This book is a pivotal publication that seeks to improve food security in the conditions of escalating protectionism in global agricultural trade. The authors argue that global trade systems have been increasingly distorted by emerging trade tensions between major actors such as the US, China, the EU, and Russia, as well as trade policies in many other countries. In view of the most recent disruption of global food supply chains due to the outbreak of the COVID-19, the book examines the effects of administrative restrictions, tariff escalations, and other forms of protectionism on food security. Over the decades, food security concerns have been emerging, along with the growth of the world population. More than two billion most impoverished people in the world spent up to 70% of their disposable income on food. In 2020, the running pandemic has unraveled accumulated problems. As many countries rely on agricultural imports, lockdowns and disrupted food production and supply chains tremendously threaten food security of those nations. Agricultural trade was already slowing in 2019 before the virus struck, weighed down by trade tensions, and decelerating economic growth. The spread of the virus and strict quarantine measures trigger economic decline that results in food prices rises and volatilities. Due to the pandemic, nearly all regions will suffer double-digit decline in trade volumes 2020. The virus will be defeated, but the effects of the protectionism outbreak would have a much longer-lasting impact on agricultural production, international supply chains, and food security worldwide. In this publication, the authors probe into many of the choices that link national, regional, and global policies extensively with the provision of food security for all in the new era of post-virus global trade. Since studying global agricultural trade has a multinational application, its outcomes might be shared with a broad international network of stakeholders, including research institutions, universities, and individual researches. The book is appropriate for government officials, policymakers, and businesses of many countries. Adaptation of research outcomes and solutions to the situation in particular countries and various collaboration formats will let to increase the visibility of the publication and to elaborate new practices and solutions in the sphere of establishing sustainable food security.

In this book we assemble a range of evidence from a range of sources with a view to developing an improved understanding of recent trends in agricultural productivity around the world. The fundamental purpose is to better understand the nature of the long-term growth in the supply of food and its principal determinants. We pursue this purpose from two perspectives. One is from a general interest in the world food situation in the long run. The other is from an interest in the implications of U.S. and global productivity patterns for U.S. agriculture.

Agricultural yields have increased steadily in the last half century, particularly since the Green Revolution. At the same time, inflation-adjusted agricultural commodity prices have been trending downward as increases in supply outpace the growth of demand. Recent severe weather events, biofuel mandates, and a switch toward a more meat-heavy diet in emerging economies have nevertheless boosted commodity prices. Whether this is a temporary jump or the beginning of a longer-term trend is an open question. Agricultural Productivity and Producer Behavior examines the factors contributing to the remarkably steady increase in global yields and assesses whether yield growth can continue. This research also considers whether agricultural productivity growth has been, and will be, associated with significant environmental externalities. Among the topics studied are genetically modified crops; changing climatic factors; farm production responses to government regulations including crop insurance, transport subsidies, and electricity subsidies for groundwater extraction; and the role of specific farm practices such as crop diversification, disease management, and water-saving methods. This research provides new evidence that technological as well as policy choices influence agricultural productivity.

Agricultural trade is a major factor determining food security in Caribbean countries. In these small open economies, exports are essential, whilst imports provide a large part of the food supply. This book examines various dimensions of trade policy and related issues and suggests policies to address trade and food security and rural development linkages. It is as a guide and reference documents for agricultural trade policy analysts, trade negotiators, policy-makers and planners in both the public and private sectors.

The Agricultural Outlook 2021-2030 is a collaborative effort of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. It brings together the commodity, policy and country expertise of both organisations as well as input from collaborating member countries to provide an annual assessment of the prospects for the coming decade of national, regional and global agricultural commodity markets. The publication consists of 11 Chapters; Chapter 1 covers agricultural and food markets; Chapter 2 provides regional outlooks and the remaining chapters are dedicated to individual commodities.

Science for Agriculture was the first thorough quantitative and analytical treatment of the history of the U.S. agricultural research system and as such has served as the foundation for research over the 10 years since its publication. The benefits from public and private investment in agricultural research are immense and should be understood by every student of the agricultural science system in the United States. The second edition updates important landmarks, components, characteristics, and trends of the U.S. system for developing and applying science to increase the productivity and advancements of agriculture. Science for Agriculture, 2e, is essential reading for agriculture educators and researchers, Land Grant administrators, food and agri-industry R&D and all others who need to understand the factors that will influence future public agricultural research policy.

China’s trade patterns are evolving. While it started in light manufacturing and the assembly of more sophisticated products as part of global supply chains, China is now moving up the value chain, “onshoring” the production of higher-value-added upstream products and moving into more sophisticated downstream products as well. At the same time, with its wages rising, it has started to exit some lower-end, more labor-intensive sectors. These changes are taking place in the broader context of China’s rebalancing—away from exports and toward domestic demand, and within the latter, away from investment and toward consumption—and as a consequence, demand for some commodity imports is slowing, while consumption imports are slowly rising. The evolution of Chinese trade, investment, and consumption patterns offers opportunities and challenges to low-wage, low-income countries, including China’s neighbors in the Mekong region. Cambodia, Lao P.D.R., Myanmar, and Vietnam (the CLMV) are all open economies that are highly integrated with China. Rebalancing in China may mean less of a role for commodity exports from the region, but at the same time, the CLMV’s low labor costs suggest that manufacturing assembly for export could take off as China becomes less competitive, and as China itself demands more consumption items. Labor costs, however, are only part of the story. The CLMV will need to strengthen their infrastructure, education, governance, and trade regimes, and also run sound macro policies in order to capitalize fully on the opportunities presented by China’s transformation. With such policy efforts, the CLMV could see their trade and integration with global supply chains grow dramatically in the coming years.

This book highlights the economic and social science perspectives in light of COVID-19. During 2020, leaders found themselves at historic crossroads, taking decisions under remarkable pressures and uncertainties. However, windows of opportunity are being created to shape the economic recovery, restore the health of the environment, develop sustainable business models, strengthen regional development, revitalize global cooperation, harness Industry 4.0, and redesign the social contracts, skills, and jobs. This book is an excellent resource for all those interested in economics and social sciences perspectives on digitalization and big data, especially in the light of the recent crisis determined by COVID-19. The chapters cover topics related to new models in entrepreneurship and innovation, sustainability and education, data science and digitalization, marketing and finance, etc., that will develop innovative instruments for countries, businesses, and education to revive after the crisis.