Food as an instrument of foreign policy: Its place and leverage

This study has been written with an objective to shed the light better on the food issue as an instrument of foreign policy. In this context, food security, food sovereignty, and securitization have become discernable pillars of the study. While the concept of food security takes the undesirable burden from the shoulders of the state for difficulties which might arrive in the implementation of foreign policy preferences as a pretext, the concept of food sovereignty appears as the element which enable states enact foreign policy decisions as they wish without any hindrance on their way. If the state does not have it, then it is apt to any imposition on its foreign policy decisions. The concept of securitization, on the other hand, is the prime key for the facilitating use of food as an instrument in the foreign policy area. All of those concepts have made the pillars in the search of the answer to the question how the use of food issue acts as a leverage in the matters of foreign policy. In this study, after setting the general framework regarding the food system within the changing international structure, the role of food as an instrument in the foreign policy as a leverage tool has been analyzed within the context of case studies based on a specific country choice or a specific foreign policy event within a limited time period. In this way, a deduction with regard to the use of food in the foreign policy as an instrument has been tried to achieve. In this regard, the conclusion has revealed itself as follows: the food system acts as the mirror of the present international system. Under this structure, countries which preside over the international system best to their advantage in tandem with all kinds of power they have are also able to manage food issue to their best foreign policy interests. Since therefore, within this inclusive approach, the use of food issue has become something more powerful than its limited use as a single-handed instrument. In this context, the Cuban exemplar, Ukraine issue and food security issue in Turkish-Russian relations as well have been examined. Keywords: Food Security, Food Sovereignty, Securitization, Russian Federation, Cuba, Ukraine,Turkey.