The State of food and agriculture, 2005 : agricultural trade and poverty : can trade work for the poor?
Agricultural trade and poverty : can trade work for the poor?
[prepared by FAO's Agricultural and Development Economics Division ... led by Terri Raney].
- Rome Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 2005.
- xiii, 197 p. col. ill., col. maps 30 cm. 1 CD-ROM (3 1/2 in.).
- FAO agriculture series no. 36. .
"TC/P/A0050E/1/11.05/3900"--P. [4] of cover. Included in the back pocket is a mini CD-ROM of the "FAO Statistical Yearbook 2004 Vol. 1/1" in Arabic, Chinese, English, French and Spanish. Subtitle from cover.
Includes bibliographical references.
Can trade work for the poor? Trade and trade liberalization affect the poor and food-insecure. Trade can be a catalyst for change, promoting conditions that enable the poor to raise their incomes and live longer, healthier and more productive lives. B ut because the poor often survive on a narrow margin, they are particularly vulnerable in any reform process, especially in the short run as productive sectors and labor markets adjust. Opening national agricultural markets to international competition - especially from subsidized competitors - before basic market institutions and infrastructure are in place can undermine the agriculture sector with long-term negative consequences for poverty and food security. Among the many important lessons from this analysis is the need for policy-makers to consider carefully how trade and complementary policies can be used to promote pro-poor growth. The report recommends a twin-track approach: investing in human capital, institutions and infrastructure to enable the poor to take advantage of trade-related opportunities, while establishing safety nets to protect vulnerable members of society.