The Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) is an important topic for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam. The AoA is a treaty that was signed by the member countries of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1994. The agreement had a significant impact on global agriculture, trade, and food security. In this article, we will discuss all the important details about the Agreement on Agriculture for the UPSC exam.
What is the Agreement on Agriculture?
The Agreement on Agriculture is a trade agreement that aims to liberalize the global agricultural trade. The agreement aimed to reduce trade barriers and increase market access for agricultural products. The agreement was signed by the member countries of the WTO in 1994 and came into effect in 1995.
The agreement has three main pillars:
1. Domestic support: The agreement aimed to reduce domestic subsidies for agricultural products. The countries were required to reduce their domestic support programs that distort trade and create unfair competition.
2. Market access: The agreement aimed to increase market access for agricultural products by reducing tariffs and other trade barriers. The member countries were required to provide greater market access for agricultural products from other member countries.
3. Export competition: The agreement aimed to reduce export subsidies and other measures that distort global trade and create unfair competition. The member countries were required to reduce their export subsidies and other measures that give an unfair advantage to their agricultural exports.
Impact of the Agreement on Agriculture
The Agreement on Agriculture had a significant impact on global agriculture, trade, and food security. The agreement aimed to liberalize the global agricultural trade and make it more open and fair. The agreement helped to reduce trade barriers and increase market access for agricultural products.
The agreement had a significant impact on developing countries. The developing countries were able to increase their market access for agricultural products and reduce their dependence on domestic subsidies. The agreement helped to increase the income of farmers in developing countries.
However, the agreement had some negative impacts on developing countries as well. The reduction of subsidies and tariffs had a negative impact on the agricultural sector in some developing countries. The developed countries were able to compete more effectively than the developing countries, leading to a decline in the agricultural sector in some developing countries.
Conclusion
The Agreement on Agriculture is an important topic for the UPSC exam. The agreement aimed to liberalize the global agricultural trade and make it more open and fair. The agreement had a significant impact on global agriculture, trade, and food security. The member countries of the WTO were required to reduce their domestic support programs, increase market access for agricultural products and reduce their export subsidies. The agreement had both positive and negative impacts on developing countries.
