Title: Trade liberalisation and its impact on food security in Sub-Saharan Africa

Authors: Omphemetse S. Sibanda

Addresses: University of South Africa, College of Law, P.O. Box 392, Pretoria, 0003, South Africa

Abstract: Developing and least developed countries, including countries in the sub-Saharan African (SSA) region, for example, are 'collapsing' under the pressure of the liberalised international economic environment which is characterised by the increase of food prices. For instance, it is reported in the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) Food Price Index that food prices peaked in February 2011, the highest level recorded in both real and nominal terms since January 1990. It is estimated that nearly one billion people go hungry every day, and that in SSA almost one in three people suffers from hunger. Approximately about 1.5 million South African children suffer from hunger and malnutrition, and that about 14 million people are vulnerable to food insecurity with about 43% of households suffering from food insecurity. The 2012 the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Africa Human Development Report shows that rapid economic progress and liberalisation in Africa has not brought food security for the substantial proportion of the population still gripped by hunger.

Keywords: sub-Saharan Africa; SSA region; food prices; hunger; malnutrition; Food and Agricultural Organisation; FAO; trade liberalisation; food security; food insecurity; economic development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPLAP.2015.067782

International Journal of Public Law and Policy, 2015 Vol.5 No.1, pp.92 - 107

Published online: 05 Mar 2015 *

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