Policy Coherence, Agriculture and Development

Abstract

This paper discusses issues raised for OECD agricultural and agriculture-related policies by the policy coherence for development perspective. These issues are organised in a five-fold typology covering OECD domestic agricultural policy, agricultural trade policy, regulatory policies, development cooperation policy as well as the coherence of developing country policies. Changes in OECD agricultural policy have varying impacts on different groups of developing countries, and on different groups within developing countries. The message for policy coherence for development analysis is that specifics count, and that impacts need to be assessed on a country by country basis. Bringing a policy coherence perspective to the debates on OECD agricultural policy reform requires a careful classification of the various channels whereby developing countries are impacted by this reform, not least so as to identify ways in which development assistance can be used so as to maximise the opportunities it creates but also to help to mitigate adverse impacts where they occur. The paper concludes with a checklist of actions which might be taken by the development policy community to improve the coherence of agricultural and development policy with development objectives.