New Delhi is always one of the first capitals to raise the issue of food insecurity in international fora. It concurrently argues that agricultural subsidies by rich countries worsen global food insecurity while its own policies and subsidies are designed to lessen the problem. But rich countries generally do not ban food exports while it is a regular part of India’s tool box. Panic buying was reported by various countries after India, the source of half the world’s traded rice supplies, announced an embargo on exports. Global rice carryover stocks are at their lowest level in six years. Exacerbating the situation is the Thai government’s decision to ask farmers to plant just one crop of rice instead of the usual tw...
Weighing in on strategic realignment
WPI’s team was retained by the governing board of a U.S. industry organization to review a decision, reached by vote, to invest significant assets into the development and management of an export trading company. WPI’s team conducted a formal review of this decision and concluded that the current level of market saturation would limit the benefits of the investment. Based on WPI’s analysis and recommended actions, the board subsequently reversed its decision and undertook a strategic planning effort to identify more impactful investments. On behalf of numerous clients, WPI has not only assisted in identifying strategic paths but also advised their implementation.
Key Takeaways: Ghana’s new law classifies all cocoa plantations as “protected farms,” which carries significant implications for farmers. Chief among these implications is the inability to switch area under cocoa to other crops, even when economic or biological conditio...