World Food Economy

Catalog description

This course introduces students to the world food economy and its economic, political, and environmental drivers - past, present, and future. It is comprised of three major sections: (a) structural features (agronomic, technological, economic, and political) that determine the nature of domestic food systems; (b) the role of domestic food and agricultural policies in international markets and the integrating forces of international research, trade, and food aid in the world food economy; and (c) future constraints to food security, with an emphasis on the environment. The course centers on food markets and food policy within a global context, with slightly more emphasis on U.S. food and agricultural policy, and regions with historically high prevalence of food insecurity. The course can be taken for 3 units without the modeling exercise, and for 5 units with the modeling exercise. Students will be expected to complete a significant amount of reading in advance of each meeting, to conduct both theoretical and empirical analysis throughout the quarter, and to undertake a large group modeling project focused on forecasting food prices, trade, and food security across regions (if taking the course for 5 units).