The fourth session of the Rapid Response Forum was hosted by the United Kingdom Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in London/UK.

The meeting reviewed progress and activities of AMIS in 2014, especially as regards country collaboration in providing complete forecast information in a timely fashion. It assessed options for ensuring the financial sustainability of AMIS and in strengthening country engagement in the initiative. It also discussed options for enhancing the effectiveness of AMIS, for example by regularly evaluating its performance, agreeing on a protocol to call for Rapid Response Forum meetings, and streamlining chair handover.

Overall, the field of competence of the Rapid Response Forum, composed by Senior Officials from countries participating in AMIS, according to its Terms of Reference “is designed to promote early discussion among decision-level officials about abnormal international market conditions to encourage the coordination of policies and the development of common strategies. In particular, it:

1. promotes early information exchange and discussion on crisis prevention and responses among policy-makers;
2. assists in mobilizing wide and rapid political support for appropriate policy response and actions on issues affecting agricultural production and markets in times of crisis, without seeking to influence humanitarian responses; and
3. briefs and maintains a two-way dialogue with the Secretariat and the Bureau of the Committee of World Food Security on the deliberations of the Forum.