Member profile
Prof. Ali Abdalrahman
Organization:
Agriculture Research Center(ARC)ـ Agricultural Economics Research Institute(AERI) ـ Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture
Country:
Egypt
Field(s) of expertise:
I am working on:
Food security, various subsidies, internal and external trade, investment, climate change, sustainable development, economic analysis and statistics
Prof. Ali Abdalrahman
Food Security Policies
Prof. ALI ABDALRAHMAN ALI
President of the International Union for Development, Environment and Investment
It is considered of food security policies one of the most world active, which has an effective role and activist, and in the activation of certain policies, food security, through studies, research and food security projects in the world.
Where" Food security exists when all people at all times to access, both physical and economic adequate food , safe and nutritious food to meet dietary needs and food preferences Kate has an active and healthy life."
Implicit in this definition is the recognition that food security is a multi -dimensional, and there have been many formulations of what the components of food security, for example , identified CFS four key dimensions or " pillars":is to ensure the availability of , if not the production of sufficient quantities of materials food and ensures access to all the families and all individuals within those households have enough resources to get the proper foods(through the production , purchase, free). And ensure a nutritious diet. Use when the human body is able to absorb and metabolize food.
Diet nutritious and safe, biological and social environment adequate, and appropriate health care to avoid diseases help to make adequate food. Is to ensure stability is maintained when the three pillars of the other with the passage of time.
It has been noted by many experts on the need for a column on environmental sustainability, where patterns of production and consumption of food does not deplete natural resources or the ability of the agricultural system to provide enough food and supports many of all countries to support the financial year, prices of basic consumer goods, which support was introduced at an earlier stage back until World War II , but he skipped several attempts to fix it, and since then has taken attributes benefits Permanent. The targeted programs are rare.
By increasing financial support for food prices, and the imposition of price controls, and the reduction of exports, lowering import tariffs: for example, has been in some countries lowering tariffs on wheat to about zero, and has also been paying financial support for importers, while allowing others preferential import wheat from different countries. In some countries, have increased wages and salaries to help consumers overcome the effects of rising prices.
The question now is:
Does the rise in food prices to create some opportunities in the long term? Most of the poor are rural, and can rise in food prices when its continuation for years to help increase the income of the poor in rural areas and mobilize the economy.
The supply of food emotive issue, so countries in the region feel a real concern about food security.
The rise in prices could help accelerate the increase of productivity and increase local agricultural production. However, the issue of water is scarce in some areas, which requires governments to take action to help increase the efficiency of water use as well.
This means an increase crop yields by the unit of water. An increase in domestic production to help protect countries from the vagaries and fluctuations in commodity markets. But countries in the region also will need to continue to rely on imports and on global markets in order to ensure the supply of food.
They should strengthen their capacity to use: futures markets, options, futures, and other modern tools in order to help meet the needs of food and hedge against the risk of the supply side.
Governments of developing countries better to encourage small-scale agriculture in the new global environment, and what form of special and differential treatment may be required to allow them to do so?
"In many cases, the reforms have been achieved" successful"is not in isolation, but as a result of the implementation of policies associated with them. In drawing lessons from the reforms that are seen benefiting groups of food insecurity, or which say the least, and you do not have disadvantaged them, so it is important to identify complementary policies that facilitated the process of adaptation to more productive activities, and any countervailing policies that act to mitigate losses transitional groups is safe and has only faced a clearer understanding of the effects that are often obscured from trade reform on food security is therefore vital if the drivers of further reform to lead to changes for the benefit of disadvantaged and vulnerable groups in poor countries.
It is acknowledged that reforms in sectors other than agriculture, it could have implications far more important both in terms of poverty reduction, through changes in income levels, and food security. It must focus on the agricultural sector and the impact that could be trade reform in its ability to contribute to the improvement of food security in the context of broader structural changes that result from the reforms.
This focus justified by explaining the multiple ways in which agriculture, which they can identify and promote national food security of households. While any trade agreement that alters the balance between trade liberalization and the protection of the particular good or service in the economy, can affect the levels of food security, reform of the relevant agriculture is particularly important for the following reasons:
(1) Agriculture is one of the central contributors to food security in most developing countries; both through its direct contribution to the availability of food, and indirectly as the main engine of economic development and thus improve access to food.
(2) Agriculture is one of the sectors most heavily distorted in many countries, and it has, as a result, has received considerable attention in recent rounds of trade negotiations.
Recommendation :
Need to be food security policies more dynamic and not static, the increasing global variables such as climate change, and changes in dietary patterns, and human behaviors rapidly, in addition to changes in the compositions crop, which requires change, food security commodities.
Phase that they key issues in food security policies and sustainable development policies.
To be involved in civil society organizations and media awareness programs on food security issues in the various communities, in coordination with international institutions and local government and the private sector.
Attention to some other hubs in addition to the main axes of food security, such as:
1. Coordination and integration with the institutions dealing with food security policies, whether domestic or international, and the involvement of civil society organizations.
B. Emphasized that there should be an infrastructure in order to maintain a sustainable food security.
2. Emphasis on tightening the control and inspection of markets by all means possible.
3.The involvement of community members in the development of alternatives to the goods of food security in line with the changing desires of individuals.
4. Controls critical to the operations of the various monopolies, and the reduction of high food prices, both in the case of goods imported or locally produced food.
5. Giving civil society organizations and a strong role in the control of certain markets food security.
6. Seize opportunities to achieve sustainable food security.
H. Emphasize transparency in the implementation of various food securities.
7. The fight against corruption in all images in the application of food security policies, in order to reduce the effects of poverty, hunger and disease.
