Global Food Trade: A Lifeline for Nutrition Security and a Catalyst for Healthier Futures

Leveraging Trade to Combat Malnutrition and Ensure Global Food Security Amid Rising Challenges.

Food trade is not a luxury; it is a necessity. Over 30 countries risk starvation if international food trade were to cease. While less developed nations are most vulnerable to food insecurity, even wealthier countries heavily rely on trade to ensure food availability. For instance, Gulf Arab nations import 80-90% of their food, Singapore imports 90%, and Haiti depends on imports for 50% of its food supply. Globally, 25% of food production is traded internationally.

The Growing Importance of Global Food Trade

Currently, about 5,000 trillion kilocalories are traded daily—more than double the amount in 2000. The per capita daily trade in food has increased from 930 kilocalories to 1,640 kilocalories in the last 25 years. The sector’s value has surged to $2.3 trillion, underlining its critical role in the global economy.

While food trade is often discussed in economic terms, its human impact is undeniable, particularly in addressing malnutrition, which impairs development, weakens immunity, and deteriorates health.

Trade and Nutrition: An Intricate Link

The WTO Annual Agriculture Symposium on December 9, 2024, emphasized the essential relationship between trade and nutrition. Participation from organizations like the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) highlighted how trade enhances global nutrition security.

In 2010, the diversity of foods available through trade was 60% greater than domestic production; by 2020, this increased to nearly 90%, enabling healthier diets and better health outcomes.

Trade disruptions, however, can have cascading effects. For example, the war in Ukraine disrupted sunflower oil supplies, leading to global price surges. Indonesia, facing domestic pressure, curtailed palm oil exports, causing Bangladesh’s edible oil fortification program to halt—a ripple effect that worsened nutritional deficiencies.

A 2022 study in Nature Food revealed that international trade in nutritious foods, such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, and nuts, reduced global mortality from non-communicable diseases by 1.4 million deaths.

Maximizing Trade’s Role in Nutrition

Aligning trade policies with health goals is critical. High tariffs on nutritious foods and subsidies for unhealthy products undermine public health efforts. Trade policies should incentivize healthy food choices and discourage unhealthy consumption.

Progress is being made:

• Pakistan resumed fortification programs after reducing import duties on vitamin and mineral mixes.
• Nigeria cut tariffs on maize, brown rice, wheat, and cowpeas from 20% to 5% in 2024.
• Fiji reduced tariffs on vegetables and fruits, promoting healthier diets.
• Samoa and Tonga introduced taxes on fatty meats and sugary drinks to encourage healthier eating habits.

The WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement empower governments to ensure food safety, use warning labels, and combat misinformation. Meanwhile, the Trade Facilitation Agreement minimizes food and nutrient losses by expediting supply chains.

A Path Forward: Trade as a Tool to Eliminate Malnutrition

The WTO plays a pivotal role in driving the transition toward healthier food systems by helping members understand the impact of trade policy on nutrition. By facilitating access to nutritious foods and aligning trade policies with global health objectives, trade can be a powerful tool to combat malnutrition.

The stakes are clear: trade is not just about economic growth but about ensuring a healthier, nourished global population. It is time to trade away malnutrition and create a future where no one goes hungry or suffers from preventable deficiencies.