Describe the trends in food aid between 2000 and 2011.

Explain two possible disadvantages of food aid for a community that is currently experiencing food shortages.

“Prevention should always be prioritized over treatment.” Discuss this statement, with reference to specific diseases and communities.

• Overall decrease [1]
• With significant annual variations (eg 2003) [1]
• Local purchases becoming more important as proportion of total [1]
• Very steep decline in food aid given directly by a donor country [1]
• Decline in relative importance of food aid given directly by a donor country [1].

Award a maximum of [3] if no quantification.

[4 marks]

Award [1] for each disadvantage, with a further [2] for development/exemplification.

For example:

Food aid may reduce the market for (and/or price of) locally-grown food [1], making it more difficult for local farmers to produce food profitably [1].
This may lead to some local farmers choosing to switch from planting food crops to non-food crops, reducing food production in the community [1].

Other possible disadvantages of food aid include:

• it may increase the opportunities for speculation/corruption/power struggles
• it may increase inequalities within the community
• it may deter local innovation/solutions to the food shortage that might be more beneficial in the long term.

[6 marks]

There are many reasons/factors that affect whether a community emphasizes prevention over treatment or vice versa, including:

• the nature of the disease
• the diffusion pattern of the disease (relocation/expansion)
• whether the disease is local/endemic or introduced
• the wealth of the community
• the quality/availability of local health care
• the cost of medicines
• the availability of health insurance.

Good answers may unpack the terms “prevention” and “treatment” and provide a structured examination of different communities. Another approach might be to evaluate the statement using context, scale, perspectives, types of disease etc. There may also be recognition that the statement could refer equally to high income countries as well as low income countries, or there could be inequalities within countries depending on factors such as location and wealth.

For band D, expect description of treatment/prevention for two diseases and/or communities.

At band E, expect either more detailed explanation of the treatment/prevention of two or more specific diseases/communities or some discussion of the validity of the statement (for example considers different contexts/scales/types of disease).

At Band F, expect both.

Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.

[10 marks]