Project: From Negotiations to Adjustment

Implementation sites: Brazil, Kenya and Vietnam

Duration: January 2005 to March 2008

Governments in the North and South have made a renewed push to finalize the Doha Round of international trade negotiations, with a particular focus on the liberalization of agriculture. Regardless of progress on this front, however, tremendous growth in private sector activity and foreign investment is already leading to significant changes in agriculture worldwide.

In such a dynamic context, developing countries need to reshape their policies, institutional arrangements, and agricultural practices in order to ensure the promotion of poverty reduction and environmental sustainability. Thus it is essential to move the debate about trade and its implications from Geneva and Washington to places like Nairobi, Brasilia and Hanoi.

To help these countries address emerging economic realities, WWF MPO, in collaboration with institutional partners around the world, launched the From Negotiations to Adjustment project in 2003. Its ultimate objective was to help stakeholders in three countries (Brazil, Kenya and Vietnam) promote sustainable and equitable responses to changes in a particular agricultural sector (sugar, cut flowers, and cocoa, respectively).

Key stakeholders include government ministries, donor agencies, farmers' organizations, the private sector and NGOs. Response options included changes in government policies and regulations; land use planning; improved private-sector practices; and capacity-building.

The successful stakeholder-driven approach to addressing environmental and social challenges associated with trade and globalization developed through this project was expanded to four new countries in 2008.

More information is available through the individual country links at left, by downloading a copy of the project brochure, or by emailing the project team.