The document summarizes key challenges and opportunities facing the global food system. It notes that while food production is strong and prices are declining, inequality is rising globally and conflicts and climate change are driving increased hunger. International cooperation on trade, investment, knowledge sharing, and governance will be important to address these issues and ensure food security. However, anti-globalization sentiments and policy uncertainties pose threats to further progress.

1. Shenggen Fan
Director General
International Food Policy Research Institute
Ottawa, Canada | May 1, 2018

2. ▪ Despite economic recovery, inequality is on
the rise globally
▪ Global hunger is increasing, driven by
conflicts and climate change
▪ Food production is strong and food prices
are declining
▪ Anti-globalism and the changing global
landscape may create further uncertainties,
especially for marginalized and vulnerable
groups, such as women and smallholders
PROGRESS, UNCERTAINTY & RISING
ANTI-GLOBALISM
Food policy in 2017-2018
Top 10% income shares across
the world, 1980-2016
India
US-Canada
Russia
China
Europe
Source: World Inequality Report 2018

3. GLOBAL FOOD SYSTEM UNDER RADICAL CHANGES
Threats to
investments
Trade
protectionism
Knowledge & data
flow restrictions
Tightening
borders
Stalled farm
policy reforms
Weak global
governance
Anti-globalization Sentiments

4. FREE FLOW OF GOODS
is key for food security and nutrition
▪ Open trade can contribute to
• Food security
• Improving nutrition through diversification of
food baskets, producers, and suppliers
• Reducing natural resource use and
environmental impact
▪ Design targeted policies in human capital,
resource management, and education to
address trade-related challenges – inequality,
overnutrition, environmental impact
Water content embedded in
international trade
Source: Laborde 2017

5. ▪ International investment is key to
eliminating hunger and boosting nutrition
• Increases production, improves value
chains, develops infrastructure, etc.
▪ Agribusiness investments benefit
local food security
▪ Promote inclusive business models
that support small-scale producers and
SMEs in global value chains
Product and market focus of
investors in agriculture
Source: UNCTAD and World Bank
INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT
benefits local food security (1)

6. INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT
benefits local food security (2)
▪ Prioritize investments that support women’s
empowerment
• Strengthen women’s legal and property rights,
enabling control of assets needed to participate in
and benefit from globalization
• Eliminate gender-specific barriers to women’s
participation in the workforce
• Facilitate women’s participation in all stages of the
value chain and ensure contracts and payments are
gender-equitable
• Ensure women’s voice in decision making and
consultative forums Source: CIMMYT 2016

7. ▪ Globalization can create opportunities for women
• Enables exchange of new ideas and challenges restrictive
gender norms
• Allows women to enter nontraditional areas of work or to
migrate for better opportunities
▪ Providing a supportive policy environment is key
• Improve women’s safety and security
• Promote child care and family leave provisions
• Ensure compliance with Voluntary Guidelines on
Responsible Governance of Tenure
• Support women’s leadership and advocacy in national
and subnational decision making
GLOBALIZATION IS A CATALYST
for change and women’s empowerment
Factors impacting women’s
economic empowerment
Source: ODI 2016

8. INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION
plays a major role in food security
▪ Voluntary migration can improve food security for
migrants and families
• Increases incomes and reduces pressure on
natural resources
• But migration involves upfront costs that can
exclude the poor
▪ Integration of refugees into economies is
important for food security among refugees and
local communities
▪ Improve seasonal migration mechanisms and
support international protection of migrants’
rights, particularly women
Household income and probability
of migration, Bangladesh
Source: De Brauw and Ambler 2018

9. OPEN ACCESS KNOWLEDGE AND DATA
drive improved performance in food systems
▪ Accessible data is critical for decision making in
food systems, from farm to consumers
▪ Open data can enhance accountability of all actors
in food systems, including government
▪ Data quality and ease of use are essential for open
access to succeed
▪ Enhance knowledge transfer efficiency, and
empower citizens through capacity building
▪ Adapt data platforms to facilitate information
privacy and responsible management of data
IFPRI dataset downloads
Source: Yerramareddy and Babu 2018

10. DOMESTIC FARM POLICY REFORM
is critical for global food security
▪ Developed country policies often lead to
overproduction and lower prices globally
▪ Countries shifted toward less distortionary
mechanisms
▪ Yet reforms stagnated and farm support
levels remain high
▪ Reform domestic farm support even in
absence of multinational agreements
Producer support
as % of gross farm revenue
Source: OECD 2017

11. GLOBAL GOVERNANCE REFORM
is important for food, nutrition, and agriculture
▪ Policy and governance in food security and
nutrition are increasingly complex
• Conflict-related hunger, malnutrition,
environmental risk, politics of global integration
▪ Global governance can provide and protect
international public goods
• E.g. standards for healthy and safe foods
▪ Design a Governing Platform for inter-
governmental coordination, decision making,
and funding
Global food, nutrition, and
agriculture governance design
Source: Von Braun 2018

12. ADDRESSING RADICAL CHANGES
is central for progress in the global food system
▪ Encourage an open, efficient, and fair trading system
▪ Support rural development to break the vicious cycle of conflict,
food insecurity, and migration
▪ Invest more in research and innovation for food systems
▪ Promote cooperation and mutual learning
▪ Leverage new opportunities in emerging technologies and
knowledge-sharing
▪ Enhance evidence-based policy making, maximizing the
benefits while minimizing the risks of globalization

13. Global integration of national food
systems will be key to progress,
but will require robust evidence, good
governance, and strong commitment
from the international community