PWB CHAPTER 2: TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC PROGRAMMES

Major Programme 2.1:
Agricultural Production and Support Systems

Programme 2.1.1: Natural Resources

Achievements

112. The programme focused on natural resource utilisation policy, technical advice and information support. The Land and Water Development Division (AGL) tested a new programme structure placing activities under six projects. Inter-disciplinary integration was, however, difficult both because of ongoing disciplinary activities and institutional structure. The new programme structure collided with services and groups; programme visibility suffered. In future, only activities with common output will be integrated.

113. Soil, Water and Plant Nutrition Management at Farm Level. Outputs were produced to improve integrated soil, water and plant nutrient management, including methods to enhance water use. Guidelines and training promoting participatory approaches for group formation, soil and plant nutrient and water management at farm level were tested in Asia and Africa. In-service training of extension agents was tested in Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS) sites. Work on irrigation assessment continues. A consultation on the Soil Fertility Initiative (SFI) in Africa was conducted; preparation of action plans in two countries was completed.

114. Sustainable Management of Land, Water and Plant Nutrient at Community Level. Two village case studies in Asia and Africa on participatory soil and nutrient management were completed. The World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT) database on soil conservation was expanded in three countries. Contributions were made for improved soil management methods in Morocco, Tunisia, Southern Africa and Central America. Approaches to land management in tropical agro-ecologies emphasising steeplands conservation were published. Preparation of guidelines for wetland and valley bottom development continued, with a regional workshop in Harare. Water harvesting assessment from Geographical Information System (GIS) data was initiated; seminars were organised in Laos and Niger.

115. Management and Reclamation of Problem Soil, Salinity Control and Water Quality Management. Activities were well integrated, producing tangible outputs. The "Integrated Management of Salt Affected Soils" and "Management and Reclamation of Degraded Soils" networks were strengthened. Workshops on conservation tillage, that served as platforms for South-South Cooperation, were held in Zimbabwe and Kazakhstan, in collaboration with the Agricultural Support Services Division (AGS) and the Plant Production and Protection Division (AGP), promoting South-South Cooperation. Land degradation factors were documented in Malawi and Ethiopia. The ProSoil CD-ROM on problem soils was developed. Soil Salinity Assessment and Materials for Subsurface Land Drainage Systems were published. Workshops on water quality management were held in Chile and Thailand. The Land Drainage chapter was prepared as a contribution to the International Commission of Agricultural Engineering Handbook on Land and Water Engineering.

116. National Policies and Strategies for Land, Water and Plant Nutrition. Outputs are diverse. Water policy work focused on application of existing guidelines. Regional meetings were conducted with the World Bank and regional development banks. Support was provided to five countries and papers dealing with water scarcity were produced.

117. Guidelines on public and private fertiliser strategies were published and applied in studies in Zimbabwe and Bolivia. The study on fertiliser in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was published, with a CD-ROM. Development of a database on fertiliser application and yields in 52 countries was linked to existing databases for analysis purposes. The annual Current World Fertiliser Situation and Outlook was published; fertiliser price analyses were included in FAO Food Outlook.

118. A framework for sustainable management of land resources was prepared with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ), discussed at regional workshops and applied in projects in Tanzania, Ghana, Gambia, Sierra Leone and Sri Lanka. Land valuation guidelines were drafted with the Rural Development Division. A glossary of relevant terms was produced and software for land use and land management decision support was further developed.

119. Information and Decision Support Systems on Land and Water Resources and the Global Land and Water Database. Development of a land and water resources information system was initiated, to combine Land and Water Division data in one GIS system, supplemented by country reports. Reports for countries in Europe, Africa and Asia were put on the FAO Internet site. Professionals from Latin America and West Africa were trained to use the systems.

120. The World Reference Database for Soil Resources and a CD-ROM of the draft WOCAT database (definitive in 2000) were published. CD-ROMs of the Soil and Terrain Database (SOTER) were distributed for IGADD (Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development) countries and Latin America. Work progressed on the Global Agro-ecological zone (AEZ) database, available in the next biennium. Methods for assessing land degradation were tested. A handbook on erosion mapping in Mediterranean coastal zones was published with UNEP. Collaborations on land cover classification continued under the Land Cover Map and Geodatabase for Africa (AFRICOVER).

121. Work continues on the AQUASTAT rural water database covering developing and transitional countries: the Asia survey is published; that for Latin America was completed but assessment of data continues. A draft report is due in 2000. Digital maps of irrigation in Latin America and Africa were prepared. Contributions were made to chapter four of the AT 2015/30 report.

