S.P. MUKERJI (India): As directed by you I would be brief but having come from one of the largest agricultural countries of the world I will not be very brief.
This morning we have the first Roman rainfall during the 83rd Session of the Council. It has been raining in the morning and in my country in the field of agriculture rainfall is always considered very auspicious so I am very hopeful that the deliberations of the Committee on Agriculture, on agriculture as such, will be very fruitful and will be a milestone in the FAO's activities of this very important field. I consider this Committee on Agriculture as one of the most important committees, if not the most important committee of FAO.
I will be forgiven if I say that to my light food comes after agriculture; nutrition comes after agriculture and I would not be very wrong to say that even rural development comes after agriculture, especially in the developing countries. In our countries agriculture is the backbone of national economy and I suppose it is the backbone of the world economy also. The happiness and quality of life in the world will depend upon the rate of growth of agricultural production. In developing countries, as you all know, 70 percent of the working population and 50 percent of the national output, depend upon agriculture. Unfortunately, however, in the present-day world 67 percent of the people who live in the developing countries are producing only 38 percent of the world's cereals.
The fertilizer consumption in the developing countries is 9 kg per hectare as against more than 40 kg in the developed countries. You will be surprised to know that the production per agricultural worker in the developing countries is as low as 550 kg, as against 5220 kg per agricultural worker in the developed countries. I say all this to bring home the point that we cannot sweep the problems of agricultural production in the developing countries under the carpet.
The need for increasing production and productivity in the developing countries insofar as agriculture is concerned is a matter of life and death for most of the world's population.
The slogan 'Produce or perish' has not been more relevant than it is today. I would add to this slogan another slogan, 'Reproduce and be ruined'. Checking the unbridled growth of the population on the one hand and produce per unit of land, per unit of water, per unit of capital more than we are doing so far as agricultural production is concerned is the call of the day and the call of the world.
My delegation is very happy that the Committee on Agriculture has stressed increasing agricultural production. It has particularly drawn our attention to the problems of small and marginal farmers, the need for international and regional cooperation. It has expressed its righteous concern on low fertilizer use. It has advocated research. It has supported the activities of seed improvement in the development programme. It has recommended a code of conduct in pesticide trade. It has welcomed the expansion of the special programme on prevention of food losses. It has supported the animal health projects. It has supported also the establishment of a research and technology division in FAO. The Committee has expressed concern on the need to have a data bank. It has elaborated on rural development, ameliorating the conditions of women in the agricultural sector and the rural sector. It has dilated on nutrition. All these are unexceptionable. The Indian delegation fully supports these recommendations. But my delegation feels that the basic elements of increasing agricultural production should receive in future much more action-oriented attention at the hands of the Committee than is evident from this Report.
I might mention very briefly that India has observed a national agricultural inputs fortnight from 1 June to 15 June this year for the first time because we feel that inputs are the determinant of agricultural production. Crops do not come like rabbits out of the magician's hat. We have to do our homework and very hard work and preparatory work for making certain vital inputs available to the farmers. We have identified for this national agricultural inputs fortnight that we observed until yesterday, from 1 to 15 June, seven vital inputs and I would seek your indulgence to let me indicate these seven inputs, which are to our mind very important.
The first is technology. We are not talking in terms of high, sophisticated fundamental research in agricultural science, but the fruits of research which have come out but are still in the hothouse of the laboratory. We want that proven technology and methods be dragged out of the laboratory and transferred to the farmers. That is technology. I do not know whether you will consider technology as an input but I consider technology as one of the vital inputs for increasing agriculture production.
The second is seeds. In the matter of seeds we have to ensure the quality of seeds, the diversity of seeds, the availability of seeds, and location specificity of seeds. We have to develop seeds which are suitable for particular agro-climatic conditions.
The third input is fertilizer. Here also we have to take action to ensure its quality, timely availability, efficient use, so that the farmer gets maximum mileage out of every grain of fertilizer he uses. Only recently when I was in India and had discussions with agricultural scientists and state agricultural commissioners we found that the use of urea in the case of paddy, especially irrigated paddy, was very inefficient because of nitrification and other chemical actions that take place. I was told that if we can mix one unit of urea with four or five units of moist soil and incubate that urea for 24 hours and then apply that incubated urea mixed with soil to paddy under irrigated conditions the efficiency of nitrogen in urea is increased 25 to 50 times. This simple matter, which is home-grown, of mixing urea with soil, which can be done very easily by the farmers, is something which can give a 20 to 25 percent more yield to the farmers and it is a matter which can easily be transmitted to the farmers. So this simple what I call grammar of agriculture will have to be demonstrated and made available to the farmers.
The fourth input is pesticides, its quality, timely availability and regulated use. In certain areas in India what I call "overkill" of pests and diseases is being resorted to. That means not only more money to be spent by the farmers but also more danger to which the farmers and the consumers of agricultural produce are exposed. So we have to be very careful to instruct our farmers about the regulated and limited use of pesticides.
One of the most important inputs in the case of agriculture is irrigation. It is not merely bringing water to the farmer but also ensuring that the water is brought to the farmer when the farmer and his crops need the water most. There are various stages of the life-cycle of crops when the need for water is very urgent. We have to ensure that there is orchestration between the irrigation engineers and agriculture so that water is released in the canals or electricity is released for working the pumping sets only when the crops need water most. Then we have also to ensure that there is equitable distribution of water. It happens that those who are at the tai lend of the canals do not get water. The small farmers do not get water. The management of water in the public distribution system is very important.
Cropping pattern: Paddy is one of the most extravagant crops in the world so far as water is concerned. I am told that for producing one ton of paddy about 1 800 tons of water is used. If the big farmers grow paddy they deprive large numbers of farmers at the tailend from growing other crops. Therefore some sort of cropping pattern and cropping discipline will have to be ensured in the interests of the irrigation system, and of course the efficient use of water so that the loss of water, which is about 50 to 60 percent is reduced. So many aspects of this input will have to be tied up together.
The sixth input is agricultural implements. I am not talking of tractors and combine harvesters. I am talking of simple bullock-driven seed-cum-fertilizer drills which can improve the productivity of even rainfed agriculture by 50 percent by putting the fertilizer and seed together at different depths in the soil. So we are very much conerned about the promotion of agricultural implements amongst the poor farmers. In many parts of the world, especially in Africa, if I am not mistaken, the need for introducing simple agricultural implements which can give a quantum jump in agricultural production is very urgent indeed.
The last, but not the least, of the seven inputs is agricultural credit. It is not merely the rate of interest but the recycling of the rural deposits linking agricultural credit with agricultural inputs. The farmer gets fertilizers on credit from the cooperative society, let us say, and that cooperative society gets back the output, that is the agricultural produce, from the farmer, part of which is used for liquidating the debt, and the remaining part is sold by the cooperative society and the farmer gets the money. So the linking of agricultural credit with agricultural inputs and also marketing is very important.
Then the question of overdues. I might bring to the notice of this august forum a grave problem which a number of countries, especially India, is facing so far as the overdues position is concerned. Because of the falling recovery the overdues have increased and as a result of the discipline imposed by certain international financing organizations a large number of rural banks and even commercial banks in the rural sector have become partially or fully disqualified from advancing loans even to those who have paid back their previous debts. This is going to paralyse the credit network in the rural sector in a very severe manner. In India recent analysis has shown that in the case of the cooperative banks about 60 percent of the cooperative banks under the discipline imposed by the international financial organizations are fully or partially disqualified from giving any loan even to non-defaulters. This is something to which the FAO, and this Committee in particular, should address itself and react as to how we can reduce overdues and yet also prevail upon the international agencies not to become so harsh as to debar even the non-defaulting farmers from getting loans from the banks in their villages.
Then the question of earmarking a certain proportion of agricultural credit for small and marginal farmers. The procedure of the banking system is more attuned to the urban society than to the rural society. I am told that in certain cases to get a petty amount of loan the farmer has to fill up a 40 page form and get a number of items verified by umpteen organizations and it takes him months and months going from pillar to post to get a small agricultural loan sanctioned. What are we doing to simplify the procedure to make our rural banks more oriented towards the farmers' problem than to have a style which is more attuned to cater for the urban society than the rural one?
These are the seven inputs which I thought should receive more attention by the Committee on Agriculture - technology, seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation, agricultural implements and agricultural credit.
Having said that, I would also state that what we do for the farmer after he harvests the crop, the post-harvest management, the question of incentive prices, the question of processing and marketing the agricultural produce, is also very vital for the farmers. As you indicated yesterday, Mr. Chairman, to produce one million tons of foodgrains we have to motivate one million farmers and the one million farmers cannot be motivated merely by our asking them to do so. They will have to be given some price incentive to reduce the risk of their marketing so that they are able to produce more and more. These are the vital components in the agricultural scenario, and my delegation would have liked to see more of these aspects of agricultural production in the report of the Council. Out of the 243 paragraphs in the Council's report, I have very roughly counted that just 70 paragraphs are devoted to review, 26 paragraphs are devoted to rural development, 25 paragraphs are devoted to livestock, 21 paragraphs are devoted to nutrition, but only three paragraphs are devoted to seeds, one and a half paragraphs to irrigation, two to three very short paragraphs on fertilizer, two paragraphs on agricultural credit, one paragraph on agricultural prices, one or two paragraphs on agricultural marketing and no paragraph at all on agricultural cooperatives which I think is one of the main pillars of agricultural production, agricultural processing and agricultural marketing in the developing countries.
I would have loved to see some reference to agro-meteorological services in the developing countries that need to have weather forecasting and crop weather analysis and the marriage between cropping patterns and weather patterns which is very important so far as our situations are concerned.
I will not dilate further on this,but I am very much concerned that we should do something immediately to see that agricultural production per se - and I repeat: agricultural production - receives undivided attention at the hands of the Committee on Agriculture- not only undivided but continuous attention. Therefore, I would suggest for the consideration of the Council that we could have or think in terms of having a separate committee on rural development that would concern itself on very vital aspects of land reforms, employment generation, nutrition, women in agriculture, landless and the problem of rural industries. They are very vital matters, but let these matters not be mixed up with the other vital aspects of agricultural production, because then the whole scenario, the whole canvas becomes difocused, and the type of attention that agricultural production and the elements it should receive is lost.
I would also suggest for your consideration that we have a separate committee on livestock, poultry and fisheries. Livestock and poultry and fisheries are a different kettle of fish as distinguished from agriculture, and mixing them up together in one committee's report may again blur the focus on agriculture.
I would also suggest that the Committee on Agriculture should have in future a few standing items which can be included, and they could have sub-committees on agricultural credit, they could have a sub-committee on irrigation, they culd have one sub-committee on agricultural inputs, a sub-committee on agricultural research and one sub-committee on forestry. I repeat: Sub-committees on credit, irrigation, agricultural inputs, agricultural research and forestry, and if they have these sub-committees, in every report of the Committee, due attention will be paid to these vital dimensions of agricultural production.
I would also suggest for your consideration that this Committee on Agriculture should strive to formulate a model policy on agricultural production, a charter on agricultural production, as we have done in the case of soil and soil conservation and land management. Why can we not have some sort of model policy on agricultural production? A variance on this policy could be had, one for the African region and another for the Asian region, one for the over-populated areas, another for under-populated areas and so on. The Committee could also think in terms of having location-specific and country-specific manuals on agricultural implements, on seeds, production, processing, diversity and so on, fertilizer; not only production input but also the logistical part of moving fertilizers at the right time and the right place; a manual on irrigation and water management, and still a small handbook on agricultural pricing and marketing, depending upon the experience and lessons of other countries. I would suggest that standing items on agricultural credit, agricultural inputs, agricultural research, land management, irrigation and water management could be recommended to the Committee.
In this paper, it has been mentioned that some items, like agricultural research, food and agriculture price policy, processing of food and strategies for improvement of marketing are to be taken up in the next meeting. This is very well taken, but I would suggest that not only at the next meeting but continuously that meeting after meeting these important aspects of agriculture must form a group of standing items for the Council, because agriculture is a dynamic system. You cannot say that for the next six months we will concentrate only on agricultural marketing and after that we will consider the question of fertilizers or seeds. They have to be considered simultaneously.
I will close my intervention by fully endorsing and supporting the Director-General's very praiseworthy initiative in convening a working party for considering the Establishment of an International Genebank and formulating an International Convention for Plan Genetic Resources. He has been trying his best to harmonize the various interests, especially of the poor countries. We and our delegation eagerly look forward to his report in the next Council and Conference meeting.
