ut which can help an economy (temporarily) stimulate growth of the agricultural sector (McCalla & Josling, 1985, p. 20).
The category of food consumption includes both the issue of having a supply of food adequate to meet the needs of the population, and having the personal income necessary to purchase the agricultural goods.
According to McCalla and Josling, global consumption of agricultural products is necessarily related to global production, and in recent years, global consumption has increased faster than population growth (McCalla & Josling, 1985, p. 23). This suggests that hunger should be declining around the world, but another factor, poverty, needs to be included in the evaluation.
Personal Income Sufficient for Purchase
While poverty and income distribution are influenced by far more than just agricultural policy, the concentration of population in agriculture may indicate whether rural families can produce adequate food for their own needs or whether they will purchase food products with wage income. Even in those nations with largely affluent consumers, policies may have to be undertaken to assist persons with the means to avoid hunger and malnutrition (McCalla & Josling, 1985, p. 25).
Countries can elect to have either free trade (no government intervention) or managed trade (with government intervention) in their dealings on the international market. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.
Free markets, which completely lack government intervention, are a much publicized goal of many nations, but organizations such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) are evidence that the goal has yet to be obtained. Price stability, assurance of supplies and political strategy are all seen as reasons to engage in government inte
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