122. Improving Irrigation System Performance. Most activities were completed. An irrigation management information system (SIMIS, version 1.0) was completed; software was disseminated in Egypt, Cyprus and Peru. A workshop was conducted with the International Water Management Institute, reviewing irrigation modernisation in Asia to identify necessary guidelines and training. Guidelines for transfer of management services to water users were published.

123. Support to Field Programmes and Direct Service to Member Nations. Support was provided to FAO's field programme, especially SPFS. Unilateral Trust Fund (UTF) projects were initiated, including the Nile Basin Water Resource Project. Support for the formulation of the Hillside Agriculture project in Haiti, the Soil and Water Conservation Projects in Tunisia and several other countries was provided. Innovative land management projects for carbon sequestration were initiated, with International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) funding. Contributions were made to national action plans under the Soil Fertility Initiative, including those to combat desertification in Cuba, Haiti and Iran.

124. The International Programme on Technology and Research in Irrigation and Drainage (IPTRID), was transferred to FAO's Land and Water Development Division, and identified research and technology transfer opportunities in Egypt, Uganda and Malawi with AGL. A review of the effects of water control technology on irrigation was published. IPTRID and FAO, supported by the Dutch and French governments, initiated a West African network on small-scale irrigation. Networking was strengthened through workshops, a network magazine and an Internet-based information system on water conservation.

125. Coordination, Partnerships and Services to Statutory Bodies. International partnerships and statutory bodies were supported. Preparatory assistance was given for the Secretary-General's report on the Commission on Sustainable Development sessions CSD-6 and CSD-8. Contributions were made to the Conference on Multifunctional Agriculture, the Conventions on Desertification and Climate Change, the Global Water Partnership (Steering Committee), the ACC Sub-Committee on Water (SCW) and its regular Water Development Report. Water and Food workshops were organised in Accra and Harare for the World Water Forum and Land and Water Development Division staff made presentations on natural resource management at international conferences.

Programme 2.1.2: Crops

Achievements

126. The programme contributed work on policy advice, technologies for sustainable production, environment conservation and natural resource optimisation to the objectives of the World Food Summit.

127. It provided the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA) Secretariat. Conference's decision to broaden the CGRFA's mandate to cover all aspects of genetic resources of relevance to food and agriculture led to two major thrusts. Progress on animal genetic resources is reported under Programme 2.1.3, Livestock. The focus for plant genetic resources was on revision of the International Undertaking, in harmony with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Progress was made at meetings on the basis that the Undertaking would be a binding international instrument regulating access and benefit-sharing with regard to plant genetic resources. It is planned to finalise the Undertaking for submission to the 119^th Session of the FAO Council.

128. The Global Plant and Pest Information System (GPPIS) developed an innovative software procedure that enabled a network of eminent scientists to pool their information and expertise. Subsequently, with the University of Florida as implementing secretariat, FAO and the National Museum of Natural History of the Smithsonian Institution agreed to the establishment of EcoPort, an ecology knowledge portal Website http://www.ecoport.org/ which incorporates the information held in GPPIS. EcoPort makes a broad range of multi-disciplinary natural resource management information available to governments, institutions and individuals.

129. Plant Genetic Resources. The Global Plan of Action (GPA) on Plant Genetic Resources (PGR) was promoted through meetings in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe. Full implementation and financing of the GPA will be facilitated by completion of the revision of the International Undertaking by the CGFRA and CBD.

130. Crop networks were used to promote conservation and utilisation of genetic resources. New international networks were established - East Africa and Indian Ocean Island Network, West and Central Africa Network and Caribbean Network - promoting traditional vegetables (Asia and the Pacific) and tropical fruits (West Africa). The Mediterranean Citrus Network and the Global Network on Mushrooms redefined strategies regarding conservation and use of germplasm. An expert consultation identified methods for assessing genetic diversity and its erosion, supporting the FAO World Information and Early Warning System on PGR (WIEWS).

131. Capacity-building and technology transfer work continued through international training courses and workshops on plant sexual reproduction (global), field genebank management (Asia) and conservation of PGR (West/Central Africa). Strengthening National Programmes for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture: Planning and Coordination was produced with the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI).

