ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the political theme, first by looking at food riots in the context of Structural Adjustment and, second, by suggesting that international food trade has undertones of geopolitical manoeuvring. The classical food riot, which has been common throughout history, usually in response to a popular perception of profiteering or anger about shortages, was here transformed. Food constituted 8.5 per cent of international trade by value in 1995. In the past they have been the subject of complex mergers and acquisitions, in common with many other agri-food corporations. The process of liberalizing world trade in agricultural products is far from over, both in terms of reducing tariff and other economic barriers to trade, It concerning food quality and safety, and environmental considerations. The future of the global food trade will depend to a certain extent upon the nature of the resistance that is mounted by governments and consumers to the corporate domination of the food system and diet.
