The Work We Do – Ep 3. Trade Economics and Policy Tradeoffs. David Laborde

In this episode, we sit down with David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics and Policy Division at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. David shares his journey as a trade economist and how it has shaped his approach to today's agrifood systems. We discuss the role of trade in food security and the true cost of the food we consume. We also dive into the art of policymaking in complex systems, from balancing competing priorities to managing unintended consequences to navigate difficult tradeoffs. 0:57 How Does a Trade Economist End Up at FAO? 6:14 How Does Trade Affect Food Security and Nutrition? 8:45 Is Local Food Actually Better? 11:57 Does Trade Make You Vulnerable? 17:53 Does Trade Keep Peace? 24:28 Are We Giving Away Our Resources? 33:14 What Is the True Cost of Food? 36:43 Can Subsidies Fix Agrifood Systems? 44:43 On Navigating Complex Tradeoffs 50:13 Towards a Global Social Contract

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The Work We Do – Ep 3. Trade Economics and Policy Tradeoffs. David Laborde is an episode from Target Zero Hunger by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

This episode is 51:37 long.

This episode was published on Mar 30, 2026.

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