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Welcome to the MAFAP e-learning course on price incentives! This 9-lesson course explores how policies influence prices at different stages of the value chain, such as at producer, wholesale and retail level, is fundamental to determine if changes in policy are needed to encourage production or ensure food security.

Through price incentives indicators, we can monitor the effects of agricultural policies to see whether they incentivise - or disincentivise - farmers or traders to produce or market an agricultural commodity.​

This course explains how to produce these indicators, what data you need and how to calculate and analyse them in order to shape and optimise public policy for agri-food systems transformation.

Who should take the course?

This course is designed for you if you work in agricultural policy and development. The course is particularly interesting for: ​

Government officials, in particular, economists, policy analysts or researchers in ministries of agriculture, finance or trade.​

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)

FAO staff

University students/academia

What will you learn about? 

Monitor the effects of policies on domestic prices in agricultural value chains

Calculate and analyse price incentive indicators for your country and commodities

Use your indicators to recommend changes in pricing policy

Course structure

The course consists of 9 lessons, ranging from approximately 15-60 minutes duration each:

Lesson 1 - Introduction to MAFAP

Lesson 2 - Overview of food and agricultural policies

Lesson 3 - Introduction to Price Incentives Indicators

Lesson 4 - Criteria for selecting commodities and value chain context

Lesson 5 - Data needs and sources for Price Incentive Indicators

Lesson 6 - Calculating Price Incentives Indicators

Lesson 7 - Overview of Access Costs Gap and the Market Development Gap

Lesson 8 - Calculating Aggregate Indicators for group of commodities

Lesson 9 - Interpreting Price Incentives Indicators