By facilitating trade and expanding market opportunities, regional policy reform and harmonization enable farmers and their families to benefit from increases in production at the farm level. As a result, policy and legislation are key components of the Regional Programme for Food Security.

Since 1999, UEMOA (West African Economic and Monetary Union) has been working with FAO to develop and reinforce regional exchange of agricultural products and regional integration. This has involved harmonizing regulatory and legislative laws that influence agriculture and food production. This is part of a Regional Programme agreement signed between FAO and UEMOA in 2002 with funding of US$5.1 million.

A Pacific Islands Forum's Regional Programme deals with agricultural policy assistance, specifically the harmonization of agricultural and trade policies, which assist countries to create mutually beneficial policy frameworks. These frameworks facilitate the adoption of new technologies and support efforts to improve agricultural production. They also facilitate new agricultural products and promote trade and marketing policies that positively affect farmers in the 16 member countries.