Distributional Effects Of Wto Agricultural Reforms In Rich And Poor Countries

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Distributional Effects of WTO Agricultural Reforms in Rich and Poor Countries

Author : Roman Keeney
Publisher : World Bank Publications
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 61 pages
Book Rating : 4./5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis Distributional Effects of WTO Agricultural Reforms in Rich and Poor Countries by : Roman Keeney

Download or read book Distributional Effects of WTO Agricultural Reforms in Rich and Poor Countries written by Roman Keeney and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2006 with total page 61 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: Rich countries' agricultural trade policies are the battleground on which the future of the WTO's troubled Doha Round will be determined. Subject to widespread criticism, they nonetheless appear to be almost immune to serious reform, and one of their most common defenses is that they protect poor farmers. The authors' findings reject this claim. The analysis uses detailed data on farm incomes to show that major commodity programs are highly regressive in the United States, and that the only serious losses under trade reform are among large, wealthy farmers in a few heavily protected subsectors. In contrast, analysis using household data from 15 developing countries indicates that reforming rich countries' agricultural trade policies would lift large numbers of developing country farm households out of poverty. In the majority of cases these gains are not outweighed by the poverty-increasing effects of higher food prices among other households. Agricultural reforms that appear feasible, even under an ambitious Doha Round, achieve only a fraction of the benefits for developing countries that full liberalization promises, but protect U.S. large farms from most of the rigors of adjustment. Finally, the analysis indicates that maximal trade-led poverty reductions occur when developing countries participate more fully in agricultural trade liberalization.

Distributional Effects of WTO Agricultural Reforms in Rich and Poor Countries

Author : Thomas W. Hertel
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 61 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (129 download)

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Book Synopsis Distributional Effects of WTO Agricultural Reforms in Rich and Poor Countries by : Thomas W. Hertel

Download or read book Distributional Effects of WTO Agricultural Reforms in Rich and Poor Countries written by Thomas W. Hertel and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 61 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rich countries' agricultural trade policies are the battleground on which the future of the WTO's troubled Doha Round will be determined. Subject to widespread criticism, they nonetheless appear to be almost immune to serious reform, and one of their most common defenses is that they protect poor farmers. The authors' findings reject this claim. The analysis uses detailed data on farm incomes to show that major commodity programs are highly regressive in the United States, and that the only serious losses under trade reform are among large, wealthy farmers in a few heavily protected subsectors. In contrast, analysis using household data from 15 developing countries indicates that reforming rich countries' agricultural trade policies would lift large numbers of developing country farm households out of poverty. In the majority of cases these gains are not outweighed by the poverty-increasing effects of higher food prices among other households. Agricultural reforms that appear feasible, even under an ambitious Doha Round, achieve only a fraction of the benefits for developing countries that full liberalization promises, but protect U.S. large farms from most of the rigors of adjustment. Finally, the analysis indicates that maximal trade-led poverty reductions occur when developing countries participate more fully in agricultural trade liberalization.

Distributional Effects of WTO Agricultural Reforms in Rich and Poor Countries

Author : Thomas W. Hertel
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (931 download)

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Book Synopsis Distributional Effects of WTO Agricultural Reforms in Rich and Poor Countries by : Thomas W. Hertel

Download or read book Distributional Effects of WTO Agricultural Reforms in Rich and Poor Countries written by Thomas W. Hertel and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rich countries' agricultural trade policies are the battleground on which the future of the WTO's troubled Doha Round will be determined. Subject to widespread criticism, they nonetheless appear to be almost immune to serious reform, and one of their most common defenses is that they protect poor farmers. The authors' findings reject this claim. The analysis uses detailed data on farm incomes to show that major commodity programs are highly regressive in the United States, and that the only serious losses under trade reform are among large, wealthy farmers in a few heavily protected subsectors. In contrast, analysis using household data from 15 developing countries indicates that reforming rich countries' agricultural trade policies would lift large numbers of developing country farm households out of poverty. In the majority of cases these gains are not outweighed by the poverty-increasing effects of higher food prices among other households. Agricultural reforms that appear feasible, even under an ambitious Doha Round, achieve only a fraction of the benefits for developing countries that full liberalization promises, but protect U.S. large farms from most of the rigors of adjustment. Finally, the analysis indicates that maximal trade-led poverty reductions occur when developing countries participate more fully in agricultural trade liberalization.

