G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
24 February 2022 
(22-1796) Page: 1/27 
Committee on Agriculture    
 
  
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION ON MEASURES CONCERNING THE POSSIBLE 
NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THE REFORM PROGRAMME ON LEAST -DEVELOPED  
AND NET FOOD -IMPORTING DEVELOPING COUNTRIES  
NOTE BY THE SECRETARIAT1 
Revision  
The present note updates the information in the Secretaria t note G/AG/W/42/Rev. 21 dated 
12 November 2020  on the implementation of the Decision on Measures Concerning the Possible 
Negative Effects of the Reform Programme on Least -Developed and Net Food -Importing Developing 
Countries  (NFIDC Decision).  Following a brief introduction on the  follow -up process to the 
NFIDC  Decision as a whole (Part  1), this paper sets out the substantive provisions of the Decision 
and provides information regarding their implementation (Part 2). 
 
 
 
1 This document has been prepared under the Secretariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice to 
the positions of Members or to their rights and obligations under the WTO.   G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
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  TABLE OF CONTENTS  
 
1   MONITORING OF THE FOLLOW -UP TO THE NFIDC DECISION  ................................ ..... 3 
2   PROVISIONS OF THE NFIDC DECISION AND IMPLEMENTATION  ................................  4 
2.1   Food aid  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................  5 
2.1.1    Review of Food Aid Levels and initiation of Food Aid Negotiations  ................................ .. 5 
2.1.1.1    Review of food aid levels  ................................ ................................ ........................  5 
2.1.1.2    Initiation of food aid negotiations  ................................ ................................ ............  7 
2.1.2    Concessionality of Food Aid  ................................ ................................ .......................  8 
2.2   Technical and financial assistance  ................................ ................................ .................  8 
2.3   Differential treatment in the framework of an agreement on export credits  ........................  9 
2.4   Access to the resources of the international financial institutions  ................................ .... 10 
2.4.1    Ability to finance commercial imports  ................................ ................................ ....... 10 
2.4.1.1    International food price developments and food import bills of LDCs  
and NFIDCs  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  10 
2.4.2    Access to the facili ties of the IMF and the World Bank  ................................ ................  17 
Annex 1: List of notifications under Article  16.2 of the Agreement on Agriculture (Table  NF:1) for 
the reporting years 1995 -2020 ................................ ................................ ..........................  19 
Annex 2: Summary of Table of NF:1 Notifications  ................................ ................................  21 
 G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
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  1  MONITORING OF THE FOLLOW -UP TO THE NFIDC DECISION  
1.1.  In 1995, the Committee on Agriculture established notification requirements under which donor 
Members are required to submit data on food aid  donations (quantity and concessionality) as well 
as information on technical and financial assistance and other relevant information on actions taken 
within the framework of the Decision on Measures Concerning the Possible Negative Effects of the 
Reform P rogramme on Least -Developed and Net Food -Importing Develop ing Countries 
(NFIDC  Decision).2 
1.2.  The annual monitoring of the follow -up to the NFIDC Decision in accordance with Article 16 of 
the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) and under paragraph 18 of the Worki ng Procedures of the 
Committee is an important element in the work of the Committee.3 It is undertaken on the basis, 
inter alia, of Table NF:1 notifications.  
1.3.  Table NF:1 notifications are required by all donor Members in respect of actions taken within 
the framework of the NFIDC Decision.  Annex 1 summarizes the record of Members' Table NF:1 
notification s for the  implementation years 1995 to 20 20.4 The list of notifying Members include 
signatories of the  Food Aid Convention5 as well as  other Memb ers that have identified themselves 
as food aid donors in their Table NF:1 notifications.  
1.4.  Pursuant  to the discussions during  the annual NFIDC monitoring exercise in November  2018, 
Annex  2 includes a summar y of the information reported in donor Member s' latest 
NF:1 notification s.6  
1.5.  In 1996, the Committee established a WTO list of net food -importing developing countries.7 
The list is regularly reviewed during the March meetings of the Committee.  The latest change to the 
list was agreed at the  September  2020 meeting of the Committee to include Samoa among the 
beneficiary developing countries wi thin the framework of the NFIDC  Decision8. The list currently 
contains 3 2 developing country Members (NFIDCs) in addition to least -developed countries  (LDCs) 
as recognized by the United Nations.9 
1.6.  In December 2000, the Committee was instructed by the General Council10 to examine possible 
means of improving the effectiveness of the implementation of the NFIDC Decision.11 The 
Committee's report12 on this question  was approved by the Doha Ministerial Conference in 2001, 
and included, inter alia , a recommendation for the establishment of an Inter -agency panel of 
financial and commodity experts to examine the issue of short -term difficulties by NFIDCs and LDCs 
in financin g normal levels of commercial imports of basic foodstuffs.  The panel report, which was 
 
2 See G/AG/2, pages 33 -34. 
3 Accordi ng to the Working Procedures, the annual monitoring exercise is to be undertaken at the 
November meetings of the Committee.  In view of the 12th Ministerial Conference originally slated for the week 
of 29 November  2021, the usual November meeting of the C ommittee did not take place th at year and the 
2021 annual monitoring exercise was agreed to be undertaken at the March 2022 meeting (paragraph  5.29 
of G/AG/R/ 99 refers ). 
4 The list does not include "nil returns" where Members have submitted Table NF:1 notifications stating 
that no food aid or technical/financial assistance was provided or that the Table NF:1 notification requirement 
was not applicable.  
5 A series of multil ateral cooperation instruments in the form of the Food Aid Convention remained  in force 
from 1967 to 2012 . The latest in the series is the Food Assistance Convention (FAC) which entered into force on 
1 January 2013.  
6 See Paragraph 2.7 of G/AG/R/90.  
7 See G/AG/3 and G/AG/5.  The decision to establish this list was t aken on the understanding that " being 
listed would not as such confer automatic benefits since, under the mechanisms covered by the Marrakesh 
Ministerial Decision, donors and the institutions conc erned would have a role to play " (G/AG/R/4, paragraph  17). 
8 The 2020 review of the NFIDC list , originally scheduled for the March 2020 meeting,  was undertaken 
at the September meeti ng of the Committee due to the COVID -19 pandemic.  
9 See G/AG/5/Rev.1 1. 
10 See WT/L/384.  
11 See progress reports to the General Council on such consultations in G/AG/7 and G/AG/10.  
12 See G/AG/11.  G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
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  submitted in June 2002, included an examination of specific proposals submitted by a  group of 
seventeen WTO NFIDCs.13 
1.7.  Between 2003 and 2006, the Committee on Agriculture also considered at its regular meetings, 
a proposal by the African Group calling for developed -country Members to, inter alia , contribute to 
a revolving fund for normal levels of food imports.14 In Septem ber 2004, the Committee decided to 
revert to this matter on the basis of the recommendation contained in its report to the General 
Council on Implementation -Related Issues.15 Informal consultations specifically dedicated to that 
proposal were also held in May 2005 and in February 2006, as part of the discussions on 
implementation -related issues.  The outcome of the consultations is reflected in the Committee's 
follow -up report to the General Council.16 
2  PROVISIONS OF THE NFIDC DECISION AND IMPLEMENTATION  
2.1.  The NFIDC Decision states:  
"Ministers recognize  that the progressive implementation of the results of the Uruguay 
Round as a whole will generate increasing opportunities for trade expansion and 
economic growth to the benefit of all participa nts." ( Paragraph  1 of the NFIDC  Decision)  
"Ministers recognize  that during the reform programme leading to greater liberalization 
of trade in agriculture least -developed and net food -importing developing countries may 
experience negative effects in terms of the availability of adequate supplies of basic 
foodstuffs from external sources on reasonable terms and conditions, including short -
term difficulties in financing normal levels of commercial imports o f basic foodstuffs." 
(Paragraph  2 of the NFIDC Decision)  
2.2.  The other four p aragraphs of the NFIDC Decision contain a number of specific agreements in 
the areas of food aid, technical and financial assistance, differential treatment within the framework 
of any agreement on agricultural export credits, and a provision regarding acc ess to the resources 
of the international financial institutions.  In the following sections, these provisions are individually 
examined with regards to their implementation, based on the information available to the 
Secretariat . 
2.3.  Developing country Members eligible as beneficiaries within the framework of the NFIDC 
Decision have regularly emphasized the need of an effective implementation of the Decision.  During 
the 2014 NFIDC annual monitoring discussions17, the Africa n Group urged Members to improve  the 
implementation of the NFIDC Decision to effectively achieve its intended objectives.18 On that 
occasion some Members also emphasized the importance of establishing strong disciplines in the 
area of export competition in general and international food aid in particular. The need to improve 
the implementation of the NFIDC Decision was highligh ted again by the NFIDC Group during 
the 2016 and 2018 annual monitoring ; the Group also presented some specific suggestions to  
reinvigorate the annual monitoring exercise.19 During the 2019 annual monitoring exercise, the 
NFIDC Group called for further mea sures to enable LDCs and NFIDCs to address rising food security 
challenges, despite the increase of food imports by LDCs and NFIDCs in the period between 2008 
and 2017. 20  
2.4.  At the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference  (MC10)  in Nairobi, Ministers  reaffirmed their 
commitment to fully implement the NFIDC Decision.21 WTO Ministers at MC -10 simultaneously 
 
