change, for instance. The large transnational companies that do their own R&D operate at high levels of efficiency and effectiveness. In other words, they produce with a high costbenefit ratio, as demanded by their consumer markets, while family production systems are pushed towards increasingly less profitable agriculture.

3.4.2.1.4 Results of interaction among the systems
Income inequality rises, as a result of domination of agribusiness investment in LAC by the large transnational companies, and also because of the reduction of public investment in education, science, technology, and rural development. Only a small group of producers with better ecological and economic conditions materializes partnerships with these companies, while the vast majority of small production units are left out of the playing field.

There is a general deterioration in the capacity of countries to guarantee the sustainability of their agricultural production
systems—especially the most vulnerable ones—and this is dramatically reflected in a reduction in access to jobs, housing, health, and education, and a decline in food security. Many unemployed rural workers and small bankrupt landowners move to the cities, where the generalized reduction
in productive activities is also felt. Governments as a rule are not able to provide social protection to a large and growing poor population in urban settlements. In many cities, there is an atmosphere conducive to social protest and vandalism. Insecurity increases both in cities and in the rural
areas. Along borders with more developed countries like the United States, and also with some Latin American countries with higher living standards, there is an increase in fatalities resulting from thwarted attempts to enter a world in which there are “greater opportunities”.
     As for urban food security, the supply of food is inadequate and a fraction of it has a high contamination risk.
     The status of climate change tends to be critical, because temperatures are rising, as is the frequency of extreme climatic phenomena. The primary cause of this situation has to do with the specific energy matrix of the more developed countries and also with massive imports of raw materials from poor countries, reflected in the growing exploration of their natural systems and in the exposure of their native forests. Environmental sustainability and adaptation to climate change are not concerns of governments, except in the more vulnerable countries, which are usually the less developed ones.
3.4.2.2 2016-2030

3.4.2.2.1 Context of AKST systems and agricultural
production
Both the countries of the region and those outside LAC continue to use all types of barriers to agricultural trade, encounter difficulties in making their national production systems competitive, and face ongoing threats of bioterrorism. The LAC countries with a greater presence on agricultural markets have compulsory certification systems, exert strict control over the production process, and impose patterns of technology to manage epidemics and to guarantee the quality and safety of foods.
     The markets are increasingly more sharply divided,

       with developed countries outside LAC dominant in trade competition and on world markets. Very few LAC countries are able to supply commodities to external markets. The less developed countries and the poorest ones have little access to these markets, so most of them turn to their domestic markets. These markets have a high percentage of lowincome consumers, who are more interested in low prices than in food quality.
     Management of agricultural pests and diseases relies mainly on the use of expensive, specialized external servicesand inputs. There is a reduced capacity in most LAC countries to implement preventive health measures or measures to contain diseases, and to adapt to and mitigate climate change. For these reasons, epidemics in the region increase.
     In LAC there are even greater rise in temperatures than in the preceding period, and also more frequent and intensive extreme climate events. Their strong impact on the region is largely responsible for the highly reduced capacity to adapt to and mitigate climate change.
     The situation of governance is highly varied in the region. In many countries, the general situation of survival is aggravated by corrupt politicians who have joined forces with groups that engage in illegal activities, and that frequently often offer one of the few opportunities for survival for many urban dwellers. In a few countries, there are governments
that endeavor to follow consistent, sustainable policies, but these efforts are hampered by the shortage of economic resources. This is seen in the inability to intervene proactively to cope with various types of problems, such as social disaggregation, epidemics, natural disasters, and the like.
     With resources becoming increasingly more scarce, most countries in the region experience enormous and mounting difficulties in ensuring social order and productive capacity and in guaranteeing the supply of essential services, such as health, unemployment insurance, education, housing credits, and the like. Laws on environmental protection, trade security, the protection of knowledge, and biosecurity, among others, remain unenforceable. The more developed countries feel threatened by this state of affairs, and create funds to alleviate the situation in the countries suffering
most, by sending professionals, products (such as pharmaceuticals) and equipment to help these countries. This aid, which begins around 2022, ends when the period comes to a close.
    Due to the deterioration of both economic resources and governance in LAC countries, their capacity to impose regulations and quality standards on food, which they had during the previous period, is diminished. Some of them make an effort to reverse this situation, but achieve meager results. Assistance by developed countries to recover that capacity is inadequate and limited in time.
     The education of stakeholders of production systems in the public system of education does not generally produce good results. Private education is usually expensive and of mixed quality, because there are relatively few schools that offer a quality education.
     Developed countries make enormous scientific progress. In the sphere of biotechnology, there is a sharp increase in the understanding of the systemic repercussions of gene manipulation. This leads to greater efficiency in the use of these