Trade and Food Security (in Arabic language only)
[This online course is Expert-facilitated and will be available in Arabic language only.]
The relationship between trade and food security is receiving increasing attention in both trade and development agendas. Ending hunger globally by 2030 is a key goal of the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, while trade is recognized as one of the means to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. But the challenge is to ensure that the expansion of agricultural trade is in favor of, not against, the eradication of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition. This challenge is at the forefront of governments that have been actively negotiating amendments to existing agricultural trade agreements at the global level that are required to ensure that trade achieves improvements in food security.
Perhaps a serious challenge is the growing need for trade experts to support the region's trade-related development agenda. National and regional institutions often lack the technical capacity and resources required to identify trade priorities and constraints at the national, subregional and regional levels.
The course seeks to strengthen capacities in Arabic-speaking countries, to formulate and implement evidence-based trade policies, as well as to formulate and negotiate trade agreements, taking into account the need for economic growth and structural transformations, as well as their food security concerns.
Building on the success of previous editions, the course was comprehensively revised and updated in 2023 to include the latest findings and data on trade and food security, as well as information on the fisheries sector.
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Assess the challenges and opportunities associated with greater trade openness in food security;
- Describe the types of trade policies and their role in promoting food security, and the points to be taken into account when designing and implementing trade policy;
- Discuss key global policy and regulatory frameworks governing trade and food security, including the WTO Agreement on Agriculture and the 2030 Action Plan.
The course consists of three modules, each with two or three lessons, providing linkages between concepts, with practical regional experiences in trade and food security.
Unit 1: Introduction to Trade and Food
- Lesson 1.1: Definitions and linkages between trade and food
- Lesson 1.2: Impacts of trade on food security
Module 2: Trade Policy in Support of Food
- Lesson 2.1: Trade Policy and Agricultural Development Measures
- Lesson 2.2: Formulation and Implementation of Trade Policy Measures
Module 3: Trade Governance and Food
- Lesson 3.1: Introduction to the Multilateral Trading System
- Lesson 3.2: Policy space for achieving food security under a multilateral trading system
- Lesson 3.3: Towards improved governance for trade and food security
The course is conducted in Arabic for a period of four weeks organized in three modules. It is provided through the UNITAR e-learning platform (UNITAR, http://www.unitar.org) using training materials developed by FAO. The educational tool will help participants achieve the learning objectives of the course through a personal paced study method, optional and mandatory reading materials, exercises, discussion forums and assessment questions. The course is facilitated and supervised by renowned international experts with a wealth of experience that ensures that real-life examples are incorporated into the course curriculum.
The course is designed to assist representatives of government bodies and other stakeholders directly involved in the formulation and implementation of agricultural policies and programs within Arabic-speaking countries. Stakeholders may include officials from the Ministries of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries; the Ministries of Commerce and Industry; the Ministries of Finance and Economy; and the Food Safety, Health, Phytosanitary and Veterinary Authorities, among others.
The course also benefits participants from the private sector, for example representatives of associations of producers, agribusinesses and traders.
Researchers and students interested in agricultural policy and trade analysis are encouraged to participate in this course.
Priority is given to policymakers and practitioners who are able to influence agricultural trade through regional, national or sector-wide activities, as well as to professionals who are able to transmit information and provide technical advice to those working within their constituencies (trainers, professionals of productive organizations, agricultural extensionists, etc.).
Participation is free in this course in which the Arabic language is based only. Due to the limited availability of space, participants are selected by FAO, taking into account geographical distribution and gender balance in the selection process.
The selected participant must obtain permission to participate in the course from his/her direct supervisor in order to be finally selected.
In preparing this course, FAO draws on its extensive experience in providing guidance, capacity-building and technical advice to its member countries in trade and food security, agricultural trade policy and multilateral trade negotiations, as well as its normative work on aspects related to sanitary and phytosanitary measures.
A certificate of course completion is awarded to participants who have successfully skipped the tasks and assessments of the course.