13 See proposals (G/AG/W/49 and G/AG/W/49/Add.1 and G/AG/W/ 49/Corr.1) and Inter -agency panel 
report (WT/GC/62 , G/AG/13).  
14 Paragraph 52 of TN/CTD/W/3/Rev.2 refers.  
15 See G/AG/16, paragraph 19(c). Progress reports relating to the African Group proposal are contained 
in G/AG/17 and G/AG/17 /Corr.1; G/AG/20; a nd G/AG/22.  
16 See paragraphs 11 -12 of G/AG/16/Add.1 dated 13 June 2006.  
17 Section 2.1 of G/AG/R/76 refers.  
18 Specific suggestions made by the Africa Group towards an improved implementation of the 
NFIDC  Decision are included in paragraph 2.3 of G/AG/R/76.  
19 Paragraphs 2.2 to 2.7 of G/AG/R/83 and paragraph 2.8 of G/AG/R/90 refer.  
20 Paragraph 2.6 of G/AG/R/93 refers.  
21 Paragraph 25 of the Nairobi Ministerial Declaration (WT/MIN(15)/DEC) refers.  G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
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  adopted the Decision22 on export competition  which states that nothing in this Decision  can be 
construed to diminish in any way the existing commitm ents contained in the NFIDC  Decision nor 
shall the monitoring and  review  of the latter be affected .23  
2.1  Food aid  
2.5.  In light of paragraphs 1 and 2 of t he NFIDC Decision quoted above,  
"Ministers  accordingly agree  to establish appropriate mechanisms to ensure that the 
implementation of the results of the Uruguay Round on trade in agriculture does not 
adversely affect the availability of food aid at a level which is sufficient to continue to 
provide a ssistance in me eting the food needs of develop ing countries, especially 
least-developed and net food -importing developing co untries." (chapeau to paragraph  3 
of the NFIDC Decision)  
2.6.  The MC 10 Decision on export competition also includes disciplines on international food ai d. In 
the context of the thrust of the NFIDC Decision being the availabi lity and adequacy of food aid, the 
Decision on export competition in relation to  international food aid disciplines says:  
"Members  reaffirm their commitment to maintain an adequate lev el of international food 
aid, to take account of the interests of food aid recipients and to ensure that the 
disciplines contained hereafter do not unintentionally impede the delivery of food aid 
provided to deal with emergency situations. "24  
2.7.  Members, as a part of the MC10 Decision on export competition, also agreed to review the 
provisions on international food aid contained therein within the regular Committee on Agriculture 
monitoring of the NFIDC Decision.25  
2.1.1   Review of Food Aid Levels and initiation of  Food Aid Negotiations  
2.8.  In order to work towards the objective enunciated in the chapeau of paragraph  3 of the 
NFIDC  Decision, Ministers agreed:  
"(i) to review the level of food aid established periodically by the Committee on Food 
Aid under the Food Aid Co nvention 1986 and to initiate negotiations in the appropriate 
forum to establish a level of food aid commitments sufficient to meet the legitimate 
needs of developing countries during the reform programme [...]" (paragraph 3(i) of 
the NFIDC Decision)  
2.1.1.1   Revie w of food aid levels  
2.9.  The Food Aid Conventions remained in operation from 1967 to 2012 in a long series of 
multilateral co -operation instruments.  The commitments of donor countries under the Food Aid 
Conventions were specified in terms of minimum annual contributions and provided a safety net in 
terms of international food aid availability.  Under the Food Aid Convention 1999, the latest in a 
series of such Conventions, the combined minimum annual volume and value commitments of donor 
Members stood at 4.8 million tonnes (in wheat equivalent) and EUR 130 million.  
2.10.   The Food Aid Convention  1999 e xpired on 30 June 2012. On 1  January 2013, a new Food 
Assistance Convention (FAC) came into effect. The FAC expand ed the traditional focus of previous 
Food Aid C onventions and include d all forms of food assistance (in -kind donation of eligible products, 
cash transfers, cash -based or commodity -based vouchers, as well as nutritional interventions) 
towards meeting the needs of the most food insecure and vulnerable po pulations.  Each donor 
country, party to the FAC, assume s annual commitment of food assistance (i.e. the "minimum annual 
commitment" ) in terms of value or quantity or a combination of both to be notified to the 
 
22 Ministerial Decision on Export Competition in document WT/MIN( 15)/45 - WT/L/980 refers.  
23 Paragraph 3 of WT/MIN(15)/45 - WT/L/980 refers.  
24 Paragraph 22 of WT/MIN(15)/45 - WT/L/980 refers. Similar commitment "to maintain needed levels" 
of international food aid may also be found in paragraph 30 of the MC -10 Decision.  
25 Paragraph 32 of WT/MIN(15)/45 - WT/L/980 refers.  G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
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  FAC Secretariat.26 Under the FAC , the current annual commitments of the donor parties are set in 
monetary terms.  The 2022 annual commitments levels of the parties who have ratified, accepted or 
approved the FAC are as set out below:  
Donor  Commitments in 20 22 
Australia  AUD 80 million  
Austria  EUR 1.495 million  
Canada  CAD 250 million  
Denmark  DKK 203 million  
European Union  EUR 350 million  
Finland  EUR 6 million  
France  EUR 112 million  
Japan  JPY 10 billion  
Korea, Republic of  KRW 46 billion  
Luxembourg  EUR 4 million  
Russian Federation  USD 15 million  
Slovenia  EUR 30,000  
Spain  EUR 10 million  
Sweden  SEK 200 million  
Switzerland  CHF 34 million  
United States of America  USD 2.5 billion  
Source:  http://www.foodassistanceconvention.org/commitments.aspx .  
2.11.   The food aid shipments by donor s under the Food Aid Convention  often exceeded their 
combined minimum annual commitments. Similarly under the Food Assistance Convention  (FAC), 
the donors have consistently fulfilled their annual FAC commitments.27 In 20 20, all FAC members 
fulfilled or substantially exceed ed their commitments  by collectively contributing to more 
than USD 6 billion.28  
2.12.   There are a number of other sources of food aid data, particularly the Food and Agriculture 
Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).  Data from these sources are not directly 
compara ble with data reported by donors under the Food Aid Conventions mainly due to differences 
in country and product coverage, reporting period, and the use of delivery rather than shipment 
data. Data on global food aid deliveries until the year 2014 based on the WFP  International Food Aid 
Information System (INTERFAIS) are included in the previous revisions of this note.  The WFP has 
since discontinued the INTERFAIS and the collection of global food aid flow data.  Since the 
discontinuation of INTERFAIS, the FAO  has been developing a food aid data collection system to 
monitor and report on global food aid transactions. During the 2018 annual monitoring exercise, the 
FAO reported on the status of their efforts towards the development of a monitoring system to coll ect 
data on international food aid.29 
2.13.   Food aid data is currently being collected through a variety of channels. Under the review 
process of the Committee on Agriculture including the follow -up to the NFIDC Decision and the 
agreed notification requirements30, quantitative food aid data is reported in donor Members' 
Table  ES:3 notifications (and in some cases in Table ES:1 in respect of products in the export subsidy 
 
