II. WORLD FOOD AND AGRICULTURE SITUATION (continued)
II. SITUATION MONDIALE DE L’ALIMENTATION ET DE L'AGRICULTURE (suite)
II. SITUACION MUNDIAL DE LA AGRICULTURA Y LA ALIMENTACION (continuación)

5. Report of the Ninth Session of the Committee on World Food Security - Rome, 11-18 April 1984 (continued)
5. Rapport de la neuvième session du Comité de la sécurité alimentaire mondiale - Rome, 11-18 avril 1984 (suite)
5. Informe del noveno período de sesíones del Comité de Seguridad Alimentaria Mundial - Roma, 11-18 de abril de 1984 (continuación)

R. MARTINEZ MUÑOZ (Colombia): La delegación de Colombia quiere destacar que no obstante algunos signos que creían indicar una disminución de la recesión mundial, la recuperación económica sigue siendo in-cierta para el mundo industrializado e hipotética para los países en desarrollo.

Por las cifras suministradas en el informe, el consumo de alimentos fundamentales por habitante es probable que disminuya en mas de la mitad en algunos países de bajos ingresos con déficit de alimentos en 1983/84 y en la gran mayoría de ellos se reduzca a un nivel inferior al de 1969/71.

Queremos relevar que sobre los países del Tercer Mundo siguen gravitando los graves problemas de balanza de pagos, limitación de los mercados de exportación, aumento del endeudamiento exterior y servicio de la deuda, depreciación de sus monedas frente al dólar estadounidense, factores que hacen difícil que los países de bajos ingresos con deficit de alimentos puedan aprovechar en determinados momentos la baja de precio de determinados alimentos para cubrir sus necesidades vitales.

La delegación de Colombia considera que la acción a nivel nacional constituye la base indispensable para conseguir la seguridad alimentaria y son los mismos países, en función de su soberanía, quienes tienen que determinar la orientación de los programas. Apoya la solicitud para que el Comité del GATT, Comercio en el Sector Agrícola, concluya los estudios que viene realizando para mejorar el acceso de los productos agrícolas a los mercados, y que aquéllos sean pragmáticos y positivos y conduzcan al incremento del comercio en este sector, y mejoren los ingresos de exportación, especialmente, de los países en desarrollo.

La delegación de mi país constata que solo unos pocos países han podido utilizar, hasta hoy, el Servicio de Financiación de Alimentos del Fondo Monetario Internacional y quiere reiterar que se liberalicen las condiciones de uso de este servicio, y que su radio de acción incluya también alimentos no cerealeros e insumos agrícolas.

Medidas a nivel mundial. La delegación de Colombia apoya las siguientes propuestas específicas. Hay que destacar la contribución que un nuevo Acuerdo Internacional sobre los Cereales, con disposiciones sobre precios y existencias, puede aportar a la seguridad alimentaria mundial la estabilidad del mercado. La función de la RAIE deberá atender a necesidades urgentes elevando su nivel actual de 500 000 tonela-das a 2 000 000 de toneladas al año. Un comercio de exportación libre y creciente es fundamental para la seguridad alimentaria. La capacidad de los países para financiar importaciones depende básicamente del aumento de sus ingresos en divisas. Hoy tienen que recurrir a sus cada día deterioradas divisas para servir su deuda exterior, y financiar otras importaciones para la promoción urgente de su desarrollo agrícola y económico. Un estudio sobre la estructura actual del comercio agrícola podría elevar la actual coyuntura que es, a todas luces, inequitativa.

Pactos sobre la seguridad alimentaria mundial. En esencia, consistiría en copilar acuerdos existentes; suscitar un apoyo internacional a los objetivos y medidas de rehabilitación de la seguridad alimentaria mundial. Crear una conciencia mayor y un apoyo moral en el público a favor de la seguridad alimentaria para continuar luchando contra el hambre en su contexto revisado. El examen de un texto concreto sería una herramienta eficaz para pronunciarse sobre su eficacia y utilidad.

Reforzamiento del Comité de Seguridad Alimentaria. Dentro de su mandato actual, se ha expresado un apoyo general al Comité, tanto en el Consejo como en la Conferencia. Su encargo es suficientemente amplio para cumplir sus responsabilidades. Ha acogido una serie de iniciativas del Director General para reforzar la base analítica del Comité. Es fundamental la evaluación del aporte que la ayuda alimentaria puede contribuir a la seguridad alimentaria mundial en los años 80 y 90 La delegación de Colombia considera que, dentro de las esferas prioritarias para la asistencia internacional en orden a dar plena vigencia a los enunciados anteriores, la asistencia exterior, en consulta con los países receptores, debe orientarse al mejoramiento de las instituciones existentes. Y la delegaciónde de mi país, quiere dejar expresa constancia de los esfuerzos realizados por el Director General, y los elogia, en orden a crear una conciencia internacional para la rehabilitación de Africa, obtener asistencia adicional, interesar a los gobiernos donantes, a los organismos y organizaciones de las Naciones Unidas para movi-lizar una asistencia internacional para las graves emergencias y necesidades urgentes de los países africanos.

R. STEINER (Austria): The report before us on the Ninth Session of the Committee on World Food Security and the introduction by the Assistant Director-General, Professor Islam, provide a good survey of the progress so far achieved and the tasks still ahead of the Committee.

My delegation welcomes the fact that during the CFS meeting the requirements on a national, regional and global level were dealt with and that production, supply security and the access to food were particularly considered.

In the course of the debate on previous subjects we underlined the great importance of increasing food production in the African region. Our endeavours should be concentrated on all appropriate measures in order to phase the emergency operations over into the restoration with the aim of reducing emergency assistance from outside at the earliest feasible time.

With reference to paragraph 16 of the present document, the Austrian delegation wants to reiterate the great importance of the Early Warning System of FAO and also wants to refer to the successful efforts of the FAO/WFP Task Force.

The Austrian delegation supports the proposal of the Director-General concerning the Food Security Programme and endorses the statements contained in paragraph 43 and subsequent paragraphs that each of the existing special action programmes, that is the Food Security Assistance Scheme, the Fertilizer Programme, the Seed Improvement and Development Programme, and the Programme for the Prevention of Food Losses, will retain its own identity, while responding operationally in a coherent, concerted and interdisciplinary approach to demands.

These project identifications, formulations and implementations should not be restricted to the four above-mentioned special action programmes but should involve, and I am sure they will, other FAO services as and when required • My delegation wants to stress the importance of the Investment Centre in this context.

We advocate the regional and sub-regional cooperation in food security among developing countries and endorse the respective statements of paragraph 47 accordingly. Likewise the focusing of efforts on most seriously affected countries is an approach fully endorsed by the Austrian delegation.

The support of the regional and sub-regional cooperation and the recommended first step towards the organization of the workshop mentioned in paragraphs 50 and 51 should be prepared most carefully in order to achieve and meet the objectives.

As regards Item (e), strengthening the CFS, in paragraph 65 it should be mentioned that the FAO/WFP Task Force established by the Director-General should assist in strengthening CFA’s activities.

Concerning the orientation of the activities of the Food Securtiy Assistance Scheme we would stress the need to have also future projects fully taken into account, the targets and objectives defined by the Twenty-second Session of the FAO Conference. Moreover, when planning and implementing projects the principle of “he who helps fast helps twice” should be followed.

It appears to us most sensible to attach particular attention to the training aspects. Training projects should, when and wherever feasible, be organized in the developing countries themselves since an increasing number of them meet the prerequisites for such programmes.

With the knowledge we all have about the state of food supply in the world, and in particular in a number of countries affected by natural calamities, we have to.admit that hunger and malnutrition will overshadow the work of FAO, the Conference and the Council, for some time to come. The work of the Committee on World Food Security should therefore attract our fullest attention. Let me therefore express the hope that also through the work of the Committee on World Food Security hunger will in future become an exception.

Sra. E. HERAZO de VITI (Panamà): La delegàción de Panamà desea formular los siguientes comentarios sobre el tema 5 de este Consejo, relativo al informe del 9° período de sesiones del Comite de Segu-ridad Alimentaria Mundial.

Con referenda a la evaluación de la situación de la seguridad alimentaria mundial y la insuficien-cia de existencias alimentarias, nos pronunciamos en, el sentido de que se insista en continuar en los próximos exámenes, prestando la debida atención que para la seguridad alimentaria tiene el considerar otros alimentos fundamentales diferentes a los cereales, especialmente alimentos produ-cidos localmente.

