Food security and agriculture in the low income, food-deficit countries: 10 years after the Uruguay Round

This paper reviews agricultural and food security performances of developing countries after the Uruguay Round. In particular, issues and trends relevant to the interests of the low income food deficit and the net food importing countries are examined as the world prepares for further trade negotiations. The paper attempts to answer several questions, including: How has food security in the low income countries been affected over the past ten years? Are agricultural policies evolving in ways that take advantage of emerging trade opportunities? Despite the gains in global and national food availability, food security remains an especially persistent and elusive development problem. The late 1990s food insecurity data are worrisome, with emerging signs of uneven and slowing progress. Most of the recent food security problems are due to food shortages caused by civil unrest, wars and drought ' age old problems that endure today.