A Food Secure World: Is the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation in a position to provide this Global Public Good?

Abstract

The challenges faced by the global food and agriculture system in the twenty-first century are unlikely to be resolved through the implementation of neoliberal policies, most notably promoting market liberalisation, privatisation and financialisation. Many of these policies have also supported industrial agriculture, which has led to the production of many global public bads, such as significant greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution. However, industrial agriculture is not the only method of food production: sustainable agriculture is better placed to provide a wide range of global public goods (GPGs), including environmental protection and rural livelihood development, in addition to sufficient nutritious food. Therefore, there should be a move towards promoting sustainable agriculture with a focus on eradicating hunger and improving food security. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) can play a crucial role in ensuring agriculture provides the GPGs required. FAO also produces a number of GPGs through its three main roles; measurement, convening and norms and standards setting. This thesis asks if FAO is in a position to provide a food secure world. It also asks if the organisation is in a stronger position to provide the GPGs required following its extensive recent reform. Finally, it asks if a shift in emphasis towards the provision of GPGs will offer an alternative to neoliberalism.