G/AG/W/240  
 
19 July 2023  
(23-4926) Page: 1/8 
Committee on Agriculture  Original: English  
 
WORK PROGRAMME PURSUANT TO  PARAGRAPH 8 OF THE MINISTERIAL DECLARATION 
ON THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO FOOD INSECURITY  
REPORT1 BY THE WORKING GROUP COORDINATOR  
1  INTRODUCTION  
1.1.  The Ministers at the Twelfth Session of the Ministerial Conference (MC12) instructed the 
Committee on Agriculture to undertake a dedicated work programme to examine ways for the 
Decision on Measures Concerning the Possible Negative Effects of the Reform Programme on 
Least -Developed and Net Food -Importing Develo ping Countries ( Marrakesh Decision ) to be made 
more effective and operational and to, inter alia , consider the needs of least developed 
countries  (LDCs ) and Net Food Importing Developing Countries (NFIDCs) to increase their resilience 
in responding to acute food instability by considering the best possible use of flexibilities to bolster 
their agricultural production and enhance their domestic food secur ity as needed in an emergency. 
The Committee took this responsibility very seriously and commenced discussions on the elaboration 
of the work programme at its June 2022 meeting just a few weeks after MC12.  
1.2.  The mandate provided by the Ministers to develop this dedicated work programme constitutes 
an important  moment for this Committee and the WTO to collectively examine one of the most 
protracted global challenges of our times with a particular focus on the most vulnerable countries, 
namely the LDCs and NFI DCs. In practical terms, this was also the first occasion for this Committee, 
or even for any WTO body, to engage in a holistic discussion on the multifaceted theme of food 
security with the aim of developing an effective dedicated work programme. After so me initial 
thorough deliberations on the possible scoping of the work programme, Members fully engaged, 
discussed all relevant issues, and shared their perspectives on how the global international 
architecture in general and the multilateral trading system , in particular, could collectively address 
food security objectives and consider the needs of LDCs and NFIDCs, especially in emergency 
situations. The origin of these discussions and the prevailing global context of a food security crisis 
elicited specifi c attention to the notion of 'resilience'2. I would like to underline that the WTO 
Membership could collectively agree relatively quickly on the overall thematic contours of discussions 
to be pursued under the mandated food security work programme, as con tained in G/AG/35 . The 
four agreed themes under the work programme - namely access to international food markets; 
financing of food imports; agricultural and production resilience of LDCs and NFIDCs; and select 
horizontal issues - also underline the importance of 'resilience'.  
1.3.  It is encouraging that several international organizations as well as private sector stakeholders 
have shown strong commitment in supporting the deliberations on the work programme. To address 
food security challenges, international organiza tions have to enhance their exchange of information 
and experiences, and forge new alliances on shared objectives, while recognizing each other's 
respective mandates, roles and added values. The work programme has reinvigorated and 
strengthened the coopera tion between the WTO and organizations such as the United Nations Food 
and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), International 
Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Grains Council (IGC), World Bank, 
International Monetary Fund (IMF), Organization for Economic Cooperation and 
Development  (OECD) and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). I am 
convinced that this cooperation is itself an important accomplishment that cannot be 
 
1 This report was previously circulated as RD/AG/113  dated 3 July 2023.  
2 For a holistic definition of resilience, please refer to the on UN Common Guidance in Building Resilient 
Societies at https://unsdg.un.org/sites/default/files/2021 -09/UN -Resilience -Guidance -Final-Sept.pdf . G/AG/W/240  
 
