At the core of the world's food shortage problem lies the inter-relationship of the world's undernourished with their respective national food systems and the linkages with broader international trade. The undernourished are profoundly affected by the movements and trends in the domestic and international trade of foods, as well as by the governmental policies designed to influence these movements and trends. Because food represents such a large portion of a poor family's expenditures, volatile or relatively high prices for food can have devastating consequences on the poor's chances for nutritional improvement.