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ACTIVITIES OF THE ORGANIZATION

Programme Activities

The Strategy for the Future Work of FAO

146. The Council considered a note by the Director-General on the strategy for the future work of FAO 1. It welcomed this opportunity of a policy discussion on the role of FAO in the United Nations family and in the world at large, as well as the orientation of its substantive work.

147. The Council agreed that, while a number of organizations had an interest in various aspects of agriculture, FAO should be recognized as the one intergovernmental body with overall responsibility for policy setting and policy advice in the fields of agriculture, forestry and fisheries. This depended not only on confidence in the secretariat and the quality of its work, but also on the positive cooperation of all governments, whether from developed or from developing countries. It was also necessary for governments to adhere to the same position in the various organizations to which they belonged, in order to avoid taking decisions in other bodies that were inconsistent with the policies they had themselves established in FAO. The actual strategy of FAO could not be considered in isolation from the strategy of Member Nations, and the Council believed that its effectiveness would largely depend on the extent to which Member Nations themselves applied it in the framework of their national policies. The Council noted, in this context, the statements of several members from developed countries that the strategy now being worked out by FAO would be of value for their bilateral programmes of assistance.

148. The Council supported the Director-General's views on the need for defining sectoral strategy within a broad framework for total development, and agreed with him that the establishment of such a framework represented the main coordination task of the United Nations itself. The current work on the preparation of the Second Development Decade was a step in the right direction, but a number of members agreed that there was still a need for some form of planning mechanism for the United Nations family as a whole. The establishment of an overall development strategy would enable the numerous agencies involved to obtain stronger support for sectoral goals, to work together in closer collaboration, and ultimately to achieve a considerably greater impact. The Council noted that the Director-General would be pursuing the question further with the Secretary-General and the heads of other agencies.

1 CL 51/14.

149. The Director-General had proposed that the Organization select five broad highpriority areas, within which would be made concentrated efforts in the formulation and execution of action programmes and the mobilization of external resources. The five areas of concentration were:

  1. Work on high-yielding varieties of basic food crops;

  2. Filling the protein gap;

  3. A war on waste;

  4. Mobilizing human resources for rural development;

  5. Earning and saving foreign exchange.

The Council found itself in general agreement with this approach, and with the choice of areas. It was pointed out that the proposed strategy was action-oriented and field-oriented, and should serve to increase the effectiveness of FAO's operations. At the same time the Council noted the intention of the Director-General that the concept of the five areas would be applied flexibly and not dogmatically; priorities for assistance were set, at the national level, by the individual governments, and if assistance was requested outside the five areas the Organization should do its best to provide it.

150. It was noted that the secretariat had made preliminary studies in each of the five areas, but that much work remained to be done in defining “priorities within priorities” and working out action programmes in consultation with governments and other agencies. The five areas should be considered on an equal footing; action in one area should not be considered as necessarily more important than action in another. The circumstances of individual countries differed widely, and the detailed priorities to be applied in each case would have to be worked out with the governments concerned. The Council noted the important role which the forthcoming regional conferences could play in considering the application of the priorities at the regional level.

151. A number of members drew attention to the effect which the strategy proposed by the Director-General might be expected to have on the regular programme. Expressions such as “concentration of efforts” implied that at least some of the Organization's activities outside the five areas might be reduced or suspended. The Director-General in his opening address to the Council had said that, as part of the reorganization of FAO, he intended to review all traditional activities and try to eliminate those which had now become of doubtful value; this statement was welcome. Some members pointed out the relevance of this process to the Director-General's indication, given in the same address, that he was thinking in terms of a 12 percent increase in the substantive programme for the biennium 1970–71; such an increase might be more acceptable to their governments if it were related to a programme of work and budget which had been reduced by the elimination of those activities which did not seem worth continuing in the light of present-day conditions, so that the budgetary increase could be less than half of the 12 percent suggested. 1

152. Many comments were made by speakers on the description given in the Director-General's note of the possible scope of action under the five areas. In general, members welcomed the broad interpretation proposed by the Director-General, and there was a considerable measure of agreement on his views. However, a number of members held that the treatment of the area entitled “Earning and Saving Foreign Exchange” was inadequate if interpreted as an expression of the Organization's intentions with regard to trade problems; there should be a determined effort, in association with UNCTAD, to improve the trade position and prospects of the developing countries. Some members also held that the description of “Mobilizing human resources for rural development” left room for improvement. In the human factor lay the key to all development; this area of concentration therefore deserved to be treated with particular care. One of its most important components would be institutional improvements, on which insufficient stress was laid in the Director-General's note. On all five areas, members made detailed suggestions 1, which the Director-General promised to take into account in the further work to be carried out by the secretariat.

