G/AG/W/42/Rev.18  
 
8 February 2016  
(16-0814)  Page: 1/23  
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 Secretariat note G/AG/W/42/Rev.17 dated 
30 October 2014 on implementation of the Decision on Measures Concerning the Possible Negative 
Effects of the Reform Programme on Least-De veloped 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 I), this paper sets out the substantive provisions of the Decision and 
provides information regarding their implementation (Part II). 
 
                                               
1 This document has been prepared under the Secret ariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice 
to the positions of Members or to thei r rights and obligations under the WTO. G/AG/W/42/Rev.18 
 
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  Table of Contents 
1   MONITORING OF THE FOLLOW -UP TO THE NFID C DECISION ...................................... 3  
2   PROVISIONS OF THE NFIDC DE CISION AND IMPL EMENTATION ................................. 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 ....................................................................................... 6  
2.1.1.2   Initiation of food aid nego tiations .......................................................................... 10 
2.1.2   Concessional ity of Food Aid ..................................................................................... 11 
2.2   Technical and fi nancial assi stance ............................................................................... 12 
2.3   Differential treatment in the framew ork of an agreement on export credits ....................... 14 
2.4   Access to the resources of the international financ ial institutions ..................................... 14 
2.4.1   Ability to finance commercial imports ........................................................................ 14 
2.4.2   Access to the facilities of the IMF and th e World Bank ................................................. 17 
Annex 1: List of notifications under Arti cle 16.2 of the Agreement on Agriculture 
(Table NF:1) for the re porting year s 1995-2 014 ................................................................... 19 
Annex 2: Global food aid deliveries, 2005-2014 (actual quantities, thousand tonnes) ................. 20 
 G/AG/W/42/Rev.18 
 
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  1  MONITORING OF THE FOLLOW -UP TO THE NFIDC DECISION 
1.1.  In 1995, the Committee on Agriculture esta blished 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 Programme on Least-De veloped and Net Food-Importing Developing 
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 and under paragr aph 18 of the Working Procedures of the 
Committee is an important element in the work of the Committee.3 It is undertaken on the basis, 
inter alia , of the 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 notifications for the implementation years 1995 to 2014.
4 The list of notifying Members include 
signatories of the Food Aid Convention5 as well as other Members that have in the past identified 
themselves as food aid donors in their Table NF:1 notifications.6 
1.4.  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 March 2012 meeting of the Committee to include Antigua and Barbuda and El Salvador among the beneficiary developing countries within the framework of the NFIDC Decision. The list currently contains 31 developing country Members (NFIDCs) in addition to 
least-developed countries (LDCs) as recognized by the United Nations.
8 
1.5.  In December 2000, the Committee was instructed by the General Council9 to examine 
possible means of improving the effectiveness of  the implementation of the NFIDC Decision.10 The 
Committee's report on this question11 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 financing normal levels of commercial imports of basic foodstuffs. The panel report, which 
was submitted in June 2002, included an examination of specific proposals submitted by a group of seventeen WTO NFIDCs.
12 
1.6.  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 , 
                                               
2 See G/AG/2, pages 33-34. 
3 According to the Working Procedur es, the annual monitoring exercise  is to be undertaken at the 
November meetings of the Committee. In view of th e Nairobi Ministerial Conference, the Committee at its 
September 2015 meeting agreed to postpone that year's November meeting to 2016 (paragraph 2.15 of G/AG/R/79 refers). The 2015 annual moni toring is accordingly scheduled to  be undertaken at the March 2016 
meeting of the Committee.   
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 pr ovided or that the Table NF:1 notification requirement 
was not applicable.  
5 A series of multilateral cooperation instruments in the form 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 Argentina informed the WTO Secretariat on 30 July 2003 that it no longer is a food aid donor under 
the Food Aid Convention. 
7 See G/AG/3 and G/AG/5. The decision to establish this list was taken 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 concerned would have a role to play " (G/AG/R/4, 
paragraph 17). 
8 See G/AG/5/Rev.10. 
9 See WT/L/384. 
10 See progress reports to the General Council on  such consultations in G/AG/7 and G/AG/10. 
11 See G/AG/11. 
12 See proposals (G/AG/W/49 and G/AG/W/49/Add.1 and G/AG/W/49/Corr.1) an d Inter-agency panel 
report (WT/GC/62, G/AG/13). G/AG/W/42/Rev.18 
 
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  contribute to a revolving fund for normal levels of food imports.13 In September 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.
14 Informal consultations 
specifically dedicated to that proposal were also held in May 2005 and again in February 2006, as 
part of the discussions on implementation-related  issues. The outcome of such consultations is 
reflected in the Committee's follow-up  report to the General Council.15 
1.7.  In April 2008, following the rise in global food prices and the crisis it triggered, the United 
Nations (UN) Chief Executives Board established a High-Level Task Force (HLTF) on the Global 
Food Security Crisis. The WTO is represented on the HLTF and has participated in its deliberations since its inception. The Task Force encourages a comprehensive approach to food security – 
availability, access, stability and utilization.
16 On the occasion of the November 2010 annual 
monitoring exercise, Mr David Nabarro, Task Force Coordinator, was invited to an information 
session to address WTO Members, observer governme nts, and Secretariat staff, about the role and 
activities of the HLTF.17 Since 2013, the HLTF has oriented its work to support the Zero Hunger 
Challenge (ZHC)18. In the aftermath of the global food crisis of 2007/2008, the Committee on 
World Food Security (CFS) was reformed at its 35th Session in October 2009. The reforms envisage that the CFS becomes an inclusive international and intergovernmental platform dealing 
with global food security and nutrition.
19 
1.8.  Global actions to address food insecurity in  general, and food price volatility in particular, 
were also adopted within the G-20 framework. Reco gnizing the importance of timely and accurate 
market and policy information and transparency towards meeting the challenges posed by price 
volatility the G-20 agriculture ministers agreed to launch the Agriculture Market Information 
System (AMIS) with a view to encourage policy dial ogue and coordination of policy responses, and 
to build data collection capacity in participating countries. The AMIS Secretariat is housed in the 
FAO and other international organizations including the WTO contribute to the System.20 
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 participants." (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 of basic foodstuffs." (paragraph 2 of the NFIDC Decision) 
2.2.  The other four paragraphs 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 expo rt credits, and a provision regarding access to 
                                               
13 The proposal itself is contained in paragraph 52 of TN/CTD/W/3/Rev.2 (dated 17 July 2002). It was 
referred to the Committee on Agriculture in 2003 by the Chairman of the General Council in the context of the WTO's Work Programme on Special and Differential Tr eatment under the Doha Development Agenda (Decision 
adopted by the General Council on 1 August 2004, paragraph 1.d of WT/L/579 refers). 
14 See G/AG/16, paragraph 19(c). Prog ress reports relating to the African Group proposal are contained 
in G/AG/17 and G/AG/17/Corr.1; G/AG/20; and G/AG/22. 
15 See paragraphs 11-12 of G/AG/16/Add.1 dated 13 June 2006. 
16 Please refer to http://un-foodsecurity.org/  for more details. 
17 Please refer to https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news10_e/agri_18nov10_e.htm  for more details. 
18 The UN Secretary-General launched the Zero Hunger Challenge (ZHC) in June 2012 outlining a vision 
for a future free from hunger. Please refer to http://www.zerohungerchallenge.org  for more details. 
19 See http://www.fao.org/cfs/cfs-home/en/  for details. 
20 The initial focus of AMIS is on fo ur grains that are particularly impo rtant in international food markets, 
namely wheat, maize, rice and soybea ns. For more details please refer to http://www.amis-outlook.org/amis-
about/en/ . G/AG/W/42/Rev.18 
 
