September 28, 2004: UN Study Finds That a Quarter of Iraq’s Population is Dependent on Government Food Rationing System

The UN World Food Programme announces the results of a survey in Iraq that found that some 6.5 million people—25 percent of the total population—remain highly dependent on the country’s food rationing system. If that system were to be dismantled, “many lower-income households, particularly women and children, would not be able to meet their food requirements,” the report says. “Although food is generally available, the poorest households cannot afford to buy from the markets.” According to the study, 2.6 million Iraqis are so poor they resell a portion of their food rations so they can buy basic necessities like medicines and clothing. [UN World Food Programme, 9/28/2004; Environment News Service, 4/3/2006] A day after the results of this study are released, the IMF will announce that Iraq has agreed to implement a number of economic reforms. One of those reforms would be a scaling back of food subsidies (see September 29, 2004).