Because small farmers in developing countries are often not competitive with intensive industrialised agriculture, rapid liberalisation can in many places often lead to the loss of livelihoods, and undermine the food security of rural communities. For this reason, developing countries at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) have sought to exempt from liberalisation the ’special products’ that are important to food security and livelihoods, or to liberalise these products more slowly. A ’special safeguard mechanism’ (SSM) for developing countries could potentially also allow them to shield domestic producers from import surges or price depressions.
Recent research includes analysis of provisions on the special safeguard mechanism in the WTO’s latest draft negotiating text; a short information note on food prices and analysis of how developed country farm policies affect food security in the developing world. ICTSD has also prepared a short introductory note exploring some of the issues around trade policy and food security.
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