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  the resources of the international financial institutions. In the following sections, these paragraphs 
are taken up one by one and supplemented by info rmation available to the Secretariat regarding 
their implementation. 
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 discussions21, the Africa Group urged Members to 
improve the implementation of the NFIDC Decision  so as to achieve its intended objectives.22 On 
that occasion some Members also emphasized the im portance of establishing strong disciplines in 
the area of export competition in general and international food aid in particular.  
2.4.  At the tenth Ministerial Conference of the WTO (MC-10) at Nairobi, Ministers reaffirmed their 
commitment to fully implement the NFIDC Decision.23 WTO Ministers at MC-10 simultaneously also 
adopted the Decision24 on export competition which states that nothing in this Decision  can be 
construed to diminish in any way the existing commitments contained in the NFIDC Decision nor shall the monitoring and review of the latter be affected.
25  
2.1  Food aid 
2.5.  In light of paragraphs 1 and 2 of the NFIDC Decision quoted above, 
"Ministers  accordingly agree  to establish appropriate mechanisms to ensure that the 
implementation of the results of the Urugua y Round on trade in agriculture does not 
adversely affect the availability of food aid at a level which is sufficient to continue to provide assistance in meeting the food needs of developing countries, especially least-developed and net food-importing developing  countries." (chapeau to paragraph 3 of 
the NFIDC Decision) 
2.6.  The MC-10 Decision on export competition also  includes disciplines on international food aid. 
In the context of the thrust of the NFIDC Decision on the availability 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 level 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."
26  
2.7.  Members, as a part of the MC-10 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.27   
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 Convention 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 re form programme [...]" (paragraph 3(i) of 
the NFIDC Decision) 
                                               
21 Section 2.1 of G/AG/R/76 refers. 
22 Specific suggestions made by the Africa Grou p towards an improved implementation of the 
NFIDC Decision are included in paragraph 2.3 of G/AG/R/76. 
23 Paragraph 25 of the Nairobi Ministerial Declaration (WT/MIN(15)/DEC) refers. 
24 Ministerial Decision on Export Competition in document WT/MIN(15)/45 and WT/L/915 refers. 
25 Paragraph 3 of WT/MIN(15)/45 and WT/L/915 refers. 
26 Paragraph 22 of WT/MIN(15)/45 and WT/L/915 refers. Similar commitment "to maintain needed 
levels" of international food aid may also be found in paragraph 30 of the MC-10 Decision. 
27 Paragraph 32 of WT/MIN(15)/45 and WT/L/915 refers. G/AG/W/42/Rev.18 
 
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  2.1.1.1  Review 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. Unde r 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 expired on 30 June 2012. On 1 January 2013, a new Food 
Assistance Convention (FAC) came into effect. Th e FAC expands the traditional focus of previous 
Food Aid Conventions and includes 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 mo st food insecure and vulnerable populations. 
Each donor country, party to the FAC, assumes 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 FAC Secretariat.
28 The annual commitments of the parties who have ratified, 
accepted or approved the FAC are as set out below. 
Donor Commitments in 2016 
Australia AUD 80 million 
Austria EUR 1.495 million 
Canada CAD 250 million 
Denmark DKK 185 million 
European Union EUR 350 million 
Finland EUR 6 million 
Japan JPY 10 billion 
Luxembourg EUR 4 million 
Russian Federation USD 15 million 
Slovenia EUR 30,000 
Spain EUR 500,000 
Sweden SEK 200 million 
Switzerland CHF 34 million 
United States of America USD 2.2 billion 
Source: http://www.foodassistanceconvention.org/commitments.aspx   
 (information available as on 21 January 2016) 
2.11.  The food aid shipments by donors under the Food Aid Convention often exceeded their 
combined minimum annual commitments. For example, food aid shipments in 2011/2012, as reported by the International Grains Council (IGC), totalled 5.7 million tonnes in wheat equivalent, 
representing a 4% decrease from the previous year.
29 Similarly under the new Food Assistance 
Convention (FAC), the donors have consistently fulfilled their annual FAC commitments. The annual commitments of FAC donors in 2014 exceeded USD2.7 billion which were fulfilled by all 
donors and in many cases these commitments were comfortably exceeded.
30 
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 comparable with data reported by dono rs under the Food Aid Conventions mainly due to 
                                               
28 The parties may modify their minimum annual commitments subject to notification to the 
FAC Secretariat. 
29 See http://www.foodaidconvention.org/ en/index/facshipmentreport.aspx  for more details. 
30 2014 Narrative Report on food assistance by FAC donors may be accessed at 
http://www.foodassistanceconvention.org/downloads/sumrec/fac2014nr.pdf .  G/AG/W/42/Rev.18 
 
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  differences in country and product coverage, reporting period, and the use of delivery rather than 
shipment data.31 
2.13.  WFP data show that global food aid delive ries present a cyclical pattern, with a record of 
17.3 million tonnes reached in 1993.32 Another peak was reached in 1999 when food aid totalled 
14.6 million tonnes. In this context, the Doha Ministerial Conference approved the following 
recommendation made by the Committee on Agriculture: 
"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: (i) that to the maximum extent possible their levels of food aid to developing countries are maintained during periods in which trends in world market prices of basic foodstuffs have been increasing […]."
33 
Chart 1: Evolution of food aid deliveries: 2005-2014 (million tonnes, actual quantities) 
2005 2010 2014
LDC 4.8 4.5 1.7
NFIDC 0.7 1.5 0.4
Other 2.4 0.7 0.6
TOTAL 7.8 6.6 2.87.8
6.6
2.8
0123456789MIllion tonnes
 
Note: "NFIDC" refers to the 31 Members listed in paragraph (b) of G/AG/5/Rev.10. Data for 2014 are 
provisional. 
Source: WFP. 
 
2.14.  Chart 1 shows that total food aid deliveries as monitored by WFP have been generally 
following a declining trend over the last ten years.34 In 2014, global food aid deliveries were 
2.8 million tonnes, comparable to an almost similar amount recorded in 2013, representing, however, a decline of more than 40% from the level in 2012. In 2014, the amount of total food aid 
to LDCs amounted to 1.7 million tonnes, wherea s the corresponding amount channelled to NFIDCs 
equalled 0.4 million tonnes. In cases of some recipients, a decline in food aid amounts in 2013 and 2014 may have also resulted from an improved domestic food production especially of cereals, 
increased commercial imports and a declining share of food aid in total imports as well as a 
lessening of severity in some cases of the prev ious food emergency situations. Annex 2 gives a 
detailed breakdown of food aid deliveries by recipients during the period 2005-2014 as monitored b y  W F P .  I n  a b s o l u t e  t e r m s ,  E t h i o p i a ,  S y r i a ,  Pakistan, Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen, Kenya and 
Bangladesh were the major recipients of food aid in 2014. 
                                               
31 For example, the food aid deliveries monitored by WFP include deliverie s by FAC donors, other 
countries, and non-governmental organizations. 
32 See G/AG/GEN/49, pp. 10-11. 
33 G/AG/11, Part B para graph 3 I(b) refers. 
34 The WFP has advised the WTO Secretariat that th e data for 2013 and 2014 are very provisional in 
nature in view of the various changes currently being intr oduced in WFP's tracking and recording of global food 
aid transactions. The reported amounts therefore represen t a partial picture. Any definitive conclusions with 
regard to 2013 and 2014 data should await the public di ssemination of the finalized 2013 and 2014 global food 
aid statistics by the WFP. G/AG/W/42/Rev.18 
 
