EACH NATION SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO PROTECT ITS AGRICULTURE

Food is a basic human right and therefore not just like any other commodity. Almost 90 percent of the agricultural products in the world are consumed domestically and thus in practice remains outside international trade. Only 10 percent of world agriculture products are traded internationally. Rules for international trade in agricultural products should be rules for the 10 percent traded internationally and not for the 90 percent consumed domestically.

We propose agricultural trade agreements to be based on:

Principle

Each nation should have the right and obligation to produce basic food for its own population and ensure food sovereignty. All efforts should be made to reduce poverty and eliminate hunger.

Measures

1. Restore import protection through quantitative import restrictions or tariffs. This will be an effective measure for each country to secure special strategic products and will serve as a special safeguard mechanism to protect rural livelihoods.

2. Protect farmers’ income by state support on products for domestic consumption, but not on products for export or products that ends up on the world market (and thus function as hidden or indirect dumping of food).

3. Export subsidies, export credits and credit insurance should be eliminated. There is a need for an effective system of market regulation and supply management that stops dumping.

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