The four chapters of this analysis of world agriculture deal with production, consumption, and world trade. World food production and consumption continued to grow rapidly in the 1970's, but at a rate somewhat slower than in the 1960's. It is projected that for the 1990's consumption will increase faster than production in most of the world's regions. Global trade in food commodities expanded rapidly in the 1970's; it will continue to be an important aspect of the world food system. Overall, the world will be able to feed its much larger population in 1993 marginally better than at the end of the 1970's. However, large numbers of people will continue with only barely adequate or inadequate diets, and several projected improvements hang on economic trends that are highly vulnerable to reverses. Governments of all types commonly intervene in their food and agriculture sectors because of the fundamental importance of production and distribution of food for all stable societies. Today, food and agriculture are affected as much by macroeconomic, trade, and development policies as by policies directed specifically to food and agriculture. (RM)