Agriculture's 'multifunctionality' and the WTO

Authors
Citation
K. Anderson, Agriculture's 'multifunctionality' and the WTO, AUST J A R, 44(3), 2000, pp. 475-494
Citations number
23
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Agriculture/Agronomy,Economics
Journal title
AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND RESOURCE ECONOMICS
ISSN journal
1364-985X → ACNP
Volume
44
Issue
3
Year of publication
2000
Pages
475 - 494
Database
ISI
SICI code
1364-985X(200009)44:3<475:A'ATW>2.0.ZU;2-7
Abstract
Are the agricultural policy reforms embodied in the Uruguay Round consisten t with meeting domestic policy objectives such as providing adequate food s ecurity, environmental protection and viability of rural areas? This articl e examines the claim that agriculture deserves more price support and impor t protection than other sectors because of the non-marketed externalities a nd public goods it produces jointly with marketable food and fibre (agricul ture's so-called 'multifunctionality'). Do these unrewarded positive extern alities exceed the negative externalities from fanning by more than the net positive externalities produced by other sectors? To what extent are those farmer-produced spillovers under-supplied, and what are the most efficient ways to boost their production to the socially optimal levels? The article concludes that there is little trade-off required to meet domestic policy objectives on the one hand and agricultural protection reform objectives as embodied in WTO rules on the other.