Predicting the Poverty Impacts of Trade Reform

Author : Thomas W. Hertel
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (931 download)

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Book Synopsis Predicting the Poverty Impacts of Trade Reform by : Thomas W. Hertel

Download or read book Predicting the Poverty Impacts of Trade Reform written by Thomas W. Hertel and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An important area of research in recent years involves assessing the microeconomic implications of macro-level policies??? particularly those related to international trade. While a wide range of research methodologies are available for assessing the microeconomic incidence of micro-policies, as well as for assessing the effect of macro-level policies on markets and broad groups of households, there is a gap when it comes to eliciting the disaggregated household and firm level effects of trade policies. Recent research addresses this knowledge gap and the present survey offers an overview of this literature. The preponderance of the evidence from the studies encompassed by this survey points to the dominance of earnings-side effects over consumption-side effects of trade reform. This is problematic, since household surveys are notable for their underreporting of income. From the perspective of the poor, it is the market for unskilled labor that is most important. The poverty effects of trade policy often hinge crucially on how well the increased demand for labor in one part of the economy is transmitted to the rest of the economy by way of increased wages, increased employment, or both. Further econometric research aimed at discriminating between competing factor mobility hypotheses is urgently needed.

Non-Tariff Barriers, Regionalism and Poverty

Author : L Alan Winters
Publisher : World Scientific
ISBN 13 : 9814571288
Total Pages : 420 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (145 download)

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Book Synopsis Non-Tariff Barriers, Regionalism and Poverty by : L Alan Winters

Download or read book Non-Tariff Barriers, Regionalism and Poverty written by L Alan Winters and published by World Scientific. This book was released on 2015-03-26 with total page 420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Non-Tariff Barriers, Regionalism and Poverty is a collection of key articles in three important areas of applied international trade research: measuring non-tariff barriers and their effects, the consequences of regional trading arrangements, especially on the countries excluded from them, and the connection between international trade and poverty. Drawing from 30 years of research and experience, L Alan Winters illustrates the development of techniques of this field and his continued commitment to answering real policy questions at the times at which they are debated. The collection shows the ways in which economic and econometric analysis can be used to answer real-world problems rigorously in the area of international trade and trade policy. Readers will find that some of the research included is of current methodological relevance and some of more historical significance. This volume is invaluable to anyone who is keen on developing their knowledge on trade policy, regionalism or poverty — three pressing issues in today's globalized world. Contents:IntroductionNon-Tariff Barriers:The Extent of Nontariff Barriers to Industrial Countries' Imports (with JJ Nogués and A Olechowski)Do Exporters Gain from VERs? (with J de Melo)Labour Adjustment Costs and British Footwear Protection (with WE Takacs)Voluntary Export Restraints and Rationing: U.K. Leather Footwear Imports from Eastern Europe (with PA Brenton)VERs and Expectations: Extensions and EvidenceDigging for Victory: Agricultural Policy and National SecurityRegionalism:Separability and the Specification of Foreign Trade FunctionsBritish Imports of Manufactures and the Common MarketRegionalism and the Rest of the World: The Irrelevance of the Kemp-Wan TheoremHow Regional Blocs Affect Excluded Countries: The Price Effects of MERCOSUR (with W Chang)Trade and Economic Geography: The Impact of EEC Accession on the UK (with HG Overman)Trade and Poverty:Trade Liberalisation and Poverty: What are the Links?Trade Liberalization and Poverty: The Evidence So Far (with N McCulloch and A McKay)Trade Liberalisation and Economic Performance: An OverviewTrade Liberalisation and Poverty Dynamics in Vietnam (with Y Niimi and P Vasudeva Dutta)Agricultural Trade Liberalization and Poverty Dynamics in Three Developing Countries (with J Litchfield and N McCulloch)Why Isn't the Doha Development Agenda More Poverty Friendly? (with TW Hertel, R Keeney, and M Ivanic)Trade as an Engine of Creative Destruction: Mexican Experience with Chinese Competition (with L Iacovone and F Rauch) Readership: Undergraduates, research students and professionals interested in macroeconomics; international trade practitioners. Key Features:Shows the ways in which economic and econometric analysis can be used to answer real-world problems rigorously in the area of international trade and trade policyThe broad collection of applied work on trade illustrates problems and analyses that others may find a useful base for their own workKeywords:International Trade;Poverty;Regional Trading Arrangements (RTAs);Trade Barriers;Non-Tariff Barriers

A Practical Guide to Trade Policy Analysis

Author : Marc Bacchetta
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9789287038128
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (381 download)

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Book Synopsis A Practical Guide to Trade Policy Analysis by : Marc Bacchetta

