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2. Securing ASEAN’s Food Resilience Amidst the Middle East Conflict
- Author:
- Jose M. L. Montesclaros, Kayven Tan, and Mely Caballero-Anthony
- Publication Date:
- 03-2026
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
- Abstract:
- The Middle East conflict is set to have a double-whammy impact on both ASEAN’s import of fertilisers, and its energy-intensive fertiliser production. The timing is critical as in the coming months, the five major crops, including rice, are being planted in ASEAN.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Food Security, Resilience, and ASEAN
- Political Geography:
- Middle East and Asia
3. The decline of French agriculture in Europe
- Author:
- Bernard Bourget
- Publication Date:
- 02-2026
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Robert Schuman Foundation (RSF)
- Abstract:
- The farmers' protests of the winter 2025-2026 are an amplified replica of those of two years ago, mainly in France, due in particular to competition between, on the one hand, the FNSEA[1] (Fédération nationale des syndicats d’exploitants agricoles) and the Young Farmers, and on the other hand, the very aggressive Coordination Rurale and the Confédération Paysanne. These protests focused on two issues: - The management of the contagious nodular dermatitis (CND) crisis, more specifically the opposition to the slaughter of all infected herds, even though this radical method has proven effective in Savoie and Haute-Savoie, where it has eradicated the disease. - The free trade agreement between the European Union and the four MERCOSUR countries (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay), which is currently awaiting approval. It is also the expression of a deep unease among French farmers, who have faced a series of difficulties in recent years that have not been experienced with the same intensity by their counterparts in other Member States. The causes of these difficulties therefore need to be analyzed. In Jean-Luc Demarty’s opinion[2], the main cause is the loss of competitiveness of French agriculture on the European market, which is reflected in an increase in agricultural income in France of only 17% between 2010 and 2024, well below the European average (77%) and that of Spain (79%), Poland (86%) or Italy (170%). The reasons why the agri-food trade balance of France has collapsed must also be examined. It was only positive of 200 Million euros in 2025. In recent years, French agriculture has had to grapple with health, climate and economic crises. The health crises have affected cattle (epizootic haemorrhagic disease and contagious nodular dermatosis), sheep (bluetongue) and poultry farms (avian influenza), while pig farms are still threatened by African swine fever. Climate change is having a severe impact on French agriculture, with successive droughts, floods and spring frosts. While health and climate crises also affect agriculture in other Member States, it is in the area of foreign trade that French agriculture is clearly hardest hit, particularly by moves by China and the United States to target wines and spirits, the leading export item for the French agri-food industry. The cereal sector, which is the second largest agri-food export item, is suffering from competition from the Black Sea countries and, above all, from Russia's offensive for wheat on African markets. The Algerian market was thus lost in 2025 in the context of that country's dispute with France, while the price of wheat is currently below $200 per tonne, (below the average production cost for French farmers), and the European Commission wants to tax imports of nitrogen fertilisers from Russia and Belarus as part of the carbon border adjustment mechanism.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Climate Change, European Union, Protests, Free Trade, and Health Crisis
- Political Geography:
- Europe and France
4. As US food aid retreats, can BRICS+ and biotechnology fill the world’s food security gap?
- Author:
- Cullen S. Hendrix
- Publication Date:
- 01-2026
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE)
- Abstract:
- Cuts to agricultural development assistance and food aid by the United States and other advanced economies are creating a global vacuum just as climate change and conflict drive global hunger up. Many food-insecure developing economies with significant hunger lack the resources to self-finance agricultural research and development (R&D) and have had to depend increasingly on themselves—and one another—to meet rising food needs. Hendrix argues that the BRICS+ economies—Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia—are well positioned to fill the world’s food security gap.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Markets, Foreign Aid, BRICS, Food Assistance, and Biotechnology
- Political Geography:
- North America, Global Focus, and United States of America
5. Eradication of Sparrows and the Great Famine in China
- Author:
- Eyal G. Frank, Shaoda Wang, Qinyun Wang, Xuebin Wang, and Yang You
- Publication Date:
- 01-2026
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Scientists, politicians, and popular media frequently argue that the continued degradation of ecosystems will negatively affect human well-being. Warnings regarding the devastating consequences of ecosystem collapses have emphasized the complex interactions between natural systems, particularly how agriculture connects with surrounding ecosystems. While the potentially catastrophic costs of these events have long been theorized, empirical evidence remains scarce. The rarity of ecosystem collapses, the difficulty of clearly tracing their triggers, and the lack of detailed data pose significant barriers to rigorous empirical investigations.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, History, Famine, and Ecosystem
- Political Geography:
- China and Asia
6. The G7 and Sustainable Agri-Food Systems’ Transformation: Lessons Learned from the Italian Presidency
- Author:
- Daniele Fattibene
- Publication Date:
- 02-2025
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Istituto Affari Internazionali
- Abstract:
- Italy put a strong emphasis on food and nutrition security during its 2024 G7 Presidency, designing or scaling up plans to transform global food systems. Although the Italian presidency was able to gather consensus on key dimensions such as the food and climate nexus or development finance, structural weaknesses remain. Among them, the limited representation of Global South interests, the lack of space for civil society and farmers’ organisations in the decision-making process and the institutional rivalry between the Finance and the Development Tracks. While the G7 can more easily mobilise consensus and financial solutions to tackle global hunger, it has gradually lost ground to settings such as the G20 or the UN climate conference generally known as COP. The G7 must align its food-security solutions with those designed by other global partners (the G20 Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, or the EU’s Global Gateway) that can more effectively address food insecurity, while tackling all the barriers that make it too risky for local actors and the private sector to invest in sustainable agri-food systems transformation.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Climate Change, Food Security, and G7
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Italy
7. Left to Live and Die: Resource Security and the Biopolitics of Land Stockpiling in China
- Author:
- Ross Doll
- Publication Date:
- 02-2025
- Content Type:
- Video
- Institution:
- Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University
- Abstract:
- February 27, 2025 — Beginning in 2007 the Chinese state used liberalizing policy and funding to encourage the expansion of large-scale grain farming. Despite this support, many of the new farms have financially struggled and folded. Drawing on Foucauldian biopolitics and resource security literature, Ross Doll argues that with modernized agriculture the state primarily sought to create not commercial farms but redundant farming infrastructure, which it needed to buffer its growing reliance on food imports while abiding by the global trade regulations needed to sustain its urban export manufacturing economy. Ross Doll is a lecturer in the UC-Berkeley Blum Center for Developing Economies. He researches agrarian change in Asia drawing on political ecology, cultural geography, and resilience ecology. Based on longterm ethnography, his current research considers the origins and influence of contemporary state-led agricultural modernization in the Yangzi Delta region of China, focusing on food security, landscape, and rural politics. Dr. Doll teaches courses on the geographies of natural resources, global and Asian development, and global poverty. He holds a PhD in Geography and a MA in China Studies from the University of Washington. This event is hosted by the Weatherhead East Asian Institute and co-sponsored by China Center for Social Policy.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Manufacturing, Imports, Farming, Biopolitics, Political Ecology, and Resources
- Political Geography:
- China and Asia
8. Inequality and agricultural structural change: Evidence from macro and microdata, 1950–present
- Author:
- Matthew Fisher-Post
- Publication Date:
- 02-2025
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Since 1950, agricultural productivity has been increasing even as labourers leave agriculture. However, while average productivity of the sector has been converging, within-sector inequality has been increasing. Agricultural income inequality is still less than overall income inequality, but it measures significantly higher when we use higher-quality and more comprehensive survey data. This means not only to observe the entirety of household farm income, but also to measure the magnitude of capital income and corporate profits in the sector. Given the likely increase in agricultural inequality during the process of structural change, I show also the extent to which social protection programmes are both insufficient and poorly targeted for rural populations.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Development, Food Security, and Inequality
