Right to food, sustainable development and trade: All faces of the same cube?

Abstract

This chapter explores the interdependence between international agricultural trade, the right to adequate food, and sustainable development, arguing that these three policy domains must be treated as interconnected elements of a coherent global framework. Elisabeth Bürgi Bonanomi critically evaluates the WTO Agreement on Agriculture (AoA), highlighting its structural shortcomings and limited capacity to align with human rights obligations and sustainability principles. The chapter introduces a seven-step framework for inclusive and integrated decision-making, designed to guide treaty-making toward coherence with social, environmental, and economic objectives. By applying this framework to agricultural trade, the chapter outlines a “preliminary optimal option” for reforming the AoA—calling for enhanced market access for the Global South, protection of local food systems, and the inclusion of sustainability incentives like Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs). The analysis is rooted in international law, including the ICESCR, environmental conventions, and trade agreements, and incorporates legal coherence, human rights assessments, and participatory governance as key pillars of a sustainable trade regime.

Keywords: International Agricultural Trade, Right to Adequate Food, Sustainable Development, International Trade ans Sustainable Development, SDGs, WTO Agreement on Agriculture, Agroment on Agriculture, WTO AoA, AoA, Global South, ICESCR, International Law, Human Rights