Cabe señalar que esto lo hemos discutido y llegado a acuerdo en distintos Comités que asesoran este Consejo así como en diversos Grupos Intergubernamentales, dada la dramatica situación por la que atraviesan los hermanos países africanos, y sobre la cual nos ha informado detalladamente el

Director General de esta Organización en su discurso inaugural, y posteriormente al exponer el tema cuatro, punto 1.

La delegación de Panamà le reitera su respaldo por las efectivas y oportunas gestiones para hacer frente a esta crisis en Africa. Y sobre este aspecto, nos sumamos a los que han instado a la comunidad internacional; e igualmente, reconocimos el mérito de aquella parte de la misma que así lo ha hecho al proporcionar la ayuda necesaria para resolver esta situación de carácter coyuntural.

Asimismo consideramos que una forma efectiva de afrontar estas situaciones coyunturales, entre otras cosas, es darle bases màs seguras y estables a la Reserva Alimentaria Internacional de Emergencia, la RAIE. De aquí que tenga sentido y justificación la propuesta de elevar el nivel anual mínimo de esta Reserva a dos millones de toneladas de cereales, porque vemos en esta propuesta la forma de liberar y poder disponer así del resto de la ayuda alimentaria de que se disponga para proyectos de desarrollo, que realmente contribuyan a la soluciðn de problemas estructurales.

Sobre las medidas que se han tornado con respecto al informe del Director General acerca de la seguridad alimentaria, punto 4 del documento CL 86/10, señalamos y destacamos que las medidas a nivel nacional deben estar dirigidas y orientadas no sólo a tomar en cuenta los intereses de los pequeños agricultores y campesinos sin tierra sino a buscar su plena participación en forma organizada, acorde con las políticas de precios adecuados, de tecnologías y desarrollo oportuno de infraestructuras, de comercialización, crédito y pago oportuno al productor agropecuario por aquello que produce y vende.

Sobre el importante aspecto que tiene que ver con la constitucion de reservas nacionales, y sobre todo tomando en cuenta el problema de sus elevados costos de mantenimiento, creemos que el éxito puede estar en examinar caso por caso, así como que se piense en reservas modestas que, inicialmente, puedan satisfacer, al menos, necesidades inmediatas durante situaciones de urgencia hasta poder conseguir importaciones necesarias.

Esta, creemos, bien puede ser una recomendación que surja de este período de sesiones. Con relación a las misiones de identificación del Programa de Acción para la Seguridad Alimentaria, PROASA, consideramos que la participación de los donantes en dichas misiones no debe constituir una condición previa para que las mismas se realicen. De ocurrir, creemos, sería realmente subordinar la asisten-cia multilateral a la bilateral, por la experiencia inicial ya acumulada. En materia de cooperación sobre seguridad alimentaria, a nivel regional, creemos conveniente los ocho señalamientos que sobre consultas nos hace el párrafo 47 en sus últimas cuatro lîneas. Y sobre este particular, por ejemplo, podemos informar que nuestro país Panamà, con asistencia del Comité sobre Seguridad Alimentaria Regional, CASAR, del Sistema Económico Latinoamericano, SELA, adelanta su plan alimentario nacional. Pero, señor Presidente, para esta delegación, hablar de seguridad alimentaria a una década de reali-zada la Conferencia Mundial de la Alimentación, equivale a tener que recordar que la deuda total de lo que se ha dado en llamar Tercer Mundo, es inferior a lo que se gasta anualmente en armamentos; así como que el solo pago de los intereses de esta deuda viene a equivaler a màs de un cuarto del valor de todos los bienes y servicios exportados por los países que no son exportadores de petróleo; y que, paralelamente a esta situación, los países ricos hacen muy poco para suavizar al menos sus medidas proteccionistas contra las exportaciones de los países en vías de desarrollo, a fin de aliviar, en parte, sus problemas de balanzas de pagos.

Es por todo esto que, con relación al aspecto que plantea el párrafo 67 sobre un reforzamiento de la base analítica. del Comité de Seguridad Alimentaria Mundial, se deba analizar más a fondo los aspectos de producción nacional, consumo, comercio, políticas de existencias en relación con los objetivos de la seguridad alimentaria mundial. Y decimos esto, señor Presidente, porque en el reciente pasado período de sesiones del Grupo Intergubernamental sobre Cereales, al discutir lo relativo a las políticas de cereales nacionales de los principales productores y exportadores en los suministros y precios de los cereales, no se logró el objetivo inicial del examen en cuanto a la relación de todos estos aspectos y la seguridad alimentaria mundial.

G. MACKO (Czechoslovakia): The Director-General’s report on the food crisis and the critical situation in Africa has clearly shown the importance of a system of world food security. There are many aspects of world food security which have not yet been fully established, despite the resolutions passed by the World Food Conference in 1974 and numerous other international meetings and negotiations since then.

I would like only to emphasize two points:

Firstly, the indisputable significance of the FAO Early Warning System as for any multilateral-bilateral action, fast and accurate information is needed. Secondly, coming back to the Director-General’s report on Africa, rehabilitation programmes are extremely important in this context. The approval of five million dollars from savings for this purpose seems to me to be minimal, and certainly could be increased.

Direct food aid to the suffering countries is only a temporary solution and does not eradicate the basic causes of hunger and malnutrition. We strongly believe that food security, not only in Africa but also in other developing countries, means resolving a number of basic economic problems in these countries and the progressive building-up of a structure of agricultural and food production aimed at self-reliance.

When speaking about world food security, one cannot repeat too often that food security is closely related to the problem of international tensions and the need to stop the feverish accumulation of arms.

As I could not intervene on the Director-General’s report on Africa, may I only mention, in connection with the point being debated now, that Czechoslovakia is helping the countries of the African region in building their independent agro-industrial structure and also offers non-reimbursable economic, financial and technical assistance. Up to the present, Czechoslovakia has given assistance to Ethiopia to the value of 77 million Czechoslovak crowns and the President of the Republic has sent by air a gift of medicines to the value of 67 thousand US dollars: to Mozambique six million crowns and similar assistance to Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, the Republic of Guinea, Mali, Angola, Ghana, Benin and Mauritania. This aid includes several million crowns’ worth of economic assistance and emergency food aid.

W.A.F. GRABISCH (Germany, Federal Republic of): The Report before us shows that the CFS possesses a mandate which allows it to perfom its important functions of dealing with the situation of world food security and the implementation of the plan of action on world food security.

The Federal Republic of Germany supports the statements of the report as regards measures at national level as well as with regard to strengthening regional and sub-regional cooperation. In this connection, on the basis of a balance of service transactions, my delegation pointed out the central importance it attaches to the improvement of food security, in particular in Africa. This priority is being maintained.

The preparation of a study by the FAO Secretariat on the importance of food aid in the nineties will be useful so long as we can count on that study and that we can draw on the expertise of all the international fora, in particular the World Food Programme.

We have no objection to the introduction of better coordination of the existing four relevant special programmes into a Food Security Action Programme. However, we cannot yet form a definite opinion because in our view, some questions have not yet been adequately clarified - questions such as cost effectiveness, the additional mobilization of funds and the possible overlapping of money with WFP. These questions mainly refer to paragraphs 43 and 46 of the report before us. However, we await with interest a more clear definition at the next CFS Session.

With regard to the preparation of a World Food Security Compact reaction differed widely in the CFS, ranging from approval through indifference to rejection. We did not oppose in the CFS the wish of the Director-General to prepare a draft text of such a Compact. Nevertheless our attitude towards the eventual impact of that project continues to be sceptical. However, we are prepared to study in an objective and unbiased, way the draft of such a Compact of existing food security measures.

My delegation supports the request addressed to the Director-General to continue to keep under close review the food situation in Africa, to keep the international community informed about developments in Africa, and to continue his efforts to mobilize further assistance to solve the food problems of Africa. The Director-General has already given evidence of his actions in this regard and after our constructive discussion on Agenda item 4.1 - The Food Situation in Africa - we will encourage him to continue his actions in the future.

Finally, we welcome the announcement of Professor Islam that the Secretariat will work on the role of production and marketing of roots and tubers as staple food. This would be in line with the envisaged African study by the Secretariat on major domestic crops, which we await with great interest.

A.K. OSUBAN (Uganda): Like many others in this room, my delegation participated fully in the Ninth Session of the Committee on World Food Security, and while we endorse its contents fully, there are a few issues we wish to emphasize here.

With respect to the measures discussed by the Committee, my delegation fully supports the proposal that at the national level the highest priority should be accorded to increasing food production in developing countries, particularly in the low income food deficit countries. We agree with the Committee’s recognition of the important contribution made to food security by traditional food crops. Therefore, we request that more research efforts be directed towards these traditional crops.

