Regional Dimensions

Introduction

814. The Programme of Work for the next biennium is presented in the PWB document, in a "unified" manner. The constituent entities are organised under the established programme structure (largely on a sectoral basis) and are designed to address the problems and issues faced by Members, while at the same time being directly related to the strategic objectives reflected in the Strategic Framework. In line with this unified approach, substantive programmes are often jointly executed by Headquarters departments and the corresponding outposted teams in Regional or Sub-regional Offices. Many activities involve, therefore, participation of both Headquarters staff and that of outlying offices.

815. While occasional references are made to region-specific requirements and outputs in the narratives, these seriously understate their contribution to the overall work of the Organization and what will be accomplished in each region. It is, therefore, no doubt useful to provide cross-cutting views of activities in the Programme of Work of particular interest to individual regions. In the light of requests made in this regard, the present section is geared precisely to provide such regional overviews. These deal with substantive activities within Chapter 2, Technical and Economic Programmes and Major Programme 3.1, Policy Assistance, irrespective of locations, i.e. whether inputs originate from Headquarters or decentralized offices.

816. For the sake of brevity and to avoid unnecessary duplication, these regional overviews are deliberately selective. Since many programmes or activities are of obvious interest to all regions (e.g. Codex standards), there would be little point in making repetitive references to them in each summary, unless there is some aspect which could be worth highlighting in the regional context.

817. At the beginning of each narrative, a summary table indicates the breakdown by major programmes, of the resources estimated to relate to the respective region, both under the Programme of Work and extra-budgetary resources. It should be noted that while the allocations shown under the "Regional Office" columns reflect the amounts allocated to Regional and Sub-regional Offices, the amounts under the "Headquarters" column are statistically derived. As most of the budgetary provision for country offices is under Major Programme 3.4, FAO Representatives, it is not reflected in the following tables.

Africa

		Regular Programme				Trust
Programme		Headquarters	Regional	Country	Total	Fund	Total
			Offices	Offices		Activities
2.1	Agricultural Production and Support Systems	11,411	7,105	31	18,547	55,827	74,374
2.2	Food and Agriculture Policy and Development	8,019	3,236	28	11,283	16,975	28,258
2.3	Fisheries	4,735	2,641	57	7,433	18,177	25,610
2.4	Forestry	4,691	1,973	38	6,702	4,882	11,584
2.5	Contributions to Sustainable Development and Special Programme Thrusts	9,230	2,428	20	11,678	20,561	32,239
3.1	Policy Assistance	1,512	6,284	14	7,810	1,203	9,013
TOTAL		39,598	23,667	188	63,453	117,625	181,078

Agricultural Production and Support Systems

818. The main priorities in relation to agricultural production systems in Africa are to enhance the present generally low levels of productivity and to make these systems less vulnerable to climate and pest induced losses. In particular, the continent requires effective strategies to improve natural resources management and increase the quantity and quality of agricultural production.

819. Planned activities of direct relevance include:

1. support to integrated production systems and institutional arrangements for the onchocerciasis-freed zones of West Africa, and for the semi-arid areas of Southern Africa;
2. the promotion of small-scale and private sector irrigation, including the integration of irrigation and aquaculture, especially in drought-prone areas, and the sustainable development and management of wetlands and valley bottoms for agricultural production;
3. policies and guidelines for sustainable soil, land, water and plant nutrient use and management, including the Soil Fertility Initiative and conservation agriculture;
4. technologies leading to higher yield thresholds of traditional crops and of rice, and support to the introduction of non-traditional crop and livestock enterprises, including date palm and cold-tolerant oil palm;
5. effective use of advanced agricultural research results and adapted production technologies, including biotechnologies, to be facilitated through a biotechnology network for Africa;
6. control of migratory pests through improved coordination among countries in West and North-West Africa, and prevention and control of the desert locust threat through EMPRES;
7. support to functional early warning and early reaction systems for major epidemic animal diseases, coupled with adequate strategies for area-wide tsetse and trypanosomiasis control, and strengthened systems for delivery of integrated veterinary and livestock services; and
8. measures to ensure the improved impact of emergency relief efforts and post-emergency rehabilitation of the agricultural sector.

