The work on The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets 2024 (SOCO 2024) began in June 2023. The research and writing team was composed of five staff members of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) who were responsible for the data analysis, research and writing of the report. The FAO Statistics Division provided the datasets used in this report. A group of FAO’s Food and Nutrition Division experts was engaged to support the writing team in developing this edition of the report. In light of the intensive data work required to inform the writing of the report, FAO engaged leading external experts in the area of food trade and nutrition to produce additional analytical work as follows:
For Part 1, econometric modelling exercises were undertaken to assess the long-term relationship between gross domestic product (GDP) growth and nutrition transition, and whether dietary patterns converged between countries at different levels of development. A literature review on the role of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), local food industries and nutrition was commissioned to support the writing of the chapter.
For Part 2, analytical work was commissioned to assess the evolution of international food trade in terms of nutrient flows and examine the potential relationship between trade openness and nutritional outcomes.
For Part 3, technical work was commissioned to calculate food diversity indicators and nutrient gaps, and econometric models were developed to identify the relationships among food diversity, nutrient gaps and the role of trade. Analytical work was also commissioned to quantify implicit nutrient prices and their association with trade. Analysis was undertaken to assess the relationship between trade openness and the cost and affordability of a healthy diet.
For Part 4, technical work was commissioned to apply an import demand gravity model to estimate the impact of regional trade agreements on food trade and assess whether trade agreement provisions affected different types of foods differently.
For Part 5, an external expert produced a critical review of trade policies and nutrition measures with an analysis of the policy space available to pursue nutritional goals.
The manuscript was reviewed extensively by both internal and external experts who provided substantive comments and advice on the analysis of the report. The report was reviewed and discussed by the management team of the FAO Economic and Social Development stream in June 2024.
