The Doha Agenda Negotiations on Agriculture: What Could They Deliver?

Abstract

As of mid-2006 the World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations on agriculture have emerged as the critical make-or-break element of the stalled Doha Development Agenda. Much of the difficulty involved in reaching agreement arises from differences in the fundamental positions of the negotiating parties. But some arises from confusion about the relative importance of different elements of the negotiations, and about the consequences of different policy choices—questions on which analysis can contribute to changing policy positions. This paper builds on the specific studies in Anderson and Martin (2006) to examine first the potential implications of complete trade reform, and then to use that as a benchmark against which to evaluate options within the parameters agreed at the WTO in August 2004, and largely reaffirmed at the Hong Kong Ministerial of the World Trade Organization in December 2005. Show more