UNCTAD, ILO launch book on agricultural trade

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) have launched a book titled: “Shared Harvests: Agriculture, Trade and Employment” in Geneva, Switzerland.

A statement signed by Cynthia Prah, National Information Officer, United Nations Information Office (UNIC) in Accra and copied to the GNA on Wednesday said the book analyzes the positive impact of agricultural trade in developing countries and views it as avenue for job creation and poverty alleviation in developing countries.

The book is based on the findings of a project entitled, “Assessing and addressing the effects of trade and employment” which was managed jointly by the European Commission and the ILO.

The book shows a linkage between poverty reduction on one hand, and effective agricultural production and trade, on the other.

Agriculture employs more than a billion people in developing countries, including Ghana and represents 48 per cent of the labour force.

According to the book developing countries now account for 37 per cent of agricultural trade, up from 30 per cent in 2000.

The book includes a series of case studies at the national, regional and global levels on the employment impacts of agricultural trade.

The statement said the book sheds light on how changes in productivity, food security, rural–urban migration, skills and domestic regulation affect the relationship between agricultural trade and employment.

“The book highlights the importance of social protection to reduce the vulnerability of agricultural workers and recommends targeted promotion of agricultural productivity to enhance competitiveness in global markets,” the statement added.

Source: GNA