153. The Council agreed that the Director-General should make contact with governments and with other organizations to work out comprehensive action programmes; individual programmes or projects would be presented to potential donors as they were formulated. The preliminary secretariat studies would be completed and published in order to encourage further analysis and discussions. The important question of arrangements for governmental review of activities under the five areas was considered in conjunction with the future of the Technical Committees. 2

1 See CL 51/PV-5 and CL 51/PV-6.
2 See paras. 110 – 117 above.

Future operation of the Freedom from Hunger Campaign (FFHC)

154. The Council had before it a note by the Director-General 1 in which he stated that, as a result of a thorough review of the Campaign to date, he had reached the conclusion that it had made a direct and substantial contribution to the attainment of FAO's objectives. He therefore proposed a continuation of this type of activity over the period of the Second United Nations Development Decade; set out certain main lines for future Campaign activity; commented on the title of the Campaign and reported the organizational changes he proposed to make. The Director-General asked for the advice of Council in establishing a method by which, in accordance with Resolution 6/65 of the FAO Conference, it could review the more detailed proposals he would submit to the Fifteenth Session of the Conference.

155. In an introductory statement, the Deputy Director-General underlined the Director General's intention that future Campaign activities should be still more closely related to the programmes and priorities of FAO. He reminded the Council that plans under consideration for the Second United Nations Development Decade laid stress on the mobilization of public opinion to support and further the Decade's strategy of action, and said that the wide base of public support already established through FFHC, would enable FAO to make a major contribution to this aspect of the Second Development Decade. Furthermore, the Campaign drive to secure the positive involvement of young people in development action had brought a strong new reinforcement to FFHC and to FAO's work.

156. The Council noted that the Director-General proposed to retain the title of “Freedom from Hunger Campaign,” and there was general agreement with this decision. However, some members said it was important that within the Campaign there should be a constant effort to underline the relationship of FFHC to development problems as a whole. A number of speakers pointed out that the various aspects of development were closely linked and that the public support which could be mobilized through FFHC could be of value also in this broader field. Other members said that while they agreed with the decision to retain the present title for the world campaign, they might find it necessary to use different titles for their national committees, which would reflect national problems and priorities more accurately, while continuing to operate within FFHC.

157. The Council then considered what mechanism might be most appropriate to review the detailed proposals for future Campaign action which the Director-General would prepare for submission to the Fifteenth Session of the FAO Conference. Various proposals were put forward, including the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee; the establishment of a Committee of the Whole of the Council, and the possibility of referring the Director-General's proposals for study by the Programme Committee. A number of members expressed the view that it was important that all members of the Council should have an opportunity to study the proposals, since these would be of major importance for their national programmes. It was also pointed out that, in the normal course of its work, the Programme Committee must examine any proposal for FAO activities.

1 CL 51/15.

158. The Council agreed to the Director-General's proposals to extend the campaign for the period of the Second Development Decade, subject to a mid-term review as suggested by the Director-General. It was generally agreed that the present title of the Campaign should be maintained with variations to fit local circumstances. The Council supported closer integration of FFHC activities with other FAO programmes. It accepted that the most appropriate location for the Campaign office was within the Office of General Affairs and Information. Finally, the Council agreed to refer the Director-General's detailed proposals to a Committee of the Whole of the Council, which would meet immediately prior to its Fifty-Second Session. The Director-General's proposals should also be referred to the Programme Committee, and its views would be taken into consideration by the Committee of the Whole. It was understood that the detailed plans for future action would be based on the summary ideas the Director-General had placed before the Council and which had been endorsed, with particular stress laid on the importance of education and nutrition, increased field action and the involvement of youth.

Review of Activities of Selected Divisions of the Organization

159. General - The Council considered the reports of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Sessions of the Programme Committee 1, and the relevant Council documents on selected sectors and activities of the Organization as follows:

Office of Assistant Director-General, Agriculture Department - CL 51/16

Animal Production and Health Division - CL 51/17

Land and Water Development Division - CL 51/18 and CL 51/18 Add.1

Plant Production and Protection Division - CL 51/19

Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Atomic Energy in Food and Agriculture - CL 51/22

Forestry and Forest Industries Division - CL 51/20 and CL 51/20 Sup.1

Nutrition Division - Cl 51/21

Statutory Bodies

160. The Council expressed appreciation for the review undertaken by the Programme Committee, and approved the findings and proposals presented in the relevant sections of the Committee's report.

161. In view of the usefulness of the reviews undertaken in the past, and bearing in mind the modifications with respect to the Technical Committees of the Conference, the Council emphasized the importance of continuing such reviews on an improved and strengthened basis by the Programme Committee and by the Council itself.

162. The Council stressed in particular the need for greater comparability in the contents of the documents submitted by the Secretariat, and the need for the Secretariat to adhere more closely to the approved format.

163. The Council requested the Programme Committee at its next session to reexamine the format, guidelines and procedures for the preparation of future review papers, aimed at further improving and facilitating the review exercise.

164. The Council stressed the importance of work in the future on genetic resources of agricultural crops, domestic animals and forest trees.