Food and Agriculture Policy and Development

820. Work on food and nutrition assessment and on the formulation of country-level nutrition policies and programmes will pay due attention to the extensive requirements of the African region. Support to the implementation of national plans of action for nutrition will address especially year-round access to, and consumption of, nutritionally adequate and balanced diets by all, the needs of substantial numbers of food insecure households and communities, and nutritional well-being during emergency relief and rehabilitation situations.

821. The enhancement of national statistical information systems, towards improved quality and reliability of statistical data and attendant capacity building, will be the exclusive focus of the Initiative for Agricultural Statistics in Africa with the World Bank and USDA (entity 222A2).

Fisheries

822. The present status of fisheries and aquaculture development in Africa will imply relative priority to be given to improving the efficiency and supporting the intensification of aquaculture and inland fisheries production systems, as well as promoting integrated irrigation/aquaculture practices. Several countries will require, and be provided, tailored assistance in fisheries and aquaculture planning and development, including sustainable livelihoods in communities relying on aquatic resources and the reduction of post-harvest losses through improvements of fish handling and processing techniques.

823. The existing FAO regional fisheries bodies, i.e. the Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF) and the Committee for Inland Fisheries of Africa (CIFA), will continue to be supported, together with further collaboration with other regional fisheries bodies or arrangements operating in the region.

Forestry

824. Among the various activities dealing with the assessment and management of forest resources, those which will particularly address the requirements of the Africa region include: advice on the conservation and utilisation of wildlife; strengthening of forestry education and extension institutions; and support to national initiatives related to the International Year of Mountains, including follow-up actions to promote sustainable development in vulnerable mountain ecosystems in the region.

825. The generally still weak forestry policy and planning capacities will be buttressed by: the formulation and implementation of national forest programmes in many countries; the design of appropriate fiscal policies which promote sustainable forest management and the completion of the Forestry Sector Outlook Study for Africa.

826. Support to the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission will continue, while many countries in the region will receive assistance to enable their effective participation in on-going international forestry dialogues, including the UN Forum on Forests and the implementation of actions agreed by the IPF/IFF processes.

Sustainable Development

827. The enhancement of the contributions of youth to agriculture, food security and sustainable livelihoods, which is important in order to stem alarming rates of out-migration from rural areas, will be served by: a) the organisation of seminars on rural youth and food security; b) the preparation of a guide on building national networks, collaboration and partnerships for food security among governments, NGOs, rural youth organizations and other related agencies; and c) updated information on the situation, needs, interests and aspirations of rural youth to support national youth policy development and governmental decision making.

828. The still relatively weak research and extension systems in the region will benefit from: assistance in the preparation of agricultural research master plans in Africa; advice to individual countries on the identification and appraisal of communication needs and the design of cost-effective communication strategies; and tailored assistance for the organisation and management of agricultural extension and education systems.

829. Greater attention to gender and population issues in policies, legislation and civil institutions will be supported through: a) the dissemination of adapted guidelines; b) extensive training activities using Socioeconomic and Gender Analysis (SEAGA) for the institutionalisation of gender mainstreaming and networking in Africa; and c) seminars and expert consultations on gender policy development at national and regional levels. Promoting gender-disaggregated data collection and analysis will be quite important, as in other regions.

830. The complex regional land tenure issues will be addressed through the organisation of seminars on related policy, and the preparation of a paper on improved access to land by the rural poor, especially women.

Policy Assistance

831. As for other regions, policy assistance will cover advice and capacity building in the formulation and implementation of policies, strategies and programmes for sustainable agricultural and rural development and food security (including national poverty reduction strategies, preparation for multilateral trade negotiations, assistance in the formulation of CCA and UNDAF documents).

832. Of particular relevance to Africa, will be attention to institutional reforms, the implications of international trade issues, capacity building in policy development and preparation of plans/strategies for post-emergency rehabilitation and development.