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  2.15.  According to WFP data, NFIDCs on the WTO list except for Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivarian 
Republic of Venezuela, Botswana, Gabon, Gren ada, Dominica, Morocco, St. Kitts and Nevis, 
St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinid ad and Tobago have been occasional or regular 
recipients of food aid during the period 2005-2 014. In terms of the food aid quantity, declining 
food aid deliveries to Kenya and Pakistan have been  responsible for the decrease in total food aid 
channelled to NFIDCs over the recent period. 
2.16.  LDCs continue to be the major recipients of global food aid receiving more than 60% of 
global food aid deliveries in 2014. Among LDCs, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen and 
Bangladesh were the major recipients of food aid in 2014. 
2.17.  WFP statistics are compiled based on the following three food aid categories: 
a. Emergency  food aid – defined by WFP as being destined to victims of natural or man-
made disasters – is freely distributed to targeted beneficiary groups, and is usually 
provided on a grant basis. It is channelled multilaterally through NGOs or, sometimes, bilaterally. 
b. Project  food aid aims at supporting specific poverty-alleviation and disaster-prevention 
activities. It is usually freely distributed to targeted beneficiary groups, but may also be sold on the open market and is then referred to as "monetized" food aid. It is provided 
on a grant basis and is channelled multilaterally through NGOs or bilaterally. 
c. Programme  food aid is usually supplied as a resource transfer for balance of payments or 
budgetary support activities on a government-to-government basis. Unlike most of the food aid provided for project or emergency purposes, it is not targeted to specific 
beneficiary groups. It is sold on the open market, and provided either as a grant or as a 
loan. 
2.18.  WFP statistics compiled in Chart 2 below indicate that emergency food aid provided in the 
form of relief in response to man-made emergencies or natural disasters remained the 
predominant category in 2014 accounting for 77% of total food aid deliveries. On the other hand, 
programme food aid, which accounted for 14% in 2005, has declined dramatically with its share 
becoming negligible in 2014. The share of project food aid has generally been consistent in the 
range of 23%. 
Chart 2: Composition of global food aid deliveries (%) 
Emergency
63%Programme
14%Project
23%2005
Emergency
77%Project
23%2014
 
Source: WFP. Data for 2014 are provisional. 
 
2.19.  Food aid may be distributed directly to bene ficiaries or may be partly or fully sold in the 
recipient country to generate funds to finance,  for example, the transport of food or other 
activities. Programme food aid, as referred to in paragraph 2.16(c) above, is usually sold in the market. WFP data compiled in Chart 3 below show s that over the last ten years (2005-2014), the 
amount of global food aid deliveries sold in market has been generally declining. This may in turn 
be resulting from shrinking share of programme  food aid in the global food aid deliveries that is 
more usually sold on the market unlike most of  emergency food aid distributed directly to 
beneficiaries. G/AG/W/42/Rev.18 
 
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  Chart 3: Food aid sold in global food aid deliveries (2005-2014) 
(million tonnes, actual quantities) 
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Food aid sold 1.9 1.7 1.4 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.4 0.5 0.1 0.1
Food aid directly distributed 5.9 4.9 4.4 5.7 5.5 6.0 4.3 4.1 2.7 2.7
Total 7.8 6.6 5.8 6.3 6.1 6.6 4.7 4.7 2.8 2.87.8
6.6
5.86.36.16.6
4.7 4.7
2.8 2.8
0123456789Million tonnes
 
Source: WFP. Data for 2013 and 2014 are provisional. 
 
2.20.  WFP also categorizes food aid deliveries according to the origin of the food aid commodities: 
a. Local purchases  are the transactions by which food aid is purchased and 
distributed/utilized in the recipient country. 
b. Triangular  purchases are the transactions by which a donor provides commodities 
purchased in a third country as food  aid to a final recipient country. 
c. Direct transfers  are the transactions by which food aid is directly delivered from donor to 
recipient countries. Such operations do not involve either local or triangular purchases. 
2.21.  Chart 4 below indicates that over the last 10 years (i.e. 2005 to 2014), the share of direct 
transfers in global food aid deliveries has declined from 69% to 50%, while the respective shares of local purchases and triangular transactions increased from 14% to 29%; and from 18% to 22%. G/AG/W/42/Rev.18 
 
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  Chart 4: Delivery modes of global food aid: 2005-2014 (million tonnes, actual quantities) 
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Direct transfers 5.3 4.2 3.3 3.8 3.6 3.4 2.4 3.0 1.5 1.4
Local purchases 1.2 1.2 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.8 1.3 0.9 0.8 0.8
Triangular purchases 1.5 1.3 1.5 1.4 1.5 1.5 1.0 0.8 0.5 0.6
Total 7.9 6.7 5.8 6.3 6.1 6.7 4.7 4.7 2.8 2.87.9
6.7
5.86.36.16.7
4.7 4.7
2.8 2.8
0123456789Million tonnes
 
Source: WFP. Data for 2013 and 2014 are provisional. 
 
2.1.1.2  Initiation of food aid negotiations 
2.22.  In 1996, the Singapore Ministerial Conference adopted the recommendation by the 
Committee on Agriculture that in anticipation of the expiry of the Food Aid Convention 1995 and in 
preparation for the re-negotiation of the Food Aid Convention, action be initiated in 1997 within 
the framework of the Convention, under arrangements  for participation by all interested countries 
and by relevant organizations, to develop recommendations with a view towards establishing a level of food aid commitments, covering as wide a range of donors and eligible products as possible, which is sufficient to meet the legitimate needs of developing countries during the reform 
programme.
35 
2.23.  Between January 1997 and March 1999, several meetings took place within the framework 
of the Food Aid Convention, including meetings with least-developed and net food-importing 
developing countries as well as potential new fo od aid donors. In December 1997, the Food Aid 
Committee decided to open the Convention for renegotiation taking into account, amongst other things, " the food security and trade liberalization ob jectives under the WTO and the World Food 
Summit Action Plan ".
36 In early 1998, the Food Aid Committee confirmed its intention to bring a 
new Food Aid Convention into effect and held a fu rther dialogue with representatives of food aid 
recipients regarding the main elements of the new Convention.37 The negotiations were completed 
on 24 March 1999 and the new Convention provisionally entered into force on 1 July 1999 for an 
initial duration of three years. Document G/AG/GEN/35 outlines the major changes introduced in 
the Convention. For example, the list of eligible products which may be supplied was broadened significantly beyond cereals; new provisions were included to improve the effectiveness and the 
impact of food aid. When allocating food aid, FAC members undertook to give priority to the LDCs 
and low-income countries, many of which are on the present WTO list of NFIDCs. Other eligible food aid recipients include low middle income countries and all other countries included in the 
WTO list of NFIDCs at the time of negotiation of the new Convention. 
2.24.  At the Doha Ministerial Conference, Ministers approved the recommendation of the 
Committee: 
"[…] 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 2002) and of the UN World Food Programme by donors of food aid 
                                               
35 See G/L/125, paragraph 18(i) refers. 
36 See IGC statement in G/AG/GEN/20. 
37 See G/AG/GEN/31, page 4. G/AG/W/42/Rev.18 
 
