The relationship between trade and sustainable development of agriculture in Central America

The report analyzes the agricultural sector in Central America, noting a trend where imports grow faster than exports and a heavy reliance on external technology for dynamic crops. It identifies significant environmental degradation caused by the high use of pesticides in banana and cantaloupe production and carbon emissions from sugar cane burning. The authors argue that while the region has extensive environmental legislation, it is rarely enforced. To promote sustainable development, the document recommends establishing non-distorting support mechanisms, negotiating special treatment for 'sustainable' products in trade agreements like CAFTA and the FTAA, and creating a General System of Green Preferences (SIGPREVERDE) for developing countries.

• Central America is a net importer zone where imports exceed exports by approximately 50 per cent, with a trade balance that has remained consistently negative over the last ten years.
• Agricultural productivity and dynamism are linked to the source of technology: the most dynamic products rely on technology from outside the region, while those depending on public sector technology have seen reductions in productivity and quality.
• The use of agro-chemicals is a primary environmental challenge, with cantaloupe and banana production utilizing extremely high volumes of active ingredients per hectare annually.
• Atmospheric pollution is a significant impact of agriculture, specifically the emission of carbon dioxide resulting from the burning process in sugar cane production.
• Environmental legislation in Central America is abundant but largely ineffective due to a lack of enforcement, monitoring, and general environmental awareness.
• The region faces challenges in trade negotiations (WTO-Doha, CAFTA, and FTAA) to create non-distorting support mechanisms that encourage a technological shift toward cleaner production without creating non-tariff barriers.

APA

Pomareda, C., & Murillo, C. (2003). The relationship between trade and sustainable development of agriculture in Central America. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/tkn_trade_sd_agi_sum.pdf

Chicago

Pomareda, Carlos, and Carlos Murillo. The relationship between trade and sustainable development of agriculture in Central America. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2003. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/tkn_trade_sd_agi_sum.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Pomareda |first1=Carlos |last2=Murillo |first2=Carlos |title=The relationship between trade and sustainable development of agriculture in Central America |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=August 2003 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/tkn_trade_sd_agi_sum.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{pomareda2003relationship, author = {Pomareda, Carlos and Murillo, Carlos}, title = {{The relationship between trade and sustainable development of agriculture in Central America}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2003}, month = aug, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/tkn_trade_sd_agi_sum.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }