Abstract
Recent decades have seen food markets and value chains become increasingly global—a trend that creates challenges as well as opportunities for food systems. Positive trade effects on food security are not always self-evident in food deficit low-income countries. Moreover, whereas international trade may also be used to balance regional differences in climate change impacts and biodiversity, trade can exacerbate environmental challenges associated with food production, land use and climate change. This article argues that, for trade to drive inclusive and sustainable growth of nutritious food production in food deficit low-income countries, policies and investments in these countries must focus on three key priorities: 1) diversifying production and markets to increase resilience to external shocks; 2) enhancing competitiveness and improving market access for local farmers and SMEs, and 3) incorporating externalities in international trade. The latter requires collective international action.
Highlights
All countries import food, but trade does not automatically enhance food security for all – for the most vulnerable populations in developing countries (IPES Food, 2017; OECD, 2019a, b; IISD, 2019)
Trade can exacerbate environmental challenges associated with food production, land use and climate change (Bellmann et al, 2019; Brown et al, 2017; Balogh & Jambor, 2020), international trade may be used to balance regional differences in climate
This paper argues that with trade-compliant domestic policies that support sustainable and inclusive value chains, low-income food deficit countries can strengthen the competitiveness of their food and agricultural sector and enhance national food security
Summary
Agricultural support and vulnerability of food security to trade in developing coutries. Global value chains in agriculture and food: A synthesis of OECD analysis. Economics and politics of food standards, trade and development. Washington D.C. Bio Siemen van Berkum is a senior researcher at Wageningen Economic Research, with extensive research experience in agricultural and trade policy analysis, food supply chain studies and food system analysis. Bio Siemen van Berkum is a senior researcher at Wageningen Economic Research, with extensive research experience in agricultural and trade policy analysis, food supply chain studies and food system analysis Siemen drafted a number of reports analysing the implications and operationalisation of food systems thinking in Dutch aid and investment programmes
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