We note in Section III that there will be a food security action programme to integrate FAO assistance with the existing FAO special action programmes, namely, the Food Security Assistance Scheme, the Fertilizer Programme, the Seed Improvement and Development Programme, and the Programme for the Prevention of Food Losses.

We note further that each of the existing action programmes will retain its own identity, and that the Food Security Assistance Programme will not require additional funds under the regular programme for its operation. For this reason, my delegation supports the establishment of the Food Security Action Programme.

As regards the international emergency food reserves, we would like to endorse the suggestion of the Committee that the target of IEFR should be increased from the present level of 500 thousand tons of cereals to 2 million tons annually.

My delegation supports the outline of action designed to relieve the most severe constraints on food production in low income food deficit countries in Africa, as outlined in paragrph 70 of the document We agree that the areas of training, research, delivery systems and institutional strengthening hold the key to increased food production. The Regional Conference for Africa held in Harare in July this year also came to similar conclusions. Therefore, we request the Council to endorse paragraph 85 in its entirety.

Before concluding, may I draw the attention of the Council to paragraph 101 of the document. My delegation fully concurs with the sentiments laid down in that paragraph. May I once again express our appreciation to FAO for its commendable efforts to try to solve the problem of world food security, and to Professor Islam for his clear introduction of this paper.

A. WAHEED (Pakistan): To begin with, we would like to express our appreciation of the very clear, lucid and succinct presentation of the Report of the- Ninth Session of the Committee on World Food Security made by Professor Islam.

While making our statement on Item 4 of the Agenda, my delegation has already endorsed its support of the Director-General’s revised concept of world food security to achieve the ultimate objective of ensuring that all people at all times have both physical and economic access to the food they need. The concept which also ensures production of adequate food supplies and maximises stability in the flow of supplies was endorsed by the FAO Council and Conference as well as the World Food Council at its Ninth Ministerial Session and the ECOSOC at its second regular session in 1983.

While discussing the state of world food and the situation in Africa during the past three days, we are confronted with the tragic reality that the world still does not have a mechanism by which, in times of dire need, the most seriously affected regions of the world may have access to food supplies which are in abundance elsewhere.

Our approach at the national level in Pakistan is already in line with the broadened concept. We have given incentives to farmers by improving the infrastructure for irrigation, transport and storage, better farm management, a stronger support service for research, extensions, input delivery credit and marketing. Efforts are also being directed to maximizing the productivity of the farmers and to providing employment in rural areas for the landless. A systematic set of measures has been introduced for meeting the shortfalls in cereal crops, building up food reserves and to improve the income of consumers so they may be able to purchase their required food grains.

We in Pakistan have not only augmented our food production for domestic consumption, but have also built sizeable reserves for national food security. It may be of interest perhaps that through the Islamic laws of Zakat and Ushr we have further improved the accessibility of the needy and poor to the basic food they need.

We also endorse regional and sub-regional cooperation to promote and give an impetus to global food security. This cooperation will also foster support for national efforts. We not only strongly supported the creation of the Regional Commission on Food Security for Asia and the Pacific Region. My delegation is of the view that we should strive to strengthen the establishment of a food security system not only at regional and sub-regional level, but also within the framework of the organization of the Islamic Conference Member Countries. Besides, due emphasis also needs to be placed on the diversification and expansion of intra-regional trade, collaboration in the production and distribution of inputs and the sharing of research facilities, joint water management, and cooperation in training and expansion.

The usefulness of the Early Warning System of FAO has proved its worth and value over the period of time. We feel that the system is capable of further improvements and we fully endorse the Director-General’s initiative to strengthen and improve it. We also appreciate the work done by the FAO-WFP Task Force and hope that it will continue to monitor the food situation in Africa. We also fully support the idea that the target for the IEFR should be set at two million tons which would enhance the food security prospects of famine stricken regions of the world.

We also look forward to the draft of the World Food Security Compact to be submitted by the Director-General at the next meeting of the CFS, which will not contain any new or binding commitments for anyone but may provide a useful guideline for action by governments, international organisations and others concerned. The proposed Compact is aimed at consolidating the existing test to various statements and will strengthen World Food Security. Therefore it would be not only useful but perhaps imperative to put all of this together for the sake of simplicity and for the sake of ensuring rapid implementation. We are confident that it will bring clarity to the guidelines to be followed by all concerned in the area of world food security.

Before concluding, we would like to reiterate an issue which we consider of importance but which so far has not been given a place in our discussions - that of proper water management. Most of the food shortages and the cereal crisis with which we are confronted today are caused by drought and lack of rainfall, so it would be appropriate to devote attention to this element.

SRA. G. SOTO CARRERO (Cuba): El anãlisis que hemos hecho en este 86°período de sesiones del Conse-jo sobre el estado actual de la alimentación mundial, nos demuestra nuevamente que la situación no es nada alentadora y muy especialmente en muchos países del continente africano. En este tema expre-samos nuestros puntos de vista sobre la situación alimentaria en Africa, sus causas y orígenes, así como nuestra solidaridad y apoyo a los países africanos. En ese sentido los aspectos de la seguridad alimentaria mundial toman mayor importancia.

La delegación de Cuba valora altamente los trabajos del Comité de Seguridad Alimentaria Mundial de la FAO, y reafirmamos nuestro apoyo al Informe de este Comité en su noveno período de sesiones.

Quisiéramos referirnos específicamente a algunos aspectos contenidos en el mismo.

En lo referente a la RAIE todos conocemos que la actual meta tiene diez años de concebida y casi nueve de creada, por consiguiente, es totalmente insuficiente. En ese sentido estaríamos de acuerdo en que se eleve el objetivo mínimo planteado, y consideramos que la sugerencia de 2 millones de to-neladas de cereales como objetivo anual mínimo contenido en el párrafo 17 es un marco adecuado.

Todos convenimos en que la actual situacion en Africa ha demostrado la insuficiencia del objetivo actual. La mayoría de los países subdesarrollados tienen poca capacidad de importar alimentos para ayudar a garantizar su seguridad alimentaria. Entre otros aspectos adversos se encuentran las re-percusiones de las medidas proteccionistas en el comercio internacional. Es necesario mejorar el acceso de los productos de los países en desarrollo a los mercados, lo cual forma parte del esta-blecimiento de un nuevo orden económico internacional que garantizaría el progreso hacia la seguridad alimentaria mundial.

Asimismo quisiéramos referirnos una vez más al efecto adverso que juegan las empresas transnaciona-les en la garantía de la seguridad alimentaria de los países en desarrollo. Las acciones de estas empresas, de una parte,y de otras medidas de carácter político como lo son el bloqueo económico y el uso de los alimentos como arma de presión política, son elementos que conspiran peligrosamente contra la seguridad alimentaria de muchos países.

Mi delegación apoya las medidas tomadas por la FAO, y en especial por el Director General, para garantizar la seguridad alimentaria mundial. Las medidas, tanto a nivel nacional, regional como mundial, nos parecen realistas y prácticas; por tal motivo reafirmamos nuestro convencimiento en la necesidad de reforzar el Comité dentro de su mandato actual.

Consideramos muy importante la autoridad de nuestro Comité para recomendar las medidas a corto y largo plazo que puedan considerarse necesarias para remediar cualquier dificultad prevista en la garantía de la existencia de cereales suficientes para una seguridad alimentaria mundial mínima.

Asimismo reafirmamos nuestro apoyo a las iniciativas del Director General encaminadas a reforzar la base ànalítica para la labor del Comité.

Consideramos que un estudio completo sobre las limitaciones a la producción y comercialización de cultivos alimentarios tradicionales, un estudio de las perspectivas a plazo medio de las disponi-bilidades y necesidades mundiales de alimentos y una evaluación de la contribución que la ayuda alimentaria puede aportar a la seguridad alimentaria hasta el año 2000 serían de una utilidad extraordinaria.

Con relación al pacto sobre seguridad alimentaria mundial, lo entendemos como ha sido concebido, o sea como un elemento que conduzca a suscitar una mayor conciencia en el público y en las instan-cias políticas y a crear un apoyo moral para la seguridad alimentaria revitalizando el entusiasmo de la Comunidad Internacional, incluidas las organizaciones no gubernamentales, para continuar lu-chando contra el hambre en el contexto del concepto revisado.

Finalmente, la delegación de Cuba apoya el establecimiento de sistemas eficaces de prestación de servicios especialmente concebidos para enfrentar los obstáculos a la producción alimentaria en los países africanos de bajos ingresos y con déficit de alimentos planteado en el punto 5 del documento CL 86/10.

