lo

Economic Blocs and their Influence on World Food Trade

Authors
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54556/gnosiswisdom.v5i2.95
Keywords:
Economic blocs, food trade, food security
Abstract

The present study critically reviews the role of economic blocs in global food trade, a key but often underestimated aspect of food geopolitics. A systematic search of international scientific databases was conducted, identifying 25 relevant studies published between 2020 and 2025, based on an initial search of 150 references in databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink and Google Scholar using English language keywords, references that were classified based on the requirements of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses.

Economic blocs have patterns in common in that they promote intra-bloc trade but may exclude third parties through non-tariff rules. Structural effects of blocs on international food trade (these economic blocs have redefined global food trade, not only by eliminating internal tariff barriers, but also by imposing new forms of external regulation) 2. Impact on food sovereignty and security (food sovereignty, understood as the right of peoples to define their own agricultural and food policies, has been eroded by the logic of blocs) 3. Tensions between regionalism and multilateralism (the rise of economic blocs has been paralleled by an erosion of classical multilateralism, represented by the World Trade Organization). In conclusion, economic blocs are key players in the food trade architecture, so understanding how they work is essential for designing more inclusive policies.

References

Arima, E., Barreto, P., Taheripour, F., & Aguiar, A. (2021). Dynamic Amazonia: The EU–Mercosur Trade Agreement and Deforestation. Land, 10(11), 1243. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10111243

Bhattarai, D. (2025). The World in Turmoil: Multilateralism in Crisis. NCWA Annual Journal, 56(1), 15–32. https://doi.org/10.3126/ncwaj.v56i1.76100

Bonuedi, I., Kamasa, K. & Opoku, E.E.O. (2020). Enabling trade across borders and food security in Africa. Food Sec. 12, 1121–1140. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-020-01095-y

Bozsik, N., Cubillos, T. J., Stalbek, B., Vasa, L. y Magda, R. (2022). Gestión de la seguridad alimentaria en países en desarrollo: Influencia de los factores económicos en la disponibilidad y el acceso a los alimentos. PLoS ONE 17(7): e0271696. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0271696

Castillo, G., Rogel, S., Campuzano, J., y Elizalde, M. (2025). Barreras arancelarias en el comercio exterior ecuatoriano: análisis comparativo de relaciones comerciales con MERCOSUR (2010-2023). Portal De La Ciencia, 6(S1), 205–220. https://doi.org/10.51247/pdlc.v6iS1.614

Curchod, C., Patriotta, G., Cohen, L., & Neysen, N. (2020). Working for an Algorithm: Power Asymmetries and Agency in Online Work Settings. Administrative Science Quarterly, 65(3), 644-676. https://doi.org/10.1177/0001839219867024

Chowdhury AZ, Jomo KS. (2020). Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Developing Countries: Lessons from Selected Countries of the Global South. Development, 63(2-4):162-171. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41301-020-00256-y

Dela, D., Daniele, A. (2021). Trade, price and quality upgrading effects of agri-food standards, European. Review of Agricultural Economics, 48 (4) 835–877. https://doi.org/10.1093/erae/jbaa026

Espinoza, J., Cruz, C., Artieda, J. y Lascano, M. (2025). La economía agrícola y su relación con el comercio internacional. Pentaciencias, 7(2), 224–231. https://doi.org/10.59169/pentaciencias.v17i2.1429

Djimgou, A. y Dela, D. (2021). Trade costs and demand-enhancing effects of agrifood standards: Consequences for Sub-Saharan Africa. Journal of African Trade, 8 (1), 51-64. https://doi.org/10.2991/jat.k.210907.001

Evenett, S., Fiorini, M., Fritz, J., Hoekman, B., Lukaszuk, P., Rocha, N., Ruta, M., Santi, F. y Shingal, A. (2021). Respuestas de política comercial a la crisis de la pandemia de COVID-19: evidencia de un nuevo conjunto de datos. The world economy, 45 (2), 342-364. https://doi.org/10.1111/twec.13119

