Committee reviews farm policies, discusses food security, technology transfer, transparency

The Chair of the Committee, Ms. Anna Leung of Hong Kong, China, facilitated the discussions.

Updates on agricultural market developments and food security

Members heard updates from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme(WFP), and the International Grains Council (IGC) regarding recent market developments and food insecurity. The international organizations were invited to the Committee to share experiences in a follow-up to the Marrakesh Ministerial Decision on least developed countries (LDCs) and NFIDCs,  the MC12 declaration on the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the report and recommendations of the work programme undertaken pursuant to the MC12 declaration on food insecurity.

The FAO warned of worsening food insecurity, highlighted in its joint "Hunger Hotspot Report" with the WFP, which predicts a rise in acute food insecurity across 22 countries and territories between November 2024 and May 2025. It emphasized challenges faced by net food-importing developing countries (NFIDCs), including adverse weather, conflict, and economic shocks. The FAO called for enhanced food market transparency through initiatives like the Agricultural Market Information System and the Global Information and Early Warning System, while emphasizing the need to avoid trade-distorting measures and improve trade and marketing infrastructure.

The WFP reported that 343 million people globally faced acute food insecurity in 2024, including 44 million in urgent need and 2 million in famine-like conditions, particularly in Gaza and Sudan. It urged immediate and long-term solutions, such as increased funding, improved humanitarian access, and local food sourcing. By October 2024, the WFP had procured 1.7 million tons of food (57% locally sourced) and advanced efforts in cash transfers, food security, and climate adaptation across over 60 countries.

The IGC introduced its two key initiatives to join the global efforts of enhancing food security: the Food Assistance Convention (FAC) and the Grains Trade Convention (GTC). The FAC has transitioned from food aid to a broader range of eligible activities, including cash-based support, assisting 281 million people across 29 countries in 2023, including in Sudan, Ethiopia, Ukraine, and Yemen. The GTC focuses on fostering transparent and equitable grain trade and preventing market disruptions through fostering collaboration between grain-exporting and importing nations to prevent market disruptions.

Members also discussed the WTO Secretariat’s background paper, G/AG/W/42/Rev.24, which summarizes 30 years of monitoring the Marrakesh Ministerial Decision on least developed countries (LDCs) and NFIDCs. The paper incorporates updates from the MC12 work programme and provides insights into food price movements, financing facilities, and trade profiles for food and agricultural products across members.

As part of follow-up work on the Food Security Work Programme for LDCs and NFIDCs, members reviewed Egypt’s submission (RD/AG/119) on enhancing the transparency of technical and financial assistance for these groups. Members welcomed the proposal and expressed a willingness to continue discussions on the topic.

Review of agricultural policies

A total of 243 questions were raised by members concerning individual notifications and specific implementation matters during the Committee meeting. This peer review process allows members to address issues related to the implementation of commitments outlined in the Agreement on Agriculture. Of these, 22 issues were raised for the first time, while 25 were recurring matters from previous Committee meetings.

The 22 new items addressed the following topics: Angola's poultry and pork import policies, Australia's new smart agriculture initiative, Bangladesh's import policies on meat, Brazil's multiple farm support policies, Canada's food security fund, China's technical and financial assistance project, the European Union's farm support to some member states, France's aid package for organic farms, the EU's public food purchasing mechanism, Ghana's export restrictions on soybeans, India's subsidies for cotton and soybeans, Myanmar's price support programmes for rice, Nigeria's market access policies, the United Kingdom's farming equipment and technology fund, and the United States' various farm programmes and policies.

As many as 49 individual notifications have been submitted to the Committee since the previous meeting in September 2024 relating to market access, domestic support, export competition as well as notifications in the context of the NFIDC Decision. 

All questions submitted for the meeting are available in G/AG/W/251. All questions and replies received are available in the WTO's Agriculture Information Management System (AG IMS).

Counter-notification

At the meeting, the United States, on behalf of several countries (including Argentina, Australia, Canada, and Ukraine), presented a counter-notification (G/AG/W/250) regarding India's Market Price Support (MPS) for rice and wheat during 2021/22 and 2022/23. It claimed that the group's data indicated India’s MPS levels — exceeding 87% for rice and 67–75% for wheat — far surpass the 10% limit for developing economies under WTO rules, citing discrepancies in India's reporting methodology and inconsistencies with WTO requirements.

Several members expressed support for the counter-notification as a useful tool for addressing systemic issues in India’s agricultural policies and ensuring adherence to WTO rules. Some also raised concerns about the negative effects of India’s policies on rice producers in developing nations, given India’s significant role in global rice and wheat markets.

India rejected the counter-notification as a baseless accusation, defending its compliance with WTO obligations and highlighting unclear or absent definitions in the Agreement on Agriculture regarding certain elements of notification calculations . It also criticized the reliance on outdated reference prices and emphasized the need for their update. Additionally, it urged co-sponsors to prioritize submitting their overdue notifications rather than engaging in counter-notification exercises.

Triennial review of Nairobi decision, transparency of Bali decision

Regarding the third triennial review of the Nairobi Decision on Export Competition in 2024, members considered the draft report of the review (RD/AG/135 and Rev.1) and the latest draft decision on export competition notification requirements and formats (RD/AG/118/Rev.5). At the request of members needing additional consultations with their capitals, the Committee agreed to a two-step written procedure to finalize the report and decision. A revised draft reflecting the meeting's discussions was circulated on 27 November. This procedure aims to conclude the review by 13 December 2024, barring any objections from members.

The Chair also updated members on discussions about reviewing market access notification formats, focusing on including details related to the Bali Decision on Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) administration. A draft text (RD/AG/135/Rev.1) was discussed informally on 26 November. Divergences remain among members regarding the proposed notification requirements to improve monitoring of the Bali TRQ Decision, with the Chair urging further engagement.

Additionally, members held annual consultations on their participation in global trade growth of agricultural products within the framework of export subsidy commitments. They also reviewed the Secretariat's revised background note (G/AG/W/32/Rev.23), which includes  data on export volumes and values for selected agricultural products. . Suggestions were made to maintain it as a living document and to continue adapting it to members' needs.

Technology transfer

The Chair summarized the fruitful discussions from the third thematic session on technology transfer held on 25 November. During the session, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) presented innovations in agricultural technology, and several WTO members shared experiences with technology transfer and agricultural resilience initiatives. Presentations delivered at the third thematic session are accessible here.

Members praised the valuable insights gained from the three thematic sessions on technology transfer held in 2024. Some proposed more targeted discussions within the WTO framework, along with  experience-sharing among members. The Chair noted that the next informal meeting would offer an opportunity for members to discuss the plan for the coming year in greater detail.

Next meeting

The next meeting of the Committee on Agriculture is scheduled for 24-25 March 2025.

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