Critical review of what is known from existing literature and other resources in order to facilitate better targeted research and analysis of developments in trade and food security at the national level.
To provide a conceptual framework for understanding how trade liberalization and economic reforms relevant could affect the national food security at household level.
Provide a practical framework for evaluating the results of previous policies, and to predict the outcome of future initiatives, at both the national and the food security of households.
Prevent unhealthy foods, or rationalization of consumption, or imposition tax them, or provide cash support for more nutritious foods, put laws regulating the work of the manufacturers, awareness to individuals about these foods .
Address the problem of food waste, which is now one of the problems most prevalent in the community, the depletion of natural resources scarce , and environmental costs and the serious economic and social, and there are many effective ways to reduce food waste, which can result in cost savings and environmental benefits in order to create sustainable food system .
Prof. Ali Abdalrahman
Economic Sufficiency Agriculture Food Subsidy System
Prof. ALI ABDALRAHMAN ALI
President of the International Union for Development, Environment and Investment
Sufficiency Economy is a philosophy that guides the livelihood and behavior of people at all levels, from the family to the community to the country, on matters concerning national development and administration. It calls for a ‘middle way’ to be observed, especially in pursuing economic development in keeping with the world of globalization.
Sufficiency means moderation and reasonableness, including the need to build a reasonable immune system against shocks from the outside or from the inside. Intelligence, attentiveness, and extreme care should be used to ensure that all plans and every step of their implementation are based on knowledge.
At the same time we must build up the spiritual foundation of all people in the nation, especially state officials, scholars, and business people at all levels, so they are conscious of moral integrity and honesty and they strive for the appropriate wisdom to live life with forbearance, diligence, self-awareness, intelligence, and attentiveness. In this way we can hope to maintain balance and be ready to cope with rapid physical, social, environmental, and cultural changes from the outside world.”
This philosophical statement has lent itself to interpretation by diverse groups of people. First, we can dismiss outright the extreme interpretation that the Sufficiency Economy means complete self-reliance or autarky. In an autarchic system, a country or unit thereof relies upon itself and its people to produce all its needs with no dependence on others.
It may do this voluntarily (cutting off contacts with the outside world) or by necessity (because it is incapable of generating those contacts). But His Majesty the King explicitly rejected this interpretation: “This self-sufficiency does not mean that every family must grow food for themselves, to make clothes for themselves; that is too much. But in a village or sub-district there should be a reasonable amount of sufficiency.
If they grow or produce something more than they need they can sell them. But they do not need to sell them very far; they can sell them in nearby places without having to pay high transport costs.”
Food Subsidy
The subsidy is an important part in the system of social spending, which aims to ensure that members of the community on their needs of basic goods and services such as food, health, education, transport, water and electricity, is a program of nutritional support of policies that ensure the state in order to improve the nutritional status of individuals and ensure food security for them and eliminate the problem of hunger, and it was total support center to support the food even arrived in some years to 90% of the total value of support, and the program is aimed at nutritional support to the provision of basic commodities at affordable prices are in affordable for low-income classes to ensure that a minimum of food necessary for the poor to stabilize the prices of goods in order to match the wages, and thus leads to the kind of redistribution of income and improve the pattern of distribution and social justice, and improve food security.
The subsidy programs, food for the benefit of consumers are common in many countries, and provides these programs are many benefits to consumers, so the financial cost of this type of nutritional support of matters of interest to policy makers and decision makers, and usually support programs high cost.
Where the government has time as the organization of the provision and distribution of food commodities necessary to individuals at prices relatively low in order to take into account the social dimension, and this support includes the support of direct and indirect, and subsidy includes food and non-food, and the state allocates annually in the general budget State provision of social spending, which includes:
• Subsidy for basic commodities such as food, medicines and slides of the initial consumption of electricity, drinking water and petroleum products and LPG and natural gas.
• Subsidy services include subsidy for cooperative housing and public subsidy for rail and other means of transport, subsidy for treatment at the expense of the state and health insurance and medical insurance for students, subsidy university students, subsidy lending public, cooperative and slums, subsidy services, religious and youth.
• Subsidy for the agriculture sector by lowering interest rates, and increase the price of the supply of cane sugar.
• Subsidy for social insurance by opening the door of the pension does not host them and pay the deficit in the pension funds and increase the number of uninsured.
• Subsidy is dedicated to the integrated development of villages, and is spending on these services as a real entry added to the entry of individuals and on their behalf the State bears the costs of such services.
The alternatives to the reform policies of food subsidy:
System is a food subsidy is an integral part of government policy long term to achieve food security policy and achieve social justice, and thus achieve political stability, although the state has made progress in reducing the cost of the subsidy system, but the absolute costs of the system is still high, so the state is trying to reform the subsidy system towards improving the targeting of the poor and increase their access to subsidy and improve the effectiveness of cost management system, and when studying the options of policy reform, it is important to balance the state the benefits of each option and costs, in addition to taking into account the benefits and costs of supporting the political, social, and because of the inherent system of the current subsidy of the politically sensitive care, it is necessary to study alternatives for change, taking the political implications of each choice.
The subsidy program for food with a good target beneficiaries, will lead to improvement of real incomes and improve food security of the target groups without the benefit of this subsidy is not needed, the leak of the subsidy increased costs and decreased cost-effectiveness of these programs.
There are several options for direct food subsidies to those who deserve it and blocked for non-eligible, and these options are:
Option indirect which mean self-direction, and direct administrative guidance.
