The increasing globalisation of the food industry is creating huge corporations with the power to harm farmers and food suppliers in many countries, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warned this week.
A new report commissioned by the FAO predicts the likely trends in food and agriculture over the next 30 years, and argues that farmers in countries reliant on agriculture could come under increasing pressure from the major food companies constantly seeking to reduce costs.
The report says that the potential threat from the power of the multinationals is a small one, and that the benefits of globalisation far outweigh the dangers, but suggests that countries whose economies are heavily dependent on agriculture should put into place regulations to ensure that they can with stand any future threats.
It suggests investment in infrastructure, limiting market concentration and promoting market integration as the best means of staving off any threats.