G/AG/N/AUS/151  
 
3 April  2023 
(23-2326) Page: 1/5 
Committee on Agriculture  Original: English  
 
NOTIFICATION  
The following submission, dated  3 April  2023, is being circulated at the request of the delegation of 
Australia . The notification concerns actions taken within the framework of the Decision on Measures 
Concerning the Possible Negative Effects of the Reform Programme on Least -Developed and Net 
Food-Importing Developing Countries ( Table NF:1 ) during the Financial Year 2020/2021 . 
 
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 G/AG/N/AUS/151  
 
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  Table NF:1  
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 16.2 OF THE AGREEMENT: MONITORING OF THE  
FOLLOW -UP TO THE DECISION ON MEASURES CONCERNING THE POSSIBLE  
NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THE REFORM PROGRAMME ON LEAST -DEVELOPED  
AND NET FOOD -IMPORTING DEVELOPING COUNTRIES:  
AUSTRALIA  
REPORTING PERIOD:  FINANCIAL YEAR  FROM 01-07-2020 TO 30 -06-2021 
______________________________________________________________________________  
 
1  QUANTITY OF FOOD AID PROVIDED TO LEAST -DEVELOPED AND NET FOOD -IMPORTI NG 
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES  
1.1. Australia is committed to providing a minimum of AUD  80 million of food assistance per calendar 
year under the Food Assistance Convention (FAC). In financial year 2020 -21, Australia provided 
AUD 107.52 million in food assistance for LDCs1 and NFIDCs2 as part of its FAC commitments (see 
Annex A for a breakd own by recipient country). All funding was provided as cash ‑based support to 
the UN World Food Programme.  
2  INDICATION OF THE PROPORTION IN FULLY GRANT FORM OR APPROPRIATE 
CONCESSIONAL TERMS  
2.1. All Australian food assistance is provided in fully grant form.  
3  TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE UNDER PARAGRAPH 3(III) OF THE DECISION  
3.1. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is primarily responsible for 
delivering Australia's aid programme. This aid programme includes work to improv e agriculture 
and rural development in LDCs and NFIDCs. Detailed information on Australia 's aid programme is 
available at https://www.d fat.gov.au/development/topics/development -issues/agricultural -
development -and-food-security . 
3.2. The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) also assists LDC and 
NFIDCs through its Global Programme, delivering agricultural resear ch programmes in collaboration 
with Australian institutions and their counterparts in developing countries. Detailed information on 
ACIAR 's Global Programme is available at https://www.aciar.gov.au/ . 
3.3. In 2020 -21, Australia provided AUD 296.41 million for programmes within the ambit of the 
Decision (see Annex B, column 4), including AUD  100.63 million directed to LDCs and NFIDCs (see 
Annex B, column 3). The expenditure was channelled through multilateral, regiona l and bilateral 
programmes; humanitarian/emergency assistance; non -government organisations (NGOs); ACIAR; 
and other government departments (OGDs).  
DFAT Bilateral and Regional Programmes  
3.4. The majority of Australia's aid is delivered through bilateral a nd regional programmes. Bilateral 
country strategies reflect recipient government priorities and Australia's capacity to assist. Specific 
activities are developed with partner countries in order to provide technical and financial assistance. 
Australia also  supports several regional programmes, which are often the most cost effective 
response to region -wide development challenges.  
3.5. In 2020 -21, the bilateral and regional technical and financial assistance provided to LDCs 
and NFIDCs within the ambit of th e Decision was approximately AUD  44.42 million. This assistance 
focused on agricultural productivity and sustainability, crop storage, environmental management, 
developing markets, the provision of infrastructure related to food security and assisting coun tries 
adjust to changes in trade patterns.   
 