Nos parece que todos estos elementos son valederos para todos los países subdesarrollados que aun-que no tengan una situación tan precaria como muchos países del Continente Africano tienen serios problemas para garantizar la seguridad alimentaria.

El tema de la seguridad alimentaría por su carácter humanitario alienta a pronunciar palabras soli-darias con los países más gravemente afectados, Desafortunadamente con palabras no podemos alimen-tar a los más necesitados; pensamos que existen análisis concretos y propuestas efectivas en las cuales la FAO está jugando un papel fundamental, Necesitamos que esas ideas y propuestas se lleven a la práctica con la colaboración de todos, de los que pueden ayudar más por tener mayores recursos y de los que podemos ayudar menos. Solamente con los esfuerzos nacionales y la ayuda de toda la comunidad internacional y los organismos financieros internacionales podremos garantizar una verda-dera seguridad alimentaria.

A. EL SARKI (Egypt) (original language Arabic) : In the name of Allah the Merciful and the Compassionate.

Allow me to express our thanks to Dr Islam for his brilliant presentation of Document 86/10 regarding the Report of the Committee on World Food Security. My delegation participated in the meetings of the Committee held through April 1984. We expressed our stances regarding the number of issues discussed in that Committee and they are the following:

First we support the efforts exerted by FAO under the leadership of the Director-General regarding the presentation and the utilization of the revised and broadened concept of food security.

Secondly, we agreed with the Director-General’s proposal aiming at setting up a Food Security Action Programme aiming at mobilizing external assistance to FAO’s special action programmes namely Food Security System Scheme, the Fertilizer Programme Seed Improvement and Development and the programme for the prevention of food losses.

Thirdly, we would like to express our concern regarding the decrease in the resources of the Food Security Assistance Scheme, because we think that in fact this programme can help some developing countries in fields of storage, building of stocks, reserves, training, planification and the follow-up of food security activities. Hence, we would like to thank the donor countries which responded to the initiative of renewing or replenishing the resources of this programme, and we hope other countries will follow suit.

Fourthly, the delegation of my country would like to highlight the importance of regional and sub-regional cooperation in the field of achieving food security and we are most ready to provide our assistance in this field.

Fifthly, we accept and welcome the idea of a World Food Security Compact and we would like to discuss its terms and text.

Sixthly, my country would like to support the World Committee on Food Security as mentioned in paragraphs 65 to 69.

Seventhly, we endorse the proposal contained in paragraph 101 calling for the sacrifice of one meal and contributing the equivalent cash to the cause of world food security.

JIN XIANGYUN (China) (original language Chinese): We endorse the content of the report of the Ninth Session of the Committee on World Food Security, with only a few additional comments to make.

Firstly, while the world food output in 1984 is expected to recover and increase, following the reduction of 1983’s production, the agricultural and food situation in many low-income, food-deficit countries, particularly in Africa, is still severe. Therefore, the improvement of the world food security situation should not be overestimated. We appreciate the Director-General’s unremitting efforts and the achievements in mobilizing the international food assistance and in helping the African countries to tide over the difficulties. The food situation in Africa deserves continuous concern of the Council.

Secondly, we hold that it is absolutely necessary for the international community to provide short-term food assistance to the low-income, food-deficit countries, but more important, from the long-term point of view, is to spare no efforts in helping these countries to rehabilitate and develop food and agricultural production. There are many factors affecting the improvement

- 165 -

of the world food security, international and national. However, it is of great importance to enhance food production in low-income, food-deficit countries. We support the idea in paragraph 18 of the report, “an increased flow of resources is needed to support the production efforts of low-income countries.” It also specially states in the same paragraph, “The Committee urged the timely and adequate replenishment of the resources of the international financing institutions, especially IFAD”. We think this should also be reflected in the Council’s Report.

Thirdly, we appreciate the FAO Food Security Action Programme (FSAP), which will coordinate with various Special Action Programmes or Schemes, such as Food Security, Prevention of Food Losses, Fertilizer, Seed, etc., and will integrate with the emergency relief and long-term development assistance. We believe, by doing so, FAO’s role in strengthening the world food security will be brought into full play.

Lastly, we would like to express our appreciation to the Director-General for his sustained efforts made and constructive proposals put forward in strengthening world food security. This appreciation also goes to FAO for the work accomplished in the world food security.

M. GIFFORD (Canada): At the conclusion of the Ninth World Food Council, Canada indicated that it would raise at this Council meeting some of our concerns that we articulated during the CFS Meeting. First of all, let me emphasize that Canada welcomes the revised definition of food security. In Canada’s view, the CFS for far too long was overly preoccuppied with global grain stocks, and insufficient attention was paid to the complex of factors which constitute a realistic definition of world food security. The revised definition obviously has to take into account food aid, and from this perspective, Canada on reflection can accept the FAO Secretariat’s proposal that they carry out a review of ways in which food security in the 1990s can be strengthened through food aid. I say on balance because Canada and some other delegations expressed at the CFS Meeting our concern over the possible duplication of efforts in the CFA and the CFS. However, our assessment now is that it is in the interest of both the CFS and the CFA if the analytical and practical knowledge of the respective secretariats are both fully utilized. In summary, we welcome the FAO Secretariat’s intention to carry out an assessment of the long-term food aid, food security linkages, and we are confident that they will make full and productive use of the WFP’s Secretariat expertise before submitting the report to the CFA.

I would now like to take the opportunity to refer to the question of the Secretariat’s proposal regarding an interim system of national food reserves. Canada still has problems with this proposal, and if you allow me, let me try and explain why. From a domestic agricultural policy viewpoint, the Canadian Government does not want to get back into the business of acquiring and holding grain stocks. It took us 30 years to repeal the so-called Temporary Wheat Reserve Act of 1947. In contrast to the United States and many European countries, there is no intervention agency in Canada. The Canadian Wheat Board, which is a marketing agency, only buys from Canadian farmers what it can sell. Stock surplus due to current requirements are held by the grain producers themselves at their own cost. This system has served Canada well, and we do not intend for domestic agricultural reasons to change.

Having said this, I would point out that the Canadian single desk selling agency system for western grains does enable Canada to make a full contribution to world food security. Because there is a single desk selling agency, there is never any question of a so-called “great grain robbery” occurring in Canada.

From a food aid perspective, I should first explain that our aid agencies buy grain from the Wheat Board in exactly the same way as any commercial buyer. From the Wheat Board’s perspective, CIDA is a valued and traditional customer. As a practical matter, the Board knows in advance that CIDA purchases in any one year will never fall below 600 000 tons, Canada's contractual commitment - and I underline the word “contractual” - under the food aid convention.

In addition, each year CIDA sets aside funds to meet unanticipated emergency food aid requests, for example, $23 million in the fiscal, year 1984/85. This is of course in addition to our pledges to the World Food Programme, the IEFR and our regular bilateral food aid programmes, which in total amount to over $350 million in the year.

In concluding my comments on this item, let me stress that the Canadian Wheat Board only sells on a commercial basis. There are no concessional sales. In contrast, our aid agency buys at the prevailing world price and then donates the grain to recipients. From an aid policy perspective, CIDA prefers to spend its scarce food aid dollars on buying and immediately shipping grain rather than paying storage charges in Canada.

Turning to the food security compact, let me say that the Canadian delegation is still not convinced of the utility of “consolidating the existing consensus scattered over the variety of text into one authoritative charter”. Like many delegations, we would prefer more action and less rhetoric, and in the words of the Cuban delegation, “People cannot eat words”; In this regard,

I am pleased to inform the Council that the Canadian Government has just announced a $50 million fund for Africa. Part of this new and additional special fund will be used to match funds raised by private voluntary groups in Canada. Let me emphasize that although many of the details will still have to be announced, this special $50 million fund is specifically designed to help meet the emergency food situation in Africa. Part of this fund will be allocated to food aid, the balance will be allocated to non-food aid. It now appears clear that instead of shipping the $135 million I mentioned a few days ago of food aid this fiscal year, Canada’s total food aid to Africa will now exceed well over $150 million. This compares, as I indicated yesterday, to the $92 million that we shipped last year.

J.R. LOPEZ PORTILLO (México): La delegación de México otorga pleno apoyo al Informe que se nos ha presentado, derivado del 9° período de sesiones del Comité de Seguridad Alimentaria.

El nuevo concepto de Seguridad Alimentaria es ya universalmente aceptado e inspira estrategias a nivel internacional, regional y nacional. Sin embargo, hacemos notar que, siendo todo perfectible, dicho concepto debería incluir no sólo a los productos agrícolas y alimentarios, sino a los insumos necesarios para la prorJucción de alimentos tales como semillas, fertilizantes, pesticidas, agroquí-micos, crédito, maquinaria y tecnología agrícola entre otros.