It occurs when the self-oriented benefits are available to all, but the course is designed in a way that only makes the poor tended to participate.
The systems are self-directed support food attractive because it reduces management costs, which do not need to be a large administrative apparatus to determine entitlement to benefit.
They are also politically acceptable ways to direct subsidies for food, because participation depends on the free choice of the individual and not on the occurrence of selection upon by a governmental entity. It also requires direct targeting of the administrative definition of the poor, and there is a quantitative approach to estimate the low-cost households, which is known as alternative test averages (Proxy Mean Test), which depends on the indicators are high, and thus lead to improved rates of targeted subsidy for the poor.
The subsidy of the food is not just a technical issue, but it is the subject of political implications as well. We have been efforts to reform the food subsidies directed to those who deserve better and reduce costs for fear of civil unrest.
That is why I have to policy makers and decision makers to take into account the political implications of what is to be made of the decisions when thinking about the reform of food subsidies.
The experiences of the past to study the importance of the following steps when considering the reform programs in support of food:
Adopt a gradual approach in bringing about change in the system of food subsidies, Organize public awareness campaigns to prepare the population for the justification and the need to reform
The application of some compensatory measures for groups that are exposed to some of the adverse effects of the reform programs of subsidy.
This approach aims to improve food security, and comes through:
The study of policy alternatives to increase food availability in the context of ongoing changes in local and global markets.
Develop policies to improve opportunities for households to obtain food in the framework of policies, market mechanisms and economic reform programs.
Analysis of the nutritional aspects of food security in terms of the biological advantage of food, and to identify the factors affecting the nutritional status.
Analysis of the food security situation within the household in terms of individuals most vulnerable to food shortages and methods of care, and therefore can be replaced other goods subsidized food to achieve household food security, according to desire these families and by geographic region, has this is costly in financial terms, but it will help to improve food security.
Identification of micro-nutrient deficiencies (iron, zinc, iodine vitamin A), and explore ways to improve the status of micro-nutrients through the addendum, or through plant breeding and genetic improvement.
Prof. Ali Abdalrahman
Economic and Policy Conditions Necessary to Foster Sustainable Farming and Food Systems:
Prof. ALI ABDALRAHMAN
President of the International Union for Development, Environment and Investment
We asked to address four areas:
(1) The economic and policy conditions necessary to foster sustainable food and farm systems.
(2) The policy lessons and models from Europe and other countries that might help the Committee frame issues.
(3) Alternative agriculture and the value chain—making alternative agriculture successful in today’s economic structure; and, if time permits.
(4) The financial aspects of sustainable practices in the Midwest.
We will attempt to do this by organizing my remarks and Power Point slides according to the following topical outline:
• Alternative visions agriculture
• Policy options to support the sustainable agriculture vision
• Economic and related conditions affecting farming and food systems
• Value chain issues in fostering ecological farming systems
• Economic competitiveness of ecological farming systems
• More on economics of organic agriculture
A list of the major articles and reports used in preparing these remarks appears at the end of this written testimony. Many other sources drawn on indirectly are listed in the respective reference sections of those articles and reports.
Policy proposals for a nation’s food and farming system always rest on some vision for the system, whether or not the analyst or advocate recognizes that vision explicitly. Although there are many competing visions for the future of agriculture at this time, most of the visions underlying proposals for a new farm—originally to be enacted into law in fit roughly into one of the following two categories:
The global competitiveness vision—the recurring theme of policies proposed by those with this vision is maintaining and strengthening the competitiveness of agriculture in international markets. Individuals and organizations with this view have advocated agricultural policies intended to provide bases for successful resumption of World Trade.
Organization (WTO) negotiations under the current Doha Round. They also want agriculture to be on a strong footing to compete in an environment with reduced trade barriers and market distortions worldwide. This is an export-oriented vision, based on comparative advantage economic theory. Often implied in this vision is a agricultural system based on high-input, high-yield production of‘commodity’ crops.
The sustainable agriculture vision—This vision is more inward looking than the global competitiveness vision. The primary concerns of individuals and groups with this version are environmental quality, ecological sustainability, and the economic viability of small and moderate-sized family farms. Policy advocates with this vision are not anti-trade’, but they place greater emphasis on the ‘Jeffersonian’ idea of a nation populated by independent family farms and on natural resource use that is sustainable for the indefinite future. This vision has evolved in recent years to be very similar to the European Union multifunctionality view of agriculture healthy food has taken on much greater importance in this vision in recent years.
Policy options to support the sustainable agriculture vision my concern in this presentation will be with the sustainable agriculture vision. This does not imply that policies cannot sometimes support both visions. Groups representing both of these alternative visions of agriculture have advocated similar reforms in the system of ‘commodity supports’ in the new farm bill. (It does not appear that those commodity program reforms will be adopted at this time, however).
Policy options to support sustainable agriculture can be grouped in four categories:
Regulatory policies
Environmental compliance measures tied to agricultural and energy subsidies.
Environmental stewardship payments.
Markets for environmental services (‘payments for environmental services’)
We will briefly discuss each of these types of policies in terms of their roles in encouraging the adoption of more sustainable agricultural systems. Most of my focus will be on what it will take to induce more farmers to adopt biologically diverse farming systems—organic and other ecologically integrated systems.
The first step up from chemical intensive systems with little or no biological diversity are systems that incorporate somewhat more sustainable practices, such as reduced or minimum tillage or better fertilizer timing and placement. These practices can make particular farming systems—such as the Midwest corn/soybean system—more sustainable, or less unsustainable. However, it is very questionable whether systems that do not contain considerable biological diversity can keep agriculture in any given agro-climatic region truly ecologically sustainable over the long term. Therefore, I believe the challenge Systems Agricultural is to chart paths to achievement of whole systems in other words, transitions to much greater use of ecologically integrated systems.
