If you have a relevant resource (books, papers, bulletins, etc.) you would like to see announced in this section, please forward a copy for review by the BRIDGES staff to Hugo Cameron, hcameron@ictsd.ch. Submissions of publications to ICTSD’s documentation centre would also be welcome (contact Marc Galvin, mgalvin@ictsd.ch).
WORLD MARKETS FOR ORGANIC FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. Published by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), November 2001. The report encourages developing countries to increase their exports of organic produce in light of growing demand in industrialised countries, which is unlikely to be met through domestic production. To this end, the report outlines several recommendations, including establishing national or regional organic standards and regulations, increasing know- how on organic farming, and good post-harvest handling, infrastructure and logistics. For a copy of the report, contact: Ms. Daniela Piergentili, FAO, Rome, Italy; tel: (39) 06 5705 2864; email: daniela.piergentili@fao.org.
PUBLIC SUBSIDIES AND POLICY FAILURES: HOW SUBSIDIES DISTORT THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, EQUITY AND TRADE AND HOW TO REFORM. By Cees van Beers and Andre de Moor, published by Edward Elgar, 2001. The paper shows how public subsidies can harm the environment, distort trade, and benefit those in society who do not require support. The authors propose the establishment of new international structures to institutionalise the review and reform of subsidies. The authors conclude by arguing that subsidy reform should be placed at top of the World Summit on Sustainable Development agenda. From IISD Linkages Journal, Volume 6 Number 11, 1 December 2001.
"Food security and sustainable livelihoods: the policy challenge," by Anne M. Thomson, in DEVELOPMENT 44 No. 4, 2001: 24-28. The author argues that food security is now generally recognised as a matter of microeconomics (household access to food) rather than a macroeconomic problem (national food production levels). This raises issues of how to address this at the policy level. Holistic approaches to poverty reduction, livelihoods and food security are proving a challenge to operationalise, as indicated by examination of PRSPs, but are essential to achieving food security targets set at the World Food Summit.
E-COMMERCE AND DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2001, published by UNCTAD, November 2001. The publication advises developing countries on the relevant trends as they try to position their economies to take advantage of ICT and the Internet. It provides basic facts and figures about electronic commerce and discusses the impact on sectors of particular relevance to developing countries. It also suggests, with concrete examples, ways in which developing countries can create the necessary enabling environment for e-commerce. The report is available online at: http:// www.unctad.org/en/pub/ps1ecdr01.en.htm.
"Value chains and trade policy: the case of agriculture," by Chris Stevens, in IDS BULLETIN 32 No. 3, 2001: 46-59. Value-chain and traditional trade policy analysis are complementary: each throws light on areas overlooked by the other. Trade policy analysis highlights the extent to which value- chain dynamics are influenced by market rents. The article uses the examples of sugar and horticulture to illustrate the potential gains from combining the two methodologies. It demonstrates that in markets that combine heavy trade protection against some suppliers with preferences for others there exists a relationship of mutual dependency between the elements of the value chain. From IISD Weekly Journal Review Year 2001 - No. 19, November 30.