Asia and the Pacific

		Regular Programme				Trust
Programme		Headquarters	Regional	Country	Total	Fund	Total
			Offices	Offices		Activities
2.1	Agricultural Production and Support Systems	8,906	5,885	12	14,803	12,038	26,841
2.2	Food and Agriculture Policy and Development	6,148	2,031	12	8,191	1,885	10,076
2.3	Fisheries	3,643	1,551	21	5,215	3,044	8,259
2.4	Forestry	3,765	1,712	14	5,491	12,428	17,919
2.5	Contributions to Sustainable Development and Special Programme Thrusts	4,695	1,388	8	6,091	6,015	12,106
3.1	Policy Assistance	943	2,909	6	3,858	211	4,069
TOTAL		28,100	15,476	73	43,649	35,621	79,270

Agricultural Production and Support Systems

833. In this sector, the region needs in particular to: ensure sustainable increases in food production (especially of animal origin) to address the rapidly growing demand for food; pay attention to developments and concerns related to biotechnology, biosecurity and biodiversity; and enhance disaster prevention and preparedness.

834. In this perspective, the following planned activities are worth highlighting:

1. support to integrated management practices and the sustainable intensification of rice-based systems, including integrated nutrient management and conservation agriculture;
2. enhancement of smallholder cropping systems, including through the genetic improvement of cereals and legumes;
3. support to regional cooperation to harmonise approaches to plant protection, including draft regional standards for phytosanitary measures;
4. wider application of integrated pest management through participatory farmers field school methods in rice, cotton and vegetable crops;
5. training on the modernisation of irrigation systems;
6. support to sustainable water resources development and safe water use in the Pacific Islands countries;
7. expert consultation on AEZ methodology for land use planning and rainfed production systems, including techniques for efficient crop zoning in land use allocation;
8. land degradation assessment in the Asia region and support to concerned countries in the implementation of the Convention to Combat Desertification;
9. promotion of effective procedures and structures for the containment and/or eradication of epidemic animal diseases, and building of national capacity in livestock health; and
10. an improved and adapted version of the MicroBanker package for use by rural micro-finance institutions.

Food and Agriculture Policy and Development

835. Policy formulation and decision making in the region face a number of common problems and issues, although their incidence depends on unique country situations. These include: environmental degradation, especially land degradation and water scarcity; the impact of natural and man-made disasters; low productivity, persistent poverty and mounting inequality; lack of competitiveness in relation to the globalisation of food and agriculture; and biosecurity concerns.

836. In taking these into account, FAO will for instance, give due prominence to trade liberalisation in the design of national strategies for key agricultural commodities, as well as to the enhancement of quality control and biosafety capacities. This assistance will be facilitated by ongoing support to many countries in the strengthening of pertinent agricultural statistical databases. Updated assessments of the prevalence of under-nutrition will be made in various ecozones - including rice-growing ecozones - through the expansion of FIVIMS. Priority is also to be given to strengthening regional procedures for early warning, preparedness, and relief management for disasters and emergencies - particularly in relation to flood and drought.

Fisheries

837. For the Asia and the Pacific region, assistance to coastal fisheries management and sustainable aquaculture development will be firmly placed in the context of national food security goals and improved livelihoods of fishing and rural communities, taking account of the needed reduction in the environmental impact of fishing operations.

838. To that end, the following activities will be particularly pertinent:

1. promoting tested and integrated aquaculture systems for enhanced and sustainable rural livelihoods in specific countries;
2. regional assessment and management studies for sustainable inland fish production;
3. support to improved fish health management and to the management of large rivers for fishery production and livelihoods; and
4. institutional development within small-scale fishing communities towards community-based fisheries management.

839. The strengthening of existing FAO regional fisheries bodies, i.e. the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) and the Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission (APFIC), will be pursued, as well as collaboration with other regional fisheries bodies or arrangements operating in the region.

Forestry

840. The region's increasing demands for wood and non-wood forest products must be matched by responsible stewardship and management of forests and their diminishing biodiversity. Forests also face increasing agricultural encroachment. FAO is to respond with integrated policies which can ensure synergies between effective forest management and conservation on the one hand, and food security goals on the other.

841. For this purpose, best-managed models or demonstration forests will lead to sharing of the lessons learned through strengthened information programmes. Proactive assistance will be provided to enable institutions to better anticipate and control forest fires and to deal with their devastating environmental and economic impact. Assistance to countries will also focus on integrated watershed management particularly in situations with implications for down-stream rainfed-rice lands, and on rehabilitation of degraded forest lands.

