duction, processing and delivery systems as these affect their comparative advantage over time and space.
     Total energy use and CO2 per unit commodity deliv­ered to end users are more meaningful indicators, requiring a whole life cycle perspective, including production stages (Audsley et al., 1997; Smith et al., 2005; Williams et al., 2006). Thus, while increasing transportation efficiency is a valid target, minimizing transport miles and costs in them­selves are not and to do so could increase prices and reduce the range and quality of produce available to consumers and compromise the livelihoods of low cost but distant producers, especially those in developing countries. Some of the options cited below could help guide decisions on sustainable transport throughout the supply chain and its organizations:
•     Develop crop varieties by breeding and biotechnology that can be shipped by sea instead of air while maintain­ing quality.
•     Further develop treatment technologies (chemicals, stor­age conditions, irradiation, biologicals) that preserve shelf life of agricultural commodities allowing shipping by sea instead of air.
•     Develop and apply databases and routines to assess transport  efficiency  and total energy/CO2 emissions within a whole life cycle, field to fork approach, in­cluding  full environmental  accounting for transport functions.
•     Develop methods for carbon and energy accounting, reporting and labeling for food commodities, appropri­ately communicated to consumers.
•     Develop methods to enhance consumer understanding and appreciation of sustainable food procurement and transport systems to inform consumer choice.
•     Develop increased efficiency in food transport technol­ogy and logistic management systems, including promo­tion of sustainable transport.

6.2.4   Trade, markets and agricultural policies
As a major importer of commodities, labor and resources and an exporter of products, investment and AKST, NAE has influenced food and agriculture systems throughout the world. Regardless of which scenario will play out in the future, NAE's influence on other regions will continue. It is to NAE's advantage to ensure sustainable development of the whole world's food and agriculture system as well as its own. This task includes environmental, economic and social consid­erations in a context of autonomy for everyone (Box 6-2).
     Development of competitive and viable local produc­tion systems could be based on measures to ensure food security, improve farmers' livelihoods and assure sustain­able development for both NAE and the concerned regions. Since exchanges between NAE and the other countries are presently through the trade system, NAE has the poten­tial to participate in the continued evolution of the world trading system to ensure that it becomes more fair and equitable.

Develop competitive and viable local production systems
The diversity of agricultures throughout the world is a con-

and local, social and historical contexts (Mazoyer and Rou-dart, 2006). A role for AKST could be to analyze this diver­sity of agricultures, their resources and constraints and their potential in terms of production, environmental services, social contribution, public goods and externalities as well as an analysis of production systems. The development and implementation of AKST could be based on the following principles (CBD, 2005):
•     Focus on food security and improvement of farmers' livelihoods;
•     Build on previous experience and knowledge, through combining the skills and wisdom of farmers with mod­ern scientific knowledge;
•     Focus on integrated holistic solutions and technical adaptation to local contexts within a clear framework that  builds  on the  principles  of the  agroecosystem approach;
•     Promote cross-sectoral approaches to address different perspectives (social, political, environmental) through association and flexibility; and
•     Prioritize actions based on country goals and the wants of direct beneficiaries and locally validate such actions through the full participation of all actors.

Continued attention to family farms is important as they were the basis of agricultural development and the forerun­ner of industrial development in NAE (Danbom, 2006). In many countries today such farms represent a major part of the rural population. If efficient and competitive in produc­tion and trade, these small producers could significantly contribute to achieving a higher and more sustainable pace of development, thereby promoting economic growth and social cohesion (IFAD, 2001).

In order to reach development and sustainability goals, NAE's contribution to AKST in other regions could result in alleviating rural poverty by improving access to resources and improving skills and institutional support so that the rural poor can benefit from:
•     Improved access to natural resources, especially land and water and improved natural resource management and conservation practices ;
•     Improved agricultural technologies and effective pro­duction services;
•     Broad range of financial services;
•     Transparent and competitive markets for agricultural inputs and produce;
•     Opportunities for rural off-farm employment and enter­prise development and
•     Local and national policy and programming processes

The principle of division of labor has been a common fea­ture of AKST (Herman, 2001). Product specialization based on resource endowments and linked with appropriate AKST will increase productivity (Mattson et al., 2006).

Develop a fair and equitable trade system.
Market forces are shaping and will continue to shape the future of the world's agriculture and food system (Brown, 2002). Private enterprise operating through the market is the