National Council of Applied Economic Research
An earlier ACIAR “Agricultural Trade Liberalisation and Domestic Market Reforms in Indian Agriculture”, had assessed the gains from international and domestic market reforms and found that trade policy reform must be complemented by ‘behind-the-border’ reforms if government objectives of improved productivity, higher rural employment and incomes and enhanced food security are to be met.
The aim of this further project is therefore to help ensure that the gains from international and domestic market reforms translate into real income gains for Indian farmers by facilitating the development of appropriate pro-competition policy settings with adequate safeguards for farm communities. The project will be undertaken collaboratively between India’s National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), NSW Department of Primary Industries, the Economics and Finance Department of La Trobe University, the Economics Department of the University of Melbourne and the Australia and New Zealand School of Government.
The eminent speakers included Prof Arvind Panagariya, Columbia University; Mr R Gopalan, Additional Secretary, Government of India, Department of Commerce; Mr. John McCarthy AO, Australian High Commissioner; Prof G.K. Chadha, Member, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister; Mr Dinesh Sharma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce; Dr. S.M. Jharwal, Principal Advisor, Ministry of Agriculture; Mr. U.K.S. Chauhan, Joint Secretary, Agricultural Marketing; Prof T. Haque, Former Chairman, CACP, Government of India; Dr. Rashmi Banga, Senior Economist, UNCTAD, Delhi; Mr. Augustine Peter, Economic Advisor, Competition Commission of India; and Prof Ramesh Chand, National Professor, NCAP, New Delhi.