M. AHMED (Pakistan): We have read the report of the Committee on Agriculture with great interest; in fact, we are happy to have been associated with the deliberations of this Committee. Dr. Bommer has done a highly commendable job in introducing this excellent document. The Pakistan delegation is in full agreement with the views expressed by the Committee on the priorities to be followed and shares the emphasis placed by it on several items. We have also noted with a keen sense of appreciation the need to concentrate FAO's programmes, inter alia, on low-income groups, small farmers, landless peasants and women. We also support the creation of a new research and technology development division by merger of four existing groups to strengthen FAO's role in promoting agricultural research and application of technology in the field. The need for sound food and agricultural policies has been well highlighted in this document. We also greatly appreciate the leadership role played by FAO under the dynamic guidance of the Director-General in raising the awareness of the world community to the urgent need to collect and conserve crop genetic resources and the equally pressing imperative for setting up an International Genebank as soon as the necessary feasibility studies have been completed and financial implications are realistically assessed. It can be a phased effort in coordination and collaboration with FAO, IBPGR programme and national gene pools.
We are also strongly in favour of a suitable international convention so that the plant genetic resources which are the common heritage of mankind are freely available to all countries. In this context we wish to convey our appreciation for the setting-up of a 12-member working party to help the Director-General of FAO in the preparation of a comprehensive report for the Council. We are looking forward to this report with eagerness.
After having said all this, we have a few suggestions to make in line with our agreed objectives that the needs of small and marginal farmers and producers should be given special attention. The first concerns crop insurance, not so much an arrangement to compensate farmers in the event of a natural catastrophe or other disasters but as an instrument-and we believe as a powerful instrument-to break the reluctance of small farmers to adopt modern production technology. Crop insurance will thus serve not merely as a safety net but as a strong stimulus for development. We would therefore recommend that study of problems and procedures for introducing crop insurance should be included in FAO's programme.
Another suggestion relates to dairies. The main emphasis in the present programme is on dairy training. In many countries, as it is in Pakistan, milk is produced generally by small farmers and the landless. The collection of this milk and handling it all the way to main centres of consumption or major dairy plants pose many problems. The technology of overcoming these problems, including the setting up of rural chilling units and proper transport arrangements, should also be given proper emphasis.
Yet another area on which inadequate emphasis in our view, has been placed is marketing, especially of perishible commodities and particularly of vegetables, which are usually produced by small farmers. The need for small-scale grading, processing and packaging units in the producing centres therefore becomes at once apparent. The technology involved in such facilities therefore deserves to be included in FAO's programme.
Finally, we agree to the agenda topics listed in paragraph 243 for discussions in future meetings but hope that, as I have submitted earlier, crop insurance will also be added to the list. It is presumed that credit will be discussed as part of the strategies for improvement of marketing and input delivery systems of small farms. Many other countries like Pakistan may have adopted innovative approaches in the supply and delivery of credit. Sharing of experience on this vital input would be a highly profitable exercise.
A. RODRIGUES PIRES (Cap-Vert): Ma délégation a participé avec beaucoup d'intérêt aux travaux de la septième session de notre Comité de l'agriculture, le COAG. C'est pour cela que ma délégation saisit cette occasion pour féliciter le Secrétariat de la qualité du document CL 83/9; pour également féliciter M. Bommer de la façon remarquable dont il a fait la présentation de ce document.
Tout en étant bref, nous voulons concentrer notre intervention sur quelques problèmes qui, à nos yeux, nous semblent prioritaires. D'abord la santé animale: ma délégation attache beaucoup d'importance aux paragraphes 202 à 218 de ce document, particulièrement au contenu des paragraphes 206 et 207. Le Comité s'est déclaré sérieusement préoccupé de la répartition de la peste bovine non seulement en Afrique mais également au Proche-Orient et en Asie. Il a aussi noté avec satisfaction la proposition du Directeur général concernant l'aide d'urgence à fournir aux pays africains pour renforcer la lutte contre la peste bovine, telle qu'elle figure au paragraphe 206. Nous voudrions à ce propos demander au Directeur général de lancer un appel aux pays donateurs afin de constituer un fonds pour une campagne panafricaine contre la peste bovine, que cette campagne soit organisée conjointement et en étroite collaboration avec la FAO, l'OIE, l'OUA, que le Conseil adopte une recommandation dans ce sens, que le Directeur général fasse rapport à la prochaine session du Conseil sur la suite donnée. La recherche agricole devrait sûrement être soutenue, mais la vulgarisation des résultats de recherche, surtout au niveau des petits paysans doit en constituer la pierre angulaire.
De même nous pensons que les pays en voie de développement doivent coopérer très étroitement en vue de stimuler les échanges d'expériences en ce qui concerne surtout la formation des cadres nationaux.
Nous appuyons une stratégie globale pour la protection des végétaux et le renforcement au niveau régional des services de la protection des végétaux tel que cela a été dit par les délégations de Chypre et d'Egypte. Nous pensons qu'une priorité plus grande devrait être donnée au développement des systèmes de lutte intégrée contre les ennemis des cultures et des mauvaises herbes. Là, la FAO devrait jouer son rôle, surtout en ce qui concerne la favorisation des échanges d'expériences acquises dans les pays et dans les régions.
Egalement, nous souhaiterions qu'une coopération plus accrue entre les pays en voie de développement soit amenée dans ce secteur.
J.M. SCOULAR (United Kingdom): First of all as we have said before we strongly support COAG as one of the major committees of FAO, especially as adviser to the Council on the Programme of Work in relation to agriculture, food and nutrition, and as the body to conduct reviews and appraisals in this field.
Dr. Bommer's valuable introduction to the report here has shown a degree of professional and technical expertise implied in the exercise of these functions. We think it is important therefore that as many member nations as are in a position to do so should send delegates to COAG with full technical qualifications in the areas to be discussed. We appreciate the point made by the distinguished delegate of China yesterday about the burden this places on member nations and accept that some matters can be covered by careful briefing from home capitals, but we regard these as very much a second best to actual attendance and personal participation by experts.
We ourselves always endeavour to send to COAG fully qualified delegations in recognition of the importance of this function, and believe that only in this way can the papers for COAG, which are of high quality, be given the kind of consideration they deserve.
The agenda for its recent meeting covered the two major elements in COAG's remit, first a general review of current activities and an examination of the proposals in the PWB for the next biennium. It also reviews a number of specific problems in the field of agriculture, malnutrition, the role of women, plant protection and animal health, and this is welcomed. Indeed the Committee certainly covered the ground. We were given I think 87 points to note at the start of CL 83/9. Mr Chairman, we have noted them all, but among this welter of points for this Council it is clear that the major item of interest, to us at least, is the development of the Proposal for the Establishment of an International Genebank and the Preparation of a Draft International Convention for Plant Genetic Resources. This is a very technical area on which many delegates have spoken. Just how technical emerged in particular from the very expert interventions from the delegates of Mexico and Spain. We were happy therefore to be able to assist in the setting up of a Working Party now engaged in preparing a proposal to go to the 22nd Session of the Conference. Like Brazil, the Federal Republic of Germany, Sudan and Pakistan, we look forward to seeing the report of the working party, and I am glad to hear from Dr. Bommer of the success of its first meeting.
On the timing of COAG meetings, we would like to repeat our earlier suggestion that there is a case for a meeting of COAG in the inter-conference years when the programme from the previous biennium will have been completed and evaluation will be possible.
Finally on a more detailed point, our delegation at COAG was particularly impressed by the quality of the paper on malnutrition, but a little concerned that malnutrition might become absorbed into the agricultural programme and not be given sufficient attention to warrant reattendance of efficient specialists or professionals. We would welcome the use of the Secretariat on this point.
We also agree with the studies on nutritional programmes proposed on page 19 of the paper.
CHAIRMAN: Mr. West has asked for the floor to make a clarification.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: Perhaps inadvertently the distinguished delegate of the United Kingdom just referred to a report of the Working Party. There is no report of the Working Party; there will be none. There will be the report of the Director-General to the Conference.
M. TATIETA (Haute-Volta): La delegation de Haute-Volta apporte une haute appréciation au rapport de la septième session du COAG. Ce rapport a fait un inventaire de l'ensemble des problèmes et a indiqué des esquisses de solutions. Nous pensons que la prise en compte réelle de ces facteurs par les différents gouvernements nous ferait faire un pas important dans la voie du développement. Notre délégation approuve et appuie toutes les recommandations contenues dans le document parce qu'elles correspondent bien aux préoccupations de notre pays.
Pour la délégation de Haute-Volta, tous les éléments du rapport sont très importants et ne souffrent pas d'ambiguïté. Cependant, nous voudrions insister sur quelques points.
A propos de l'élaboration d'une stratégie globale en matière de protection des végétaux la délégation de Haute-Volta souhaite que des mesures urgentes soient prises pour le contrôle des insecticides afin de préserver la santé compromise par les effets toxiques à long terme de quelques insecticides; que la FAO aide tous les pays à se doter d'une législation et d'une réglementation phyto-sanitaire efficace; que la FAO appuie des projets de création d'usines, de fabrication d'insecticides dans les régions qui sont appelées à les utiliser car, pour l'instant, les insecticides utilisés par nos pays sont fabriqués dans les pays écologiquement différents des nôtres, ce qui peut être un élément d'abaissement de la qualité des produits, sans oublier la diminution éventuelle des coûts de production.
A propos de la santé animale, comme nous l'avons déjà souligné dans notre première intervention, nous réitérons notre voeu de voir organiser une campagne africaine de lutte contre la peste bovine, ceci à cause de nombreux foyers signalés dans- les différentes régions de l'Afrique. Nous proposons qu'une telle campagne soit organisée conjointement par la FAO, l'OIE et l'OUA. La délégation de Haute-Volta se joint à d'autres délégations pour préconiser qu'une recommandation soit faite dans ce sens par le Conseil.
Au sujet de l'aide alimentaire, nous appuyons la perception du rôle de l'aide définie par le Comité. Effectivement, les effets pervers de cette aide ont été soulignés plus d'une fois par les pays du Sahel qui en sont les principaux bénéficiaires.
Concernant la participation de la femme au développement, notre délégation estime qu'il est des pays où la participation de la femme est supérieure à celle de l'homme si on comptabilise tous les moments passés à la production et aux travaux domestiques qui à eux seuls accaparent un temps considérable des femmes des pays en voie de développement, du fait que très peu d'améliorations ont été réalisées dans le domaine domestique.
La délégation de Haute-Volta, tout en marquant son soutien pour qu'il y ait plus de projets en faveur des femmes, souhaite que la FAO initie ou appuie tout projet visant à améliorer les technologies traditionnelles dans le domaine domestique.
A propos des statistiques agricoles, notre délégation soutient l'importance accordée par le Comité aux statistiques qui, dans la plupart des pays en voie de développement, sont d'un degré de fiabilité faible. Par conséquent, pour une meilleure connaissance des situations dans les différents pays, il est indispensable que la FAO continue à apporter son assistance aux pays pour la mise en place de services de statistiques qui soient en mesure de fournir des données réelles et fiables.
Au sujet des fruits et légumes, la délégation de Haute-Volta soutient l'importance donnée aux fruits et légumes. Ces spéculations constituent une source de revenus très importante pour les pays qui connaissent une longue période de saison sèche au cours de laquelle les activités des paysans restent très limitées, en dehors des zones où il existe des retenues pouvant permettre l'exploitation des cultures maraîchères. Cela nous conduit tout naturellement à demander la création de retenues d'eau et de barrages là où cela est possible et que cela soit soutenu par la FAO.
J. TCHICAYA (Congo): Le document CL 83/9 constitue à nos yeux un rapport fort équilibré,résultat du travail remarquable réalisé par le COAG en sa septième session. Nous nous déclarons satisfaits de la manière dont les résultats des travaux auxquels nous avons pris part sont rendus dans ce rapport. Aussi nos remarques seront-elles brèves puisque nous n'avons aucune peine à nous rallier aux principales conclusions qui se dégagent de ce rapport.
En particulier la délégation du Congo voudrait apporter son soutien aux priorités définies par le Comité afin que les programmes de la FAO se concentrent sur les pays pauvres et les groupes à faible revenu, tels les petits agriculteurs et travailleurs sans terres ainsi que les femmes qui sont somme toute les plus motivées pour accroître la production agricole, seule source de leurs revenus.
Nous marquons notre appui à la réduction des dépenses administratives au profit des programmes techniques et économiques qui ont un impact réel et palpable sur les populations rurales.
Ma délégation partage les préoccupations du COAG sur la diminution de l'utilisation des engrais malgré la baisse des cours mondiaux. C'est là une situation prévisible lorsqu'on sait que les pays en développement ont de plus en plus de mal à faire face aux importations en raison de l'insuffisance des devises disponibles. C'est pourquoi elle pense que tout en accordant une attention accrue au système de nutrition intégrée des plantes, et tout en approuvant les efforts visant à promouvoir la fixation biologique de l'azote en vue d'une productivité améliorée des sols, elle s'associe à l'appel qui est lancé en direction des donateurs pour qu'ils accroissent leur soutien au programme international d'approvisionnement en engrais.
L'attention accordée à la conservation des sols et des eaux, ainsi qu'à la recherche des pratiques agricoles susceptibles de se substituer à l'agriculture itinérante, devrait recevoir l'appui de notre Conseil. La délégation de mon pays, tout en reconnaissant que la FAO accorde une contribution importante à l'augmentation de la production vivrière, souhaite que cet effort s'oriente désormais vers des cultures jusqu'ici négligées, y compris dans le contexte de la sécurité alimentaire mondiale. Je veux parler des plantains, des légumineuses, des racines et tubercules tels que le manioc, la pomme de terre, qui sont d'importants aliments de base dans notre sous-région d'Afrique centrale.