842. Regional level networking and sharing of information will be supported in relation to effective national forest policies and programmes, which will moreover be strengthened through the planned National Forest Programme Facility.

Sustainable Development

843. Despite rapid progress in many countries in terms of overall agricultural development, there are still substantial needs for: training and capacity building; strengthening of agricultural research systems and technology transfer; the effective application of advanced information and communication technology (ICT); and putting in place enabling institutional environments at decentralized levels for partnership among all stakeholders (public and private sectors, civil society organizations, farmers' communities, including marginalised groups).

844. Specific activities to respond to these unmet needs will include:

1. national, sub-regional and regional seminars, workshops and consultations to enhance awareness and upgrade knowledge and skills in relation to the above issues;
2. analysis of gender constraints and gender-responsive technologies and support to livelihood resource management policies and programmes, coupled with support to ICT applications and use of distance-learning resources for the advancement of rural women;
3. case studies on the gender dimensions in biodiversity management; and
4. training materials and information-sharing on improved rural institutions and services, participatory approaches in support of poverty alleviation, and sustainable livelihoods for the rural poor at community level.

Policy Assistance

845. Policy assistance work in this vast and complex region will need to consider inter alia specific measures related to food security and poverty alleviation, especially in transition countries and food insecure least developed countries (LDCs). Assistance will also be provided in the formulation of CCA and UNDAF documents, and in the context of ongoing international trade negotiations.

Europe

		Regular Programme				Trust
Programme		Headquarters	Regional	Country	Total	Fund	Total
			Offices	Offices		Activities
2.1	Agricultural Production and Support Systems	2,907	1,416	0	4,323	18,273	22,596
2.2	Food and Agriculture Policy and Development	2,895	1,162	0	4,057	1,904	5,961
2.3	Fisheries	1,676	0	0	1,676	1,187	2,863
2.4	Forestry	1,692	898	0	2,590	350	2,940
2.5	Contributions to Sustainable Development and Special Programme Thrusts	2,403	1,617	0	4,020	1,015	5,035
3.1	Policy Assistance	798	1,966	0	2,764	0	2,764
TOTAL		12,371	7,059	0	19,430	22,729	42,159

Agricultural Production and Support Systems

846. FAO's focus in the region in relation to the rural sector is on: the promotion of sustainable livelihoods and food security; the sustainable management of natural resources; food safety and quality; and the support to the process of transition to market economies.

847. Key planned activities include:

1. support to the integrated management of land, water, fisheries and forest resources, in particular watersheds in Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs);
2. assistance to the rehabilitation and protection of ecologically fragile environments, including reduction of soil erosion and water pollution;
3. measures for ensuring quality in agricultural production and food processing and safety of animal feed (in particular with regard to export-oriented production); and
4. studies and cooperation for enhanced family farm development in the CEECs.

Food and Agriculture Policy and Development

848. FAO's action inscribes itself in a context of socio-economic development needs of countries which vary enormously, depending upon their stage of transition to market economies, accession to the European Union, and emergence from conflict situations.

849. For instance, agriculture in candidate countries for EU accession generally lags behind other sectors. Concerted action is needed for: the establishment of appropriate legal, policy and institutional frameworks; the rehabilitation and revival of productive capacity, with emphasis on sustainable agricultural practices and modernisation of the agrifood sector; efficiency of food safety systems; and the facilitation of trade, based on international standards.

850. FAO intends to respond to these needs through complementary approaches. With regard to poverty reduction, it will promote sustainable rural livelihoods, giving priority to targeted programmes aimed at relieving chronic and transitory food insecurity, and based on national FIVIMS. Support will also be provided to the formulation of rural development policies and, in particular, rehabilitation strategies in countries affected by war or natural disasters.

851. In the area of food safety and trade facilitation, particularly for EU-accession countries and future candidates, attention is given to reinforcing national policies, regulatory frameworks and institutional capacity for integration into international markets and organizations. The elaboration and harmonisation of national regulations on biosafety and genetically modified organisms and the strengthening of food quality control and consumer protection institutions, will also be a priority.

Fisheries

852. FAO will continue to carry out normative activities of interest to Members in the region, in addition to several important field projects, e.g. ADRIAMED, COPEMED, MedSudMed and the Fish Marketing Information Centre for Eastern and Central Europe (EASTFISH). These projects aim at efficient implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, the modernisation of aquaculture and fisheries (in particular in Eastern Europe) and improvements in ecosystem based fisheries management.

853. In addition, as relates to inter-country cooperation, attention will be given to bring into effect the Agreement of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM). The important work undertaken by the European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission (EIFAC) to enhance aquaculture and inland fisheries - through interactive and flexible arrangements between institutions in the region - will continue. The ad hoc consultations between FAO and the European Commission on fishery policies and management are also expected to continue, as well as support to fisheries activities of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).

Forestry

854. During the 2002-03 biennium, the Organization will play a lead coordinating role in carrying out a comprehensive outlook study of the forestry sector. In conjunction with the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), FAO will continue to coordinate the assessment and monitoring of a wide range of forest resources and values, as well as production, consumption and trade in forest products.

Sustainable Development

855. Activities of direct relevance to the region will include:

1. regional harmonisation of biosafety regulations and related training;
2. support to networking, and dissemination of agricultural knowledge and technology for food security and sustainable development;
3. case studies to assist particularly Eastern European countries in fulfilling their needs for ICT for research, extension and education systems in agriculture;
4. field programmes in research and development, particularly in Eastern European and Balkan countries;
5. support to gender mainstreaming and networking of gender specialists, institutions and associations;
6. organisation of the 11^th session of the European Commission on Agriculture (ECA) Working Party on Women and Family in Rural Development; and
7. support to the Central and Eastern European and Commonwealth and Independent States (CIS) countries in land tenure institution building and land tenure policies to improve access by disadvantaged groups.

Policy Assistance

856. In this region, policy assistance will focus on institutional and capacity building in the rural sector, to help the process of transition to a market economy. In particular, assistance will be provided for improving production support services for the CEE and CIS countries, particularly in the Balkans. In countries affected by natural and man-made disasters, support will be directed to the establishment of appropriate legal, policy and institutional frameworks for the rehabilitation and sustainable development of the agricultural and rural sector.

Latin America and the Caribbean

		Regular Programme				Trust
Programme		Headquarters	Regional	Country	Total	Fund	Total
			Offices	Offices		Activities
2.1	Agricultural Production and Support Systems	6,063	4,105	18	10,186	5,932	16,118
2.2	Food and Agriculture Policy and Development	4,178	2,426	16	6,620	508	7,128
2.3	Fisheries	2,891	1,819	33	4,743	0	4,743
2.4	Forestry	4,083	1,758	22	5,863	12,344	18,207
2.5	Contributions to Sustainable Development and Special Programme Thrusts	2,764	2,026	12	4,802	14,895	19,697
3.1	Policy Assistance	874	3,904	8	4,786	7,119	11,905
TOTAL		20,853	16,038	109	37,000	40,798	77,798

Agricultural Production and Support Systems

857. Of special importance to the region will be the planned active support to the national implementation of rights and obligations arising out of international agreements, e.g. related to sanitary and phytosanitary measures (in particular the IPPC), and facilitation of countries' participation in international standard setting, thus enhancing trade in agricultural products and protecting human, animal and plant life and health. Better coordination among Members in the field of plant protection will be pursued, in particular for the Caribbean. Special attention will also be given to strengthening national pesticide regulatory frameworks and pesticide management. Effective procedures and structures will continue to be promoted for the containment/eradication of epidemic animal diseases, as well as enhanced standards on handling fresh meat for domestic and export markets.

858. A pilot project on watershed management and participatory natural resource management, along with conservation agriculture techniques, is expected to contribute to reversing degradation of the environment in several affected countries. Municipal authorities in the region will be sensitised and assisted in addressing urban food insecurity issues, e.g. by improving physical and economic access of the urban poor to affordable and safe food supplies.

Food and Agriculture Policy and Development

859. Policy formulation in the region needs to address various challenges, including the high incidence of under-nutrition still prevailing in many countries; rural poverty and the skewed distribution of income across society; low levels of agricultural productivity in many areas; weak institutions; and situations whereby information on food insecurity and poverty is too aggregated, making it difficult to formulate targeted assistance programmes.