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  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 paragraph 3 I(a) refers) 
2.25.  The Food Aid Convention 1999 was to expi re 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 effective 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 Committee 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 wh ile informal deliberations were pursued between 
its members. At its 103rd Session, the Food Aid Committee launched the formal renegotiation 
process. The new Food Assistance Convention (FAC)
38 was adopted on 25 April 2012. It was 
opened for signature on 11 June 2012 and entered into force on 1 January 2013. 
2.26.  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 provisions and the existing or future WTO rules, particularly on international food aid. The 
Decision on export competition adopted at MC-10 at Nairobi includes specific disciplines on 
international food aid.
39 Some of these food aid disciplines in the MC-10 Decision also make a 
reference to the FAC.40  
2.1.2  Concessionality of Food Aid 
2.27.  To the end stated in the chapeau of pa ragraph 3 of the NFIDC Decision, Ministers also 
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 on appropriate concessional terms in line with Article IV of the Food Aid Convention 1986 […]". (paragraph 3(ii) of the NFIDC Decision) 
2.28.  Under the Food Aid Convention 1999, all food aid provided to LDCs was to be in the form of 
grants and to represent at least 80% of members' contributions. Similarly, under the Food Assistance Convention (FAC), no less than 80% of  a party's committed food assistance to eligible 
countries and vulnerable populations
41 shall be in fully grant form. Donors are to seek to exceed 
progressively this percentage. 
2.29.  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 possible, to WTO net food-importing 
developing countries as well". (G/AG/11, Part B paragraph 3 I(b) refers) 
2.30.  The issue of food aid to be in fully grant form also came up frequently in the NFIDC annual 
monitoring discussions.
42 Members' Table NF:1 notifications43 include information on the level of 
                                               
38 Accessible at http://www.foodassistanceconvention.org/convention/FoodAssistance.pdf . Please also 
see paragraph 2.10 of this note for additional detail s on the FAC. Submission by the IGC made at the 
November 2014 annual monitoring also includes deta ils about the thrust and activities of the FAC 
(G/AG/GEN/124). 
39 "International Food aid" section on pages 6-7 of document WT/MIN(15)/45 and WT/L/915 refers. 
40 Refer specifically to paragraphs 28 and 30 of document WT/MIN(15)/45 and WT/L/915. 
41 "Eligible country" and "eligibl e vulnerable populations" are defined in Article 4 of the FAC. 
42 Refer, for example, to paragraph 2.5 of G/AG/R/76. G/AG/W/42/Rev.18 
 
- 12 - 
 
  concessionality of the respective food aid deliver ies to LDCs and NFIDCs. Most notifying Members 
have notified the provision of food aid to the countries concerned in fully grant form. In the case of the United States, the proportion of food aid in fully grant form ranged between 83% to 100% 
during 1995/1996-2002/2003, with the remainder being provided in accordance with the relevant 
FAC guidelines. For reporting years 2003/2004-2007/2008, the United States indicated in its 
notification
44 that: 
"Title I aid is provided in fully grant form or on long-term concessional terms in 
accordance with Food Aid Convention guidelines. Aid under Food for Education, 
Title II, Title III, Food for Progress and Section 416(b) Programs is provided in fully grant form." 
2.31.  In the agriculture negotiations under 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 at Nairobi 
requires Members to ensure that all international food aid is in fully-grant form.
45 
2.2  Technical and financial assistance 
2.32.  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) 
2.33.  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 to improve their agricultural productivity and infrastructure. 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 assistance by Members under paragraph 3(iii) of the NFIDC Decision is reported in their Table NF:1 notifications. 
This notified information has not been recaptured or summarized in this background note and 
should be consulted by directly accessing the specific Table NF:1 notifications
46 by donor Members. 
During the November 2010 annual monitoring exercise, the European Union and Switzerland reported on their respective food assistance policy frameworks as well as specific actions to assist 
developing countries in meeting food security challenges.
47 On the occasion of the annual 
monitoring in November 2012, the United States  informed the Committee about the changes that 
had occurred in its food assistance programme. The United States specifically referred to the steps 
taken by the government to significantly improve targeting through the use of more robust food 
security needs assessments, market analysis and post-distribution impact assessments. Such assessments minimized the possibility of commercial trade displacement while reducing the 
potential for beneficiary populations to develop a food assistance dependency.
48 
2.34.  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 organizations, including the World Bank, the FAO, IFAD, the UNDP and 
                                                                                                                                               
43 See Annex 1 for the releva nt notification symbols. 
44 See G/AG/N/USA/65 and G/ AG/N/USA/76. A note along similar lines is included in Table NF:1 
notifications for reporting years 2008/09-2012/13 (G/AG/N/USA/83, G/AG/N/USA/90, G/AG/N/USA/97, G/AG/N/USA/98 and G/AG/N/USA/105 refer). With regard to Title I aid, the United States clarified during the 
review process of the Committee at its November 2012 me eting that "the concession al financing mechanism of 
Title I of the Food for Peace Act has not been used since 2006" (G/AG/W/106 refers). 
45 Subparagraph 23.b of document WT/MIN(15)/45 and WT/L/915 refers. 
46 Table NF:1 notifications may be acce ssed from the WTO public website at 
http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/agric_e/ag_work_e.htm . 
47 See G/AG/GEN/94. 
48 Paragraph 2.5 of G/AG/R/67 refers. G/AG/W/42/Rev.18 
 
- 13 - 
 
  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 under such 
facilities and programmes as may be introduced."
49 
2.35.  The initial responses from the African Development Bank, the European Investment Bank, 
FAO and the World Bank were circulated in 2002.50 Since then, a number of IGOs have updated 
the Committee on Agriculture on their respective initiatives and action plans in this area. 
2.36.  The IMF renewed its commitment to providing assistance to developing countries in capacity 
building and in coping with balance-of-payment shortfalls resulting from multilateral trade 
liberalization.51 During the global food and financial crisis in 2007/08, the IMF undertook a number 
of internal reform measures which, inter alia , boosted its capacity to provide financial assistance to 
low-income developing countries with a more flexible framework for structural conditionality, while 
lending facilities were revamped. The reform measur es included higher concessionality in financial 
support and zero interest payments through the end of 2011 on new and outstanding concessional loans. The IMF also stepped up its technical assistance programme predominantly through a 
network of regional technical assistance centres, thus contributing to effective surveillance and 
building capacity for policymaking.
52 In November 2010, the IMF reported having provided around 
US$189 billion in financial support to emerging and developing countries since the beginning of the crisis. Furthermore, the regional technical assistance network in Africa and Central Asia was 
strengthened.
53 During the November 2012 annual monitori ng, the IMF reiterated the commitment 
to maintain its focus on low-income countries (LIC) in Fund's technical assistance programmes. It further informed the Committee that the demand fr om LICs for concessional financing remained 
high with annual commitments averaging about US$2 billion during 2010-2012.
54 
2.37.  The World Bank offers assistance to developing countries towards increasing agricultural 
productivity. The Bank's Agricultural Action Pl an for 2010-2012 emphasizes increased support to 
raising agricultural productivity as one of its pr iority areas. In the financial year 2011, overall 
World Bank Group lending to agriculture and rela ted sectors amounted to US$5.8 billion including 
US$2.2 billion contributed by the International Fina nce Corporation (IFC). The Bank also provides 
assistance through better technology, trade, and ai d to address the long-term challenges of food 
security. It views access to global agricultural markets as critical to achieving long-term food 
security. In that context, the Bank also emphasiz es the role of improvements in trade facilitation 
infrastructure in creating incentives for augmenting food production in more fertile areas, reducing 
cost of food staples and further integrating markets.  Its Trade Facilitation Facility can be used to 
finance specific interventions. As one of the larges t donors of Aid-for-Trade, the World Bank is also 
committed to supporting countries in need of trade finance and technical expertise.55 
2.38.  Through its Purchase for Progress (P4P) initiative, the WFP purchases food directly from 
farmers and provides technical expertise to farmers in the field of agricultural and market development. In November 2010, the WFP reported having trained more than 17,300 farmers and warehouse operators under the P4P programme. Similar positive feedback was reported to the 
Committee on Agriculture in November 2011, including with respect to the improvement of 
agricultural potential in developing countries and the development of innovative insurance schemes to manage risks arising from climate change. Underlining the importance of such ex ante  
measures to build resilience against extreme weather events, WFP observed that farmers in China 
and Ethiopia already benefitted from these WFP products.
56 
2.39.  The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) reported on its efforts 
towards improving agricultural productivity and fo od security in Latin America and the Caribbean. 
In this context the IICA, described its 2010-2014 Medium-Term Plan where one of the objectives 
                                               
