This note provides a structured review of adoption trends of national policies aimed at promoting healthier diets and collates evidence on their effectiveness. We limit our focus to evidence exploiting data collected after the policy implementation, and using appropriate counterfactual methods to identify the policy effect.

Traditionally, agricultural, trade and food policies have rarely been shaped by their anticipated dietary and nutritional impacts. Yet, such policy choices have potentially important consequences for the diets and nutrition of populations.This note presents an overview of dietary implications of agri-food policies not explicitly targeted at nutrition.

International wheat export prices followed diverging trends in March depending on the origin. The benchmark US wheat price declined after increasing in the previous two months, mainly reflecting improved weather conditions in key-growing areas. By contrast, in Argentina, prices increased because of strong demand. Maize export prices generally declined under pressure from favourable production prospects in Southern Hemisphere countries. International prices of rice remained relatively stable and were below their...

The objective in this technical note is to look at transnational corporations in the food industries and study the conceptual issues in trying to assess causation for diet change and to examine the (limited) empirical evidence supporting alternative views.

International cereal export prices increased further in February. Wheat and maize quotations were mainly underpinned by strong demand but ample global supplies and generally favourable early prospects for 2017 crops limited the increase. International prices of rice also increased, mostly reflecting currency movements and expectations of stronger Basmati sales. In East Africa, cereal prices remained at record or near-record highs in February, underpinned by the sharply-reduced 2016/17 harvests following severe...

The Ministerial Decision on Export Competition introduced prohibitions to agricultural export subsidies. It foresees the elimination of export subsidies in different timeframes for developed and developing countries. Specific exceptions have been agreed upon for some products and for particular developed and developing members. The Decision also covers the other three elements (namely Export Credits and Guarantees, International Food Aid and State Trading Enterprises) of the Export Competition p illar. While...