165. The Council welcomed the information that continuing efforts would be made, particularly with respect to the 1970–71 Programme of Work and Budget, to bring the work programme into appropriate alignment with the five broad priority areas for concentrated efforts, in harmony with the other needs of the Organization, and that this would entail a higher degree of selectivity in the future.

166. Office of the ADG, Agriculture Department 2 - The Council noted that, within the structural reorganization, the Office of the Assistant Director-General, Agriculture Department replaced in a large measure the former Office of the Assistant Director-General, Technical Department. It recognized however, that the new Office of the Assistant Director-General, Agriculture Department differed considerably from the latter in staffing and in some of its operational responsibilities.

1 CL 51/5 and C1 51/6 - Part I.
2 CL 51/16

167. The Council also noted that within the new structural organization, the offices of the assistant director-general should be regarded primarily as extensions or arms of the Director-General's own office. They should contribute substantially to the policy-making process, and to ensuring that policies were implemented. In this process, they should exercise general oversight over the work of the divisions under them, ensure coordination among those divisions, and be the main instruments for the achievement of interdepartmental coordination, particularly at the policy level.

168. In the light of the above, the Council recognized that the format of the review papers and the procedures for undertaking the review of the activities of the divisions were not suited to the offices of the assistant directors-general and that, in the future, such review documents should not encompass them.

169. Animal Production and Health Division 1 - The Council supported the programme activities of the Animal Production and Health Division, and welcomed the trends of its future work; one member however, stressed that every effort should be made to obtain accurate livestock statistics as a basis for improving livestock economy.

170. The Council considered that there was a special case for action by international organizations such as FAO to conserve and make effective use of genetic resources for the improvement of animals. Whilst supporting the need for the conservation of more productive strains, breeds and species, the Council considered that in so doing there was a risk that desirable genes might be lost, and that to avoid this, stocks of germ plasm should be kept from less productive species and breeds so as to be able to reintroduce desirable genes from the conserved material.

171. The Council also considered that there was a need for greater emphasis on the breeding, feeding and management of livestock to meet the present emphasis on animal health:

  1. It was thought that the establishment and strengthening of regional vaccine centres for better animal health facilities should receive urgent attention;

  2. the Latin American members requested that attention be given to stimulating research, particularly into the prevention of foot-and-mouth disease;

  3. one member asked that present quarantine regulations be further reviewed, so that, without jeopardising animal health, Member Nations would have greater opportunities to export their cattle.

172. Attention was drawn to the severe livestock losses still being caused by the tsetse fly. The need for appropriate disease survey and control work, especially through regional and intercountry programmes was reiterated, and a long-term study of the matter was suggested.

173. Land and Water Development Division 2 - The Council expressed the desire that all the soil and fertilizer work in the Division be consolidated within one framework, and expressed the hope that no duplication in the investigations of plant, soil and water relationships would occur with the Plant Production and Protection Division.

1 CL 51/17
2 See CL 51/18 and CL 51/18 Add.1.

174. The Council was reassured that no duplication in such investigations took place, and that the Director-General had ensured the coordination and technical integration of the appraisal of soil resources, soil management and conservation; thus the World Soil Resources Office had become a part of the Soil Resources and Survey Branch, and the FFHC Fertilizer Programme had been included in the Soil Management, Conservation and Fertilizer Use Branch. The Chief of the Soil Resources and Survey Branch has been appointed as Coordinator of the work of the two branches.

175. A number of members stressed the importance of land and water development projects within their national programmes, and one member referred to such projects with special reference to rice growing. The view was expressed that the Land and Water Development Division should receive special attention in the allocations of the budget for 1970–71 because of the importance to Member Nations of the subject matter covered by the Division and the large size of its field programme. Furthermore, the Division has been affected to the greatest extent by the reorganization, and its size has been significantly reduced.

176. The Council was informed that before the reorganization the Land and Water Development Division was carrying about 30 percent of the workload of the UNDP/SF projects assigned to FAO, with 961 field posts and 64 Headquarters officers. Today, the Division was still responsible for the largest number of field posts, i.e. 685, with 20 Regular Programme Headquarters posts and 16 Headquarters posts funded by UNDP/SF. Assurance was given that the Director-General was giving due consideration to strengthening the Division.

177. Some members requested further explanation concerning the relationship between FAO, UNDP and UNTAO. It was explained that the statement on this matter contained in document CL 51/18 1 was not representative of the Director-General's view, and that he would be discussing such relationships with UNDP in November.

178. It was also explained that because the fundamental role of water in all aspects of economic development, and particularly in agriculture, was now universally recognized, it was not surprising that projects with a major water resources development component should represent a large part of both UNDP and FAO operations. One of the most prominent characteristics of such projects being their multipurpose nature, they called, more than any others, for appropriate coordination to distribute operational responsibility among the various United Nations organizations concerned.