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  underes timated. This interagency engagement offers an opportunity for the WTO and its Members 
to benefit from the work of these organizations; an in -depth understanding of activities by such 
organizations also reinforces priority -setting on matters to be elaborat ed by the WTO itself.  It also 
offers opportunities to develop further responses to needs and challenges, as put forward by 
Members, which require harmonised or collective action by these organizations.  
1.4.  The detailed responses of Members to the Questionnaire3 on the needs and challenges of LDCs 
and NFIDCs, as ably summarized by the Secretariat in its compilation4, has been a key input to our 
discussions. Similarly, the detailed background note5 by the Secretariat on the 'Treatment of LDCs 
and NFIDCs under WTO Agriculture Rules' has informed Members' deliberations on the 'flexibility' 
component of these rules. The table in Annex 1 to this report reflects the chronology of discussions 
and the prog ress made thus far under the work programme. The Secretariat has also usefully set 
up a dedicated new webpage6 on the work programme. Considering the wide -ranging perspectives 
among Members on food security, and the complexity in dealing with this challen ging theme in the 
WTO, the collective and thorough engagement in the Committee under the work programme, as 
reflected in these various documents, is already an important achievement for our current and future 
reflections on food security. Members have coll ectively set the timeline of end -November 2023 to 
conclude the work programme and arrive at some common recommendations.  
1.5.  Now that I am about to complete my tenure in Geneva, I would like to sincerely thank you all 
for the trust and confidence reposed in m e. I have been committed to discharge the functions 
assigned to me as the Coordinator of the Working Group. I would like to congratulate you all for 
your active engagement in the rich and interesting debates under the work programme on several 
specific ele ments and themes supported by detailed workshops and expert sessions. We are 
temporally almost in the middle of the work programme, and it is my considered view that we have 
made good progress in our discussions. Simultaneously, this progress may be deemed  fragile, as 
nothing has been formally agreed or adopted.  
1.6.  With the approaching final deadline of November 2023, the work programme will enter a critical 
phase after the summer break. In order to assist your efforts, I would like to offer my thoughts and 
reflections on possible areas of convergence emanating from the work programme. This is not an 
exhaustive list of possible deliverables; rather it is my rough estimate of potential convergence on 
various issues based on the discussions thus far. The purpose  of my suggestions is not to spring 
surprise or to impose consensus on you, but rather to sharpen the subsequent trajectory of 
discussions and encourage you to harvest tangible outcomes from the very rich debates and 
conversations under the work programme.  I would therefore request you to kindly take my 
suggestions below in this constructive spirit. I am confident that your continued engagement and 
intense deliberations post -summer break will only amplify the ambition and the scope of final 
recommendations.   
2  SUGGESTED RECOMMENDATIONS ORGANIZED BY THEMATIC AREAS IN G/AG/35  
2.1.  As Coordinator, I would like to provide some indicative recommendations, which I consider to 
be highly relevant, and which in my view could be constructively considered by the Membership, 
given the mandate of, and remaining timeframe for the Working Group. T hese are all based on the 
submissions and deliberations conducted within the framework of the food security work programme, 
for your consideration. The Working Group could focus its work on these suggestions in order to 
continue deliberations in a structur ed manner and provide the required recommendations to the 
Committee on Agriculture by November 2023. These proposed recommendations are organized 
according to the thematic outline of the agreed work programme in G/AG/35 . 
2.1  Access to international food markets  
i. It may  be useful to reaffirm our collective understanding that in instituting any new 
export prohibitions and restrictions on foodstuffs in accordance with Article XI:2 (a) of 
the GATT 1994, Members shall give due consideration to the effects of such 
prohibition s and restrictions on importing Members' food security. During the 
 
3 G/AG/GEN/214 . 
4 G/AG/W/233 . 
5 G/AG/W/227 . 
6 https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/agric_e/wrkprog -fsldcs_e.htm . G/AG/W/240  
 
