Regional overview of food security in Latin America and the Caribbean with a focus on agricultural research, technology transfer and application

Abstract

Toward a New Agricultural Revolution in Latin America and the Caribbean. As the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) enter the last decade of the 20th century and approach a new millennium, food security remains a major item on an unfinished regional policy agenda. The subjects of this report are the dimensions, magnitude and the functions of technological change in overcoming food insecurity: a. food production requirements to meet the food needs of the 1990s and beyond; b. agricultural research and technology capacity in the region; c. policy issues in staple food research and technology transfer and adoption; d. action priorities and strategies for the 1990s. Note: the concept of food security has not been well defined. It varies between organizations and authors (Adelman and Berk, 1988) and it has been changing over time (Swaminathan, 1990). This report uses a definition and a typology closely related to those used by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).