La crisis por la que pasan los países en desarrollo atestigua que buena parte de su seguridad alimentaria depende del acceso a dichos insumos.

Por tanto, al afirmar que no deben usarse los alimentos como instrumentos de presión política, estamos entendiendo, y lo subrayamos, que ello incluye también a los insumos agrícolas y alimentarios.

Elogiaraos que a las voces de los líderes de nuestros países en desarrollo, se unan las de países avanzados, como recientemente ocurrió con el importante mensaje del Sr. Presidente Sandro Pertini. El expreso repudio a quienes dispendian recursos en armas en lugar de producir alimentos y bienestar.

Confirmamos además, como se expresa en el párrafo 41 del Informe, que la ayuda alimentaria no debe utilizarse con fines políticos, o bajo consideraciones y condicionamientos de tipo ideológico, sino que debe ajustarse a los planes de desarrollo económico, de crecimiento de la producción agrícola y de la seguridad alimentaria de cada país o región.

Ante esas circunstancias, México apoya en todo lo que vale la propuesta del Director General de la FAO de establecer un Pacto de Seguridad Alimentaria que sea el código moral para la orientación de las acciones de los gobiernos, de las organizaciones multilaterales y de los particulares hacia un mismo propósito de seguridad alimentaria.

No queremos comer palabras ciertamente, pero sí queremos comer lo que nos interesa comer. Por eso alzamos nuestra voz para que se nos escuche y se nos respete. De la misma manera, apoyamos en toda su extension la puesta en marcha del Plan de Acción de Seguridad Alimentaria Mundial descrito en la parte III del Informe del Comité, y destacamos en particular los párrafos 23, 24, 27 y 29. Hacemos notar los esfuerzos que la región latinoamericana realiza a través del SELA, y en forma especial del CASAR, cuyo programa de trabajo bienal incluye las etapas necesarias para ir estableciendo un sistema de seguridad alimentaria regional que conlleve al abastecimiento y a la autosuficiencia alimentaria.

III. ACTIVITIES OF FAO AND WFP (continued)
III. ACTIVITES DE LA FAO ET DU PAM (suite)
III. ACTIVIDADES DE LA FAO Y DEL PMA (continuación)

7. Forestry Situation
7. Forêts
7. Situación forestal

7.1 Report of the Seventh Session of the Committee on Forestry - Rome, 7-11 May 1984
7.1 Rapport de la septième session du Comité des forêts - Rome, 7-11 mai 1984
7.1 Informe del séptimo período de sesiones del Comité de Montes - Roma, 7-11 de mayo de 1984

7.2 Proposal that 1985 be proclaimed the International Year of the Forest
7.2 Proposition de proclamer 1985 Année Internationale de la forêt
7.2 Propuesta de que 1985 sea declarado Alio Internacional del Bosque

CHAIRMAN: We will now proceed to the consideration of the next item on our Agenda, Item 7. We will take 7.1 and 7.2 together.

May I also make one additional request for your consideration. This item on forestry is very important. As regards Item 7.2, the proposal that 1985 be proclaimed the International Year of the Forest is very clear. It would be helpful if the delegates said they support it or do not support it. I do not think detailed additional justification is needed. So would you please just convey your most important ideas in as few words as possible.

M.A. FLORES RODAS (Subdirector General, Departamento de Montes): El Comité de Montes celebró su séptima reunión aquí en Roma del 7 al 11 de mayo de este año. Su informe ha sido distribuido como documento CL 86/8 del Consejo.

Creo que esa reunión del Comité fue particularmente productiva y útil porque el Comité concentró su atención en la discusión de problemas y aspectos de política de desarrollo màs bien que en cuestiones técnicas. Este hecho se debió a diversos factores:

Primero: Asistieron a la reunión delegados de 87 países miembros de la FAO, así como representantes y observadores de organizaciones internacionales y otras. Sin embargo, en comparación con reuniones anteriores hubo en esa reunión una apropiada proporción entre delegados y representantes permanentes, lo que creó un adecuado equilibrio entre los aspectos puramente técnicos y aquellos aspectos políticos durante lasdiscusiones de los varios temas del programa.

Segundo: Los debates de los temas fueron màs puntuales y los temas mismos màs relevantes, ya que estaban orientados principalmente hacia aspectos de política de desarrollo.

Tercero: El Comité se reunió en un momento de creciente preocupación internacional por el dramàtico ritmo en que los recursos forestales se están degradando o desapareciendo por complete. Esto dio al debate un sentido de urgencia y de presencia activa y pragmática ante los problemas del desarrollo rural.

El más importante tema discutido por el Comité fue "La actividad forestal más aliá del 2000 - poten-cialidad, problemas y perspectivas, con especial énfasis en la política forestal para las regiones templadas, las tropicales y las áridas y a nivel global”.

El Comité identificó entre los problemas principales la degradación y el agotamiento de los bosques-en los trópicos húmedos, el fuego y la desertificación en las zonas áridas, y la lluvia ácida y la contaminación ambiental en las zonas de clima templado.

El Comité reiteró su preocupación por la situación insatisfactoria y de negligencia continua que confrontan los recursos forestales y recomendó que todos los países hicieran mayores esfuerzos por llamar la atención de los niveles políticos sobre la necesidad de proteger y manejar racionalmente los recursos forestales con fines de desarrollo.

El Comité puso énfasis especial en la importancia fundamental que tiene el recurso forestal en la seguridad alimentaria, en el papel que juega en la nutrición humana, en la conservación de los suelos y las aguas, en el mantenimiento de la fertilidad de los suelos y en el mejoramiento microclimático, contribuyendo de esta manera a una mayor productividad agrícola y pecuaria.

En este contexto, el Comité recomendó que la FAO preparara un estudio sobre las interrelaciones entre actividades forestales y la seguridad alimentaria para la consideración del Comité de Seguridad Alimentaria, el Comité de Agricultura y de otros órganos pertinentes en la FAO.

A este respecto, al Consejo le puede interesar saber que el Director General ha dado las instrucciones para que este estudio sea preparado y presentado en la próxima reunión del Comité de Seguridad Alimentaria cuando se reuna aquí, en Roma, en abril de 1985.

En relación con el programa forestal de la FAO, el Comité expresó claramente sus inquietudes y recomendó que se diera alta prioridad: i) al aumento de las contribuciones de la actividad forestal a objetivos de desarrollo, particularmente en las areas rurales; ii) al mantenimiento y expansión del apoyo que la actividad forestal puede dar a la producción agrícola y a la seguridad alimentaria; iii) a la conservación de los recursos forestales y en particular del acervo genético global; y iv) a la mayor participación de la población local en los beneficios que proporciona la actividad forestal, especialmente a través de industrias forestales apropiadas y de mayores oportunidades de empleo e inversión.

El Comité opinó que al seleccionar las acciones que convendría tomar para alcanzar estos objetivos es necesario acordar alta prioridad a aquéllas para las cuales la FAO está particularmente calificada, tales como la valorización mayor de los recursos forestales, los estudios de perspectiva y las acciones a nivel de país en la integración de la población rural en la toma de decisiones que la conduzcan a un desarrollo integral acelerado.

El Comité destacó cuatro areas de importancia fundamental para el sector forestal y con potencial de contribución al desarrollo. Estas áreas son: (a) el fortalecimiento institucional, especialmente en lo que concierne a la enseñanza y capacitación y al desarrollo de los medios de comunicación; (b) la investigación para el desarrollo en général, y el mejoramiento genético y de la calidad y abastecimiento de las semillas, en particular; (c) la eficiencia en la producción y utilización de los recursos y en la reducción de las pérdidas en las labores de aprovechamiento y postaprovechamiento; (d) el mejoramiento de la capacidad de las administraciones forestales nacionales para planificar, formular y justificar la aprobación y ejecución de programas y proyectos forestales para el desarrollo.

Desde el principio, el Comité mostró gran interés en sus debates por el programa forestal de la FAO, opinando que deberían hacerse mayores esfuerzos para alertar a la comunidad mundial sobre las implicaciones que pueden derivar de la continua destrucción de los recursos forestales mundiales, especialmente si esta destrucción ocasiona daños a otros sectores de la actividad humana, tales como los agrícolas, la calidad de los alimentos y del agua y a la estabilidad del medio ambiente en général.

El Comité consideró otros varios aspectos llegando a su conocimiento a través de las Comisiones Forestales Regionales y otros órganos estatutarios de la FAO en el Sector Forestal. Expresó también su satisfación por el apoyo recibido del Consejo al informe de su reunión anterior.

