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A multi-billion-dollar opportunity – Repurposing agricultural support to transform food systems

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Read the full report A multi-billion-dollar opportunity – Repurposing agricultural support to transform food systems


FAO, UNDP and UNEP. 2021. A multi-billion-dollar opportunity – Repurposing agricultural support to transform food systems. In brief. Rome.




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    Book (stand-alone)
    A multi-billion-dollar opportunity – Repurposing agricultural support to transform food systems 2021
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    Public support mechanisms for agriculture in many cases hinder the transformation towards healthier, more sustainable, equitable, and efficient food systems, thus actively steering us away from meeting the Sustainable Development Goals and targets of the Paris Agreement. This report sets out the compelling case for repurposing harmful agricultural producer support to reverse this situation, by optimizing the use of scarce public resources, strengthening economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and ultimately driving a food systems transformation that can support global sustainable development commitments. The report provides policymakers with an updated estimate of past and current agricultural producer support for 88 countries, projected up until 2030. The trends emerging from the analysis are a clear call for action at country, regional and global levels to phase out the most distortive, environmentally and socially harmful support, such as price incentives and coupled subsidies, and redirecting it towards investments in public goods and services for agriculture, such as research and development and infrastructure, as well as decoupled fiscal subsidies. Overall, the analysis highlights that, while removing and/or reducing harmful agricultural support is necessary, repurposing initiatives that include measures to minimize policy trade-offs will be needed to ensure a beneficial outcome overall. The report confirms that, while a few countries have started repurposing and reforming agricultural support, broader, deeper, and faster reforms are needed for food systems transformation. Thus, it provides guidance (in six steps) on how governments can repurpose agricultural producer support – and the reforms this will take.
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    Policy brief
    Repurposing domestic public support to agriculture 2024
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    This policy brief emphasizes the critical importance of leveraging domestic resources and effectively reallocating subsidies to amplify their efficacy in addressing food crises and fostering the transformation of agricultural food systems. By strategically directing resources within national economies and optimizing existing subsidy frameworks, governments can significantly enhance their capacity to prevent and mitigate food crises while simultaneously advancing sustainable agricultural practices. This approach not only ensures the efficient utilization of available funds but also promotes greater resilience and long-term viability within the agricultural sector.
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    Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet
    FAO COVID-19 Response and Recovery Programme - Food systems transformation
    Building to transform during response and recovery
    2020
    The disruptions resulting from the COVID-19 crisis have highlighted many of the fragilities of contemporary food systems. Challenges include accessing safe, nutritious food at affordable prices when movement is restricted and markets are closed, and the vulnerability of employees (in terms of health and income) across the food system. There are risks to the very survival of firms and industries, particularly micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, from producers, manufacturers, traders and food processors to transporters and retailers. Some of the fundamental longer-term challenges to the sustainability of food systems still need to be overcome and factored into response and recovery plans, however. Many food systems are already falling short of the aspirations of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Poverty and hunger remain entrenched, while obesity, with its associated health and economic costs, is rising. Food systems contribute significantly to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and have been a key driver of land-use change and biodiversity loss. In turn, they are significantly affected by climate change. The proposed actions aim to “build back better” by catalyzing the transformation to food systems that are resilient to shocks, ensure individual health and well-being, promote inclusion, and improve environmental and economic sustainability by increasing efficiency and reducing waste. The programme will support governments and stakeholders in this transformation during the various stages of the COVID-19 emergency and post-crisis recovery.

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