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  imposition of new export restrictions on foodstuffs, Members are encouraged to ensure 
that the choice of measure is commensurate with its domestic food security needs and 
that recourse to c omplete export prohibition should be the last option, rather than the 
first. Where any Member imposes a new export prohibition on foodstuffs consistent 
with WTO rules, the Member should keep the matter under review with a view, inter 
alia, to exploring the  adoption of less trade  restrictive options (e.g. export licensing or 
export quotas rather than outright prohibition), including the phasing out of the 
measure as soon as feasible.  
ii. In view of the overwhelming reliance of LDCs and NFIDCs on international m arkets for 
their domestic food needs, an understanding may be reached whereby a Member 
imposing export prohibitions and restrictions on foodstuffs commits to explore all 
practical means to allow exports of the relevant foodstuffs to these countries, 
partic ularly in response to specific requests from those who have been relying mostly 
on that Member for their food supplies and would find it difficult to source such food 
supplies from alternative markets.  
iii. Members may reaffirm their commitment to maintaining an adequate level of 
international food aid consistent with WTO rules, including the Nairobi Decision7 on 
Export Competition, to support the food needs of vulnerable countries, especially the 
LDCs and NFIDCs, during food shortages and emergencies. Simulta neously, Members 
may agree to enhance transparency and predictability of international food aid 
transactions, including by the WFP, through the following specific actions:  
a. Coordination among relevant regional and international organisations, and 
between fo od aid donor Members and governments of food aid recipient 
countries with respect to the organization and delivery of international food aid 
to ensure, inter alia, that food aid is needs -driven, and that disruptions to local 
or regional markets are elimina ted or minimized during such transactions.  
b. Clearing international food aid consignments within the shortest possible time 
through simplified customs procedures by food aid recipient Members, provided 
the relevant regulatory requirements have been met. Foll owing existing 
practices, it is also proposed to confirm that all Member exempt such 
non-commercial food aid consignments from the imposition of import duties and, 
to the extent practicable, from other taxes and levies, in recipient Members, in 
order to mi nimize the operational cost of international food aid transactions.  
c. Provision of detailed consolidated information on international food aid in 
response to the 'food aid' section of the Export Competition Questionnaire (ECQ) 
in Annex to the Nairobi Decisi on on Export Competition within the context of an 
annual examination process under the Decision in such a manner so as to 
streamline and effectively enhance the existing level of transparency on food aid 
currently required via Tables ES:1 and ES:3 and the ECQ.  
d. Harmonized presentation of information on international food aid destined for 
LDCs and NFIDCs in NF notifications, with the notified data organised by 
i) recipient countries; ii)  choice of instrument (i.e. in -kind or cash); and 
iii) delivery channels  (i.e. bilateral or multilateral). The Secretariat will 
consolidate the notified information on international food aid destined for LDCs 
and NFIDCs in its background note on the implementation of the Marrakesh 
Decision.  
iv. Members may acknowledge the importa nce of open and predictable agricultural and 
input markets in supporting global food security and in conferring resilience on LDCs 
and NFIDCs in meeting their food needs, especially during periods of food instability 
and scarcity in domestic markets. It ma y also be recognized that during such period 
of food scarcity, in addition to lowering import tariffs on food commodities, as deemed 
appropriate by concerned importing Members, WTO rules offer them the option to open 
autonomous tariff quotas. This would al low for a desired additional quantity of food to 
 
7 WT/MIN(15)45  - WT/L/980 .  G/AG/W/240  
 
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  be imported at a lower or zero tariff to ensure domestic supplies, while maintaining 
the generally applicable MFN tariff on the concerned products consistent with the WTO 
rules.  
v. Members may reaffirm their co mmitment to work towards reducing the time and 
procedural costs related to the importation of food and agricultural inputs, including 
within the framework of the Agreement on Trade Facilitation. Members may also 
increasingly rely on and recognize, whenever  practicable, electronic documents and 
certification for trade procedures to enhance the safety and efficiency of compliance 
and expedite the clearance of such goods.   
2.2  Financing of food imports  
i. As agreed under the Marrakesh Decision, the rules on export credits, export credit 
guarantees or insurance programmes ('export financing support') under the Nairobi 
Decision on export competition include provisions for differential treatment in favour 
of LDCs and NFIDCs. In order to enhance the transparency of the implementation of 
those provisions, Members providing export financing support may furnish information 
on specific actions or programme windows in favour of LDCs and NFIDCs in their annual 
ECQ responses, particularly under entries " 5. Maximum repayment ter ms per 
programme " and " 7. Export destination or group of destinations per programme " of 
the export financing section of the ECQ.  
ii. Members, in collaboration with relevant international organizations, may consider 
enhancing their efforts for the provision of , and access to, training and capacity 
building assistance to importing LDCs and NFIDCs for the development and 
strengthening of trade financing infrastructure; this might also assist these importing 
countries to benefit from trade financing facilities off ered by the private sector, 
international and regional financial institutions as well as government -backed export 
financing support provided by exporting Members consistently with WTO rules:  
a. Members with such capacities along with relevant international a nd regional 
institutions may devise suitable technical assistance and capacity building 
programmes to facilitate the financing of LDC and NFIDC food imports, 
particularly during periods of food instability and emergencies.  
b. The WTO Working Group on Trade, Debt and Finance (WGTDF) may be 
requested to undertake a targeted study to examine specific concerns of LDCs 
and NFIDCs in the financing of food imports, especially during periods of food 
instability and emergencies. The WGTDF could develop a set of best p ractices 
for the domestic banking system and financial institutions operating in these 
countries in order for these institutions to be better equipped to provide trade 
finance, and to better benefit from financing facilities and guarantees offered by 
the p rivate sector, regional and financial institutions, and exporting countries. 
The WGTDF may also consider developing some messages for domestic and 
international banking regulatory officials to raise their awareness of the pro -
cyclical nature of food import  finance needs especially during periods of global 
food instability. Doing so could ensure that the availability of food import finance 
matches growing needs during such periods of instability, rather than it being 
curtailed or disrupted. The WGTDF may col laborate with relevant financial 
institutions in this work and share its report and findings with Members and the 
Committee on Agriculture as soon as practicable.  
iii. Acknowledging its importance, Members may encourage importing governments, 
governmental agen cies, and international and regional financial institutions to provide 
adequate finance and/or guarantees to facilitate food import financing. Public and 
private actors are also encouraged to allow for sufficiently agile and if needed more 
flexible conditi ons to such support in times of food instability and emergencies. In this 
regard, it may be worthwhile to explore innovative approaches such as mechanisms 
for food import financing, insurance and guarantees. Members may also recognize that 
while export fin ancing support is subject to rules on export competition and potential G/AG/W/240  
 
