FAO Geneva Agriculture Trade Talks

Informal – Interactive - Inspirational

Agriculture Trade, Climate Change and Food Security

Tuesday 2 October 2018 from 10:00 to 12:00. Room IX, Palais des Nations, Geneva

FAO supports Member Countries’ effective engagement in the formulation of trade agreements that are conducive to improved food security by strengthening evidence on the implications of changes in trade policies, providing capacity development in the use of this evidence, and facilitating neutral dialogue away from the negotiating table. In this spirit, the FAO is starting a dialogue series titled as “FAO Geneva Agriculture Trade Talks (FTT)” based on 3i;

• Informal: exchanging information, ideas and views without any attributions and reporting.
• Interactive: providing a neutral platform for dialogue and engagement among stakeholders.
• Inspirational: sharing knowledge and ideas for use in policy and negotiations accordingly.

Each session of the FTT will feature a presentation of the FAO’s knowledge and analysis on the topic in focus, followed by interactive discussion, questions and answers.

Programme

10:00-10:10:

Welcome remarks by Ms. Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Director, FAO Geneva.

11:10-10:40:

Presentation of The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets (SOCO) 2018: Agriculture Trade, Climate Change and Food Security by Mr. George Rapsomanikis.

Outline of the presentation and issues can be seen below.

10:40-12:00:

Comments from the floor, interactive discussion, questions, answers.

Kindly register for the FTT at following weblink: https://goo.gl/forms/7jdgW9bBjGe6k92Q2

For further information please contact: Mr. Ahmad Mukhtar, [email protected] Tel: 022-9172777

Outline of the Presentation and key questions to be raised during FTT-III

The 2018 edition of The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets aims to deepen the discussion on the broad spectrum of policy instruments available to policy-makers implementing the Paris Agreement. It examines how various forms of domestic support and trade measures relate to climate change adaptation and mitigation; how they might be used in the future; and, how World Trade Organization (WTO) rules shape policy choices. The report explores policy options that lie on the juncture of: the Paris Agreement, a framework that allows flexibility in setting targets and choosing interventions; and the WTO agreements, which are based on specific rules aimed at minimizing production and trade distortions. As such, it discusses how best to strengthen the mutually supportive role of these multilateral accords.

About George Rapsomanikis

George Rapsomanikis is a Senior Economist in the FAO Trade and Markets Division, where he leads the Commodity Markets and Development Team. His work focuses on issues related to the contribution of trade and markets to food security, agricultural development and economic growth. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Reading (UK) and has authored many journal articles and book chapters, including research on commodity price bubbles, volatility spill-overs, the relationship between prices in the food and energy sectors, and the integration of small family farms in markets. Since 2011, he has supported the G20 and the G7 in their discussions on global agriculture and food security. He has been the Technical Editor of the FAO Commodity Market Review (2007-2010), The State of Food Insecurity in the World (2013, 2014, and 2015), the UNCTAD-FAO Commodities and Development Report (2017), and The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets (2018).

Topics for forthcoming FTTs in 2018:

a. Fisheries Subsidies

b. Trade Facilitation for Agriculture

c. Trade and Nutrition