Food Security: From Self-Sufficiency to Production Diversification and Regional Cooperation – A Case Study in Rice Security

36 Pages Posted: 3 Jul 2012

See all articles by Michael Ewing-Chow

Michael Ewing-Chow

National University of Singapore (NUS) - Faculty of Law

Melanie Vilarasau Slade

National University of Singapore (NUS)

Date Written: July 2, 2012

Abstract

The 2008 food crisis showed vulnerabilities in the global food system and their dramatic impact on human well-being. As if the devastating effects of food price volatility were not sufficient to attract policy-maker’s attention to the issue of food security, climate change is poised to bring its own set of challenges to a sector which remains highly susceptible and dependent on weather conditions.

The debate on how food security is best achieved on a global level remains divided between those who believe that individual States are best placed to ensure the food security of their citizens and those who argue that the “self-sufficiency” solution is not only ineffective, but counterproductive to the achievement of food security.

Through an assessment of the 2008 food crisis and the structure of the current food trade system, this paper seeks to position itself within this debate. We argue that a properly regulated, transparent and diversified food trade system is the most effective way of ensuring global food security and is the only way to ensure the global food system is prepared for the challenges which climate change will bring.

Rather than argue that food security concerns should trump trade rules when these conflict – an argument which we can all intuitively agree with – we suggest that the current debate should be refocused. In a globalized food system, compliance with WTO rules is not an undue restriction but rather can be conceived as a virtuous discipline, which reduces volatility-enhancing trade distortions.

Perhaps most importantly, we argue that the current multilateral trade rules should not be regarded as an impediment to the establishment of effective regional food security initiatives. Not only are these WTO compatible, they are an essential first-step to building confidence between countries in a politically sensitive sector, in which the cost of choosing to “go it alone” is often paid by the most vulnerable.

Keywords: global food system, food crisis, food security, climate change, food trade system, WTO

JEL Classification: F02, F10, F20, F30, F40

Suggested Citation

Ewing-Chow, Michael and Vilarasau Slade, Melanie, Food Security: From Self-Sufficiency to Production Diversification and Regional Cooperation – A Case Study in Rice Security (July 2, 2012). Society of International Economic Law (SIEL), 3rd Biennial Global Conference, July 2012, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2097812 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2097812

Michael Ewing-Chow (Contact Author)

National University of Singapore (NUS) - Faculty of Law ( email )

469G Bukit Timah Road
Eu Tong Sen Building
Singapore, 259776
Singapore

Melanie Vilarasau Slade

National University of Singapore (NUS) ( email )

1E Kent Ridge Road
NUHS Tower Block Level 7
Singapore, 119228
Singapore

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