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  prohibition, financing or risk coverage provided by importing governments or 
governmental agencies to facilitate food imports may not be restricted by the WTO 
rules or prohibited as lon g as the concerned importing governments do not impose 
any export contingency or local content requirement on beneficiary importers.  
2.3  Agricultural and production resilience of LDCs and NFIDCs  
i. In order to enable full consideration by donors Members in their aid programmes to 
'requests for the provision of technical and financial assistance to LDCs and NFIDCs to 
improve their agricultural productivity and infrastructure ' as agreed under 
paragraph  3 (iii) of the Marrakesh Decision, a simplified web -based module may be 
developed under the Agriculture Information Management System (AG -IMS) to enable 
LDCs and NFIDCs to voluntarily submit their technical and financial assistance needs. 
Once the module is developed and operational, donor Members in reporting ''technical 
and financial assistance ' in their annual NF notifications may include an explanation of 
how they have considered such requests by LDCs and NFIDCs.  
ii. Under the Aid -for-Trade (AFT) initiativ e, Members may continue to examine how AFT 
financing could be directed to improve agricultural productivity and infrastructure, 
including science -based regulatory and food safety infrastructure. In doing so, it is 
suggested to put more focus on, promoting resilience and strengthening food security 
in developing countries, especially the LDCs and NFIDCs. Technical and financial 
assistance needs identified by LDCs and NFIDCs under paragraph 3 (iii) of the 
Marrakesh Decision may also inform this examination un der the AFT initiative.  
iii. Members may reaffirm the importance of investing in agricultural research and 
innovation, rural infrastructure, extension networks, science -based food safety and 
quarantine frameworks, functioning domestic markets and risk -managemen t tools in 
order to enhance the agricultural productivity and resilience of agricultural producers, 
in particularly of small -holder producers. It may also be recognized that governmental 
expenditure on these measures may be considered as falling within the  'exempt' 
support categories of the Green Box and development programmes in accordance with 
Annex 2 and Article 6.2 of the Agreement on Agriculture, respectively.  
iv. LDCs and NFIDCs rely heavily on international markets for their food consumption 
needs makin g them especially vulnerable to global food price shocks and volatility, 
including through their transmission and spill -over to domestic food inflation and 
volatility. Accordingly, sympathetic consideration may be given to specific and 
motivated concerns r aised by LDCs and NFIDCs with regard to their ability to abide by 
their domestic support commitments due to excessive rates of inflation in line with 
Article 18.4 of the Agreement on Agriculture. If an LDC or NFIDC Member does not 
comply with its domestic support commitments due to the effects of excessive inflation 
and seeks consideration under Article 18.4, it should provide the relevant domestic 
support tables concurrently on both an unadjusted and an inflation -adjusted basis for 
the consideration of the  Committee in accordance with the recommendations contained 
in paragraph 43 of G/AG/W/45 . 
v. Members may examine possible modalities of optimum engagement between private 
and governmental institutions to devise possible 'blended finance' instruments which 
on the o ne hand could help address the challenges arising from limited availability of 
finance in LDCs and NFIDCs by drawing in private finances and simultaneously offering 
a greater policy role to governments in blended finance instruments. The issue of 
applicabi lity of the WTO subsidy and domestic support rules should also be considered 
in this examination keeping in view that governmental financial participation is not 
always necessary for a financial support measure to be attributed to government and 
hence bein g subject to WTO rules.  
2.4  Horizontal issues   
2.2.  To foster collaborations among international organizations and to ensure their coordinated 
rapid response to the current and future food security crises:  G/AG/W/240  
 
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  i. The Committee may propose the constitution of a 'Panel of Experts' on food security 
by drawing repres entatives from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization 
(FAO), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United 
Nations World Food Programme (WFP), International Grains Council (IGC), 
International Monetary Fund (IMF), the In ternational Fund for Agricultural 
Development (IFAD), the World Bank and the WTO.  
2.3.  The panel may regularly report on its assessment of the global food security situation to the 
Committee within the Committee's annual monitoring of the implementation of the  Marrakesh 
Decision. The Panel should, inter alia, survey and report on the existing financing facilities of 
international and regional financial institutions and development banks with resources on which LDCs 
and NFIDCs may be eligible to draw to address financing difficulties in importing food. The expert 
panel should conclude its work and submit its report along with possible recommendations to the 
Committee by [30  November 2025], unless the Committee agrees to extend its continuation.  
 G/AG/W/240  
 
