Feast or famine: trade distortions and food insecurity in developing states

Food insecurity is defined as a situation that exists when people lack physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life (FAO 2000). With eighty percent of the world currently residing in the less developed states and more than 95 percent of the world population increase expected in these states in the next decade, further attention to problem of food insecurity must focus on the developing world. What causes food insecurity in developing states? Current literature offers several explanations for food insecurity including: low production levels, natural disasters, and policies that discourage agricultural trade. This thesis: builds upon the political economic literature, argues that agricultural trade policies may lead to food insecurity, and uses data from the World Bank and FAO from 1990 to 2004 to test the current explanations for food insecurity. The research findings suggest that agricultural trade policies must be taken into account when determining whether food insecurity is likely to increase in a given state.