Beyond improving energy availability, trade can contribute to increasing the availability of micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Many countries cannot produce a wide range of foods in sufficient quantities to meet the population’s average nutrient requirements. For example, a study suggests that the domestic food production of 120 countries out of 177 countries included in the analysis does not meet the nutrient requirements of their populations.125 Imports would allow countries to complement domestic food production in a way that all nutrients can be available to meet average nutrient requirements.
Globally, food production provides an adequate supply of most nutrients. Nevertheless, nutrients are not distributed equally, and at the population level nutrient gaps have been identified for several micronutrients in many countries as, for example, for vitamin A, calcium and zinc.s, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130 Nutrient gaps are often observed for countries in sub-Saharan Africa, which are also among the least-integrated in global markets and, therefore, cannot benefit from trade’s effects on nutrient redistribution across the world.131 Trade can contribute towards bridging nutrient gaps through increasing the availability of nutrients, especially in countries that are well-integrated in global markets.132, 133 A study conducted for this report suggests that, between 2010 and 2020, the average supply per capita of all considered micronutrients increased (Figure 3.7). As the diversity of food production remained almost stable in all countries, this development can be largely attributed to the expansion of trade. Indeed, underlining the contribution of trade to micronutrient availability, the quantity of micronutrients traded per capita increased steadily between 2010 and 2020. For example, during this period, the per capita trade of the B-vitamins riboflavin and thiamine and the minerals calcium and zinc increased by around 40 percent.134
FIGURE 3.7Adequacy of nutrient supply: Distribution of energy and selected micronutrients across countries, 2010 and 2020
SOURCE: Authors' own elaboration based on Jafari, Y., Engemann, H. & Zimmermann, A. (forthcoming). Nutrient adequacy across countries and the impact of international trade – Technical note for The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets 2024. Rome, FAO.
Nevertheless, despite increases in the trade of calcium-rich foods in most countries in the world, in 2020, the average supply of calcium per capita remained below the dietary reference intakes (based on estimated average requirements) (Figure 3.7). In addition, in many countries the average per capita supply of vitamin A remained below the average requirements, while some countries featured nutrient gaps in riboflavin and vitamin C.
Composite measures of nutrient adequacy such as the nutrient balance score can provide a more comprehensive picture of availability and adequacy of nutrients within a country.t, 135, 136, 137 For a country, the nutrient balance score shows the extent to which the food available for consumption can satisfy average daily requirements per capita for all or several nutrients. If food supplies meet the daily requirement for every nutrient, the nutrient balance score assumes its maximum value of 100.
In 2020, many countries in the world had, on average, an adequate supply of the nutrients considered in the analysis, with a nutrient balance score of 100 (Figure 3.8). However, some countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Western Asia, Southern and South-eastern Asia were shown to have a nutrient balance score below 100 pointing to a shortage of supply of one or more micronutrients. Between 2010 and 2020, along with the average supply per capita of energy and micronutrients, the nutrient balance score improved by around 1 point on global average, largely due to trade.
FIGURE 3.8Adequacy of nutrient supply across countries: Nutrient balance score, 2020
Refer to the disclaimer on the copyright page for the names and boundaries used in this map. Dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and Pakistan. The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties. Final boundary between the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan has not yet been determined.
SOURCES: Authors’ own elaboration based on Jafari, Y., Engemann, H. & Zimmermann, A. (forthcoming). Nutrient adequacy across countries and the impact of international trade – Technical note for The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets 2024. Rome, FAO.
Statistical analysis suggests that there is a positive relationship between food trade openness and adequacy of nutrient supply across countries. Again, nutrient adequacy is affected by many factors such as natural resource endowments, climate and population density. Nevertheless, although nutrient adequacy of supply can be high in countries that are relatively less integrated in global markets, it is usually high at elevated levels of trade openness (Figure 3.9).
FIGURE 3.9Relationship between trade openness and adequacy of nutrient supply, 2020
SOURCE: Adapted from Jafari, Y., Engemann, H. & Zimmermann, A. (forthcoming). Nutrient adequacy across countries and the impact of international trade – Technical note for The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets 2024. Rome, FAO.
