"Sharing the Gains from Trade: Economic and Social Upgrading in Global Agro-food Value Chains"

Tuesday 2 April 2019. 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 has started a dialogue series titled “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.

Four sessions were held in 2018 and the fifth one was held on 2^nd April 2019 in Palais des Nations Geneva. This session focused on “Sharing the Gains from Trade: Economic and Social Upgrading in Global Agro-food Value Chains”.  

Ms. Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett, Director of the FAO Liaison Office to the United Nations in Geneva stressed that "the agriculture sector accounts for a significant share of output and employment in developing countries, and that the evolution of agricultural markets and trade has the potential to significantly affect rural employment, incomes and poverty, and thus, the achievement of the Sustainable Developement Goals". 

Ms. Ishrat Gadhok, Trade Policy Consultant in the Trade and Markets Division at FAO Headquarters, highlighted the links between agricultural trade and rural employment and between economic and social upgrading in the context of global agricultural value chains. The presentation also highlighted some preliminary findings from cross-country comparative assessments of the mango, rice and coffee sectors, and discussed the policy implications. It was hugely appreciated by the participants and Member States showed interest and hoped that FAO will further its work, particularly country and sectoral studies, in this area.

Outline of the Presentations for FTT-V

The elimination of poverty and the promotion of inclusive economic growth are among the key goals of Agenda 2030, wherein trade is recognized as one of the “means of implementation” for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. With the agriculture sector accounting for a significant share of output and employment in developing countries, the evolution of agricultural markets and trade has the potential to significantly affect rural employment, incomes and poverty, and thus, the achievement of these goals. Smallholders and landless agricultural workers in rural areas tend to capture the smallest share of the value generated in agricultural value chains, and decent work deficits are often most pronounced among these actors. The prevailing market structure in any given sector, the governance of value chains, and the ability of smallholders and workers to get organized to exploit commercial opportunities, are among the key determinants of the economic and social outcomes in agricultural value chains, and of the viability of any upgrading solutions. This session of the FAO Geneva Agriculture Trade Talks will focus on these issues. It will feature a presentation by Ishrat Gadhok, discussing the links between agricultural trade and rural employment and between economic and social upgrading in the context of global agricultural value chains. The presentation will highlight some preliminary findings from cross-country comparative assessments of the mango, rice and coffee sectors, and discuss the policy implications. This will be followed by an interactive discussion.

About the FAO expert

Ms. Ishrat Gadhok is a Trade Policy Consultant in the Trade and Markets Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), where she supports the division’s analytical, capacity development, and stakeholder engagement activities. Her work is focused on analyzing trade policies in relation to the development of agricultural markets, food security and employment outcomes, and multilateral and regional trade negotiations. Prior to joining FAO, Ishrat worked as a management consultant with KPMG in the strategy and operations practice, where she worked with both private and public sector clients to address issues of industrial performance, competitiveness, and the development of small and medium enterprises. She has also worked as an economist with the Canadian Ministry of Agriculture. Ishrat holds a Master degree in Food and Resource Economics, and Bachelors in Science, both from the University of British Columbia in Canada.