Webcast and Presentation of the FAO Geneva Agriculture Trade Talks with Maximo Torero, Chief Economist, FAO
Background on the FAO Geneva Agriculture Trade Talks
FAO supports Members effective engagement in the formulation of trade agreements that are conducive to improved food security by strengthening evidence on the implications of changes in trade policies, providing capacity development in the use of this evidence, and facilitating neutral dialogue away from the negotiating table. In this spirit, the FAO started, in 2018, a dialogue series titled “FAO Geneva Agriculture Trade Talks (FTT)” based on 3i;
- Informal: exchanging information, ideas and views without any attributions and reporting.
- Interactive: providing a neutral platform for dialogue and engagement among stakeholders.
- Inspirational: sharing knowledge and ideas for use in policy and negotiations accordingly.
FAO Geneva Agriculture Trade Talks (virtual) session held on Monday, 13 September 2021 l 11:00 - 12:30 (CET)
Background on the topic of the forthcoming session of the FAO Geneva Agriculture Trade Talks on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Agriculture Trade: latest developments with a presentation by Máximo Torero Cullen, FAO’s Chief Economist
The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had unprecedented effects on all dimensions of human life. The full economic and social impacts are still unfolding, as the disease continues to spread in all regions around the world. On top of the death toll and overstretched health systems, the virus and the measures to contain its spread have caused a deep global economic recession and increased extreme poverty and acute and chronic food insecurity.
Measures adopted around the world to contain the COVID-19 outbreak helped curb the spread of the virus and lowered the pressure on health systems. However, they also affected the global trading system, and the supply and demand of agricultural and food products. In response to concerns over food security and food safety worldwide, many countries reacted immediately to apply policy measures aiming to limit potentially adverse impacts on domestic markets.
Despite the shocks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and containment measures, the efforts of governments and agricultural sector stakeholders to keep agricultural markets open and trade flowing smoothly contributed to remarkably resilient value chains. Effects on global trade in food and agriculture remained limited to short-term disruptions at the very beginning of the pandemic.
Governments’ policy responses covered a wide range of measures, including export restrictions, lowering of import barriers, and domestic measures. Most of the trade restricting measures were short-lived. International political commitments were pivotal in the coordination of a global response to the crisis and in deterring countries from taking unilateral measures that could have harmed food security in other parts of the world.
However, strengthening food production and distribution systems remains key to fighting hunger and entails helping tackle diseases wherever they emerge in humans, animals, plants or the environment. The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains a global health crisis.
FAO is working closely with WHO, WFP, IFAD, OIE, WTO and other partners, harnessing broad networks to drive further research, support ongoing investigations and share critical knowledge. FAO is playing a role in assessing and supporting response to its potential impacts on people’s life and livelihoods, global food trade, markets, food supply chains and livestock.
With the special participation of Mr. Máximo Torero Cullen, UNFAO’s Chief Economist, this session of the FAO Geneva Agriculture Trade Talks (FTT) provided an opportunity to review and discuss the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Agriculture Trade, the latest developments and the way forward as the COVID-19 is still spreading and may entail severe implications for access to food and longer-term shifts in global demand and supply of food and agricultural commodities.
Programme - Monday 13, September 2021 l 11:00 - 12:30 Geneva/Rome time (CET)
11:00-11:05 Welcome Remarks and Moderation by Dominique Burgeon, FAO Liaison Office with the UN in Geneva
11:05-11:30 Presentation by Máximo Torero Cullen, Chief Economist, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
11:30-12:25 Discussion
12:25-12:30 Closing of the session
Power Point Presentation and Webinar recording
Download the Power Point presentation by Mr Maximo Torero, FAO Chief Economist here
Watch the webcast of the webinar here
Background Documents
Agricultural trade & policy responses during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020
More Information
For further information please contact [email protected]