26 The parties may modify their minimum annual commitments sub ject to notification to the 
FAC Secretariat.  
27 The contribution by the International Grains Council (IGC) on behalf of the Food Assistance 
Comm ittee during the 2020 Annual monitoring exercise refers (G/AG/GEN/173).  
28 2020 Narrative Report on food assistance by FAC donors is available at: 
https://www.foodassistanceconvention.org/en/reports.aspx . 
29 Paragraph 2.13 of G/AG/R/90 refers.  
30 G/AG/2 and G/AG/2/ Add.1.  G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
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  schedules of the relevant Members). At the same time, Table NF:1 notifications i nclude volumetric 
or monetary data on the provision of food aid in favour of the beneficiary net food -importing 
developing countries (NFIDCs)  and least developed countries (LDCs).31 Annex 2 to this background 
note includes a summary of the information on f ood aid  notified by donor Members in their annual 
NF notifications.  
2.14.   In the context of the annual dedicated discussions on export competition in the Committee 
on Agriculture, the Secretariat prepares background documents32, including on international food 
aid, drawing information from Members' relevant export subsidy (ES) notifications as well as 
Members' replies to the annual export competition questionnaire  (ECQ)33.  
2.15.   The Secretariat also liaises with relevant international organizations to enhance transpar ency 
of global food aid deliveries.  The WTO Secretariat organized an I nformation Session for 
WTO Members on internation al food aid on 24 June 2019. During the session, the  WTO Secretariat 
and participants from  other relevant international organizations34 provided an overview of the 
current landscape of disciplines as well as the monitoring and data collection practices with regard 
to international food aid and food assistance. The Session also focused on the issue of enhanced 
transparency of donors' food assistance  policies and strengthened collaboration among the relevant 
international organizations.  
2.1.1.2   Initiation of food aid negotiations  
2.16.   At the Doha Ministerial Conference, Ministers approved the following recommendation of the 
Committee  regarding the renegotiation of the Food Aid Convention, 199935 : 
"[…] that early action be taken within the framework of the Food Aid Convention 1999 
(which unless extended, with or without a decision regarding its renegotiation, would 
expire on 30 June 2 002) and of the UN World Food Programme by donors of food aid to 
review their food aid contributions with a view to better identifying and meeting the 
food aid needs of least -developed and WTO net food -importing developing countries".  
(G/AG/11, Part B para graph 3 I(a) refers)  
2.17.   The Food Aid Convention 1999 was to expire on 30 June 2002.  Initially, the Food Aid 
Committee agreed to extend it year after year.  In June 2004, it decided to undertake its 
renegotiation with the aim of bringing into effect a " more eff ective instrument to provide food to 
those identified needs when food aid is the most appropriate response ". Furthermore, in view of the 
relationship between the review process in the Food Aid Committee and negotiations underway in 
the WTO, the Food Aid Co mmittee decided that conclusive recommendations should await the 
outcome of the WTO negotiations.  In these circumstances, the Food Aid Convention  1999 continued 
to be extended on an annual basis while informal deliberations were pursued between its members  
on its renegotiation . At its 103rd Session  in December 2010 , the Food Aid Committee launched the 
formal process of renegotiati ng the Food Aid Convention 1999 . The new Food Assistance 
Convention  (FAC)36 was adopted on 25 April 2012.  It was opened for signa ture on 11  June 2012 and 
entered into force on 1 January 2013.  
2.18.   The FAC expands the scope of FAC donors' food assistance commitments beyond food and 
seeds.  Some of the principles of the FAC include a focus on food assistance effectiveness and 
accountability , involvement of beneficiaries in the needs assessment, and an enlarged list of "eligible 
products" and "eligible activities" (including the provision of cash and vouchers and nutritional 
interventions).  It addresses both short -term emergency assistance as  well as long -term 
rehabilitation and development objectives.  Article 3 of the FAC sets out the relationship between its 
 
31 Members' notifications may be consulted on the Agriculture Information Management System 
(AG-IMS) at: http://agims.wto.org/Pages/Default.aspx .  
32 Refer to documents in the G/AG/W/125/ series.  
33 Annex  of WT/MIN(15)/45 -WT/L/980 refers.  
34 The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Food Assistance 
Convention (FAC) , and t he Organization for Economic Co -operation and Development (OECD).  
35 The follow -up by WTO Members o n the renegotiation of the Food Aid Convention 1995 are described 
in the previous revisions of this note.  
36 Accessible at http://www.foodassistanceconvention.org/conventi on/FoodAssistance.pdf . Submissions 
by the IGC made at the annual monitoring exercises also includes details about the thrust and activities of the 
FAC. The latest such submission is contained in G/AG/GEN/155.  G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
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  provisions and the existing or future WTO rules, particularly on international food aid.  The Decision 
on export competition adopted a t MC-10 includes specific disciplines on international food aid.37 
Some of these food aid disciplines in the MC -10 Decision also make a reference to the FAC.38  
2.1.2   Concessionality of Food Aid  
2.19.   To the end stated in t he chapeau of paragraph 3 of the NFIDC Decision, Ministers agreed:  
"(ii) to adopt guidelines to ensure that an increasing proportion of basic foodstuffs is 
provided to least -developed and net food -importing developing countries in fully grant 
form and/or o n appropriate concessional terms in line with Article IV of t he Food Aid 
Convention 1986 […] ". (paragraph 3(ii) of the NFIDC Decision)  
2.20.   At the Doha Ministerial Conference, Ministers approved the recommendation that:  
"WTO Members which are donors of food aid  shall, within the framework of their food 
aid policies, statutes, programmes and commitments, take appropriate measures aimed 
at ensuring: […] (ii) that all food aid to least developed countries is provided in fully 
grant form and, to the maximum extent p ossible, to WTO net food -importing developing 
countries as well". (G/AG/11, Part B paragraph 3 I(b) refers)  
2.21.   Under the Food Assistance Convention (FAC), no less than 8 0% of a party's committed food 
assistance to eligible countries and vulnerable populations39 shall be in fully grant form , where the 
donors are expected to exceed this percentage share progressively . 
2.22.   The i ssue of food aid to be in fully grant form came up frequently in the NFIDC annual 
monitoring discussions .40 In the agri culture negotiations u nder the export competition  pillar on the 
theme of international food aid, Members specifically considered the question of providing food aid 
exclusively in fully grant form.  The Decision on export competition adopted  at MC-10 requires 
Members to ensure th at all international food aid is in fully -grant form.41 
2.23.   Members ' Table NF:1 notifications specifically include  information on whether the food aid was 
provided "in fully grant form or appropriate concessional terms ". Annex 2 includes a  summary of 
such information reported by donor Members  in their latest Table NF:1 notifications.  Most donor 
Members in their NF notifications have reported the provision of food aid to the recipient countries 
in fully grant form. In the recent NF notificat ions, the United States has indicated that:  
"Food assistance under Title II, Food for Progress, and Food for Education programs 
is provided in fully grant form. " (G/AG/N/ USA/160 refers)   
2.2  Technical and financial assistance  
2.24.   To the end stated in the chapeau of paragraph 3 of the NFIDC Decision Ministers agreed:  
"(iii) to give full consideration in the context of their aid programmes to requests for the 
provision of technical and financial assistance to least -developed and net food -importing 
developing  countries to improve their agricultural productivity and infrastructure."  
(paragraph 3(iii) of the NFIDC Decision)  
2.25.   The Doha Ministerial Conference called on developed country Members to continue to give full 
consideration , in the context of their aid programmes , to requests for the provision of technical and 
financial assistance by least -developed and net food -importing developing countries that could 
facilitate improve ment in  their agricultural productivity and infrastruct ure. This recommendation 
reflects the fact that technical and financial assistance is essentially a bilateral matter between 
donors and recipients based on requests made by recipient countries.  Technical and financial 
 
37 "International Food aid" section on pages 6 -7 of document WT/MIN(15)/45 - WT/L/980 refers.  
38 Refer specifically to paragraphs 28 and 30 of document WT/MIN(15)/45 - WT/L/980.  
39 "Eligible country" and "eligible vulnerable populations" are defined in Article 4 of the FAC.  
40 Refer, for example, to paragraph 2.5 of G/AG/R/76.  
41 Subparagraph 23.b of document WT/MIN(15)/45 - WT/L/980 refers.  G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
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  assistance by Members under paragraph 3(iii) of the NFIDC Decision is reported in their Table NF:1 
notifications.  Column 5 of Annex 2 includes a summary of technical and financial assistance notified 
by donor Members  in their  latest Table NF:1 notifications.  
2.26.   Furthermore, the Doha Ministerial Conference approved the recommendation:  
" [...] that, in support of the priority accorded by least -developed and net food -
importing developing countries to the development of their agricultural productivity and 
infrastructure, the WTO General Council call upon relevant international development 
organi zations, including the World Bank, the FAO, IFAD, the UNDP and the Regional 
Development Banks to enhance their provision of, and access to, technical and financial 
assistance to least -developed and net food -importing developing countries, on terms 
and conditions conducive to the better use of such facilities and resources, in order to 
improve agricultural productivity and infrastructure in these countries under existing 
facilities and programmes, as well as unde r such facilities and programmes as may be 
introduced."42 
2.27.   The initial responses from the African Development Bank, the European Investment Bank, 
FAO and the World Bank were circulated in 2002.43 Since then, a number of IGOs have regularly 
updated the Commi ttee on Agriculture on their respective initiatives and action plans in this area.44 
2.28.   During the 2019 annual monitoring exercise, t he Inter -American Institute for Cooperation on 
Agriculture (IICA) reported on its technical cooperation activities to  support Latin American and 
Caribbean (LAC) countries in the area of food and nutrition security.  The IICA reported that it works 
with its member States to develop policies and strategies to strengthen institutional frameworks in 
the areas of international trade an d regional integration, family farming, food safety and quality, 
bio-economy and climate resilience.45  
2.29.   The 2020 annual exercise was conducted in t he wake of the COVID -19 pandemic when 
the FAO reported on its COVID -19 Response and Recovery Programme covering seven priority areas,  
including targeted actions towards 'boosting smallholder resilience for recovery' in least -developed 
and other vulnerable countries.46  
2.3  Differential treatment in the framework of an agreement on export credits  
2.30.   In light of paragraphs 1 and 2 of the NFIDC Decision quoted above, Ministers agreed:  
"[…] to ensure that any agreement relating to agricultural export credits makes 
appropriate provision for differential treatment in favour of least -developed and net 
food-impor ting developing countries".  (paragraph 4 of the NFIDC Decision)  
2.31.   At the Doha Ministerial Conference, Ministers reaffirmed the commitment above and approved 
a general understanding regarding procedures for the development of disciplines pursuant to Article 
10.2 of the Agreement on Agriculture and the related provisions of the NFIDC  Decision (G/AG/11, 
Part A paragraph 4).  Accordingly, work within the WTO on the question of agricultural export credits 
was undertaken in the framework of both the regular meetings  of the Committee on Agriculture and 
in the Special Session negotiations on the basis, inter alia , of the tabled proposals and other inputs, 
including with respect to special and differential treatment in favour of developing countries.47 
2.32.   The MC10 Decision  on export competition , inter alia, includes disciplines in the area of export 
credits , export credit  guarantees or insurance programmes. Provisions towards a more favourable 
treatment of least -developed and net food -importing developing countries are incl uded under 
"Special and Differential Treatment " (S&D) part of the disciplines.  The S&D provisions provide for a 
 
