UNRISD Seminar on Food Trade, Food Security and the SDGs: Aligning Reality with the Vision

On 22 April, UNRISD is hosting Food Trade, Food Security and the SDGs: Aligning Reality with the Vision as part of its Seminar Series.

The event will bring together experts to discuss the links between food security, trade, human rights and social development. Susan Matthews from OHCHR will discuss the organization’s work in human rights, trade agreements and social development.  Sophia Murphy, UNRISD Visiting Research Fellow and Senior Advisor at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy will discuss the international community’s role in international food markets, among other relevant issues.

The right to food is an important component of a comprehensive rights-based social protection system. Although the right to adequate food is clearly stated in the International Covenant and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights’ (ICESCR)’s Article 11, currently over 700 million people lack access to food security.

Ensuring access to food is not only a domestic issue. The ICESCR requires States parties to not only guarantee the right to adequate food, but to take steps to ensure that food is distributed equitably around the world in accordance with need. International trade agreements play a significant role in determining food availability and prices, which can lead to food insecurity. Only 15% of agricultural production is traded across borders, and the production that does cross borders plays a huge role in domestic food systems.

The Agenda 2030’s Goal 2, “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture”, underscores the international community’s commitment to ending food security. Specifically, Target 2.b calls on the international community to “Correct and prevent trade restrictions and distortions in world agricultural markets”.

Other targets aim to tackle food insecurity by doubling agricultural productivity of small scale food producers, especially women, indigenous peoples and other groups (Target 2.3) and increasing investment through international cooperation and technology development (2.a).

For more information about the event and to register, visit the event page on the UNRISD website.

Download the event flyer.

Photo credit: CCAFS Nepal-18 by CIAT (CCBY 2.0 via Flickr)