This study reviews the legal protection of the right to food at national level, through constitutional provisions, national legislation and the direct applicability of international law. A comprehensive review of all the constitutions of the world found that the right to food is constitutionally protected in at least 106 countries. In these countries, individuals can claim the right to food in front of their national courts.

The study underlines that in countries where direct application of international treaties is not recognised, embedding the right to food within the constitution gives strong legal support to better ensure this human right. The document also provides an illustrative description of the different types of constitutional recognition of the right to food, e.g. explicit or implicit, direct or indirect.