42 G/AG/11, Part B paragraph 3 II(b) refers .  
43 See G/AG/W/57 and G/AG/W/57 /Add.1.  
44 Refer, for example, to G/AG/GEN/71, G/AG/GEN/76, G/AG/G EN/78, G/AG/GEN/90, G/AG/GEN/93 , 
G/AG/GEN/94, G/AG/GEN/96, G/AG/GEN/97 , G/AG/GEN/100, G/AG/GEN/107, G/AG/GEN/111 , G/AG/GEN/121 , 
G/AG/GEN/123, G/AG/GEN/123/ Corr.1  and G/AG/GEN/136 . 
45  G/AG/GEN/154 refers . 
46 G/AG/GEN/174 refers . 
47 See, for example, G/AG/16 a nd G/AG/16/ Add.1 . G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
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  longer repayment allowance for least -developed and net food -importing developing countries for the 
acquisition of basic food stuffs. 48 Pursuant  to the transparency requirements in  Annex to t he Nairobi 
Decision on export competition , Members provide information, inter alia , on maximum repayment 
terms as well as export destinations in respect of their export financing support programmes.49  
2.4  Access to the resources of the international financial institutions  
2.33.   In the NFIDC Decision, Ministers further recognized that:  
"[…] as a result of the Uruguay Round certain developing countries may experience 
short-term difficulties in financing normal leve ls of commercial imports and that these 
countries may be eligible to draw on the resources of international financial institutions 
under existing facilities, or such facilities as may be established, in the context of 
adjustment programmes, in order to add ress such financing difficulties.  In this regard, 
Ministers take note of paragraph 37 of the report of the Director -General to the 
CONTRACTING PARTIES to GATT 1947 on his consultations with the Managing Director 
of the International Monetary Fund and the P resident of the World Bank 
(MTN.GNG/NG14/W/35)".  (Paragraph  5 of the NFIDC Decision)  
2.4.1   Ability to finance commercial imports  
2.34.   The issue of financing of commercial imports of food by LDCs and NFIDCs has been regularly 
considered in the annual discussions on th e follow -up to the NFIDC Decision. The Inter -agency panel 
report provided a detailed examination of the question of financing food imports by NFIDCs 
and LDCs.50  
2.35.   The S&D disciplines in the area of export credits, export credit guarantees or insurance 
progr ammes included in the MC -10 Decision on export competition also acknowledge and address 
"exceptional circumstances" that may be faced by LDCs and NFIDCs in respect of financing of normal 
levels of commercial imports of basic foodstuffs and/or in accessing loans by financial institutions.51 
2.4.1.1   International food price  developments  and food import  bills of LDCs and NFIDCs  
2.36.   At various stages of the Committee's annual monitoring exercise, international observer 
organizations have commented on the development of int ernational food prices and their impacts 
on LDCs and NFIDCs.52 They have also reported on various actions undertaken in response to food 
security -related risks arising from developments in food prices and food price volatility.  
2.37.   Global actions to address f ood insecurity in general and food price volatility in particular, were 
also adopted within the G -20 framework. Recognizing the importance of timely and accurate market 
and policy information and transparency towards meeting the challenges posed by price v olatility, 
the G -20 agriculture ministers agreed to launch the Agriculture Market Information System (AMIS) 
with a view to encourage policy dialogue and coordination of policy responses, and to build data 
 
48 Refer specifically to paragraph 17 of WT/MIN(15)/45 - WT/L/980.  
49 The information provided by Members within the context of an annual dedicated discussion on export 
competition is regularly compiled by the Secretariat (background notes in the G/AG/W/125/ document series 
refer).  
50 See WT/GC/62 – G/AG/13, in particular, Chapter II, Section A and the Conclusions in Chapter III. See 
also the contribution by UNCTAD in G/AG/GEN/68, pp. 16 -18. 
51 Paragraph 17 of WT/MIN(15)/45 - WT/L/980 refers.  
52 See, for example, the observations by the FAO, IGC, OECD, WFP, IMF, UNCTAD and World Bank on 
rising food prices and possible impacts on LDCs and NFIDCs. The statements and contributions by international 
observer organizations can be found in the G/AG/GEN/ -- document series.  During the 2009 -11, the WFP reported 
in detail on the activities and initiatives aimed at addressing global food insecurity and malnutrition 
(G/AG/GEN/90, G/AG/GEN/94 and G/AG/GEN/110). Similarly, in 2014, the OECD elaborated on the role  of trade 
to food security paying specific attention to the dimensions of availability  and accessibility  and also on the relative 
cost of food imports in the total import bill of LDCs and NFIDCs (G/AG/GEN/123 and Corr.1).  G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
- 11 - 
 
  collection capacity in participating countries. The  AMIS Secretariat is housed in the FAO and other 
international organizations including the WTO contribute to the System.53  
2.38.   The FAO also regularly monitors and reports on overall trends in cereal imports and cereal 
import bills in LDCs and NFIDCs. During the 2020 exercise, the FAO provided a detailed overview of 
the current global market situation and international price trends  for major food commodities. Its 
report also dwelt on policy responses to COVID -19 in net food -importing developing countries, and 
shared recommendations to, inter alia , mitigate the immediate impact of the pandemic while 
strengthening the long -term resili ence of food systems.54 
2.39.   The previous revisions of the document have regularly i ncluded information on the evolution 
of the Grains and Oilseeds Index (GOI) of the IGC  compris ing of grains, rice and oilseeds  price 
indices . In view of a significant contributi on of grains, rice  and oilseeds in LDCs and NFIDCs food 
imports, the trends in GOI may be a good indicator to assess trends in cereal import bills of these 
Members.55 As chart 1 below shows, grains, rice and oilseed prices mostly trended lower  from the 
latter part of 2012  to 2016.  While p roduction uncertainties and adverse weather events led to 
occasional price gains in the subsequent four years, price advances during that period were relatively 
brief, partly because of  the existence of ample global stocks . However, with world  inventories  
beginning to tighten , export prices have maintained a stronger  tone more recently.   Apart from rice, 
world markets have mostly strengthened since the onset of the COVID -19 pandemic  in early 2020. 
While supply chain d isruptions contributed to some of the upside, gains were mostly driven by a 
rebound in global demand, along with less-than-ideal cropping weather across a number of key 
exporters. With support more recently stemming from heightened political tensions in th e Black Sea 
region and uncertainties about the impact of export flows from that region, the index touched a 
more than nine -year peak in late -February, stoking fears about rising import bills and poor and 
vulnerable countries' access to food.    
Chart 1: the IGC Grains and Oilseeds Index (GOI)* (2000 -2021)  
 
* IGC Grains and Oilseeds Index composition: wheat ( 27%), maize (2 4%), barley (4%), sorghum  (1%), 
rice (7%), soybeans (3 4%), rapeseed/canola (2%). See http://www.igc.int  for more details. 
January  2000 = 100. 
Source:  International Grains Council (IGC).  
 
53 The initial focus of AMIS is on  four grains that are particularly important in international food markets, 
namely wheat, maize, rice and soybeans. For more details please refer to http://www.amis -outlook.org/amis -
about/en /. 
54 G/AG/GEN/ 174. 
55 The global export prices and the GOI do not account for freight and transportation charges which 
constitute a substantial part of the overall import cost.  
G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
- 12 - 
 
  2.40.   The annual monitoring discussions have specifically  referred to overall trends in cereal imports 
and cereal import bills in the context of the monitoring of the food security situation in LDCs 
and NFIDCs  and their ability to finance food imports . Cereals indeed form an important part of the 
import  food basket of LDCs and  NFIDCs  as is evident from Table 1 below.   
Table 1: Share of cereals in total agriculture imports during 20 11-2020 (% terms)  
 
2011  2012  2013  2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  
LDCs 21.1 17.9 21.0 22.3 19.8 20.8 23.1 23.0 20.6 22.6 
NFIDCs  25.2 25.3 21.8 24.8 22.9 22.9 23.0 23.5 23.9 24.7 
Source:  UN COMTRADE database (reported data, complemented by mirror data).  
2.41.   During the annual NF discussions in the November 2018 meeting of the Committee, Egypt 
requested the Secretariat to examine the evolution of agriculture and food imports of LDCs 
and NFIDCs in order to better inform the annual monitoring discussions. Accordingly, the S ecretariat 
considered the imports of cereals, dairy, fruits and vegetables, meats, and oilseeds and vegetable 
oils (hereinafter referred to as 'food basket ')56 in respec t of LDCs57 and NFIDCs . Chart 2 below shows 
the share of food product or product groups comprising the food basket in the total imports of LDCs 
and NFIDCs. Imports of cereal s followed by of oilseeds and vegetable oils contribute predominantly 
to the overal l import bills of LDCs and NFIDCs.   
Chart  2: LDCs and NFIDCs imports of individual products in the food basket  (2020) 
 
Source:  UN COMTRADE database (reported data, complemented by mirror data) . 
2.42.   Charts 3 to 7 below show trends in LDCs and NFIDCs imports of individual products or product 
groups comprising the food basket over the period 20 11 to 2020. As import figures are presented in 
value  terms  (US dollars ), changes in commodity import prices and  exchange rate movements  may 
also have influenced trends in imports.  
 
