Global policy efforts react to trade and disease shocks

FAPDA released 1 109 new policy actions during July and August 2025, covering 53 broad topics and 207 countries, territories and Regional Economic Communities, reflecting widespread government responses to pressing challenges in agrifood systems.

Policies related to conservation and management of natural resources were the single most popular category in the period analyzed, accounting for around 10% of all policies released. However, the goal of this publication is also to zoom in and identify global themes that span multiple policy labels as governments address common challenges through different policy avenues and means.

This edition provides analysis focused on a number of key themes, some of these policy activities, beginning with a review of regulatory approaches to control livestock epidemics, such as the use of import restrictions and domestic support to manage the spread of several livestock related diseases. The analysis then examines global countermeasures to recent tariffs shocks, detailing the multiple levers deployed by different governments to help cushion agrifood systems from this evolving shock. Government interventions and support schemes aimed at managing food price volatility are also covered in this release, a theme that has been flagged in the recently released FAO's report The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025. The edition concludes with country-specific highlights, covering new long-term policy frameworks in The Gambia and Pakistan, producer-oriented actions related to land use and management, consumer support for food and water access, and trade reforms such as the reduction of export taxes in Argentina.

POLICY FOCUS

Regulatory approaches to control livestock epidemics and prevent their spreading

The persistence of existing animal epidemics in Southeast and continental Asia and the outbreak of Lumpy skin disease in North Africa and Europe,  prompted governments to act across a spectrum of policy domains, from trade and prevention to direct farmer support. An immediate and common response was the use of trade restrictions, often as a short-term precautionary measure. The Philippines’ Department of Agriculture, for instance, banned cattle and buffalo imports from France and Italy to “safeguard the country’s livestock industry” from lumpy skin disease (LSD), a move aligned with standards from the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). Similar biosecurity-driven actions saw Azerbaijan suspend imports due to peste des petits ruminants and avian influenza, and Kosovo restrict pork from Serbia over African swine fever.

Trade restrictions related to disease control tend to adjust to the evolving conditions typical of epidemics spreading, often following formal evaluation. In the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) relaxed import rules on some bovine by-products only after a risk review indicated that LSD risks had declined. Similarly, South Africa, Jordan and Namibia reopened poultry trade from specific countries once avian influenza was contained.

Beyond trade, governments implemented domestic support schemes and prevention programs to build resilience. As a key measure within the 2024–2025 Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme, it was reported that India released the equivalent of about USD 23.5 million for LSD control activities, including vaccine procurement. Other support measures were tailored to local needs, ranging from Hungary’s zero-interest overdrafts for farmers affected by foot-and-mouth disease to Kenya’s use of quarantines in affected counties.

Policy measures responding to tariff shocks in agrifood systems

The introduction of new “America First” policies by the United States of America triggered a wave of countermeasures across regions, combining large-scale financial packages with efforts to accelerate food security plans. The implementation of direct financial support schemes was substantial, with Brazil launching a BRL 30 billion (USD 5.5 billion) credit lifeline for local companies affected by US tariffs, and Spain announcing a EUR 14.1 billion package to protect its farming and industrial sectors. Looking at measures tackling the indirect impact of the new tariffs, to preserve jobs, Canada implemented special measures within its established Work-Sharing Program, a tripartite agreement that uses the national employment insurance system to subsidize wages for workers on temporarily reduced hours.

The Cabinet of Taiwan Province of China, took a more sweeping approach to counter the tariff shock as it extended its social protection scheme by approving a universal cash handout of NTD 10 000 (about USD 330) for all citizens. This represented a change in direction for the Cabinet, which had initially rejected a similar measure proposed by opposition lawmakers on constitutional and financial grounds. The handouts, which still require legislative approval, are part of a larger special act funded by an additional NTD 45 billion in borrowing.

In this context of decoupling from global markets, other policies focusing on domestic markets have continued to be implemented: Saint Lucia fast-tracked its plan to reduce foreign food dependence from five years to two (2025–2027). Egypt established a new export management system for poultry and eggs to prioritize domestic availability before any surplus is sold abroad. Other nations opted for more direct interventions: Syria suspended fruit and vegetable imports to “protect local products”, while Botswana prolonged a controversial ban on certain fresh produce from South Africa to both curb its import bill and advance a long-term goal of food self-sufficiency. This latter move created regional friction, prompting South Africa’s agriculture minister to seek “urgent talks” to address frustrations from its farmers.

Support schemes in response to food price volatility

Agrifood inflation and price volatility, highlighted in the latest The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025 report, drove governments to adopt different measures to keep food affordable and supply stable. Direct market interventions included Serbia capping retailers’ margins for staples to reduce trade discounts to 10 percent and counter existing margins that officials claimed were as high as 45.2 percent for some large chains. In Japan, a surge in rice prices of over 98 percent  prompted the Minister of Agriculture to sell stockpiled rice at a fixed price of around JPY 2 000 (USD 13.60) per 5 kg bag.

To protect vulnerable consumers, South Africa launched a digital-first grocery voucher program delivered via SMS codes and specifically targeting social grant recipients, low-income households, and registered informal workers. India, alongside releasing surplus grain and introducing subsidized "Bharat Rice" under its Open Market Sales Scheme, also imposed stock limits on wheat for traders, wholesalers, and processors to prevent hoarding.

