Brussels, 19/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - In Rome on 15-16 September, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) held the first meetings of the “Agriculture Market Information System” (AMIS) and of the Early Warning System (EUROPE 10453 on the launch of the wheat research initiative).
These two initiatives stem from the implementation of the “Action plan on food price volatility and agriculture”, which was adopted on 23 June of this year by the ministers of the G20 with responsibility for agricultural issues (EUROPE 10405).
The AMIS system aims to improve the transparency and information on the agricultural markets regarding four major crops which are important to global food security (wheat, rice, maize, soya). It is made up of: - a secretariat hosted by the FAO, to which the World Bank, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the World Food Programme (WFP), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) have also committed to support; - a “market information group”, bringing together experts from all of the member countries of AMIS, namely the main producing, exporting and importing countries.
Made up of high-level figures responsible for the agricultural policies of the main producing, exporting and importing countries, the Early Warning Forum meets at least once a year and whenever necessary in times of crisis. Its objective is to promote the early exchange of key information between the political decision-makers and to provide a place to discuss and collaborate on the prevention and response to market crises. This forum will help to extend and speed up international efforts to set in place political responses and appropriate actions in the event of problems on the agricultural markets.
These first meetings have approved the functioning details of these two initiatives and seen exchanges on the current situation on the cereals markets, according to a press release issued by the French ministry of agriculture. Its members have made France the chair of the agricultural market information group and the Early Warning Forum, for their first year of operation. (LC/transl.fl)