In the post-colonial period global security already featured as a driving force for Dutch international cooperation. At the time it was thought that increased prosperity in former colonies would contribute towards global security and mutually beneficial trade relations in the post war era.
In recent years global security has once again risen on the political agendas, as conflicts and natural disasters threaten livelihoods and lead to increasing numbers of refugees and to a high demand for cereals and other basic food crops on the world market. These factors not only affect agricultural production and the delivery of humanitarian aid, but also the access to food for large proportions of populations especially the urban poor, landless rural people and subsistence farmers. The recent upsurge of conflicts in the Middle East, North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa is partly due to food insecurity, a lack of access to land, poverty and inequality .