Nations should produce their own food and avoid importing food. Agree/disagree?

The question of whether or not states should be

Firstly, a country producing its own food has the benefit of reducing the amount it spends on imports, which has a positive effect economically in the long term. This is a huge consideration in nation-states that are still importing more than they are exporting, for money is technically flowing out of the country. This is why countries such as the USA, despite being the most powerful country in the world economically, still rely on a strong agricultural industry in order to keep their trade balance.

On the other hand, food self-production can often lead to famines, for weather conditions can make or break a harvest. In the past, when countries grew their own crops and international trade was far lower, famines were much more frequent as there was more risk involved: a season of bad weather would mean a famine that could last year-round. Importing food from a variety of countries would minimize the risk incurred by fluctuating

Overall, I argue that though there are economic benefits to having a country making its own food, the nature of the