The Implications of the World Trade Organization (Wto) Agreement on Agriculture on Trade and Agricultural Liberalization On Food Security In Uganda

ABSTRACT This study constitutes an analysis of the implication of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Agreement on Agriculture and trade liberalization on food security and realization of the right to adequate food in Uganda. The research was intended amogest other things to establish whether the implementation of the agreement on agriculture (AOA) has facilitated the the achievement for greater food security and promotion of the right to adequate food in Uganda. The promised market access under the (AOA) has been undermined by high levels of trade, distorting support and unfair competition caused by export subsidies. Agricultural trade liberalization has ineffect increased importation of the cheap agricultural products which has negatively affected the prices of the local produce forcing the rural communities off the the farms. The purpose of this study is to examine the implications of the WTO(AOA) provisions of the agricultural trade liberalization on the realization of the right to food and ensuring the realization of the right to food in Uganda. This study employed qualitative research methods from various secodary data colletion methods were used such as library research,study on books and juournals.Analysis was done considering in different laws were backed by qualitative analysis through legal perspective.The research findings indicated that if agricultural liberalization is not preceded by agricultural transsfornation can be an obstacle to food security and udernine the realization of the right to food in Uganda.it was recommended that government should put in place measures to protct farmers from an influx of cheap and subsidized imports which undernines domestic production,The AOA should be reviewed and afood security box that contains measures that create exemption for poor countries created in order to promote the realization of the right to adequate food in Uganda.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ........................................................................................................ i

DEDICATION. .........................................................................................................ii

APPROVAL............................................................................................................. iii

ACKNOWLEDGMENT............................................................................................... iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................................................. iv

TABLE OF STATUTES..............................................................................................viii

LIST OF POLICY FRAME WORKING............................................................................ ix

LIST OF CONVENTIONS ...........................................................................................x

LIST OF ACRONYMS. .............................................................................................. xi

ABSTRACT............................................................................................................ xii

CHAPTER ONE .................................................................................................... 1

GENERAL INTRODUCTION. .......................................................................................1

1.1 Back Ground to the Study. ..................................................................................1

1.4. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ............................................................................6

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS.......................................................................................8

1.6. GENERAL OBJECTIVE.........................................................................................8

1.7. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES.......................................................................................9

1.8. SCOPE OF THE STUDY .......................................................................................9

1.10. METHODOLOGY............................................................................................ 10

1.11.LITERATURE REVIEW...................................................................................... 11

1.12 SUMMARY OF CHAPTERS................................................................................. 22

CHAPTER TWO.................................................................................................. 24

THE WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION AND THE AGREEMENT ONAGRICULTURE .................. 24

2.1. Historical Survey. ........................................................................................... 24

2.2. The Birth of the WTO and the Position of Agriculture during the Uruguay Round of 

Negotiations - ...................................................................................................... 27

2. 3. The Agreement on Agriculture........................................................................... 28

2.3.1. The main Components of the Agreement on Agriculture ........................................ 29

2.3.2. Relationship with other WTO Agreements .......................................................... 40

2.4. Has Uganda benefited from the Provisions of these Agreements ................................ 45

v

CHAPTER THREE............................................................................................... 48

3.0 The implications of the provisions of agricultural trade liberalization ............................ 48

3.1 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRADE LIBERALISATION AND FOOD SECURITY: A 

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK.................................................................................... 57

3.2 Declining incomes and surge in food imports .......................................................... 64

3.3 Impoverishment of small farmers ........................................................................ 69

3.4 Policy frame work,The poverty eradication Action plan.............................................. 72

3.5 National agriculture advisory services programs. .................................................... 74

3.6 The Uganda food and nutrition policy ................................................................... 74

3.6 Legal frame work,The Constitution of Uganda, 1995 ................................................ 78

3.7 The food and Drugs Act..................................................................................... 78

3.7.1 The National Environment Act .......................................................................... 79

CHAPTER FOUR ................................................................................................ 81

THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE WTO AGREEMENT ON AGRICULTURE PROVISIONS OF MARKET 

MECHANISM AND DOMESTIC SURRPORT ON THE REALISATION OF FOOD SECURITY IN 

UGANDA............................................................................................................. 81

4.0 Introduction.................................................................................................... 81

4.1 Market Accessibility .......................................................................................... 81

4.2 Market Mechanisms and Genetically Modified Crops. ................................................ 86

4.3 Domestic support............................................................................................. 90

4.4 National food status ......................................................................................... 94

4.5 The agreement on agriculture and challenges to progressive realization of the right to food 

in Uganda. .........................................................................................................100

CHAPTER FIVE................................................................................................ 103

CONCLUSION,SUMMARY FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. ........................ 103

5.1. Protection of Farmers Livelihoods ......................................................................109

5.2. The food security box .....................................................................................111

5.3. Improved access to markets of developed countries ...............................................111

5.4. Exclusion of Agricultural Resources from Patentability under TRIPS Agreement ............112

5.5. Rethinking Agriculture Trade Liberalization . -.......................................................113

5.6. Strong and Action-Oriented National Food and Nutrition Policy .................................115

5.7. Strong Legislative Framework ...........................................................................116

5.8. Accelerating Democratisation Process .................................................................117

5.9. Adopt a Human Rights Approach to Poverty Reduction and Improve the Participation of 

Women in the Development Process.........................................................................117

REFERENCES. .....................................................................................................119