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
9. How reliable are national accounts estimates of agricultural output?
- Author:
- Sam Jones and Marcelo Mucocana
- Publication Date:
- 02-2025
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Measurement errors in macroeconomic aggregates such as GDP have been widely lamented, particularly in low-income contexts. This study investigates the reliability of one component of national accounts, agricultural sector output. Focusing first on the case of Mozambique, we use a series of 12 harmonized national agricultural micro-surveys to construct estimates of gross annual output in the sector. Compared to corresponding national accounts values for the period 2002–20, the micro-survey estimates are about 50% lower. A decomposition exercise indicates this gap is primarily driven by differences in base year levels, offset by higher rates of inflation observed in survey-based producer prices. Triangulating these estimates using household budget surveys, market price, and FAO production data, we find consistent support for the agricultural micro-survey estimates, suggesting real rates of total GDP growth may have been overestimated by 1 percentage point over the period. A cross-country comparison of national accounts and FAO production data indicates positive differences between estimates of agricultural output from the two sources are not unique to Mozambique, but with larger discrepancies among lower-income countries. Systematic investment in reliable and timely agricultural statistics is essential to track progress in the sector.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, GDP, Macroeconomics, and Survey
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Mozambique
10. The Private Sphere Trap: Women and the climate crisis in Iraq
- Author:
- Laila Barhoum
- Publication Date:
- 06-2025
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- This Oxfam briefing paper examines the intersection of gender inequality and climate change in Iraq, focusing on the agricultural sector. Women in Iraq face systemic barriers that confine them to the "private sphere," limiting their participation in decision-making processes critical to climate adaptation and mitigation. Through qualitative research, including focus group discussions and key informant interviews, the paper highlights how social norms, economic dependency, and lack of access to resources exacerbate women’s vulnerability to climate impacts. It provides actionable recommendations to foster inclusive climate action, such as raising awareness, leveraging respected female leaders, and improving technical support for farmers. The report underscores the urgent need to dismantle male-dominated structures to build a resilient and equitable future for Iraq.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Climate Change, Inequality, Rural, Decision-Making, Adaptation, Livelihoods, Gender, and Social Norms
- Political Geography:
- Iraq and Middle East
11. National food security preparedness Green Paper
- Author:
- Andrew Henderson and John Coyne
- Publication Date:
- 04-2025
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI)
- Abstract:
- Australia’s agriculture sector and food system produce enough food to feed more than 70 million people worldwide. The system is one of the world’s least subsidised food systems. It has prospered under a global rules-based system influenced by Western liberal values, but it now faces chronic challenges due to rising geopolitical tensions, geo-economic transitions, climate change, deteriorating water security and rapid technological advances. The world is changing so rapidly that the assumptions, policy approaches and economic frameworks that have traditionally supported Australia’s food security are no longer fit for purpose. Potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific is driving enhanced preparedness activity in Australia’s defence force, but that isn’t being replicated across the agriculture sector and food system in a coordinated manner. Food hasn’t featured as a priority in the public versions of the Defence Strategic Review or the National Defence Strategy. This has created a gap in Australia’s preparedness activities: if Australia’s national security and defence organisations are preparing for potential conflict, then Australia’s agriculture sector and food system stakeholders should also be preparing for this period of strategic uncertainty. Food security is a pillar of whole-of-nation preparedness for an uncertain future. While current targeted preparedness efforts and resilience mechanisms are valuable, they aren’t sufficient. Stakeholders are calling for stronger, proactive national coordination from the government to empower and support private-sector action. Meeting that demand is essential to strengthening overall resilience. So, too, is understanding that Australia’s food security relies on a holistic and interconnected ecosystem rather than a fragmented supply chain. Australia is a heavily trade-exposed nation that exports 70% of production, so any disruption to maritime and other transport corridors or to the infrastructure needed to move food risks undermining both national food security and Australia’s standing as a reliable global supplier. This work has been written and constructed as a Green Paper, not an academic publication. Informed by six months of consultations with government, the private sector and civil society, the paper combines applied policy analysis and real-world insights to promote deliberate conversation about protecting Australia’s food security with the same priority as protecting Australia’s national security. The Green Paper is divided into four parts. It also includes three case studies in the Appendix, which use a threat and risk assessment to analyse three critical inputs to the food security ecosystem—phosphate, glyphosate and digital connectivity—to help stakeholders evaluate the vulnerabilities in Australia’s food security ecosystem. The intention of this Green Paper is to deepen understanding of food security as a key public policy issue, stimulate public discussion, inform policymaking and provide both government and key stakeholders with policy options for consideration. This Green Paper’s 14 recommended policy options have been designed to equip governments and the private sector with structured national-security-inspired assessment tools and a framework to continuously identify, prioritise and mitigate vulnerabilities. That includes options to centralise the coordination and decentralise delivery of preparedness activities, establish accountability and embed food security as a national security priority and a key element of Australia’s engagement across the Indo-Pacific.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, National Security, Food Security, and Geopolitics
- Political Geography:
- Australia and Indo-Pacific
12. Battle for the bush: Banditry and violent agrarian change in northwest Nigeria
- Author:
- Peer Schouten and James Barnett
- Publication Date:
- 08-2025
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS)
- Abstract:
- Contemporary banditry in northwest Nigeria is a multifaceted phenomenon that encompasses a wide spectrum of violence waged by heavily militarised yet loosely organised rural gangs. These groups engage in everything from cattle rustling to kidnapping for ransom and extortion of peasant communities, with bandits becoming important de facto authorities in swathes of rural northwest Nigeria. Underpinning the contemporary bandit conflict, we argue, is an ongoing ‘battle for the bush’ — a struggle over land, governance and rural livelihoods. Historically, the bush functioned as a shared space for farmers and pastoralists. However, land use data shows that the expansion of cropland farming has gradually overtaken grazing lands, reducing pastoral mobility and generating increasing conflicts. The state’s failure to mediate these tensions or provide equitable land policies, coupled with the breakdown of traditional conflict resolution mechanisms, has allowed grievances to fester. In response, bandits have violently reclaimed and reshaped the governance of the bush, not only as a refuge but as a domain of coercive rule, imposing levies on farming and controlling access to land and cattle. We examine the historical drivers of this transformation and analyse how opportunistic criminals and social bandits have evolved into de facto rural rulers. Along the way, the trend of cropland expansion is being reversed. Yet instead of reestablishing a pastoral idyll, banditry is reproducing the very conditions that gave rise to it, further undermining rural livelihoods in the northwest. This has compounded rural poverty and food insecurity while depriving pastoralist youths’ access to government services and education that could provide for a better future. Our analysis implies that the crisis cannot be solved through military interventions alone but requires a rethinking of rural governance.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Land Conflict, Farmer-Pastoralist Conflict, and Banditry
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Nigeria
13. A Burden or a Boost? Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence in European Agriculture
- Author:
- Marjoleine Hennis
- Publication Date:
- 06-2025
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Clingendael Netherlands Institute of International Relations
- Abstract:
- The next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) cycle is being discussed amid geopolitical and global trade tensions, and a shift in focus (by the European Commission) to the competitiveness of the European Union (EU). The discussions are taking place in parallel with the introduction of certain sustainability measures of the Green Deal. These measures, such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), are often presented as contrasting with competitiveness, or as an additional administrative burden. Instead, this policy brief highlights the potential benefits of the sustainability measures for European agriculture. It argues that, if applied astutely, the measures could boost the EU’s competitiveness and food security, whilst easing regulatory burdens, and reinforcing the position of farmers in agri-food chains.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, European Union, Food Security, Sustainability, and Green Deal
- Political Geography:
- Europe
14. Food Systems Transformation in ASEAN: Debates and Way Forward
- Author:
- Jose M. L. Montesclaros and Kayven Tan
- Publication Date:
- 12-2025
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
- Abstract:
- There has been a rising chorus of organisations calling for the need for food systems transformation (FST) globally in furthering the sustainable development goals. Yet, FST remains a much-debated issue, given differences in beliefs on the types of transformations needed, and how these are to be achieved. These include debates over government support to agriculture as going against free trade norms; disagreements surrounding the prioritisation of environmental concerns amidst climate change’s negative impacts on food supplies; and issues over the benefits and challenges in implementing environmental social governance (ESG) frameworks. Such global debates, however, are better addressed when contextualised at the lower geographic levels, considering the unique circumstances of regions and countries. We highlight their relevance in Southeast Asia, and argue for the need for a pragmatic approach to FST.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Free Trade, ASEAN, Sustainable Development, and Food Systems
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
15. Resolving the puzzle of "reversed favoritism" in African agriculture
- Author:
- Lennart C. Kaplan
- Publication Date:
- 09-2025
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW)
- Abstract:
- The political economy literature highlights the redistribution of resources to political support groups - often along regional or ethnic lines - as an axiom of political systems. In contrast to this dominant pattern, Kasara (2007) documents a puzzling result of discriminatory rent extraction by political leaders from farmers in their ethnic home region. Linking a new database on the ethnic and regional affiliation of political leaders to fine-grained survey data, I disentangle ethnic and regional affiliations and show that their intersection explains the phenomenon which I will label in the following “reversed favoritism." More specifically, I provide evidence that agricultural price hikes indeed do not reduce poverty among co-ethnic farmers in the leader's birth region. My results indicate that leaders seem to act politically rational as they only apply this treatment in regions where they enjoy high trust. I show in an exploratory analysis that the counter-intuitive support of discriminatory policies can be explained by transfers in other areas, namely development aid.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Political Economy, Ethnicity, Development Aid, and Favoritism
- Political Geography:
- Africa
16. Análisis narrativo de la política pública de reconocimiento de territorios y territorialidades campesinas en Colombia 1994 – 2024. Avances, limitaciones y recomendaciones
- Author:
- Patricia Sánchez García
- Publication Date:
- 08-2025
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Estudios sobre Desarrollo (CIDER), Universidad de los Andes
- Abstract:
- El reconocimiento de territorios y territorialidades campesinas no ha avanzado de forma lineal, su desarrollo presenta tanto momentos de avance como de retroceso. Estos dan cuenta de que ha sido un tema controversial y objeto de disputa. Este documento analiza la política pública de reconocimiento de territorios y territorialidades campesinas en Colombia. El análisis se hace desde una perspectiva narrativa, para la cual es clave la identificación y el análisis de la situación controversial que cimenta la política pública, así como de las narrativas y contranarrativas movilizadas en su marco. Identifico dos narrativas movilizadas frente a los campesinos y sus formas de territorialidad: una narrativa estigmatizante, que concibe los territorios campesinos como espacios fuera del orden sobre los cuales debe imponerse la soberanía estatal. Una segunda narrativa, por el contrario, afirma la importancia del reconocimiento de la particular relación que establecen los campesinos con sus territorios y resalta los aportes que desde estos se hace a la seguridad y soberanía alimentaria, a la protección ambiental, a la superación del conflicto interno y a la materialización de la reforma agraria. Así mismo, propongo una metanarrativa centrada en la reconstrucción del proceso de desarrollo de la política de reconocimiento que abarca el período 1994- 2024. Esta ubica dos períodos de avance de la política, el primero entre 1994 y 2002 y el segundo entre 2022 y 2024, en el medio de los cuales hubo un momento de estancamiento de alrededor de dos décadas. A partir de las narrativas identificadas y de la metanarrativa construida, propongo una serie de recomendaciones para el avance de la política pública de reconocimiento que interpelan tanto al Estado co
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Food, Public Policy, Recognition, and Peasants
- Political Geography:
- South America
17. Multi-Pole-arity: How Poland can help Europe think big on China
- Author:
- Alicja Bachulska
- Publication Date:
- 04-2025
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR)
- Abstract:
- China’s strategic approach to its industrial policy—particularly its trade surplus and dominance in clean technologies—is a growing risk to Europe’s competitiveness and economic security. Like many other European states, Poland prefers to focus on the bilateral dimension of its relationship with China. But the scale of China’s economic threat means the EU’s only hope is to address it as a unified bloc. Poland should use its growing leadership role in the EU to help shift the bloc towards a more assertive China policy using the available tools. As it confronts the prospect of a trade war with the US, the EU cannot afford vulnerability to China. But first, Warsaw will need to recalibrate its own policies by grasping the realities of its trade relationship with China and assessing its vulnerabilities: investments, critical infrastructure and supply chains.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Bilateral Relations, European Union, and Economy
- Political Geography:
- China, Europe, Asia, and Poland
18. Sustainable cost of quinoa production in Bolivia: A landscape approach integrating the recovery of agricultural heritage (COSPH)
- Author:
- Javier Aliaga Lordemann and Adriana Caballero Caballero
- Publication Date:
- 10-2025
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Institute for Advanced Development Studies (INESAD)
- Abstract:
- This study analyzes the sustainable production cost, integrating the recovery of agricultural heritage (COSPH), for quinoa cultivation in the Bolivian High Plateau (Altiplano), seeking to answer: How much does it cost to make quinoa production sustainable over time in Bolivia? And, How does this change when considering agricultural heritage conservation? Specifically, the study evaluates how good agricultural practices (GAP) can mitigate climate change impacts and whether they are cost-effective, integrating the costs of agricultural heritage, which are particularly important for the quinoa real (royal quinoa) crop in Bolivia. Methodologically, the research combines a microeconomic model of imperfect competition calibrated for quinoa — capturing price differentiation based on sustainability and heritage conservation — with the NL-CROP model (Non-Linear Crop Optimization Model), which simulates non-linear interactions between climate, soil, and farming practices. Key findings show that GAP significantly reduce yield losses: under moderate climate conditions, productivity declines decrease from 5-7% to 1.8-2%, while in extreme events, losses drop from 16-30% to 2.5-6.2%, attributed to sustainable soil management. GAP remain viable in scenarios with up to two to three standard deviations, where profit margins cover additional costs. However, in severe crises (50% yield losses), negative margins (-4.7%) make agricultural insurance necessary (premiums of 7-10%), as well as tailored policies to balance climate adaptation with smallholders’ economic viability. When heritage conservation costs are included (COSPH), results show improved resilience (yield loss reduced to 10.5% under a moderate climate scenario) at a moderate additional cost (5.75% compared to 5%), suggesting that preserving agroecological heritage contributes to long-term sustainability. These findings highlight the strategic role of combining sustainable agriculture with the protection of cultural landscapes in vulnerable highland farming in Bolivia.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Climate Change, Economics, Environment, Heritage, Farming, Adaptation, Production, and Quinoa
- Political Geography:
- South America and Bolivia
