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This note provides a structured review of adoption trends of national policies aimed at promoting healthier diets and collates evidence on their effectiveness. We limit our focus to evidence exploiting data collected after the policy implementation, and using appropriate counterfactual methods to identify the policy effect. See all Trade Policy Technical Notes  

The document is based on the publication “Review of Agricultural Trade Policies in former Soviet Union countries 2015-16” available in Russian. The main economic and political factors influencing the patterns of agrifood trade in the region during 2014 generally continued to have an impact in 2015 and 2016. In particular, a further slowdown in economic growth was observed in all countries during 2015. In addition, the depreciation of all the national currencies against the US dollar and the euro, which began in 2014, continued in 2015 and, in some cases, in 2016. Due to weaker national currencies and falling consumer [...]

The present study reviews recent trends in rural finance and investment in general, and in the agricultural sector in particular, within the Asian region. The analysis of these trends aims to offer a critical perspective on some of the main constraints to achieving more inclusive rural financial systems in developing countries in the region, and to propose areas of public and private intervention that could advance this objective, based on evidence compiled from important innovations led by local rural actors in various countries within the region. The study makes a joint analysis of recent trends in both agricultural markets and [...]

Food Outlook is published by the Trade and Markets Division of FAO under Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS). It is a biannual publication focusing on developments affecting global food and feed markets. Each report provides comprehensive assessments and short term forecasts for production, utilization, trade, stocks and prices on a commodity by commodity basis and includes feature articles on topical issues. Food Outlook maintains a close synergy with another major GIEWS publication, Crop Prospects and Food Situation, especially with regard to the coverage of cereals. Food Outlook is available in English. The summary section is also available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and [...]

The thirteenth joint edition of the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook provides market projections for major agricultural commodities, biofuels and fish. The 2017 report contains a special feature on the prospects for, and challenges facing, Southeast Asia. Over the ten-year Outlook period, agricultural markets are projected to remain weak, with growth in China weakening and biofuel policies having less impact on markets than in the past. Future growth in crop production will be attained mostly by increasing yields, and growth in meat and dairy production from both higher animal stocks and improved yields. Agricultural trade is expected to grow more slowly, but remain [...]

L’objectif de cette note technique est d’analyser l’évolution des dépenses publiques en soutien à l’agriculture et l’alimentation (DPAA) au Bénin. La présente analyse s’emploie à identifier l’évolution du soutien aux sous-secteurs de l’agriculture et l’alimentation (recherche, subventions aux intrants, infrastructures,...) et aux produits du secteur agricole dans le temps, par type et source de financement. Aussi, l’ambition de cette note est davantage de livrer une analyse détaillée du niveau, de la composition et de la cohérence des DPAA dans le pays, que de fournir une analyse en profondeur du lien entre la performance du secteur et les dépenses publiques, ou [...]

The Ministerial Decision on Export Competition introduced prohibitions to agricultural export subsidies. It foresees the elimination of export subsidies in different timeframes for developed and developing countries. Specific exceptions have been agreed upon for some products and for particular developed and developing members. The Decision also covers the other three elements (namely Export Credits and Guarantees, International Food Aid and State Trading Enterprises) of the Export Competition pillar. While the elimination of export subsidy entitlements is not expected to induce changes in existing policies, it will, however, prevent future use of the measure.  

Ministers of Agriculture and Ministers of Trade met on 3 October 2016 at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome to debate and exchange views on policies and strategies within the context of ‘Long-term Commodity Price Trends and Sustainable Agricultural Development’. This report presents the topics of discusson of the Ministerial Meeting.

This technical report reviews issues related to fertilizers access in Tanzania and identify policy options that would enable smallholder farmers to continue to access fertilizer at reasonable prices, also in the absence of subsidies. Where possible, the options have been assessed against their potential impact on input cost reduction; the implications for the government budget, mostly in qualitative terms; and the time and coordination required for their implementation. The report recommends to consider a balanced package of options to address the aspects currently undermining the effectiveness and efficiency of the fertilizer sector with a view to increase access to and [...]

The compendium offers an overview of salient government policies and related private sector measures concerning global and national markets for oilcrops and derived products. Its purpose is to facilitate the work of policy makers, market experts, analysts and other interested stakeholders by providing a short, concise overview of policy developments relevant to the sector. Detailed news items are presented in tabular form (in English only), preceded by a brief discussion of the key policy trends observed in the year under review.