| COFO-2001/11
|
| COFO-2001/11
|
COMMITTEE ON FORESTRY |
Item 11 of the Provisional Agenda |
FIFTEENTH SESSION |
Rome, Italy, 12-16 March 2001 |
DECISIONS OF FAO GOVERNING BODIES OF INTEREST TO THE COMMITTEE |
Secretariat Note |
The purpose of this note is to inform the Committee of those decisions which are of interest to it taken by FAO Governing Bodies (Conference, Council) since its 14th session. Views and recommendations of the FAO Regional Conferences pertinent to the work of the Committee are also summarized in this note. Action taken in response to recommendations made has been reported to the respective bodies. However, if delegates so request, the Secretariat is prepared to report orally on progress made.
1. The Council:
endorsed the COFO report, highlighting the increased importance being given to forestry matters in recent years, in line with the global policy dialogue on forests after UNCED; (para. 39)
urged that adequate resources be made available to forestry, in accordance with the global, regional and national needs of the forestry sector, and that higher prominence should be given to forestry in the FAO Strategic Framework; (para. 39)
recognized that FAO had played an important role in supporting the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF) and UNCED follow-up; (para. 40)
stressed the need to assist in the intergovernmental efforts to reach a consensus on arrangements and mechanisms for the sustainable development of all types of forests to facilitate regional processes of criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management; and to build national capacity for the development of national forest programmes; (para. 40) and
highlighted the need for increased activities in support of: countries with low forest cover; prevention, monitoring and control of forest fires; forest resources assessment; collection and analysis of data and conducting outlook studies; and contribution of forestry to food security and to poverty alleviation. (para. 40)
2. The Council at its 116th session considered the report of the Fourteenth session of COFO, together with the report of the Ministerial Declaration on Forestry. The Council endorsed the COFO report, highlighting the increased importance being given to forestry matters in recent years, in line with the global policy dialogue on forests after UNCED. The Council urged that adequate resources be made available to forestry, in accordance with the global, regional and national needs of the forestry sector, and that higher prominence should be given to forestry in the FAO Strategic Framework. (para. 39)
3. The Council at its 116th Session recognized that FAO had played an important role in supporting the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF) and UNCED follow-up. The Council stressed the need to assist in the intergovernmental efforts to reach a consensus on arrangements and mechanisms for the sustainable development of all types of forests, to facilitate regional processes of criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management and to build national capacity for the development of national forest programmes. The Council highlighted the need for increased activities in support of: countries with low forest cover; prevention, monitoring and control of forest fires; forest resources assessment; collection and analysis of data and conducting outlook studies; and contribution of forestry to food security and to poverty alleviation. (para. 40)
4. The 117th session of the Council endorsed the protection in all scenarios offered to a number of high priority areas, including FAO's work on Fisheries and Forestry, Genetic Resources, Codex Alimentarius, the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), Gender Mainstreaming, the Global Information and Early Warning Systems (GIEWS), the Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping System (FIVIMS), assistance to Members in the context of FAO-related aspects of Multilateral Trade Negotiations, the Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) and the Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS). Many Members regretted that additional allocations had not been possible to these priority areas. Regret was also expressed that it had not been possible to fully accommodate the requests of the Ministerial Meetings for Fisheries and Forestry. The importance of a proactive role of FAO in providing scientifically based contributions to the debate on biotechnology and genetically-modified organisms was also mentioned by a number of Members. FAO was also urged to assist Member Nations, especially the developing ones, with their biotechnological research and dissemination of technology. (para. 25)
5. The Conference endorsed the protection offered to a number of high-priority areas under all three scenarios, while noting that they had been consistently supported by the membership. These included FAO's work on Fisheries and Forestry ... the TCP and SPFS. Many Members expressed the wish to see increased resources being channelled to these high-priority areas. Many Members also recalled the desirability of achieving in the future an increased share for TCP in the total budget. (para. 99)
6. Many Members expressed regret that the requests of the Ministerial Meetings for Fisheries and Forestry, in particular the four Plans of Action endorsed by the former, had not been accommodated. They also regretted that requests for a different resource allocation pattern within Chapter 2, favouring the fisheries and forestry sectors, had not materialized. Other Members did not wish to transfer resources away from Agriculture. (para. 101)
7. For the attention of Governments
recommended that strategies be developed to better capture international support, through carbon offset mechanisms, debt for nature swaps and any other international fund for forestry development; (Appendix G, para. 14a)