Cette même attention, la FAO devrait la porter également sur les cultures fruitières et légumières, produits qui concourent à l'obtention d'une alimentation équilibrée de l'homme.
Nous souscrivons à l'idée d'étendre le programme de prévention des pertes alimentaires à tous les produits alimentaires de base, ainsi qu'aux fruits et légumes.
Nous nous rallions à l'idée de voir la FAO continuer d'accorder toute son importance à un secteur aussi vital que l'élevage et nous sommes d'avis qu'ici aussi la priorité doit être donnée à la formation. Le cheptel des pays en développement est à la merci de nombre d'épizooties. A ce sujet, on peut remercier la FAO des initiatives qu'elle a prises et devra promouvoir pour lutter contre certaines maladies comme la peste porcine et la peste bovine. S'agissant de cette dernière, qui semble prendre de l'ampleur en Afrique, il convient de lancer une nouvelle fois un appel aux donateurs, pour que,de concert avec l'OUA, la FAO et tout autre organisme approprié mettent en place un programme hardi de lutte contre la peste bovine. Nous appuyons l'idée déjà exprimée ici de voir adopter une recommandation dans ce sens par notre Conseil.
Ma délégation, qui appuie le paragraphe 37 sur le programme de lutte contre la trypanosomiase, voudrait réitérer son soutien sans réserve à l'amélioration et la multiplication du bétail trypano-tolérant. C'est un moyen fort indiqué de contourner cet obstacle majeur au développement de l'élevage.
Le soutien à la recherche, et notamment le besoin de formation, tel que les stages de gestion de la recherche demandés par les directeurs de recherche en Afrique, doit requérir l'attention de notre Conseil qui mesure toute l'importance des ressources humaines dans un domaine aussi fondamental de la politique agricole qui vise des performances au moyen d'investissements peu coûteux mais ayant cependant une productivité élevée.
Ma délégation voudrait exprimer sa satisfaction sur l'intérêt suscité par l'examen du document relatif aux études réalisées par la FAO en réponse à la Résolution 6/81 à la 21ème session de la Conférence, et se rallie à la conclusion à laquelle a abouti le COAG. Elle attend avec le plus grand intérêt le rapport du Directeur général qui nous sera présenté à la session de novembre de notre Conseil. Nous pensons nous aussi que l'amélioration et la conservation du matériel phyto-génétique doivent être l'affaire de tous, car il constitue un patrimoine dont l'humanité entière devrait pouvoir tirer le plus grand bénéfice.
Pour terminer, ma délégation se réjouit sincèrement de constater que ce rapport indique une inclinaison assez marquée vers l'action. C'est pour cette raison que, sans repousser lès évaluations parfois nécessaires pour faciliter les corrections utiles au progrès, je partage le point de vue de ceux qui pensent qu'il est indispensable d'économiser les ressources de l'Organisation pour les orienter vers des actions ayant un impact direct sur l'accroissement de la production et l'amélioration des revenus des paysans pauvres.
A. GUEDIRA (Maroc): Monsieur le President, je tiens tout d'abord à rendre hommage au secrétariat de la FAO pour l'excellence du rapport qui nous est présenté à propos des travaux de la septième session du Comité de l'agriculture et que nous appuyons dans ses grandes lignes.
Je voudrais également féliciter M. Bommer pour son brillant exposé introductif de nos débats.
Sans vouloir évoquer tous les points qui figurent dans le rapport, et combien ils sont nombreux, et qui revêtent tous un caractère certainement important dans le développement de l'agriculture, permettez-moi de relever quatre points qui me paraissent comme revêtant un caractère prioritaire:
Premièrement, le développement agricole intégré revêt, du point de vue de la délégation de mon pays, une importance capitale pour la promotion de l'homme rural et du monde rural. En effet, le développement intégré permet non seulement d'atteindre des objectifs d'amélioration de la production alimentaire mais également d'offrir au producteur des conditions de vie acceptables, comparables dans une certaine mesure à celles qui régnent dans les villes, le décourageant ainsi de quitter sa terre et d'alimenter l'exode rural. Ces conditions de vie acceptables par lui consisteront parti culièrement en l'implantation d'infrastructures socio-économiques de base telles que l'habitat, la santé, l'éducation, l'eau potable, l'électricité, etc.
Deuxièmement, l'exploitation de toutes les potentialités agricoles, compte tenu de son caractère déterminant pour l'accroissement de la production alimentaire, est à notre sens encourageable. Tous les moyens devront être mobilisés à cet effet, parmi lesquels les équipements hydro-agricoles dans la mesure ou la maîtrise de l'eau qu'ils permettent est de nature à favoriser l'introduction de cultures nouvelles dont a besoin le pays concerné, l'amélioration de la productivité agricole, l'atténuation des effets des sécheresses, etc. La recherche agricole pourrait jouer particulièrement un rôle important dans ce domaine.
Troisièmement, la planification agricole doit être renforcée dans tous les pays; la FAO devra apporter tout le soutien nécessaire aux pays qui la demandent dans ce domaine.
Quatrièmement, le financement de l'agriculture revêt un caractère fondamental pour encourager l'investissement privé dans ce domaine. A ce propos, je voudrais insister pour que notre Organisation apporte tout le concours nécessaire pour renforcer les systèmes nationaux de distribution de crédit agricole.
Mrs. J.S. WALLACE (United States of America): The United States participated actively in the Seventh Session of the Committee on Agriculture and generally endorses its report as contained in document CL 83/9. In our view the COAG session was worthwhile and productive. The agenda included a number of important and timely issues. The discussions were pertinent and constructive and the recommendations of the Committee were largely reasonable and supportive.
Since the Committee's terms of reference are limited to issues falling within the scope of major Programme 2.1, Agriculture, the discussions at COAG were largely technical and did not include discussions of forestry, fisheries or the overall level of the budget proposed for 1984/85. In that context, however, the United States was generally supportive of the priorities, the strategies and the plans of work for the coming biennium.
As pointed out by the Director-General and others, the only real controversial item on COAG's agenda was the proposal concerning an international genebank and convention. The United States pointed out at the COAG session that the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources already had a fully functional global network of 38 institutions in 99 countries, that the commitment of participating institutions seemed adequate and obviated the need for a more binding convention; that the IBPGR network constitutes an international genebank from which germplasm is freely available and that the assumption that a new and duplicative genebank under FAO auspices would overcome difficulties in obtaining plant genetic resources was open to question and/or was outweighed by the positive features of the present system and the exceedingly high cost of trying to duplicate it.
The United States does, however, recognize the concerns of governments favouring the proposal and is a member of the Working Party addressing the problem. We trust that the Director-General, with the help of the Working Party, will develop a report to the Conference that is satisfactory to all members of the Organization.
L. ARIZA HIDALGO (Cuba): Queremos primeramente felicitar al doctor Bommer por su presentación Objetiva de los resultados del Comité de Agricultura que a nuestro juicio fue muy profundo en el análisis de la problemática de la situación de la agricultura en el mundo, incluyendo los párrafos de otros asuntos que someten a este 83° Consejo de la FAO 243 párrafos, que nos deparan la necesidad de trabajo que se ha propuesto la FAO.
Nosotros reiteramos nuestro apoyo a este documento en toda su amplitud y específicamente al Programa de Labores y Presupuesto presentado.
Creemos que con la inteligente distribución de los pocos recursos de que dispone la FAO, la labor más delicada que es las prioridades en las cuales tenemos total confianza para que la FAO, en la misma medida que lo ha hecho hasta ahora, sepa llevar adelante los objetivos como centro mundial de la agricultura y la alimentación.
Específicamente nuestra delegación quiere referirse a lo que considera la cosa más importante para los países en cuanto a nuestro desarrollo agrícola: la capacitación en todas sus esferas; la investigación integrada al desarrollo; el fomentar la participación popular en las estrategias de desarrollo agrícola y rural; la integración de la protección animal y Vegetal en un enfoque más amplio; que la FAO siga haciendo todo lo posible para promover el empleo seguro y eficaz de plaguicidas, así como la elaboración de un código de conducta sobre la distribución y empleo de los mismos; apoyamos el fomento de los sistemas de alerta para vigilar y evaluar mejor las importantes plagas y enfermedades que azotan el mundo; apoyamos plenamente las actividades de extensión en la producción y sanidad pecuaria a nivel de las explotaciones agrícolas; apoyamos, asimismo, a la FAO en todas las labores de erradicación y prevención de las plagas y enfermedades, y sobre el desarrollo de las vacunas; apoyamos la creación del Banco de Genes y el Convenio que regule su tratamiento bajo la supervisión de la FAO como órgano central de Naciones Unidas para la Agricultura; apoyamos las estrategias de la Conferencia Mundial de Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural para la integración de la mujer al desarrollo rural; hacemos nuestro todo lo aprobado sobre la malnutrición por el interés y esfuerzo que este evento supuso por darle un poco de cauce a esta situación de la malnutrición.
Queremos sucintamente, después de exponer todo lo que consideramos de profundo del trabajo del Comité, exponer algunas ideas de cómo vemos la situación de la agricultura en el mundo hoy.
Según las cifras del Departamento de Agricultura del Gobierno Norteamericano, el crecimiento de la producción agrícola per cápita en los países desarrollados fue del 8 por ciento en 1980, con relación a los niveles promedio de 1969-1971, mientras que en el Tercer Mundo no se registró crecimiento alguno.
La situación resultante de las tendencias actuales adquiere caracteres de verdadero desastre colectivo en Africa, donde el promedio para ese continente indica que la disponibilidad de alimentos por habitante es hoy inferior a la de 1960 y donde el crecimiento de la producción alimentaria es aproximadamente la mitad del crecimiento poblacional.
Una clara expresión de esta negativa situación lo constituye el hecho de que, lo reflejan las estadísticas de FAO que son nuestros instrumentos de trabajo, que a mediados de la década de 1970 los países subdesarrollados, con más del 65 por ciento de la población mundial, producían el 38 por ciento de los alimentos, en tanto que la producción por trabajador agrícola, valorada a precios de 1975, era de 550 dólares anuales, mientras que en los países desarrollados alcanzaba 5 220 dólares.
En 1979-1980 se produjeron en el mundo un total de 118,7 millones de toneladas métricas de fertilizantes químicos, de las cuales el consumo representó 111,7 millones. Esta cifra significó un incremento de un 3,4 por ciento con relación al año anterior. Europa produjo el 30 por ciento, América del Norte el 27 por ciento y la Unión de Repúblicas Soviéticas el 18 por ciento, es decir, en su conjunto, el 75 por ciento del total mundial. Estos mismos grupos de países consumieron el 66 por ciento del total. Mientras el consumo per capita de fertilizantes ascendió a 63,6 kilogramos en los países desarrollados, en los subdesarrollados el consumo fue de 9,5 kilogramos, y en Africa, particularmente, de 3,2 kilogramos.
La superficie cultivable por trabajador agrícola, indicador que expresa el desarrollo tecnológico en la medida en que un trabajador es capaz de atender mayor extensión de tierra, aumentó en los países desarrollados de menos de 6 a 9 hectáreas, mientras que en el Tercer Mundo, excepto un ligero aumento en América Latina, descendió a niveles que promediaron 1,3 hectáreas.
Igualmente, el grado de mecanización, otro factor que indica el desarrollo de la agricultura, existente en la agricultura del Tercer Mundo es una clara expresión de su extrema debilidad tecnológica. En efecto, en 1977 el 88,4 por ciento del total mundial de tractores se encontraban en países desarrollados; de ellos, el 61,5 por ciento en América del Norte y Europa Occidental, regiones éstas que disponían tan sólo del 22,4 por ciento de la tierra cultivada en el mundo. El Tercer Mundo sólo contaba con el 11,6 del total de tractores, y Africa en particular, con sus dramáticos problemas alimentarios, sólo disponía del 1,0 por ciento de los tractores. Por otro lado, en los países subdesarrollados se encuentra sólo el 5,2 por ciento del total mundial de cosechadoras.
Según las estadísticas de FAO en 1980 la extensión de tierras de cultivo de regadío en los países subdesarrollados alcanzaba los 105 millones de hectáreas, y representaba alrededor del 14 por ciento del total de tierras cultivables en esos países. De esas tierras, sólo el 60 por ciento estaba plenamente equipado.
La proyección de tierras de regadío para el año 2000 en esos países prevé una ampliación de un 40 por ciento sobre las cifras actuales, para alcanzar los 148 millones de hectáreas y un 16 por ciento del total de tierras de cultivo. Tendría así un ritmo de crecimiento del 1,7 por ciento anual. Se prevé llegar a un 73 por ciento de equipamiento de esas áreas. Teniendo en cuenta el costo medio de unos 2 380 dólares por hectárea, la inversion total que se requerirá será superior a los 100 mil millones de dólares.
