DDG Paugam urges ministers to harness WTO potential for advancing agricultural innovation

WTO Deputy Director-General Jean-Marie Paugam emphasized the role of the WTO in supporting climate-friendly innovation in agriculture on 9 May at the “Agriculture Innovation Mission (AIM) for Climate Summit” in Washington D.C. organized by the United States and the United Arab Emirates. Emphasizing the potential of trade to help accelerate agricultural innovation, he said: “My message to Ministers of Agriculture is, please push together with your trade counterparts for the WTO to deliver what it should be delivering in support of your climate-smart agricultural policies.”

He said that a key point we have learned from them is that the answer to the double challenge of achieving increased productivity and climate sustainable agriculture will be 75% innovation driven. We know this will require investment, technology, and education.

The WTO offers a very good framework to support innovation in sustainable agriculture. The DDG emphasized that the WTO manages a trade policy toolbox that can be leveraged to foster innovation worldwide.

The DDG’s message to Ministers of Agriculture was: ‘Please push together with your trade counterparts for the WTO to deliver what it should be delivering in support of your climate smart agricultural policies’.