Small island developing states. Agricultural production and trade, preferences and policy. FAO Commodities and Trade Technical Paper No. 7.
This report is meant to contribute to the continuing debate related to small states and their agriculture sectors in the multilateral trade framework. It looks at the specific challenges faced by small states and the importance of non-reciprocal preferences.
It is felt that a clearer understanding of Small Island Developing States' (SIDS') agricultural economies and trade and the often obscure effects of trade preferences on SIDS' economic development is vital to identifying policies that will promote their sustainable development. This report seeks to contribute to this understanding by analysing the agricultural export performance of SIDS and evaluating the importance of their existing agricultural preferences. The report looks at what characterizes and differentiates SIDS and explores the possibility of categorizing SIDS as a group for special treatment in international agricultural trade relations. It evaluates SIDS' agricultural production, trade patterns and performance; appraises the agricultural preference regimes affecting SIDS as well as the policy issues related to SIDS countries in the context of the WTO and EU/ACP. The report presents conclusions and options related to promoting the agricultural trade and economic development in SIDS.
