Data or statistical facts on the situation and perspectives of agri-food systems and the impact of policies
$USD2.8 billion (12% of the global total) was spending on agricultural R&D in LAC in 2000 (ASTI, 2009).
83% of agricultural R&D was financed by national governments in LAC in 2006 (ASTI, 2009).
250% increased corn imports in Mexico between 1994 and 2006 under NAFTA framework, showing a significant increase in external dependency (Arroyo, 2009).
1,004,000 hectares of corn ceased to be planted in Mexico between 1994 and 2006, showing a significant reduction in cultivated area (Arroyo, 2009).
200 years after its formulation, the postulates of the classical trade theory by Smith and Ricardo remain valid as a theoretical basis for understanding the gains from international trade (Umaña, 2009).
3 main mechanisms explain the gains from trade: specialization according to comparative advantages, exploitation of economies of scale, and increased productivity through the selection of efficient companies (Umaña, 2009).
50% of the differences in income and growth observed in Latin America correspond to differences in total factor productivity, attributed to technological progress and innovation (Umaña, 2009).
20% of wild relatives of food crops such as peanuts, beans, and potatoes could go extinct by 2050 (Jarvis et al., 2008).
5% of the total GDP of the LAC region was represented by agriculture in 2005 (ECLAC, 2008).
In Central America, coffee is planted on nearly 1 million ha and sustains the livelihood of 300,000 farmers (Bosselmann, 2008).
