Det globala matpusslet, klimat och matsäkerhet i samspel. En kvantitativ och kvalitativ studie av matsäkerhet i Filippinerna, Vietnam och Thailand 2000–2023

Abstract

Food is an essential requirement for life, and access to nutritious and safe food is crucial. Despite an increased global food production, millions of people still suffer from hunger due to unequal distribution, poverty and rising food costs. Previous research has highlighted the importance of global trade structures, agricultural value chains, and climate change separately, but there is a lack of studies that analyze how these factors interact and affect food security. This essay aims to examine how food insecurity in the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand has been impacted by trade, agricultural policies and climate change during the period 2000–2023. To answer the research questions, our method consists of a quantitative secondary analysis and a qualitative document analysis. The secondary analysis includes statistics on world markets prices for commodities and agricultural inputs as well as the country's import and export. The document analysis is based on national policies and international reports that highlight the role of agriculture and markets, the impact of climate change and water resources. The overall findings of this study show a clear correlation between world market prices and the countries’ import and export quantities, as well as between fertilizer prices and consumption. Furthermore, it is evident that national policies, the position of farmers in the markets, access to water resources, and extreme weather significantly impact food security. The results confirm the complexity and mutually dependent factors that influence access to food in these countries and that global food trade can both contribute to and undermine food security. Overall this essay provides a comprehensive overview of how trade, policies and climate change together affect food security.