Farmers weigh many goals in their choices of farming systems. However, especially relevant for policy analysis purposes are their net income (profit), risk reduction, and natural resource stewardship goals. Therefore, we need to keep those goals foremost in our minds as we assess different policy options. Various economic and related conditions—what I call contextual factors—condition the effectiveness of policy options. Foremost among these contextual factors are prices and access to markets, available technologies, the structure of agriculture, and the current stock of social and
human capital.
We probably now are at a juncture where we need to seriously consider the use of more regulations for control of some types of agricultural negative externalities. Failure
The conceptual framework for analyzing the impacts of public policies on agricultural sustainability that we
are using is depicted in Power Point slide number]to make large livestock systems pay their own costs of complying regulations was a major policy mistake, in my view. There may be other areas where we should also make somewhat greater use of regulations away from cost-share policies for nitrate contamination, and now relies on regulatory measures.
Environmental compliance measures. The environmental cross-compliance provisions of the farm bill have been valuable for helping induce adoption of some agricultural practices that reduce negative externalities and enhance natural capital. However, they are not comprehensive enough to induce system changes that would retain or bring about much greater biodiversity. The partial, but important, ‘decoupling’ of commodity subsidies in the farms did facilitate a movement of farmers away from continuous corn, where that practice remained, to the already widely practiced corn/soybean system. Although hardly diverse, the corn/soybean system is much preferable ecologically to continuous corn. With very high corn prices the last couple of years, however, we have seen some movement back to corn-following-corn.
There may be other ecological diversity minimums in other parts of the country that should be added to our Federal farm bill compliance provisions. Environmental stewardship payments. In contrast to regulatory measures, which are based on the ‘polluter pays’ principal, environmental stewardship payments, implicitly at least, are based on the ‘provider gets’ principal. In other works, providers of good environmental stewardship get rewarded. In reality, however, ‘good’ and ‘bad’ stewardship are really points along a continuum. Stated another way, the line that separates ‘positive’ from ‘negative’ externalities are subjective. Economics alone cannot specify that line. What deserves to be regulated and what deserves to be rewarded are up to societal decisions. Economics and other sciences, however, can help greatly in understanding the consequences of practical distinctions and associated policy responses.
The predominant approach to promoting greater ecological sustainability in agriculture up to now has consisted of environmental stewardship payments in various forms. The latest such stewardship payment program of conceptual significance is the Conservation Security Program (CSP), introduced as part the farm
Prof. Ali Abdalrahman
Addressing rural poverty and food security
Prof. ALI ABDALRAHMAN
President of the International Union for Investment, Development and Environment
Food security is closely linked to economic growth and social progress in developing countries.
The food security agenda should focus on agriculture, which forms the basis of the livelihoods of many poor people and the backbone of rural economies in most developing countries and enable them to be successful food producers.
There is a need to support small-scale adaptation to changes in food demand and the challenges posed by evolving technology and sustainability requirements.
Small farmers need to improve market access, adapt and adopt appropriate technologies and institutional innovations and improve access to natural, financial, social and human capital.
Food security is related to food availability, distribution, variety, and income.
Priority of food availability in the face of increasing population requires increased productivity in agriculture around the world and reduction of pre- and post-harvest losses and food waste.
The establishment of open markets and special projects that are critical to the development and are an important part of achieving food security objectives.
Focus on sustainable entrepreneurship for local SMEs.
Empowering small farmers to break the subsistence cycle and become small entrepreneurs.
The vital contribution of farmers' organizations to make for the development of agriculture and rural communities.
Unless small farmers are organized, they will remain politically powerless and economically disadvantaged.
Prof. Ali Abdalrahman
The role of the professional structures of agricultural, food security and sustainable production systems
Prof. ALI ABDALRAHMAN ALI
Agri. Economics
President of the International Union for Development, Environment and Investment
First: the role of civil society and the private sector related to agriculture:
The world has seen , especially in the last two decades of the last century, the growing interest in civil society and increase the number of civil society organizations , and there are many reasons that led to this increase, including: the inability of the state alone to fill the needs of the community and the spread of the democratic system , globalization and the collapse of the political systems of totalitarianism and the emergence of political and economic transformations, have become globalization imposes itself on everyone. It seemed sector, civil society organizations, play an active role in society and especially in the field of development.
The study of economic and social contribution to the private sector studies concern. It is observed that most of the civil society organizations in general and agriculture in particular, suffer from some chronic problems, which are as follows:
Weaknesses and deficiencies of individuals belonging to such organizations in achieving an effective role , due to the inability of these individuals to deal with official organizations and the private sector and even with other civil society organizations .
The existence of deficiencies and severe weakness in financial resources.
Sees some individuals belonging to tack civil society organizations, that their incomes in those organizations is the only way the ideological front, and to achieve some personal gain , without having an active role in the revitalization and development of those civic organizations .
Emphasis on private sector participation and local government institutions, the role of these civic organizations, because they are carried out some of the policies and plans that opposes clearly and certainly the role of civil society organizations. The governmental institutions and the private sector to take from those organizations a tool to achieve some of the goals of its own policy.
