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Viability of alternative frameworks for agricultural trade negotiations

Project ID:
ADP/2008/005: Viability of alternative frameworks for agricultural trade negotiations
Collaborating Countries:
China, India, Indonesia
Commissioned Organisation:
University of Adelaide, Australia
Project Leader
Mr Andrew Stoler
Phone: 08 8303 6944
Fax: 08 8303 6948
Email: andrew.stoler@adelaide.edu.au
Collaborating Institutions:
  • Inquit Communications Pty Ltd, Australia
  • Strategic Asia, Indonesia
  • Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, India
  • Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy, China
Project Budget:
$150,000
Project Duration:
01/05/2008 - 30/04/2009
ACIAR Research Program Manager
Dr Simon Hearn
Project Overview

The current World Trade Organisation (WTO) framework is designed to reform and liberalise global trade in agriculture, however developing countries and Australia have not been well-served by it. The framework's failure to deliver results has reduced farm incomes, aggravated problems of rural development and had negative spill-over effects on international trade and political cooperation. This project is looking at these problems and will attempt to develop viable alternative frameworks for agricultural trade liberalisation. It will identify and examine new options for the negotiation of agreements on agriculture within the WTO. It will also analyse the current state of agreement in the Doha Round, comparing the outcome to the opportunity that peer-reviewed economic models show would be available with more ambitious opening of world agricultural markets. In collaboration with the international partner institutions in Indonesia, India, and China the project will identify the reasons for the poor prospects for the Doha Round. The outcomes from this project will depend on the time frame and the strength of adoption of project recommendations.