Food and agriculture

About rising powers, food and agriculture

This section looks at the role of the Rising Powers in food and agriculture ranging from food and nutritional security, the right to food, land reform issues, the relationship between commodity prices and food production, the role of trade and Foreign Direct Investment in agricultural productivity and food security and more. The Rising Powers are home to large, growing populations who need to be fed – accordingly, Brazil, China and India are amongst the top five global producers for maize, wheat and soy. Many of these countries have made significant advances in improving food and nutritional security, often resulting from civil society’s advocacy, which has an important role in promoting policies guaranteeing the right to food. Many Rising Powers are active in agribusiness, with Brazil in particular selling agricultural technologies, inputs and machinery as well as sharing technological expertise through South-South Cooperation with African countries. Brazil and China have also invested in technological change and agricultural research and together with India, agricultural spending and investment has increased overall.