Brussels, 22/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - Farmers' organisations from some 60 countries in Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe adopted a joint statement, the “Call for Coherence Declaration”, on Monday 20 June, stressing that trade policy must not be allowed to dictate national agricultural policies or ignore non-trade concerns.
The agricultural organisations which signed the statement state that there has to be recognition of the special and strategic role of agriculture with regard to the significant challenges to be faced: increasing price volatility, aggravated by excessive speculation on the markets, finite land and water resources and threats posed by climate change.
Farm groups urge their political leaders to bear in mind the following basic principles when pursuing trade policies: all countries must have the right to produce for domestic consumption in order to improve self-sufficiency and ensure their food security, including the use of tariff measures; - trade rules must allow for policy measures, including supply management, which promote stability of food supplies and prices; - special and differential treatment and capacity-building for developing countries must enable them to address the real concerns of resource-poor, vulnerable and small-scale farmers, and; - all countries should have the right to meet the non-trade concerns of their citizens including food safety, the environment, animal welfare and needs of rural areas so as to promote sustainable agriculture and help combat climate change and protect biodiversity. (L.C./transl.rt)