19. Digitalisation in Agriculture and Food Systems in ASEAN: Pathways to Its Resilience and Sustainability
- Author:
- Masanori Kozono, Ari Aji Cahyono, and Siti Mustaqimatud Diyanah
- Publication Date:
- 11-2025
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)
- Abstract:
- Digital technologies are transforming the agriculture and food systems of ASEAN, offering new opportunities to enhance productivity, sustainability, and resilience. ASEAN has taken collective steps to accelerate this transition through initiatives such as the ASEAN Guidelines on Promoting the Utilisation of Digital Technologies for ASEAN Food and Agricultural Sector (2021), the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Strengthening Food Security and Nutrition in Response to Crises (2023), and the Action Plan for Sustainable Agriculture in ASEAN (2024). To support these regional efforts, this study assesses the current utilisation of digital tools across agricultural value chains, identifies barriers to technology diffusion, and analyses enabling policy frameworks. Based on surveys of 824 respondents across eight ASEAN Member States (AMS), the study finds that smartphone-based solutions – such as advisory applications, digital payments, and marketplaces – are the most widely adopted. However, adoption is primarily driven by economic objectives rather than environmental benefits. The main constraints include limited infrastructure, low digital literacy, and high adoption costs. Looking ahead, digital marketplaces and drones are expected to become the most in-demand technologies. Comprehensive and inclusive policies – anchored in strong infrastructure, skills development, financing mechanisms, and regional co-operation – are critical to advancing sustainable digital transformation in ASEAN’s agri-food systems.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Development, Science and Technology, Innovation, ASEAN, and Food Systems
- Political Geography:
- Asia
20. Evolution of Budget Expenditures on Agriculture in Poland Over Two Decades of Membership in the European Union
- Author:
- Ryszard Kata, Marcin Czyżniewski, and Anna Matuszczak
- Publication Date:
- 06-2025
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Polish Political Science Yearbook
- Institution:
- Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
- Abstract:
- This article analyzes changes in fiscal policy in agriculture in Poland from 2004 to 2024, as captured through the prism of budget expenditures on agriculture. The analysis focused on the volume, dynamics, and structure of total agricultural budget expenditures, including national budget funds and EU funds allocated to the European budget. It was found that during the two decades of Poland’s membership in the European Union, agricultural budget expenditures were strongly influenced by the volume of European funds allocated to agriculture and rural development under the instruments of the Common Agricultural Policy. Changes in agricultural budget expenditures, were mainly due to the adjustment of the national fiscal policy towards agriculture to the structural changes taking place in the agricultural sector. They also resulted from specific state fiscal interventions aimed at mitigating the adverse effects of destabilizing agricultural markets and crises caused by natural-climatic and geopolitical factors. Poland’s agricultural budget expenditures were subject to both evolutionary changes resulting from modifications to agricultural policy, as well as changes in the government’s response to the current challenges and problems of the agricultural sector and the agricultural market.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Budget, European Union, and Fiscal Policy
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Poland
21. For G20 Food Security Task Force: Food Price Stabilization in an Age of Overlapping Emergencies: The case for multilevel buffer stocks
- Author:
- Isabella M. Weber, Jayati Ghosh, Sophie van Huellen, Merle Schulken, and Sudeep Jain
- Publication Date:
- 10-2025
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Political Economy Research Institute (PERI), University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Abstract:
- Food price volatility is increasingly affected by overlapping emergencies including climate change, armed conflicts and trade wars. Buffer stocks can stabilize food prices and contribute towards long-term goals such as food sovereignty and sustainable farming. We propose a regional African food reserve comprising regionally grown and imported grain, to stabilize prices over time and across locations as well as to incentivize more sustainable food cultivation in the region. Additionally, we propose global virtual and physical reserves to stabilize the prices of globally traded commodities and support regional reserves.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Food Security, Sustainability, Food Sovereignty, and Price Stabilization
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
22. Compensation Preferences in Agricultural Insurance Among Smallholders in Rural Kenya
- Author:
- Francesco Cecchi and Samyuktha Kannan
- Publication Date:
- 06-2025
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), Brac University
- Abstract:
- Despite the high incidence of adverse weather shocks, the demand for agricultural insurance remains stubbornly low, even among risk-averse smallholder farmers with poor access to social safety nets. Two major barriers to adoption concern (i) cyclical illiquidity in agriculture households and (ii) the lack of trust in insurance providers. Standard insurance contracts that provide compensation for losses as a lump sum over an uncertain time horizon post-harvest exacerbate these concerns. In this study, we leverage recent advancements in digitally-enabled loss estimation and payments infrastructure to modify contracts in a manner than can address these barriers. We test whether allowing farmers greater choice in structuring compensation transfers from agricultural insurance reveals preferences for earlier and/or smaller transfers and secondly, whether farmers value an insurance product with customized compensation preferences more than a standard contract. We pilot this innovation through a randomized control design over one agricultural season among 1600 farmers in Kenya. We compare farmers payment preferences, and estimate differences in willingness-to-pay (WTP) and uptake for a contract offering customized compensation compared to the standard contract. We test for differences in preferences across gender, access to liquidity and other characteristics captured through a single in-person survey round. We measure time preferences at multiple points through the season using an innovative USSD-code based platform to describe the effect of seasonal liquidity and preferences on the timing and size of transfers.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Risk, Liquidity, Smallholders, and Crop Insurance
- Political Geography:
- Kenya and Africa
23. Evolution of Village Social Order in Rural Bangladesh: A 50-Year Analysis
- Author:
- Mirza Hassan, Syeda Salina Aziz, Asif Shahan, Aishwarya Sanjukta Roy Proma, Jahid Nur, Sumaiya Tasnim, and Raihan Ahamed
- Publication Date:
- 07-2025
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), Brac University
- Abstract:
- Villages as a research focus received high priority during the 1970s. This focus waned over time, particularly in the post-2008 period, a time when the country also began to face a serious political setback and came under dominant party rule for the next 15 years. The altered political context had a profound impact on policy, governance, and sociopolitical processes at both national and local levels. In this context, the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) took the initiative in 2023 to study the major changes in the villages of Bangladesh, particularly over the past 25–30 years. The broad Changing Village study encompasses seven thematic areas: culture, migration, climate change and environment, built environment, financial inclusion, agriculture, and social and political order. The detailed context of the Changing Village study, its methodology, sampling, and the description of the sample villages can be found in the paper, গ্রাম পরিবর্তনঃ প্রেক্ষাপট ও গবেষণা কৌশল (Changing Village: Context and Methodology). This working paper is based on research conducted under the social and political order theme.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Climate Change, Environment, Migration, Culture, Social Order, Inclusion, and Villages
- Political Geography:
- Bangladesh and South Asia
24. The Effects of the 1942 Japanese Exclusion on US Agriculture
- Author:
- Peter Zhixian Lin and Giovanni Peri
- Publication Date:
- 11-2025
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- The history of US agriculture from 1940 to the end of the 20th century is characterized by remarkable gains in productivity, increased specialization in high-value crops, and rapid technological advancements, particularly in mechanization and automation. These developments significantly reduced the need for manual labor in farming, accelerated the reallocation of workers from agriculture to industry and services, and contributed to substantial growth in income per capita.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, History, Economy, Displacement, and Farming
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
25. When Life Gives You Lemons: How EU Citrus Standards Can Limit Trade
- Author:
- Trinity Johnson
- Publication Date:
- 04-2024
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
