Concentrated corporate power in the global food systems: Consequences and potential policy responses

The book Titans of Industrial Agriculture: How a Few Giant Corporations Came to Dominate the Farm Sector and Why It Matters, authored by Professor Jennifer Clapp, member of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, provides a thorough analysis of the historical and structural dynamics that have led to extreme corporate concentration within agricultural input markets, spanning seeds, fertilizers, agrochemicals, and machinery. The publication illustrates how a small number of multinational corporations have come to reshape global food systems, with profound implications for farmer livelihoods, environmental sustainability, and food system governance.

 

Building on the book’s key findings, this webinar will explore the structural consequences of concentrated corporate power in agricultural input markets and its impact on food systems transformation. It will examine how corporate dominance affects market fairness, technological innovation, ecological sustainability, and democratic participation, particularly in the context of intensifying climate pressures, biodiversity loss, and economic inequality. The event will also consider policy pathways and accountability frameworks to ensure that private sector influence aligns with public interest objectives and supports equitable, sustainable, and resilient food systems.

 

Bringing together distinguished experts, including members of the SAC, the webinar will provide a platform to discuss corporate accountability, good practices, and policy innovations that can contribute to rebalancing power dynamics in food systems. The dialogue will inform global policy discussions in the lead-up to the 2nd UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4) and strengthen efforts to advance rights-based and inclusive food systems transformation.

 

 

 

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