Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS)

Successful collection and dissemination of quality food market outlook information in a timely manner cannot be realised without full participation of the food market information providers and analysts. Building on and complementing existing systems, improvements in market information and transparency could be achieved through a collaborative food market data initiative.

In June 2011, the Group of 20 (G-20) established a global information system under the banner of Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) in order to enhance the quality, timeliness and reliability of food market outlook information. Consultation with the International Grains Council (IGC) on this initiative is also on-going. This initiative, proposed by a number of international organizations (FAO, IFAD, IFPRI, WFP, OECD, World Bank, WTO, the UN High Level Task Force (UN-HLTF) and UNCTAD), has been endorsed by all G-20 Members and, subsequently, by the Committee on World Food Security (CFS). 

AMIS aims at making food market information better through strengthening the collaboration and dialogue between main producing, exporting and importing countries, commercial enterprises and international organizations. Such a collaborative effort will help to increase transparency and restore confidence in markets, reduce uncertainty and provide a more level playing field for poor countries by enhancing the dissemination of quality food market information. AMIS will also provide the basis for global food market alerts to price surges and more timely and effective policy responses to market developments. In more detail AMIS will:

• improve agricultural market outlook and forecasts at both national and international levels
• issue alerts to food price surges as appropriate and strengthen global early warning capacity, thus enhancing food security and emergency policy response
• provide policy guidance and promote international policy coordination
• build data collection capacity in participating countries

Website: http://www.amis-outlook.org/