132. Seed and Planting Material Development. The main focus was on the implementation of programmes for sustainable production of improved seed and planting materials in member countries and setting up a mechanism for seed security in line with the GPA. African Seed Network (ASN), Seed Network for Asia and the Pacific (SNAP) and Consultative Forum on Seed in the Near East and North Africa (CFS-NENA) were established as a result the Seed Policy and Programmes Meetings organised in these regions. Also, a Seed Security Network for SADC region (SSSN) was established, supported by extra-budgetary funds. A computerised World List of Seed Sources and an abridged Techniques for Micro Propagation and Multiplication of Disease Indexed Seed Potatoes were developed.

133. Training was provided internationally on seed restoration in disaster situations and for trainers for women in seed and planting material production in Africa. Support was provided to the Special Programme on Food Security and Emergency Relief Operations (TCOR).

134. Crop Management and Diversification. Work continued with Brazil and the World Bank for a conservation/zero tillage study, with AGS and AGL on workshops in Central Asia and cooperation programmes for Mongolia and Kazakhstan and with AGL for publication of Integrated Crop and Land Management in the Hilly Terrains of Central America: Concepts, Strategies and Technical Options. Soybean in Cropping Systems in India was distributed. Information for the maize and wheat databases was collected for producing countries. The Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) continued support to TAMNET, the Tropical Asia Maize Network.

135. Support to the International Rice Commission (IRC) continued through provision of the Secretariat for IRC Steering Committee meetings and the 19^th Session, networking to promote development of hybrid rice and studies on yield gap in Asia and Latin America. Technical services were provided to field projects on hybrid rice technology transfer and development of crop management packages in five countries.

136. Technology transfer on cold-tolerant oil palm continued in Zambia and Malawi and was introduced in Kenya. New cultivars of drought-tolerant sweet sorghum and safflower were tested in Asia; the sweet sorghum technology was transferred to Zambia from China. The book Modern Coconut Management was published with Leiden University and Intermediate Technology Publications. The International Council for Underutilised Plants and the Centre for Underutilised Crops were supported. The 14^th edition of the Sesame and Safflower newsletter was distributed. The World Cotton Research Conference and New Crop Symposium were supported.

137. Horticulture research was enhanced by contributions to an International Horticulture Research Conference and to the World International Horticulture Congress. Research and development initiatives for date palm, cactus pear, mushrooms, citrus and horticulture in West and Central Africa were promoted. Special attention was paid to identification of remunerative horticultural activities for rural women. Strategies and technical guidelines were developed for intensification of urban and peri-urban horticultural crop production. Training materials were prepared on integrated production and protection (IPP) to reduce pesticide spraying and for Mediterranean and tropical countries to improve greenhouse crops and soil-less culture to obtain high-quality, safe products. Contributions were provided to yam research and the launch of a global cassava development strategy. Newsletters and technical documents on citrus, tropical fruits, cactus pear, vegetable seedling production, greenhouses and shelters for tropical regions were published.

138. Advice and support were provided to SPFS and TCP (Technical Cooperation Programme) through technical backstopping of field projects and participation in activities in 51 countries, mainly in Africa.

139. Grasslands and Pastures. Supporting the Secretariat of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, publications were prepared on mobility in African rangelands and Opuntia as forage (with the Animal Production and Health Division -AGA) and contributions made to the Inter-departmental Working Group (IDWG) desertification CD-ROM. Sustainable grassland use was addressed through publication of remote sensing data processing and rangeland and desertification assessment methods, a technical paper on range development for the International Rangeland Congress (with SDA) and a study for the AGA electronic conference on livestock and drought. Work continued on forage databases and country profiles and electronic publications for grassland workers. An electronic conference, Silage Production in the Tropics, was held with AGA for 355 subscribers from 68 countries. A workshop, Better Utilization of Fodder Trees in Smallholder Farming Systems in East Africa, was organised and contributions made to meetings in the Near East on range-dependent small ruminant production systems and biological diversity conservation. Medicago, Campos, Temperate Asia and South East Asia working group meetings were held and work continued on high altitude transhumant systems, cold-tolerant alfalfa varieties and winter fodder technology transfer.

140. Crop Protection. International negotiations in relation to plant health and the environment were supported and countries assisted to implement appropriate plant protection. The Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (ICPM), established by Conference through adoption of the New Revised Text of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), met twice, approving new international standards, adopting rules of procedure and initiating working groups on standards. The Asia and Pacific Plant Protection Commission (APPPC) amendments to the Plant Protection Agreement for Asia and the Pacific were approved by the Council in 1999. The joint FAO/UNEP programme for voluntary Prior Informed Consent (PIC) focused on development of a binding instrument for application of PIC procedure through the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), which adopted the text of the Convention as the Rotterdam Convention (see box). At the July 1999 INC session, an Interim Chemical Review Committee was established to identify future PIC chemicals. Two further pesticides were included, to give a total of 24 pesticides and five industrial chemicals.

