CAREC Institute Participates in FAO Online Consultation on Agrifood Trade in Vulnerable Countries

Food security is a critical global issue, with Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) among the 92 vulnerable developing countries most affected. These economies face long-standing structural barriers in building sustainable agri-food systems, and international trade is key to improving their food security by filling supply gaps and expanding access to affordable food.

In this context, the Markets and Trade Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) conducted a study entitled “Agrifood Trade in Vulnerable Developing Countries: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities.” From January 21 to 22, 2026, it organized an online technical consultation on the draft report to discuss agrifood trade and food security issues concerning vulnerable countries.

Technical experts from relevant international organizations joined the online consultation. Discussions focused on collecting comments on the report, identifying practical food security measures, refining policy recommendations, and clarifying FAO’s follow-up priorities to enhance inter-institutional collaboration.

Dr. Ghulam Samad, Chief of the CAREC Institute’s Research Division, participated as a panelist. He noted that poor connectivity constrains LLDC agrifood trade and food security, with trade costs (not tariffs) as the main barrier, and trade corridors as essential food security infrastructure.

Dr. Samad added that border delays pose hidden food security risks, given LLDCs’ over-reliance on distant suppliers and underuse of regional corridors. He advised that trade facilitation reforms could be prioritized for food-critical corridors through corridor-specific measures and noted that CAREC findings show that climate-resilient corridors are becoming as important for food security as climate-resilient farming.

Findings from institutions like the CAREC Institute will inform FAO’s final policy recommendations, supporting inter-institutional cooperation on vulnerable countries’ agrifood trade.