Britain food aid decision welcome, but only half the answer

The decision by Britain to provide £35 million in food aid to Zimbabwe and Malawi is a welcome decision, and one that demonstrates that Britain still recognises the need for international development aid to be sustained, however small this amount may seem compared to previous major trade deals with other countries in the international system. Although claims are often made that food aid does not benefit those who most require it, it is still essential for Britain's international standing that it is seen to help those in need in countries less fortunate than ourselves.

Perhaps the real crux of the matter is that, in an ever more unpredictable world where the price of basic food staples is constantly rising, the British Government is realising that in the future we are likely to be ever more dependent on both each other and on other countries for support as the problems of global climate change and rising waters impact on the price of domestic goods to such a degree that we in Britain need to drastically reconsider our eating habits, as well as our financial spending habits. It is entirely plausible that there may come a time when Britain does not have enough to feed it's ever growing population, and will need to look elsewhere in order to sustain itself. Although this time is hopefully a long time away, Britain will not continue to prosper by viewing itself through a single lens, dependent only on itself for it's long term survival.

This makes the decision to make funds available for food aid in these countries all the more welcome, and offers positive signs that Britain has not entirely forgotten about it's international responsibilities in a time of continuous austerity. However, food aid will only help so much, and until such a time as Britain realises that providing food aid is not the only, or even the main answer, the problem will never be solved. What these people want is not donations from a third country that enables them to live their lives as we do, but to be able to make their own fortune and determine their own destiny without having to rely on other parties. As before, it is important to acknowledge that we are all mutually responsible and equally interdependent in a complex international system, but the extent of that help does not necessarily mean we have a right to take away the dignity of other peoples in other countries. Until this is realised, food aid will continue to only solve half the problem (and perhaps even less than that).