- Institution:
- School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
- Abstract:
- In the early 2000s, the European Union (EU) created multiple standards on agricultural imports. This paper focuses on the effect of stricter maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticides on citrus fruit exports to the EU after the limits went into effect in 2005. Using a regression model on overall citrus fruit exports and an interaction term for country-level income, the data shows that the EU’s stricter MRLs hurt exports from high-income, lower-middle-income, and low-income countries. Exports from low-income countries declined the most after 2005, while only upper-middle-income countries saw an increase in exports. For product-specific models, low-income countries saw a reduction in exports to the EU for all citrus fruits, while results varied by fruit for other income classifications. The results of these models demonstrate that the EU’s tightened pesticide regulation hurt low-income countries the most. While the regulation is meant to maintain a standard of food quality in the EU, its impact on low-income countries raises important questions about the unintended effects of import regulations. The EU could maintain its quality of food while alleviating the burden on low-income countries by relaxing its MRL standards or by providing more assistance to developing nations to meet its standards.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, European Union, Regulation, and Imports
- Political Geography:
- Europe
26. The El Niño Southern Oscillation and Geopolitical Risk
- Author:
- Cullen Hendrix
- Publication Date:
- 05-2024
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE)
- Abstract:
- This paper investigates whether the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO)—the warming and cooling cycle in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean that affects both global atmospheric and ocean conditions—is a driver of geopolitical risk at the global scale. Using nonlinear cross-convergent mapping, a technique for characterizing causal relationships in dynamic systems, it finds ENSO is causally related to geopolitical risk at the global level, but that finding is not replicated at the country level for countries whose economies are most strongly influenced by ENSO cycles. Put differently, ENSO-related geopolitical risk is an emergent phenomenon evident only at the Earth system level. Then, using monthly observations of ENSO and geopolitical risk, the paper reports a curvilinear, contemporaneous relationship between ENSO and risk, with La Niña conditions associated with lessened geopolitical risk relative to El Niño and neutral climate conditions. The effects are statistically and substantively significant, and the relationship is demonstrated to be stronger in more recent decades (post-1990). The effect for geopolitical risk of transitioning from La Niña to neutral ENSO conditions is of similar magnitude to that of the outbreak of a major interstate war.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Climate Change, Politics, Geopolitics, Risk, Weather, and El Niño
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
27. Essential but Invisible and Exploited: A literature review of migrant workers’ experiences in European agriculture
- Author:
- Carlos Ruiz-Ramírez, Juan Castillo-Rojas-Marcos, and Yoan Molinero-Gerbeau
- Publication Date:
- 06-2024
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- This report – derived from work implemented by Oxfam Intermón and the University Institute for Studies on Migration (IUEM) of Comillas University in the EU SafeHabitus project – is based on a review of academic and non-academic literature from the past five years. It assesses research on working, living, health and transport conditions for migrants working in the agri-food sector in Europe, and cross-cutting gender issues.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Food, European Union, Migrant Workers, Supply Chains, Equity, Production, and Gender
- Political Geography:
- Europe
28. The various causes of the agricultural crisis in Europe
- Author:
- Bernard Bourget
- Publication Date:
- 02-2024
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Robert Schuman Foundation (RSF)
- Abstract:
- The farmers' revolt, which peaked in January and February 2024, has affected most EU Member States. It is motivated by rising production costs, foreign competition, falling incomes, environmental constraints and cumbersome administrative procedures. However, certain causes are more specific to certain countries. This is the case in the Netherlands, where the farmers' revolt began in June 2022, in opposition to the Dutch government's plan to reduce nitrogen emissions by cutting livestock numbers. Dutch farmers had taken advantage of the abolition of milk quotas in 2015 to increase their production, making massive use of cattle feed imported from North and South America, and consolidating the Netherlands' position as Europe's leading exporter of food products. This farmers' revolt led to the creation of a party, the "Farmer-Citizen Movement" (BBB), which made a strong entry into the Senate in the March 2023 elections. In the countries of Central Europe - Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania - it was the fall in cereal prices, due to the influx of products imported from Ukraine following the closure of the Black Sea shipping route and the suspension of customs duties in May 2022, that provoked farmers' anger. It even led to the resignation of the Polish Minister of Agriculture in April 2023. In Germany, as in France, it was the governments' plans to reduce tax rebates on agricultural diesel that triggered farmers' protests and led to motorway blockades in January 2024. Farmers' discontent had already made itself felt quietly in France in the autumn with the turning over of road signs at the entrances to rural communities. Other grievances have been added to the increase in taxes on diesel, notably the growing environmental obligations under the Green Deal of the European Union and hostility to the free-trade agreements under negotiation with Mercosur, Australia and New Zealand. The first measures taken or announced by governments and the European Commission helped to calm farmers' anger, but the farm protests then spread to Italy and Spain. In response to the scale of the farmers' protests across Europe, on 25 January the President of the European Commission launched, a Strategic Dialogue on the future of agriculture in the European Union, led by a German academic, Peter Strohschneider, whose conclusions are due before the end of the summer. The conclusions should inform the next Commission and prepare the programming of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2027. Themes proposed to participants include farmers' incomes, the sustainability of their practices, technological innovation, and competitiveness. Beyond the immediate measures taken to calm farmers' anger and with a view to analysing its causes, this agricultural crisis needs to be considered in the context of the long-term development of the CAP and European integration.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Social Movement, Crisis Management, Carbon Emissions, Farmers, and Green Transition
- Political Geography:
- Europe
29. Agriculture: an adjustment variable in trade agreements?
- Author:
- Nicholas-Jean Brehon
- Publication Date:
- 03-2024
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Robert Schuman Foundation (RSF)
- Abstract:
- SUVs versus limousines? Cows, not cars! What if agriculture, and livestock farming in particular, were the adjustment variable in international trade negotiations being conducted - discreetly - by the European Union? What are we to make of the much-heard argument raised at the agricultural blockades?
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Treaties and Agreements, European Union, and Trade
- Political Geography:
- Europe
30. Emerging Technologies and Terrorism: An American Perspective
- Author:
- Susan Sim, Eric Hartunian, and Paul J. Milas
- Publication Date:
- 04-2024
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- The Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College
- Abstract:
- In a world where technology is rapidly advancing and available to the masses, companies and policymakers face a daunting reality—non-state actors are using innovation for sinister purposes. While artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous systems promise enhanced threat detection, terrorist groups are exploiting these tools for recruitment and attacks. The future is concerning as AI becomes more widespread and autonomous systems and augmented reality redefine society. A groundbreaking report is born from a collaboration between NATO COE-DAT and the US Army War College Strategic Studies Institute. This book unveils a grim forecast that terrorists are poised to exploit advances in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, augmented reality, biotechnology, and nanotechnology. The line between reality and fiction blurs in the age of rapid technological evolution, urging governments, industries, and academia to unite in crafting ethical frameworks and regulations. As geopolitical tides shift, NATO stresses national responsibility in combating terrorism and advocating for collective strength against the looming specter of technology-driven threats. However, questions linger. Can regulatory frameworks keep pace with technological innovation? Will industry prioritize ethical considerations over profit margins?