1 Based on Lea st-Developed Countries as recognised by the Economic and Social Council of the UN.  
2 See G/AG/5/Rev/10 of 23 March 2012.  G/AG/N/AUS/151  
 
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  Other programmes  
3.6. A proportion of Australia's core contributions to multilateral development banks and other 
relevant multilateral organisations are used for food security and agricultural programs. Australia 
supports scholarship students from LDCs and NFIDCs on agriculture, forestry and fisheries.  
3.7.  A number of Australian NGOs receive aid programme funding that has a direct impact on 
improving food security, agricultural productivity and infrastr ucture in developing countries.  
ACIAR  
3.8. ACIAR 's mission is to achieve more productive and sustainable agricultural systems for the 
benefit of developing countries and Australia through international agricultural research 
partnerships. ACIAR does not pro vide direct funds to the World Food Programme, rather the 
organisation works to improve food security and reduce poverty among smallholder farmers and 
rural communities by brokering and investing in research relating to these issues. In 2020 -21, ACIAR 
directed AUD 51.87 million to programmes within the ambit of the decision, of which 
AUD 24.03  million was directed to programmes in LDCs and NFIDCs. See Annex C for a breakdown 
of ACIAR 's administered expenditure for 2020 -21. 
4  OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION WITH RE SPECT TO ACTIONS TAKEN WITHIN THE 
FRAMEWORK OF THE DECISION  
4.1. Outside of Australia 's food aid and financial assistance delivered by DFAT and ACIAR, a number 
of federal and state government agencies ("Other Government Departments") sponsored official 
exchanges with developing countries on agriculture and food security, totalling around 
AUD 37.91  million in 2020 -21, of which AUD  2.01 million was directed at LDCs and NFIDCs.  
 
 
 
 
 
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  ANNEX A   
FOOD ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME FOR LEAST -DEVELOPED  
AND NET FOOD -IMPORTING DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, FINANCIAL YEAR 2020 -21  
Country  Total Value   
(AUD  million)  
Afghanistan   12.50  
Bangladesh   20.85  
Ethiopia   2.82 
Jordan   3.12 
Lao People 's Democratic Republic   0.25 
Myanmar   8.75 
Nepal   0.5 
Somalia   0.18 
Timor Leste   3.00 
Yemen   5.00 
Asia Unspecified   13.7 
Global Unspecified   30.00  
Lebanon   3.56 
Oceania Unspecified   0.25 
Philippines   1.22 
Syrian Arab Republic   1.82 
Total   107.52  
Source:  DFAT.  
ANNEX B   
DIRECT AID FLOWS FOR FOOD SECURITY, BY PROGRAMME, 2020 -21 
(AUD MILLION)  
Programme  Sub Programme  To LDCs  and NFIDCs  Total all 
programmes  
Bilateral  & Regional  Programmes   Bilateral Programmes   40.77  83.40  
  Regional Programmes   3.65 21.85  
Global Programmes   Humanitarian   17.63  61.38  
  Other International   12.54  40.00  
Non-DFAT Programmes   ACIAR   24.03  51.87  
  Other  Government  Departments   2.01 37.91  
Total LDCs and NFIDCs     100.63   
TOTAL all programmes      296.41  
Source: DFAT . G/AG/N/AUS/151  
 
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  ANNEX C  
ACIAR EXPENDITURE 2020 -21  
ACIAR Administered Expenditure*   Total value   
(AUD  million)   
Multilateral partnerships (including funding for international agricultural 
research centers including CGIAR)   23.32   
Bilateral research projects & co-investment programmes   51.87   
Pacific   14.62   
East & South -East Asia   23.78   
South Asia   6.02  
Eastern & Southern Africa   7.45  
Capacity building   12.25   
Outreach   2.22  
Impact evaluation   1.12  
Programme support   4.23  
TOTAL   95.01   
Source:  ACIAR.   
* Given ACIAR 's mandate of agricultural research to improve food security in low and lower -middle 
income countries, total research for development spend in the financial year 2020 -21 for LDCs and 
NFIDCs is provided. List of LDCs was sourced from United Nations Office of  the High Representative 
for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing 
States1. The list of NFIDCs was sourced from The World Trade Organisation, Committee on 
Agriculture2.  
 
 
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1 List of LDCs | Office of the High Representative for the Leas t Developed Countries, Landlocked 
Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States .  
2 G/AG/5/Rev.11 .