Food Security Policies in Latin America: New trends with uncertain results

The document examines how Latin American governments responded to the 2007-2008 food crisis through social protection policies, new legislation, and a focus on food security and sovereignty. It finds that responses were largely uniform across countries, often prioritizing short-term price reductions and trade barriers over long-term agricultural investment and regional cooperation. The report argues for a balanced approach combining macroeconomic stability, targeted social programs, and supply-side agricultural stimulus to address persistent high food prices.

• The 2007-2008 food crisis led to three primary policy shifts in Latin America: increased protection for vulnerable sectors against high food prices, a conceptual focus on food security and food sovereignty, and the enactment of new laws providing governments with more tools for public intervention.
• Policy responses across the region lacked country-specific tailoring, with most nations adopting similar packages regardless of their agricultural resources, trade status as net exporters or importers, or importing capacity.
• While some countries like Brazil and Mexico implemented direct income or food transfers to the poor, overall policy responses tended to increase trade barriers and failed to increase regional trade or cooperation.
• The report suggests that food prices will likely remain higher than pre-crisis levels and may increase further after the global recession, necessitating a balanced policy framework of macroeconomic caution, compensatory social programs, and supply-side agricultural stimulus.
• Despite being net food exporters, many Latin American countries lack the detailed social data and institutional capacity required to make compensatory social policies effective.

APA

Trucco,, M. P. B. U. (2010). Food Security Policies in Latin America: New trends with uncertain results. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/food-security-policies-latin-america-new-trends-uncertain-results

Chicago

Trucco,, Martin Piñeiro,Eduardo Bianchi,Laura Uzquiza,Mario. Food Security Policies in Latin America: New trends with uncertain results. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2010. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/food-security-policies-latin-america-new-trends-uncertain-results.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Trucco, |first1=Martin Piñeiro,Eduardo Bianchi,Laura Uzquiza,Mario |title=Food Security Policies in Latin America: New trends with uncertain results |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=31 August 2010 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/food-security-policies-latin-america-new-trends-uncertain-results |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{trucco2010food, author = {Trucco,, Martin Piñeiro,Eduardo Bianchi,Laura Uzquiza,Mario}, title = {{Food Security Policies in Latin America: New trends with uncertain results}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2010}, month = aug, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/food-security-policies-latin-america-new-trends-uncertain-results}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }