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This Technical Note seeks to address two central questions relating to negotiations towards further disciplines on domestic support measures: (i) what are the characteristics of domestic support measures that cause such measures to have a potentially trade distortionary effect? and (ii) will further WTO disciplines on domestic support measures be effective in reducing levels of trade distorting support? To provide context, the Note begins by summarizing how domestic support measures are currently disciplined within the Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture (UR AoA) and discusses the effectiveness of these disciplines. It then highlights the most significant aspects of the August 2004 Framework [...]

This document offers a methodological introduction to Social Accounting Matrices (SAMs) for analysing socio-economic impact of agricultural and rural development policies. Firstly, the concept and the structure of an SAM are presented. Next, the concept of policy "instrument" and "objective" variables are introduced and applied for SAM-based policy impact analysis. The module concludes by discussing the multipliers matrix as an instrument for analysing policy impact and presenting some examples. This paper is part of the FAO Policy series: EASYPol-Resources for policy making (in agriculture, rural development and food security). You can find other EASYPol series' resources in the Resources section of [...]

These guidelines provide users with the key notions required to carry out analyses of policy impacts by means of a value chain approach and show how to do it in a practical way by making use of relevant tools. In particular, the reader will find this material useful to: Identify the basic units operating in a given value chain (=agents) and the activities they undertake; Quantify the gross revenues, value added creation and profits of every agent; Build different scenarios and measure changes in revenues, value added creation and profits for the different scenarios; Build a Policy Analysis Matrix (PAM) and compute protection and [...]

The AFOLU sector (Agriculture, Forestry, Land Use) is directly linked with climate change issues, on an environmental aspect as well as on an economical and social aspect (food security).  On the one hand, the sector directly contributes to climate change. Indeed, agriculture represents 14% of the total worldwide GHG emissions, and deforestation accounts for 17% (UNFCCC, 2008). The AFOLU sector is thus responsible for one third of the GHG emissions in the world. Moreover, this sector is increasingly vulnerable to climate changes and hence requires adaptation measures. On the other hand, it is estimated that the mitigation potential of the AFOLU [...]

Building on FAO’s work on good practices in agriculture and forestry, the Bioenergy and Food Security Criteria and Indicators (BEFSCI) project has compiled a set of good environmental practices that can be implemented by bioenergy feedstock producers in order to minimize the risk of negative environmental impacts from their operations, and to ensure that modern bioenergy contributes to climate change mitigation while safeguarding and possibly fostering food security.  BEFSCI has also compiled a set of good socio-economic practices that can help minimize the risks and increase the opportunities for food security associated with bioenergy operations.  BEFSCI has identified a range of policy instruments that [...]

Secure tenure is an important prerequisite for sustainable forest management. More diversified tenure systems  could provide a basis for improving forest management  and local livelihoods, particularly where the State has  insufficient capacity to manage forests. In the past decade  many countries have initiated efforts to reform their tenure arrangements for forests and forest land,  devolving some degree of access and management from the State to others, mainly households, private c ompanies  and communities. This publication provides practical guidance for policy-makers and others concerned with addressing forest tenure reform. Drawing from many  sources, including forest tenure assessments carried out by FAO [...]

The FAO project, Articulating and mainstreaming agricultural trade policy and support measures, was implemented during 2008-2010. With a view to maximize the contribution of trade to national development, a process has been underway in many developing countries to mainstream trade and other policies into national development strategy such as the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP). A similar process of mainstreaming is strongly advocated, and underway, for trade-related support measures, inc luding through the Aid for Trade initiative. In view of this, there is a high demand for information, analyses and advice on best approaches to undertaking these tasks. It was [...]

The FAO Value Chain Analysis for Policy Making: FAO VCA Tool 3.2  is a programme that has been developed for Value Chain Analysis to analyze and compare the effects of different policy options for agriculture and sustainable rural development. This tool allows you to create an accounting framework for value chain analysis and to compare different scenarios. It also helps you to build and handle your own database. More specifically, the software enables you to systematically gather, store and use data for the implementation of Cost-Benefit and Value Added Analyses. The FAO VCA-Tool software provides you with an effective alternative to spreadsheets, where you can [...]

This paper sketches prevailing development paradigms, i.e. the definition of modalities to achieve development, based on either a codified set of activities and/or based on a vision regarding the functioning and evolution of a socio-economic system.  The exercise intends to contribute to the interpretation of recent past and ongoing development processes and policies and to support the exploration of alternative development paradigms to address emerging and future development issues. This paper is part of the FAO Policy series: EASYPol-Resources for policy making (in agriculture, rural development and food security). To find other EASYPol series' resources, go to the Policy Support and Governance [...]

A timely publication as world leaders deliberate the causes of the latest bouts of food price volatility and search for solutions that address the recent velocity of financial, economic, political, demographic, and climatic change. As a collection compiled from a diverse group of economists, analysts, traders, institutions and policy formulators – comprising multiple methodologies and viewpoints - the book exposes the impact of volatility on global food security, with particular focus on the world’s most vulnerable. A provocative read.