27 Apr 2010    Books/ Book Chapters


Food Crises and the WTO

This book investigates the relevance of the WTO’s Doha ‘Development’ Round at times when the food and financial crises are hitting developing countries. Bringing together leading experts in economic development, trade and law circles, it sheds novel light on the role of international agricultural trade and the WTO in food security.

The food and financial crises of 2008 and 2009 have pushed millions more people into poverty and hunger, while changing the parameters of international trade. Both crises have also challenged the fundamentals of WTO rules regulating agriculture, which had been designed to combat trade distortions due to artificially low-priced food commodities. This collection of essays examines to what extent the multilateral trading system contributes to food security in today’s volatile markets. Bringing together a renowned group of expert economists, lawyers, environmental and development specialists, it offers a fresh and multi-dimensional perspective combining a strong economic analysis with a comprehensive legal assessment of the interface between food security and international trade regulation. Together, the contributions provide concrete policy recommendations on how the WTO could play a positive role in preventing or mitigating future food crises and promote global food security.

Food Crises and the WTO