Globalization Of Food And Agriculture And The Poor

The world agri-food system is getting increasingly 'globalized'. As the majority moves into cities, and those who remain in rural areas adopt urbanized lifestyles the consumption of food is changing toward varied yet similar consumption around the world. This book reflects on how these changes are affecting the poor by looking at specific factors that are driving change. The chapters consider different angles to the following questions: How do these changes affect the roles and powers of various actors along the food chain? How relevant are these trends to the economic developments within the global agri-food system, and in particular to the poor segments of society? How is the globalization of foods affecting human health? How can international and national policy address possible adverse direct and indirect effects of globalization of the world's agri-food system while strengthening positive ones? The book attempts to combine both lines of inquiry, focusing more specifically on the globalization of agri-food systems, the actual and potential impacts of these trends on the poor, and the implications for food and nutrition security in developing countries.

Contributed articles originating from a workshop held in 2002 in honor of Per Pinstrup-Anderson, former director general of International Food Policy Research Institute.

Using original research from Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America, this book reviews the recent restructuring of the global agri-food industry and the dramatic rise of global retail chains in developing and transition countries. It focuses on the private standards and requirements imposed by multinational companies investing in these countries and the resulting changes to existing supply chains. It also examines the impact of these changes on local producers, particularly poor farmers, and considers the long-term policy implications in terms of growth and poverty.

Includes papers and case studies presented at a FAO workshop held in Rome, Italy from 8 to 10 October 2003

The present publication contains four in-depth reviews on current and emerging issues in the economic analysis of food, agriculture and rural development, written by well-known scholars in the field. The selection of the issues for in-depth review was the result of a survey conducted among FAO staff involved in policy assistance activities in the main developing regions. Thus, the choice reflects their and, by extension, the policy-makers' perception as to the main research priorities in the economic analysis of agriculture, rural development, poverty and food security

Sustainable agriculture is based on the sustainable use of natural resources land, water and agricultural biodiversity, including that of plants and animals. The sustainable use of these, in turn, requires that their ownership and control lie with decentralised agricultural communities to generate livelihoods, provide food and conserve natural resources. These three dimensions of ecological security, livelihood security and food security are the essential elements of an agriculture policy which is sustainable and equitable. This book shows how the processes of globalization threaten to undermine all three dimensions, and calls for immediate action.

Commissioned by the International Food Policy Research Institute, this discussion paper asks who is responsible for assuring food security in an age of globalization? Paarlberg (political science, Wellesley College) argues that significant hunger persists in some regions largely because of governance deficits and failures at the national, rather than the global, level. He then suggests options for improving the performance of national governments in countries increasingly affected by hunger (particularly those in Africa). Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Despite technological advances in agriculture, nearly a billion people around the world still suffer from hunger and poor nutrition while a billion are overweight or obese. This imbalance highlights the need not only to focus on food production but also to implement successful food policies. In this new textbook intended to be used with the three volumes of Case Studies in Food Policy for Developing Countries (also from Cornell), the 2001 World Food Prize laureate Per Pinstrup-Andersen and his colleague Derrill D. Watson II analyze international food policies and discuss how such policies can and must address the many complex challenges that lie ahead in view of continued poverty, globalization, climate change, food price volatility, natural resource degradation, demographic and dietary transitions, and increasing interests in local and organic food production. Food Policy for Developing Countries offers a "social entrepreneurship" approach to food policy analysis. Calling on a wide variety of disciplines including economics, nutrition, sociology, anthropology, environmental science, medicine, and geography, the authors show how all elements in the food system function together.