recognized the inter-dependence between rural communities, forestry, wildlife and agriculture in the context of sustainable livelihoods. Along with full integration of women and gender concerns, this should be one of the guiding principles of sustainable forestry development in Africa; (Appendix G, para. 14c)
recommended that African countries adopt common positions on key forestry issues and strengthen the roles of their respective sub-regional organisations to facilitate their participation in the on-going international debate on forestry; (Appendix G, para. 14f)
recommended that African countries make additional efforts to promote intra-regional trade in timber and other forest products. (Appendix G, para. 14g)
8. For the attention of FAO
recommended that FAO intensify efforts to assist countries in forest resources assessment and monitoring and in developing training and extension programmes, which contribute to the sustainable use and conservation of forest and wildlife resources in Africa; (para. 25g)
recommended that FAO intensify support to non-conventional food products, especially bushmeat and non-wood forest products; (para. 25j)
appreciated the work undertaken in the field of forest genetic resources and the development of criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management in dry zones of Africa. The meeting welcomed the recent initiative to prepare the Forest Outlook Study for Africa, in partnership with the African Development Bank, the World Bank and the European Union; (para. 27d)
recommended that FAO intensify efforts to mobilise additional funds to facilitate the implementation of conservation, sustainable management, use and improvement of forest resources; (Appendix G, para. 14b)
recommended inclusion of consultations with Farmers Organizations (FOs)/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as a regular agenda item of FAO Regional Conferences. (Appendix H, para. 20)
9. For the attention of Governments
take into consideration the 10 elements for a strategic framework, suggested in document NERC/00/4, in designing national sustainable agricultural development strategies, based on the specific circumstances and priorities for each Member country, with a view to provide enabling environment for increasing the role of the private sector;
participate in, and encourage regional/sub-regional group actions to confront environmental threats, such as desertification, pollution, transboundary plant and animal diseases and other similar threats that cut across national borders;
confirm their commitment to the establishment of the Near East and North Africa Regional Network for Agricultural Policies (NENARNAP), through active participation in its meetings and activities.
10. For the attention of FAO
continue its support to Member Countries in their efforts to review and formulate long-term sustainable agricultural and rural development strategies, policies and national plans of action;
provide, within its available resources, Member Countries with technical assistance and training in biotechnology and genetic engineering and enhance the exchange of information and experiences in these fields among countries of the Region.
11. For the attention of Governments and FAO
endorsed the recommendations of the eighteenth session of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission, highlighting the importance of sustainable forest management in the region; (para. 38)
urged support for the implementation of the Proposals for Action developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF) and the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF); (para. 38)
requested FAO to actively contribute to international discussions on the relationship between forest products trade and sustainable forest management; (para. 38)
invited international donors to provide the necessary financial support to FAO to assist in the work of establishing mechanisms for assessing and managing the potential environmental risks associated with genetically modified organisms (GMOs); (para. 47)
emphasised the importance of implementing the Global Plan of Action for the Conservation and Sustainable Utilisation of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, which was adopted at the International Technical Conference on Plant Genetic Resources in Leipzig, Germany, in 1996; (para. 48)
encouraged the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission to take a more proactive role in facilitating the implementation of the proposals for action developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests and the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests; (para. 73)
encouraged FAO and member countries to continue and expand efforts to protect and use sustainably mangroves and other coastal resources. (para. 74)
12. For the attention of Governments
Considered the issue of institutional reform under discussion to be highly relevant to the countries of the Region. It emphasized that macroeconomic equilibria were necessary to activate rural development and that differentiated sectoral policies were needed if there was to be any impact on the peasant farming sector. It also underscored the need to strengthen the management capacity of municipal and local bodies. It stressed the need to overcome the discontinuity of rural development programmes and to seek mechanisms that would avoid this. (paras. 54, 55 and 56)
Recognized that governments should look into new forms of management of research and technology transfer so that these could be included as a priority item on the policy agenda. (para. 74)
13. For the attention of FAO
Requested technical assistance in the planning of strategies for research and technology transfer; (para. 72)
Advocated the strengthening of the Regional Forestry Commissions and the continued regularity of their meetings. It also recommended that the reports of the Commissions be submitted to the Council and the Conference of FAO to achieve a regional perspective in the focus of its programmes. (para. 20)