179. “Grey areas” being particularly wide in the case of water resources development projects, FAO had greatly appreciated the constructive action taken by UNDP to review objectively all elements, before assigning operational responsibility to United Nations agencies in this field. It was believed that the UNDP policy in this regard was guided by the following three principles, with which the Council agreed:

  1. All UNDP projects should be clearly geared toward well-identified development purposes, generally built around a main theme, even though they may be complex or multipurpose;

  2. except in the case of operations large enough to be split easily into separate and well-coordinated projects of sufficient size, there should not be, for the sake of efficiency, more than one executing agency for any given project;

  3. the executing agency for complex or multipurpose projects should be the agency which had the greatest competence in the field in question.

180. The main obstacle to the success of irrigation projects was the incomprehension, if not divorce, which existed between agronomists and civil engineers. FAO was trying to surmount this obstacle, for instance through the work of the Land and Water Use Commission for the Near East and in field projects including hydraulic engineers, pedologists, agronomists and other specialists.

1 See para. 13 of CL 51/18.

181. Plant Production and Protection Division 1 - The Council emphasized the need for strengthening the Division's work on high-yielding varieties, especially with regard to the production, certification and distribution of high quality seed. In this connexion, it was pointed out that regional centres for the study of wheat diseases, particularly rusts in the Near East, and for research on seed improvement in Africa, were urgently needed. The exploration and conservation of genetic resources also required continuous attention, particularly for preserving local biotypes. In order to fully utilize introduced materials, adaptive research should be effectively carried out.

182. Work on crop diversification and on individual crops should be given proper attention in order to assist governments in achieving a balanced economic development.

183. As the FAO/WMO/Unesco agro-climatological study provided valuable guidance in agricultural development, it should be extended to cover many more areas.

184. In the field of plant protection work on safe and efficient use of pesticides should receive renewed emphasis in the future Programme of Work, while the control of weeds, control of plant diseases and pests of economic significance, and plant quarantine should receive major attention so that effective assistance on these subjects could be provided to Member Nations.

185. Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Atomic Energy in Food and Agriculture 2 - The Council had before it the report of the Programme Activities of the Joint FAO/IAEA Division. In accepting the comments of the Programme Committee, it noted the desire of the Committee to be kept informed of further developments on various aspects of the programme.

186. Forestry and Forest Industries Division 3 - The Council recognized the importance of forestry activities in the economic development of the developing countries and agreed that the Division's work in forest industries, economics and marketing could be a prime contribution to the priority area “promotion of foreign exchange earnings and savings.”

187. It emphasized that priority should also be given to other work of the Division in afforestation, especially in arid areas, farm forestry, forest fire control, education and training, and forest influences in relation to the conservation of natural resources. FAO's work in conserving forest gene resources and developing high-yielding varieties of trees was acknowledged as being especially important for the future and deserving the cooperative support of international agencies. The Council agreed that this work also should extend beyond the protection of existing forest gene resources into the development and utilization of such resources having importance in the future. The need for close cooperation between the Forestry and Agriculture Departments in this type of activity as well as in range management and the conservation of natural resources was acknowledged.

1 See CL 51/19.
2 CL 51/22.
3 CL 51/20 and CL 51/20 Sup. 1.

188. The Council noted the present status of negotiations with regard to preparations for the Seventh World Forestry Congress scheduled to be held in 1972. By 15 August 1968 which was the deadline set by the Director-General, four countries - Argentina, Chile, Greece and U.S.S.R. - had expressed their wish to host this Congress. The Council noted the statement by the observer from Argentina, supported by the delegations from Brazil and Colombia, confirming the invitation extended by his government to hold the Congress in Argentina. Preliminary contacts with governments wishing to host the Congress would be completed in time to present to the Council at its next session the information it would need to select the host country for this important forestry event. In this connexion, the Council noted that the World Forestry Congresses were not a direct responsibility of FAO.

189. In view of its general approval of the recommendations of the Director-General and the Ad Hoc Committee on Organization to accord departmental status to the Forestry and Forest Industries Division 1, the Council suggested that the Director-General give special attention to the additional budgetary support the Department would need to further develop its forestry and forest industries activities within the framework of FAO's overall programme.

190. Nutrition Division 2 - The Council reviewed the activities of the Nutrition Division, and concurred with the comments made thereon by the Programme Committee at its Fifteenth Session 3.

191. Statutory Bodies 4 - In keeping with the recommendation of the Programme Committee, the Council requested the Director-General to ensure a strict application of the criteria established by the Fourteenth Session of the Conference, not only to proposals for the creation of new bodies, but also to the continuance of existing ones, with a view to achieving a gradual, but substantial reduction in the number of such bodies and in the overall number of meetings.

Fisheries

192. The Report of the Third Session of the Committee on Fisheries 5 was introduced by Mr. R.I. Jackson, Assistant Director-General (Fisheries) in the absence of the Chairman, Dr. Babacar Diop. The Council expressed its appreciation of the manner in which the Committee on Fisheries was carrying out its terms of reference and gave general support to its conclusions and recommendations.

