Article 57: Implementation of the Community Agricultural Policy

  1.         For the achievement of the goal set out in Article 56, the Community shall, through competent Community Organs and Bodies, promote and support:

(a) the production, diversification, processing and marketing of agricultural products;

(b) the establishment of effective agricultural financing systems, including insurance, bearing in mind the special needs of artisanal fishers, small farmers, foresters and agro-processors;

(c) the   establishment   of   linkages   among   the   Member   States   with complementary natural resources, industries, agricultural skills and technical abilities;

(d) the development of human resources and delivery systems responsive to the requirements of the agricultural sector;

(e) the development of appropriate policies for the use of land and marine space with a view to increased agricultural production;

(f) appropriate land tenure systems to provide the farmer with security of tenure;

(g)        the establishment of effective information and market intelligence services; (h)        research and development with a view to the adaptation, dissemination and application of appropriate technologies at all levels of the sector and all stages of production;

(i)         the adoption of effective measures for rural enterprise development;

(j) public education to enhance the economic and social profiles of agriculture, particularly among the youth;

(k) the establishment of an effective regime of sanitary and phytosanitary measures;

(l) the establishment of a policy environment designed to attract investment to the agricultural sector; and

(m)       technical co-operation and the dissemination of knowledge in agriculture.

 

  1.         For the purpose of assisting the Member States to implement the agricultural policy set out in paragraph 1, COTED shall establish effective support measures including:

(a) strengthening the relevant administrative and institutional framework to modernise and enhance the competitiveness of agriculture by:

(i) improving the capability of the Member States to undertake policy analysis, formulation, planning, execution and resource mobilisation for the development of the sector;

(ii)        investigating and analysing developments in the agri-food sector; and

(iii) improvement of  the  collection,  analysis  and  dissemination of empirical data and other relevant information;

(b) upgrading of national and regional capabilities in the areas of sustainable natural resources management;

(c) enhancement of the capabilities of the Member States in the areas of agricultural trade analysis and negotiations; and

(d) promotion of a mechanism for the collaboration of farmers, fishers, foresters and the social partners in agricultural development.

 

  1.         The Community shall:

(a) promote collaboration among the Member States and competent regional organisations in the areas of policy formulation and implementation of regional agricultural policies; and

(b) establish an effective regime to protect regional agricultural production from dumping, subsidisation and other unfair trading practices.

 

  1.         The Community shall, as a matter of priority, and in collaboration with national, regional and international agencies and organisations, promote and adopt measures relating, inter alia, to:

(a)        the provision of appropriate inputs; and
(b) the development of infrastructure, such as port facilities, drainage, irrigation, access roads, post-harvest handling and marketing facilities.