to realize that it needs a "national strategy that not only ensure food security for Bolivians but for the world" and now wants to again evade responsibility: "I do not I blame the lack of food. "
The main causes for food insecurity in Bolivia there are two:
a) the wrong economic policies of Evo Morales and productive
b) The inability to govern
1. economic and productive Wrong
President Evo Morales is fortunate to govern Bolivia in a period of economic boom due to high raw material prices, not economic policy applies, as it wants to convince the Bolivian population the propaganda millionaire Government five years.
General Budget (PGN) in 2005 was 5 billion in 1200 (5.2 $ 00,000,000.), While PGN in 2010 was 16 billion dollars (16 billion U.S. dollars.), which means that grew 306%, for the high prices that saw the country for gas and minerals. Evo Morales ordered year 2010 budget three times more than in 2005 .
O what President Evo Morales forgot to mention in his speech marathon in 3 hours of January 22 2010, which drove the neoliberal governments, between 2001 and 2005, a 1500 budget of 22 billion (22.5 billion U.S. dollars.), while Evo Morales had before, between 2006 and 2010, 60 billion dollars (60 billion U.S. dollars.) 267% more than the neo-liberal presidents.
With so much money at their disposal, the Government of Evo Morales did nothing for food production only in January 2011 suggests the need to develop a national strategy that not only ensures food security for Bolivians but for the world.
First you have to feed in Bolivians and then must think about the world, charity begins at home, not giving needed food to the poor of Bolivia, which are about 6 million compatriots.
2. The inability to govern
Food shortages in Bolivia is nothing new, as we knew since 2007, but the inability of the authorities of the government of Evo Morales us led to this situation.
"A Joint Mission Organization of the United Nations Food and Agriculture and World Food Programme (FAO / WFP) crop assessment and food supply visited Bolivia from 9 to 28 April 2007 to assess the production of cereals and tubers in 2007, has been hit by a series of adverse climatic events such as drought, frost and floods, and estimate import requirements for marketing year 2007/08 (July / June). " The report of this mission was published on the FAO website on June 29, 2007, which showed the damage caused by drought, frost, hail and floods. The main negative impacts were
a) reduction in rice production by 35%.
b) reduction in cereal production by 13%.
c) Reducing the production of tubers 13%.
d) Increased potato prices by 50%.
e) Increase the price of rice by 30%.
f) need to import 590,000 tons of cereals, 20% more than last year.
g) Imports of rice will quadruple.
h) potato Import triple.
i) The need to support more than 20,000 families.
addition, the Mission "benefited from the active participation of Ministry of Rural Development, Agriculture and Environment (MDRAyMA) and the prefectures of the departments visited by the Integrated Rural Development Programme and Participatory Depressed Areas (DRIP) ... " who" were trained in rapid assessment methodologies, especially in the use of a list of key variables during structured interviews with farmers and the transect method to record the status of crops and livestock along the way. " ( SPECIAL REPORT - Mission FAO / WFP Crop and food supplies in Bolivia, June 27, 2007. Organization of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and World Food Programme, Rome)
What did the government of President Evo Morales to recover the productive capacity of Bolivia in all these foods? NOTHING.
However, the situation worsened, the May 28, 2008, issued a new report by the FAO / WFP, as a "joint FAO / WFP crop and supply visited Bolivia food ... so assessing the production of cereals and tubers, 2008, which was severely affected by a series of adverse climatic events such as drought, frost and floods, and estimate import requirements for marketing year 2008/09 (July / June). " "The Mission benefited from the active participation of Ministry of Rural Development, Agriculture and Environment (MDRAyMA) and the prefectures of the departments visited." (Special Report - FAO / WFP Crop and food supplies in Bolivia, June 27, 2007. Organization of the United Nations Agriculture and Food and the World Food Programme, Rome)
The main damage detected by the Mission were:
a) A 25% reduction production of rice, compared to the average of the last 5 years.
b) Reducing the production of tubers than 5%.
c) The need to import 600,000 tonnes of cereals.
d) products with greater deficits were wheat, potatoes, rice and corn.
e) 28,000 families with food insecurity, as they lost all their production.
(Special Report - FAO / WFP Crop and Food Supply in Bolivia, May 28, 2008. Organization of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and World Food Programme, Rome.
What did the government of President Evo Morales to recover Bolivia's productive capacity in all these foods? NOTHING.
For two consecutive years, warned the FAO / WFP on the decline of agricultural production and the Government did not take into account this critical situation worsening food insecurity in Bolivia
On the wet rain in 2010 is reduced acreage Santa Cruz at 8% and production by 19% and this department's main source of food for Bolivia. Maize production was reduced by 47% and 28% sugar in the summer campaign. Decreased soybean production in 19%, 61% sunflower and wheat by 8% in the winter season. ( performance evaluation of agricultural sector in the Department of Santa Cruz, management 2010 Eastern Agricultural Chamber, December 2010).
The government of Evo Morales, instead of supporting the productive sector, convening coordination meetings and to develop an Emergency Recovery Program of Agricultural Productive Capacity, devoted to regulate and penalize productive sector, controlling prices and exports. The result is known throughout the Bolivian population: crisis and increased food prices.
Just when the situation has become critical and are maltreated mothers in long lines for rationed food EMAPA, the government recently summoned to the productive sector.
5 years later, President Evo Morales to realize the need to work together with the productive sector of the Altiplano, the Valles and the Oriente, an unnecessary waste of time.
When the citizen Evo Morales became president of the Republic in January 2006, the country had exported food and nobody had to sleep on the street queuing to buy food.
Conclusion
Food insecurity has a primary responsibility: the government of President Evo Morales for his misguided economic policies and productive, as well as their inability to govern.
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July Gastón Alvarado Aguilar: Diplomat, University Professor, International Trade Specialist - julgas@gmx.net - http://alvaradojulio.blogspot.com