141. The fifth Manual for the Development of FAO Specifications for Plant Protection Products introduced expanded data requirements for specifications to include ecological and toxicological assessments relevant to pesticide manufacturing. New specifications for six pesticides were developed, while ten were finalised under the previous procedure. The FAO/World Health Organization (WHO) Joint Meeting on Pesticide Residues in Food and the Environment (JMPR) focused on maximum residue levels (MRLs) for pesticides, making recommendations for over 20 pesticides to Codex, and the development of a dietary risk assessment which was accepted by Codex. The FAO Pesticide Disposal Programme, funded through a Netherlands trust fund and UNEP/Canada/Japan extra-budgetary resources, continued its activities in Africa and the Near East and began compiling data on obsolete pesticide stocks in Latin America and Asia.

142. The Global IPM (Integrated Pest Management) Facility, sponsored by FAO, UNEP, UNDP and the World Bank, with additional financial support by several donors, introduced IPM concepts in Africa and Latin America through pilot projects. Field activities focused on Zimbabwe as a node for Southern Africa, Kenya for Eastern Africa and Ghana for West Africa. Trainer exchanges for farmer field schools (FFS) were begun. A project covering Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, supported by IFAD, explored FFS approaches to be replicated in IFAD projects. A training-of-trainers workshop was held in Ecuador, cotton projects in Paraguay and Northeast Brazil were completed under the supervision of the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (RLC) and follow-on planned. Field initiatives in Iran, Jordan, Libya and Sudan were planned. Regional projects on IPM rice and vegetables continued in Asia; an IPM cotton project was initiated in six countries, funded by the European Community (EC).

143. A Global IPM Facility staff member was posted at the World Bank (WB), responsible for the Safeguard Programme on Pesticides and for revision of WB guidelines on agricultural pest management.

144. Work on tropical weed control continued, with projects in Africa on aquatic weeds. An international technical meeting was organised on benefits and risks of herbicide resistant crops (HRC); training was provided on HRC and risk assessment of transgenic crops. Work on Methyl Bromide Alternatives was initiated, establishing collaboration with UNEP and a Multilateral Fund.

145. The special multi-donor programme Emergency Prevention System for Trasboundary Animal and Plant Pests and Diseases (EMPRES)/Desert Locust, which facilitates common action against transboundary pests, became operational in the Red Sea area, with technical staff in Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Yemen and liaison officers in eight countries. Training has begun in Eritrea, Yemen and Sudan, with planning workshops in Ethiopia and Yemen. A mid-term evaluation mission was fielded and its recommendations were implemented. The Desert Locust Control Committee (DLCC) and the Regional Locust Commissions continued work. Countries agreed to create a new Commission for the Western Region combining the Northwest African Commission with four Sahelian countries, giving better response to locust control requirements.

146. Technical assistance was provided to combat locust outbreaks in Madagascar and Kazakhstan, armyworm caterpillars in Eastern Africa and Quelea birds in Cameroon, Mauritania and Senegal. Assistance was provided to the International Red Locust Control Organisation for Central and Southern Africa (IRLCO/CSA) to review its organisation. Fortnightly situation and forecast reports on Desert Locust were transmitted to member countries.

Programme 2.1.3: Livestock

Achievements

147. The programme focused on environmentally safe utilisation of global livestock production contributing to food security and poverty alleviation.

148. Livestock Information Systems, Policy and Planning. Information was provided for livestock development decisions at all levels, including disease, feed resources, livestock production and associated land use, using the Programme Against African Trypanosomiasis (PAAT-IS) and Domestic Animal Genetic Diversity (DAD-IS). Development of a common information platform for the Livestock Programme has been delayed, pending design finalisation.

149. Planning continued with strategic assessments, broadening of the initiative on Livestock-Environment and finalisation of decision-making tools. Regional commissions were revitalised as forces for livestock policy development and institutional development was fostered through assistance to veterinary and sanitary legislation and service delivery. PAAT coordinated international trypanosomiasis control.

