BILATERAL TRADE AND FOOD SECURITY

Abstract

We analyze the relationship between food security and trade by computing a bilateral import penetration index (BIPI), which gauges the degree to which a country depends on another or a small set of others for food imports. Food trade maps are then drawn by application of a force-directed algorithm that sorts through computed BIPIs, and maps the nodes corresponding to the strength of bilateral ties between country pairs. This shows the network relationships on which traded food supplies depend and vulnerabilities of importers to disruptions in particular suppliers. Results suggest that measures aimed at diversifying supply sources reduce vulnerability.