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  Annex 1  
 
CHRONOLOGY OF DISCUSSIONS AND PROGRESS MADE UNDER THE WORK PROGRAMME  
Dates  Meetings/consultations  Actions/progress made  
17 June 2022 MC12  Adoption of the Declaration on food insecurity 
(WT/MIN(22)/28 - WT/L/1139 ); Paragraph 8 of the 
Declaration sets up a dedicated Work programme 
under the Committee on Agriculture.  
June-July 2022  Informal CoA (27 June)  
Formal CoA (27 -28 June)  
Chair consultations (July)  Convergence among Members to deal with the matter 
under a standing item under the agenda item on 
'Implementation of Ministerial outcomes' of the 
regular session of the Committee on Agriculture.  
September  2022 Informal CoA (14 September)  
Formal CoA (14 -15 September)  - Work Programme considered under the agenda item 
on 'Implementation of Ministerial outcomes'.  
- Presentation of written submission by Paraguay 
(G/AG/W/223 ) and Egypt ( G/AG/W/224 ). 
- Secretariat was requested to prepare a note 
compiling LDC and NFIDC flexibilities in agriculture.  
October 2022  Informal  CoA (11 and 27 October)  - Members reached understanding that the Work 
programme  would be developed in an open and 
flexible manner, allowing any interested Member to 
contribute; relevant international organizations 
may be invited to support the discussion; technical 
workshops may be organized on specific themes.  
- Secretariat presented the background note on 
"Treatment of LDCs and NFIDCs under WTO 
Agriculture Rules" in RD/AG/94  dated 
4 October  2022.  
- Chile, in collaboration with the Secretariat and other 
delegations, organized a technical workshop on 
fertilizers on 11 October 2022.  
- Presentation  of written submission by the LDC 
Group in G/AG/W/225  dated 26 October 2022.  
November 2022  Chair consultations  (14 November) 
Informal CoA (21  November)  
Formal CoA (21 -22 November)  - Presentation of the new Food Shock Window by 
the IMF on 22 November.  
- Approval of the revised draft thematic outline and 
working methods in RD/AG/97 ; approved version 
released in G/AG/35  dated 23  November 2022.  
December 2022  1st meeting of the Working Group 
7 December 2022  - Secretariat note on discussions and progress made 
(RD/AG/100 ). 
- Revised Secretariat note on LDC and NFIDC 
flexibilities ( G/AG/W/227 ). 
- Elaboration of the first questionnaire on challenges 
faced by LDCs and NFIDCs in the implementation 
and utilization of existing flexibilities 
(G/AG/GEN/214 ); Members invited to submit 
responses by 3 February 2023.  
Februar y-March 
2023 Workshop on Financing, 
28 February 2023  
2nd meeting of the Working Group, 
1 March 2023  
 
Formal CoA (27 -28 March)  - Programme of the workshop released in 
G/AG/GEN/216 ; presentations accessible here.  
- Secretariat circulated a compilation of Members' 
responses to the Questionna ire in RD/AG/103 ; 
Secretariat's presentation on the compilation in 
RD/AG/104 . 
- Secretariat set up a webpage  dedicated to the 
Paragraph 8 Work Programm e hosting relevant 
documents and other details thereon.  G/AG/W/240  
 
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  CHRONOLOGY OF DISCUSSIONS AND PROGRESS MADE UNDER THE WORK PROGRAMME  
Dates  Meetings/consultations  Actions/progress made  
April 2023  Workshop on Agricultural and 
Production Resilience, 12 April  
3rd meeting of the Working Group, 
17 April  - Programme of the productivity workshop released 
in G/AG/GEN/219 ; presentations accessible here. 
- Agenda of the 3rd Working Group meeting in 
ICN/AG/1 . 
- Statement by Sri Lanka on agric ultural import 
financing in RD/AG/107 . 
- WG Coordinator speaking points on the Workshop 
on Financing in RD/AG/105 . 
- Discussion on export and import finance and the 
treatment of international food aid at customs; 
Secretariat presentation in RD/AG/106 . 
June 2023  Expert Session on Import Finance, 
6 June 
4th meeting of the Working Group, 
8 June 
Formal CoA (27 -28 June)  - Agenda of the 4th Working Group meeting in 
ICN/AG/3 . 
- Programme of the expert session released in 
ICN/AG/4 ; presentations accessible here.  
- Secretariat presented on the new launch of WTO 
data portal regarding grain shipments  
July 2023  5th meeting of the Working Group; 
Workshop on Green Revolution, 
19 July (forthcoming)  - Release of this interim report in RD/AG/1131 dated 
3 July 2023 by the WG Coordinator.   
 
 
__________  
 
1 Later released as G/AG/W/240 dated 19 July 2023.