World Trade Organisation negotiations on agriculture

Towards an agreement on agriculture without

forgetting farmers

Geneva, 21 April 2005 – Worldwide farmers challenged government leaders to find a path for a positive conclusion in the trade negotiations of the WTO while taking into account farmers concerns during the session on agriculture organised by the International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP) during the WTO Public Symposium held in Geneva this week.

Farmers represented by the IFAP want a set of equitable international rules and the WTO is the right place for this.  “However, multilateral trade agreements must bring real benefits for farmers to enhance farm income and develop national agriculture” said Jack Wilkinson, President of the IFAP. Trade opportunities are a critical part, but only a part of an integrated strategy for development. “This is a development round and farmers from developing countries count on WTO to help them to grow as food producers.   In a global economy, rules need to be global.  However, farmers do not  accept that globalisation of the agri-food system is a reason for governments to no longer assure sound domestic agricultural policies for farmers adapted to specific country conditions. We must make it clear that farmers everywhere must be able to achieve a reasonable standard of living for the work they do” claimed the IFAP President.

In this session, leaders from farmers’ organizations (from the five continents) examined with leaders of the main negotiating groups (Australia for Cairns Group, Bangladesh for LDCs, European Communities, Switzerland for G-10 and USA), the issues that have yet to be resolved in the WTO negotiations on agriculture, and how these impact on present farm policies and farmers in different regions. 

The IFAP will judge the adequacy of the WTO agricultural commitments on whether they meet six critical objectives for farmers:

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.