Esas áreas bajo riego, explotadas de manera eficiente, podrían llegar a proporcionar el 50 por ciento de la producción agrícola del mundo subdesarrollado.
Sin embargo, no será así. Para fines de siglo, aún el 84 por ciento de las tierras de cultivo de los países del Tercer Mundo carecerán de riego y suministrarán el 59 por ciento de toda su producción agrícola. Las Naciones Unidas han estimado que las necesidades de agua para el riego, que a fines de la década de 1970 significaban el 70 por ciento del total de agua utilizada por el hombre, se duplicarían para el año 2000.
Los años transcurridos y las experiencias recogidas han disipado las esperanzas en una solución a los problemas agrícolas y alimentarios que hicieron concebir algunos espectaculares resultados de la llamada Revolución Verde.
La modernización de la agricultura en ciertas áreas del Tercer Mundo, basada en la aplicación de avances científicos sin alterar las estructuras socioeconómicas internas y externas que constituyen la base del atraso agrícola, fue una clara manifestación de triunfo científico técnico, y a la vez, fracaso económico social, y evidenció que los problemas agrícolas y del hambre no sólo son de índole técnico-productiva, sino en primera instancia se derivan de las estructuras sociales y de las relaciones de dominación.
Los resultados han sido la sustitución masiva de los cultivos tradicionales que contribuían a la alimentación popular, muchas veces efectuados por pequeños productores, para implantar cultivos con fines de exportación que no satisfacen necesidades de consumo ni se adaptan a los patrones histórico-culturales de los países receptores. Los países tradicionalmente exportadores y consumidores de maíz y frijoles, importan hoy decenas de millones de dólares de esos productos como resultado de la masiva destrucción de esos cultivos para sembrar otros de elevados márgenes de rentabilidad para las transnacionales.
Resultados enfrentados a un déficit apreciable en su producción alimentaria con relación al aumento poblacional, los países subdesarrollados se han visto, globalmente, en la necesidad de incrementar sus importaciones de alimentos.
La superficie total de tierra en el mundo es de 13 500 millones de hectáreas. De ellas el 59 por ciento, 8 000 millones, son desiertos, tierras con alta salinidad, tierras heladas y montañas. Existen bajo cultivo aproximadamente 1 500 millones de hectáreas, el 11 por ciento de la superficie total, el máximo de la tierra cultivable disponible asciende a 2 425 millones de hectáreas.
Con los actuales niveles de productividad en los países subdesarrollados, se necesitarían 0,9 hectáreas por persona para alcanzar los niveles de consumo de los países desarrollados. En los países subdesarrollados serán cada día más los seres humanos que dependerán hipotéticamente de una hectárea de tierra cultivada. Sin embargo, ¿estarán esos países en condiciones económicas y tecnológicas de elevar el rendimiento de la tierra a los niveles adecuados para mantener una producción suficiente?
EÍ factor de no poca importancia en los problemas agrícolas que presenta el Tercer Mundo lo constituyen sus arcaicas estructuras de la propiedad agraria. Latifundio y minifundio, actuando en un complejo contexto de herencia colonial y dependencia neocolonial, y a veces entrelazados con la subsistencia de formas de producción incluso anteriores a la economía de mercado, contribuyen a explicar el desastroso estado de la agricultura en el Tercer Mundo.
La reforma agraria supone una más justa, equitativa y racional redistribución de la tierra, pero supone mucho más : posibilita el desarrollo de formas superiores de organización de la producción agrícola, como pueden ser las cooperativas y los complejos agroindustriales de propiedad social, y la aplicación de modernas tecnologías capaces de multiplicar varias veces los menguados resultados de la agricultura tradicional. Por tanto, al tiempo que implicaría una profunda medida de justicia social, la reforma agraria representaría un notable aporte a la solución de los problemas alimentarios del Tercer Mundo, al ampliar la producción agrícola y propiciar una distribución más equitativa de los ingresos.
Cabría preguntarse, sin embargo, qué significado puede tener la definición de ecosistema, estabilidad biológica, contaminación, degradación del medio, etc., para las inmensas masas analfabetas y hambrientas del mundo subdesarrollado, cuya lucha cotidiana sólo persigue la mera subsistencia. ¿Cómo podremos llegar a ello?
La FAO, considera que existen 2 000 millones de hectáreas de tierras de cultivo en Asia, Africa y América Latina, que presentan un riesgo alto, muy alto de desertificación, es decir, corre el peligro más o menos directo y grave de convertirse en tierra árida no apta para el cultivo en un futuro no muy lejano.
Una cuarta parte de la superficie terrestre estaba cubierta de bosques a mediados del presente siglo. Ya en 1978, el área boscosa total se había reducido a poco más de 2 500 millones de hectáreas, esto es el 20 por ciento de la superficie total.
Cada año desaparecen cerca de 20 millones de hectáreas de bosques, en casi su totalidad en los países subdesarrollados. Quiere esto decir que cada minuto en nuestro países se talan, queman o destruyen más de 20 hectáreas de bosques. A este ritmo, las selvas tropicales del planeta serán aniquiladas en un lapso de apenas 35 años. A fines del siglo solamente la mitad de la superficie actual de los bosques tropicales productivos no explotados quedará en pie.
Esta es la situación que tenemos que enfrentar; esta es la situación que tiene que enfrentar la FAO con un modestísimo presupuesto para representar ante la comunidad internacional a la agricultura y la alimentación.
AMIDJONO MARTOSUWIRYO (Indonesia): On behalf of the Indonesian delegation I would like to thank Dr. Bommer for his enlightening statement on the work of the Committee on Agriculture, the achievements of which are contained in the report of its Seventh Session. While endorsing the report my delegation would like to make some comments and to lay stress on points which deserve greater attention and allow me to start with the matter of plant protection, the importance of which cannot be underestimated. The food and agricultural production to a large extent is also dependent on effective plant protection measures, especially in cases of outbreak of plant diseases and pests. For this reason my delegation joins other members of the COAG in their proposal that FAO consider the establishment of a pesticide programme.
My delegation is also in agreement with the Committee in requesting the Director-General to consider the establishment of an expert panel to advise him on improved wheat management, as mentioned in paragraph 193 of the document.
In the field of animal protection the Committee stressed the need to integrate fully extension activities in animal protection and health at the farm level. In many developing countries cattle also provide power and it is needed for tilling the soil. Improvement of animal health, therefore, is of the greatest importance.
As regards Conference Resolution 6/81 concerning the Proposals for the Establishment of an International Genebank and the preparation of a Draft International Convention for Plant Genetic Resources, my delegation appreciates very much the effort made by both the Organization and COAG towards the realization of the proposal.
With regard to the follow-up of WCARRD, my delegation endorses the view expressed in the report to the effect that the process of agrarian reform should give greater attention to the role of rural women, to the importance of credit and to the employment of opportunity and also activities involving the involvement of women to be developed on a regional basis. While recognizing the differences which exist in the condition of women in a wide variety of the communities throughout the world, one thing is certain, namely that women play a most important role in the development of rural communities. Rural development plays a major role in the efforts made at elimination of poverty and the success of rural development projects is to a very large extent dependent on the active participation of rural people, including women and young people, in planning and programming and logicially in the implementation of the projects.
Finally we would like to see that the topics contained in paragraph 241 of the report be included in the provisional agenda of the Eighth Committee Session. At least the coming committee session will discuss strategy for the improvement of marketing and input delivery systems for small farmers.
Sra. Doña E. HERAZO de VITI (Panamá): La delegación de Panamá desea felicitar al Dr. Bommer por su brillante, completa y aclaratoria presentación del tema 6. Sobre los distintos aspectos que nos plantea el documento CL 83/9, queremos expresar lo siguiente: Durante la discusión del tema 3 del COAG sobre la Ejecución del programa de labores de 1982-83, destacamos positivamente el hecho de que durante este bienio se haya producido un incremento a los precios corrientes del orden del 15 por ciento en los gastos extrapresupuestarios para proyectos de campo en relación al bienio anterior, así como que el número de proyectos hubiese aumentado debido a la tendencia a realizar proyectos catalizadores y a utilizar más a las instituciones y consultores nacionales.
Sobre el tema resultante de la participación de la mujer en reuniones, consideramos que es todavía baja la participación de ésta en términos generales, específicamente en lo referente a cursillos de capacitación, talleres y giras de estudio; y por otra parte, aceptamos la importancia e interés de las publicaciones por parte de la FAO, de manuales de capacitación y de investigación.
Igualmente, es razonable y correcto que el programa principal de agricultura de la FAO se concentre en los países más pobres, en los grupos de ingresos más bajos, así como en los pequeños agricultores, en los trabajadores sin tierra y en las mujeres.
Las perspectivas a medio y largo plazo para el desarrollo de la agricultura y de la alimentación,
y el resumen del Programa de Labores y Presupuesto para 1984-85 del programa principal 2,1 Agricultura,
recogen los deseos de los Estados Miembros expresados en las recomendaciones de la
Conferencia y del Consejo, las conferencias regionales, así como de otros órganos intergubernamentales.
Sobre el tema de la malnutrición, discutido por el COAG en su pasado período de sesiones, es de
particular interés y aceptación las cuatro actividades recomendadas, tanto a la FAO como a los
gobiernos de los Estados Miembros y que aparecen puntualizados en los párrafos 162 y 163 del documento CL 83/9.
Vemos y aceptamos el plan de acción a plazo medio que recoge el documento COAG 83/7 : Actividades complementarias de CMRADR: función de la mujer en la producción agrícola que se enmarca dentro de la estrategia aceptada a este respecto por la Conferencia Mundial sobre Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural; debiéndose destacar cada vez más todo lo referente a capacitación y extensión, considerando los corrientes programas nacionales de alfabetización como medio realmente eficaz de incorporación y participación de la mujer en el desarrollo. Sobre las prioridades en materia de protección fito-sanitaria, así como la estrategia propuesta para atender estas prioridades, debemos expresar a este Consejo que el debate de este tema en el último COAG demostró que son el producto tanto de las realidades y necesidades de los Estados Miembros, asi como la experiencia de tres décadas que tiene la FAO en la atención de estos problemas.
Sobre el importante tema relacionado con la propuesta para la concertación de un Convenio Internacional para los Recursos Fitogenéticos, así como el establecimiento de un Banco Internacional de Genes, consideramos que debe concertarse tanto un Convenio que establezca regulaciones internacionales como el establecimiento del Banco Internacional de Genes, como instrumento necesario bajo la égida de la FAO. Esto último consideramos que no viene a entrar en contradicción con el mejoramiento del actual sistema CIRF, y consideramos necesaria la creación del Banco Internacional de Genes, bajo la égida de la FAO, porque el depender sólo de bancos nacionales puede ocasionar conflictos con las legislaciones nacionales que regulan el funcionamiento de estos bancos, como muy claramente fue expuesto durante el día de ayer por la distinguida delegación de España. Como ejemplo de la necesidad de que los recursos fitogenéticos estén al servicio de la humanidad y no de personas naturales y jurídicas, está el ejemplo del abandono de una estación experimental de banano por parte de una compañía transnacional, y la necesidad que se plantea de que esta estación sea atendida por la Unión de Países Exportadores de Banano (UPEB); y para esto el UPEB ha solicitado y ha obtenido la asistencia y apoyo de la FAO.
Bien podría pensarse en el mediano plazo en que estas instalaciones fuesen incorporadas a un futuro banco de genes bajo soberanía internacional.
Para finalizar, la delegación de Panamá confía en que el informe que presentará el Director General a la 22a Conferencia de la FAO sobre la concertación de un Convenio Internacional y el establecimiento de un Banco Internacional de Genes contendrá las recomendaciones más adecuadas en respuesta a los mejores intereses de todos.
B. DJIBRIL (Bénin): Ma délégation appuie le rapport présenté et fait siennes les recommandations contenues dans le document CL 83/9. Elle voudrait mettre l'accent sur quelques points qui la préoccupent.
En matière de recherches agricoles, on a constaté parfois - et même souvent - la concurrence déloyale entre la recherche fondamentale et ce que j'appellerai "la recherche appliquée". Il y a en effet, dans nos pays en voie de développement, surtout les moins avancés, des besoins en matière de vulgarisation agricole qui sont pressants sinon urgents, et auxquels la recherche doit trouver une solution adéquate presque à court terme, dans l'intérêt bien compris de la production nationale et des producteurs. Nous pensons que ces besoins devraient être classés par ordre de priorité pour être à la base d'objets de recherche dans nos pays les moins avancés.
Il est souvent reproché à la recherche de ne proposer en fin de compte que des techniques trop avancées par rapport au niveau actuel du paysan. Il se crée parfois un blocage involontaire au niveau de la production nationale, parce que le paysan n'est pas en mesure de franchir brutalement le grand bond qualitatif qui lui est demandé. Il n'est donc pas superflu d'insister sur le fait que la recherche devrait procéder par approches, en tenant compte des priorités et surtout des disponibilités techniques, morales et financières des producteurs.
