WTO Agri-Food Business Day: Strengthening International Trade in Food and Agricultural Commodities
International trade plays a vital role in ensuring global food security and is essential to the fulfillment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is vital value chains be strengthened and made more resilient to crises as well as more environmentally sustainable, due to the recognized impacts of the pandemic, war in Ukraine, soaring food prices and overall tightening of financial conditions globally.
This year, the International Agri-Food Network (IAFN) was invited to collaborate with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on the first WTO Agri-Food Business Day. The event took place over 8-9 December and was live-streamed from the WTO YouTube channel.
The aim of Agri‑Food Business Day was to promote dialogue between WTO Members and the agri-food industry on topical issues in international trade in food and agricultural commodities, and the specific barriers to trade facing the industry across different geographic locations. The discussion focused on how policies that enable trade are critical to reducing poverty, advancing broad-based and sustainable economic growth, raising living standards, expanding the variety of products available to consumers, and helping increase accessible, safe, affordable, and nutritious food.
The Agri-Food Business Day consisted of five roundtables that were carefully curated to ensure that all sectors of the agri-food industry, from across all geographical regions were represented. The event allowed WTO Members from all regions to interact with representatives of industry, small and medium-sized economies, and actors across the entire agri-food value chain, including farmers.
The International Agri-Food Network was pleased to provide speakers for the various sessions.
OPENING SESSION
ROUNDTABLE: RESILIENT GLOBAL FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL VALUE CHAINS
ROUNDTABLE: FOOD STANDARDS FOR BETTER FUNCTIONING GLOBAL VALUE CHAINS
ROUNDTABLE: TRADE FACILITATION, DIGITALIZATION AND E-COMMERCE
ROUNDTABLE: THE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY OF GLOBAL VALUE CHAINS
ROUNDTABLE: INDUSTRY VIEWS ON THE RULES-BASED MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM
CLOSING SESSION
