FAO issues seven trade policy briefs ahead of WTO MC14

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has released a new set of seven trade policy briefs ahead of the World Trade Organization (WTO) 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14), scheduled for 26 to 29 March 2026 in Yaounde, Cameroon.

Prepared to inform discussions at MC14, the briefs address trade policy issues with direct implications for agricultural, fisheries, and aquaculture markets. These sectors are increasingly shaped by trade-related measures that influence price formation, market access, competitiveness, supply chain resilience, and investment decisions, alongside sustainability and development considerations.

Drawing on recent FAO analysis, each brief provides a concise overview of a priority topic, highlighting key trends, policy trade-offs, and available evidence relevant to traders, policymakers, and market analysts. Topics covered include recent developments in fisheries and aquaculture markets; the expanding use of environment-related provisions in regional trade agreements; policy options to strengthen women’s participation in agrifood trade; FAO support to Members in implementing the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies; the effects of global shipping cost shocks on food import bills; trade and nutrition linkages; and medium-term market projections from the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2025–2034.

Taken together, the briefs aim to support informed decision-making by WTO Members and market stakeholders, offering practical insights into how evolving trade policies may affect market dynamics, costs, and opportunities in the period ahead.

FAO Trade policy briefs:

• Trade in fisheries and aquaculture products: Global markets, production, and food security
• The WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies: FAO’s support to Members in its implementation
• Trade and Nutrition: Association and policy approaches
• The dynamic impact of global shipping costs on the food import bill
• Leveraging environment-related provisions linked to agriculture, fisheries and forestry in regional trade agreements to strengthen environmental governance
• Advancing women’s participation in agrifood trade through inclusive policies
• Agricultural Outlook 2025–2034: Medium-term prospects for global agricultural commodity markets