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Science and Technology, Terrorism, Biosecurity, Artificial Intelligence, Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, and Nanoweaponry
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
31. The Judgment of Climate Change on Food Availability in Nigeria
- Author:
- Olubunmi David Apeloko, Celestina Ekene Chukwudi, Fadeke Esther Olu-Owolabi, and Samuel Ezennia
- Publication Date:
- 01-2024
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- The Rest: Journal of Politics and Development
- Institution:
- Centre for Strategic Research and Analysis (CESRAN)
- Abstract:
- Climate change is a global phenomenon that has significant implications for food security, particularly in developing countries like Nigeria. This study is set to explore the nature of the relationship between climate change and food security and the various ways to address the impact of climate change on food availability in Ogun State, Nigeria. Relying on the green theory, this study investigated climate change's impact on the agricultural sector, compromising food security in Ogun State, Nigeria. This study's qualitative data collection methods include primary and secondary data sources. This study adopted the exploratory research design. Interviews were used to gather primary data, and existing literature was used to collate secondary data. This work covered the staff of the Ministry of Agriculture in the selected state, lecturers in the Department of Economics, Covenant University, and the faculty of agriculture at Obafemi Awolowo University. The thematic content analysis was adopted in analyzing the data in this study. The findings from the data revealed that there is a clear relationship between climate change and food security. It also revealed that climate change has a negative impact on food availability in Ogun State, Nigeria. In addition, strategies and policies put in place to address the issues of climate change and food security were discussed. It was concluded that climate change has affected Ogun State's food security between 2019 and 2023.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Climate Change, and Food Security
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Nigeria
32. Bridging the Gap: Accelerating Technology Adoption for Sustainable Food Production
- Author:
- The Chicago Council on Global Affairs
- Publication Date:
- 04-2024
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Chicago Council on Global Affairs
- Abstract:
- Emerging AgTech innovations have the potential to radically improve the sustainability, profitability, and accessibility of US-produced food. Rapid adoption of agricultural technological (AgTech) innovation is required to meet the future needs of a safe and sustainable US agricultural system that generates more food despite a confluence of obstacles jeopardizing agricultural productivity, while establishing consumer trust to ensure food innovation is accepted by society. With climate change and growing populations putting increasing pressure on our food systems to produce, farmers and their supply chain partners must find a way to rise to food production challenges through the rapid adoption of technology and scientific innovation. However, a recent history of AgTech innovations that failed to achieve widespread consumer acceptance underscores the importance of consumer buy-in for technical innovation in agricultural production. We need to rebuild consumer trust of new technology in food production, streamline and coalesce processes that expedite innovation, and ensure new innovation is accessible and profitable for growers. Based on a June 2023 roundtable, the second in a series of regular convenings, the white paper "Bridging the Gap: Accelerating Technology Adoption for Sustainable Food Production" explores the current development, challenges, and potential of emerging AgTech innovations, and concludes with action recommendations designed to remove barriers and expedite the next generation of AgTech integration in US food production.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Science and Technology, Food Security, Sustainability, and Productivity
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
33. Agricultural Production as a Coping Strategy during the Covid-19 Pandemic? Evidence from Rural Viet Nam
- Author:
- Hai-Anh Dang and Cuong Viet Nguyen
- Publication Date:
- 01-2024
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)
- Abstract:
- We examine the Covid-19 pandemic-induced negative effects on household welfare in rural Viet Nam. Analysing recent Viet Nam Household Living Standard Surveys spanning 2016–2021, we find robust evidence that lockdown measures resulted in a 3.9% reduction in per capita income and a 2.6 percentage-point increase in the headcount poverty rate of rural households. It also had severe effects on rural households’ wages and self-employed non-farm income, but rural households appeared to have relied on farm income to cope with the lockdowns. Each additional month under lockdown reduced wage income and non-farm income by 2.8% and 6.3% respectively but increased crop income by 9.5%, livestock income by 7.1%, and other farm income by 12.2%.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Rural, COVID-19, and Production
- Political Geography:
- Asia, Vietnam, and Southeast Asia
34. Relationship between Organic Agriculture And GDP Per Capita, Economic Growth, and Unemployment: Panel Data Analysis
- Author:
- Kurtuluş Merdan
- Publication Date:
- 01-2024
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Istanbul Journal of Economics
- Institution:
- Istanbul University Faculty of Economics
- Abstract:
- The increase in the world population recently has also increased the need for agricultural products. The need for food products has made it necessary to obtain more products per unit area. At this point, producers have focussed on the use of hormones, chemicals, and fertilisers to increase productivity and meet the demand for cheap food, and the process that increases production in the short term has become a threat to human health in the long term. Over time, the negative effects of chemicals on humans and the environment were observed, forcing producers to seek new methods. This process has led to independent studies on organic agriculture in every country. In this study, the effects of organic agriculture on some economic variables were revealed. In this context, the analyses focus now the variables of area allocated to organic agriculture on a regional basis, production amount and number of producers affected GDP per capita, economic growth, and unemployment in Turkey between 2003 and 2021. The scientific dimension of the study was prepared using data obtained from domestic and foreign literature and the electronic database of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock. In this study, in which panel data analysis was used, EViews 12 programme was employed. For the variables used in the study, the geographical region cross-section dependence was determined, and the stationarity of the series was examined with the CIPS (Cross-Sectionally Augmented IPS) unit root test. As a result of the study, it was determined that organic production amount, number of organic farmers, and organic production area did not have a significant effect on economic growth and unemployment. Organic production area and the number of organic farmers had a positive and significant effect on GDP per capita, but the amount of organic production did not have a significant relationship.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Economics, GDP, Economic Growth, and Unemployment
- Political Geography:
- Turkey and Middle East
35. Anticipatory Insurance with African Risk Capacity: A Holistic Benefit-Cost Analysis
- Author:
- Leah B. Poole, Vaibhav Anand, Alexa Gozdiff Spognardi, Anne Radday, Komal Rathod, and Erin Coughlan de Perez
- Publication Date:
- 08-2024
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Feinstein International Center, Tufts University
- Abstract:
- African Risk Capacity, with the support of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, has designed an anticipatory insurance product to support farmers in the drought-prone regions of Malawi and Zambia. The anticipatory approach is innovative because the insurance pays out when forecasts predict a drought, rather than after drought-related losses and damages have occurred. This report explores the potential costs and benefits of the insurance product and proposes a framework for monitoring and evaluating these factors once the product is implemented. Costs and benefits are assessed with an economic model, supported by qualitative data collected from key stakeholders. The results of this research are intended to assist government decision-makers by providing insights into potential challenges and successes associated with the product’s implementation. Additionally, the research may offer a useful framework of considerations for the expansion of this initiative to other countries.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Climate Change, Natural Disasters, Resilience, Livelihoods, Safety Net, Early Warning, and Livestock
- Political Geography:
- Africa
36. Modelling the environmental impact of agri-food trade policies
- Author:
- Jan Hagemejer
- Publication Date:
- 03-2024
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Center for Social and Economic Research - CASE
- Abstract:
- In the era of globalization, international trade policies significantly influence the economic and environmental conditions of countries. As environmental concerns grow, it’s important to understand how these trade policies affect sustainable development and identify the strategies needed to achieve positive outcomes for the climate and environment. This analysis aims to evaluate the impact of international agricultural trade on achieving certain climate and environmental goals, particularly those outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), mainly Goal 13, but also parts of other environment-related goals. We examined the effects of specific trade agreements, considering the current energy and climate policies, using modeling tools to focus on CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions like N2O and CH4. This helps us understand how international trade can reduce greenhouse gas emissions globally and find ways to prevent pollution from simply moving to other regions due to changes in trade. This working paper provides arguments for developing new and improved trade policies that incorporate environmental measures as tools to mitigate climate change.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Environment, Food, Trade, and Sustainability
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
37. Conceptions of Farm Laborers and Salaried Class About Politics and Government: A Case Study of Kala Shah Kaku, Sheikhupura, Punjab, Pakistan.