The relationship between the role of civil society organizations working in rural areas and improve the quality of life of rural people is a positive relationship and therefore the acceleration of progress, and reduce poverty and the gap between rural and urban areas and reduce the gap underdevelopment which has become the most prominent features of rural society in developing countries , and activation of popular participation , as it should be that governments adopt alternative policies that will ensure that the civil rights and economic, social and cultural rights of citizens support the rights of citizens, economic, social and cultural development to reduce poverty and to ensure social security and the provision of services , social welfare, health and education and to ensure the right to security of land tenure and adequate housing . The emphasis on the role of civil society need to adopt development programs focused on rural areas.
Recommendation:
That the United Nations organizations and local government institutions and the private sector play an active role through activating the role of civil society organizations more efficient , by emphasizing that in all the discussions and deliberations of formal and informal .
That the focus of United Nations organizations to further training and activation of individuals belonging to civil society organizations to make them more effective, as well as the development of the art of negotiation for these individuals through their dealings with an organization, international institutions, the official and the local private sector, so that they can attract the attention, and encouragement to deal with civil society organizations civil. In order to deepen the partnership with international organizations on the basis of mutual respect and transparency, and not inconsistent with the independence of the civil organizations renewed roles adopted.
Has to be the establishment of a special fund to finance civil society organizations, provided that the financing of this fund local and international organizations and the private sector, in addition to some donors to serve civil society.
Emphasis on private sector participation and scientific research institutions and universities in partnership with the civil society organizations in order to develop the local community towards sustainability.
To achieve a quantum leap in the work of civil society organizations , to support anti-poverty projects , to encourage them to coordinate and work with other parties concerned with issues of poverty , and the distribution of roles among themselves , and take advantage of the potential and expertise of each other. And emphasize the importance of strategic planning for projects geared to combat poverty, and by focusing on one major goal.
Approaching destruction of one of the developmental issues and deal with them in an integrated way, through the achievement of the overall advancement of the families in poor communities is limited.
Build the capacity of civil society organizations in the projects , in a line parallel to the implementation of specific projects , and thus attach to each of the associations rehabilitation and capacity building on one side, and the implementation of projects rely on teamwork from the other side.
Building bridges between research centers and universities and by civil society organizations, on the other hand, with an emphasis on the importance of including the subject of university courses for civil work.
Development methodologies and studies civil society sector to become more effective in the detection of obstacles civil action, and propose practical ways to address them.
Second, food security policies:
FAO is considered one of the most international and local organizations active, which has an effective role and activist, and in the activation of certain policies, food security, through studies, research and food security projects in the world.
Where " Food security exists when all people at all times to access, both physical and economic adequate food, safe and nutritious food to meet dietary needs and food preferences Kate has an active and healthy life ."
Implicit in this definition is the recognition that food security is a multi -dimensional , and there have been many formulations of what the components of food security, for example , identified CFS four key dimensions or " pillars" : is to ensure the availability of , if not the production of sufficient quantities of materials food and ensures access to all the families and all individuals within those households have enough resources to get the proper foods (through the production , purchase, free ) . And ensure a nutritious diet.
Use when the human body is able to absorb and metabolize food. Diet nutritious and safe, biological and social environment adequate, and appropriate health care to avoid diseases help to make adequate food. Is to ensure stability is maintained when the three pillars of the other with the passage of time.
It has been noted by many experts on the need for a column on environmental sustainability, where patterns of production and consumption of food does not deplete natural resources or the ability of the agricultural system to provide enough food and supports many of the countries in the Middle East and North Africa to support the financial year, prices of basic consumer goods, which support was introduced at an earlier stage back until World War II, but he skipped several attempts to fix it , and since then has taken attributes benefits Permanent .
The targeted programs are rare. The range of financial support for food prices from a low of 0.04% in Lebanon and 1.3 % in Egypt, Morocco, and even 2.1% per cent in Syria. But the burdens of global support what is spent on supporting energy prices much higher for some countries: 10% in Yemen 0.9 % in Egypt, and about 5 % in Morocco.
By increasing financial support for food prices, and the imposition of price controls, and the reduction of exports, lowering import tariffs: for example , has been in Morocco lowering tariffs on wheat to about zero , and has also been paying financial support for importers, while allowing Egypt preferential import wheat from different countries . In some countries, such as Lebanon and Egypt, has increased wages and salaries to help consumers overcome the effects of rising prices.
The question now is: Does the rise in food prices to create some opportunities in the long term? Most of the poor are rural, and can rise in food prices when its continuation for years to help increase the income of the poor in rural areas and mobilize the economy.
The supply of food emotive issue, so countries in the region feel a real concern about food security. The rise in prices could help accelerate the increase of productivity and increase local agricultural production. However, the issue of water is scarce in some areas, which requires governments to take action to help increase the efficiency of water use as well. This means an increase crop yields by the unit of water.
An increase in domestic production to help protect countries from the vagaries and fluctuations in commodity markets. But countries in the region also will need to continue to rely on imports and on global markets in order to ensure the supply of food.
They should strengthen their capacity to use: futures markets, options, futures, and other modern tools in order to help meet the needs of food and hedge against the risk of the supply side.
Governments of developing countries better to encourage small-scale agriculture in the new global environment, and what form of special and differential treatment may be required to allow them to do so? "In many cases, the reforms have been achieved" successful "is not in isolation, but as a result of the implementation of policies associated with them.
In drawing lessons from the reforms that are seen benefiting groups of food insecurity, or which say the least , and you do not have disadvantaged them, so it is important to identify complementary policies that facilitated the process of adaptation to more productive activities , and any countervailing policies that act to mitigate losses transitional groups is safe and has only faced a clearer understanding of the effects that are often obscured from trade reform on food security is therefore vital if the drivers of further reform to lead to changes for the benefit of disadvantaged and vulnerable groups in poor countries .
