The Right to Food and the Political Economy of Third World States

Current global events validate the fact that beyond a theoretical analysis of rights discourse and food justice, there is a need to understand and propose ways to address the very fragile global food situation, and especially so in Third World states. At the peak of the high food prices in mid-2008, the world observed how the issue of access to food and the means to acquire food (in the larger context of other socio-economic needs) spurred riots from Egypt to Bangladesh and Mexico. And one cannot definitely say that we are out of the woods yet concerning rising food prices. Furthermore, with the current global financial crises and the implications on the food security of individuals and households, there is a need for research that critically examines the theory of rights and thereafter proposes practical means by which to ensure food security, especially in Third World states. This article therefore seeks to link a rigorous theoretical exercise with the real-life challenges that face millions of people globally, and particularly so in the Third World