150. Peri-urban and Intensive Production and Supply Systems. Four studies on peri-urban production including delivery of veterinary and veterinary public health services were concluded and, with RLC and RAP, workshops were organised on peri-urban livestock in Latin America and Asia, the latter considering the area-wide integration (AWI) concept. AWI attempts to resolve environmental and socio-economic problems caused by peri-urban industrial animal production by re-establishing links to crop production in rural areas. Technical documents were prepared on mini-livestock production and animal product processing.

151. Mixed Farming Systems. Contributions were made to developing animal production and health strategies, supporting smallholder mixed farming as it grows around the world through better resource utilisation, improved commercialisation and control of animal diseases. In fragile, high-altitude areas under natural resource and human population pressure, sustainable crop-livestock integration was assessed. Overall coordination was provided for the Livestock Programme support to the Special Programme for Food Security. Outputs were achieved without significant shortfalls.

152. Draft analysis and monitoring methods for livestock and production resources were developed with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), using GIS in the Kenyan highlands as a pilot. The 8^th World Conference on Animal Production (Seoul, 1998) and the proceedings from a FAO/ World Association for Animal Production (WAAP) plenary on livestock environment strategies were co-sponsored. Following the first African-Asian electronic conference on family poultry, the former ARPN expanded into the International Network for Family Poultry Development (INFPD), with an Internet site. Supporting rural poultry development and SPFS, publications were produced on topics including ostrich production and duck rearing. Manuals on rural poultry and African Guinea-Fowl Production Systems are ready for printing. Support for rabbit production resulted in establishment of the Observatory for the Development of Rabbit Production in the Mediterranean and an Internet site.

153. Preparation of the Pokhara Call for Action for Sustainable Livelihoods in Mountains and Highlands was supported. This calls for preparation of a livestock agenda for the International Year of the Mountains in 2002 (with FAO Forestry Department) and a global research and development agenda improving utilisation and conservation of resources, sustainable market-oriented livestock production, post-production processes and trade and regional integration in developing countries.

154. Pastoral and Extensive Grazing Systems. Management approaches for sustainable exploitation of pastoral systems in low rainfall areas were promoted. An electronic conference on livestock and drought was followed with an RNE-supported workshop in Cairo for which studies covering Southern and Eastern Africa were prepared with AGP. A further livestock and drought workshop was held with VI International Rangelands Congress (1999), broadening debate and leading to establishment by FAO and the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) of the Pastoral Development Network, which is a forum for information and debate on pastoral and livestock/drought issues. The FAO Working Group and the FAO/Industry Contact Group (COMISA) on Parasite Resistance continued to develop strategies for resistance management and integrated parasite control.

155. Publications were produced on:

• milk preservation in West Africa;
• improving ruminant nutrition using drought-resistant species (with AGP);
• restoring Imperata grass pastures in Asia;
• breeding strategies in different agro-ecological zones;
• manual on epidemiology, diagnosis and control of helminth parasites of swine; and
• manual on epidemiology, diagnosis and control of poultry parasites.

156. Promotion of agro-forestry and sylvo-pastoral systems for increased ruminant livestock production and enhanced environment was undertaken, particularly in Latin America.

157. Domestic Animal Genetic Diversity. Full utilisation of farm animal genetic resources and arrest of high-loss rates of domestic livestock genetic resources through national and global strategies were supported. Training workshops were held on DAD-IS, the information system on domestic animal genetic diversity, involving the identified National Coordinators for AnGR. The system is used by some 100 countries to develop quality information and technical capacity. Preparatory analysis for a third edition of World Watch List for Domestic Animal Diversity (published in 2000) shows alarming loss of breeds, further increases in breeds at high risk and the need for swift action.

158. The Global Strategy for the Management of Farm Animal Genetic Resources (GS-AnGR) was further developed. Projects in Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Europe were supported; 91 AnGR national coordinators have been established, leading to cost-effective and harmonious implementation. The Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA), with its Intergovernmental Technical Working Group on Animal Genetic Resources (ITWG/AnGR), supported the Global Strategy, requesting further development and FAO leadership for a first Report on the State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources.

159. An Executive Brief on the Global Strategy was produced and guidelines for development of national farm AnGR management plans further developed for countries implementing GS-AnGR. Studies and specialist documentation were prepared and workshops conducted leading to development of decision-support tools to help developing countries improve utilisation of locally adapted AnGR. These were undertaken with the European Association for Animal Products (EAAP) and the International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR).

