Global agricultural trade is experiencing considerable disruption, with volatility increasingly shaping international markets. For countries in the Global South, agriculture remains central to food security, rural livelihoods, economic growth, export earnings, and poverty alleviation. Yet the sector continues to face entrenched structural vulnerabilities, including weak institutional support, fragmented landholdings, fragile safety nets, and recurring natural disasters. In current trade negotiations, several cross-cutting issues have emerged alongside the traditional focus on market access and domestic support. Agricultural exporters also confront increasing tariff uncertainties and an expanding wave of sustainability-linked unilateral measures that operate as non-tariff barriers. This discussion paper by RIS examines these developments with particular attention to the potential legal obligations that may arise from negotiations and their compatibility with the varied socio-economic contexts of developing and leastdeveloped economies.
Advancing work on WTO-mandated issues, balancing sustainability with equity, and aligning multilateral and regional approaches remain central to achieving inclusivity. The credibility of the international trading system will depend on whether it can deliver outcomes that respond to the needs of farmers and consumers in vulnerable economies.