It is acknowledged that reforms in sectors other than agriculture, it could have implications far more important both in terms of poverty reduction, through changes in income levels, and food security. It must focus on the agricultural sector and the impact that could be trade reform in its ability to contribute to the improvement of food security in the context of broader structural changes that result from the reforms. This focus justified by explaining the multiple ways in which agriculture, which they can identify and promote national food security of households.
While any trade agreement that alters the balance between trade liberalization and the protection of the particular good or service in the economy, can affect the levels of food security, reform of the relevant agriculture is particularly important for the following reasons:
(1) Agriculture is one of the central contributors to food security in most developing countries; both through its direct contribution to the availability of food, and indirectly as the main engine of economic development and thus improve access to food.
(2) Agriculture is one of the sectors most heavily distorted in many countries, and it has, as a result, has received considerable attention in recent rounds of trade negotiations .
Recommendation :
Need to be food security policies more dynamic and not static, the increasing global variables such as climate change, and changes in dietary patterns, and human behaviors rapidly, in addition to changes in the compositions crop, which requires change, food security commodities.
Phase that they key issues in food security policies and sustainable development policies.
To be involved in civil society organizations and media awareness programs on food security issues in the various communities, in coordination with international institutions and local government and the private sector.
Attention to some other hubs in addition to the main axes of food security, such as :
A. Coordination and integration with the institutions dealing with food security policies, whether domestic or international, and the involvement of civil society organizations.
B. Emphasized that there should be an infrastructure in order to maintain a sustainable food security.
C. Emphasis on tightening the control and inspection of markets by all means possible.
D. The involvement of community members in the development of alternatives to the goods of food security in line with the changing desires of individuals.
E. Controls critical to the operations of the various monopolies, and the reduction of high food prices, both in the case of goods imported or locally produced food.
F. Giving civil society organizations and a strong role in the control of certain markets food security.
G. Seize opportunities to achieve sustainable food security.
H. Emphasize transparency in the implementation of various food securities.
I. The fight against corruption in all images in the application of food security policies, in order to reduce the effects of poverty, hunger and disease.
5-Critical review of what is known from existing literature and other resources in order to facilitate better targeted research and analysis of developments in trade and food security at the national level.
6-To provide a conceptual framework for understanding how trade liberalization and economic reforms relevant could affect the national food security at household level.
7- Provide a practical framework for evaluating the results of previous policies, and to predict the outcome of future initiatives, at both the national and the food security of households.
8-Prevent unhealthy foods , or rationalization of consumption , or imposition tax them , or provide cash support for more nutritious foods , put laws regulating the work of the manufacturers, awareness to individuals about these foods .
9- Address the problem of food waste , which is now one of the problems most prevalent in the community , the depletion of natural resources scarce , and environmental costs and the serious economic and social , and there are many effective ways to reduce food waste , which can result in cost savings and environmental benefits in order to create sustainable food system .
Third, production systems, green and sustainable:
Still a lot of community organizations, they do not have a strong knowledge of sustainability.
In simpler terms, is the production of food and fiber , or other plant products using farming techniques that protect the environment, public health and human societies , and animal welfare. This type of agriculture enables us to produce food healthy without compromising the ability of future generations “to follow suit.
And the major benefits of sustainable agriculture: the preservation of the environment, the protection of public health, support communities vibrant, sustainable food in the future, the possibility of agricultural and animal production industry.
In spite of the growing international interest in the green economy, and negotiations between the Member States on this concept in the period leading up to Rio +20 and challenge. This is partly due to the lack of an internationally agreed definition global green economy, and the emergence of terms and concepts are interrelated but different in recent years ( such as green growth and development of low-carbon , sustainable economy, and the economy steady-state, etc.), the lack of clarity about what measures include policy green economy , and how they integrate with the priorities and objectives related to economic growth and poverty eradication , as well as a lack of experience in the design and implementation of national and review of the costs and benefits of green economy policies .
The philosophy of organic food production keeps on certain principles: biodiversity, ecological balance, sustainability and natural fertilization of plants, and natural pest management, and soil health. Since the farms vary in product and practice, and there is also a wide variety in how these principles can be applied. However, the production of organic food must meet certain characteristics:
• Do grown product which is used in the practice of balance with the natural environment, using methods and materials that reduce the negative impact on the environment. Committed to organic farms to replicate the ecology of the natural environment through the preservation of biodiversity and promote healthy soil and growing conditions.
• Are produced on land which had been free of chemical pesticides and toxic pollutants known and projected, and fertilizers for at least three years prior to certification, and synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are not used in production .
• Are planted on a rotational basis within the farm system. Crops are rotated from field to field, instead of planting the same crop in the same place year after year. Planted cover crops such as clover to add nutrients to the soil and prevent weeds.
• Organic meat, poultry and egg products come from farms that use organic feed, no hormones added management to promote growth act naturally.
Recommendation:
Must emphasize the development of the concept of sustainability have civil society organizations, through training and various seminars.
Merging practice in the design and implementation of national strategies for the green economy by both developed and developing countries in most regions, including Africa, Latin America, Asia Pacific and Europe countries. This emerging practice can help to provide some important ideas and clarity much needed on the types of policy measures the green economy, its scope with regard to the various sectors and national priorities, and institutional barriers, risks and costs of implementation.
Farms sustainable support local economies through the provision of job opportunities for members of the community and buy supplies from local businesses. Also require more workers sustainable farms and create more jobs, while you also do a better job of feeding people on smaller pieces of land from industrial plantations.
