Agriculture européenne, marchés internationaux, croissance des PVD et sécurité alimentaire

In connection with tight interdependence between domestic agricultural policies and behavior of the world market and with the present round of GATT negotiations, agricultural economists are increasingly being asked to produce significant pieces of research. This paper analyzes the supply responses of our profession from three different angles. First, recent research efforts by agricultural economists are surveyed with regard of the following areas : 1) effects of liberalization ; 2) analyses of the roots and structure of agricultural protectionism ; 3) aggregate measures of support 4) reinstrumentation. Second, starting from the analytical dichotomy between free traders and pragmatists, recent developments of the international economics literature are surveyed, paying specific attention to the « new international economics » and to the domestic and systemic dimensions of the « political economy » approach. Finally, on the basis of these surveys, a triad of doctrinal positions - Hard free traders, Soft pragmatists, Committed pragmatists - are specified and research issues of high future priority identified.