160. Transboundary Animal Diseases. The livestock component of EMPRES continued to focus on the most serious infectious transboundary animal diseases. Member countries were provided assistance to develop their capacity for progressive control of these diseases and to prevent or cope with disease emergencies through risk management and contingency planning. An external review of EMPRES-Livestock was favourable, particularly with respect to the leadership it provides for global rinderpest eradication and development of concepts for emergency preparedness against transboundary animal diseases.

161. Manuals and training aides were produced to support recognition and control of the major diseases and provide guidelines for strengthening emergency preparedness procedures. Information on the EMPRES Website was expanded and was increasingly viewed as a valuable resource by countries and organizations, including centres of learning. The Transboundary Animal Disease Bulletin was published quarterly with topical news of disease developments and epidemiological analysis. Work started on developing TADInfo, a GIS-based system for transboundary animal disease data capture and analysis, as a decision support tool for veterinary disease managers. Remote sensing was increasingly applied to analysing and predicting the evolution of disease epidemics. Guidance was provided to 29 countries in North Africa and the Middle East in disease surveillance and data management. The Epidemiological World Reference Laboratories for rinderpest and foot-and-mouth disease, supported through EMPRES, continued to provide valuable technical advice and leadership.

162. TCP assisted several countries of West Africa to fight epidemics of African swine fever. Other epidemics of particular concern included the spread of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia in Sub-Saharan Africa; the evolution of foot-and-mouth disease in the Near and Far East; the increasing impact of peste des petits ruminants on small ruminant production in South Asia; and, Rift Valley fever resurgence in West Africa.

163. Pilot work on Newcastle disease vaccination trials in village chickens was completed in Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Gambia, associated with an Andre Mayer research fellowship on analysis of health and production constraints to village poultry production in Africa. A Hemispheric Plan for the Eradication of Swine Fever from the Americas was conceived and developed in cooperation with the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean and partner organizations.

Programme 2.1.4: Agricultural Support Systems

Achievements

164. The programme covers:

• farming systems development and economic analysis;
• promotion of value-added transformation technologies in food processing and agro-industries;
• marketing and rural finance policies and services within a liberalising reform environment;
• improved efficiency of farm power, tools and machinery, storage and post harvest technologies.

165. Farm Management and Production Economics. Due to staff turnover, and reassessment of priorities, selected outputs relating to guidelines and methods for farming systems development (FSD) were cancelled or reduced. Support for farming systems development was provided in four regions through FSDNews (a bimonthly electronic newsletter), field actions of regional trust fund projects in Asia and Africa and financial and technical assistance to global and regional farming associations.

166. Studies and consultations supported small farmer adjustments to changing policy environments, pressures on the resource base and agricultural commercialisation. Regional consultations were held on market-oriented production and sustainable farming development in Asia, Africa and Central Europe. A regional workshop on sustainable development of onchocerciasis-freed areas was held in West Africa. Case studies were carried out on farmer adjustments in production of export-oriented crops (Caribbean), sustainable intensification of production systems (Asia), the role of farmer organizations in providing farmer services (Latin America) and the economics of water harvesting (Africa).

167. Field guides were drafted for economic and environmental accounting, participatory community planning and farm profitability assessment. Monographs were published on FSD methods for design of conflict recovery programmes and the potential economic role of wild plants. Diagnostic work was carried out on capacity-building requirements for utilisation of farm-level data.

168. Agricultural Engineering. Several activities, particularly publications, had to be postponed or cancelled because of restricted resources. Under the Global Assessment of Farm Power and Standards for Farm Machinery initiative, data were collected and analysed for 15 countries. Safety and performance standards for pesticide equipment to reduce application rates and decrease health risks was emphasised. Guidelines and standards were published, resulting in use of these standards as a basis for national legislation in several countries. Database consolidation continued with incorporation of the International Directory of Agricultural Engineering Institutions into WAICENT (World Agricultural Information Centre) and development of an Internet-based farm machinery and equipment suppliers database.

169. Establishment of electronic networks for the International Commission of Agricultural Engineering (CIGR) improved information exchange among agricultural engineers worldwide. Networks supported included the South and East African Society of Agricultural Engineers, the Animal Traction Network for East and Southern Africa and the South American Association of Conservation Agriculture.

170. Gender issues and conservation agriculture continued to receive attention. A study on farm tools for African women farmers was published with IFAD and a draft Socioeconomic and Gender Analysis Programme (SEAGA) guide on agricultural engineering was produced. Workshops on Conservation Agriculture were held or supported in Zimbabwe, Kazakhstan and Brazil; bulletins were produced and regional networks were initiated in Africa and Eurasia, resulting in a number of African countries starting pilot initiatives on conservation agriculture.

