This study by the European Union discusses Food reserves as stocks of food products held by a local, national or regional public entity. Based on a review of the theoretical and empirical literature and 10 case studies from Africa, Asia and South America, this study analyses the different impact pathways by which food reserves can contribute to improving food and nutrition security. It highlights the situations in which food reserves can play a decisive role and stresses the conditions for effective use of this tool (including governance issues). It also discusses the effect of national food reserves on the stability of international markets. Its includes a case study on the ECOWAS Regional Food Security Reserve.

All the documents produced are available on line:

• Synthesis report
• Synthesis of the lessons from the case studies
• European Commission information note

Case study reports:

• Bangladesh (ANGL), P. Dorosh
• Brazil (ANGL), W. Belik, A. Cunha
• Burkina Faso, A. Alpha, B. Pémou
• ECOWAS Regional Reserve (ANGL), F. Galtier
• Ethiopia (ANGL), S. Rashid, D. Alemu, P. Dorosh
• Indonesia (ANGL), P. Timmer
• Nigeria (ANGL), C. Onyekwena
• Philippines (ANGL), R. Clarete
• Senegal (ANGL), I. Hathié
• Zambia (ANGL), A. Chapoto