En matière de malnutrition, on peut effectivement noter avec satisfaction que bon nombre de pays sous-développés ont compris l'ampleur et la complexité de ce problème, ainsi que la nécessité de le résoudre. Dans ce domaine, la FAO a joué et devra jouer encore pour longtemps un rôle très important.
Certains pays envisagent déjà et presque systématiquement un important volet nutritionnel dans le cadre du développement rural intégré.
Enfin, en ce qui concerne le rôle de la femme dans la production, la délégation de la République populaire du Bénin apprécie à sa juste valeur la qualité du document. Elle approuve les efforts déployés par la FAO pour mettre en oeuvre le programme d'action de la CMRADR, et l'assure d'avance de son soutien dans toute action qu'elle mènerait tendant au renforcement des moyens dont dispose le pays pour atteindre effectivement les femmes rurales pauvres.
G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia): La Delegación de Colombia participo en el Séptimo Período de Sesiones del Comité de Agricultura y consideramos que este Documento refleja adecuadamente las conclusiones de nuestros trabajos. Pensamos que en esa reunion los Representantes de Gobiernos tuvieron un nivel satisfactorio y fueron competentes; sin embargo, compartimos el punto de vista del colega y amigo del Reino Unido, en el sentido de que nos esforcemos porque la participación en esas reuniones esté a cargo de un personal calificado, que podría garantizar el buen éxito progresivo que todos deseamos para el COAG, que es uno de los más importantes órganos asesores de nuestro Consejo.
En particular, deseamos referirnos a la propuesta para el establecimiento de un Banco Internacional de Genes y la preparación de un Convenio Internacional para los Recursos Fitogenéticos. La Delegación de Colombia apoya plenamente la declaración hecha ayer tarde por nuestro distinguido colega y amigo de México. La actitud de México en esta materia tanto en el COAG, como aquí en el Consejo, facilita la posición de la Delegación Colombiana que es plenamente solidaria con la mexicana. Queremos reiterar que compartimos plenamente esa posición y que estamos agradecidos a nuestro distinguido colega de México por la valiosa y reiterada contribución que ellos vienen haciendo en estas materias.
Colombia, como país de América Latina y el Caribe, se siente muy bien representada por los distinguidos colegas de El Salvador y México en el Grupo de Trabajo que se ha creado para asesorar al Director General. Estamos dispuestos a seguir apoyando las actitudes que en el seno de ese Grupo de Trabajo sigan tomando los representantes de El Salvador y México. Sabemos que este Grupo celebró ya una primera reunión el pasado día 10 de los corrientes y que tendrá otra reunión el próximo mes de julio; es así como todos confiamos en que ese asesoramiento que se está otorgando al Director General nos permitirá ocuparnos a fondo de este asunto en la próxima Conferencia.
Ayer tarde, Señor Presidente, la Delegación de Colombia oyó, igualmente con mucha atención y todo respeto, la presentación que sobre este tema hizo la distinguida Delegación de España. Consideramos que los amigos y colegas de España hicieron una declaración enjundiosa y competente a través de la cual demostraron un completo dominio del tema. Confiamos en que, no obstante España no sea parte del Grupo de Trabajo, sus representantes podrán seguir ofreciendo valiosa contribución para la consideración de estos asuntos.
La Delegación de Colombia piensa que el objetivo principal de todas estas actividades debe ser la consagración del principio de que los recursos fitogenéticos son patrimonio inalienable de toda la humanidad y deben estar a la completa libre disposición de todos quienes los necesiten. Este Consejo debe refrendar ese concepto que aparece en el Informe del COAG y que dice: Sólo la égida de las Naciones Unidas podrá garantizar la absoluta independencia y disponibilidades de esos recursos. Esto hay que reflejarlo también en nuestro informe; por ello la Delegación de Colombia reitera su apoyo entusiasta y decidido a la propuesta de crear el Banco Internacional de Genes y de elaborar un acuerdo eficaz para preservar los recursos fitogenéticos.
Como siempre, oímos hace poco en esta Sala con atención la declaración que hizo la distinguida representación de los Estados Unidos de Norteamérica. Estamos agradecidos a los colegas de los Estados Unidos por las referencias muy útiles que hicieron el CIRF, a las redes que sirven al CIRF, y al papel que desempeña toda esa gama de actividades. En el período de sesiones del COAG que comentamos ahora, la Delegación de Colombia hizo serias reservas a la presentación que hizo en ese Comité el Presidente del CIRF; y no lo hicimos basados en el hecho de que consideramos que no obstante el CIRF esté llevando a cabo una labor meritoria y científica que nadie discute. Toda esa tarea carece en primer lugar de la amplitud y extensión suficientes y deseadas y, en segundo lugar, de la garantía política indispensable.
Nosotros queremos, una vez más, agradecer a la Delegación de los Estados Unidos la actitud comprensiva y flexible con que actuó en el COAG y que ha confirmado también esta mañana. Creemos, que tal como lo manifestaron esta mañana, tratan de entender las razones y los argumentos que sostienen nuestros puntos de vista'; por eso confiamos en que también, como lo han dicho los colegas de Estados Unidos, su participación en el Grupo de Trabajo va a ser muy importante y va a contribuir, junto con los demás miembros de este Grupo, a ofrecer un asesoramiento muy válido al Señor Director General de la FAO.
La distinguida colega Embajadora de Panamá coincidió, afortunadamente, con mi distinguido vecino de la derecha el Embajador del Congo en dos aspectos fundamentales que la Delegación de Colombia quiere apoyar, como son los relativos a la mayor participación de la mujer, al estímulo que hay que dar a esa mayor y más activa participación y a la necesidad de que la FAO intensifique su orientación social y humana en este importante programa en favor de los pequeños y medianos campesinos.
La Delegación de Colombia, Señor Presidente, quiere reconocer la actitud positiva asumida por todos los miembros del COAG, en particular en el párrafo 226, donde el Comité se mostró de acuerdo en que no era moralmente correcto, es el texto, digo, del párrafo 226, que no era moralmente correcto que se explotaran los recursos hallados en países en desarrollo, en detrimento de nuestros países. Pensamos que éste debe ser otro pilar básico de nuestros actos en el campo de preservar los recursos genéticos. Hay que proteger esos recursos y no permitir que se despoje de ellos a los países en desarrollo que por carencia de recursos o cualquier otro motivo no pueden utilizarlos debidamente. Es un patrimonio sagrado; la naturaleza pródiga en nuestras tierras no debe estar sometida a saqueo, sobre todo si ello tiene fines comerciales y de explotación.
Sería necesario, por lo tanto , lograr estos acuerdos, crear el Banco y buscar todos los medios para que los países en desarrollo puedan conservar, utilizar y explotar como lo deseen sus propios recursos fitogenéticos que deben estar a disposición de toda la comunidad internacional.
Finalmente, Señor Presidente, la Delegación de Colombia coincide una vez más, con nuestro colega y vecino el Embajador del Congo y con el distinguido Representante de Benin en el hecho de que tal como lo recoge el informe del COAG, es necesario reconocer la valiosa labor que la FAO viene adelantando en estos campos. El interés práctico y realista de nuestra Organización en la consideración de estos asuntos podrá estar confirmado por el hecho de que nuestro propio Director General, al igual que el Director General Adjunto, Señor West, y el Señor Bommer, Subdirector Jefe del Departamento de Agricultura, han participado activamente en la primera reunión del Grupo de Trabajo y espero que recibirán la contribución que ellos han solicitado y los miembros de este Consejo continuarán redoblando esos esfuerzos para que el resultado de toda esta labor sea benéfico para todos los Estados Miembros de esta Organización.
La Delegación de Colombia, Señor Presidente, confía plenamente en que el Director General va a presentar un buen informe a la Conferencia de noviembre entrante y estamos seguros de que será un informe objetivo, pragmático y realista, que va a permitir a la Conferencia tomar una decisión adecuada.
J. LADAN (Nigeria): Having participated fully in the deliberations of the Seventh Session of the Committee on Agriculture, my delegation fully endorses the recommendations as contained in the document CL 83/9. We would therefore make only a few comments in the way of making emphasis on some of the points presented in the document. Firstly, Dr. Bommer and Professor Islam briefed the Council on the latest situation regarding the rinderpest resurgence in Africa. This resurgence turned out to be more serious in Nigeria and in some other countries than anticipated. We therefore fully endorse the efforts of the FAO to draw up a proposal for the Pan-African rinderpest campaign. However, in drawing up this proposal, we would like the FAO to note a very important development that emerged during the course of the recent outbreak. The rinderpest outbreak extended to the wildlife, especially buffalo and other bovine animals. Not much could be done to save these animals, as all efforts were directed to the domestic cattle, and also due to lack of expertise to deal with the situation. This situation should not be allowed to repeat itself. We therefore call on FAO and other international organizations to note this development and to include wildlife in the control programmes through vaccinating and training in wildlife management.
Secondly, experience has shown that in the face of large outbreaks the vaccines available are not sufficient to cover the emergency control programmes. Supplies have to be sought from various sources. As a result, different types of vaccines were therefore used. This trend posed a lot of problems in the field. In view of this, my delegation fully endorses the contents of paragraph 214. We feel there is a need for quality control and standardization of vaccines. There is also a need for regional or sub-regional vaccine banks to deal more effectively with emergencies.
Lastly, the losses sustained through the recent rinderpest outbreak were enormous. Many livestock owners may never, be able to rebuild their lost stocks and may therefore be forced out of production. Solutions to this type of unfortunate situation should be carefully studied. In this connection, we strongly endorse the contents of paragraph 217 on livestock insurance scheme and paragraph 203 on the need to integrate fully extension activities in animal production and animal health at farm level.
H. F. NAJEB (Iraq) (original language Arabic): Looking at the COAG report, it is clear that this Committee deals with different questions and problems of the utmost importance. We feel that COAG constitutes the backbone of the role of the Organization in assisting developing countries to develop the various aspects of agriculture, and as an honest and genuine intermediary in the transfer of knowledge and technology from the developed to the developing countries. We are fortunate to have at the head of this Department Dr. Bommer, the Assistant Director-General for Agriculture, supported by an excellent group of experts in the various disciplines. We would also like to say that we welcome the proposed establishment of a Research Development Department thus bringing together four different units, and we are confident that this new Department will be up to our expectations.
After this introduction, Mr. Chairman, I would like to say that we support and endorse the COAG Report and that we are also of the opinion that its decision concerning its support to the priorities in the Programme of Work and Budget in the chapter Major Programme 2.1 is but a modest way of giving overall support to the Programmes undertaken by the Organization in these vital fields.
Now, Mr. Chairman, we would also like to highlight some of the programmes contained in the Report, which are instrumental in the solution of the problems of agriculture in the Near East. You know, Mr. Chairman, that Agriculture in the Near East is either irrigated or dependent on marginal and insecure rainfall. Irrigation as a matter of fact requires a large share of the efforts which is made by the farmers in our region. Therefore the introduction of new irrigation techniques at the farm level as well as market crop production techniques, given the marginal rainfall, would have a considerable positive impact on the increase of agricultural production in this part of the world where, as I said before, water rather that land is the essential factor of production.
Now, Mr. Chairman, we request that due attention be given to these issues within the framework of the guidelines under sub-Programme 2.1.1 (Natural Resources).
Mr. Chairman, we should also like to express our concern at the fact that the regional project for the utilisation for water resources in the Near East is no longer in existence, and that this project has been concluded, especially since this project provided tremendously useful services to the region.
Now as far as livestock is concerned, you are well aware that because of the insufficient animal production in the region and because of religious reasons, the region imports large quantities of cattle on the hoof, which made it impossible to control the introduction of animal diseases into the region. Despite the participation of most countries of the region in the animal production and health scheme, and despite the establishment of large laboratories for the production of vaccines, the situation continues to be very serious and threatening to all the neighbouring regions.
Mr. Chairman, we have already endorsed in the last session of COAG the proposal for setting up an International Genebank and the preparation of an international convention on plant genetic resources, pursuant to Conference Resolution 6/81 of November 1981 requesting the Director-General to present a report and suggestions to COAG for transmission to our Council session in November. However COAG for reasons that need not be discussed here authorized the Director-General, in cooperation with the working party, to submit a report to this effect to the Council at its forthcoming session, and we are confident that the DG's report will, as usual, serve the interest of the majority of member countries and the development of agriculture in the whole world.
D. C. W. KAMBAUWA (Malawi): The delegation of Malawi has once again studied the document before us with keen interest, and wishes to applaud the Committee for producing such a comprehensive report. We also wish to thank Dr. Bommer for his clear summary of the document yesterday.
The document touches on a number of areas of interest to our delegation. However, since it is such a comprehensive and a wide ranging report we shall not be able to comment on every aspect in view of time constraints. We shall instead confine our remarks to a few points made in the report.
