Inequality in agri-food chains: the Global South produces the food, but the Global North keeps the wealth
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
In the global agri-food system, most agricultural goods are produced in the Global South but value is captured by countries of the Global North through growth and control of the post farmgate sectors.
This is shown by a study from the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), which reveals that between 1995 and 2020, non-agricultural sectors absorbed much of the value added in global agri-food systems. These sectors are disproportionately dominated by countries of the Global North.
The research, published in the journal Global Food Security and led by ICTA-UAB researcher Meghna Goyal together with Jason Hickel, also from ICTA-UAB, and Praveen Jha from Jawaharlal Nehru University, India, analyses for the first time on a global scale the distribution of economic value in agri-food chains over a 25-year period. The results show that, although the Global South has increased its share of agricultural production, countries of the North continue to capture a disproportionate share of income from higher-value sectors such as processing, logistics, finance, and services.
The study also notes that a substantial portion of revenue is recorded in low-tax jurisdictions with little agricultural production, suggesting that value-addition is recorded according to profit-maximizing strategies, rather than according to actual production or employment. This demonstrates that value chains in agri-food systems reinforce structural inequalities through the international division of labor. Countries such as Singapore and Hong Kong capture up to 60 and 27 times more from the global agri-food system than the value of their agricultural production.
Researchers warn of the urgent need for economic sovereignty for the Global South to address structural unequal exchange in the global agri-food system.
"Value capture strategies reshape supply chains. Our findings alert us to its potentially negative consequences for development and equity for farming, and the Global South economies”, says Meghna Goyal, main author of the study.
ICTA-UAB researcher and coauthor Jason Hickel states that "this is the first study to measure the global distribution of value in the agri-food system, and the results are damning. The people who do most of the agricultural production, which sustains global civilization, do not get a fair share of food-system incomes."
Journal
Global Food Security
Method of Research
Data/statistical analysis
Subject of Research
Not applicable
Article Title
Increasing inequality in agri-food value chains: global trends from 1995-2020
Food outreach specialists make positive impact on childhood food insecurity
These experts have knowledge of food-related resources and can help families connect to resources
DENVER — One effective way of tackling childhood food insecurity could be hiring and collaborating with food outreach specialists in pediatrician offices, according to research presented during the American Academy of Pediatrics 2025 National Conference & Exhibition at the Colorado Convention Center from Sept. 26-30.
The research, titled “Addressing Childhood Food Insecurity: An Integrated and Community-Based Approach,” placed a food outreach specialist from a local community organization in an urban Midwest clinic to serve as a liaison for connecting families in need with available resources. The specialist had expertise in food-related resources and the ability to enroll families in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The specialist also helped troubleshoot challenges families had with access to food-related resources.
Research author Constance Gundacker, MD, MPH, FAAP, section chief, general and community pediatrics at Medical College of Wisconsin, pointed to the number of families who received assistance with the pilot program as a sign that the program could have positive benefits.
“We’ve seen the powerful effectiveness of trusted community partnerships by embedding a FoodShare outreach specialist directly into a pediatric primary care clinic. This innovative approach has already connected over 600 families with vital resources, showcasing a highly effective and sustainable model for addressing food insecurity where families already seek care,” Gundacker said.
In total, 664 families were assisted by the specialist in the first year of this partnership. 24 families were enrolled in FoodShare, Wisconsin’s name for the state's food stamps program, which provided an estimated 19,176 annual meals with an economic impact of $115,512. The centralized location also supported the specialist by providing a community outreach site for those in need.
Authors state that feedback from participating families can be used to improve the program as it expands beyond its initial run. They said that for communities with high rates of food insecurity, integration of a food resource specialist in a pediatric clinic is an effective and sustainable way to connect families to food.
The authors received financial support for this research from Children’s Wisconsin and the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment. The partnership was also supported by Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin.
Study authors Cassandra Wright, Sherida Strong-Rimmer, and Dr. Constance Gundacker are scheduled to present their research, which is below, from 10:00 a.m. -11:30 a.m. MDT on Saturday, Sept. 27 in the Colorado Convention Center, Four Seasons Ballroom 1 & 2. To request an interview with the authors, contact media@mcw.edu and ssilvertraband@childrenswi.org.
In addition, Dr. Gundacker will be among highlighted abstract authors who will give a brief presentation and be available for interviews during a press conference from noon-1:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, in the National Conference Press Room, CCC 705/707. During the meeting, you may reach AAP media relations staff at 303-228-8338.
Please note: only the abstract is being presented at the meeting. In some cases, the researcher may have more data available to share with media, or may be preparing a longer article for submission to a journal.
# # #
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org. Reporters can access the meeting program and other relevant meeting information through the AAP meeting website at http://www.aapexperience.org/
Program Name: 2025 Call for Abstracts
Submission Type: Council on Community Pediatrics
Abstract Title: Addressing Childhood Food Insecurity: An Integrated and Community-Based Approach
Callie Bednarek
Pewaukee, WI, United States
Background
Food insecurity affected 17.9% of U.S. families with children in 2023, with rates reaching 39.1% at a Midwest urban pediatric clinic. Food insecurity in children is associated with higher rates of chronic health conditions like asthma, skin allergies, and depression, along with increased Emergency Department visits and school absences. Recognizing these impacts, this clinic partnered with Feeding America and a regional food and healthcare coalition to improve resource access. This study evaluates the implementation and effectiveness of those initiatives.
Methods
Aim 1: Evaluation of Embedded Food Outreach Specialist Model A Feeding America Outreach Specialist provided weekly in-person assistance to clinic families starting September 2023. By January 2024, the specialist was fully integrated into clinic operations, with standardized tracking to document the number of families engaged, FoodShare enrollments facilitated, and connections to additional resources. Monthly team meetings were conducted to evaluate and refine engagement strategies, and two staff training sessions were held to increase awareness of the specialist’s role and available resources. Patient and staff satisfaction surveys were collected to assess program feasibility and effectiveness. Aim 2: Community Engagement through Data Chats A regional food and healthcare coalition facilitated three “Data Chats”, a model of small, focused conversations with community members about their perspectives and interpretations of quantitative data related to food access. Materials were developed and reviewed in partnership with community organizations, and sessions were conducted in both English and Spanish. Reports from these sessions were generated and shared with coalition partners and community organizations to identify and discuss barriers to food access and inform future resource coordination and other areas for improvement.
Results
Aim 1: In 2024, the Feeding America specialist provided 708 resources to patient families (Figure 1). By year’s end, the specialist had assisted 664 families and successfully enrolled 24 in FoodShare, providing an estimated 19,176 annual meals and an economic impact of $115,512. Clinic staff reported strong support for the program, with 81% finding it somewhat or very useful, while 19% remained neutral (N=16). All but one staff member reported that the partnership either decreased or did not impact their workload. Anonymous caregiver feedback demonstrated high satisfaction, with the majority stating that they already had, or planned to, share what they learned with friends and family. Aim 2: Three Data Chats were conducted in 2024 and 35 individual community members and service providers participated. Insights from the Data Chats were synthesized into reports outlining key themes and community-identified priorities (Table 1).
Conclusion
Initial results suggest that embedding a FoodShare Outreach Specialist within the clinic is both feasible and beneficial to families and staff. Next steps include incorporating community feedback from the Data Chats, expanding to other clinics, and strengthening resource referrals across community-based organizations to maximize impact.
Figure 1
Subject of Research
People
Article Title
Food Outreach Specialists Make Positive Impact on Childhood Food Insecurity
Article Publication Date
26-Sep-2025
