CL 127/9

Council

Table of Contents

MATTERS REQUIRING THE ATTENTION OF THE COUNCIL

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Adoption of agenda and timetable for the session

II. FAO’S PROPOSED FOLLOW-UP TO THE REPORT OF THE JOINT WHO/FAO EXPERT CONSULTATION ON DIET, NUTRITION AND THE PREVENTION OF CHRONIC DISEASES

III. OTHER BUSINESS AND DATE AND PLACE OF NEXT SESSION

A. Other business
B. Date and place of next session

APPENDIXES

A – Agenda
B – List of Documents
C – Countries and Organizations Represented at the Session

The Committee:

• Generally acknowledged the growing burden of non-communicable diseases in both developed and developing countries, and the associated rise of public health and social expenditures and economic losses (para. 7)
• While recognizing that the Expert Report could be a useful resource for governments in considering nutritional recommendations to alleviate the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, agreed that the subject was complex and that further studies by Member States at national and regional levels would be required (para. 8)
• Suggested that, in accordance with its core mandate, FAO continue its collaboration with WHO on diet, nutrition and non-communicable diseases, and provide Members with policy advice on nutrition and healthy diet, to prevent such diseases (para. 9)
• Requested a thorough assessment, taking into account the specificities of individual countries, population groups and dietary patterns, of the linkages between changing food consumption patterns and non-communicable diseases, and the possible effects of changing demand on agricultural production systems and commodity trade, as well as on supply responses through diversification (para. 9)
• Agreed that addressing the issue of malnutrition was an absolute priority for FAO, and that resources not be diverted away from this objective (para. 10)
• Expressed concern on the financial implications of FAO follow-up work to COAG/2004/3 (para. 11)

I. INTRODUCTION

1. The Eighteenth Session of the Committee on Agriculture (COAG) (Rome, 9-10 February 2004) was attended by representatives of 99 Members of the Committee, and by observers from six other Member Nations of FAO. Also participating were observers from one United Nations Member State, the Holy See, representatives of three United Nations specialized agencies and observers from one intergovernmental and 11 international non-governmental organizations having liaison status with FAO, and from two institutes of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. The countries and organizations represented at the session are shown in Appendix C.

2. In accordance with Rule XXXII of the General Rules of the Organization, the members of the bureau that was elected at the last, Seventeenth Session of the Committee, served in the same capacity for this additional session of the biennium: Mr Costa Ricky Mahalu of Tanzania as the Chairperson of the Committee, Ms Hedwig Wögerbauer of Austria as the First Vice-Chairperson and Mr Mohamed Saeed Mohamed Ali Harbi of Sudan as the Second Vice-Chairperson.

3. The Committee also appointed the following members to the Drafting Committee: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Guatemala, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mauritius, Sweden, and Turkey. Mr Willem Brakel of the United States of America was appointed Chairperson of the Drafting Committee.

A. Adoption of agenda and timetable for the session

4. Several delegations raised their concerns on the objectives of the meeting, including process and follow-up. These delegations also pointed out that rejection of The Joint WHO/FAO Expert Consultation on Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases¹ (henceforth referred to as the Expert Report) would lead to the rejection of document COAG/2004/3, FAO’s Proposed Follow-up to the Report of the Joint WHO/FAO Expert Consultation on Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases. Upon receiving clarification from the Chair, the Agenda and Timetable were adopted.

II. FAO’S PROPOSED FOLLOW-UP TO THE REPORT OF THE JOINT WHO/FAO EXPERT CONSULTATION ON DIET, NUTRITION AND THE PREVENTION OF CHRONIC DISEASES

5. The Committee took note of the two documents before it: the Expert Report and document COAG/2004/3. The Secretariat noted that, in accordance with standing practice, the Committee was not required to consider the Expert Report for approval or endorsement. Nonetheless, several Members expressed the view that it would be necessary to comment on the Expert Report, in particular due to the nature of its recommendations and possible implications of the recommendations for world agriculture, and on a proposed FAO follow-up. The Committee therefore addressed the two documents together.

6. The Representative of WHO was invited to address the Committee. She explained that the WHO’s draft Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health had been considered at its 113th Executive Board in January 2004 and that, after a period of consultation with its members ending on 29 February 2004, the amended draft Strategy would be presented to the 57^th Session of the World Health Assembly in May 2004.

7. The Committee generally acknowledged the growing burden of non-communicable diseases in both developed and developing countries, and that the public health and social expenditures and economic losses associated with these trends were rising. Members made various observations on the Expert Report. It was noted that the Expert Consultation had not been limited to dietary and lifestyle recommendations, but that the socio-economic and agricultural implications of the recommendations had not been addressed. A majority of Members expressed the view that the scientific basis for the Expert Report recommendations was inadequate and that the application of its global recommendations at individual country level would need to take into account the specific circumstances of each country. In particular, these Members questioned whether it was valid to establish population-nutrient intake goals for individual dietary factors in isolation from considerations of energy balance.

8. Many Members supported that the recommendations of the Expert Report could be a useful resource for governments in considering nutritional recommendations, in order to address the growing burden of non-communicable diseases. However, the Committee agreed that the subject is complex and that further studies by Member States at national and regional levels would be required. Members stressed the importance of nutrition education, so that individuals and families could make informed dietary choices.

9. Following these observations, and considering FAO’s work in this field, Members called for additional information and analysis to enable them to address, in a more deliberate, science-based manner, the questions that had been raised. It was also suggested that, in accordance with its core mandate, FAO continue its collaboration with WHO on diet, nutrition and non-communicable diseases, and provide Members with policy advice on nutrition and healthy diet, to prevent such diseases. A thorough assessment would be needed in respect of the linkages between possibly changing food consumption patterns and non-communicable diseases, and of the possible effects of changing demand on agricultural production systems and commodity trade, as well as on supply responses through diversification, where appropriate. This should take into account the specificities of individual countries, population groups and dietary patterns.

10. Members agreed that addressing the issue of malnutrition was an absolute priority for FAO, and that adequate resources should be devoted to it and not diverted away from this objective.

11. The majority of Members expressed concern on the financial implications of any follow-up to COAG/2004/3.

III. OTHER BUSINESS AND DATE AND PLACE OF NEXT SESSION

A. Other business

12. There was no other business.

B. Date and place of next session

13. The Nineteenth Session of the Committee will be held at FAO Headquarters in Rome from 11 to 15 April 2005, as agreed by the Hundred and Twenty-sixth Session of the Council.

APPENDIX A

1. Adoption of Agenda and Timetable for the Session

SELECTED DEVELOPMENT ISSUE

2. Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases

OTHER MATTERS

3. Other business

4. Date and Place of Next Session

REPORT

5. Adoption of the Report

APPENDIX B

LIST OF DOCUMENTS

APPENDIX C

COUNTRIES AND ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTED AT THE SESSION

MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

¹ WHO Technical Report Series, No.916. World Health Organization, Geneva, 2003.