G/AG/GEN/234  
 
8 May 2024 
(24-3668) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Agriculture    
 
  
COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE   
THEMATIC SESSION ON TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY : 
Tuesday , 21 May 2024 (15h00)  
(Room D, Interprefy)  
CONCEPT NOTE AND PROGRAMME  
Note by the Secretariat1 
The WTO Secretariat is organizing a thematic session  on Transfer of T echnology. A half -day event 
has been scheduled on 21 May 2024 in the margins of the 108th meeting of the Committee on 
Agriculture  (the Committee) .  
BACKGROUND   
At its September  and November  2023 meeting s2, the Committee  discussed  the African Group's 
submi ssion on "The Role of Transfer of Technology in Resilience Building: Agriculture"  (G/AG/W/238  
and other symbols) . As part of a series of submissions3 by the African Group to various WTO bodies 
on the topic of trade and technology transfer , the submission  highlighted  the significant role 
technology transfer could play in the collective pursuit of food security . It aimed at generating a 
structured discus sion on how to make technology transfer more relevant to building agricultural 
resilience in the face of recurring food security challenges that disproportionately affected import 
dependent developing and least developed countries, most of which were in th e African continent.   
Following these discussions , the Committee  agreed at the November 2023 meeting to organize 
thematic session s on technology transfer in 2024  to explore the potential contribution of technology 
transfer to food security , including throu gh the sharing of country experiences.  At the Committee's  
informal meeting on 17 April 2024, Members shared further reflections on the proposed thematic 
session s, including its programme and participation . Several Members  made concrete suggestions 
on the possible content of the session s and potential panellists .  
OBJECTIVES OF THE THEMATIC SESSIONS  
As noted in the Committee's discussions, agricultural technologies have the potential to significantly 
enhance agricultural productivity, for  instance, by enhancing crop yields through better 
mechanization, improved varieties, or more efficient irrigation and water management systems. To 
ensure long -term sustainability of the productivity improvements, such technologies should also 
assist in re ducing the environmental footprint of agriculture and promoting sustainable food 
production. Relevant technologies may include those relating to fertilizers, pesticides and tillage, 
and the reduction of post -harvest losses. The relevance of biotechnology c ould also be considered. 
Furthermore, agriculture technologies could facilitate farmers' access to information including 
through digital means, thereby enabling their informed decisions on crop management, market 
trends, and resilience -building.  
 
1 This document has been prepared under the Secretariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice 
to the positions of Members or to their rights and obligations under the WTO.  
2 See G/AG/R/107  and G/AG/R/108 . 
3 See WT/GC/W/883  (and other symbols) and WT/GC/W/886  (and other symbols).  G/AG/GEN/234  
 
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  Technolog y transfer could take place through a variety of channels, including market -based means 
such as trade, foreign direct investment, and licensing, or various types of international cooperations 
such as technical assistance, capacity -building, knowledge -sharing, and research and development 
projects. Members could share experiences and exchange views on what constitutes an effective 
and impactful channel of transfer, in view of the specific conditions and constraints faced by 
developing and least developed cou ntries. Moreover, Members could consider the factors that hinder 
or facilitate technology transfer, including those affecting the creation, accumulation, and use and 
sharing of knowledge, and explore ways to make technology transfer more effective. Element s to be 
considered in this context may encompass: the importance of enabling conditions both 
internationally and within the recipient country, including the applicable intellectual property rights 
regime and regulatory framework; the ability to absorb and apply the technology; possible barriers 
to the diffusion of technology; and the relevance of support measures such as extension services in 
promoting technology transfer and spurring technological development.  
Thus, i n addition to the scope and types of re levant agricultural technologies, thematic sessions may 
also consider the different channels of technology transfer , and ways to make technology transfer 
more effective,  including through better technology absorption and diffusion . Some specific 
elements, including voluntary licensing arrangements for the transfer of technology, the role of 
international cooperation, and the importance of a reliable regulatory framework to promote 
technology transfer to developing countries , may be considered  in this contex t. 
The thematic sessions could benefit from a variety of perspectives and expertise, including those of 
WTO Members, intergovernmental organizations, research institutions, and businesses and farmers 
associations. The first of these  session s, to be held on  21 May 2024, could begin by defining broad 
parameters regarding the transfer of technology in relation to agriculture , to facilitate  a common 
understanding and lay the foundation for further discussions . Members could  therefore  explore the 
fundamental question of what constitute  agricultural technologies that are deemed key for 
agricultural productivity and resilience , including the broad scope of such technologies and their 
specific types . This may , in turn , shed light on issues related to the creation or generation of the se 
technologies and their subsequent dissemination and absorption on the field or across the farm value 
chain.  
ORGANIZATIONAL AND LOGISTICAL MATTERS  
All thematic sessions will be conducted in a hybrid mode with interpretat ion facilities available, 
allowing for remote participation by experts from around the world . For the first session scheduled 
on 21 May, panellists are drawn  from international organizations, the World Farmers ' Organization  
as well as WTO Member  government s.  
  G/AG/GEN/234  
 
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  PROGRAMME  
15:00 - Introduction by the Moderator: Kjetil  TYSDAL , Chair person, Committee on Agriculture  
SESSION I (1 5:10-16:30) 
Agricultur al technologies, and technology transfer: views from international 
organizations and agricultural farm community   
Panellists:  
• Solomon Asefa GIZAW,  Head, Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT)  
Clearinghouse , International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) , CGIAR   
Deploying agricultural technologies linking to large scale national investments: the TAAT 
model & perspectives  
 
• Antonio S COGNAMILLO, Economist , Agrifood Economics and Policy Division (ESA) , Food and 
Agriculture Organization  of the United Nations (FAO) : 
Through the FAO Lens: Technology Transfer to Smallholders for Efficient and Sustainable 
Agrifood Systems  
 
• Sebastian G REY, Scientific Officer for Agrometeorology, Applied Climate Services Division, 
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)  
Meteorological technologies and services in support of agriculture  
• Brodie B ERRIGAN , International Trade Working Group Facilitator, World Farmers' 
Organization  (WFO)  
Farmers ' embracing new technologies and innovations to secure sustainable food 
systems fit for the climate goal 
SESSION II ( 16:30-18:00) 
Issue related to transfer of technology in the agriculture sector: WTO Members' 
perspectives and experiences.   
 
Panellists:  
• Giampiero  GENOVESE, Head of Unit, Project co -coordinator with the African Union 
Commission , EU Joint Research Centre  
African Union - European Union Agriculture Cooperation : research and innovation 
partnership for smarter policies and technologies  
 
• James DALE, Distinguished Professor, Centre for Agriculture and Biotechnology, Queensland 
University of Technology , Australia  
A disease resistant GM Cavendish banana: the global patchwork of regulations will 
stifle technology transfer  
 
______ ____  
 
Presentations by the panellists in each Session will be followed by a brief Q&A exchange.