Pacific Food System Outlook 2009-2010 : Market Volatility and the Food System

The Pacific Food System Outlook represents the first regionwide coordinated effort to provide the outlook for the Pacific food system. The food system includes not just production agriculture, but also the whole complex of economic relationships and linkages that tie the region's food consumers to producers. The goal of the Pacific Food System Outlook is to help increase knowledge about the diverse components of this vital segment of the global economy. The food system is one of the economic sectors most sensitive to the potential consequences of price volatility. The expectation is that price volatility will continue for at least the near term. Public and private sector decision-makers around the region need the best possible information to address this challenge. This year's report analyses the underlying factors driving volatility; the potential near-term implications for production agriculture, food security, and the broader food system; and the nature of measures and approaches that governments and the private sector might employ to reduce potential adverse economic impacts.