- Author:
- Zeeshan Saif Chadhar
- Publication Date:
- 07-2024
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- South Asian Studies
- Institution:
- Department of Political Science, University of the Punjab
- Abstract:
- This study aims to measure conceptions of farm laborers and salaried class about politics and government. This is a significant segment that needs to be shadowed to find its involvement in politics and their political thoughts. This study discovers vulnerable communities how they take part in political activities and their insights regarding the political system. In this study, a qualitative contact analysis approach was used. Two communities were selected: semi urban area named-ziabad consisting of the salaried class, and a rural area named Kala Shah Kaku, consisting of farm laborers. This research will be useful for the developmental and policy-making departments of government, NGOs, and academia. It will provide original findings and promote further research.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Labor Issues, NGOs, Academia, Farming, and Vulnerability
- Political Geography:
- Pakistan and South Asia
38. Addressing Zambia’s Water Security Challenges
- Author:
- Leleti Maluleke
- Publication Date:
- 08-2024
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Good Governance Africa (GGA)
- Abstract:
- This policy briefing outlines the scale of Zambia’s current water crisis and examines its impact on agriculture, the environment, and the economy. Based on this analysis, it recommends a multifaceted approach to improve water management and distribution. Key recommendations include enhancing governance frameworks, investing in infrastructure, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and addressing gender inequalities in water access.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Environment, Water, and Economy
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Zambia
39. China’s Food Security: Key Challenges and Emerging Policy Responses
- Author:
- Kevin Dong, Mallie Prytherch, Lily McElwee, Patricia M. Kim, Jude Blanchette, and Ryan Hass
- Publication Date:
- 03-2024
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
- Abstract:
- Feeding China’s vast population is a priority issue for Beijing, given historic ramifications of famines and food crises for social and regime stability. Yet the task is vast—China must feed nearly 20 percent of the global population but is home to under 10 percent of the world’s arable land—and the challenges to stable food supply are many. These include inefficient agricultural practices, supply chain bottlenecks, changing consumption habits, international trade dynamics, domestic environmental degradation, corruption and data misrepresentation, and a history of food safety scandals. Diagnosing a more contentious international environment, Xi Jinping has placed greater emphasis on agricultural self-sufficiency and diversified sourcing of critical inputs, foodstuffs, technology and know-how. This brief explores key trends, challenges, and policy measures in China’s pursuit of food security. It is part of a joint CSIS-Brookings Institution project, Advancing Collaboration in an Era of Strategic Competition, which seeks to explore and expand the space for U.S.-China collaboration on matters of shared concern.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Food Security, and Supply Chains
- Political Geography:
- China and Asia
40. The Post-2025 ASEAN Agrifood Landscape: What Next?
- Author:
- Paul Teng
- Publication Date:
- 10-2024
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
- Abstract:
- The ASEAN agrifood landscape – food produced from agriculture – has changed much since two key guiding documents were conceived – The ASEAN Vision and Strategic Plan of Action for Food, Agriculture and Forestry, 2016-2025, and the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint, 2025. New players and new influencing factors are now at the forefront, and more than ever, ASEAN has to balance economic growth-related food security and safeguarding the environment while considering sustainable food systems that provide livelihoods for smallholder farmers and affordable, safe food for consumers.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Food, Food Security, Economic Growth, and ASEAN
- Political Geography:
- Asia
41. Economic Impacts of Climatic Change on African Women
- Author:
- Hélène Maisonnave and Martin Henseler
- Publication Date:
- 08-2024
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
- Abstract:
- Lower access to money and assets makes women less resilient against climate change impacts, like extreme weather events (floods, drought) and scarcity of resources such as water and food. In agriculturally based economies in Africa, most women work in the climate-sensitive agricultural sectors. Moreover, women face time poverty because they are the main ones responsible for domestic work, for example, childcare, collecting water and fuel, and food preparation. At the same time, women are extremely important for the current and future economic growth in developing economies. In Africa, all these women-specific challenges apply on a continent highly exposed to the impacts of climate change but are regionally heterogeneous. Understanding the region-specific impact of climate change on women is the key to designing effective and efficient policies to counteract the negative impacts on women.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Climate Change, Economics, Natural Disasters, and Women
- Political Geography:
- Africa
42. Agriculture and Food at COP28: Not Just More Money
- Author:
- Jose M. L. Montesclaros and Paul Teng
- Publication Date:
- 01-2024
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
- Abstract:
- The recent COP28 Climate Summit has finally given due recognition to food and agriculture given the close links between climate change and food production. While the summit saw a big push to operationalise the newly established Loss and Damage Fund, limited attention was given to agriculture in discussions on the said fund. Rather than focusing on drawing from the new fund to promote sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural practices, greater attention is needed instead to mobilising existing funds.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Food, Climate Finance, and Conference of the Parties (COP)
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
43. European agriculture and Ukrainian agriculture complement each other
- Author:
- Alan Hervé
- Publication Date:
- 07-2024
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Robert Schuman Foundation (RSF)
- Abstract:
- Agriculture has long been the richest, most diversified and most innovative of Ukraine's economic and social activities. Since Russia launched its aggression against Ukraine in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea, it has also become the most essential for the country and the one that raises the most questions in its relations with the European Union, which it intends to join as soon as possible. Many accuse Ukraine of unfair competition: on wheat, which is seriously disrupting Poland's agrarian economy; on poultry meat, which is said to be a threat to French production; on sugar and, increasingly, on organic products. Beyond the particular circumstances we are currently experiencing, Ukraine could occupy a place of choice within an enlarged Union. Thanks to its high-performance agriculture, it could help to strengthen the Union's role in meeting the food needs of deficit countries, at a time when, without Ukraine, the European Union is losing market share all over the world, particularly to the growing competition from Russia. Ukraine's competitiveness should not be an obstacle to fruitful cooperation, if the accession negotiations agree to include all the key issues of climate change, ecological diversity and the aspiration of a majority of rural people to contribute to solving these problems. This paper outlines the issues at stake and the solutions we need to analyse together in order to take action, and thus to set a new and determined course for a Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) that has lost its way.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Economics, European Union, Innovation, and Russia-Ukraine War
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Ukraine
44. The CAP between a rock and a hard place: its new challenges and uncertain prospects
- Author:
- Tassos Haniotis
- Publication Date:
- 10-2024
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP)
- Abstract:
- The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is currently at a crossroads of a changing world environment which impacts demand (food inflation), supply (energy and input costs) and agri-food trade (geostrategic tensions). EU policies have to address the conundrum of having to simultaneously contribute to mitigating climate change and contributing to food security by accepting that both are global problems and require global solutions. CAP ongoing policy orientation aims at increasing its environmental performance while retaining its economic and social achievements, but excessive targets set by the Farm to Fork Strategy and the impact of changing market conditions brought tensions in the debate between on food security and climate action with respect to priorities on primary agriculture. Higher food costs increasing income inequalities put households in the developed world at a risk of changes in consumer behaviour that are driven by forces exogenous to their tastes and preferences. Addressing misperceptions about the role of productivity, science and trade will impact on how the EU assesses, in a more balanced way and addresses its strengths and weaknesses in the field of agriculture. Despite clear progress of Greek agriculture in recent years three persistent weaknesses of Greek agriculture relate to an uneven and untargeted distribution of direct payments the underestimation of the role of extensive livestock or the absence of a functioning Farm Advisory System.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, European Union, Food Security, Economy, and Trade
