About Us
The World Food Law Institute at Howard University School of Law uses a multidisciplinary approach to promote social development in the agricultural and agribusiness sectors, emphasizing the importance of law and legal research. The Institute tries to improve the understanding of issues faced by the millions of persons living and working in rural areas around the world and to provide support for those seeking food security.
The Institute sponsors three major activities:
The World Food Day Symposium is a major event held in October to celebrate the founding of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. The 2004 Symposium theme, “Biodiversity for Food Security”, was considered during a day-long program co-sponsored by Howard University, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization and the Council on Foreign Relations. The speakers included the Director-General of FAO, the 2004 World Food Prize winner from Sierra Leone, seven ambassadors, academics and representatives of the business community. The 2005 theme was “From Agriculture to Agribusiness in Africa: The Culture of Business and the Law”. This theme is likely to develop into one or more independent projects. In October 2006 the Symposium will address "Climate Change, Food Security and Africa".
The World Food Law Distinguished Lecture was inaugurated in the spring of 2004 with a lecture by Dr. Wangari Maathai, the Nobel Peace Laureate. Dr. Maathai spoke on the topic"Forests and Food". The May 2006 World Food Law Lecture was given by Dr. Garbrielle Marceau, Counsellor in the Cabinet of the Director-General of the World trade Organization. Her topic was "Agriculture and World Trade Organization Dispute Settlement". The Lectures were attended by the same excellent mix of experts as the Symposia. They were held off-campus at the historic Cosmos Club.
The World Food Law Fellowship sponsors a three-month research and writing internship in the Development Law Service of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome. The Fellow conducts research concerning one or more topics related to food law and regulation and may write a publishable research paper jointly with an FAO attorney.