Abstract
Every individual possesses the fundamental right to adequate food, a principle firmly embedded in international human rights law. In response to this normative obligation, numerous states have incorporated the right to food into their constitutional frameworks, national legislation, and public policy strategies, thereby reaffirming their duty to respect, protect, and fulfil this right, particularly for their domestic populations.
This paper investigates recent reforms in food and agricultural policy in the European Union and the United States, with particular emphasis on the post-2020 geopolitical and public health landscape. The Russian Federation’s military aggression against Ukraine—one of the world’s principal grain exporters—alongside the prolonged disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, has exposed the fragility of global food systems and highlighted the need for legal and policy innovation to ensure stable food production and accessibility.
The focus of this research is to examine whether digitalisation has served as a catalyst in enhancing food security by facilitating more efficient public administration. The extent to which digital reforms have reduced administrative burdens in the implementation of key food-related programs: the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the United States’ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will be discussed. Administrative burdens are defined as costs imposed on individuals and institutions in complying with public policies, including learning, compliance, and psychological costs —can significantly undermine the accessibility and effectiveness of social welfare programs.
While the EU and the U.S. have adopted distinct regulatory pathways, both systems are guided by a shared objective: the preservation of their citizens’ right to food. This paper evaluates whether digitalisation has not only minimized bureaucratic complexity but also substantively contributed to improving access to food and the efficiency of food production systems.