Cereal markets in the Mediterranean region

In 2011, G20 countries recommended the creation of an Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) aimed at increasing the transparency of agricultural commodities international markets in order to help curb the excessive volatility of food prices and to encourage the coordination of national policies vis-à-vis food commodity markets.  AMIS's work started with a focus on 4 commodities (Wheat, Maize, Rice, Soybeans) and around 28 partner countries (G20 members + Spain and the seven main importers and exporters of the said commodities : Egypt, Ukraine, Nigeria, The Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Kazakhstan) as well as a number of observer institutions.

AMIS is organised around an Information Group on cereal markets (national experts), a Rapid Response Forum (decision-makers), and a Secretariat. AMIS Secretariat is located inside FAO Trade & Markets division.  Ten international organization are currently participating to the AMIS Secretariat (FAO, OECD, World Bank, IFAD, WFP, IFPRI, WTO, UNCTAD, UN-HLTF, IGC...).  AMIS produces reports, market analyses, statistics, etc. whose final results are public; capacity-development, policy-dialogue and -coordination are also among AMIS activities.

Since its creation, AMIS has been working more particularly on data collection methodologies, the establishment of harmonised datasets, and the creation of indicators aimed at capturing anomalies on international food markets. Cf. http://www.amis-outlook.org/

Coordinated by CIHEAM (https://www.ciheam.org/) and in particular by its Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Montpellier (IAM.M), MED-Amin network places itself in the trail opened by AMIS, while focusing on the Mediterranean countries members of CIHEAM. Since 2014, MED-Amin has been working in relation with AMIS multilateral initiative's Secretariat based in Rome as well as with FAO and the European Commission services.