[WTO rounds related to Agriculture and Public Stockholding has been dealt in detail in the Farm Subsidies Section]

According to WTO, people are considered food secure when they have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life. For food security reasons several countries adopt Public Stockholding Programmes through which the government purchases, stockpiles and distribute food to people in need. WTO considers it a legitimate policy objective, but when this involves purchases at “supported” or “administered” prices by the government, then it is considered as trade distorting.

● At 2013 Bali Ministerial Conference, ministers agreed that on an interim basis, public stockholding programmes would not be challenged legally even if a country’s agreed limits for trade-distorting domestic support were breached, subject to certain safeguards. They also agreed to negotiate a permanent solution to this issue by the end of 2017 (Peace Clause).

● At present such subsidies are classified as trade distorting and capped at 10% of production value (for developing countries).

● The safeguards include several tough conditions such as these subsidies must not affect the food security of other countries and world prices, information has to be shared, etc.

● At 2015 Nairobi Ministerial Conference, the resolution was reaffirmed that the members must take all concerted efforts to agree on a permanent solution.

3.5.1. Recent debates in WTO meets over Food Security