193. The Committee on Fisheries had carried out an examination of the general trends and organization of the work of FAO in the field of fisheries, which had been reviewed by the Programme and Finance Committees 6. The Council agreed with the Committee on Fisheries that the fishery activities of FAO should continue to be strengthened in view of the rapid development of fish production and trade, and the opportunities in this field that present themselves to developing countries. The Council endorsed the Committee's view that even greater emphasis should be placed in future programmes on fishery industries; including more effective utilization of fish and fish products. The Council also placed emphasis on investment studies to be carried out in the Department of Fisheries in collaboration with the Investment Centre, which should assist both international banks and private investors. The Council therefore favoured the proposed restructuring of the Department into three divisions by the relocation of activities concerned with vessels, fishing methods and gear, and products and marketing, into a new Fishery Industry Division. There was also some discussion concerning vertical as distinct from horizontal organization of subject matters covered by the department, and the Council agreed that the existing vertical structuring appropriately met the present requirements of the work of the Organization in fisheries.

194. Some members expressed disappointment that the rate of expansion for 1970–71 visualized in the Report of the Committee on Fisheries fell short of that which had been envisaged at the time of the Thirteenth Session of the Conference. Some members would have liked to have seen more resources made available to inland fisheries; others emphasized the importance of education and training.

1 See paras. 75 and 115 above.
2 CL 51/21.
3 See paras. 24 to 30 of CL 51/6 - Part I.
4 See paras. 233 – 237 below.
5 CL 51/8.
6 CL 51/5, paragraphs 3 – 8.

195. The Council noted that the Indian Ocean Fishery Commission, recently established by the Council on a recommendation of the Committee on Fisheries, had already met; and in this context the Council reiterated the desire expressed by the Conference at its Fourteenth Session that extra budgetary sources of funds be sought for support for resource surveys and other activities of FAO's regional fishery bodies, and in particular the Council desired that consultation with the UNDP regarding appropriate support for this Commission's activities in the Indian Ocean should continue actively.

196. The Council noted the Committee's conclusion that it was too early to assess the merits of the present system of balloting for the election of its members which had been adopted by the Conference at its Fourteenth Session (Resolution 15/67), and the Council agreed that the present system should be given a longer trial.

197. Bearing in mind its decision in respect of the Technical Committees of the Conference, the Council decided to lay aside consideration of the relationship between the work of the Committee on Fisheries and that of the Technical Committee on Fisheries of the Conference, to which reference had been made in the Committee's report.

198. The Council was informed 1 of further developments in implementation of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2172 (XXI) on the resources of the sea, ending with recommendations arising from a consultation that had taken place in Paris only the previous week. The Council found itself in agreement with the proposal that the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission should be more closely linked with FAO and other interested agencies, so that it could play an important role in the formulation and coordination of the expanded programme of international collaboration in marine science for which the United Nations General Assembly had called. This would be done without, for the present, removing the Commission's constitutional and administrative base from Unesco, and without, on the other hand, abridging in any way FAO's responsibilities for fishery research. The Council also agreed in principle that FAO should join with Unesco and WMO in providing the IOC Secretariat and carrying out activities in support of the programmes to be formulated by IOC. The Council noted with approval that a senior staff member of the Department of Fisheries had already been designated to develop closer liaison with IOC in matters concerning marine science. The financial implications of the proposed closer relationship between FAO and IOC would require careful study when more detailed proposals came before the Council and Conference, as part of the Director-General's Programme of Work and Budget. Some members drew attention to the need for respecting the rights of coastal states when planning and carrying out research at sea.

199. The Council noted the proposal to replace World Fisheries Abstracts by a review journal 2, and some reservations were expressed; the Council, however, agreed with the proposal to proceed with a specimen issue, including review articles, in time for the Conference at its Fifteenth Session to come to a final decision.

200. The Council supported the Committee's views on marine pollution 3, and endorsed the establishment of a Joint IMCO/FAO/Unesco/WMO Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution 4. Some members expressed the wish for further studies to be undertaken in the fields of pollution of inland waters, since this had important implications for the inland fisheries.

201. The Council noted the Director-General's proposal to consult with the experts on fish culture and related fields, and agreed that such experts should meet on an ad hoc basis during the current biennium, subject to the availability of funds.

1 CL 51/INF/3.
2 CL 51/23.
3 CL 51/25.
4 Designated as a Panel of Experts under Article VI-4 of the FAO Constitution.

202. The Council noted an amendment adopted by the Committee on Fisheries to its Rules of Procedures, Rule II-5 of the Rules of Procedure of the Committee on Fisheries to read:

“5. Each Member Nation of the Committee may appoint alternates and advisors to its representative on the Committee.”

