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A group of experts from international organizations, foundations, government and non-governmental organizations underscored the need for open markets rather than “starving your neighbour” policies in the current situation of soaring world food prices at a meeting hosted by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) on February 27th in Rome.
The group met at the initiative of Marco Ferroni of the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture to consider trade and food security challenges in preparation of a high-level conference on Development and Trade – Harnessing the Potential of Globalization for the Poorer Developing Countries, to take place in July 2008 in Crans-Montana, Switzerland (see www.gtdforum.org).
In discussing trade, price and subsidy policy reform for agricultural growth and poverty reduction, the group noted the lack of empirical studies (as different from simulation results) on the effects of trade liberalization in individual countries and among resource-poor farmers, many of whom are net buyers of food. Derek Byerlee of the World Bank noted that the linkages between trade policy and food security in the aggregate and at the household level are country-specific. Transitioning towards the elimination of agricultural trade barriers is very necessary, while developing countries need to invest more and better in their agricultural sectors and establish social protection mechanisms that improve the livelihoods and safeguard the human capital of the poor.
In deliberating policies and investment strategies to strengthen the basis for trade integration, the group focused on policy processes capable of creating a conducive business climate and bringing together the stakeholders that are needed for winning ventures to emerge. Kevin Cleaver of IFAD noted the predominance of the private sector in everything from agricultural R&D to product supply chains today and the need to form partnerships that bring out the best in each category of actors. Adama Coulibaly of Mali’s Ministry of Agriculture indicated that the Malian constitution and the recent Law on Agriculture Orientation provides for a strong role of the private sector in agriculture; business involvement is however lacking due to the instability and low profitability in this sector.
Ann Tutwiler of the Hewlett Foundation noted that observers and policy makers alike are challenged to make sense of the current situation which has evolved from complaints about the negative effects on poor countries of protection-induced low prices to complaints about the negative effects on poor people of scarcity-induced high prices.
“Food security issues are at the heart of the Syngenta Foundation’s concerns”, said Marco Ferroni; “to address them properly it is necessary to put the developing countries and their specific needs at the core of the debate, which is precisely what the July Conference will aim to do.”
Find out more about the conference
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