My delegation has noted with interest the observation made in paragraph 72 of the report to the effect that there should be a balance between the necessity to achieve growth in agricultural production and the preservation of land and water resources. We are in full agreement with the observation that there should therefore be sound land use planning in order to avert ecological degradation. At the same time that we recognize this need to preserve this balance, however, we recognize that without adequate and proper trained manpower this goal is difficult of attainment. My delegation therefore endorses the view expressed in paragraph 200 and elsewhere in the report that in FAO and other bilateral and multilateral agencies to intensify training programmes at all levels of agricultural activities.
My delegation is also gratified to note that the thrust of the report recognizes the pívot role that small farmers play in food production in the majority of developing countries. We wish to stress the importance of extension activities in the attainment of increased food production and urge that this subject receive increased attention in the future work of both FAO and this particular Committee.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, several delegations from Africa have on one occasion or another referred to the occurence of drought in several regions of the continent. It is well known however that this serious situation can, to a certain extent, be easily ameliorated by the proper harnessing of some of the water in the regions affected. My delegation therefore wishes to endorse the observations in paragraphs 74 et 75 of this report, and would suggest that FAO takes a keen interest in the study and development of the irrigation potential of the agreement.
A. FEQUANT (France): La delegation française approuve le rapport du COAG dans son ensemble et notamment les quatre thèmes de développement proposés pour l'ordre du jour de sa prochaine session.
Certains points du rapport ont particulièrement retenu notre attention. Nous pensons, comme l'a souligné le Comité au paragraphe 11, que les programmes de l'Organisation doivent être concentrés sur les pays les plus pauvres et sur l'économie paysanne la plus démunie. En outre, il est nécessaire, comme le rappelle le paragraphe 12, que les pays en développement recensent les domaines dans lesquels ils manquent de capacités techniques, définissent leurs priorités, et demandent l'aide de l'Organisation sur cette base.
Il est également souhaitable, comme l'a recommandé le Comité au paragraphe 13, que les documents qui lui seront soumis à sa prochaine session évaluent l'impact de certaines activités choisies à titre d'exemple.
Par ailleurs, nous pensons comme le Comité, au paragraphe 23, qu'un système efficace de production végétale comportant de bons dispositifs locaux d'entreposage et la réduction des pertes après récolte, reste la pierre angulaire de tout programme de sécurité alimentaire.
Le Comité a souligné à juste titre au paragraphe 39 que le renforcement de la production alimentaire et l'amélioration de la sécurité alimentaire dépendront principalement des initiatives des pays en développement eux-mêmes, et en particulier de l'intensification de leur coopération économique et technique mutuelle.
En ce qui concerne le paragraphe 142, il est en effet indispensable de mettre en place et de maintenir au niveau du paysan des incitations économiques en faveur de la production et de la vente des produits vivriers, essentiellement par la garantie d'un prix d'achat attractif, par la possibilité d'accès au marché national, et par l'accès aux crédits qui, seuls, peuvent fournir les ressources nécessaires à l'intensification de la production et remédier à terme à la situation actuelle de nombreux pays où la production locale ne permet pas de répondre à la demande et oblige à recourir de manière croissante aux importations et à l'aide alimentaire.
En outre, comme le souligne le paragraphe 149, ces importations acquièrent souvent un rôle structurel par une modification durable des habitudes alimentaires, parfois renforcées par une politique de prix à la consommation qui leur est favorable et entraîne une détérioration des régimes alimentaires locaux.
Enfin, nous approuvons la création proposée au paragraphe 193 d'un groupe d'experts sur les systèmes améliorés de lutte intégrée contre les mauvaises herbes, et parallèlement la fusion des deux groupes d'experts existants sur la résistance des parasites aux pesticides et sur la lutte intégrée contre les ennemis des cultures.
E. HRAOUI (Liban) (langue originale arabe): Après avoir écouté avec attention les déclarations de mes collègues au sujet de cette question et de la situation agricole dans leur pays, je me vois face à une réalité amère qui m'amène à évoquer la situation agricole au Liban.
En effet, ce pays, petit par sa superficie, est devenu un exemple à suivre en matière agricole, de sorte que les délégations de la région du Proche-Orient venaient au Liban pour se rendre compte des progrès réalisés par le Liban dans le secteur agricole, que ce soit au niveau de la production ou au niveau de la technologie. Je citerai comme exemple la production de 7000 kilos de blé par hectare irrigué.
Mais la guerre qui a éclaté au Liban et qui continue encore aujourd'hui, les forces étrangères qui occupent une large part de notre petit Liban, malgré les efforts déployés par le Gouvernement libanais et à sa tête le Président de la République, font que de grandes superficies agricoles restent encore occupés par les forces armées et qu'un grand nombre d'organisations et institutions spécialisées sont soit détruites, soit dans un état qui ne leur permet pas de fonctionner. Tel est le cas de la direction des recherches scientifiques agricoles, et d'autres institutions agricoles, tandis que les bombardements détruisent nos récoltes. Mais le Libanais en tant qu'individu, continue à croire qu'il pourra sauver le Liban et lui permettre de reprendre une place de choix, en particulier dans le domaine agricole, en dépit des neuf années d'agression dont il est l'objet. C'est un engagement pris par le Président de la République, soutenu en cela par tout le peuple libanais pour sauver ce petit pays.
Monsieur le President, en dépit de cette situation, nous ne voudrions pas prendre du retard sur le cortège de la science et du progrès surtout dans le domaine agricole. C'est la raison pour laquelle nous sommes toujours nrésents sur la scène internationale grâce à notre foi dans l'avenir et dans la pérennité de notre nation.
Vous m'excuserez, Monsieur le Président, d'avoir ouvert cette parenthèse, mais j'ai voulu rendre compte aux délégués ici présents de la situation vécue par le Liban, notamment sur le plan agricole.
Je reviens maintenant à l'ordre du jour pour dire que nous appuyons les recommandations du COAG, et notamment celles relatives au choix de thèmes précis de développement à inscrire à l'ordre du jour de sa prochaine session, tel que cela apparaît au paragraphe 241 du document CL 83/9. Nous pensons que ces thèmes sont très importants et qu'ils sont liés aux différents secteurs du développement. Ces thèmes vont permettre également au COAG de poursuivre son engagement technique et politique et de traiter des problèmes alimentaires et agricoles dans tous les pays, notamment dans les pays en développement.
Nous voudrions également dire notre satisfaction pour la décision qui a été prise par le Directeur général de faire une étude sur les politiques de prix des nroduits agricoles et de présenter un rapport à ce sujet au COAG lors de sa réunion en 1985, ce qui permettra au COAG de discuter de cette question importante d'une manière utile et fructueuse.
V. VONGSKUL (Thailand): The Thai delegation has studied in depth the report of the Seventh Session of the Committee on Agriculture. Due to the time constraint, we would like to point out some aspects of the report that we consider of special interest. First, we fully agree with the Committee decision as shown in paragraph 21 of document CL 83/9. We believe that the developing countries can educate people from BSc and BA level down to primary school level, but the knowledge which they get from textbooks is not sufficient. However, for men and women, the training course should be at a middle level, an in-service level, a pre-service level and farmer level. The reason why we say this is because the majority of the people in developing countries are at these levels.
Secondly, regarding the agricultural machinery, we wonder why developing countries depend on modernizing machinery which consumes gasoline. Here we would like to draw attention to the developing countries to look back to the past. The old generation used simple equipment and hand tools to cultivate the land. This does not mean that we are going back to the primitive way of agriculture. Our intention is to say that under present circumstances, as for the role of agricultural machinery as stated in paragraph 30 of document CL 83/9, we are happy to endorse this and we believe that this kind of agricultural machinery can help us increase food production. One of the important factors is that less financial outlay is involved and it is easier for the farmer to follow.
My third point is that most of the countries, the developing and food-deficit countries, depend on the mercy of those who stay up in heaven, that is rain. We do not know when we can have rain. Most of the cultivated land is in rainfed areas. Due to financial constraints, irrigation on a large scale is impossible because this requires the investment of large amounts of money. Therefore, irrigation on a small scale would seem more advisable. We believe this would be helpful for the rural poor, especially in the dry season in terms of livestock, fishery and horticulture. We also support the decision of the Committee as contained in paragraph 75 of the document.
Fourthly, we fully agree with the remarks contained in paragraph 153 of the document which stresses the need to encourage popular participation in rural development strategies. Unfortunately, the role of FAO in helping the developing countries is very limited. Only a few countries receive assistance from the Organization. In the case of Thailand we submitted the project to FAO under the FAO Small Farmer Development/People's Participation Programme, but we cannot get any assistance, due to financial constraints. We wish to take this occasion to appeal to donor countries to provide all possible financial support to this programme.
G. JEMBERE (Ethiopia): The Ethiopian delegation to this Session of the Council of FAO has studied with great interest the report of the Seventh Session of the Committee on Agriculture. My delegation is in broad agreement with its conclusions and recommendations and would like to draw particular attention to certain aspects which we feel need particular attention. We note and welcome the increases in practical training in the form of workshops, training courses and study tours that form part of the 1982/83 programme, together with the increased practical assistance being channelled through regional offices, which give more practical help in the field, where it is needed. FAO has been concentrating on channelling resources to the rural poor and we feel that this practice should be continued and strengthened, and supported at national level. Thus the incentive programmes aimed at lower income groups, the small and poor farmers, that are planned to continue in the next year's programme, must attempt to utilize an integrated approach with the appropriate use of local resources where possible. Alongside technical assistance at the lowest levels is needed the back-up long-term work of soil and weather conservation, land protection, management of grazing land to prevent overuse of limited resources and prevention of crop losses, pre-and post-harvest.
The Early Warning Systems and the establishment of emergency food stocks offer a great potential for alleviating suffering in the future. While we appreciate the progress made by the Working Party on the need for the establishment of an international genebank, I wish to inform the Council that in Ethiopia we have a Plant Genetic Resource Centre that has been in full operation for several years. Its mandate covers collection, conservation, evaluation and utilization of our country's germplasm potential. Additionally it houses an introduction centre for food, industrial and medicinal plants from other countries. Through its international contacts it channels exotic and potentially useful germplasm to cooperating breeders. Within the possibility of establishing and applying clearly defined policy studies, Ethiopia is in principle ready and willing to exchange germplasm with cooperating institutions around the world operating on the principle of mutual benefits.
My country supports in principle the idea of a well-defined global network of genetic resource activities. FAO's role in promoting international cooperation between national, regional and international centres working together on the simple philosophy of mutual benefit to all mankind, cannot be overemphasized. The concept of mutual assistance is basic to the development of international germplasm resources. It is more than just reciprocal exchange of seeds: it is the cooperation in exploring collectively and evaluating available genetic varieties and also storage, so that the germplasm remains available to anyone willing to make use of it. Here the concept of genetic resources centres, acting as regional centres for specific crops and selected species where they are in a centre of diversity for that crop, is to be commended; and the possibility of external support should be considered in order to assist this aim.
As part of its continuing effort in the field of animal health, FAO has given a lot of technical assistance for animal disease control. In this connexion the Ethiopian delegation would request that the Director-General of FAO contact potential donors with a view of raising funds for the initiation of a Pan-African campaign to control and eradicate rinderpest. Such a campaign should be launched under the aegis of FAO/OIE/OAU/IBAR. The Ethiopian delegation requests the Council to adopt a recommendation to this effect and the Director-General to report to the next Council meeting the results achieved.
The Ethiopian delegation is glad to note the emphasis placed on the status of women in developing societies and we strongly support FAO's work in this field. It is of vital importance that the role of women in rural society be actively remembered so that programmes for development also take into account the changes to social structure that may be induced as a side effect of the project, and that the role of women within the framework of the project be fully utilized.
The Ethiopian delegation welcomes the concept of global strategy for plant protection. At the very least, plant protection should be on an agro-ecological regime basis with no national boundaries. We welcome the code of conduct on distribution of pesticides and hope that its use will lead to a more balanced approach to plant protection with more use being made of biological and genetic controls wherever possible.
In the field of research support, we all realize that the resources available are clearly insufficient for the needs but hope that FAO can continue to provide the technical training support that is so important at the lowest levels, whilst also stimulating basic research into specific problems by the formation of cooperative research networks between interested countries.
Finally, we wish to emphasize our belief that continuing integrated research with relevance to the improvement of the living status of the rural masses is of primary importance to healthy development in all fields.
W. A. F. GRABISCH (Germany, Federal Republic of): Yesterday in our intervention on this agenda item we perhaps overdid a bit the brevity in trying to be helpful and in saving time of this session. In response to questions which were put to us individually I should like to state that we do consider the four topics for future sessions of the COAG, singled out in paragraph 241 of document CL 83/9, to be of great importance. If, as was suggested, the number of sectorial items were to be limited in order to allow for in-depth discussion, our preference would in coherance with an overall study already under way go for Food and Agriculture Price Policies. That discussion is in our view tied to, and also a requisite to, the last topic, namely Strategies for Improvement of Marketing and Input Delivery Systems for Small Farmers.
