Tag: food security

Global agri-food trade is undergoing profound structural change, driven by escalating geopolitical tensions, climate-related shocks, and evolving market dynamics. Agri-food trade has become central to food security, shaping access and availability across diverse regions. Recent trends indicate a modest resurgence in agricultural trade as a share of total global trade and a growing regionalisation of trade flows. While the European Union and Brazil have consolidated surplus positions through strategic policy alignment and export diversification, the United States faces declining competitiveness, trade stagnation, and a widening import gap. Simultaneously, China has emerged as the leading global importer, reshaping trade relationships and intensifying competition among suppliers. The volatility induced by trade wars, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine has been compounded by the proliferation of trade restrictions, which pose acute risks for import-dependent countries. These developments underscore the fragility of global food systems and the strategic implications of trade balances. As trade agreements are reconfigured and economic nationalism rises, long-term sustainability will hinge on investments in domestic agricultural capacity, modern infrastructure, and multilateral cooperation. Future trajectories of agri-food trade will be shaped by structural shifts in global demand, persistent trade costs – including tariffs, transportation bottlenecks, and non-tariff measures – ...

This paper examines the evolution of China’s agri-food trade over the past two decades amid increasing global uncertainty. Using a combination of quantitative trade data and qualitative policy analysis from 2000 to 2023, it explores how China has navigated crises such as the global financial crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and geopolitical tensions. The findings highlight that China’s agri-food trade growth has been driven by trade liberalisation, domestic support policies, and a strategic focus on diversification and food security. However, challenges remain, including heavy import dependence, rising production costs, and environmental pressures. The study concludes that strengthening domestic capacity, investing in green innovation, and expanding trade partnerships are critical for long-term food system stability. These insights offer valuable lessons for other agricultural economies striving for greater resilience in a volatile global environment.

Climate change leads to various impacts, including reduced production, lower crop yields, land degradation, soil erosion, and overall, food insecurity. It is projected that by 2080, between 5 million and 170 million people could encounter serious food shortages. Currently, approximately 5 million people are experiencing inadequate access to food in Central Asia. This study investigates the impact of climate change on food security in Central Asia by using panel data analysis for five Central Asian countries between 2000 and 2020. The findings indicate that weather shocks negatively affect food security dimensions. Based on the findings, the authors recommend improving education on adapting the agricultural sector to climate change, implementing technological improvements, and transitioning to sustainable agriculture.

This article examines the performance of ten food security indicators across 91 countries in the world, categorised by their income levels, to identify differences and similarities. The variations and covariations observed in a multivariate way are outlined through Biplot plots that summarise the results of a Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The results show a direct link between the economic factors of the countries, food security, nutrition, and its derivatives. High-income countries are the best place for their populations to access a nutritious and quality food supply to meet the dietary energy needs needed for an active life. In contrast, low- and lower-middle-income countries still have critical indicators of the prevalence of severe or moderate food insecurity, malnutrition, and other related diseases, such as anaemia.

This exploratory article focuses on the factors influencing recent food price inflation in Latin America. The onset of the pandemic has significantly heightened concerns regarding food price inflation. Quarantines, mobility restrictions, and uncertainty all occurring in quick succession have led to substantial disruptions in both local and global value chains. Furthermore, the Ukraine-Russia conflict has exacerbated the existing inflationary situation, introducing additional interruptions and disturbances to agribusiness value chains. Drawing upon empirical research, this article examines the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the subsequent Ukraine-Russia conflict on food price inflation in Latin America. It also assesses the policy measures implemented by countries and provides future projections in this regard. Regional food inflation processes have prompted concerns regarding the vulnerability of food security and the weakness of supply chains in the region. It is crucial to consider the relationship between these processes and the overall price level of the economy. The evidence indicates that food prices have experienced more pronounced increases compared to the rest of the economy, suggesting a surge in prices relative to other consumer goods. This has directly impacted agricultural producers and end consumers of food.

The study analyses the determinants of food availability and access, and the causes of unsustainable food access in Ghana using three models. Regression results show that the effects of energy price, domestic and foreign interest rates, domestic prices and exchange rate on food availability are negative, while the effects of crop yield, arable land, liberalisation of agricultural trade and real income are positive. The analysis further shows the unique effects of energy price and human capital exceed their common effects. However, the common effects of domestic and foreign interest rates, inflation, crop yield, arable land, exchange rate, liberalisation of agricultural trade and income exceed their unique effects. The access model shows that the effects of domestic interest rate, exchange rate and oil price are negative. The unique effect of oil price exceeds the variable’s common effect. However, the common effects of exchange rate, interest rate and income exceed their unique effects. The stability model shows that good news and higher incomes enhance sustainable food access. However, higher oil price and depreciation of the local currency distort sustainable food access. The policy implication is that government should jointly target variables with higher common effects when addressing food access and availability. Withdrawal ...