EMERGING ISSUES, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS FOR THE SEVENTIES

Agricultural and Food Policy,

PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION OF FOOD TOWARD A BETTER BALANCE

Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

FARM POLICY REQUIREMENTS AS SEEN FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF GOVERNMENT

Agricultural and Food Policy, Public Economics,

VALUES, BELIEFS AND MYTHS IN AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL POLICY

Agricultural and Food Policy,

Comments on Suggestions for a Research Agenda in Modeling Trade Policy

International Relations/Trade,

Governing the GM crop revolution: policy choices for developing countries

Will developing countries adopt policies that promote the planting of genetically modified (GM) crops, or will they select policies that slow the spread of the GM crop revolution? The evidence so far is mixed. In some prominent countries such as China, policies are in place that encourage the independent development and planting of GM crops. Yet in a number of other equally prominent countries the planting of GM crops is not yet officially approved. The inclination of developing countries to promote or block the spread of GM crops can be judged by the policy choices they make in five separate areas: intellectual property rights (IPR) policy, biosafety policy, trade policy, food safety policy, and public research investments. Paarlberg discusses various policy options related to GM crops: (1) Intellectual Property Rights; (2) Biosafety; (3) Trade; (4) Food Safety and Consumer Choice; and (5) Public Research Investments. The appropriate policies for each of these must be adopted by developing countries.

The politics of precaution

In this original study Robert Paarlberg examines local policy responses to GM crop technologies in four important developing countries: Brazil, India, Kenya, and China.Genetic engineering. ,Crops. ,Government. ,Brazil. ,India. ,Kenya. ,China. ,

Governance and food security in an age of globalization

Whose responsibility is it to assure food security in an age of globalization? Is improved governance at the international level our greatest need, or are governance deficits most severe at the national level? When national governments lag in assuring food security for their own citizens, can outsiders help make up the resulting governance deficit? What role can bilateral donors and international financial institutions, such as the World Bank, play? Is it possible for NGOs to step in to do the job? These and related pressing questions are addressed in this discussion paper by Robert Paarlberg. He argues that the problems of hunger and food insecurity urgently require a national, not global focus. Many national governments in developing countries still do not provide essential public goods, such as civil peace, rule of law, transport infrastructure, clean water, electrical power, and public research to generate new agricultural productivity essential ingredients in the effort to boost incomes. For tackling hunger, the weak performance of nation-states remains most critical—and in most critical need of improvement. According to Paarlberg, the governance challenge as far as food security is concerned is to persuade sovereign governments to provide the necessary public goods that would ensure access to adequate food. This paper was commissioned for IFPRI's 2020 Vision Initiative conference, "Sustainable Food Security for All by 2020," held on September 4–6, 2001, in Bonn, Germany. A summary version was presented at the session on "Whose Responsibility Is It To End Hunger?" The presentation sparked a long overdue discussion on who are the key actors in the effort to eliminate hunger, how their role has changed over time, and what their responsibilities are likely to be in the future. (from Foreward by Per Pinstrup-Andersen Director General, IFPRI)Hunger Prevention. ,Food security Developing countries. ,International Food Policy Research Institute. ,Government. ,

SHRINKING INTERNATIONAL MARKETS FOR GM CROPS?

Crop Production/Industries, International Relations/Trade, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Governance and food security in an age of globalization

The author asks if the reduction of hunger in the age of globalization depends upon improving governance at the global level or at the national level. he concludes that hunger, poor rural infrastructure, corruption, discrimination, lack of access to health services, etc. are local problems, most of which must be remedied by national governmental improvement, "one state at a time." "Think locally, then act nationally" is Paarlberg's governance motto.Hunger Prevention. ,Food security Developing countries. ,International Food Policy Research Institute. ,Government. ,