171. Technical backstopping was provided to over 50 emergency projects, including the Iraq Food for Oil Programme. Technical advisory inputs were provided to Kosovo for repair and rehabilitation of war-damaged tractors and combine harvesters (see box). Members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) received advice through TCP on agricultural mechanisation. A tractor rehabilitation study was initiated in Ghana. A study of the farm power situation in Tanzania, financed by the private sector, was concluded, leading to a public/private sector initiative to finance the rehabilitation of tractors in Tanzania.

172. Post-harvest Management. The Information Network on Post-Harvest Operations (INPhO) database, designed to accommodate tools and information developed for post-harvest management was supported, (see box). Activities supported include interactive decision-making tools for small-scale entrepreneurs, a Who's Who of technical expertise - an international recipe/formulation book and post-harvest training manuals. Work on a post-harvest compendium was begun; initial chapters include handling and storage of organic fruits and vegetables and treatment of roots and tubers. Post-harvest training brochures on local products - including attieke, fonio, protein-enriched gari and processed finger millet - have been prepared for posting on the INPhO network. A regional workshop on drying, storage and handling of wet paddy rice was carried out in the Asia/Pacific Region.

173. Agro-industries. Small-scale private entrepreneurs were assisted through provision of technical information on value-added processing of commodities. Texts were produced on:

• cactus pear preservation;
• conservation of coconut products;
• bee products;
• date palm quality control;
• coir fibre production;
• modern sugar cane processing;
• processing of fruits and vegetables.

174. Regional training courses were held on mushroom production and irradiation disinfestation and processing of tropical fruits. A symposium on small-scale fermentation industries was held; proceedings will be published with the International Journal of Food Microbiology. Research was carried out supporting eco-friendly energy sources - biological production of hydrogen - and value-addition to commodities from developing countries - as well as improvement of cyanide detection in cassava, production of vinegar from cocoa husk and functional properties of tropical starches.

175. Agricultural Marketing. Marketing liberalisation was assisted with publication of bulletins on export commodity liberalisation in Africa, legislation and marketing and on wholesale market management. A maize marketing extension guide was published and work started on evaluating contract-farming initiatives supporting smallholder development. Marketing profiles of Pacific countries were produced and discussed at a sub-regional meeting on Strengthening Food Marketing Systems in Pacific Island Countries. Publications were produced on urban food marketing under the Food into Cities initiative and sensitisation and planning workshops were held in Asia, the Near East and Latin America. Support to Regional Marketing networks continued at reduced levels due to resource constraints. Market information systems in Eastern and Central Europe were reviewed and a beta version of FAO Agrimarket II software for global use was produced and tested in Asia.

176. Rural Finance. Under the FAO/GTZ initiative Agricultural Finance Revisited, attention focused on better practices and sources of funds for agricultural lending, introduced for discussion at the Eighth Technical Consultation on the Scheme for Agricultural Credit Development (SACRED), held with the General Assembly of the African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association (AFRACA) in Abuja, Nigeria. With this FAO/GTZ initiative, a programme on training rural bankers was initiated, resulting in production of a manual on preparation of training materials in rural finance. Work continued, again in collaboration with GTZ, on the FAO MicroBanking System (see box). Support was provided to several countries on rural banking and crop insurance; input was provided to multidisciplinary teams supporting new agricultural investment projects.

Programme 2.1.5: Agricultural Applications of Isotopes and Biotechnology

Achievements

177. The programme, implemented with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Programmes 2.1.2 Crops, 2.1.3 Livestock and 2.2.1 Nutrition, supports the application of nuclear techniques and biotechnologies for increasing food production, controlling insect pests and animal diseases, improving food safety and protecting natural resources.

178. Assistance was provided to agricultural research and regulatory bodies through 45 research networks, 56 training courses and workshops and over 150 field projects.

179. Contribution to Improvement of Crop and Livestock Productivity. Support provided in all regions for evaluating agronomic effectiveness of rock phosphates identified chemical and physical characteristics and soil conditions where locally available materials could supplement imported phosphate fertilisers. Improved methods were developed for measuring nitrogen availability from crop, livestock and urban wastes.