Despite the fact that agricultural subsidies defective part, but the vital system of government support for farmers present. Where agriculture is that unlike most other businesses, because it is costing the farm on an annual basis to borrow money to cover operating costs, with the hope that their crop generates profits covers borrowing costs high for most farmers. This is because of the weather, and the spread of pests, financial speculation, and agriculture is also highly volatile business.
Farmers' markets and food cooperatives, and community supported agriculture programs continue to grow in popularity, making the local cuisine in a sustainable manner that produces more available. These programs offer consumers a chance to put their dollars directly into the pockets of farmers, cutting out middlemen and cooperation and strengthening regional food system.
Increase sustainable food production from consumers concerned, to take responsible choices. By purchasing sustainable foods from local farms or groceries shops, leads to support the farmers who raise food responsibly and actively encourage the growth of a more sustainable diet. Instead of giving money to the industrial sector, agriculture, and give it to sustainable farms. And buy food directly in farmers' markets.
Fourth, rural women:
Through many different studies and research shows that rural women are less likely than urban women, due to lack of education and lack of potential for them to opportunities such as urban women. Although rural women have an active role prominent and active in rural areas, making it more active than urban women, especially in developing and poor countries.
Recommendation:
To emphasize the growing rural women, through glances role, and it is not less effective for urban women.
Attention and focus on the key issues faced by the rural women, such as women -headed households, and women's health, education, and activate the role of development in rural areas, and the emphasis on the role of positive and effective in the development of society, and it is a tool of local food security and self.
Emphasis on further studies which aim to detect the activity of women in the organizations of civil society rural private, and in the civil society organizations in general, is part of the struggle and the struggle of women to participate in the development of their communities, and for the defense of the rights of the other side.
Role in the formulation of the social movements of women in many countries, where it was parallel channels to influence the policy-making process and decision-making.
Prof. Ali Abdalrahman
Food Security Policy Options World Trade
Professor: ALI ABDALRAHMAN
Professor of Economics
President of the International Union for Investment,
Development and the Environment
The specific commitments made by countries under the Agreement on Agriculture have an impact on the range of policies they can take in the future.
From the point of view of countries, it is important to identify provisions that increase their flexibility in implementing food security policies, limit their options and may require some adjustments in the future.
There are three main areas of domestic policy: production, consumption, and market stability.
It will therefore be dealt with here in the context of food security.
Production policy options: Each country has two options to support domestic production as part of its food security strategy:
Border measures: through tariffs as long as they are within the limits imposed on the WTO.
Domestic support measures: that is to provide price and non-price subsidies to farmers, but also within the limits of
WTO commitments.
First: Support Policies:
1. Support through tariffs:
Tariff tariffs on basic foodstuffs in many countries are high. Although the option to apply the tariff within bound levels is consistent with WTO commitments, this policy may have shortcomings in practice, since most of them are food-importing countries. The rise in tariffs does not only mean higher prices for local producers but also higher prices paid by local consumers, an option that may not be practical for many countries with large numbers of poor households. However, there are some possible ways out of this dilemma, namely, that customs duties collected from tariffs can be channeled to food-insecure households while allowing producers to benefit from higher domestic prices. However, this option requires good management capacity to identify families in need of support (thereby reducing support leaks to able families) as well as having the necessary infrastructure to effectively carry out the transfer of resources to needy families.
2. Support from a food security perspective:
Food support is a tool for food security, and all countries have a range of options in terms of providing domestic support to agricultural producers. These options are policies that distort production by providing commodity and non-commodity support. Includes:
• Commodity subsidies: The state purchases products at guaranteed prices that exceed the level of the price of the tie.
• Non-commodity support: includes subsidies in the form of credit facilities, as well as support for inputs such as fertilizers, irrigation, seeds, etc., which are intended to reduce the cost of production but are not specifically directed towards specific crops.
The second: Options for price stabilization policies:
There are many factors that affect market stability, and the degree of market instability may increase in the short term at least, until markets adjust to the new global economic order. However, there are many WTO-compliant measures that countries can use to mitigate the impact of market instability on food security, including:
• Safeguards: The provisions of the Special Safeguards in the Agreement on Agriculture, as well as the WTO General Safeguards of Countries, allow additional tariffs to be imposed in special circumstances. However, since the SSG has been allocated to products subject to the tariff process, only a few countries are able to invoke this paragraph, because only a few of them have used the tariff formula to link their tariffs. Moreover, the use of such measures or remedies, including those applied on an interim basis, is subject to lengthy procedural requirements and, therefore, has not been of much practical benefit to developing countries.
• Tariffs: Countries may be able to apply the tariff system, which is inversely related to the level of import prices while maintaining the highest rate of tariffs at a level not exceeding the rate of bound fees. Countries whose tariffs are relatively high can compensate for differences in import prices by lowering tariffs when prices rise and tariff increases when prices fall. This can be achieved, in practice, through the "price range" policy, so that prices are adjusted only when import prices exceed the range between minimum prices and the ceiling of prices. An important point of such a plan is that if the price range is assumed to be too narrow, the global price signals do not completely eliminate the tariff change and local prices are allowed to move reasonably in line with global prices.
• Export ban: Another text of the Agreement on Agriculture, relating to the stability of domestic markets, deals with export prohibitions. At times when global prices rise sharply or demand rises sharply from a neighboring country, Article 12 of the Agreement on Agriculture allows for restrictions on exports, provided that food security of other (importing) countries is taken into account. Countries can consider using risk management tools that reduce the impact of price changes. Market-based instruments, such as futures and option contracts, are fully compatible with the WTO system.