Fernández, O. (2023). Interregionalismo ASEAN-MERCOSUR: Una sociedad de diálogo en stand-by. Cuadernos sobre Relaciones Internacionales, Regionalismo y Desarrollo, 18; 33, 11-36. http://saber.ula.ve/handle/123456789/49997

Johnson, E., Thow, AM y Nisbett, N. (2023). Oportunidades para fortalecer la política comercial para la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional: un análisis de dos decisiones de política comercial agrícola. Food Sec. 15, 1109–1125. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-023-01377-1

López, F. (2020). Un vistazo a los mecanismos de solución de controversias en el T-MEC. Anales De La Facultad De Ciencias Juridicas Y Sociales De La Universidad Nacional De La Plata, 17(50), 050. https://doi.org/10.24215/25916386e050

Pérez, T. L., Sena, E. J., Buendía, J. M., y Chura, R. G. A. (2023). Desempeño exportador de los países miembros de la Comunidad Andina de Naciones. Revista De Ciencias Sociales, 29 (2), 29-43. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.es

Patiño, M. A., Tarqui, M., & Tapia, R. (2021). Política Agraria: Comercio Internacional Agrario. Apthapi, 7(2), 2193–2200. https://apthapi.umsa.bo/index.php/ATP/article/view/105

Pupo, A., Pérez, M., Ortiz, A. y Torres, C. y Hernández, A. (2022). La gestión de la sostenibilidad en las cadenas de suministros como contribución al desarrollo económico y social. Revista Universidad y Sociedad, 14(5), 427-440.

Pushpanathan, Ch. y Brennan, S. (2024). Triumphs, trials and tomorrow in food security: an ASEAN outlook. International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 59 (4), 2079–2087. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.16899

Silva, A. , Barrera, A., Ribera, L., Del Valle, M. (2024). Soberanía alimentaria, seguridad alimentaria y comercio internacional: evidencia de Chile. Front. Sustain. Food Syst. 8:1388498. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2024.1388498

Smith, J. & Glauber, W. (2020). Comercio, políticas y seguridad alimentaria. Economía agrícola, 56 (3), 159-171. https://doi.org/10.1111/agec.12547

Subramaniam, Y., Masron, T. A., & Loganathan, N. (2023). Imports and Food Security. Global Journal of Emerging Market Economies, 16(1), 7-24. https://doi.org/10.1177/09749101221146422

Sundram P (2023) Food security in ASEAN: progress, challenges and future. Front. Sustain. Food Syst. 7,1260619. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1260619

Thudium, G., Geiger, L. M., Castillo, M., & Sapper, S. (2021). Décadas en proceso: el Acuerdo UE-Mercosur. Revista De La Secretaría Del Tribunal Permanente De Revisión, 9 (17), 220–233. https://doi.org/10.16890/rstpr.a9.n17.p220

United Overseas Bank [UOB](2021). Into the foodture: ASEAN plants the seeds for food security with agritech. https://acortar.link/LrRgTQ

Vergara, A., Gómez, R., Espinoza, C., Vilcas, Sh. e Hinojosa, R. (2023). Cadenas agro-productivas para el desarrollo agrícola sostenible en Huancavelica. ALFA. Revista de Investigación en Ciencias Agronómicas y Veterinarias, 7 (19), 117-129. https://doi.org/10.33996/revistaalfa.v7i19.202

Wanger, T., De Clerck, F. y Garibaldi, L. (2020). Integrating agroecological production in a robust post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Nat Ecol Evol 4, 1150–1152. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-1262-y

Cover Image
Downloads
Published
2025-08-28
Issue
Vol. 5 No. 2 (2025): Edición Mayo - Agosto ISSN: 2789-4282
Section
Artículos
License

Copyright (c) 2025 Lizangela Aurelia Hinojosa Yzarra, Rene Antonio Hinojosa-Benavides, Adelfa Yzarra Aguilar, Jovencio Ticsihua Huaman, Yolanda Lucas Condori

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Economic Blocs and their Influence on World Food Trade. (2025). GnosisWisdom, 5(2), 17-25. https://doi.org/10.54556/gnosiswisdom.v5i2.95

Most read articles by the same author(s)