IATP is pleased to present this reader of recent writings on
grain reserves. Storing food in times of plenty for use in times
of scarcity is a prehistoric idea that still has relevance and
importance today. In 2009, IATP decided to renew and refocus its
work on grain reserves in light of the 2007-08 food crisis and
the link to significantly diminished food stocks for
international markets. That work continues to deepen and expand,
as a growing number of civil society organizations (CSOs),
researchers and governments renew their interest in grain
reserves as an important instrument to build food security.
There is a growing sense that the global agricultural
marketplace has changed in recent years, and that these changes
have led to dramatic increases in price volatility. Excessive
speculation on commodity exchanges and disruptive weather
associated with climate change are two factors affecting
supplies and prices. The shift away from public stockholding to
private control as multinational agribusiness compani