Además, el Comité notó con satisfacción que la 22’ Conferencia de la FAO había expresado su esperanza de que se destinarían mayores recursos a los programas forestales y que había invitado a los países donantes a aumentar su apoyo a las actividades forestales, ya sea a través de ayudas bilaterales o a través de programas multilaterales como los de la FAO.

El Comité de Montes acogió con agrado la propuesta de Austria de que el año 1985 fuese declarado el Año Internacional del Bosque; el Consejo lo ha incluido bajo un subtema en su orden delidía. Los antecedentes de esta propuesta están descritos en los suplementos 1 y 2 del documento 86/8.

No hay ninguna región en el mundo donde los bosques no estén siendo destruidos o degradados o amenazados de destrucción. El problema de la deforestación y degradación de los bosques en los países tropicales ha sido ya documentado por la FAO, y sus desfavorables consecuencias para el medio ambiente humano y para la productividad agrícola son plenamente reconocidas. Los países de clima templado están también enfrentando serios problemas en sus bosques debido a la contaminación atmosférica, al fuego sin control, y, probablemente como una consecuéncia a las plagas y a las enfermedades.

La FAO ya ha estado tratando estos problemas a nivel nacional a través de sus programas de campo, y a los niveles regionales e interregional a través de su programa regular. Sin embargo, el Director General respondió a la preocupación por la conservación y protección de los bosques, expresada por diversos países miembros, y ha tornado, o se propone tomar, sujeto al acuerdo de ustedes, diversas medidas específicas, las cuales están señaladas en los suplementos 1 y 2 del documento CL 86/8.

Además de las acciones que tomara la FAO y de otras medidas que los gobiernos decidan tomar a nivel nacional, la importancia de la conservación de los bosques será destacada en el Noveno Congreso Forestal Mundial y durante la celebración del Día Mundial de la Alimentación en 1985.

Adicionalmente a las varias otras reuniones forestales, tales como las reuniones de las Comisiones Forestales Regionales y otros órganos estatytarios de la FAO en el sector forestal, otras conferencias forestales organizadas por los países directamente, ya sea a nivel regional o subregional, podrian también ser usadas para reforzar la concienciación publica de la necesidad de conservar y proteger los bosques.

En apoyo de las acciones y medidas propuestas por el Director General, el Consejo podría a su vez invitar a todas las Naciones Miembros de la FAO a dar un reconocimiento especial al “bosque” como una preocupación global durante el año 1985, adoptando el borrador de Resolución adjunto al documento mencionado, suplemento 2.

Se han propuesto para su consideración dos versiones de esta Resolución: Una, que se limita a solicitar a los países a dar un reconocimiento especial al “bosque” como una preocupación global en 1985; y una segunda que se agrega a la primera, repito una agregada a la primera, la declaración de que 1985 sea el “Año Internacional del Bosque” para la FAO.

Creo que el Comité de Montes ha elaborado esta vez un informe sucinto pero lleno de recomendaciones importantes para el Consejo, para el Director General y para los Estados Miembros. Pienso también que el informe que ustedes están ahora examinando es preciso y comprensivo; no obstante mis colegas y yo mismo estamos a su disposición para proporcionar información ulterior o cualquier clarificación que ustedes puedan necesitar.

CHAIRMAN: We thank Mr. Flores Rodas for that introduction.

The meeting was suspended from 17.45 hours to 18.00 hours.
La séance est suspendue de 17 h 45 à 18 heures.
Se suspende la sesión de las 17.45 a las 18.00 horas.

E. PLATTNER (Austria): Austria attributes particular importance to FAO’s activities in the field of forestry, at both regional and global levels. Austria has therefore also actively cooperated in the work of this Committee for years. As will be recalled, during the Seventh Session Austria submitted special proposals for the conservation of world forestry resources. In this connection I refer to paragraphs 56 and 57. We have noted with satisfaction that the Committee fully supported the Austrian proposals.

During the Twenty-second Session of the FAO Conference in November 1983 Austria suggested that in view of the decrease of forest areas in the developing countries because of the conversion of forest land into agricultural use, the depradation of forest land in industrialized areas by air pollution, the year 1985 should be proclaimed as the Year of the Forest - also at the international level. Forestry activities however, cannot be considered in isolation. Therefore, we fully support the recommendations made by the Committee on Forestry to prepare a study on the relationship between forestry and food security. This study will be submitted to the Committee on World Food Security, to the Committee on Agriculture and to other FAO bodies for consultation. We look forward to this study with great interest.

Within the framework of her possibilities, Austria will support all FAO activities in the field of forestry in the future - be it by organizing training programmes or by providing experts. We are also looking forward with great interest to the deliberations of the Ninth World Forestry Congress which will be held in México City in 1985. We believe that FAO, as a world leader in agriculture and forestry, should take this opportunity to seek for a solution for improved conservation of forestry resources.

I would like to express the hope that the relevant FAO initiatives find as broad a consensus as possible. My delegation studied with great interest document CL 86/8-Sup.l, and we thank the Secretariat for this. My delegation would like to present to the Council the following ideas and suggestions.

All over the world forests are decreasing at an accelerating rate. According to FAO estimates we have to expect an annual decrease of forest areas of more than 110 000 square kilometers. This is almost twice the area of Austria. In Europe, air pollution harmful to forests has become the central damaging factor and in many parts of Europe forests are threatened today. The acceptable limits of air pollution threatening forests obviously has exceeded tolerable limits for decades. The damage caused by acid rain and other pollution is constantly increasing.

This development urged Austria to present at the Fourteenth FAO Regional Conference for Europe a Resolution which recommends the strengthening of the cooperation between FAO and ECE in all fields pertaining to the conservation and protection of forests. It further recommends that the Director-General of FAO. examine the possibilities of giving recognition to “The Forest” as a global concern during the year 1985 and that the Ninth World Forestry Congress deal in an integrated way with the problems of pollution and other threats to the conservation of forestry resources, the environment, and the quality of life.

As a matter of fact, the reasons for the destruction of the forests in most areas of the world are very different. It is quite obvious that primarily this is not only a forestry problem. Therefore, we have to consider energy problems, the stabilization of agricultural production, questions of soil conservation and erosion control, forest fires, desertification in arid zones and finally, air pollution in temperate zones.

My delegation welcomes the initiative brought forward in the course of the Fourteenth Regional Conference for Europe. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Director-General and the Assistant Director-General for their initiatives in this very important field. Furthermore, I would like to assure this meeting that Austria will support all activities in this respect. These activities should not only be realized on a national scale, but also at a regional and a world-wide level. Preparations for “The Year of the Forest” in Austria are almost complete. In the course of the next meeting of the Executive Committee of the European Forestry Commission in December of this year, my delegation will present its proposals in detail. Finally, I ask you to give full support to this initiative.

L.E. WILLIAMS (Trinidad and Tobago): First of all, I would like to express our thanks to the Assistant Director-General, Dr Flores Rodas, for the lucid introduction he gave to this item.

In the document CL 86/8 before us, my delegation notes with satisfaction the various recommendations made to governments in recognizing the need for sound forest policies as a means to control the further and/or continued depletion of forest resources.

Trinidad and Tobago can identify with the problems of forest loss in the promotion of other infra-structural developments which are also so vital to the economic and social progress of our country.

Indeed, the premium on forest land in our country, with its limited availability of land in general, does not only derive from the need for its use for food and other agricultural crops but also from further demands for housing, intensified efforts to improve communication links within the country and the enhanced distribution of water and power. These developmental imperatives have all contributed to the depletion of our forest resources.

As governments have constantly to address their attention to that delicate balance and competition between food and forests, the realities of meeting the ever-growing food import bill frequently result in the balance being tilted against forestry - an area, it bears repeating, whose manifold responsibilities cover productive forests, protective forests, watershed management, national parks, mangrove swamps and wildlife conservation.

Further recognition of the adverse effects alluded to above leads my delegation to fully associate itself with the emphasis laid in paragraph 17 of the Report.

While recognizing the need, desperate in some regions, for sound forest policies, Trinidad and Tobago nevertheless advises that a broader perspective based on appropriate national planning with respect to proper land use will play a significant role here.

In striving to achieve the best results in our national plans for land use we are cognizant of the requirement for multi-disciplinary inputs in the development of forestry programmes. We recognize the need to support existing institutional structures within our own national boundaries, such as the University of the West Indies and the Division of Forestry where productive research in tropical agriculture and forestry has been ongoing for several decades. In this context we believe that FAO and other international agencies in the field should direct urgent attention to these and similar institutions before branching out into new ventures.