Our second priority would go for the third topic but modified so as to enable concentration on production and processing of non-cereal food plants, like roots, tubers, pulses and vegetables, an area strongly supported during this session and it should also include in our view the proper use of water and irrigation.
With regard to the position stated on an international convention for plant genetic resources and the possible setting up of an international gene bank, stated by many delegations in our session, I should like to reiterate, in addition to what we have already said, that my government maintains its constructive attitude as voiced at the COAG session. In order to get a clear picture about the deficiencies of the existing system and the obstacles in using it mentioned, but not yet spelled out clearly enough by particularly interested delegations, my delegation would favour an early inquiry among Member states bringing about such clarification, preparing in that way also the basis for the discussion, to take place at the Twenty-second FAO Conference.
Thirdly and finally, we very much support what was said by the delegations of the United Kingdom and Colombia, that the COAG could give an even greater impact to the Organization if it were to get more expertise from qualified experts. The agenda and the timetable should allow a timely limited participation of such experts and therefore can fully be prepared. In so doing, COAG would meet to quite an extent I think the suggestion made by the delegation of India.
B. N. SEQUEIRA (Angola): My delegation is thankful to Professor Bommer for his clear presentation of document CL 83/9. Both the introduction and the main body of this report have made our task much easier, hence this short statement.
We have fully participated in the 7th Session of the Committee on Agriculture, the report of which we have brcadly supported.
On the question of animal health, we share the concern which has been expressed by previous speakers, namely by my colleague from Nigeria. Accordingly, the delegation of Angola wishes to make the following four proposals: first, that the Director-General contacts donors or potential donors with a view to raising funds for a pan-African campaign to control and eventually erradícate rinderpest; second, that such a campaign be launched jointly by FAO, OIE, OAU-IBAR; third, that the Council adopts a recommendation to this effect; fourth, that the Director-General reports to the next session of the Council any results achieved.
Turning to the proposal for the establishment of an international gene bank and the preparation of a draft international convention for plant genetic resources, this delegation fully endorses the view that genetic resources belong to all mankind who should have open access to these resources in a framework which protects the interests of the parties concerned, preferably on the basis of pacta sunt servanda. In this field we are fully in accord with the work being undertaken by the Director-General of FAO.
G. DESESQUELLES (Observateur pour la Communauté économique européenne): Etant le dernier orateur, je ne voudrais pas prolonger le débat; ma déclaration sera donc très brève, elle aura uniquement pour objet de rappeler le point de vue de la Communauté économique européenne sur les principaux éléments de la septième session du COAG.
La Communauté économique européenne a trouvé très intéressants les travaux du récent Comité de l'agriculture; elle considère en effet comme très fructueux les échanges entre tous les Etats qui prennent place dans cette enceinte. Les thèmes qui avaient été retenus pour cette septième session étaient dans l'intérêt d'un développement meilleur de l'agriculture dans les pays en voie de développement, et dans l'amélioration des conditions socio-économiques des populations agricoles.
La Communauté économique européenne marque son approbation sur le rapport de la septième session du COAG, et estime comme particulièrement utiles les discussions et conclusions relatives à la santé animale et au rôle des femmes dans la production agricole.
En ce qui concerne la proposition pour une éventuelle création d'une banque de gènes internationale et d'une convention internationale sur les ressources phytogénétiques, la Communauté a pris note de l'action prise par le Directeur général depuis lors et attend avec intérêt le rapport qu'il présentera au Conseil lors de la session de novembre 1983.
CHAIRMAN: I think now we will request Dr. Bommer to answer some of the points.
D. F. R. BOMMER (Assistant Director-General, Agriculture Department): First of all Professor Nurul Islam and myself wish to express the appreciation on behalf of the Director-General of the very constructive discussion the Council have had on the COAG report and the broad endorsement of its recommendations. I think your discussion, together with those you have before you on the item on Programme of Work and Budget, will help the Director-General considerably to form his final proposals for the Conference on the Programme of Work and Budget. I think a lot of thanks should go for the work done on COAG to its Chairman, Dr. Norman Tate of Canada, who so ably conducted its deliberations.
I think there is a need to comment briefly on those ideas that have been brought forward or comments made on the work and structure of COAG. Actually the comments relevant to this were those of China, the United Kingdom and India and if you recollect the views expressed you see that there are wide, diverse views on what COAG should do, and how COAG should conduct its work remains in the organization, because the programme of departments is at the core of the organization and has to deal with a wide range of subjects. There is certainly not an easy solution to bring these diversified views together, on the one side to be holistic or comprehensive and on the other side to be in-depth and to the point and to have real experts available of Member Nations to discuss the relevant aspects, so that the Director-General, I think, has to find a way in between to satisfy the wishes expressed by the various delegations again on this account.
If we recall the work done by COAG so far and its involvement I think we must say that COAG's work has improved considerably over the time. It has found its way in taking a general look in the present implementation of the forthcoming programme of work, of the major programme in agriculture and at the same time has looked into some very well selected special development issues. In the viewpoint expressed by China it would certainly be very much restricted in number because it is clearly understandable that each delegation is not able to bring a corps of experts to one meeting.
On the other side the idea expressed by the delegate of India is not a new idea because before COAG there had been two committees, one economic and social and one agriculture. These have been merged. Now we have one.
To go back to these ideas of additional committees, this is very interesting and takes care of the tremendous importance of the work for which we are responsible, but at the same time it acts against your own decisions to cut down the meetings in bodies of this Organization, because we already have hundreds of those per year.
Coming back to the present solution COAG's work gives the possibility to take the necessary overview, but at the same time enables the Organization through its specific additional meetings in the form of expert consultations in specific other bodies to have a view on the very relevant subjects which the delegate of India has mentioned.
Your point of view will certainly be taken into consideration by the Director-General in further evolving the work of COAG, but we should recognize too that meanwhile COAG has accepted to have two standing items on its agenda. One is nutrition and one is WCARRD follow-up. So there is a mix now of standing items and those selected for each meeting and to be considered separately. We are very glad to know in this context the proposals made for the selection of the items and I am sure the Director-General will have valuable advice from your comments in his final selection jointly with the Chairman of COAG for the agenda of its next meeting.
The question of how far the nutritional aspect is happily dealt with in COAG Professor Islam will deal with later.
Various delegations stressed the importance of an even improved review of the implementation of the programme and in-depth evaluation where it is possible in a very selected way. This is a point which COAG has been concerned with for a long time and the Secretariat has tried to work constantly on improvements. At the same time we have to recall that the evaluation of the Regular Programme and of the Field Programme goes to the Conference in November and certainly this process was not completed to be before COAG. COAG had preliminary parts of this for its deliberations. But there are certainly other responsibilities for future improvements which the Director-General will look into, particularly as a number of in-depth evaluations are being presented, and in particular sub-programmes, to the Conference and these evaluations could be ready in time to be looked at by COAG so that there is a whole sequence of processes to better come to grips with this very well understood problem in the Member Nations as well as for the Director-General and his staff.
In your debate some issues ranked very high and we were very glad to hear the numerous comments made on the topic of genetic resources, international conventions, international genebank. The Director-General will note with interest the comments made, particularly those which brought forward particular ideas in the further formation of his views with the help of the working party. In addition the Director-General looks forward to more such very concrete views to be provided to him in written form so that he might have even more advice beyond the working party, to which he has already appealed in the same way.
I want to underline here that at the end of COAG this wish by the Director-General was already expressed to the members, to inform him of specific lacks and gaps in the present system of genetic resources and, very important too, of any difficulties experienced so far with the exchange of genetic resources. No such information has reached the Director-General up to now but we are looking forward to receiving it. I repeat here that this is of considerable interest only if we know particularly where problems exist because then action can be formulated to overcome the problems.
Another important topic addressed was the one on rinderpest. The Director-General underlined in his statement his serious concern with the rinderpest situation in Africa and he will lend his full support to the request made to him by Members of this Council, the full support of the Organization, to the countries affected and certainly will continue to increase his collaboration with OAU and other bodies to assist African countries. Any particular recommendation on this line by the Council would certainly be helpful and would strengthen his hand in fostering such collaboration. He will certainly follow the wishes to appeal to donors, which I want to do here on his behalf in the Council, to assist African countries in their serious situation and on particular and specific requests being made by them in launching their own campaign as part of the overall needed campaign in Africa and to strenthen the infrastructure to deal better with the problem. Some very striking examples are given in the debate. I want here particularly to mention to Nigeria that at the moment an FAO laboratory instrument engineer is visiting eight African laboratories to rehabilitate the vaccine production equipment at the laboratory. Another concern is on recruitment specialising in production techniques, and he will visit those laboratories to help to speeed up their production and production capability. Those are only a few of the many actions which the Director-General has taken.
The Director-General is very grateful for the full support which has been rendered to his proposal to set up a division on research and technology development and he fully shares the view expressed by Council Members on the importance of research and at the same time on its direction to be for the use of the mass of the agricultural producers and particularly small farmers in many developing countries and to be closely linked with the technology and transfer mechanization needed to get the research down to the farmer, as was so ably described by India. In this context we have noted the offers made by some Members of the Council to assist in this work, particularly at country level. I remember the offer from SELA to work closely with the Organization in this field in the southwest Pacific area. At the same time we were glad to note the offer made by Argentina on its technology development to improve biological nitrogen fixation in crop protection systems from which we have already drawn very valuable experience to be further available to be transferred and to assist other countries.
The Director-General has noted with interest the request expressed by some delegations that in finally formulating his programme he should give even more weight and priority to major food crops, particularly roots and tubers, sorghum and millets and to small farm animals within the possibilities existing. The Director-General will take serious note of those requests made by Council Members as have been made already before in the Programme Committee and COAG.
On plant protection we had various important questions and interventions. I am glad to inform you that the Director-General has already taken action to set up a panel of experts on improved weed management, as proposed by the New Zealand delegate in the COAG meeting and supported by Members. We hope that the first meeting of this panel will take place in late 1983 or early 1984. At the same time I am glad to inform you that, as requested by Spain, the code of conduct on the distribution and use of pesticides is under preparation and we will have the first UN international agency consultation on this subject in August, which will be followed by other consultations to be prepared for final discussions of this very important move which will hopefully improve the situation to which various delegates addressed themselves of the possible misuse and dangerous use and mis-channelling of distribution. In the same context we have to see that we fully react to wishes expressed by the delegates of Cyprus and Upper Volta to setting up better legislation, to strengthening capabilities of pesticide quality laboratories and for pesticide monitoring, which we are also engaged on.
An important problem was mentioned which does not actually fall within the responsibility of COAG. This was the movement of the Nun moth in Poland from the East, which has developed a very serious plague in Poland and has been reviewed by a German expert recently in a TCP project. Advice has been rendered to the Government and considerable funds and pesticides are involved to control the disease. At the same time it is a secondary problem following a major problem which is of concern not only to all European nations at this time but parts of America, North America, including Mexico, and this is the development of acid rain. It is those trees already damaged through the rain over years which are now particularly affected by this destructive moth which comes from the East. So we are fully aware of the situation and are ready to assist as far as our resources allow. Our Forestry Department, which provided this information, is fully in contact with this development.
Suggestions were made by Norway that we should extend our activities in desertification studies from a global and regional level down to the country level, an activity on which there have already been considerable discussions with UNEP, but I am sorry to inform you that the resource situation of UNEP as well as our own is very limited for these purely study-type activities which we would certainly prefer and like to propose. At the same time I wish to add here that we are actively engaged in a number of countries in desertification control programmes, and we are just waiting for a request from North Yemen, and we are actively engaged even in China and some other countries in the control of sand dune movement, reforestation, etc., but much more could and should be done. It is more of a question of resources than will and preparedness of the Organization.
We share fully the view of Bangladesh on the importance of animal feed in animal programmes. This is actually the basic consideration, animal feed and forage production on the one hand, and use of other feed resources on the other. I want only to draw his attention to our efforts at the country as well as the regional level to considerably improve the exchange of information and better practices, and we wanted to cite here a particularly important activity which is going on presently in Pakistan, one of your neighbouring countries, which can have a considerable impact, too, in Bangladesh on the use of by-products from the farm level to improve animal feeding, but we agree fully that animal feeding stands first on any health problems when we consider health programmes.
There was considerable mention of mechanization with a number of important problems being raised, and I wanted only to underline here that our discussion of agricultural mechanization as COAG already did in a former session is related to the appropriateness of mechanization including the equipment type which has been mentioned by India and some delegations from Africa up to strong mechanization. It must be appropriate to the countries, and I think we are somewhat in disagreement with Lesotho when he said generally that mechanization is not appropriate in Africa. I think this is something we cannot say, because we must accept that large rural areas of Africa are under exodus of people, particularly of men, going to the urban areas, and these areas are badly in need of improved work tools. With either machines - even strong mechanization programmes in part of those countries and part of those areas becomes unavoidable. I wanted to assure, Lesotho too, that our programme on small irrigation development has really taken off and is continuing in the African countries, hopefully with the support of possible donors on development which is much more suited to African countries than the large dam development being proposed.