49 G/AG/11, Part B para graph 3 II(b) refers. 
50 See G/AG/W/57 and G/AG/W/57/Add.1. 
51 See G/AG/GEN/71, G/AG/GEN/76 and G/AG/GEN/78. 
52 See G/AG/GEN/90. 
53 See G/AG/GEN/94. 
54 See G/AG/GEN/107. 
55 See G/AG/GEN/90 and G/AG/GEN/96. 
56 See G/AG/GEN/94 and G/AG/GEN/100. G/AG/W/42/Rev.18 
 
- 14 - 
 
  of the Plan is to raise agriculture's contribution to food security. The IICA also reported on various 
technical cooperation mechanisms and projects in Latin America and Caribbean countries organizing them based on the four dimensions of f ood security (i.e. availability, access, utilization 
and stability).
57 
2.40.  The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in its contribution 
during the 2014 annual monitoring emphasized the role of complementary policies that enhance investment in social infrastructure (such as health and education) along with broader 
macroeconomic policies aimed at promoting growth. Referring specifically to the nutritional 
dimension of food security, the role of complementary policy measures in the form of public services and social safety nets was also underli ned. In this context, the OECD dwelt on the 
potential role of Official Development Assistan ce (ODA) towards the provision of public goods 
aimed at improving food and nutrition security in developing countries.
58 
2.3  Differential treatment in the framew ork of an agreement on export credits 
2.41.  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-importing developing countries". (paragraph 4 of the NFIDC Decision) 
2.42.  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 Agri culture 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 has been undertaken bo th in the regular meetings of the Committee on 
Agriculture and in the Special Session negotiations on the basis, inter alia , of the proposals that 
have been tabled and other inputs, including with  respect to special and differential treatment in 
favour of developing countries.
59 
2.43.  At MC-10 at Nairobi, the Ministers adopted the Decision on export competition which, inter 
alia, includes disciplines in the area of export cr edits, export credit guarantees or insurance 
programmes. Provisions towards a more favourable treatment of least-developed and net food-
importing developing countries are included under " Special and Differential Treatment " (S&D) part 
of the disciplines.60  
2.4  Access to the resources of the international financial institutions 
2.44.  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 levels 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 address 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 President of the World Bank (MTN.GNG/NG14/W/35)". (paragraph 5 of the NFIDC Decision) 
2.4.1  Ability to finance commercial imports 
2.45.  In 2002, the Inter-agency panel report pr ovided a detailed examination of the question of 
financing food imports by NFIDCs and LDCs.
61 The LDC Group organized a Conference on WTO 
                                               
57 See G/AG/GEN/93, G/AG/GEN/97, G/AG/GEN/111 and G/AG/GEN/121. 
58 See G/AG/GEN/123 and G/AG/GEN/123/Corr.1. 
59 See, for example, G/AG/16 and G/AG/16/Add.1. 
60 Refer specifically to paragraph 17 of WT/MIN(15)/45 and WT/L/915. 
61 See WT/GC/62 – G/AG/13, in particular, Chapter II,  Section A and the Conclusions in Chapter III. See 
also the contribution by UNCT AD in G/AG/GEN/68, pp. 16-18. G/AG/W/42/Rev.18 
 
- 15 - 
 
  rules and the food crisis in Geneva on 17 July 2008 in partnership with a research and 
development organization focusing on global issues.62 
2.46.  Cereals and oilseeds (including vegetable oils) remain among the most important food 
commodities in the import basket of the NFIDC s and LDCs. Chart 5 below shows the Grains and 
Oilseeds Index (GOI) of the IGC during the period 2000-2016. The GOI has been developed by the 
IGC in January 2011 and is considered as a good indicator for measuring global grains and oilseeds price movements. Cereals contribute to more than  65% of the GOI composition. The chart depicts 
strengthening of world grain prices in the course of 2006, reaching a peak in February 2008. 
Subsequently, at the outset of the global financ ial and economic downturn, these prices declined, 
whilst still remaining above 2006 levels. The global grain prices experienced another surge from July 2010 onwards. An unexpected crop failure in some major exporting countries followed by 
national responses and speculative behaviour were amongst the main factors considered 
responsible for the escalation of world grain prices  and the observed price volatility. Prices started 
to recede in early September 2011. In 2012, an upward trend in agricultural commodity prices was 
again noticed primarily due to tighter markets and adverse weather conditions in some of the 
important grains and oilseeds producing countries. While the situation was not deemed to be an impending food crisis, an enhanced role for market information and transparency was 
emphasized.
63 Starting from the latter part of 2012, cereal and oilseed prices have been on a 
declining trend as evident in chart 5 below. The weakening of grains and oilseeds prices continued during 2014-15 driven primarily by favourable harv est and production prospects, higher inventory 
levels in respect of major food grains an d a sluggish or moderate global demand.  
Chart 5: The IGC Grains and Oilseeds Index (GOI)* (2000-2015) 
050100150200250300350
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 
* IGC Grains and Oilseeds Index composition: wheat (30%), maize (22%), barley (4%), sorghum (2%), 
rice (8%), soybeans (31%), rapeseed/canola (2%). See http://www.igc.int  for more details. 
January 2000 = 100 
Source: International Grains Council (IGC). 
 
                                               
62 The full report is contained in document G/AG/GEN/77 dated 11 November 2008. See also 
WT/COMTD/LDC/W/43 on the impact of price rises on LDCs. 
63 See, for example, FAO's press release of 6 September 2012 at 
http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/155659/icode/  G/AG/W/42/Rev.18 
 