On the supply side, governments balanced consumer needs with domestic production goals. Kenya authorized the duty-free import of 500 000 tonnes of rice to ease shortages and “cushion consumers […] from escalating prices”. The measure was time-bound and required quality certification from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), though it still drew concerns from some local farmers over potentially unsold domestic stock. Indonesia made the most significant financial commitment, framing a record food security budget for 2026 of around USD 10.1 billion as a matter of “national sovereignty”. The funding supports a tiered strategy that combines a temporary import ban to protect local rice farmers with the institutionalization of its Food Supply and Price Stabilization Program (SPHP), while also directing “full subsidies” to high-cost areas like the Papua region.

COUNTRY HIGHLIGHTS

Top policy themes by region

These charts provide additional evidence on the distribution and focus of policy activity across countries and regions. The single most featured topic in July and August was “conservation and management of natural resources”, which accounted for the largest share of measures in four out of six regions. Several of these actions are highlighted in the next section of this report. The tariff shock theme identified earlier in the “Policy focus” section is also clearly visible in the regional breakdown, with tariff measures representing more than one quarter of all policy activity in North America. Trade related actions are also prominent in the Near East and North Africa region, though in this case import restrictions were largely linked to animal disease policy actions as discussed earlier. Finally, the global heatmap, measured in terms of the absolute number of policy actions released during the period, shows that activity was heavily concentrated in Asia. This pattern is consistent with the large number of initiatives reported from countries such as India, Indonesia and the Philippines, which appear throughout this report.

Policy frameworks

The Gambia launched a National Action Plan to cut plastic pollution by 86 percent by 2033, seeking to position itself as a regional leader ahead of a legally binding UN Global Plastics Treaty. Developed with its National Environment Agency (NEA) and international partners, the strategy includes reinforcing an existing ban on single use bags, introducing a Deposit Return Scheme for bottles, and planning for an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme. A key feature is the plan’s focus on a "Just Transition" to ensure the livelihoods of informal waste pickers are protected during the shift to new systems.

Pakistan adopted a National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy (2025–2035) to transform its small-scale and informal sector into a USD 10 billion industry. The policy focuses on sustainability by phasing out destructive fishing methods in favor of techniques like longlining. A major boost for this initiative came from securing a 25 000-tonne tuna quota from the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), which is expected to generate an estimated USD 200 million for the sector.

Producer oriented policy action

Actions were taken by governments on agricultural support schemes and land use policies, trying to balance producer incentives with environmental concerns. In the view of the upcoming planting season in Eastern Africa, Kenya proposed an overhaul of agricultural subsidies to shift from blanket payments to targeted digital vouchers ensuring benefits reach smallholders directly. Similarly, Lesotho introduced new input subsidies covering 80 percent of fertilizer and 70 percent of seed and herbicide costs to reduce the financial burden on farmers. To improve post-harvest management, Rwanda began constructing grain handling hubs with a 200 000 tonnes capacity, aiming to cut  losses to below 5 percent by 2029.

On land use, policies showed varied trends driven by competing interests. Brazil controversially suspended its soy moratorium, a key Amazon protection agreement. The decision, taken 4 months before the country will host the 30th edition of the Conference of Parties on Climate Change, has been condemned by conservation groups and environmental activists as a setback for climate targets driven by agribusiness pressure. New Zealand advanced rules under its Emissions Trading Scheme to limit the conversion of high-quality farmland to exotic forests for carbon credits. The policy drew mixed reactions from farming and forestry groups, highlighting the challenge of balancing food production with climate goals. The lobby group Federated Farmers argued that it would not significantly reduce whole-farm conversions, while the Forest Owners Association warned it would distort afforestation incentives.

Consumer oriented policy actions

The United States of America enacted the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signaling a major shift from consumer to producer support. It extends farm programs with USD 66 billion in new funding over ten years while cutting an estimated USD 120 billion from nutrition programs, notably the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The cuts are implemented by tightening work requirements and increasing the financial burden on states by raising their share of administrative costs from 50 percent to 75 percent. Conversely, producers benefit from higher statutory reference prices for commodities. The annual payment limitation, which caps the financial support a farmer can receive, was also raised from USD 125 000 to USD 155 000 linked to inflation. This policy also allows individual shareholders in certain business structures to each claim their own payment limit, expanding the potential support for larger farms. 

The Government of Angola launched the Proágua project to expand water production and distribution, aiming to provide safe drinking water to more than nine million people. Managed by a public-private partnership, the initiative will modernize infrastructure and water supply facilities. Key actions include rehabilitating treatment plants, drilling new wells to increase water production, expanding the distribution network to reduce water loss, and installing thousands of smart meters to improve commercial management.

Trade and market oriented policy actions

In Argentina, the President announced permanent reductions in export taxes, known locally as retenciones, on a wide range of agricultural products including grains, oilseeds, poultry and beef. The move, announced at the country's largest agricultural event, marked a policy shift intended to improve farm margins and strengthen competitiveness. The government linked the cuts to a recently achieved fiscal surplus, while also acknowledging pressure from producers struggling with high domestic costs. Rates were reduced from 33 to 26 percent for soybeans and from 12 to 9.5 percent for corn, while the existing 9.5 percent on wheat and barley was made permanent. Producer associations broadly welcomed the measure but continue to call for the complete elimination of the taxes.

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The Food and Agriculture Policy Decision Analysis (FAPDA) is a global policy intelligence platform tracking agrifood-related policy actions across 211 countries and territories, and 31 regional economic communities. Updated daily, it contains about 40 000 policy documents, including 14 500 long-term policy frameworks (strategies, plans, policy orientations, etc.) and more than 26 000 short-term national policy decisions.

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