Briefing papers

In recent years, Latin America has moved rapidly towards liberalising trade, both in the region and internationally. This has stimulated active debate on the merits of a more open trading regime. Getting lost in this polarised debate is an understanding of the impact of changes in the trade regime on marginalised groups, particularly the rural poor. This report examines how value chain analysis can, in a practical way, help the rural poor participate gainfully in local, regional and global trade, by:

This briefing examines how value chain analysis (VCA) can, in a practical way, help the rural poor participate gainfully in local, regional and global trade. It begins by explaining why value chains have emerged as a helpful entry point for discussions on rural poverty. Focusing on Latin America, it then summarises some constraints faced by low-income participants in agriculture, while outlining a framework for how the rural poor can upgrade their position within viable value chains.

Macroeconomic policy such as the extent to which an economy opens to internetaional trade does influence productivity levels at a national level.

The studies that are mentioned below suggest that the lagging zones have not necessarily benefited from trade policy measures oriented to increase international trade among countries. When trade openness takes place, through a trade liberalization for example, the terms of trade (relative prices of exports in relation to those of imports), and savings in foreign exchange tend to change.

There is a widespread, but hard to quantify, view in Latin America that the poor are over-represented among the losers of liberalised trade. This leads to a pressing question: how can interested stakeholders influence trade policy-making to make trade work better for the poor?

This is the latest Briefing Paper from ODI for COPLA. It argues that: Changes in employment, prices and social expenditures are three pathways linking trade and gender; Trade liberalisation may have positive or negative impacts, but there are risks for women; Trade reforms must be complemented by social and labour policies to ensure that women can take full advantage of the new economic environment

This document, of the Briefing paper series, presents succintly the links between trade, growth and rural poverty with an emphasis on the potential negative impact that the FTA signed with the United States will have on vulnerable sectors living on agriculture on the andean regions of Peru.