- 16 - 
 
  2.47.  At various stages of the Committee's a nnual monitoring exercise, international observer 
organizations have commented on the development of international food prices and their impacts 
on LDCs and NFIDCs.64 They also reported on various actions that they undertake in response to 
food security-related risks arising from developments in food prices and food price volatility.  
2.48.   The food security situation in LDCs and NFIDCs is being monitored by FAO on a regular 
basis, notably with regard to overall trends in cereal imports and cereal import bills. The focus of FAO reports to the Committee also remains on developments in food price volatility and their 
potential impact on LDCs and NFIDCs. The FAO has also reported on the declining proportion of 
food aid in total cereal imports of LDCs and NFIDC s compared to much higher food aid shares that 
existed in early 2000s. In addition to briefing Members on the rising cost of food import bills in developing countries and LDCs, FAO also reported on the role and functioning of the Agricultural 
Market Information System (AMIS) as well as the price transmission scenarios in various countries 
for select cereals.
65 
2.49.  In November 2009, WFP reported in detail on the activities and initiatives aimed at 
addressing global food insecurity and malnutri tion. The WFP had allocated 72% of development 
and relief resources to LDCs and 93% to low-income net food-deficit countries in 2008. WFP also deployed innovative, targeted food safety-net programmes in some beneficiary countries like 
school feeding, mother-and-child health and nutrition, targeted cash transfers and food vouchers, 
and local food purchases. The newly-created Forward Purchase Facility, where food was purchased on the basis of aggregated projected needs for a region, enabled WFP to save resources by making food purchases when prices were favourable. The WFP underlined that its vulnerability analysis 
and mapping was particularly important to develop an effective response in the event of food crisis 
and natural disasters. An "Economic Shock and Hunger Index" (ESHI) was developed to identify vulnerable countries as a result of the global financial and economic crisis. During the 2011 annual 
monitoring, the WFP brought to Committee's attention the negative effects of export-limiting 
measures on WFP's procurement of humanitarian food.
66 
2.50.  During the 2014 annual monitoring, the OECD  elaborated on the role of trade to food 
security paying specific attention to the dimensions of availability  and accessibility . Referring to net 
agricultural trade data, the OECD noted that th e trade balance deficit of LDCs and NFIDCs has 
grown constantly and that the increase in imports compared to exports is particularly noticeable in NFIDCs. Reporting on food imports trends as a share of total merchandise imports, the OECD 
simultaneously pointed that the relative cost of food imports in the total import bill has been falling 
implying that meeting the cost of food import bills has become less onerous over time.
67 
2.51.  During the global financial crisis beginning in 2008 which resulted, inter alia , in serious 
shortage of trade finance, the WTO worked with other multilateral and regional organizations to 
mobilize various actors to shoulder some of the risk arising from private sector financing (which accounts for close to 80% of the market) and redu ce the gap between demand and supply of trade 
finance. In this context, it was observed that the scarcity of trade finance could lead to a slowdown 
of trade as well as production and could constrain the developing and low-income countries from participating fully in international trade. The development of trade financing infrastructure has also been pursued under the Aid-for-Trade initiative. On 25 October 2011, having considered the 
situation of low income countries, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, in consultation 
with the WTO and other relevant organizations,  adopted technical changes to the regulatory 
regime of trade finance.
68 
2.52.  The S&D disciplines in the area of export credits, export credit guarantees or insurance 
programmes included in the MC-10 Decision on ex port competition also acknowledge and address 
"exceptional circumstances" that may be faced by LDCs and NFIDCs in respect of financing of 
                                               
64 See, for example, the observations by the FAO, IGC, OECD, WFP, IMF, UNCTAD and World Bank on 
rising food prices and possible impact s on LDCs and NFIDCs. The statements  and contributions by international 
observer organizations can be found in the G/AG/GEN/-- document series. 
65 See the statement by the FAO contained in G/AG/GEN/98, G/AG/GEN/106, G/AG/GEN/114 and 
G/AG/GEN/122. 
66 See G/AG/GEN/90, G/AG/GEN/94 and G/AG/GEN/110. 
67 See G/AG/GEN/123 and G/AG/GEN/123/Corr.1. 
68 For more details, see http://www.bis.org/publ/bcbs205.pdf . G/AG/W/42/Rev.18 
 
- 17 - 
 
  normal levels of commercial imports of basic foodstuffs and/or in accessing loans by financial 
institutions.69 
2.4.2  Access to the facilities of the IMF and the World Bank 2.53.  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.
70 
2.54.  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 members that may arise from higher world food prices. "
71 
2.55.  In November 2009, the IMF described its reformed lending framework72 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. The PRGT has three lending windows: (i) the Extended Credit Facility (ECF), which helps to address 
medium-term balance of payments needs; (ii) the Standby Credit Facility (SCF), which can help 
the low-income countries that do not face protracted BoP problems but need occasional assistance; and (iii) the Rapid Credit Facility (RCF), which provides assistance during urgent 
financing needs with limited conditionality. In 2010, IMF members agreed to raise loan and 
subsidy contributions for the PRGT up to US$ 17 billion to assist the low-income countries. Towards its continuing efforts for crisis prevention in emerging economies, the IMF introduced a new Precautionary Credit Line (PCL) for countries with sound economic policies and moderate 
vulnerabilities. Simultaneously, the existing Flexib le Credit Line (FCL) fa cility was reformed to 
allow for a more flexible access for a longer period of time.
73 In November 2012, the IMF informed 
the Committee about additional strengthening and streamlining of its various concessional 
financing and lending instruments. The IMF al so considered that the reformed financing 
architecture was better tailored to diverse 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$534 billion (gross) and disbursed US$154 billion.
74 
2.56.  The position of the World Bank 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 Uruguay 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 demands 
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 least developed and net food-importing 
countries. The Working Group reviewed the rang e 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 impa cts expected to arise as a consequence of 
the Round, and the difficulty involved in distinguishing Uruguay Round impacts from 
                                               
69 Paragraph 17 of WT/MIN(15)/45 and WT/L/915 refers. 
70 See WT/GC/62 – G/AG/13. 
71 See G/AG/GEN/49, page 8. 
72 See G/AG/GEN/90. 
73 See G/AG/GEN/94. 
74 See G/AG/GEN/107. G/AG/W/42/Rev.18 
 
- 18 - 
 
  other shocks, it did not seem appropriate to establish a special Uruguay Round 
adjustment facility." (G/AG/GEN/15, page 3) 
2.57.  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 its 
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 farm and at government level. According to the World Bank , food insecurity was best addressed through 
programmes designed to raise the purchasing po wer of the poor; reduce their exposure to 
negative income shocks; and improve the functionin g of the global food distribution and food aid 
systems.
75 
2.58.  In November 2009, the World Bank reported on the launching of a Global Food Crisis 
Response Programme (GFRP) in 2008 to mitigate the effects of soaring costs and to help countries 
adapt to higher and more volatile food prices. In  response to continued concerns about food price 
volatility in 2010, the Bank reinstated the expedite d recourse to GFRP till June 2012. By the end of 
October 2011, GFRP support of around US$1.5 billion had been distributed for operations in 
47 countries to improve short-term smallholder supply response, social protection and nutrition intervention, price stabilization, including support to reduce import duties and the creation of food 
taxes. Since then, additional crisis response mechanisms had been established, including the Horn 
of Africa Regional Drought Response Plan and the Rapid Social Response Programme targeting both short-term measures (called the Rapid Respon se phase) as well measures towards economic 
recovery and resilience. In 2011, the Bank informed the Committee that an allocation of 
US$288 million would be made towards increasing livelihood protection as a rapid response 
measure under the Horn Regional Drought Response Plan.
76 
                                               
75 See, for example, G/AG/GEN/71 ( pp. 15-17) for a detailed descripti on of ex ante risk management 
systems (price related and weather re lated) and recently-launched joint WFP-World Bank pilot projects; and 
G/AG/GEN/73. 
76 See the contributions of the World Bank in G/AG/GEN/90 and G/AG/GEN/96.  
  G/AG/W/42/Rev.18  
 
- 19 - Annex 1: List of notifications under Arti cle 16.2 of the Agreement on Agriculture (T able NF:1) for the reporting years 1995-201 4 
Year Argentina Australia Ca nada Cuba European 
Union Japan New Zealand Norway Russian 
Federation South Africa Switzerl and 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 CUB/14 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 CUB/18 EEC/35 JPN/68 NZL/26 NOR/33  ZAF/32 CHE/30 USA/31 
2000 ARG/15 AUS/39 CAN/52 CUB/18 EEC/35 JPN/78 NZL/30 NOR/34 & 
Corr.1  ZAF/39 CHE/30 USA/46 
2001 ARG/21 AUS/48 CAN/52 CUB/22 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 CUB/36 EEC/50 JPN/125 & 
Corr.1 NZL/40 NOR/42  ZAF/56 CHE/39 & 
Corr.1 USA/56 
2004  AUS/60 CAN/67 CUB/36 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 CUB/36 EEC/56 JPN/144 NZL/56 & 
Corr.1 NOR/44  ZAF/67 CHE/39 & 
Corr.1 USA/65 
2006  AUS/71 CAN/81 CUB/34 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 CUB/38 EU/3 JPN/160 NZL/60 NOR/54/Rev.1  ZAF/72 CHE/53 USA/76 
2009  AUS/84 CAN/93 CUB/41 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  NZL/82 NOR/70  ZAF/82  USA/98 
2013    CUB/48 EU/21   NOR/79  ZAF/82  USA/105 
2014        NOR/84 RUS/7    
Note: A blank cell indicates that no notification was received fo r the reporting year concerned. An annual NF notification requ irement is applicable only when actions within the 
framework of the NFIDC Decision are taken in  the relevant year. A "nil return" is not required in the absence of such actions. 
 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.18  
 
