Revista de Economia e Sociologia Rural
https://revistasober.org/article/doi/10.1590/1806-9479.2021.251291
Revista de Economia e Sociologia Rural
Original Article

Toward food sovereignty and self-sufficiency in Latin America and the Caribbean: opportunities for agricultural complementarity

Hacia una soberanía y autosuficiencia alimentaria en América Latina y el Caribe: oportunidades de complementariedad agrícola

Pedro Cango; Jesús Ramos-Martín; Fander Falconí

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Abstract

Abstract: Food self-sufficiency is a relevant political issue in many countries, developed and developing, particularly to satisfy the internal nutritional needs of the population and face situations in which the prices of basic products are unstable or when a country faces an external shock. Improving resilience involves strengthening local rural communities to meet demand with domestic production. The member countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LCN) produce enough food to sustain their population and to be one of the world's largest food exporters. From the theoretical discussion and using data from FAO, the research shows that there is a potential to improve food sovereignty and to define food and agricultural policies through agricultural complementarity among the LCN countries. Diverting part of the current trade with third parties to intraregional trade, for products in which the region has a comparative advantage, would mean that LCN countries could save up to 2.7 billion dollars per year, that is, 6.8% of total imports of food in 2018, avoiding the outflow of foreign currency and promoting greater economic integration between countries.

Keywords

food sovereignty, self-sufficiency, trade, LCN, complementarity, economic integration

Resumo

Resumen: La autosuficiencia alimentaria es un tema político relevante en muchos países, desarrollados y en desarrollo, particularmente para satisfacer las necesidades nutricionales internas de la población y enfrentar situaciones en las que los precios de los productos básicos son inestables o cuando un país enfrenta un shock externo. Mejorar la resiliencia implica fortalecer las comunidades rurales locales para satisfacer la demanda con producción interna. Los países miembros de América Latina y el Caribe (LCN) producen suficientes alimentos para sustentar a su población y para ser uno de los mayores exportadores mundiales de alimentos. A partir de la discusión teórica y usando datos de la FAO, la investigación muestra que, existe un potencial para mejorar la soberanía alimentaria y para definir las políticas alimentarias y agrícolas a través de la complementariedad agrícola entre los países de LCN. Desviar parte del comercio actual con terceros al comercio intrarregional, para productos en los que la región tiene una ventaja comparativa, representaría que los países de LCN podrían ahorrar hasta 2.700 millones de dólares al año, es decir, 6.8% del total de las importaciones de alimentos en 2018, evitando la salida de divisas y promoviendo una mayor integración económica entre los países.
 

Palavras-chave

soberanía alimentaria, autosuficiencia, comercio, LCN, complementariedad, integración económica

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Submetido em:
19/04/2021

Aceito em:
19/12/2021

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