Research is a key contribution of the World Food Law Institute to the development of legal understanding and expertise about global food law issues. The research often combines the work of Howard University School of Law students, the Institute’s Research Associates and overseas collaborators.

Previously, in collaboration with the North American Liaison Office of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization a Research Associate based in Brazil – completed “Brazil – The New Food Security Law”. Cooperation with FAO headquarters and its then Director-General led to a Symposium issue of the Howard Law Journal about biodiversity and food. A different approach was taken in a joint effort with the World Cocoa Foundation when a Research Associate from Ethiopia joined a Cocoa Foundation specialist in Ghana to write “Traditional Land Tenure in Ghana,” combining legal research and on-the-ground interviews with farmers.

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Howard University School of Law students contributed constitutional and case law research to a hypothetical about investments in land in a fictitious developing country community. They found and researched regional and national case law in Africa and Latin America. Their memorandum is available at www.strengtheninglegalexpertise.org. Other Howard students have conducted research concerning biodiversity, food deserts, and, most recently, collaborations along the food chain.