Our delegation wishes at this time to endorse the various contributions made on the world perspective as embodied within paragraphs 23 to 34 of the Report. We use this opportunity to emphasize once more, however, the fuller role which FAO could undertake, again in collaboration with other well-respected agencies, to accelerate effective tree-breeding and conservation practices. In respect of the latter, we choose to bring to the fore the concept of germ-plasm resource protection. Trinidad and Tobago wishes to emphasize the significance of the “Progress Report on Follow-Up to the Recommendations of the Sixth Session of the Committee”, CL 86/8 paragraphs 37 to 38.

My delegation wishes to urge the financial agencies to quicken their pace in working towards the removal of the financial constraints which present difficulties in the implementation of twinning arrangements aimed at strengthening forest research in developing countries. We endorse the concerns implied with respect to the closely related aspects of the strengthening of (a) institutional capacity in developing countries, and (b) the appropriate training and retraining of forest workers.

We commend the Committee’s advised stressing of the informational arena as it relates to tropical forestry and anxiously await positive moves directed towards the creation of regional data banks.

We seize this opportunity to re-emphasize our support for the concept and evolving strategy of Forestry for Development. We applaud the shift in emphasis reflected in the increased allocation of resources, financial and human, to activities related to the strategy. Council will, we are certain, ensure a richer harvest as a result since by increased support for training activities the institutional weaknesses which now bedevil developing countries will be alleviated.

Trinidad and Tobago is aware of the importance of education and training in the forestry sector and it supports all efforts for closer cooperation between FAO and ILO on forest worker training. We also endorse in principle the statement in paragraph 47 of the Report. In this regard, the forestry sector in Trinidad and Tobago has sought continually to increase the awareness of the population to the contributions forestry can make to rural development and to the significant role it can play in agricultural production and food security. We have entered into programmes aimed at educating our people in, among other things, the undoubted advantages of agroforestry in those situations or conditions where it is desirable or necessary. The value of a tree-planting programme to the long-term development of the country, whether as an economic, protective or aesthetic exercise, is also being increasingly highlighted.

In concluding, my Government extends its fullest support and its best wishes for every success for the two important forestry Conferences, the Ninth World Forestry Congress and the Twelfth Commonwealth Forestry Conference which take place in México and Canada, respectively, in 1985.

It is with deep interest that we note the proposal for and the significance of 1985 being proclaimed the International Year of the Forest. We recognize that it may be timely in view of the two Conferences referred to above.

However, my delegation also notes with some concern that 1985 has already been designated the International Year of the Youth.

While on the one hand we think that 1985 could accommodate the two proclamations - and indeed the raising of awareness of forestry could be promoted in programmes designed for the International Year of the Youth - there are some cautious doubts that perhaps the forestry message may lose some of its independent impact on the very audience it should be designed to attract.

Furthermore, there is limited time for extensive and meaningful preparation, particularly in the developing countries, several of which suffer the consequences of deforestation and would necessarily have a deep interest in the significant promotion at a national level of the International Year.

We can foresee that problems of varying intensities will arise with respect to the functional modes of planning and organization, and more particularly speaking for my country we know that there will be budgetary problems which will adversely affect the mobilizing of funds necessary for the effective celebration of the International Year of the Forest in 1985.

As far as we are aware, there has always been the proclamation of only one significant event in any one particular year. This has taken on the aura of tradition within the United Nations and one may think for valid and broadly accepted reasons.

Against this background we wish to exhort Council to reappraise the proposal that 1985 be proclaimed as the International Year of the Forest.

We recognize that on the issue of the importance of the International Year of the Forest, the developed and developing countries are at one.

We further recognize and indeed appreciate the immediate concerns of the industrialized countries with the question of atmospheric pollution and in particular, the problem of acid rain, hence the desire to take advantage of the World Forestry Congress in México to alert world attention to these problems.

My delegation, however, views the problem in a broader perspective. We are concerned about the indiscriminate destruction of forests; the lack of the citizens’ awareness of the forestry sector in the agricultural efforts; the pollution of swamps, the destruction of wildlife in addition of the need for effective education programmes with respect to the value of forests. These factors, we believe, are more immediately relevant to the Third World scenario. Consequently, my delegation is of the view that the proclamation of an International Year of the Forest should allow for a sufficient period of mobilization of financial, human and material resources to ensure effective organization.

I thank you again for the opportunity afforded to my delegation to address the Council and express our deepest support for FAO’s continued efforts to serve increased financial support for its activities.

Mrs MARASEE SURAKUL (Thailand): My delegation has carefully studied the Austrian proposal on measures for the Conservation of the Forests 1985 International Year of the Forest which Austria proposed to the Twenty-second Session of the FAO Conference in Rome, November 1983. My delegation would like to give its full support to the aforementioned proposal. This is due mainly to the fact that the proposal calls for international cooperation to campaign for the realization and public awareness of the importance of forest resources. Furthermore, the proposal was also urging international cooperation to solve various problems on forest destruction which is one of the most pressing problems of most developing countries.

Thailand, like all developing countries, is losing its forest area rapidly. The main cause of forest destruction is the encroachment of forest land for cash crops and subsistance agriculture.

The present activities in the forestry development scheme of Thailand is restricted to the watershed area. In addition, community forest and forest village programming are also implemented to overcome the socio-economic aspect of forest destruction.

Since the Austrian proposal is realistic and to the point of the problems of forest destruction which Thailand also experienced, it is, therefore, highly appropriate to the present global forestry situation. My delegation, therefore, would like to express its full endorsement and at the same time would like to call for full support from this committee to proclaim 1985 as the International Year of the Forest.

J.R. LOPEZ PORTILLO (México): Extendemos nuestra felicitaciòa al Dr. Flores Rodas, Subdirector General del Departamento de Montes, por su excelente presentación. Nuestra delegación se pronuncia favorablemente por la aprobación del documento CL 86/8. El Informe final del séptimo período de sesiones del Comité de Montes refleja el avance hacia la adopción del nuevo enfoque global sobre los recursos forestales, párrafos 23 y 24, en especial, y asocia aspectos del desarrollo forestal con los problemas socioeconómicos de los países en desarrollo.

Sobre el particular destacamos nuevamente nuestra preocupación por la disminución de los proyectos en América Latina, en particular al orientarse los recursos del PNUD hacia los países de menores ingresos, sin contemplar la importancia y la situación forestal específica de los diversos países de América Latina y las condiciones en que vive en général la población rural ligada al bosque. Al llamar la atención sobre los párrafos 40 y 54, hacemos notar en especial la importancia del desarrollo rural y del desarrollo socioeconomico en général, de las comunidades rurales ligadas al bosque para lograr no solo mejorar su situación alimentaria, sino controlar el aspecto del deterioro ecológico de los bosques derivados de su mal explotación o simple depredación.

Nos unimos igualmente al llamado de alarma por el deterioro forestal général en todo el mundo y reiteramos la voluntad del Gobierno de México de poner todo lo que está de nuestra parte para resolver esta situación.

Por otro lado, queremos informar que los trabajos preparatorios para la celebración del noveno Congreso Forestal Mundial en México van conforme a lo programado.

Para satisfacer las posibles peticiones de información o cuestiones respecto de la organización y el avance de los preparativos recordamos que el segundo comunicado relativo a estas cuestiones se presentará y se distribuirá en la primera o segunda semana de diciembre.

Finalmente, la delegación de México respalda íntegramente las propuestas del Comité de Montes a efectos de que 1985 sea declarado “Año Internacional del Bosque” y que se autorice al Director General de la FAO para efectuar la proclamación correspondiente. Apoyamos, en consecuencia, la resolución respectiva.

P. ELMANOWSKY (France): Notre attention est.attirée dans le rapport du Comité des forêts et par M. Flores Rodas, le Sous-Directeur général des forêts, sur trois points. Le premier conceme le potentiel, les problèmes et perspectives de la foresterie au-delà de l’an 2000, les inquiétudes devant le déboisement excessif et la nécessité d’une prise de conscience politique de l’importance cruciale pour l’avenir, d’accorder une attention soutenue aux problèmes des forêts. Le second vise à la mise en route d’une étude sur les rapports- entre la foresterie et la sécurité alimentaire. Le troisième est une etude spéciale par le Congrès forestier mondial, qui doit se tenir prochainement à México, sur la question de la conservation des forêts et, d’autre part, la proclamation de l’annee 1985 comme Année mondi-ale internationale de la forêt.