860. Activities in 2002-03 will be directed at refining policy formulation as it impacts on food security, and promoting FIVIMS and the use of information technologies to increase opportunities for the food insecure and vulnerable groups. National capabilities in statistics will be strengthened through training and projects in agricultural surveys and censuses. Assistance to countries in food control, including adoption of the necessary food regulations, food quality assurance systems and consumer information education, will be another priority in the region.

861. While the majority of countries in the region have made progress in trade liberalisation and are active participants in regional and global negotiations, differences still exist in the extent to which they succeed in taking advantage of trade opportunities. Hence, assistance to countries in trade negotiations will remain important, particularly in terms of training on the implications of international agreements, and on emerging issues such as biotechnology and trade.

Fisheries

862. Within the gamut of activities of interest to all regions, the following are especially relevant to the Latin American and Caribbean region:

1. support to policies for income generation in the small-scale fishing and aquaculture sectors, including their increased participation in marketing activities and small-scale processing, if applicable, and responsible management of resources by the community;
2. capacity building for fisheries authorities in connection with institutional organisation, policy formulation and implementation;
3. fostering regional cooperation in rural aquaculture, fish genetic resources and aquatic animal health management and information exchange; and
4. strengthening of the existing regional fisheries bodies, i.e. the Commission for Inland Fisheries of Latin America (COPESCAL) and the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC).

Forestry

863. Particular attention will be given to the sustainable management of forests and trees in marginal areas, including mountains. A major study on sustainable mountain development in the region will be undertaken.

864. Information about the role of forests in carbon sequestration and climate change will be disseminated, and national and regional initiatives will be supported. In the realm of forestry policy, increased social and economic equity will be promoted, as well as improved well-being through participatory forestry. Discussion and collaboration on forest policy and related technical issues will be supported, including participation in the UNFF and other global processes, support to national implementation of IPF/IFF actions, strengthening of the Latin American and Caribbean Forestry Commission (COFLAC), and active partnerships with other regional groups interested in forestry.

Sustainable Development

865. While most Latin American and Caribbean countries have experienced major changes in rural institutions and support systems, decentralization to the local level generally needs to be improved. In addition, ownership concerning resources related to the agricultural sector remains a key issue, requiring clear and secure property rights. Specific aspects are: land markets, land rental, protection of biodiversity, and contract agriculture. Also, continuing inequality and rural poverty demand a wide array of corrective measures and the exchange of best practices among countries.

866. In this context, a number of planned activities are relevant:

1. promotion of innovative approaches and preparation of tailored education, extension and communication materials, in order to strengthen governmental and civil society organizations;
2. support to national systems for extension, education and communication for development by ensuring better use of human resources and making use of workshops, case studies and manuals for this purpose;
3. tools and information on incorporating gender dimensions in natural resources management, including pilot projects;
4. national training workshops on SEAGA;
5. formulation of land transaction policies and institutional support to improve access by the poor, as well as land tenure modifications to promote rural development under indigenous and common property resource management conditions;
6. enhancing local level capacities so that responsibilities associated with fiscal, administrative and political decentralization can be effectively carried out at that level;
7. dissemination of best practices and lessons learned in anti-poverty programmes;
8. indicators to assess the degree and quality of participation in rural development and food security projects and programmes, to be identified and disseminated; and
9. advice on institutional mechanisms for multi-stakeholder dialogue and collaboration, including through guidelines, training materials, and consultations.

Policy Assistance

867. In this region, policy analysis and assistance work will need to give due emphasis to international trade issues, the sustainable management of natural resources, and the complex of measures needed to ensure balanced rural development, food security, poverty reduction and institutional reform.