56 Composition of the "food basket" in terms of the HS Chapters is as follows: meat ( Chapter 2), dairy 
(Chapter 4), fruits and vegetables (Chapters 7 and 8), and oilseeds and vegetable oils (Chapters 12 and 15 ). 
57 Imports data of LDCs used in Section 2.4.1 corresponds to WTO LDC Members.  
G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
- 13 - 
 
  Chart 3: LDCs and NFIDCs i mports of cereals during 20 11-2020 
 
Source:  UN COMTRADE database (reported data, complemented by mirror data) . 
Chart 4: LDCs and NFIDCs i mports of meat during 20 11-2020 
 
Source:  UN COMTRADE database (reported data, complemented by mirror data) . 
Chart 5: LDCs and NFIDCs i mports of dairy during 20 11-2020 
 
Source:  UN COMTRADE database (reported data, complemented by mirror data) . 
G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
- 14 - 
 
  Chart 6: LDCs and NFIDCs i mports of fruits and vegetables during 20 11-2020 
 
Source:  UN COMTRADE database (reported data, complemented by mirror data) . 
Chart 7: LDCs and NFIDCs i mports of oilseeds and vegetable oils during 20 11-2020 
 
Source:  UN COMTRADE database (reported data, complemented by mirror data) . 
2.43.   Charts 8 and 9 below present the import values of LDCs and NFIDCs of all agricultural products 
(as per the AoA definition) as well as of products comprising the food basket. For both the LDC s as 
well as the NFI DCs, the average share of imports of the food basket commodities in the overall 
agricultural imports is about 50%.  
G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
- 15 - 
 
  Chart 8: LDC i mports of products in the food basket and of all agricultural products 
(average data based on 201 8-20) 
 
Source:  UN COMTRADE d ata (reported data, complemented by mirror data ). 
Chart 9: NFIDC  imports of products in the food basket and of all agricultural products 
(average data based on 201 8-20) 
 
Source:  UN COMTRADE data (reported data, complemented by mirror data) . 
G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
- 16 - 
 
  2.44.   Table 2 includes data, individually in respect of all LDC and NFIDC Members, on total imports 
of products constituting the food basket as well of all agricultural products based on 
the AoA definition. The table also includes values of total merchandise imp orts and exports. A 
comparison of food imports (in column 2) with total merchandise exports (in column 5) might provide 
a rough indication of the adequacy of foreign exchange reserves to finance food imports.  
Table 2 - Overall trade profile of LDCs and NF IDCs (Average data based on 2 018-2020) 
Members  Total imports of items 
included in the 
agriculture food basket  Total 
Agriculture 
(AoA) imports  Total 
merchandise 
imports  Total 
merchandise 
exports  
(LDCs and 
NFIDCs)  (USD million)  (USD million)  (USD million)  (USD million)  
1 2 3 4 5 
LDCs  
Afghanistan  1,021  2,462  7,165  1,664  
Angola  1,330  2,303  11,011  34,240  
Bangladesh  5,550  9,389  54,689  44,731  
Benin  876 1,086  2,928  882 
Burkina Faso  234 483 4,246  3,649  
Burundi  64 135 863 171 
Cambodia  150 1,695  18,961  15,080  
Central African 
Republic  23 57 333 92 
Chad 21 120 942 1,555  
Democratic 
Republic of the 
Congo  416 963 7,186  11,211  
Djibouti  628 968 5,437  190 
The Gambia  93 158 504 21 
Guinea  496 931 4,541  8,304  
Guinea -Bissau  70 142 338 188 
Haiti 660 1,018  3,721  1,210  
Lao People's 
Democratic 
Republic  154 889 5,876  6,105  
Lesotho  136 378 1,517  1,087  
Liberia  221 320 11,515  1,462  
Madagascar  361 651 3,751  2,594  
Malawi  148 334 2,791  858 
Mali 251 635 4,018  4,297  
Mauritania  483 677 3,149  2,382  
Mozambique  864 1,256  8,313  4,932  
Myanmar  922 2,411  18,629  17,199  
Nepal  890 1,342  9,548  884 
Niger  404 684 2,412  1,242  
Rwanda  239 418 2,501  1,034  
Senegal  1,091  1,682  8,009  3,909  
Sierra Leone  188 334 1,111  508 
Solomon Islands  44 85 469 372 
Togo 179 332 1,975  972 
Uganda  466 759 6,295  2,646  
Tanzania  593 960 10,785  4,723  
Vanuatu  21 60 295 176 
Yemen  1,363  2,328  6,188  470 
Zambia  205 411 7,332  7,959  G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
- 17 - 
 
  Members  Total imports of items 
included in the 
agriculture food basket  Total 
Agriculture 
(AoA) imports  Total 
merchandise 
imports  Total 
merchandise 
exports  
(LDCs and 
NFIDCs)  (USD million)  (USD million)  (USD million)  (USD million)  
1 2 3 4 5 
NFIDCs  
Antigua and 
Barbuda  48 119 640 70 
Barbados  136 333 1,561  416 
Botswana  285 787 6,328  5,205  
Côte d'Ivoire  1,143  1,799  10,527  11,883  
Cuba 1,033  1,506  5,164  1,731  
Dominica  14 34 393 55 
Dominican 
Republic  1,380  3,038  19,736  9,920  
Egypt  11,496  14,717  73,794  28,977  
El Salvador  1,096  2,198  11,391  5,631  
Eswatini  155 353 1,765  1,865  
Gabon  277 458 2,370  6,417  
Grenada  33 70 318 35 
Honduras  651 1,754  9,426  5,334  
Jamaica  371 939 5,397  1,414  
Jordan  2,108  3,849  18,884  8,002  
Kenya  1,759  2,566  16,664  5,970  
Maldives  221 395 2,188  222 
Mauritius  410 933 5,165  1,803  
Mongolia  201 661 5,767  7,403  
Morocco  3,385  6,014  48,967  28,797  
Namibia  293 898 7,733  6,448  
Pakistan  4,823  7,321  52,000  23,206  
Peru 2,843  5,012  40,528  44,301  
Saint Kitts and 
Nevis  16 36 320 79 
Saint Lucia  57 132 826 85 
Saint Vincent and 
the Grenadines  41 79 299 60 
Samoa  47 88 373 48 
Senegal  1,091  1,682  8,009  3,909  
Sri Lanka  1,250  2,126  17,913  11,617  
Trinidad and 
Tobago  390 801 5,876  9,840  
Tunisia  1,477  2,229  20,310  14,797  
Venezuela, 
Bolivarian 
Republic of  1,176  1,973  7,724  18,828  
Source:  UN COMTRADE  data (reported data, complemented by mirror data) . 
2.4.2   Access to the facilities of the IMF and the World Bank  
2.45.   The question of access to the resources of the international financial institutions has been the 
subject of a detailed examination by an Inter -agency panel of financial and commodity experts 
in 2002.58 
2.46.   In the context of the Committee's annual monitoring exercise in December 2001, the  IMF 
reiterated its position regarding the question of access to its resources by stating:  "With existing 
facilities and resources, the Fund is in a position to meet any balance of payments needs of our 
 
