Food crisis, small-scale farmers, and markets in the Andes

In the Andean region, national policy responses to the 2007–08 food-price crisis emphasised reducing pressures on consumers, and particularly on urban populations. In Bolivia, the prices of all domestic and imported food tubers and grains rose dramatically in major markets. Unexpectedly, evidence from focus groups and field research demonstrates that even in remote regions where farmers trade infrequently, smallholder farm families experienced food-price increases. Seeking to identify ‘average’ effects in such situations could also be misleading. Impacts on smallholders vary considerably according to crops grown, how families participate in markets, household characteristics, access to key assets, and livelihood strategies.