Download or read book A Practical Guide to Trade Policy Analysis written by Marc Bacchetta and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Trade flows and trade policies need to be properly quantified to describe, compare, or follow the evolution of policies between sectors or countries or over time. This is essential to ensure that policy choices are made with an appropriate knowledge of the real conditions. This practical guide introduces the main techniques of trade and trade policy data analysis. It shows how to develop the main indexes used to analyze trade flows, tariff structures, and non-tariff measures. It presents the databases needed to construct these indexes as well as the challenges faced in collecting and processing these data, such as measurement errors or aggregation bias. Written by experts with practical experience in the field, A Practical Guide to Trade Policy Analysis has been developed to contribute to enhance developing countries' capacity to analyze and implement trade policy. It offers a hands-on introduction on how to estimate the distributional effects of trade policies on welfare, in particular on inequality and poverty. The guide is aimed at government experts engaged in trade negotiations, as well as students and researchers involved in trade-related study or research. An accompanying DVD contains data sets and program command files required for the exercises. Copublished by the WTO and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

Developing Countries in the WTO Legal System

Author : Chantal Thomas
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0195383613
Total Pages : 536 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (953 download)

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Book Synopsis Developing Countries in the WTO Legal System by : Chantal Thomas

Download or read book Developing Countries in the WTO Legal System written by Chantal Thomas and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2009 with total page 536 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With contributions from some of the leading experts in international trade, law, and economics, Joel P. Trachtman and Chantal Thomas have compiled a comprehensive volume that looks at the positioning of developing countries within the WTO system. These chapters address some of the most pressing issues facing these countries, while reflecting on Robert E. Hudec's groundbreaking book, Developing Countries in the GATT Legal System. In his landmark contribution, Hudec argued against preferential and non-reciprocal treatment for developing countries. He did so on the basis of a combination of economic, political and legal insights that persuasively demonstrated that non-reciprocal treatment would not benefit developing countries. It is a testament to Hudec's legacy that his analysis is still the object of scholarly discussion more than 20 years later. The first part of this book evaluates the general situation of developing countries within the WTO. The second part examines market access and competition law within these countries. Lastly, it discusses the special arrangements these countries have with international financial institutions, the developing country's capacity to litigate, and an analysis of the country's level of participation in WTO dispute settlements.

The Role of Trade in Ending Poverty

Author : World Bank Group
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9789287040138
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (41 download)

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Book Synopsis The Role of Trade in Ending Poverty by : World Bank Group

Download or read book The Role of Trade in Ending Poverty written by World Bank Group and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Trade will have an important role at the global level in generating the growth necessary for reducing extreme poverty to 3 percent and boosting prosperity for the poorest 40 percent by 2030. To identify the most important challenges that exist in maximizing the positive impact of trade on poverty, we need to understand who the poor are, where they are, and what economic activities they undertake. To this end, the study highlights particularly relevant dimensions of poverty: rural poverty in remote areas, informality, fragile and conflict situations, and women. For each of these issues, this study considers the main traderelated barriers and challenges, along with policy responses to address them. It shows the importance of the multilateral trading system and of the Doha Round, as well as the important role of the WBG and WTO in promoting coherence and implementing trade policies in a way that delivers the greatest possible benefits for the poor.

The World Bank Research Program, 2005-2007

Author :
Publisher : World Bank Publications
ISBN 13 : 0821374060
Total Pages : 286 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (213 download)

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Book Synopsis The World Bank Research Program, 2005-2007 by :

Download or read book The World Bank Research Program, 2005-2007 written by and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2008 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This pocket-sized reference on key environmental data for over 200 countries includes key indicators on agriculture, forestry, biodiversity, energy, emission and pollution, and water and sanitation. The volume helps establish a sound base of information to help set priorities and measure progress toward environmental sustainability goals.

Agricultural Price Distortions, Inequality, and Poverty

Author : Kym Anderson
Publisher : World Bank Publications
ISBN 13 : 9780821381854
Total Pages : 540 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (818 download)

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Book Synopsis Agricultural Price Distortions, Inequality, and Poverty by : Kym Anderson

