State of Food and Agriculture 2005: Agriculture Trade and Poverty - Can Trade Work for the Poor? (Includes Mini CD-ROM)

Can trade work for the poor? "The State of Food and Agriculture 2005" examines the many ways trade and trade liberalization affect the poor and food-insecure. It is found that 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. But 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 labour 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. Included in this issue is a mini CD-ROM of the "FAO Statistical Yearbook 2004 Vol. 1/1" in Arabic, Chinese, English, French and Spanish.