The negative impact that agriculture rules on trade and finance have on women, families and communities

Photo: FAOBy Elijah Wachira, International Gender and Trade Network (IGTN) (2006)

Abstract (c/o Eldis)

This article examines the impact of the Agreement on Agriculture on the ability of developing countries to achieve food security and sustainable livelihoods for their farmers, using the dairy industry in Kenya as a case study.

The author concludes that Kenya's dairy industry faces a gloomy future, a situation that threatens the livelihood of 600,000 or more small holders and their families. The author argues that Kenya's locally processed milk and milk products stand little chance, faced with competition from cheaper imports. Women stand to suffer the most if the industry was to collapse, through massive job losses and malnutrition at family level due to loss of income and rising prices of milk. To save the industry from collapse the government should strengthen the dairy industry to protect it from international competition and so help the poor generate income and raise their standards of living. This may include tariff protection e.g. introduction of added suspended duties on milk imports.

The author further argues that measures should be taken to enhance productivity and competitiveness of dairy production. This may include:

• supply of subsidised genetic input
• reduction of cost of quality feeds
• adoption of better management practices
• direct government intervention
• institutional frameworks to safeguard and improve hygienic standards of raw milk
• charting a suitable development path for the informal milk market

Finally, the author argues that Kenya should join hands with other developing countries opposed to massive and trade distorting US and EU agricultural subsidies to raise challenges at the WTO Dispute Settlement Body.
 
Available online at: http://www.igtn.org/page/713