Food security: Challenges and opportunities for European Union-Latin America and the Caribbean relations

CIDOB Monograph nº 86 

Food security remains one of the greatest challenges facing humanity. The number of people affected by hunger in 2021 reached 9.8% of the world population, a figure that rose to 29.3% if we include the moderately food insecure. The nascent recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic has been hampered by the effects of the Ukraine war on agricultural markets, a rise in food prices and inflation that has impacted the high cost of these products, contributing to growing social inequalities. Rising energy costs too have triggered a surge in farm gate prices, distribution costs and what the consumer pays. 

Against this backdrop, this publication aims to contribute to European Union (EU) and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) food security cooperation by promoting dialogue between the two regions. It is divided into two parts. First, it compares the food security situation and challenges in the EU and LAC from a multidimensional perspective, examining the various effects of the Ukraine war and the contribution the two regions can make to global agri-food production and trade. It also analyses the impact that Chinese agricultural demand is having within China’s own borders and on South America, Australia and Cuba, highlighting the need for approaches that take account of local peculiarities and how they affect the interaction between different regions. The second part examines food security from a geopolitical perspective and Mercosur responses in a context of greater global demand, analysing different variables and possible food security scenarios to improve bi-regional relations between the EU and LAC.

ISBN: 978-84-18977-20-6

D.L.: B 3351-2024