World Food Policy • Vol. 3, No. 2 / Vol. 4, No. 1 • Fall 2016 / Spring 2017
Integrating Food and Nutrition Security in a
Middle-Income, Globalized, Food-Exporting
Nation: Thailand’s Food Policy Challenge
Mathew Kelly 1 , Sam-ang Seubsman 2 , Jane Dixon 1 ,
Cathy Banwell 1 , Adrian Sleigh 1
Abstract
Thailand is deeply linked to the world food system, with food ex-
ports key to the country’s global connections. It has been a world
leader in tackling poverty-related malnutrition and is food secure
at a national level. New challenges are emerging with increases in
obesity and diet-related disease as well as the relative poverty of
farmers constraining capacity to avoid non-sustainable agricul-
tural intensification. Here, we consider Thai enmeshment in the
global food trade and impacts on food and nutrition security for
farmers and urban consumers. We review past and present poli-
cy approaches, and examine the prospects for Thailand to interact
with these new challenges.
Keywords: Globalization; nutrition transition; Southeast Asia; sus-
tainability; Thailand
Resumen
Tailandia está profundamente vinculada al sistema de alimentos
mundial, ya que las exportaciones de comida son clave para las co-
nexiones mundiales del país. Ha sido un líder mundial en enfrentar
la desnutrición relacionada con la pobreza y tiene seguridad ali-
mentaria a nivel nacional. Nuevos desafíos están surgiendo con los
incrementos en obesidad y las enfermedades relacionadas con la
dieta, así como la pobreza relativa de los agricultores que limita la
capacidad de evitar la intensificación agrícola no sustentable. Aquí
1
2
Department of Global Health, Research School of Population Health, Australian National
University (ANU)
Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Bangkok, Thailand
5
doi: 10.18278/wfp.3.2.4.1.2