What is a consequence of heavy reliance on food aid?

• A. It discouraged farming
• B. It increased domestic production
• C. It reduced imports
• D. It stimulated investment

Answer: (A)

Heavy reliance on food aid tends to discourage farming because farmers often find local crops less profitable when free or cheap food from aid dominates the market. If aid pushes prices down or guarantees a safety net without needing to grow more, farmers may reduce planting, invest less in seeds and inputs, or switch to other activities. Over time, domestic production falls, the country becomes more dependent on aid and imports, and the farming sector loses confidence and capacity to respond to demand. In contrast, aid can help in emergencies, but when it becomes a regular substitute for market farming, it reduces the incentive to farm and investment in agriculture.

The other possibilities don’t fit because heavy aid typically lowers the incentive to produce domestically rather than boosting production, and it doesn’t inherently reduce imports or stimulate investment in the long term; those outcomes would require different conditions or policies.