On Tuesday, March 22, French President Emmanuel Macron called for his proposal to set up food vouchers for low-income families in France to help combat food inflation brought on by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
During his election campaign, Macron told a Radio Channel that “I want to set up food coupons to help even the most modest families and middle-class families deal with the high expenses,”
On April 10, France will vote for the first round of presidential elections.
Although Macron did not detail the food stamps, he did say that his government has put together a package to help self-employed people and low- and middle-income families cope with rising energy and food prices.
His remarks are reminiscent of the World War II food crisis when European countries were obliged to issue food stamps and limit basic foods.
Moreover, he stated that France would be affected by the global food crisis in the coming months, as Russia and Ukraine are worldwide food granaries.
He noted it would be pertinent for Europe to effectively draw a strategy to deal with surges in food costs.
France will pursue a food independence strategy, equivalent to the country’s aim of energy independence from Russian gas and oil in the coming decade.
Europe is experiencing a severe energy crisis due to sanctions imposed on Russia, which has resulted in high fuel and gas prices, affecting millions of people’s everyday lives and transportation. Russia is a significant supplier of gas and oil to several countries.
As the conflict persists, the Ukrainian government has alerted that the nation may not produce sufficient crops for exports next year as farmers cannot attend the sowing season.
Ukraine is an essentially agricultural country that produces wheat, corn, barley, and vegetable oil. It is regarded as Europe’s breadbasket. On the other hand, the prolonged battle may produce massive disruptions in food production and supplies.
