Agriculture and The World Trade Organisation


Book Description

The volume offers to the reader a multi-faceted dialogue between noted experts from two major agricultural countries, both founding members of the Word Trade Organisation, each one with different stakes in the great globalisation game. After providing the recent historical background of agricultural policies in India and France, the contributors address burning issues related to market and regulation, food security and food safety, the expected benefits from the WTO and the genuine problems raised by the new forms of international trade in agriculture, including the sensitive question of intellectual property rights in bio-technologies. This informed volume underlines the necessity of moving beyond the North-South divide, in order to address the real challenges of the future.




Impact of W.T.O. Agreement on Agriculture in India


Book Description

Agriculture remains one of the most contentious issues in the ongoing negotiations of the World Trade Organization, with serious implications for food security and the livelihood of farmers in the developing world. This dissertation examines the various research papers related to this study to understand the topic in depth. Then focused on GATT which is a multi-lateral agreement regulating international trade and how WTO was formed as a successor of GATT. The functions and working of WTO have also been studied. As Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) was a very crucial factor for developing countries, pursued the general agricultural scenario in developing countries especially India. Then how India is facing issues related to AOA and what proposals India has been offering with respect to those issues were studied. Then TFA and Bali Package were also studied. Various components of Bali Package were analyzed to find the issues, which other member countries could face. The dissertation presented the reasons for India blocking the WTO and the objections which India had. The study emphasized the impact of this disapproval and benefits pursuant to disapproval; on India’s commodity market, revenue of farmers, food prices of consumers, overall negative effects of signing TFA, and why blocking TFA was a good decision and the way-ahead. Finally, it supports the narrative of increasing developing country bargaining in the WTO and shows that the Indian representatives bolster their arguments by articulating them as being in the interest of the developing world in general and India’s success in making U.S. agree for permanent peace clause.




WTO and Indian Agriculture


Book Description




The WTO and Food Security


Book Description

This book examines the public stockholding policies of selected developing countries from the perspective of WTO rules and assesses whether the provisions of the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) could hamper these countries’ efforts to address the challenges of food security. Further, it highlights the need to amend the provisions of the AoA to make WTO rules just and fair for the millions of people suffering from hunger and malnutrition in developing countries. This book highlights that 12 countries namely China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Zambia and Zimbabwe are facing or will face problems in implementing the food security policies due to the provisions under AoA. These provisions need to be amended for permitting developing countries to address hunger and undernourishment. Progress in WTO negotiations on public stockholding for food security purposes are also discussed and analysed. The findings of this study greatly benefit trade negotiators, policymakers, civil society, farmers groups, researchers, students and academics interested in issues related to the WTO, agriculture and food security.




Trade Liberalization and Indian Agriculture


Book Description

This book presents an analysis of changes in cropping patterns in the semi arid tropics of India. it addresses the impact of trade liberalization in agriculture on the efficieny and resource cost of indigenous production vis-a-vis imports and consequently on India's self-sufficiency on oilseeds, pulses and cotton.




The WTO


Book Description

In this groundbreaking pamphlet, directors of Ralph Nader's Public Citizen group examine the first five years of the World Trade Organization's track record, demonstrating how the WTO aims to create a new global economic system that increases corporate profit with little regard for social and ecological impacts, or democratically enacted law. Wallach and Sforza make clear recommendations for altering the undemocratic course that the WTO imposes on democratic society.




Indian Agriculture Under the Shadows of WTO and FTAs


Book Description

This book examines the various issues and concerns faced by Indian agriculture under the obligations of WTO and the Free Trade Agreements. While the issues discussed pertain mainly to India, the lessons can also be derived for many other similarly placed developing countries. The book delves into various aspects of Indian agricultural trade and evaluates the domestic policies and regulations of government while also looking at external factors like WTO, free trade agreements and non-tariff barriers. Chapters of this book have been contributed by eminent agricultural economists, lawyers and social scientists providing the perspective from their sector. This book highlights the challenges and opportunities for agriculture sector under the rapidly growing regional trade agreements and results of negotiations under the WTO. It also provides critical insights into the ongoing fisheries subsidies negotiations at the WTO and issues relating to non-tariff measures. The findings have broad implications for developing countries in general and India in particular. This book will greatly benefit trade negotiators, policymakers, civil society, farmer groups, researchers, students, and academics interested in issues related to the WTO, FTAs, tariff and non-tariff barriers and other allied issues concerning Indian agriculture. The techniques used in analytical part will mostly benefit the researchers as they can not only use these techniques and methodologies for their future research, but to also carry the research forward. The book is useful for many educational institutes which teach international trade, agricultural economics, and WTO and FTAs studies.




WTO Disciplines on Agricultural Support


Book Description

Farm support is contentious in international negotiations. This in-depth assessment of the legal compliance and economic evaluation issues raised by the WTO Agreement on Agriculture presents consistent support data and forward-looking projections for eight developed and developing countries (EU, US, Japan, Norway, Brazil, China, India, Philippines), using original estimates where official notifications are not available. Variations over time in notified support in some cases reflect real policy changes; others merely reflect shifts in how countries represent their measures. The stalled Doha negotiations presage significantly tighter constraints for developed countries that provide the highest support, but loopholes will persist. Developing countries face fewer constraints and their trade-distorting farm support can rise. Pressure points and key remaining issues if a Doha agreement is reached are evaluated. Vigilant monitoring for compliance of farm support with WTO commitments will be required to lessen its negative consequences whether or not the Doha Round is concluded.




Agriculture and the WTO


Book Description

Developing countries have a major stake in the outcome of trade negotiations conducted under the auspices of the World Trade Organization (WTO). 'Agriculture and the WTO: Creating a Trading System for Development' explores the key issues and options in agricultural trade liberalization from the perspective of these developing countries. Leading experts in trade and agriculture from both developed and developing countries provide key research findings and policy analyses on a range of issues that includes market access, domestic support, export competition, quota administration methods, food security, biotechnology, intellectual property rights, and agricultural trade under the Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture. Material is covered in summary and in comprehensive detail with supporting data, a substantial bibliography, and listings of online resources. This book will be of interest to policymakers and analysts in the fields of development economics and commodities pricing and trade.




WTO negotiations on agriculture and developing countries


Book Description

The World Trade Organization’s Doha Round of trade talks has been plagued by a lack of concrete progress toward establishing a fair and harmonious agricultural trading system. Because the results of the Doha Round could have far-reaching implications for the trade and economic prospects of developing countries in the twenty-first century, it is critical for these countries to fully understand the issues involved in the negotiations on agriculture. However, there has been no authoritative analysis of the rules and modalities on which governments of developing countries can rely. This book, coauthored by an insider to the trade talks that led to the establishment of the WTO, fills this gap. The volume begins with a detailed analysis of the provisions of the WTO’s Agreement on Agriculture and the modalities of the negotiations. It examines the implementation experience of key members of the WTO, then traces the developments in the negotiations up to the recent impasse. In light of these considerations, and on the basis of a case study of India, the authors propose various elements of a negotiating position and strategy for developing countries. The authors offer tough but realistic recommendations regarding tariffs, market access, treatment of sensitive or special products, and other aspects of international trade. This book will be of particular interest to researchers and practitioners as well as students seeking in-depth knowledge of the recent history of agricultural trade talks.