The state of agricultural commodity markets 2015-16
This report (PDF) from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) elaborates on the relations between trade and food security. It aims to reduce the current polarization of views on the impacts of agricultural trade on food security and on the manner in which agricultural trade should be governed to ensure that increased trade openness is beneficial to all countries. Rules governing international trade of food and agricultural products should be crafted with an eye to improving countries’ food security and other development objectives. Since trade will increasingly influence the extent and nature of food security across all regions of the globe, a pragmatic approach that would align agricultural and trade policies at the national level is needed. By providing evidence and clarity on a range of topics, the report seeks to contribute to a more informed debate on policy choices and to identify required improvements in the policy processes within which these choices are made.