Farmers’ Demands for WTO Negotiations on Agriculture
Worldwide farmers from the International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP) urge the WTO to take into account farmers concerns in the commitments made on agriculture.
The IFAP will judge the adequacy of the WTO agricultural commitments on whether they meet six critical objectives for farmers. These objectives are:
1.An improvement in world agricultural trade that brings real benefits to all farmers.
2.Significant progress and balanced commitments over all three pillars.
3.Sufficient flexibility in the modalities framework allowing countries to use the most appropriate instruments according to their specific national circumstances to meet agreed, measurable and equitable outcomes.
4.Space for farmers to receive domestic support, so long as that support has no, or at most minimal, distorting effects on production and trade.
5.Improvements in market access for all farmers, in particular those in developing countries and Least-Developed Countries.
6.Due prominence and recognition of the broad role that agriculture plays in many countries, ensuring not only food production but also many other functions, including the sustainability of rural areas and environmental protection.
“IFAP is comprised of farmers working under a wide variety of conditions, yet we all agree that trade deals must enhance farm income and that returns from trade should reach down to farm families. And, the only fair way to deal with both the weak and powerful is through multilateral trade agreements that are truly available to all. We need a set of equitable international rules.”
IFAP President Jack Wilkinson