58 See WT/GC/62 – G/AG/13.  G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
- 18 - 
 
  members that may arise from higher world food prices. "59 In November 2009, the IMF described its 
reformed lending framework60 for LDCs and  NFIDCs, under which support was channelled  through a 
new instrument under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT).  The Contingent Financing 
Facility (CFF) was eliminated .61 In November 2012, the IMF informed the Committee about additional 
strengthening and streamlining of its various concessional financing and lending instruments. The 
IMF also considered that the reformed financing architecture was better tailored to dive rse needs of 
the recipient countries, and reported that since the beginning of the global economic crisis in 2008, 
it had assumed 138 new lending commitments amounting to US D 534 billion (gross ) and disbursed 
USD 154 billion.62 
2.47.   The position of the World Ba nk regarding the issue of access to short -term multilateral 
financing was initially outlined in November 1997 as follows:  
"The World Bank continues to monitor the progress of liberalization resulting from the 
implementation of commitments made under the Ur uguay Round Agreement.  A number 
of recent studies using different methodologies and assumptions confirm that the long 
run impacts of the Uruguay Round agreement on agricultural prices will be relatively 
small  certainly far smaller than the price increases that have been experienced in recent 
years.  Given the small size of the shocks resulting from the Round and the Bank's 
substantial headroom above current IBRD loans outstanding, it seems clear that the 
Bank will be in a position to meet any additional dema nds generated by the Round for 
loans on IBRD terms.  
In response to the Ministerial Decision, a Working Group involving the World Bank, the 
Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Food Programme and the IMF met in 1995 
to address the special needs of l east developed and net food -importing countries.  The 
Working Group reviewed the range of facilities available for additional financing needs 
for developing countries in the event of world price shocks and production shortfalls and 
provided a report to the WTO in late 1995.  Given the wide range of facilities and the 
small price impacts expected to arise as a consequence of the Round, and the difficulty 
involved in distinguishing Uruguay Round impacts from other shocks, it did not seem 
appropriate to establis h a special Uruguay Round adjustment facility." 
(G/AG/GEN/15,  page 3) 
2.48.   In more recent years, the World Bank has focused on the strengthening of the food security 
of developing countries and has developed strategies to deal with food price instability and it s 
negative impacts.  In cooperation with development partners, the World Bank studied ways to use 
commodity price insurance mechanisms as a tool to anticipate food crises, both at the farm and at 
the government level.  According to the World Bank, food insec urity was best addressed through 
programmes designed to raise the purchasing power of the poor; reduce their exposure to negative 
income shocks; and improve the functioning of the global food distribution and food aid systems.63 
In November 2009, the World  Bank reported on the launching of a Global Food Crisis R esponse 
Programme (GFRP) to mitigate the effects of soaring costs and to help countries adapt to higher and 
more volatile food prices.  In 2011, the Bank informed the Committ ee that an allocation of U SD 
288 million would be made towards increasing livelihood protection as a rapid response measure 
under the Horn  Regional Drought Response Plan.64 
 
 
59 See G/AG/GEN/49, page 8.  
60 See G/AG/GEN/90.  
61 See G/AG/GEN/94.  
62 See G/AG/GEN/107.  
63 See, for example, G/AG/GEN/71 (pp. 15 -17) for a detailed description of ex ante risk management 
systems (price related and weather  related) and recently -launched joint WFP -World Bank pilot projects; 
and G/AG/GEN/73.  
64 See the contributions of the World Bank in G/AG/GEN/90 and G/AG/GEN/96.    
  G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
- 19 - Annex 1: List of n otification s1 under Article  16.2 of the Agreem ent on Agriculture (Table  NF:1) for the reporting years 1995 -2020  
Year  Argentina  Australia  Canada  Cuba  European  
Union  Indonesia  Korea, 
Republic 
of Japan  New 
Zealand  Norway  Russia n 
Federation  South  Africa  Switzerland  United  
States  
1995  ARG/10  AUS/5  CAN/11  CUB/4  EEC/9    JPN/15  NZL/6  NOR/6   ZAF/7  CHE/23   
1996 ARG/10  AUS/13  CAN/18  CUB/5  EEC/21  & 
Add.1    JPN/27  NZL/13  NOR/19  & 
Corr.1   ZAF/9  CHE/23  USA/7  
1997  ARG/10  AUS/21  CAN/25   EEC/21 &  
Add.1    JPN/33  NZL/17  NOR/20 &  
Corr.1   ZAF/17  CHE/23  USA/20  
1998  ARG/10  AUS/25  CAN/34  CUB/14  EEC/25    JPN/46  NZL/25  NOR/26   ZAF/24  CHE/23  USA/21  
1999  ARG/10  AUS/32/Rev.1  CAN/42   EEC/35    JPN/68  NZL/26  NOR/33    CHE/30  USA/31  
2000 ARG/15  AUS/39  CAN/52   EEC/35    JPN/78  NZL/30  NOR/34 &  
Corr.1   ZAF/39  CHE/30  USA/46  
2001 ARG/21  AUS/48  CAN/52   EEC/46 &  
Add.1    JPN/87  NZL/39  NOR/37   ZAF/42  CHE/30  USA/52  
2002   AUS/51  & 
Corr.1  CAN/57  CUB/24  EEC/46 &  
Add.1    JPN/107  NZL/39  NOR/42   ZAF/50  CHE/30  USA/52  
2003   AUS/57  CAN/57   EEC/50    JPN/125  & 
Corr.1  NZL/40  NOR/42   ZAF/56  CHE/39  & 
Corr.1  USA/56  
2004   AUS/60  CAN/67   EEC/56    JPN/125 &  
Corr.1  NZL/45/Rev.1  NOR/44   ZAF/60  CHE/39  & 
Corr.1  USA/65  
2005   AUS/68  CAN/72   EEC/56    JPN/144  NZL/56 &  
Corr.1  NOR/44   ZAF/67  CHE/39 &  
Corr.1  USA/65  
2006   AUS/71  CAN/81   EU/1   JPN/145  NZL/56  & 
Corr.1  NOR/44   ZAF/69  CHE/53  USA/65  
2007   AUS/75 &  
Corr.1  CAN/88  CUB/34  EU/2   JPN/145  NZL/60  NOR/54/Rev.1   ZAF/72  CHE/53  USA/76  
2008   AUS/81  CAN/93   EU/3   JPN/160  NZL/60  NOR/54/Rev.1   ZAF/72  CHE/53  USA/76  
2009   AUS/84  CAN/93   EU/4   JPN/172  NZL/68  NOR/60   ZAF/82  CHE/64  USA/83  
2010   AUS/93  CAN/100  CUB/43  EU/15    JPN/180  NZL/71  NOR/62   ZAF/82  CHE/64  USA/90  
2011   AUS/93  CAN/100  CUB/46  EU/15    JPN/199  NZL/77  NOR/68   ZAF/82  CHE/64  USA/97  & 
Corr.1  
2012   AUS/93   CUB/46  EU/21    JPN/229  NZL/82  NOR/70   ZAF/82  CHE/76  USA/98  
2013   AUS/98  CAN/115  & 
Corr.1   EU/21  IDN/48  & 
Corr.1  JPN/229  NZL/95  NOR/79   ZAF/82  CHE/76  USA/105/Rev.1  
2014   AUS/105  CAN/115  & 
Corr.1  CUB/55  EU/27  IDN/49 &  
Corr.1  JPN/229  NZL/95  NOR/84  RUS/7  ZAF/89  CHE/76  USA/113  
2015   AUS/108 CAN/132  CUB/55  EU/32  IDN/50   JPN/229  NZL/95  NOR/88  RUS/14  ZAF/102 CHE/81 & 
Corr.1  USA/116  
 
1 The Table lists notifications circulated as of 24 February 2022 .    
  G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
- 20 - Year  Argentina  Australia  Canada  Cuba  European  
Union  Indonesia  Korea, 
Republic 
of Japan  New 
Zealand  Norway  Russia n 
Federation  South  Africa  Switzerland  United  
States  
2016   AUS/119 CAN/133   EU/42  IDN/51   JPN/229  NZL/101  NOR/93  RUS/17  ZAF/103 CHE/85  USA/119  
2017   AUS/124 CAN/130   EU/49     NZL/114  NOR/100  RUS/20  ZAF/104 CHE/86 /Rev.1  USA/1 29 
2018   AUS/134    EU/54  IDN/62  KOR/74   NZL/115  NOR/10 7 RUS/2 5  CHE/97 USA/1 45 
2019      EU/60 &  
Corr.1   KOR/75   NZL/123  NOR/113  RUS/2 8  CHE/105 USA/1 46 
2020      EU/67   KOR/86   NZL/128  NOR/118  RUS/33  CHE/112 USA/160  
2021        KOR/87         
Notes: i) A blank cell indicates that no notification was received for the reporting year concerned.  
 ii) An annual NF notification requirement is applicable only when actions within the framework of the NFIDC Decis ion are taken in the relevant year. A "nil return" is not 
required in the absence of such actions.  
 iii) Notifications stating no actions were taken within the framework of the NFIDC Decision  are not included.  
 iv) Annual reporting periods ("year") differ among Members.  Notification symbols in the table refer to notifications in the G/AG/N/ -- series.  
   
