Introduction

In the age of globalization, the emerging global food network remains over-dependent on policies which are, in turn, driven by external actors. This issue is complemented by regimes which neglect the need for proactive food security governance, thereby posing major challenges for many nation states to provide resources to overcome the existing labyrinth of hunger-related problems. On two recent occasions—in 1973-4 and in 2007-8—the surge in food prices, especially those of staples such as rice and wheat, generated catastrophic socio-political impacts throughout the world. As a consequence, in recent times, the number of hungry people has increased dramatically. The application of the notion of neopatrimonialism in Bangladesh politics provides us with a framework for understanding elite beliefs, patronage politics, and the root causes of the failure of policymaking and policy implementation. The chapter also presents an overview on the key concepts discussed in this book.