- 20 - Annex 2: Global food aid deliveries, 2005-20 14 (actual quantities, thousand tonnes) 
RECIPIENT REGION/COUNTRY 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 LDC NFIDC MEM 
TOTAL 7,932.7 6,674.6 5,773.3 6,266.1 6,071.0 6,675.3 4,690.7 4,740.0 2,776.1 2,836.5  
   
Least Developed Countries  4,860.5 3,958.7  3,314.3  4,412.6  4,077.3  4,524.5  3,079.5 3,392.4  1,872.3  1,774.1  
   
Net Food-Importing Developing 
Countries  711.5 1,017.9  545.9  526.5  814.8  1,525.4  1,097.4 712.3  484.6  443.9     
Sub-Saharan Africa 4,482.3 3,862.2 3,095.5 3,997.9 3,932.3 4,009.4 3,007.7 3,032.6 1,645.1 1,496.0    
Angola 55.5 32.2 10.4 0.0 0.0 3.6 3.6 73.8 2.5 0.0 #  M 
Benin 14.9 14.6 7.1 11.4 18.6 19.2 24.9 9.0 4.6 0.5 #  M 
Burkina Faso 38.1 40.1 42.1 44.2 28.7 46.9 25.6 54.9 11.7 14.3 #  M 
Burundi 72.0 82.5 66.8 38.5 60.5 25.7 28.9 17.2 20.6 11.5 #  M 
Cameroon 13.6 11.2 5.5 15.1 10.6 36.6 17.6 14.5 7.0 8.0   M 
Cape Verde 28.5 28.1 4.9 11.7 18.1 16.3 4.2 6.7 0.0 0.0   M 
Central African Republic 4.4 10.3 28.3 14.9 23.8 14.6 28.1 9.1 13.2 17.4 #  M 
Chad 72.1 59.2 67.6 82.0 111.9 157.0 123.4 120.9 48.3 54.9 #  M 
Comoros  –  0.2  –   –  7.5  –  1.7  –   –   –  #   
Congo, Democratic Republic of 93.8 100.9 103.0 117.4 189.2 194.2 90.0 153.6 66.8 43.1 #  M 
Congo 8.4 8.5 16.2 3.6 7.0 9.3 9.2 11.0 6.3 3.2   M 
Côte d'Ivoire 32.7 23.2 26.3 14.7 34.7 14.6 32.9 27.3 14.7 4.9  N M 
Djibouti 18.8 11.8 8.5 10.9 23.5 12.0 11.8 18.3 11.5 8.9 #  M 
Eritrea 227.0 39.4 14.8 17.2 0.0  –  13.0  –   –   –  #   
Ethiopia 1,112.4 736.9 624.6 1,021.6 1,162.2 1,575.7 851.5 804.3 334.4 375.5 #   
The Gambia 11.2 13.4 8.2 4.0 4.8 24.6 2.4 33.8 4.8 0.3 #  M 
Ghana 62.1 50.7 38.7 42.6 39.6 10.4 28.9 40.8 6.9 8.3   M 
Guinea 37.8 27.2 18.8 42.8 15.6 9.3 11.8 3.1 4.2 16.4 #  M 
Guinea Bissau 10.5 6.7 15.4 8.2 3.1 12.2 6.4 7.3 6.2 5.5 #  M 
Kenya 148.2 370.5 261.1 245.2 307.8 260.0 368.5 202.3 123.9 110.6  N M 
Lesotho 38.6 22.4 36.9 16.9 8.0 6.8 10.7 16.1 2.2 1.7 #  M 
Liberia 94.8 63.3 43.5 40.5 29.6 30.6 100.4 97.7 2.2 8.0 #   
Madagascar 46.8 44.1 51.9 32.8 23.8 28.8 42.5 35.7 31.9 12.1 #  M 
Malawi 145.4 238.4 91.6 68.5 99.5 51.1 59.7 65.9 86.3 44.1 #  M 
Mali 39.0 37.7 46.0 22.2 30.1 30.8 39.0 102.1 85.7 66.7 #  M 
Mauritania 91.3 41.2 43.2 55.4 30.0 39.0 14.4 44.9 14.1 5.9 #  M 
Mauritius  –   –   –   –   –   –  0.0  –   –   –   N M 
Mozambique 116.3 148.6 86.2 141.8 195.5 118.2 137.1 132.8 27.7 11.1 #  M 
Namibia 1.6 6.5 9.8 4.4 0.4 1.3 1.2 0.8  –   –   N M  
  G/AG/W/42/Rev.18  
 
- 21 - RECIPIENT REGION/COUNTRY 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 LDC NFIDC MEM 
Niger 138.3 91.3 77.0 60.6 48.9 217.2 71.3 151.1 66.3 53.6 #  M 
Nigeria 19.5  –   –   –   –   –  2.2 0.2 0.2 1.8   M 
Rwanda 40.4 49.3 25.7 24.9 28.3 11.6 17.4 11.6 12.6 14.7 #  M 
Sao Tomé and Principe 4.7 1.3 1.6 7.2 5.2 3.8 4.2 4.5 0.4 0.3 #   
Senegal 29.9 15.0 27.9 29.5 21.6 59.1 15.2 74.5 29.4 21.0 # N M 
Seychelles   –   –   –  3.5  –   –   –   –   –   –    M 
Sierra Leone 36.0 31.0 30.1 30.7 20.2 30.9 19.8 13.5 4.9 12.6 #  M 
Somalia 39.3 203.2 109.6 366.9 300.9 122.4 234.8 219.1 103.9 48.4 #   
South Africa  –   –   –   –   –  0.0  –  0.0  –   –    M 
South Sudan  –   –   –   –   –  0.3 28.1 108.4 86.9 179.6 #   
Sudan 913.2 590.8 492.6 672.8 559.7 563.2 278.8 199.0 258.7 203.6 #   
Swaziland 11.5 15.8 16.1 17.9 3.0 5.7 15.3 7.3 1.9  –   N M 
Tanzania 115.0 93.8 78.1 84.5 32.3 52.2 82.8 40.6 45.3 52.5 #  M 
Togo 0.6 0.7 2.1 6.2 25.3 1.0 17.8  –  0.2  –  #  M 
Uganda 281.8 257.2 261.5 190.1 141.0 94.1 81.1 57.4 28.1 51.7 #  M 
Zambia 143.4 108.4 40.1 32.1 17.8 16.7 4.1 4.6 14.7 9.0 #  M 
Zimbabwe 73.1 134.5 155.7 342.2 244.2 82.6 45.7 36.5 54.0 14.4   M 
Asia 2,372.0 1,346.5 1,708.8 1,514.5 1,432.4 1,827.4 1,012.5 1,091.0 513.6 621.9    
Afghanistan 207.3 160.5 224.7 314.8 208.1 147.2 175.2 106.3 73.9 61.6 #   
Bangladesh 293.5 228.0 221.1 333.2 166.0 209.8 102.6 189.9 76.7 106.1 #  M 
Bhutan 2.2 1.3 3.3 4.1 2.0 4.1 3.3 2.6 3.5 1.6 #   
Cambodia 23.8 27.5 31.9 43.8 35.1 22.2 30.7 27.0 9.3 12.6 #  M 
China 49.0 – – 1.2 – 0.3 – – – 0.6   M 
India 96.0 147.0 115.9 50.7 53.7 12.5 17.8 18.9 3.0 3.7   M 
Indonesia 173.9 91.0 33.9 8.9 9.4 1.1 2.9 1.7 0.2 0.2   M 
Korea, Democratic Republic 1,097.3 307.5 720.5 375.2 300.7 104.2 62.1 372.6 37.3 21.0    
Lao People's Democratic Republic 19.2 12.7 19.5 15.4 18.4 16.1 5.8 4.3 8.2 3.1 #  M 
Maldives 8.7 6.2 6.6 4.7 17.4 9.0 9.0 – – –  N M 
Mongolia 54.8 9.3 33.4 27.3 25.0 0.0 0.0 16.2 0.1 –  N M 
Myanmar 16.5 27.4 25.9 106.1 78.4 33.1 35.5 52.4 69.1 58.2 #  M 
Nepal 56.4 65.8 50.0 74.6 58.0 39.3 23.0 39.1 8.9 5.2 #  M 
Pakistan 30.1 170.9 21.5 56.9 294.8 1,065.5 462.5 210.4 182.3 260.2  N M 
Philippines 120.6 18.9 109.0 15.3 72.6 88.5 21.1 30.2 32.8 82.5   M 
Sri Lanka 120.4 61.7 77.4 73.6 85.4 68.9 43.3 15.7 8.3 5.1  N M 
Thailand 0.8 – – – 0.0 0.0 0.1 – 0.0 –   M 
Timor-Leste 1.3 10.9 14.3 8.5 7.7 5.7 17.6 3.6 0.1 0.2 #    
  G/AG/W/42/Rev.18  
 
