AGRICULTURAL DIPLOMACY AND INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL REPRESENTATION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE TRANSITION TO THE BLUE ECONOMY AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF FOOD SYSTEMS

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive scholarly analysis of the formation of agricultural diplomacy and international agricultural representation in the context of the transition to the principles of the blue economy and the transformation of global food systems. It is substantiated that the classical model of agricultural diplomacy, primarily focused on export promotion and participation in trade negotiations, requires conceptual reconsideration under conditions of climate risks, resource constraints, geopolitical instability, and the digital transformation of international economic interaction. It is demonstrated that contemporary agricultural diplomacy acquires an integrative character, combining functions of trade and economic support, investment coordination, scientific and technological partnership, harmonization of standards, and the promotion of sustainable use of natural and aquatic resources. Particular attention is devoted to the transformation of the institution of agricultural attachés who, in the context of the digitalization of global value chains, act not only as diplomatic representatives but also as coordinators of digital networks within food systems. It is argued that agricultural attachés are increasingly involved in the harmonization of standards, the promotion of environmentally responsible production, the development of partnerships in aquaculture and the blue economy, and participation in multilateral negotiations aimed at ensuring food security. In conditions of geopolitical instability, they perform the role of intermediaries between the state, business, and international organizations, contributing to the diversification of export markets and strengthening the position of the national agricultural sector at the global level. The author proposes an original definition of «agricultural diplomacy» as an instrument of the state’s foreign policy implementation, encompassing a system of negotiation-based, legal, analytical, and representative mechanisms aimed at promoting national agricultural products in international markets, safeguarding the interests of the agricultural sector in foreign economic relations, and ensuring the professional activity of agricultural attachés within diplomatic and trade missions abroad, thereby forming a multi-level model of state interaction with the international environment. A comparative characterization of the classical and digital models of international agricultural representation is developed, which makes it possible to outline the evolutionary transformation of the functional role of agricultural attachés in the context of the transition to the blue economy. The study concludes with the necessity of establishing a digital model of international agricultural representation as an integral component of the mechanism for ensuring food security.