Improving Food Security in Developing Countries: An Analysis of Multilateral Development Bank Finance

Every day, thousands of people go to bed hungry, die of malnutrition, or do not know where their next meal is going to come from. Food security is a central topic of the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda, but despite international attention to this topic, there is no sufficient improvement. In particular, Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) are identified as potential actors to fill financial gaps of food security projects in developing countries. However, the existing literature has failed to carefully assess which aspects of MDB finance are most effective in improving food security. Thus, this research paper aims to answer the research question “Which aspects of MDB finance are most suited to improve food security in developing countries and why?”. Using a quantitative approach, a cross-country, longitudinal analysis is applied to assess the effect different aspects of MDB finance have on national levels of food security. The results indicate that MDBs should focus...Show moreEvery day, thousands of people go to bed hungry, die of malnutrition, or do not know where their next meal is going to come from. Food security is a central topic of the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda, but despite international attention to this topic, there is no sufficient improvement. In particular, Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) are identified as potential actors to fill financial gaps of food security projects in developing countries. However, the existing literature has failed to carefully assess which aspects of MDB finance are most effective in improving food security. Thus, this research paper aims to answer the research question “Which aspects of MDB finance are most suited to improve food security in developing countries and why?”. Using a quantitative approach, a cross-country, longitudinal analysis is applied to assess the effect different aspects of MDB finance have on national levels of food security. The results indicate that MDBs should focus on a higher number of projects per country rather than highly financed projects, as well as prioritize financial instruments of grants and technical assistance. However, no genuine effect of MDB finance on levels of food security could be established due to no statistical significance. Thus, the findings must be treated with caution. It is, therefore, crucial to further investigate the different aspects of MDB finance and their effects on levels of food security, to be able to make meaningful recommendations to the MDBs.Show less

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Improving Food Security in Developing Countries: An Analysis of Multilateral Development Bank Finance