Showcasing Cutting-Edge Research on Food Trade and Nutrition at the VXIII EAAE Congress in Bonn
Bonn - At the XVIII European Association of Agricultural Economists (EAAE) Congress held in Bonn in August 2025, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) presented insights from the latest edition of its flagship report, The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets (SOCO) 2024. This edition explores complex linkages between food trade and nutrition and generates evidence to identify how trade affects dietary patterns and nutritional outcomes. During the EAAE sessions, FAO researchers highlighted key findings from SOCO’s background studies, including new econometric analyses and country-level case studies that examine the role of trade in shaping nutrition outcomes.
The EAAE Congress, marking its 50th anniversary this year, brought together more than 1,000 experts, policymakers, and stakeholders from across Europe and beyond under the timely theme, “Food System Transformation in Challenging Times.” Sessions focused on the role of agricultural economics in tackling global sustainability challenges and fostering the exchange of ideas and evidence-based policy solutions.
OS Trade 4: Nutrition & Policy (FAO): Wednesday, 27 August| 4:00pm - 5:30pm
Under the title “Food Trade and Nutrition: Recent Evidence on Impacts and Policy Approaches,” FAO convened an organized session grounded in research conducted for The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets (SOCO) 2024. The session opened with an overview of the SOCO 2024 report, which set the context for the presentations and emphasized the scope and depth of the evidence base supporting the findings.
Presentations explored the links between trade and nutrition from multiple perspectives. One study showed how agroclimatic conditions and trade openness influence countries’ capacity to meet nutrient requirements. Another analysis examined nutrient pricing in global food trade, finding significant variation by processing level and origin, with trade barriers reducing volumes but affecting prices in more complex ways. A third contribution assessed how trade openness affects the cost of healthy diets, confirming that lower trade barriers are associated with reduced food prices. The session also reviewed global trends in nutrition-related trade policies, particularly the growing number of disputes around labelling requirements for products linked to non-communicable diseases.
The Birth of the EAAE: Shaping Europe’s Agricultural Future and Beyond
Founded in 1958 amid Europe’s critical post-war recovery, the European Association of Agricultural Economists (EAAE) emerged at a transformative moment when rebuilding agriculture and ensuring food security were vital to economic revival. Just a year after the creation of the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1957 and alongside the development of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), agricultural economics became indispensable for shaping effective policy across the continent.
Recognizing the power of collaboration, agricultural economists united to form the EAAE—a vibrant platform for pioneering research, open dialogue, and knowledge exchange. Since then, the EAAE has not only influenced European agrifood policy but has also extended its impact globally, fostering international cooperation and driving innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing food and environmental challenges.
Looking Ahead: FAO’s Role in Advancing Agricultural Economics Research
The engagement at the FAO session highlighted the organization’s key role in providing data, insights, and identifying global research priorities. Building on this momentum, FAO is well-positioned to continue supporting the research community by offering robust analytical tools and fostering collaboration on critical issues.
Insights gained from other sessions—especially on new quantitative methods and policy impact assessment—will guide FAO’s future work, helping to strengthen analysis and evidence-based policymaking.