  G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
- 21 - Annex 2: Summary of Table of NF:1 Notifications  
Member  Latest Notification  Quantity of food aid provided to 
LDCs and NFIDCs  Indication of the 
proportion in fully grant 
form or appropriate 
concessional terms  Technical and financial assistance under 
Paragraph 3(iii) of the Decision  Other relevant information 
with respect to actions 
taken within the 
framework of the Decision  
1 2 3 4 5 6 
Australia  G/AG/N/AUS/1 34 
(4 March 2020 ) covering the 
financial year 201 8-19 Australia provided AUD  66.09 . million in 
food assistance to LDCs and NFIDCs in 
the form of cash -based support to the 
UN World Food Programme for 
emergency relief. For a breakdown by 
recipient countries, please refer to  the 
notification.  All food assistance was 
provided in fully grant form.  Australia provided AUD 400.5  million for 
programmes within the ambit of the Decision, 
including AUD 279.8  million directed to LDCs 
and NFIDCs.  
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs 
and Trade (DFAT) is primarily responsible for 
delivering Australia's aid program.1 This aid 
program includes work to improve agriculture 
and rural development in LDCs and NFIDCs. 
The Australian Centre for International 
Agricultural Researc h (ACIAR) also assists  LDC 
and NFIDCs through its Global Program.2 
ACIAR 's purpose is to achieve more productive 
and sustainable agricultural systems for the 
benefit of developing countries and Australia, 
through international agricultural research 
partnerships.  
The bilateral and regional technical and 
financial assistance (that covers majority of 
Australia's aid) was approximately AUD  
139.8  million, focussing on agricultural 
productivity and sustainability; crop storage; 
environmental manag ement; developing 
markets; provision of infrastructure related to 
food security and assisting countries adjust to 
changes in trade patterns.  
In 2018 -19, ACIAR directed $97.6 million to 
programmes within the ambit of the decision, 
of which $69.2 million was  directed to 
programmes in LDCs and NFIDCs. See Annex  C 
for a breakdown of ACIAR 's administered 
expenditure for 2018 -19. Australia also 
supports scholarship students from LDCs and 
NFIDCs on agriculture, forestry and  fisheries.  Other Federal and State 
Government agencies (other 
than DFAT and ACIAR) 
sponsored official exchanges 
with developing countries on 
agriculture and food security, 
amounting to about 
AUD 13.7 million, of which 
AUD 0 million was directed at 
LDCs and NFIDCs.  
 
1 Detailed information on Australia 's aid program is available at  https://dfat.gov.au/ . 
2 Detailed information on ACIAR 's Global Program is available at  https://www.aciar.gov.au/ .   
  G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
- 22 - Member  Latest Notification  Quantity of food aid provided to 
LDCs and NFIDCs  Indication of the 
proportion in fully grant 
form or appropriate 
concessional terms  Technical and financial assistance under 
Paragraph 3(iii) of the Decision  Other relevant information 
with respect to actions 
taken within the 
framework of the Decision  
1 2 3 4 5 6 
Canada  G/AG/N/CAN/130  
(8 Octo ber 2019) covering 
the calendar year 2017  Total food assistance reported under 
the Food Assistance Convention (FAC)3 
was more than CAD 362 million, of 
which around CAD 239 million was 
directed to NFIDCs and LDCs. Food 
assistance incorporates provision of 
eligible products, cash, vouchers, and 
nutritional interventions. For a 
breakdown by recipient countries, 
please refe r to the notification.  All food assistance was 
provided in fully grant form.4  Canada provided humanitarian assistance 
funding (including food assistance) to help 
those affected by natural disasters and complex 
emergencies in 57 countries.  
In terms of geo graphical distribution of the food 
assistance for 2017, almost 50% of Canada 's 
food assistance went to sub -Saharan Africa, 
28.5% went to the Middle -East and Northern 
Africa, 12.8%  went to Asia, 8.9% went to the 
Americas and a little less than 0.2% went to 
the crisis in Ukraine.  
Canada provided l ong-term support of 
CAD 50 million over five years to WFP for 
gender -sensitive school feeding programme in 
conflict areas for protracted humanitarian 
contexts in the Democratic Republic of the 
Congo, Niger, Syria an d Lebanon.  
Canada allocated CAD 120.7 million to 
International Development Research Centre 
(IDRC) which undertook disbursements in the 
agriculture sector totalling CAD 4.4 million . A 
review for FY2013/2014 of IDRC identified 
15 projects in agriculture and related sectors  in 
LDCs and NFIDCs  with a value of 
CAD 3.9 million. For a breakdown by recipient 
countries, please refer to the notification.  Canada provided its food 
assistance in 2014 through 
25 UN agencies and NGOs.  
The WFP continued to receive 
the majo rity of Canada's food 
assistance funding, amounting 
to 63% of Canada's total food 
assistance allocations. The 
Micronutrient Initiative and 
the Canadian Foodgrains Bank 
received 15% and 7% of 
Canada's contribution 
respectively. The remainder 
was provided to  Action 
Against Hunger, the ICRC and 
other Canadian and 
international NGOs.  
 
3 As a signatory to the 2013 Food Assistance Convention (FAC), Canada established a minimum annual food assistance level of CAD 250 million.  
4 Since 2008, Canada has fully untied its food assistance budget, opening up 100% of its food assistance budget to internationa l procurement and supporting the purchase 
of food in developing countries.    
  G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
- 23 - Member  Latest Notification  Quantity of food aid provided to 
LDCs and NFIDCs  Indication of the 
proportion in fully grant 
form or appropriate 
concessional terms  Technical and financial assistance under 
Paragraph 3(iii) of the Decision  Other relevant information 
with respect to actions 
taken within the 
framework of the Decision  
1 2 3 4 5 6 
European 
Union  G/AG/N/EU/ 67 
(11 February  2021) covering 
the calendar year 20 20 The total food assistance and nutrition 
funding allocations for LDCs and 
NFIDCs was EUR  239 million which was 
spent mostly on products, logistics, 
support operations and transport, 
flanking measures and measures to 
monitor implementation of 
humanitarian fo od assistance and 
nutrition programmes, as well as 
livelihoods protection programmes. In 
addition to this amount, EUR  56 million 
of assistance were provided in the form 
of multi -purpose cash transfers . The 
proportion of this amount that was 
ultimately spen t for food and nutrition 
purposes cannot be known with 
certainty, but is estimated to represent 
at least  one third of the total transfer.5 
In total, food assistance or multi -
purpose cash transfers were provided 
for vulnerable, food and nutrition 
insecure populations in 65 countries or 
territories, of which 40 were LDCs or 
NFIDCs.  For a breakdown by recipient 
countries, please refer to the 
notification.  All food assistance was 
provided fully in grant form.  
Local and regional purchase 
was encouraged , wheneve r 
possible, with a view to avoid 
harmful effects of imported 
food on the local markets.  The European Commission provided the 
reported food assistance to the most vulnerable 
victims of natural and man -made disasters. The 
allocation of assistance was decided  firmly 
based on needs and in line with the 
fundamental humanitarian principles of 
humanity, neutrality, impartiality and 
independence.  The implementation of the 
food assistance funded by the 
European Commission was 
carried out by UN agencies 
and other int ernational 
organizations, international 
NGOs and the Red Cross/Red 
Crescent family.  
Indonesia  G/AG/N/IDN/ 62 
(15 October  2019) covering 
the calendar year  2018 - - Indonesia held international training on 
processing technology of agricultural husbandry 
products for african countries (Participants: 
South Africa, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Ghana, 
Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, 
Nigeria, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe).  
 
In addition, Indonesia provided assistance in 
the form of 1 00 units o f hand tractors to Fiji 
amounting to 5.8 billion IDR.  - 
 
5 In 2010, the EU adopted its Humanitarian Food Assistance Policy, which captures the shift from food aid to food assistance so  as to cover the acute food and nutrition 
needs of the most vulnerable populations in the most efficient an d effective manner.    
  G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
- 24 - Member  Latest Notification  Quantity of food aid provided to 
LDCs and NFIDCs  Indication of the 
proportion in fully grant 
form or appropriate 
concessional terms  Technical and financial assistance under 
Paragraph 3(iii) of the Decision  Other relevant information 
with respect to actions 
taken within the 
framework of the Decision  
1 2 3 4 5 6 
Japan  G/AG/N/JPN/229  
(15 November  2018) 
covering the calendar 
year 2016 Japan grants funds to be used to 
purchase food and granted 
USD 38.13  million in 2016 for food 
purchase. For a breakdown by recipient 
countries, please refer to the 
notification.  All the funds were granted in 
fully grant form.  Japan provided grant aid of USD 106.19 million 
and USD  134.59 million in technical 
cooperation. In addition, Japan provided ODA 
loans (grant element more than 25%) worth 
USD 150.24 million towards technical and 
financial assistance.  Japan provided grant aid of 
USD 151.38  million and 
USD 211.92  million in 
technical cooperation to 
developi ng countries 
(including aid given to Eastern 
Europe and graduated 
countries). In addition, Japan 
provided ODA loans (grant 
element more than 25%) 
worth USD  321.67  million to 
developing countries  
Korea, 
Republic of  G/AG/N/KOR/ 87 
(17 February 2022 ) covering 
Calendar year 20 21 Korea, Republic of provided food aid  
through the World Food Programme to 
the following countries (in USD million): 
Kenya : 4.10; Yemen : 14.51; 
Ethiopia : 11.52; Uganda : 8.56; Lao  
People's Democratic Republic : 1.26.  All Korean  food aid is 
provided in fully grant form.  - - 
New Zealand  G/AG/N/NZL/1 28 
(6 October 2021 ) covering 
the financial year  2020/21 New Zealand provides humanitarian 
support through many channels, 
including grants (including 
un-earmarked core funding and funding 
earmarked at the country level), 
deployable technical assistance, relief 
supplies, and early recovery projects 
through in -country partners such as 
non-government organisations.  
  