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Greece
45. The ‘Grain from Ukraine’ Initiative – A crucial contribution to African food security
- Author:
- Pavlo Martyshev, Mariia Bogonos, Valentyn Litvinov, and Roksolana Nazarkina
- Publication Date:
- 12-2024
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- European Policy Centre (EPC)
- Abstract:
- This discussion paper estimates the effect of Ukraine’s ‘Grain from Ukraine’ humanitarian initiative on food security in African and MENA countries targeted by the programme. Ukraine is one of the largest exporters of agricultural produce, accounting for almost half of the world’s sunflower oil exports, 13% of corn exports, and 8% of wheat exports in the 2020/21 marketing year. While Russia’s war against Ukraine negatively affected global food security, it especially impacted African countries, since Ukraine is an essential contributor to local food security there. Of the total number of wheat and sunflower oil imports to Africa in 2021, those from Ukraine accounted for 16% and 23% respectively. Moreover, the growth of undernourishment on the continent is explained by a number of local factors: climate extremes, military conflicts, economic shocks, and disruption of food supply chains. The tight food supply in the region underscores the importance of Ukraine’s presence on the local markets. Our estimates, based on the World Food Programme methodology for calculating the number of people supported by the initiative, show that it has already supported around 16.2 million people in Africa and the Middle East over periods from 1 to 8 months. This is equivalent to feeding around 2 million people for one year. Using the acute food insecurity data from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) for 2023, we calculate that the programme reduced the number of people facing moderate to strong food insecurity (IPC 3-5) by 1.4% in the African and Middle Eastern countries supported in the period from November 2022 to August 2024. Meanwhile, the number of people facing intense food insecurity (IPC 4-5) decreased by about 8% during this period. Overall, the programme has huge potential for development, which should be based on the humanitarian-development nexus that aims for a long-term reduction in hunger. Four main policy options could be considered in this respect: 1. Integrating the development programmes into agricultural production in Africa 2. Pursuing facilitation of agri-food trade with African countries 3. Increasing the supply of processed food products to low-income countries 4. Informing donors of the urgent priorities in maintaining African food security
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Food Security, Exports, Trade, Russia-Ukraine War, and Wheat
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Europe, and Ukraine
46. Raindrop in the drought? Vulnerability to climate shocks and the role of social protection in Zambia
- Author:
- Katrin Gasior, Pia Rattenhuber, Adnan Shahir, and Anna Zasova
- Publication Date:
- 12-2024
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Zambia’s reliance on rain-fed agriculture makes its economy and population highly vulnerable to frequent droughts and irregular rainfall. This paper assesses the role of social protection, specifically the Social Cash Transfer (SCT) program, in mitigating drought-induced poverty and consumption declines. Using the MicroZAMOD microsimulation model and districtlevel rainfall data, we find that rainfall shocks significantly increase poverty and reduce household consumption, disproportionately affecting the poorest households. While the current SCT program provides some relief, reforms to eligibility criteria, particularly removing the household composition requirement, could improve targeting, expand coverage, and strengthen resilience against climate-related economic shocks.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Climate Change, Tax Systems, Vulnerability, and Social Protection
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Zambia
47. Is the European Union Deforestation Regulation WTO-Proof?
- Author:
- Bruno Capuzzi
- Publication Date:
- 09-2024
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE)
- Abstract:
- The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is set to take effect on 30th December 2024. While it aligns with EU’s climate goals under the European Green Deal, it has sparked concerns with EU partners regarding its compatibility with World Trade Organization (WTO) principles. Internally, some member-States and productive sectors fear that the lack of clarity in its rules could disrupt European supply chains. Products like coffee, chocolate, and leather are some examples where costs and price are expected to rise due to compliance requirements, documentation, and shipment segregation. Critics argue that the EUDR’s unilateral imposition of EU standards on third countries could be viewed as extraterritorial and more restrictive than necessary towards its objectives. This paper analyses lessons from WTO reports on US Shrimp/Turtle and US Tuna/Dolphin, which are relevant to discussions on non-product-related processes and production methods (PPMs). Key findings suggest that the EUDR could be justified under GATT exceptions clause (Article XX). However, for this to be successful, the Policy Brief proposes more flexibility in considering local realities of exporting countries. This would include shifting the EUDR approach to cooperating towards an outcome-based equivalence systems instead of rigid procedural requirements.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, European Union, Trade, WTO, Deforestation, and Mercosur
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Latin America
48. Defining and Assessing Transformational Climate Change Adaptation: A framework for application to agri-food projects
- Author:
- Richard Kohl
- Publication Date:
- 12-2024
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- This discussion paper proposes a framework of four indicators of transformational adaptation – the breadth and depth of change, the intention to achieve transformation, scale and sustainability – and provides a framework to apply these indicators to four types of interventions in agri-food systems.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Climate Change, Food Security, Sustainability, Adaptation, and Food Systems
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
49. The Triple Nexus in Somaliland: Lessons from integrated humanitarian-development-peacebuilding work in El-Afweyn district
- Author:
- Ahmed Nur Musa
- Publication Date:
- 11-2024
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Oxfam is committed to working with communities before, during and after crises. In Somaliland, we have been piloting approaches that aim to achieve greater synergy between our humanitarian, development and peacebuilding programming and influencing. This innovative ‘triple nexus’ work recognises that communities' needs and ambitions are not met along the false silos created by aid agencies. It asks the international development and humanitarian sector to walk the talk on locally led programming to better meet the holistic needs and aspirations of communities. This case study clearly shows the impact of programming which simultaneously meets immediate needs and development gaps while also addressing the drivers of crisis (such as conflict and climate change) to achieve durable solutions in protracted crises.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Humanitarian Aid, Water, Peacebuilding, Microfinance, and Triple Nexus
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Somaliland
50. Putting An End To World Hunger – The European Union’s role in transforming the global food system
- Author:
- Hanna Saarinen, Rebecca Varghese Buchholz, Bertram Zagema, and Chris Joseph
- Publication Date:
- 12-2024
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Farmers around the world produce more than enough to feed everyone on the planet, yet since 2017 hunger has increased sharply. Promoting food production and distribution that are socially equitable and environmentally sustainable is a necessity, in Europe and globally. This paper highlights the European Union’s role in addressing global hunger and supporting a sustainable and equitable global food system transformation. A new direction is needed and the EU can make a positive change. Smallholder farmers in the Global South offer enormous untapped potential for fighting global hunger but they must be better supported. The EU must also stand for climate justice by taking the climate change threat to food security seriously, limit the EU’s global land use footprint by stopping unsustainable and irresponsible land use that drives hunger and inequality, and balance the power in food systems by breaking corporate domination and enhancing equitable global food governance.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Climate Change, European Union, Hunger, Land, and Farmers
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Global South