203. The Council agreed that the statutes of the Continuing Working Party on Fishery Statistics in the North Atlantic Area (CWP) be amended as to its composition and title, and confirmed its establishment under Article VI-2 of the Constitution 1. The Council accordingly adopted the following resolution:

Resolution 1/51

COORDINATING WORKING PARTY ON ATLANTIC FISHERY STATISTICS

THE COUNCIL

Noting that the Continuing Working Party on Fishery Statistics in the North Atlantic Area was established by the Director-General, under the authority conferred on him by Resolution 23/59 adopted by the Conference at its Tenth Session, jointly with the International Council for the exploration of the SEA (ICES) and the International Commission for the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries (ICNAF);

Considering the usefulness of this body to the participating agencies in connexion with the establishment of standard concepts, classifications, definitions, reporting methods and forms relating to statistics on the Atlantic fisheries;

Noting that the Committee on Fisheries had made certain recommendations at its Third Session with regard to the modification of the Working Party's title and composition and that these recommendations had already been approved by ICES and ICNAF;

Endorsing the recommendations made by the Committee on Fisheries;

Decides that the title of the Continuing Working Party on Fishery Statistics in the North Atlantic area shall henceforth be changed to “Coordinating Working Party on Atlantic Fishery Statistics.”

Decides that the Coordinating Working Party on Atlantic Fishery Statistics shall be composed of experts; FAO, ICES and ICNAF each appointing up to four experts in accordance with their respective constitutional procedures;

Authorizes the Director-General, in accordance with Article VI-3 of the Constitution, to determine the terms of reference of the Coordinating Working Party on Atlantic Fishery Statistics in agreement with ICES and ICNAF;

Authorizes the Director-General to appoint the experts to be selected by FAO and to promulgate, after determination of the Working Party's terms of reference, amended statutes to reflect the contents of the present resolution;

Confirms that as far as FAO is concerned the Coordinating Working Party on Atlantic Fishery Statistics is a working party of experts established under Article VI-2 of the Constitution;

Agrees that FAO continue to provide the secretariat services for the Working Party.

1 CL 51/24.

Interagency Relations and Consultations on Matters of Common Interest

Matters Arising from Discussions in ECOSOC, United Nations General Assembly, UNDP Governing Council and ACC

204. The Council reviewed the report of the Director-General on matters arising out of ECOSOC, the ACC and the UNDP Governing Council sessions held since April 1968, 1 and generally endorsed the manner in which the Director-General was arranging FAO's contribution to matters of interagency cooperation in order to further the process of economic and social development.

205. The Council received a report on the implementation by FAO of the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples 2. It noted the constructive steps already taken by FAO implementing the resolutions, and endorsed the line taken by the Director-General that he would continue to respond positively to General Assembly - Resolution 2311 (XXII) in a manner consistent with the FAO Constitution and the mandates of its governing bodies.

FAO/UNIDO Relations

206. The Council noted the interim report on the efforts being made by the Director-General to reach an agreement with UNIDO, in order to enable the two Organizations to pursue their activities in the industrial field without duplication and with maximum cooperation in areas of common concern. It expressed the hope that the agreement would be concluded early in order to eliminate the present uncertainty.

FAO/Unesco Relations

207. The Council received a report 3 on developments since the Fourteenth Session of the FAO Conference, with regard to the problem of cooperation between FAO and Unesco in the field of agricultural education.

208. It noted the action taken by the Director-General to find a solution to the problem in consultation with his colleagues in Unesco and ILO, which had resulted in a concrete basis for future cooperation. The Council accordingly approved the AideMémoire submitted to it setting forth guidelines of cooperation between FAO, Unesco and ILO, which had been signed by the three Directors-General on 3 May 1968.

209. It noted that the Executive Board of Unesco and the Governing Body of ILO had already endorsed the Aide-Mémoire, and that the Agreement had been welcomed by the Forty-Fifth Session of the Economic and Social Council.

210. The Council further noted that an Inter-Secretariat Working Group on Agricultural Education, Science and Training, as envisaged in the Aide-Mémoire, had already been established and had already held its first meeting in August 1968.

211. Having regard to the fact that the term “agricultural education” embraced a complex field of interrelated activities, the Council recognized that the Aide-Mémoire had necessarily to be confined to defining only broad areas of major responsibility. It expressed the hope, however, that effective cooperation could be developed within this broad framework if the three parties concerned approached the problem in a spirit of cooperation and mutual trust.

1 CL 51/26.
2 CL 51/26- Sup. 1.
3 CL 51/28.

212. Several members referred to the essential importance of linking agricultural education and training to the practical needs of agricultural production and development, and stressed that FAO, in implementing the provisions of the Aide-Mémoire, must play a major role in technical education and training directly related to agricultural development.

213. The Council suggested that there should be a trial period of reasonable length during which it should be informed of progress made in the implementation of the Aide-Mémoire so that it could decide on any further action, if necessary. Meanwhile, it was unnecessary to establish an Ad Hoc intergovernmental committee under Article III of the Relationship Agreement between FAO and Unesco.

