JOHANNESBURG, Aug 26, 2002 (Xinhua News Agency via COMTEX) --Representatives from the World Bank Monday urged the developed countriesto cut their subsidies in agriculture, saying the subsidy element is a"major deterrent" to the development of all nations, especially thedeveloping world.Ian Johnson, World Bank vice president for sustainable development, madethe remarks while outlining the World Bank's agenda of priorities for theWorld Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), which kicked off Mondaymorning.Each year, 350 billion US dollars of taxpayer's money in the North areused as subsidies for agriculture, "preventing the South from meeting itsown obligations of agriculture," he told reporters at a WSSD newsbriefing."The subsidy element is certainly a barrier," Johnson said.Market access and agriculture subsidy are among the most controversialissues to be discussed at the Johannesburg summit, and some have urged theWorld Bank to play a more active role.Although the World Bank didn't act as strongly against subsidies as itshould have done, Johnson said that there have already been some changes."We have set up a trade department at the bank", he said, adding "We aretrying to really understand the impact of the 350 billion US dollarssubsides."