Download or read book Agricultural Price Distortions, Inequality, and Poverty written by Kym Anderson and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2010-03-17 with total page 540 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The prices of farm products are crucial determinants of the extent of poverty and inequality in the world. The vast majority of the world s poorest households depend to a considerable extent on farming for their incomes, while food represents a large component of the consumption of all poor households. For generations, food prices have been heavily distorted by government policies in high-income and developing countries. Many countries began to reform their agricultural price and trade policies in the 1980s, but government policy intervention is still considerable and still favors farmers in high-income countries at the expense of many farmers in developing countries. What would be the poverty and inequality consequences of the removal of the remaining distortions to agricultural incentives? This question is of great relevance to governments in evaluating ways to engage in multilateral and regional trade negotiations or to improve their own policies unilaterally. 'Agricultural Price Distortions, Inequality, and Poverty' analyzes the effects of agricultural and trade policies around the world on national and regional economic welfare, on income inequality among and within countries, and on the level and incidence of poverty in developing countries. The studies include economy-wide analyses of the inequality and poverty effects of own-country policies compared with rest-of-the-world policies for 10 individual developing countries in three continents. This book also includes three chapters that each use a separate global economic model to examine the effects of policies on aggregate poverty and the distribution of poverty across many identified developing countries. This study is motivated by two policy issues: first, the World Trade Organization s struggle to conclude the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations, in which agricultural policy reform is, again, one of the most contentious topics in the talks and, second, the struggle of the developing countries to achieve their Millennium Development Goals by 2015 notably the alleviation of hunger and poverty which depends crucially on policies that affect agricultural incentives.

International Trade, Competitive Advantage and Developing Economies

Author : Caf Dowlah
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 131744793X
Total Pages : 260 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (174 download)

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Book Synopsis International Trade, Competitive Advantage and Developing Economies by : Caf Dowlah

Download or read book International Trade, Competitive Advantage and Developing Economies written by Caf Dowlah and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-07-30 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Available research suggests that less developed countries have significant competitive advantage over developed countries in three major areas of international trade: agriculture, textiles and clothing (T&C), and cross-border labor mobility. Incidentally, these are also the trade sectors which experienced widespread protectionist measures, especially in developed world, for decade after decade. Under the World Trade Organization (WTO), which replaced the General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (GATT) in 1995, much of the restrictions in T&C trade has been phased out, but still this sector faces much higher tariff and non-tariff barriers than any other manufacturing sector in world economy. The agricultural sector also experienced significant dismantling of deeply entrenched trade barriers under the WTO over the course of last two decades, but the sector still remains plagued with quite extensive domestic supports, export subsidies, and tariff barriers. At the same time, despite both theoretical expositions and empirical trends point to significant potential gains from cross-border labor mobility, the sector remains mired in a complex quagmire of economic and political restrictions around the world. Thus, all three sectors in which less developed countries have exports interests still remain less liberalized than the sectors in which developed countries have exports interests. This book provides an in-depth and up-to-date scholarly analysis of all three trade sectors—agriculture, T&C and cross-border labor mobility—with a penetrating scrutiny of historical backgrounds and developments, crosscurrents of interests and perspectives of both developed and developing countries, and evolving trade patterns and potentials in a more liberalized and globalized world economy. The book also identifies critical economic issues and options for less developed countries in the WTO negotiations for further liberalization of agriculture, T&C, and cross-border labor mobility. This volume will be an important point of reference for students, scholars, and practitioners of international trade, economic development, development economics, and WTO-related issues.

Agriculture and the WTO

Author : Fiona Smith
Publisher : Edward Elgar Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1848449410
Total Pages : 185 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (484 download)

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Book Synopsis Agriculture and the WTO by : Fiona Smith

Download or read book Agriculture and the WTO written by Fiona Smith and published by Edward Elgar Publishing. This book was released on 2009-01-01 with total page 185 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is an insightful book of ideas offering an alternative conceptualisation of the problems of international agricultural trade, which are seen as polycentric and so must be managed rather than resolved. It demonstrates that where there is convergence without genuine agreement on the meaning no specific resolution can be achieved. The author is to be commended for offering a valuable springboard for further reflection on the management of the problems of international agricultural trade. Joseph McMahon, University College Dublin, Ireland International agricultural trade regulation remains problematic despite the creation of the WTO and a specific Agreement on Agriculture in 1995. Fiona Smith challenges this orthodoxy and presents a new conceptual method by which the problem of international agricultural trade in the WTO can be understood. Attempts to revise the rules in the Doha Development Round of multilateral trade talks have repeatedly stalled as negotiators grapple with what is perceived to be the problem of international agricultural trade. Issues such as how best to address the contemporary challenges to market liberalisation whilst preserving the environment, difficulties of biofuels, development, human rights and the demands of the changing nature of global governance are all examined in this timely book. Challenging convention and introducing new concepts, Agriculture and the WTO will strongly appeal to academics working in the fields of international agricultural trade, international relations, international economic law, agriculture law and policy. It will also be warmly welcomed by policymakers and graduate students with a special interest in international agricultural trade.