214. The Council adopted the following resolution:

Resolution 2/51

ARRANGEMENTS FOR COOPERATION BETWEEN FAO, UNESCO AND ILO, INCLUDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JOINT ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND TRAINING

THE COUNCIL

Recalling the question of division of responsibilities between FAO, Unesco and ILO in the fields of agricultural education, science and training, which has been the subject of extensive deliberations at the Fourteenth Session of the FAO Conference and the Forty-Eighth, Forty-Ninth and Fiftieth Session of the FAO Council;

Having noted with satisfaction the agreement which has been reached between the Directors-General of FAO, Unesco and ILO on methods of future cooperation and coordination in these fields, as reflected in the Aide-Mémoire signed jointly by the three Directors-General on 3 May 1968, the text of which is reproduced in Appendix G to this Report;

Noting that the Aide-Mémoire envisages the establishment, with the approval of the governing bodies of the three Organizations of a Joint Advisory Committee;

Considering that the establishment of such a Committee would be conducive to the adoption and pursuit of a concerted approach by the three Organizations in the fields referred to above;

Having considered the draft Statutes of the proposed Joint Committee as set forth in the aforementioned Aide-Mémoire;

Noting that these draft Statutes have been approved by the governing bodies of Unesco and ILO;

1. Hereby endorses the Aide-Mémoire setting forth Guidelines for Cooperation between FAO, Unesco and ILO in Agricultural Education, Science and Training;

2. Approves the establishment of the Joint FAO/Unesco/ILO Advisory Committee on Agricultural Education, Science and Training mentioned therein which shall be considered, as far as FAO is concerned, as a Committee of Experts set up in accordance with the provisions of Article VI-2 of the FAO Constitution;

3. Further approves the Statutes of the aforementioned Joint Advisory Committee, as set out in the above-mentioned Aide-Mémoire;

4. Requests the Director-General to inform the Council periodically of developments in the implementation of the Aide-Mémoire.

FAO/IBRD Cooperative Programme and Cooperation with Area Banks

215. In considering the format for reporting on the progress of operations under the FAO/IBRD Cooperative Programme and other investment programmes, the Council took note of the recommendations of the Programme Committee. The Council agreed that in reporting to the Conference on these programmes the secretariat should not only give progress data as suggested in format, but also information on the general problems and difficulties encountered in common by groups of countries in obtaining finance for investment projects, without however giving out any information infringing on the secrecy of the bank-client relationship.

216. The question of relating the investment activities to the new priority areas of FAO work was also considered and, while approving in principle the need for these priority areas to be taken into consideration in the formulation of investment programmes, the Council also noted that there was need for flexibility and that investment activities needed to be guided primarily by the wishes of individual governments, that they involved major policy decisions, and that the criteria of financial institutions would necessarily play a major role.

217. A view was expressed that the budgetary resources being provided for the Cooperative Programme with the World Bank and the Area Banks were not adequate and should be increased. The Council noted that the Director-General was allocating from the Contingency Fund an additional $50 000 to the FAO/IBRD Cooperative Programme during the current biennium and that talks were being held with the World Bank for a stepping-up of the activities and budgetary resources in the 1970–71 biennium, following the World Bank's announced intention to quadruple its investment in the agricultural sector. As regards the programmes with the regional banks, the Council noted that the funds included in the current biennial budget were not likely to be fully used because of the late start in some of these programmes and that if the development of the programmes indicated that an increase in the budgetary allocation for the next biennium was justified, the Director-General would give it due consideration.

218. The Council noted that the Memorandum of Agreement between the Asian Development Bank and FAO had been approved by the Bank's Governing Body with only minor changes of an editorial nature, and that it had come into force on 4 April 1968. The Memorandum of Understanding regarding cooperation between the African Development Bank and FAO had come into force on 1 June 1968. Following the signing on 1 April 1968 of a Memorandum of Understanding on Procedures, the implementation of the Agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank had been placed on a more systematic basis.

219. The Council noted with satisfaction the initiatives taken for an arrangement with the Central American Bank for Economic Integration.

Reports of the United Nations Joint Inspection Unit 1

220. The Council recalled that the Conference, at its Fourteenth Session, had approved FAO's participation in the United Nations Joint Inspection Unit on the basis of the conclusions reached at a joint meeting of the Administrative Committee on Coordination and the ECOSOC Committee on Programme and Coordination. As regards reporting procedures the Inspectors' reports are to be placed before the Council with any comments the Director-General may have. The Council would then forward to ECOSOC and its Committee on Programme Coordination only those parts of the reports which concern the coordination of FAO activities in the economic and social field with those of other organizations in the United Nations system.

1 Agenda item 12; see also paras. 276 – 277, 286 – 290 and 348 below.

221. The Programme and Finance Committees had suggested that the Council might wish the reports and the comments of the Director-General to be reviewed first by these Committees before the Council took any action 1.

222. The Council approved the suggestion of the Committees and requested the Director-General to work out in consultation with the Programme and Finance Committees detailed procedures for the handling of these reports. These detailed procedures should provide for the submission of the Inspectors' Reports to the Committees together with the detailed comments of the Director-General, including any action that he had taken or was prepared to take as a result of the recommendations in the reports. These procedures should also be developed in the light of the procedures relating to the manner in which reports of the Joint Inspection Unit should be submitted. This was being developed by ACC in cooperation with the Secretariat of the Joint Inspection Unit.

