International economic law and the right to food

Abstract

Food insecurity is a product of poverty rather than food scarcity. Its origins lie in economic policies that undermine the livelihoods of small farmers in developing countries and exacerbate North-South inequality. This chapter examines the historic and contemporary practices that contribute to food insecurity in the global South, and analyzes the role of international economic law in perpetuating these practices. The chapter concludes with a variety of concrete measures that the international community might take through law and policy to promote the fundamental human right to food.