In 20 20/21, New Zealand's core 
funding to multilateral agencies  (WFP, 
CGIAR - Consultative Group on 
International Agricultural Research , and 
IFAD) amounted to NZD  11,000,000. 
Emeregency food aid in response to 
appeals included  
NZD 7,688,057  through international 
organizations and the gr ant 
contribuctions  may have included 
food aid.  All financial support for food 
aid was in full grant form.  New Zealand provided a total of 
NZD 30,517,931  and NZD  4,249,546  in 
technical and financial assistance in the Pacific 
and African region s respectively,  through the 
global/regional channels. Under the bilateral 
channels, New Zealand provided 
NZD 7,201,245  to Pacific countries, 
NZD 10,537,131  to Asia and NZD  3,385,458  to 
Africa and Americas.  The New Zealand Aid 
Programme funds 
scholarships and Short -Term 
Training Awards to students 
from developing countries 
who wish to study at New 
Zealand institutions. It also 
provides support to the 
University of the South Pacific 
in Suva, Fiji.  
 
In addition, New  Zealand 
diplomatic posts supply 
information relevant to 
accessing the New Zealand 
market to developing country 
exporters.    
  G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
- 25 - Member  Latest Notification  Quantity of food aid provided to 
LDCs and NFIDCs  Indication of the 
proportion in fully grant 
form or appropriate 
concessional terms  Technical and financial assistance under 
Paragraph 3(iii) of the Decision  Other relevant information 
with respect to actions 
taken within the 
framework of the Decision  
1 2 3 4 5 6 
Norway  G/AG/N/NOR/1 18 
(27 September 2021 ) 
covering the calendar 
year 2020 Norway provides food aid in the form of 
economic assistance through 
organizations such as WFP that includes 
long term development programmes as 
well as emergency relief aid.  Norway 's 
total contribution to food aid amounted 
to NOK  2,153 million in 2020 .  All food aid was provided in 
fully grant form.  Norwegian development assistance included:  
a) 934 million channelled through the World 
Food Programme which included 
NOK 300 million as 'core contribution' and 
NOK 634 million towards 'multi -bilateral 
support'. Of the multi -bilateral support, 
275.3  million is directed to LDCs.  
b) As a part of long -term development 
programmes, Norwegian bilateral aid to 
selected DAC sectors (e.g. agriculture, fishing) 
and partners amounte d to around 
NOK 1,183 million  (including aid channelled 
through the WFP) and NOK 1,057 million 
(excluding aid channelled through the WFP)  
c) Bilateral food -related emergency relief aid to 
LDCs (including bilateral and mult -bilateral 
assistance) amounted to around 
NOK 336 million . 224 million  of the 
multi-bilateral aid to LDCs is channelled 
through the World Food Programme.  - 
Russian 
Federation  G/AG/N/RUS/ 33 
(31 May 202 1) covering the 
calendar  year 20 20 Russia provided or financed food aid 
worth USD  15 million to LDCs, 
USD 2 million to NFIDCs and 
USD 35 million to other countries. The 
food aid was channelled through 
the WFP. All food aid was provided in 
fully grant form.  
 - - 
South Africa  G/AG/N/ZAF/ 104 
(15 September 2021 ) 
covering the calendar 
year 2017 - - South Africa provided:  
- ZAR 7 million to the WFP for Humanitarian 
Assistance in the Republic of Somalia;  
- ZAR 8 million to the WFP for Humanitarian 
Assistance in the Republic of Sierra Leone; and  
- ZAR 8 million to the WFP for Humanitarian 
Assistance in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma 
and Maria in the Caribbean Islands.  
- ZAR 3 million to FAO in response to 
emergency appeal to address continental food 
insecurity challenge in Africa; and   
-ZAR 10.98 million through the African 
Agricultural Development Programme (AADP) 
for technical assistance for the purpose of Dairy 
Production in Mozambique, Zambia and Malawi.  -   
  G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
- 26 - Member  Latest Notification  Quantity of food aid provided to 
LDCs and NFIDCs  Indication of the 
proportion in fully grant 
form or appropriate 
concessional terms  Technical and financial assistance under 
Paragraph 3(iii) of the Decision  Other relevant information 
with respect to actions 
taken within the 
framework of the Decision  
1 2 3 4 5 6 
Switzerland  G/AG/N/CHE/ 112 
(5 November  2019) 
covering the calendar year 
2018 Food assistance consists of cash 
contributions and deliveries of dairy 
products of Swiss origin.6 Food 
assistance is complemented by 
Switzerland's global advocacy efforts 
and its commitment to tackling the root 
causes of hunger, for example through 
support to agricultural research, 
promotion of small -scale farmers and 
reduction of post -harvest losses . 
 
In the area of food assistance, 
Switzerland works in close partnership 
with international organizations, in 
particular the World Food Programme 
(WFP). In 201 8, it contributed to 
approximately in the area of food 
CHF 66 million to the WFP.  
 
Food aid is no t allocated on the basis of 
the criteria of LDCs or NFIDCs. Swiss 
funds for food assistance operations are 
instead allocated in accordance with the 
following criteria: needs (populations 
affected, urgency and lack of funds), 
potential synergies with other Swiss 
programmes, or the presence of a 
Swiss cooperation office.  
For details of funds allocated to LDCs 
and NFIDCs for food and nutritional 
assistance, please refer to the 
notification.  All food aid was provided on 
fully grant terms.  Switzerland's official development 
assistance  (ODA) amounted to CHF 3.0 2 billion 
in 201 8. Through its development aid, 
Switzerland supports the work of developing 
countries with a view to improving the standard 
of living of their people, strengthening their 
capacity to assume greater responsibility and 
ensuring their development by their own 
means.  
 
The SDC (Swiss Agency for Development and 
Cooperation) is responsible for the general 
coordination of technical and financial 
assistance to countries and regions of the 
South , namely the majority of low -income 
countries.  
The SECO (Economic Cooperation and 
Development Division of the State Secretariat 
for Economic Affairs) implements the economic 
and trade policy measures related to 
development cooperation with middle -income 
countries in particular. Through cooperation 
with countries in transition, the SDC and SECO 
both lend their support to a sustainable 
transition towards democracy and the market 
economy.  
Swiss humanitarian aid and emergency 
assistance by the SDC takes a numb er of 
forms: the mobilization of specialists from the 
Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) and other 
crisis units; the distribution of food aid through 
Swiss relief agencies and the World Food 
Programme (WFP); and the granting of 
financial support to Internat ional Committee of 
the Red Cross (ICRC) activities and UN 
humanitarian organizations. The SDC also 
supports non -governmental humanitarian 
organizations working in the field.   
 
6 Switzerland has been a contracting party to the Food Assistance Convention.    
  G/AG/W/42/Rev.22  
 
- 27 - Member  Latest Notification  Quantity of food aid provided to 
LDCs and NFIDCs  Indication of the 
proportion in fully grant 
form or appropriate 
concessional terms  Technical and financial assistance under 
Paragraph 3(iii) of the Decision  Other relevant information 
with respect to actions 
taken within the 
framework of the Decision  
1 2 3 4 5 6 
United States 
of America  G/AG/N/USA/1 60 
(1 December 2021 ) covering 
the fiscal year 20 20 The total quantity of food assistance 
provided to LDCs and NFIDCs was 
1,361,744  tonnes7. 
For a breakdown of food aid 
commodities, please refer to the 
notification.  Food assistance under 
Title II, Food for Progress, 
and Food for Education 
programs was provided in 
fully grant form.  The following measures were reported8: 
a) U.S. Department of State assistance to 
agriculture amounting to USD  786,096 ,000 that 
included expenditures on crop production, 
livestock production, resource management, 
infrastructure, policies and planning, training 
and extension, and agribusiness credit;  
b) The Department of Agriculture allocated 
USD 1,590,000 , USD  2,800,000 , and 
USD 5,625,979 to the Borlaug Fellowship 
Program, the Cochr an Fellowship Program and 
the Emerging Markets Program respectively.  
c) U.S. contributions to multilateral 
organizations with an agricultural emphasis 
(e.g. UNDP, FAO, WFP) amounted to 
USD 4,165,601,439   
d) Peace Corps funds to support agricultural 
volunt eers amounting to USD  10,307,500 , 
(LDC share equalling USD  8,800,500 and 
USD 1,507,000 for the NFIDCs). Volunteers 
provide technical assistance, inter alia , to 
produce agricultural products and by -products, 
increase agricultural productivity, safely use 
agricultural chemeicals , and process, store or 
market agricultural goods and by -products.  
e) Value of food assistance used in 
development programmes amounted to 
USD 688,614,908 . The amount represents the 
USD value of the commodities donated under 
Title II,  Food for Progress, and Food for 
Education food aid programs that were 
monetized. The amount includes 
USD 297 million of Title II funds; 91%.  of 
Title II developmen programmes were in LDCs 
and NFIDCs.  WTO developing countries, 
LDCs and NFIDCs benefited 
from the U.S. Government 
officially -supported export 
credit guarantee programs 
worth USD  2,117,800,833 . 
Note:   Based on the latest Table NF: 1 notification s circulated  by Members  up to 24 February 2022. 
 
__________  
 
7 Includes some regional groups, within which is a least -developed or net food -importing country.  
8 All of the figures reported represent budgetary obligation s or estimates for the reporting period.