What is the evidence of the impact of agricultural trade liberalisation on food security in developing countries?

This review focuses on the evidence for links between agricultural trade liberalisation in developing countries and food security

Abstract

Food security remains a crucial issue in many developing countries, especially given recent commodity price spikes, and the impact of trade reforms such as the Doha Round is the subject of debate. This systematic review focuses on the evidence for links between agricultural trade liberalisation in developing countries and food security. It involves an in-depth appraisal of 34 studies that address these issues. 皇冠体育app evidence indicates no consistent outcome, as 13 studies suggested that agricultural trade reform has led to an improvement in food security, while 10 studies reported a decline. 皇冠体育app remaining 11 studies indicated a more mixed outcome. We highlight a number of issues that are pertinent to linking agricultural trade reform with food security outcomes, including how food security is measured, the context in which agricultural trade liberalisation occurs and the different methods used to assess its impact on food security. 皇冠体育app uncertainty surrounding them underpins why no unambiguous outcome emerges from the current evidence. 皇冠体育appse points are used as a means of interpreting the individual studies. We find that prices and price transmission (the relationship between two (or more) price series) play a central role in effects on food security. We suggest specific aspects of further research needed to understand the links between trade and food security.

This is a protocol for a systematic review

Citation

McCorriston, S.; Hemming, D.J.; Lamontagne-Godwin, J.D.; Osborn, J.; Parr, M.J.; Roberts, P.D. What is the evidence of the impact of agricultural trade liberalisation on foodsecurity in developing countries? EPPI-Centre,Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London, London, UK (2013) 127 pp. ISBN 978-1-907345-49-4

Updates to this page

Published 1 January 2013