Looking at the necessity to regulate the agricultural markets in the light of the current food price volatility, farmers’ organizations and civil society organizations gather for a seminar on mutually supportive agricultural and trade policies in Brussels on May 4 and 5, 2009.
Represented by its Secretary General, AFA participates in this seminar entitled “The Need to Regulate Agricultural Markets: Analysis and Proposals in View of the Recent Food Price Crisis,” which is organised by a steering group of farmers organisation (Belgian Beet Growers, European Coordination Via Campesina, ROPPA from West Africa and FETRAF from Brasil) together with NGO in support of the process (CSA and Oxfam-Solidarity).
AFA Secretary General Esther Penunia will make a presentation on the second day, May 5, on the topic “Market access for farmers on local level: Reduction of the imbalance in trade relations, reinforcement of transport infrastructures…”
Most of the organisations invited have had the opportunity to participate at one of four previous seminars on mutually supportive agricultural and trade policies (Brussels, 2001 and 2002; Dakar, 2003; Chapeco, 2005).
The main objective of the seminar is to identify convergent interests between family farmers organisations, both from developing and industrialised countries, and to support fair and mutually supportive agricultural policies. The Dakar and Chapeco declarations illustrate the broad agreement to call for a radical change in the current agricultural and trade policies (see www.dakardeclaration.org).
The current context of highly volatile prices and increased risks forces a reviewof the policy demands. The seminar aims to analyze the new context and its impacts on family farming, revisit the political responses to the food crisis, develop responses on market regulation at national and international levels, and explore common strategies.
Below is the detailed working program:
AGRICULTURAL MARKETS NEED TO BE REGULATED
ANALYSIS AND PROPOSALS IN VIEW OF THE RECENT FOOD PRICE CRISIS
Centre du Chant d’Oiseau- Bruxelles
* = to be confirmed
Monday , May 4th, 2009
08:30 Arrival of the participants
09:00 Welcome speech – Presentation of the participants, the objectives and the sequence of the seminar, by Ndiogou Fall (ROPPA)*
09:10 Introduction : the evolution of the international context since the seminar in Chapeco in 2005, by Yves Somville (FWA)
SESSION 1 : SITUATION AND CAUSES OF THE CRISIS OBSERVED SINCE 2007-2008
09:20 The end of a long downward trend? Analysis of the basic elements influencing the evolution of the prices of staple products in the long term, Daniel De la Torre De Ugarte (University of Tennessee, USA)*
09:40 The great volatility of prices since 2007/08 – Analysis of the factors linked with the economic situation in that period and of the speculative factors which intensified increases. Benoît Daviron (CIRAD, France)*
10:00 Opportunism in downstream sector? Compared evolution of farm and food prices at European and international level. Lucien Bourgeois(APCA, France)*
10:25 Debate
10:50
11:20 SESSION 2 : THE SIDE-EFFECTS OF THE GREAT VOLATILITY OF AGRICULTURAL PRICES AND THE HIGH LEVEL OF FOOD PRICES
11:25 Identification of the effects (risks and opportunities, distinct according to groups…) – Introduction by Jean-François Sneessens (UCL,BELGIQUE)
11:35 Working groups (enlargement of the reflection thanks to the personal experiences and taking into account the diversity of situations)
12:45 ? lunch
Afternoon :
14:30 Report of the working groups
14:45 SESSION 3 : VERY DIFFERENT REACTIONS – A MAJOR CHOICE
(headlong pursuit and laissez-faire versus recognition of the population’s rights and re-examination of the role of authorities?)
14:50 The still mainstream official position (WTO,OECD,…): more liberalisation –
The situation after the G14 on food in Treviso
Alex Danau (CSA)
15:00 A basic approach: The right to food
Olivier De Schutter, UNO Special Rapporteur*
15:15 Food Sovereignty
René Louail or Javier Sanchez. (European Coordination Via Campesina)
15:30 Debate
16:00
(reflection on the choice of instruments facing the crisis)
16:30 The different options facing the problem of price volatility,
Jean-Marc Boussard (INRA, FRANCE)*
16:45 Tariffs and regulation of agricultural markets: which role in a globalised economy ?
Niek Koning (Uni Wageningen, Pays-Bas)*
17:00 Debate
18:00 End of the first day.
Tuesday May 5th,2009
08:30 SESSION 4 : EXPERIENCES AND ACTION TRACKS
08:35 Market access for farmers on local level
Reduction of the imbalance in trade relations , reinforcement of transport infrastructures ..
………… (DFC, CANADA)* and Esther Penunia (AFA, ASIE)*
09:05 Access to food for poor consumers – The Brazilian experience
Renato Maluf (CONSEA, BRESIL)*
09:20 Debate
10:35
11:05 Access to the means of production for family farmers or “ land grab” ?
…….. (GRAIN,)*
11:20 Agriculture policy and regional integration (tariffs, stock, market organisation, regional development)
The case of the common external tariff of the CEDEAO,
Ibrahim Mayaki (Hub Rural) or Saliou Sarr (ROPPA CNCR)
11:35 Debate
12:30 ?
Afternoon :
13:30 SESSION 5 : COMMON PRIORITIES AND STRATEGIES FOR ACTION
Identification of common priorities in the new international context.
Introduction : Gérard Choplin (European Coordination Via Campesina)
13:40 Working groups (enlargement of the reflection thanks to personal experiences and taking in account the
diversity of situations)
15:00
15:15 Report of the working groups
15:30 Strategie and possibilities for action
Introduction : Altermir Tortelli (FETRAF, Brasil)
Debate
17:20 Conclusions : Thierry Kesteloot (OXFAM SOLIDARITÉ, BELGIQUE)
17:30 End of the seminar
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