- 22 - RECIPIENT REGION/COUNTRY 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 LDC NFIDC MEM 
Viet Nam – – – – – – 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0   M 
Eastern Europe & CIS  270.8 378.0 303.1 108.9 78.2 44.2 14.4 4.8 1.6 2.3    
Albania  4.3  –   –   –   –  0.0 0.0  –   –   –    M 
Armenia 16.2 9.0 84.5 8.4 6.2 1.2 0.4 0.0 0.0  –    M 
Azerbaijan 9.2 90.6 41.2 1.9 0.0  –  0.0  –   –  0.0    
Bosnia and Herzegovina  –   –   –  0.0 0.0  –   –   –   –   –     
Bulgaria 0.1  –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –    M 
Georgia 15.3 30.7 77.7 13.0 15.8 0.9 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0   M 
Kazakhstan  –  4.5 1.0  –   –   –   –   –   –   –    M 
Kyrgyz Republic 139.3 26.2 58.1 0.3 16.4 34.2 12.8 3.0 1.1 0.7   M 
Moldova 8.2 28.0 9.4 45.9  –  0.0 0.0  –   –   –    M 
Romania 0.0  –   –   –   –  0.0 0.0  –   –   –    M 
Russian Federation 20.5 17.5 13.5 8.8 0.3  –  0.0 0.0  –  0.6   M 
Serbia & Montenegro 0.0  –   –  0.0 0.1  –  0.0  –   –   –     
Tajikistan 57.8 171.6 17.8 30.6 39.4 7.9 1.1 1.7 0.5 0.8   M 
Ukraine 0.0  –   –   –   –  0.0 0.0 0.0  –  0.2   M 
Uzbekistan  –   –   –   –  0.0  –  0.0  –   –   –     
Middle East & North Africa  185.6 477.3 328.3 315.9 302.1 269.1 388.0 473.0 586.8 624.5    
Algeria  32.0 20.5 22.9 32.0 20.5 36.8 35.4 34.0 27.4 23.2    
Cyprus  –   –  0.2  –   –   –   –   –   –   –    M 
Egypt 11.6 29.4 2.3 5.6 1.7 3.1 10.5 5.0 6.1 6.7  N M 
Iran 2.4 0.7 1.0 1.4 3.5 4.6 5.1 2.1 3.9 3.1    
Iraq 32.8 58.4 47.3 46.3 19.6 6.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 20.9    
Israel  –   –   –   –  1.1  –  0.6 0.0 0.0  –    M 
Jordan 3.3 110.5 4.4 6.7 4.3 0.0 50.1 5.5 72.6 11.6  N M 
Lebanon 12.0 35.7 1.9 4.2 1.6 0.8 0.0 3.0 4.5 2.8    
Libya  –   –   –   –   –   –  44.8 2.9 0.0 0.7    
Morocco  –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   N M 
Palestinian Territory 64.0 117.5 185.3 148.8 176.4 100.9 137.1 133.3 49.7 52.3    
Syria 7.9 4.3 7.8 44.6 29.1 25.1 3.5 59.9 263.6 341.0    
Tunisia  –   –   –   –   –   –  10.8  –   –   –   N M 
Yemen 19.5 100.2 55.1 26.4 44.4 91.1 89.8 226.9 158.6 162.2 #  M 
Latin America & the Caribbean  622.3 623.8 337.7 328.9 330.6 532.0 341.8 246.6 139.0 91.9    
Barbados   –  0.2  –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   N M 
Belize  –   –  0.1 0.0  –   –   –   –   –   –    M 
Bolivia, Plurinational State of  59.2 110.9 54.6 10.9 21.0 8.4 7.1 2.2 0.9 2.7   M  
  G/AG/W/42/Rev.18  
 
- 23 - RECIPIENT REGION/COUNTRY 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 LDC NFIDC MEM 
Brazil  –   –   –   –  0.0  –   –   –   –   –    M 
Chile  –   –   –   –   –  0.2 0.1  –   –   –    M 
Colombia 14.0 17.5 18.1 19.8 17.1 15.7 29.6 8.5 6.4 9.3   M 
Cuba 7.0 4.4 2.9 1.4 5.2 1.4 0.7 50.5 1.3 0.4  N M 
Dominican Republic 0.3 12.0  –  2.8 2.8 25.2 11.9 50.2 24.5 17.3  N M 
Ecuador 43.2 31.3 0.8 2.7 0.6 3.2 2.0 1.2 1.3 0.3   M 
El Salvador 66.2 18.7 3.8 1.1 1.1 5.1 32.4 4.1 1.9 1.0  N M 
Guatemala 67.5 107.6 42.4 31.2 71.9 75.4 71.3 22.4 33.5 19.5   M 
Guyana 0.1  –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –    M 
Haiti 137.4 111.3 107.4 188.6 192.4 383.3 114.0 55.1 33.7 18.5 #  M 
Honduras 96.7 95.8 40.7 26.2 8.8 6.5 33.1 42.4 17.6 5.2  N M 
Jamaica 11.0 3.6 1.3  –   –   –   –   –   –   –   N M 
Mexico  –  0.1  –  0.2  –   –   –   –   –   –    M 
Nicaragua 42.4 46.3 55.1 35.6 8.8 7.6 39.6 8.2 17.1 17.6   M 
Panama  –   –   –   –  0.0  –   –   –   –   –    M 
Paraguay  –   –   –   –  0.0  –   –  1.7 0.6 0.1   M 
Peru 77.5 64.3 10.4 8.5 0.8 0.1 0.1  –   –   –   N M 
Note: LDC: Least-developed country (#). 
 NFIDC: Net food-importing developing country, as listed in G/AG/5/Rev.10 dated 23 March 2012 (N).  MEM: WTO Member (M).  Entry "-" refers to nil food aid amount wher eas "0.0" refers to insignificant amounts.  
Source: WFP. Data for 2013 and 2014 are provisional. 
 
 
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