Third: Reconciling the objectives of producers and consumers:
It is known that the Agreement on Agriculture generally has a great deal of flexibility and that countries have at their disposal a range of options that allow them to pursue policies that support producers and consumers without violating their obligations under the WTO regime.
However, apart from these commitments, there is always a problem of how to reconcile the interests of producers and consumers in local agricultural policies and food security policies, where the ultimate goal is food security.
This requires, in most cases, prudent linking of tools compatible with the WTO system. In general, the price of liquidation in the domestic market is determined by the world market price plus a tariff within the ceiling level bound by the commitment.
For most importing countries, the tariffs applied in years where prices are normal are likely to be lower than their ceilings, with some differences from that level in years when world prices are low or high.
However, dependence on tariffs alone may not be a good tool for achieving all the objectives of national agricultural and food policies, hence additional complementary tools may be needed.
For example, prices already obtained by farmers can be maintained at a higher level than import-equivalent prices through WTO-compatible transfers, such as commodity and non-commodity subsidies (up to the AMS and minimum allowable limits), special treatment And Green Fund policies.
Similarly, if local market prices are too high for a segment of the population, target interventions can be implemented so that the actual prices paid by the target households can be maintained at the levels they bear.
The use of these targeted interventions as well as other public income transfers allows countries to apply consumption policies without adversely affecting production incentives.
While it is clear that all these other functions of agriculture are desirable, achieving food security is the main function of agriculture for most Arab countries.
Countries can work towards achieving their food security goals under (Agriculture Agreement) and without resorting to the broad concept of multiple functions. It is necessary to define the provisions of the Agreement on Agriculture that need to be strengthened in the continuation of the reform process, in other words allowing Arab countries more flexibility to implement food security policies.
The following are some of the proposals on important food security issues within the three areas of concern for the Agreement on Agriculture: market access, domestic support and export support.
• Market Access: The remaining barriers to market access for countries' exports limit the ability of these countries to implement a self-reliant food security strategy by taking advantage of the benefits offered by international trade.
However, there are some problems, which are the prohibitive tariffs that lead to curbing trade transactions, the escalation of tariffs, and the large variation in tariff rates. In some cases, non-tariff measures prohibited by the Agreement on Agriculture (such as the minimum import price regime for some products) are still practiced.
These remaining barriers are a serious problem because they affect the key growth sectors of agricultural trade, specifically manufactured products and markets looking for high-quality products. Arab countries should recognize that tariff formulas apply to their tariffs, apply equally to tariffs in their main export markets and are subject to any provisions of special and differential treatment agreed upon. Possible outcomes in this area may include:
o Further reduce tariffs on export goods of interest to developing countries.
o Reduce tariff escalation and variation.
o Multilateral harmonization of rules to reduce compliance costs and avoid disguised protection.
o Develop principles to regulate tariff disparities within bound ceilings.
o Increasing market access for developing country exports.
• Safeguards: As some countries are net importers of foodstuffs whose markets are still severely distorted, SSG provisions may be of interest to these countries, particularly those that have committed to linking low tariffs. However, the enjoyment of the provisions of special safeguard measures is not general (both in terms of products or countries) and most developing countries cannot benefit from them because they have been linked to the tariff process. Possible outcomes in this area may include:
o Making special safeguard measures available to all countries and increasing the number of products they cover, on the grounds that this is a "public goods" issue that helps liberalize agricultural trade.
o Alternatively, allow the application of SSG to a limited number of food commodities (commodities that are highly sensitive from a food security point of view).
• Domestic support: Many countries have not calculated the AMS systematically, and they have argued that their level is zero, which may prevent them from implementing certain policies for future support.
There are also issues related to the definition of completed production when calculating the Calculate the support scale (AMS) and the AMS treatment and some real errors in the method used (eg base period, currency used in the calculation, etc.).
Within the Green Box category, some issues of interest to Arab countries relate to the definition of policies that meet the conditions of listing in the Green Box, in particular the meaning of the "minimum impact on production and trade".
Not all of the policies currently listed in the Green Box have no impact on trade and production.
More importantly, the Green Box does not include specific policies that are easy for countries to implement with limited management capabilities. Possible outcomes in this area may include the reclassification of excluded measures and the development of a special category of support addressing the legitimate interests of developing countries in the area of food security. Possible outcomes in this area may include:
o Allow countries to recalculate the AMS and review their schedules of commitments.
o If a review of the AMS is not possible, allow countries to raise the minimum allowable level and / or to make the minimum allowable for food commodities higher than for non-food crops.
o Give particular consideration to negative AMS cases for food security purposes (eg support for food production).
o Exception specifically for food security (ie food security stocks) expenditure from the AMS account / minimum allowable.
o Correcting / clarifying methodological problems (eg subsidized production, inflation, base currency).
• Export competition: Countries may also be drawn into food dependence through unfair trade practices of trading partners, such as dumping or over-export subsidies, which lead to the entry into the market of cheap food items that local producers cannot compete with.
Export competition is the most powerful commitment among the commitments under the Agriculture Agreement (AoA).
However, export subsidies remained high in a number of developed countries. There is a concern about evading enforcement of the rules, which reduces the ability of Arab countries to compete in the export market.
Possible outcomes in this area may include: o Introduce further substantial reductions in export subsidies.
o Strict measures to prevent the implementation of the rules.
o Develop other forms of export assistance, such as export credit facilities, and ensure export credit facilities, consistent with the general rules for export financial support.
o tightening provisions on export restrictions imposed by exporting countries;