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UNCTAD Vi seminar on trade and poverty 8-10 September, 2014 Geneva, Switzerland. Increasing the welfare effect of the agricultural subsidy program for food crops in Macedonia - Policymaker’s perspective -. Dr. Nikica Mojsoska Blazevski Adviser
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UNCTAD Vi seminar on trade and poverty • 8-10 September, 2014 • Geneva, Switzerland Increasing the welfare effect of the agricultural subsidy program for food crops in Macedonia- Policymaker’s perspective - Dr. NikicaMojsoskaBlazevski Adviser Ministry of Labour and Social Policyof the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Policy recommendations from the study • Policymakers should put particular emphasis/increase subsidies on poor female-headed rural households for both wheat and rice production; • Policymakers should increase the subsidy for rice production due to the large investments required to initiate this new activity; and • Policymakers should offer the usufruct of state-owned land and start-off grants for poor urban households to get them into the production of wheat and maize
Usefulness of recommendations • The Subsidy Program in Agriculture has been designed back in 2006/07 • No special obstacle to changing its structure • However, its administration and monitoring may become cumbersome and costly • Perspective of the Ministry of Agriculture • Increase agricultural production, keeping an eye on price reactions (forced production may deteriorate the price) • Perspective of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy • Reduce poverty • Hence, recommendations may be more relevant for the MLSP’s perspective, but the implementation lies with MA • Coordination may be needed to fully reap the effects
Cooperation • Policymaker-researcher cooperation – a scarce ‘resource’ in Macedonia • Researchers of economic/development issues are few • Policymakers have limited awareness of research usefulness • This particular case • Encouraging: the policymaker followed the research all the way through • May have affected thinking in direction which is different than the official policy • May lay ground for policy changes (or, better, adjustments) • Cooperation should be encouraged (conditioned?) by donors