As globalization proceeds apace, the world community confronts unprecedented challenges that cross national borders--examples include climate change, debt relief, HIV/AIDS, and trade, as well as hunger and poverty. Addressing globalization and other global issues effectively will require international organizations and national governments to contribute to "global governance." Taking stock of the new challenges related to global food issues is part of the mandate of the recently formed IFPRI Governance Taskforce, jointly headed by Raymond Hopkins of Swarthmore College and Regina Birner, leader of IFPRI's governance program.

In November the Governance Taskforce and Swarthmore College hosted a seminar called "Global Governance Processes to Address Hunger and Environmental Problems." Fifteen students from Swarthmore's Political Science Department and about 20 IFPRI staff convened for a day of presentations and discussions led by high-level speakers, including Ambassador Allen Johnson, the U.S. Trade Representative's chief agriculture negotiator; Jack Okey of the National Intelligence Council; Cheryl Christensen of the U.S. Department of Agriculture; Jack Riggs of the Aspen Institute; and Thomas Callaghy of the University of Pennsylvania.

Discussions highlighted a number of issues related to global governance: the tension between economic and political economy paradigms, the impact of scientific controversy on policymaking, and the discrepancy between short-term political agendas and long-term consequences of policies. As Jack Riggs stated, "Administrations tolerate unacceptable budget deficits [in the short term] while refusing environmental policies that are beneficial in the long term."

Getting long-term global governance concerns on the global political agenda will be no easy task, participants noted. "Why has the HIV/AIDS issue managed to get donors' attention when 42 million people are infected, while 800 million people are malnourished in the world?" asked Jack Okey. Thomas Callaghy provided a partial answer by describing how development strategies are influenced by civil society actors such as nongovernmental organizations, which have dramatically and unexpectedly changed the balance of influence in the international arena.

The mobilization of political support for food security in the 1970s followed a path similar to the more recent expansion of worldwide efforts on biodiversity, banning land mines, debt forgiveness, and reducing HIV/AIDS. Sustaining global efforts in these areas, as well as efforts to reduce hunger and poverty, is an ongoing challenge of global governance, which requires the cooperation of state organizations, the private sector, and civil society.