Near East

		Regular Programme				Trust
Programme		Headquarters	Regional	Country	Total	Fund	Total
			Offices	Offices		Activities
2.1	Agricultural Production and Support Systems	5,786	4,928	10	10,724	256,004	266,728
2.2	Food and Agriculture Policy and Development	3,199	1,464	8	4,671	2,406	7,077
2.3	Fisheries	2,234	566	18	2,818	1,528	4,346
2.4	Forestry	2,713	671	12	3,396	83	3,479
2.5	Contributions to Sustainable Development and Special Programme Thrusts	2,479	1,543	6	4,028	4,833	8,861
3.1	Policy Assistance	703	3,589	4	4,296	0	4,296
TOTAL		17,114	12,761	58	29,933	264,854	294,787

Agricultural Production and Support Systems

868. The region will require considerable assistance for the rational management and conservation of land and water resources including optimisation of on-farm water management, the use of non-conventional water resources, improved irrigation technology and salinity control, drought mitigation and management, integrated soil and fertilizer management, conservation and rehabilitation of problem soils including salinity, and promotion of appropriate land use planning polices.

869. It will also benefit from activities geared to the proper use and preservation of range and pasture resources, e.g. assistance in the preparation and implementation of regional and national plans of action for sustainable range development; and a regional inventory of pastoral resources.

870. Within the framework of trade facilitation in agricultural produce and coordinated approaches to biosecurity, national phytosanitary regulatory systems will be strengthened, so as to protect Members from the introduction of new plant pests and to enable them to participate in international standard setting through the IPPC. Improved control of migratory pests will be achieved through the facilitation of coordination among countries, and the prevention and control of the desert locust through EMPRES.

871. The estimate under the column "Trust Fund Activities" is, of course, heavily influenced by the emergency Iraq programme.

872. Work on livestock will focus on the promotion of effective veterinary public health management and food safety, and facilitating the establishment and operation of the Animal Health Commission for the Near East. Assistance to marketing support systems and services and the provision of improved rural finance services and capacity building in marketing and rural finance, will also continue as an area of particular interest to Members.

Food and Agriculture Policy and Development

873. Food security remains a high priority concern in the region, requiring inter alia support to the establishment of FIVIMS at national level.

874. Other key aspects are: the dissemination of emergency and disaster preparedness methodologies; the implementation of national plans of action for nutrition; capacity building in nutrition education in schools; and methodologies and guidelines for household food security and nutrition strategies.

875. Advisory services will be provided to countries concerning access to the global WAICENT programme, AGRIS/CARIS and the strengthening of national information systems and networks.

Fisheries

876. Activities to support fisheries development in the region are:

1. the promotion of norms, guidelines, and procedures for enhanced collection, storage, dissemination and sharing of fisheries information;
2. advice and technical support to governments and regional fisheries bodies on the sustainable intensification of aquaculture and inland fisheries production systems;
3. methodologies on integrated aquaculture-agriculture farming practices for sustainable rural livelihoods;
4. coordination and strengthening of regional fish marketing information networks; and
5. the testing and validation of improved coastal fisheries management systems.

877. FAO will continue to support the existing Regional Commission for Fisheries (RECOFI) and collaborate with other fisheries bodies or arrangements operating in the region.

Forestry

878. All countries in the region are characterised by relatively low forest cover and an arid environment. Forests are, therefore, under intense pressure to meet the demands of local populations for wood products. While there is awareness of the critical social and ecological importance of conserving the remaining forests through improved management practices and the expansion the forest area, particularly through plantation forests, FAO will need to pursue its advocacy role on these issues, also supporting networks among countries in the region.

879. As relates to work on forest products, the sustainable development of forest industries will need to be supported. FAO will also support improved country and regional analyses of policy issues and institutional conditions, and assist countries to develop and implement effective national forest programmes.

Sustainable Development

880. Bearing in mind the wide variations in resource endowment, income and levels of development among countries in the region, FAO will continue to promote adapted/applied research, suitable technologies for perishable food products, and the use of biotechnology and genetic engineering for small production systems. It will support cooperative networks in technology transfer and applied research and development.

881. Promotion of gender equality in economic development will include measures aimed at reducing rural women's workloads, and increasing equitable access to credit, technology and training opportunities, based on extensive needs. Assistance will be provided in the design of differentiated rural development strategies and programmes, especially for the rural poor, using participatory methods, and including the restructuring or strengthening of rural institutions.

Policy Assistance

882. Besides the other typical outputs provided by the FAO decentralized policy assistance staff, such as enhanced country focus, field programme development, and assistance in the formulation of CCA and UNDAF documents, this region will require policy advice relating particularly to international trade issues and to the sustainable use of natural resources, especially water.