180. Assistance was provided to:

• African and Asian countries to identify legume genotypes and inoculants efficient in biological nitrogen fixation;
• Near East countries for improved water and nutrient management through fertigation;
• countries in Asia and the Pacific for improved agroforestry.

181. An inter-regional project focused on external quality assurance in total N and ¹⁵N isotope-ratio analysis by optical emission spectroscopy. Five institutes in Latin America, three in Asia and one in Africa complied with the requirement and can be recommended as regional analytical laboratories.

182. Support to national programmes for improving crop germplasm through induced mutations and biotechnology resulted in release of rice mutants with high-yield potential under saline and acid sulphate soil conditions, chickpea tolerant to ascochyta blight and fusarium wilt (Asia), high-yield sesame mutants with improved insect tolerance (North Africa) and improved banana clones with earliness and necessary fruit yield in Asia and Africa.

183. Biotechnology transfer such as in-vitro culture, molecular markers and improved screening techniques for drought tolerance was supported through training courses and field projects in the African, Asian and Pacific Regions, where DNA probes were distributed to speed up implementation of molecular genetics in breeding programmes and evaluation of crop biodiversity.

184. Assistance was provided to African countries for development of feed supplement strategies to improve dairy cattle productivity on smallholder farms and to Latin America and Asian countries to identify ways of improving artificial insemination (AI) programmes. Supplementation with locally available resources during the dry season or in relation to pregnancy and lactation resulted in improvements in milk production and/or reproductive performance. Analysis of AI services identified constraints to be addressed by AI providers and farmers. Guidelines for resolution and a computer software programme - AIDA (Artificial Insemination Database Application) - were provided to identify and resolve constraints to effective services.

185. Contribution to Crop Protection and Control of Animal Diseases. An external quality assurance programme was implemented by national laboratories participating in GREP control and eradication efforts, providing evidence of the reliability of diagnostic and surveillance results being provided to national authorities. Standardised testing and internal quality assurance are now in place in most laboratories.

186. Support to 10 national veterinary laboratories in Asia and the Pacific and five in Latin America and the Caribbean resulted in validation and standardisation of antigen and antibody detection ELISAs (Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). These laboratories were assisted in quality-assured technology use; an external quality assurance programme similar to that used under GREP is operational for FMD. A study was completed in five Latin American countries to develop a diagnostic assay to separate animals vaccinated with brucellosis from those naturally infected, supporting future control and eradication of this disease.

187. An international conference on area control of insect pests was held, focusing on approaches to pest management, economic and trade issues and technical implementation. It resulted in adoption by the Programme Against African Trypanosomiasis of the holistic concept as an alternative to community-based approaches for management of tsetse-transmitted trypanosomosis.

188. A female Mediterranean fruit fly attractant was developed and validated and is now used in monitoring and control programmes. A genetic sexing strain with improved rearing characteristics was introduced to major mass-rearing facilities and a fruit fly quality-control manual was adopted by all mass-rearing facilities in the USA, Latin America and Europe.

189. Support continued to medfly, screwworm and tsetse control/eradication projects using the sterile insect technique (SIT) in Latin America, the Near East and Africa. Chile, internationally recognised as fruit fly free following a SIT project, allows Mendoza and Patagonia Provinces of Argentina to use its ports for fruit exports to Pacific Rim countries as a result of a similar project. In the Near East, progress was made through a project supporting the peace process and involving release of sterile fruit flies over the Arava region of Israel and Jordan to develop internationally recognised fly-free areas to allow fruit and vegetable exports. Based on the success of this project and environmental benefits of reduced insecticide use, preparations are in progress to expand activities into Gaza and other areas of Israel and Jordan.

190. New world screwworm eradication was initiated in Jamaica following economic and environmental assessments, staff training and infrastructure development. Preparatory activities were initiated for an eradication project in Cuba, one of three countries in the northern half of the Western Hemisphere where the pest is present.

191. In preparation for a tsetse fly eradication campaign in the Southern Rift Valley of Ethiopia, baseline data assessment was carried out involving entomological, veterinary, socio-economic and ecological surveys, which will be the basis for integrating SIT into a tsetse eradication effort.

192. Contribution to Consumer and Environmental Protection and Reduction of Food Losses. A conference on ensuring food safety and quality through radiation processing reviewed achievements and assessed prospects, reaffirming that safety and nutritional adequacy of irradiated food produced under Good Manufacturing Practice is no longer in question, regardless of absorbed dose and that irradiation should be integral to the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) approach to ensure the safety of food of animal and plant origin.