Finally, I wanted to refer to Pakistan rightly putting his finger on the importance of crop insurance schemes. You might be familiar with the fact that we have in the Regional Office in Bangkok an advisory service established on crop insurance with the help of the Japanese Government, and we are further pursuing this field, knowing at the same time its tricky and difficult development, so it is not easy to develop schemes rapidly, but we try to include it principally in credit schemes to become part of credit schemes on crop insurance as well as the mentioned livestock insurance.
J.R. LOPEZ PORTILLO (México): Pedimos disculpas, señor Presidente, por intervenir en estos momentos, pero queremos subrayar nuestra sorpresa cuando el Dr. Bommer nos habla de una información en torno al sistema actual que no ha recibido; no sabemos a que se refiere el concepto porque el grupo de trabajo está haciendo los mejores esfuerzos por incorporar todos los elementos posibles de manera que se le presente al Director General aquella información y elementos que le permitan formular un mejor reporte al Consejo y a la Conferencia.
Sentimos también que en su declaración no haya incluido algunos ofrecimientos que verdaderamente modifican, o hacen aportaciones importantes en esta cuestión, que es tan delicada.
Me refiero concretamente a los ofrecimientos hechos por España, por Rumania y la posibilidad que manifestaron otros países por hacerlo, porque esto, en verdad, modifica cuantitativa y cualitativamente el planteamiento y porque, en verdad, no está a discusión en estos momentos si se va dejar el sistema actual o si se va a establecer un Banco, sino dar respuesta a una resolución a través de un grupo de trabajo que está aportando al Director General elementos para que su reporte contenga todas las inquietudes y, en ultima instancia, el Consejo y la Conferencia puedan resolver en torno a las formas para el establecimiento de un Banco Internacional y los elementos para un Convenio Internacional en materia genética.
Igualmente, y ya para terminar, queremos manifestar que agradecemos el que se le haya dado esta trascendencia al asunto del Banco y de los recursos genéticos por parte del Director General y por parte de otras áreas y que se incluya ésto como parte del concepto de la seguridad alimentaria. Sin duda, los planteamientos hechos aquí permitirán integrar lo relativo a los recursos fitogenéti-cos como parte de la estrategia de seguridad alimentaria e incorporar así a otras áreas de la FAO en esta cuestión, y no exclusivamente al Departamento de Agricultura cuyas funciones se ven rebasadas, evidentemente, por lo manifestado en esta ocasión.
Queremos, simplemente, dejar esto manifiesto porque nos inquietaba la forma en que se lo expresó el Dr. Bommer.
D.F.R. BOMMER (Assistant Director-General, Agriculture Department): I am sorry, Mr Chairman. I Certainly apologize to Mexico if I was misunderstood, because I gave, I think, in my opinion, full gratitude to the proposals made and particularly by Spain, Romania and other delegations, which would be a considerable additional input to the working party performing. That was one point, and the other point which I referred to, which was referred to the Working Party, too, was that at the end of the COAG session I had announced on behalf of the Director-General that the Director-General should be advised by written statements on two aspects of gaps experienced in the present system, and second, on difficulties experienced in the exchange of genetic resources, and I refer here in saying and it still stands that up till now the Director-General has on this latter point not received any information from the COAG members, and therefore I have repeated this request by the Director-General now to the members of the Council to provide such information which would serve you and the Working Party and the Director-General as very important inputs for the formulation of the final proposal.
He also asked the 12-member Working Party to do the same, but here he did that in order to explain to the other members not being in the Working Party to provide such information. This was the point.
L. MOHAPELOA (Lesotho): I do not intend to delay the proceedings any further, just a little point to put the record straight. I suspect we must have been misunderstood here. I believe our attitude is that to the extent possible we should arrive at a reasonable mix. Our employment of mechanization or use of mechanization should not compromise the possible employment-creation effects of undertaking. This is the only correction.
CHAIRMAN: I think Dr. Bommer made it clear that he referred to appropriate mechanization. It depends upon circumstances and areas, so you are both on the same wave length.
N. ISLAM (Assistant Director-General, Economic and Social Policy Department): I would like to add a few comments on some of the issues which were left unsaid by Dr. Bommer. Firstly, I would like to add additional comments to what he has said on the issue of COAG successfully dealing with the issues of rural development to which India has referred. The structure and the number of committees dealing with agricultural and economic and social policy issues have been examined over the past years, and it was found that in view of the interrelationship of the various issues and the need for encouraging an integrated discussion and consideration of overall both technical and social policy issues, the present structure on the Committee on Agriculture seems to have worked well so far, even though scope for improvement in its working always remains.
The basic issue is how best to consider or provide for intergovernmental deliberations on issues of rural development. In this respect, the mandate that FAO has is the WCARRD Programme of Action which defines the concepts, the approaches and the components of rural development with accent on growth, equity and people participation, and it encourages, in fact enjoins that this approach must be an integrated approach and all activities in the fields of agriculture, forestry, fishing, economic and social policy issues be oriented in the light of the WCARRD Programme of Action.
Now, this is done at present by putting relevant issues, aspects of WCARRD's Programme of Action in various committees of FAO, including the Committee on Agriculture as well as the Committee on Fisheries and Forestry.
In the Committee on Agriculture, as and when necessary, we have put items on the agenda at the suggestion of the Member countries which relate either to overall follow-up of WCARRD or the specific issues, such as this year, women in rural development.
Again, the policy issues of a general nature relating to WCARRD's follow-up are taken up in the Regional Conferences, since issues relating to each region are also different.
Thirdly, we also have inter-country consultations on WCARRD follow-up for each region, in addition to various workshops and seminars on specific detailed aspects of WCARRD follow-up. This is as much as rural development issues are concerned.
Now, the Secretariat is very happy to note with their appreciation and thanks that the Council confirms the conclusions of the Committee on Agriculture on the main thrust and priorities of programmes relating to the Economic and Social Policy Department. As many delegates have emphasized, the work and area of food and agricultural policy analysis remains an important activity. Suggestions have been made by Norway regarding broadening the work of Agriculture Towards 2000 type of work. We intend to pursue this work in three aspects in the coming years, first updating data collected and analyzed in the past for the study on Agriculture Towards 2000; second, reestimate some of the figures, which was done in the earlier report; third, improve the methodology wherever necessary especially in the livestock sector and to apply the data and the framework of analyses increasingly at the country level for analysis of FAO's work in planning assistance and all the other programmes of work.
We have also supplied to the individual countries, as you recall, we did analysis for each of the individual 19 countries, collected data as well as analyzed their future possibilities under various assumptions. We have supplied this to each of the member countries included in the 19 developing countries' studies, requesting them to react as to our analysis and data, and secondly, supply them users' guide so that they can use this analysis and data for their own work at the national level.
Lastly, I would like to mention that for the review and appraisal of the International Development Strategy for the Third Development Decade we intend to undertake the new scenario in the light of the changed circumstances on a global level. This is in connection with our work for the review and appraisal of ideas. Reference was made to the need for work on interrelationships between the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. This is important indeed. We are increasingly in our work on the state of food and agriculture, analyzing the interrelationships between, in broad terms, the effect of overall development on the world economy in the food and agriculture sector. Secondly we obtained feedback on the interrelationships through our participation in the ACCT task force on long-term development objectives of each of the agencies, specialized agencies, working under respective sectors, to inter-change ideas and also exchange their work relating to specific sectors, so that each can get a feedback from the other.
We are also exploring with the needle a joint work on interrelationships in agriculture and industry. To start with a sort of metereological work in analyzing interrelationships.
On nutrition a question was asked as to how efficiently this subject is dealt with today in the Committee on Agriculture. There are two issues relating to efficient provision on intergovernmental foundation on nutrition: 1) the integration of nutrition in the overall policy framework at the country level and also the integration of nutritional consideration at the programme and budget level. 2) There is the aspect of specific issues within the nutrition field as such which have to be discussed by the nutritionists meeting among themselves.
These two aspects we strive to take care of in the following ways: 1) in the Committee on Agriculture - this is what the member countries wish and it is supposed to be the most efficient way we can integrate the nutritional considerations and overall agricultural rural development policies, programmes and projects. This is how we put the nutritional spending item in the Committe on Agriculture where the nutritionist can speak and yet with non-nutritionist in charge of agriculture and rural development policies. As far as the specialized issues in nutrition are concerned, they are dealt with, as always, and are continuously being dealt with by various expert groups, expert consultations, workshops, etc., to mention a few, for example relating to food standards, codex committees dealing with the specialized issues of food standards. Also we have such expert consultations as the consultations held in 1980 on fats and oils, expert consultation on carbohydrate, expert consultations on vitamin and mineral requirement in 1985. Last year we had the FAO and WHO Expert Committee on Nutritional Requirements, etc.
Questions are also raised about nutrition education and an increasing effort is being made by us in the field of nutrition training at all levels. This is based on two main areas: 1) production of suitable materials and audio/visual aid for pre-service and in-service training. The other is the training of local instructors who will be able on return to progressively build up a pool of competent persons. With regard to training materials we are making a special effort to produce materials not only in the official FAO languages but also in local languages, national languages such as Swahili and Indo-Asian, and adapting these texts to local situations and the needs. The education of trainers makes some difficulty in view of the scarcity of suitable training centres and permanent courses on the subject in developing countries. At the higher level most trainers are sent abroad for training and in the meanwhile we are trying to strengthen regional and national institutions imparting more training on nutrition.
Reference has been made by several distinguished delegates to our on-going work on pricing policies. I would like to inform the Council here that the work is well under way and that we will have at the end of year an expert consultation on the results of our preliminary work on pricing policies, and this subject will also be put in the agenda of the Regional Conferences so that we have discussions on the same subject in the context of regional considerations and differences in various regions. The results of the overall study will be put on the agenda of COAG in 1985.
Concurrently with our work on pricing policies, Mr Chairman, we do continue to work at the country level in advising member governments on their pricing policies. Recently we held, just two'days ago, at a workshop in Sudan in collaboration with the Government of Sudan, with the Sudanese experts participating in the workshop and writing documents on their own pricing policy and FAO's top experts participating along with them deliberating on their pricing policies.
In respect of work on women and development several distinguished delegates have supported our ongoing work and also encouraged us to strengthen this work. We have been undertaking a pleasing amount of work in this area both at headquarters and at the country levels. As you will recall this is an important component of the work WCARRD Programme of Action as a part of overall encouragement to keep its participation in agrarian reform and rural development. We have inter-departmental mechanisms within the Organization to encourage cooperation of women's considerations in our programmes and projects in other departments, not only in economical social policy but also agriculture, forestry, fishery, etc., and also we work with other UN agencies under the auspices of ACCT task force for rural development in trying to formulate common approaches in women's concern in development.
Many distinguished delegates refer to our work on statistics, information etc. We continue to strengthen our work in the collection analysis and dissemination of relevant, accurate and timely statistics, as well as to assist member countries improve their national capability for the collection and analysis of statistical data. To this I have already made reference during the discussion on world food situation.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you very much, Professor Islam. We are very grateful to Dr Bommer and Professor Islam, and the 40 delegates and one observer who have participated in this discussion. I am sure the Drafting Committee will try to sift out the numerous ideas which have been presented and get them incorporated in our Report, I myself wanted to make a few remarks but I think I have, as the Chairman, to see the clock and at least keep to the time, and I find we are already behind one item today. We ought to have completed Item 7 so what I am planning to do, the few points which I have I will write down and give it to the people in charge of the record, and those who are interested in my views on genetic resources, nutrition and agricultural research might like to read it when the report comes. The agenda will follow this afternoon when we will take up Item 7 and the Chairman for that session will be Dr Hamdi, our distinguished Vice-Chairman, and since he will be taking the chair straight away after 2.30 I think it is my duty to introduce him to you. He was a research professor in the Institute of Soil and Water Research at the Agricultural Research Centre of Egypt until 1981 when he came as Representative of his country to FAO. His speciality is in the field of micro-biology including biological nitrogen fixation. He is a very wellknown worker in the field of bio-fertilizers and has participated in many research meetings and written many scientific papers and I am happy he is going to guide this Eighth Plenary Meeting in the field of fertilizers.
I have made commitment to some distinguished speakers who have to leave Rome that will give them an opportunity to speak this afternoon on Item 12. Therefore I am constrained to remark that the discussion on Item 7 will be from 2.30 to 4.30 p.m., and if we cannot complete it we will give some other time to the speakers who cannot speak before 4.30. I shall resume the chair at 4.30 and start the discussion on Item 12 and we will continue until 6 p.m. today and then of course continue the next day. So those who want to speak on the Commission of Fertilizers please give your name to the Secretariat and then kindly be as brief as possible and help Dr Hamdi so that within two hours, 2.30 to 4.30, we are able to do as much as possible.
The meeting rose at 13.00 hours
La séance est levée à 13 heures
Se levanta la sesión a las 13.00 horas