Food Prices and Rural Poverty

Author : Centre for Economic Policy Research
Publisher : CEPR
ISBN 13 : 1907142134
Total Pages : 350 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (71 download)

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Book Synopsis Food Prices and Rural Poverty by : Centre for Economic Policy Research

Download or read book Food Prices and Rural Poverty written by Centre for Economic Policy Research and published by CEPR. This book was released on 2010-11-15 with total page 350 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The impact of price developments on world food markets on poor households in developing countries is an important policy question. Who gains and who loses from agricultural commodity price changes depends on the specific circumstances of households, and, at the level of nations, on the structure of production and trade. The contributions to this volume review trends in international prices and trade patterns of key food commodities, and assess the incidence of food price changes in a number of developing countries using household level data on sources of incomes and consumption patterns.

Food Crises and the WTO

Author : Baris Karapinar
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 1139485865
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (394 download)

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Book Synopsis Food Crises and the WTO by : Baris Karapinar

Download or read book Food Crises and the WTO written by Baris Karapinar and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2010-04-08 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The food and financial crises of 2008 and 2009 have pushed millions more people into poverty and hunger, while changing the parameters of international trade. Both crises have also challenged the fundamentals of WTO rules regulating agriculture, which had been designed to combat trade distortions due to artificially low-priced food commodities. This collection of essays examines to what extent the multilateral trading system contributes to food security in today's volatile markets. Bringing together a renowned group of expert economists, lawyers, environmental and development specialists, it offers a fresh and multi-dimensional perspective combining a strong economic analysis with a comprehensive legal assessment of the interface between food security and international trade regulation. Together, the contributions provide concrete policy recommendations on how the WTO could play a positive role in preventing or mitigating future food crises and promote global food security.

The World Economy

Author : David Greenaway
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1444367005
Total Pages : 157 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (443 download)

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Book Synopsis The World Economy by : David Greenaway

Download or read book The World Economy written by David Greenaway and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2012-06-25 with total page 157 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the eighteenth volume in an annual series in which leading economists provide a concise and accessible evaluation of major developments in trade and trade policy. Examines key issues pertinent to the multinational trading system, as well as regional trade arrangements and policy developments at the national level The 2011 issue analyses global trade policy in areas such as Malaysia, West Africa and China Includes a review of antidumping, safeguards and countervailing duties from 1990–2009 Includes chapters exploring WTO issues, and a special section on agricultural trading issues Provides up-to-date assessments of the World Trade Organization's current Trade Policy Reviews A vital resource for researchers, analysts and policy-advisors interested in trade policy and other open economy issues

Accelerating Africa's Food Production in Response to Rising Prices: Impacts and Requisite Actions

Author : Xinshen Diao, Shenggen Fan, Derek Headey, Michael Johnson, Alejandro Nin Pratt, and Bingxin Yu
Publisher : Intl Food Policy Res Inst
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 68 pages
Book Rating : 4./5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis Accelerating Africa's Food Production in Response to Rising Prices: Impacts and Requisite Actions by : Xinshen Diao, Shenggen Fan, Derek Headey, Michael Johnson, Alejandro Nin Pratt, and Bingxin Yu

Download or read book Accelerating Africa's Food Production in Response to Rising Prices: Impacts and Requisite Actions written by Xinshen Diao, Shenggen Fan, Derek Headey, Michael Johnson, Alejandro Nin Pratt, and Bingxin Yu and published by Intl Food Policy Res Inst. This book was released on with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Who Are the Net Food Importing Countries?

Author : Francis Ng
Publisher : World Bank Publications
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 53 pages
Book Rating : 4./5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis Who Are the Net Food Importing Countries? by : Francis Ng

Download or read book Who Are the Net Food Importing Countries? written by Francis Ng and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2008 with total page 53 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to update the information on net food importing countries, using different definitions of food, separating countries by their level of income, whether they are in conflict and whether they are significant oil exporters. The study also estimates the changes in net food importing status of these countries over the last two and a half decades, and, most important, the study measures the relative importance of these net food imports in the import basket of the countries. Our results show that while many low-income countries are net food importers, the importance and potential impact of the net food importing status has been highly exaggerated. Many low-income countries that have larger food deficits are either oil exporters or countries in conflict. Food deficits of most low-income countries are not that significant as a percentage of their imports. Our results also show that only 6 low-income countries have food deficits that are more than 10 percent of their imports. Last two decades have seen a significant improvement in the food trade balances of low-income developing countries. SSA low-income countries are an exception to this trend. On the other hand, there are a group of countries which are experiencing civil conflicts which are large importers of food, and these countries can not meet their basic needs. They also need special assistance in the distribution of food within their boundaries. Therefore, one should modify the WTO Ministerial Declaration, and focus on these conflict countries rather than the broad net food importers.