some importing countries have neglected investments that improve agricultural productivity which has increased their import dependence while the current pattern of agricultural trade may reflect some of these failings this does not negate the insight that the balancing role of trade makes a fundamental contribution to global food security and to food security in developing countries in particular there are many reasons why current food importers might expect to experience a steadily deteriorating comparative advantage in food production net food importing countries have in general more rapidly growing populations and more rapidly growing food demand per capita than net exporters