223. The Council recognized that it was not possible, due to the shortness of time, for the first report of the Joint Inspection Unit (prepared by Inspector Robert M. Macy on his visit to Turkey) to have been submitted to the Programme and Finance Committees with the detailed comments of the Director-General. As a special procedure for the handling of this report, the Council authorized the Programme and Finance Committees to consider the report and the detailed comments of the Director-General at their next sessions in the spring of 1969 and at their Joint Session to be held at that time and, on behalf of the Council, to forward to ECOSOC and to the Committee on Programme and Coordination those portions of the report of their Joint Session which concern the coordination of the activities of FAO in the economic and social field with those of other organizations in the United Nations system. The Council, at its Fifty-Second Session would review the matter and send any comments it had to ECOSOC and the Committee on Programme and Coordination in a separate document to reach them during their summer sessions.

Plans for the Second World Food Congress - Date and Place

224. The Council had before it a note by the Director-General 2, referring to the request of the Fourteenth Session of the Conference that the time and place of the Second World Food Congress be decided by the Director-General in consultation with the Council, and advising the Council that the Government of the Netherlands, by letter of 4 July 1968, had offered in principle to host the Congress at The Hague in June 1970.

225. In his introductory statement the Director-General expressed the view that the Fifteenth Session of the FAO Conference should have the opportunity to examine the Indicative World Plan and give it authority, before the Plan was presented to the wider forum of the Second World Food Congress. The time proposed by the Government of the Netherlands in its generous offer to host the Congress was therefore a suitable period.

226. It was the intention of the Director-General to start the planning of the Congress programme immediately. To guide him in this he proposed to designate a Preparatory Committee of personalities drawn from a cross section of society. The Congress would be given a clear orientation toward action. Main components in the programme would be the practical implications of the Indicative World Plan and of the strategy for FAO's future work.

227. The Council expressed its appreciation to the Government of the Netherlands for the offer to host the Congress. It agreed to the time proposed and authorized the Director-General to accept the invitation. It authorized the Director-General to set up a Preparatory Committee under Article VI-2 of the Constitution.

1 Para. 10 of the Joint Report of the Programme and Finance Committees, CL 51/5.
2 CL 51/46.

228. In a brief statement the observer for the Netherlands expressed his Government's appreciation to the Council for having accepted the invitation. The Netherlands would make every effort to create favourable conditions for a successful Congress. It was the hope of his Government that particular attention could be given by the Congress to translating FAO's development strategy into concrete action programmes. Since FAO would be celebrating its Twenty-Fifth Anniversary in 1970, the Second World Food Congress might provide an opportunity to present the public with not only a set of coordinated policies for the future as presented in the Indicative World Plan, but also with the results of 25 years of development assistance in the field of food and agriculture.

Plans for the World Conference on Agricultural Education and Training

229. The Council was informed of the joint preparatory work of FAO, Unesco and ILO and the sessions of the FAO Advisory Panel on Agricultural Education and the Ad Hoc Working Party of Selected Administrators of Agricultural Training Programmes had been held in May 1968 on the planning and organization of the World Conference. Host facilities and an offer of $50 000 towards expenses had been made by the Government of Denmark for holding the conference in Copenhagen, probably in July 1970. There was also a further major item for discussion to be added to the list in document CL 51/47: “A New Strategy for Investment of External Aid to Agricultural Education and Training in Developing Countries.”

230. The Council also noted that joint sponsorship of the Conference by FAO, Unesco and ILO implied that countries which were members of Unesco or ILO but not members of FAO would have to be invited; and that Russian, an official language of Unesco and ILO, would be the fourth working language of the conference. The budgetary implications of the conference were being examined in detail and would be considered shortly by the three organizations.

231. The Council endorsed the proposals and expressed its satisfaction over the practical collaboration of FAO, Unesco and ILO in this matter of vital concern to developing countries. It also wished to record its appreciation for the generous offer by the Government of Denmark and its pleasure that the conference would be held in Copenhagen.

232. While discussing the major topics of the conference, the Council noted the importance placed by developing countries upon ways and means through which the million of small farmers, farm families and the rural communities in which they lived, could be helped to play their part in progress and development. Although some members felt that Conferences should be held on other subject matters, agricultural education and training were central to the achievement of this objective. The conference must essentially be a practical one and effective follow up action an absolute necessity. In this connexion, some members stressed the desirability of holding meetings on this subject at the regional or at the national level in developing countries. Several valuable suggestions were made for consideration by the planning body. It was, however, considered essential to limit the scope of the conference in order to achieve its objectives. It was also important to get appropriate representation from developing countries and to assist this process support through fellowships was essential. Several countries had already intimated their support for the conference by offering fellowships. In this and other matters related to the conference, the organizers would continue to keep in touch with all governments and organizations willing to lend their support.


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