Je voudrais brièvement vous dire aussi que nous approuvons les conclusions et suggestions du Comité des forêts sur les trois points que je viens de citer. Et s’agissant en particulier des recommandations concernant le premier point, je signalerai que le Gouvernement français a particulièrement pris conscience des problèmes qui existent dans le domaine forestier c’est-à-dire le déboisement et ses différentes causes. Comme le disait récemment M. François Mitterrand, Président de la République française, lors de la séance d’ouverture de la réunion des Gouverneurs du Fonds international de développement agricole (FIDA), la déforestation d’aujourd’hui, c’est la sécheresse de demain et la famine d’apres-demain. C’est d’ailleurs dans l’esprit du paragraphe 29 du rapport 86/8 qui deplore l’absence d’une prise de conscience au niveau politique des conséquences auxquelles on s’expose si un déploiement excessif se produit, que le Président de la République française a proposé qu’après le Congrès forestier mondial de México une rencontre ait lieu au plus haut niveau, groupant les responsables politiques des pays concernés par la déforestation.

Je voudrais simplement, vous. dire à ce sujet que le Gouvernement a chargé un petit groupe de hauts fonctionnaires français d’examiner les suites qui pourront être apportées sur un plan pratique à cette proposition.

Maintenant, et s’agissant de la proclamation, en 1985, de l’Année mondiale de la forêt, je dois tout d’abord remercier l’Autriche pour la proposition qu’elle a formulée déjà depuis quelque temps, et nous avons déjà appuyé pleinement cette initiative lors de la Conférence régionale de l’Europe à Reykjavik. Cependant, depuis lors, des éléments nouveaux sont intervenus, si j’ose dire, et qui nécessitent probablement que le Secrétariat fournisse des précisions un peu plus détaillées sur les possibilités et les modalités de mise en oeuvre de cette initiative, compte tenu justement des éléments qui figurent dans le document 86/8 Suppl.2, et tout particulièrement, nous voyons déjà que les Nations Unies ont décidé de proclamer 1985 comme l’Année de la Jeunesse, 1986 comme Année de la Paix, 1987 comme Année du logement et des sans abris. II y a done déjà un premier problème.

Deuxièmement, évidemment la FAO peut, de son prop re chef, comme elle l’a fait par le passé pour d’autres produits, proclamer, donc, une Année internationale des forêts. Je n’écarte pas cette possibilité mais j’aimerais demander au Secrétariat s’il est bien possible et bien souhaitable d’avoir une même année pour deux produits différents ou deux activités différentes: l’une proclamée par les Nations Unies, et l’autre par notre Organisation. C’est un point sur lequel je m’interroge.

Quoi qu’il en soit, il nous semble que le projet de resolution qui nous est présenté ici vise sur un plan général à définir ce qui pourrait être une Année internationale de la forêt. Sur ce point nous sommes entièrement d’accord. Reste la question (et là je ne peux pas me prononcer), j ‘aimerais que le Secrétariat, quand il nous répondra à la fin des débats, nous dise si nous devons nous contenter d’avoir ce thème général “Année internationale de la forêt”, et de se servir de celui-ci en 1985, dans l’organisation, pour, en fait, orienter, insister sur les actions à faire dans le domaine des forêts, ou si, comme le souhaite un certain nombre de délégations et particulièrement l’Autriche, que l’on precise si véritablement 1985 c’est l’Année de la forêt. Dans l’immédiat je ne peux pas me prononcer définitivement.

CHAIRMAN: Well Mr. Flores Rodas.will be preparing his answer to this question but I would request him, as soon as he is ready, to give this information because many other delegations may have such doubt that they are reserving to the very end this very specific issue of the two years International Year of the Youth and International Year of the Forest which the Ambassador of Trinidad and Tobago also raised, and France raised.

F.J. FERNANDEZ DE ANA MAGAN (España): La delegación española, después de examinar con detenimiento el documento CL 86/8 y oir la excelente exposición del Director General de Montes, Dr. Flores Rodas, quiere prestar su apoyo total a los tres puntos que se someten a la atención de este Consejo.

Refiriéndome al primer punto diremos que el Gobierno y la opinión pública en España están enormemente sensibilizados ante las pérdidas continuadas de masas forestales dentro y fuera de nuestras fronteras, tanto por sus efectos sobre el medio ambiente y los sistemas ecológicos como por la pérdida de materias primas tan necesarias para el sistema de vida actual y que para algunos países son la principal fuente de materias primas y por lo tanto de divisas.

Sobre el segundo punto sabemos que la importancia de los bosques es decisiva en la protección y mejora de los suelos, cultivos y aguas. Por ello apoyamos la preparation del estudio de la FAO sobre la relación entre la silvicultura y la seguridad alimentaria mundial.

Al mismo tiempo España apoyará, como ya lo venía haciendo, las actividades forestales en zonas áridas y tropicales en los campos de la enseñanza forestal, intercambio de resultados de experiencias e investigaciones, elaboración de proyectos de instalaciones, explotaciones o protección de los montes, etc.

Dentro de este punto quisiéramos llamar la atención sobre los apartados 21, 22 y 30 de este documento que consideramos fundamentales para el desarrollo de los programas forestales en zonas de difícil operación, como son las zonas áridas de Africa dañadas por la sequía continuada, y a ellos, a estos problemas, prestaremos nuestra experiencia y medios que disponemos.

En el tercer punto apoyamos la propuesta de Austria sobre la conservación de recursos, con la redacción final acordada en la Conferencia Regional para Europa de Helsinki en la que a propuesta de Portugal y con el apoyo de los países mediterráneos se incluyó el tema de los incendios forestales que tanto preocupa en España, conjuntamente con los daños causados por agentes patógenos, bióticos y abióticos.

Por último, queremos desear al Noveno Congreso Forestal Mundial que se celebrará en México en 1985 todo el éxito y brillantez que ese gran país y el tema forestal se merecen.

M.A. FLORES RODAS (Subdirector General, Departamento de Montes): Para aclarar la pregunta del distinguido representante de Francia y algunas dudas también expresadas por el representante de Trinidad y Tabago.

El objeto de las resoluciones presentadas ante la decision de ustedes, son dos recomendaciones, es precisamente para guiar al Director General en el camino a seguir. Una de ellas habla, siguiendo más o menos la expresión del distinguido representante de Austria, de hacer énfasis en el bosque tal como también lo apoyó la Conferencia Regional de la FAO en Europa. La segunda agrega un tercer párrafo, que está entre paréntesis, que declara el Año Internacional del Bosque. El objetivo es exactamente igual; la diferencia es que uno declara el Año Internacional del Bosque y el otro hace énfasis de los asuntos forestales, en las actividades forestales, que ambos han sido apoyados por COFO y por la Conferencia Regional Europea.

El Año Internacional se refiere nada más a nivel de FAO, no se refiere a nivel de las Naciones Unidas, porque debido a la premura del tiempo y considerar 1985 un año importante desde el punto de vista forestal tenemos que actuar inmediatamente con todas las presiones y conocimientos del poco tiempo que tenemos. Es por eso que el Director General somete ante ustedes dos alternativas sobre una misma resolución prácticamente; una de ellas menciona la declaración del Año Internacional y la otra sin mencionar el Año Internacional, hace énfasis en las actividades forestales, en pro del desarrollo. No sé si con esto he dado respuesta a la inquietud del distinguido representante de Francia.

Sra. R.A. SUAREZ MELO (Colombia): La delegación de Colombia agradece al Dr. Flores Roda la presentación de este documento en forma tan clara y sucinta brindándonos una visión total de la situación a este respecto.

El tema que ahora nos ocupa, montes, es para nuestra delegación de gran importancia. Como lo dijera ya el Director General, creemos que el Congreso Forestal Mundial por desarrollarse marcará pautas y derroteros básicos en el futuro.

Consideramos muy valioso el trabajo realizado por el séptimo período de sesiones del Comité de Montes, en virtud de lo cual apoyamos las recomendaciones de ese Comité sobre la necesidad de evaluar los problemas y las posibilidades de la silvicultura en su contribución al desarrollo.

Nos preocupa, asimismo, el que una deforestación continua y el descuido de los recursos forestales mundiales puedan causar graves daños a los medios que se deben preservar. Nuestra delegación reitera su apoyo al Departamento de Montes de la FAO bajo la dirección del Dr. Flores Rodas. Asimismo creemos que los programas forestales de la FAO y sus objetivos y prioridades a plazo medio merecen el apoyo de este Consejo. Igualmente pensamos que tendrá gran importancia la preparación de un estudio sobre las relaciones mútuas entre la silvicultura y la seguridad alimentaria, áreas que en nuestra opinion se complementan una y otra. Este documento lo estudiaremos con atención en las reuniones de los Comités de Seguridad Alimentaria, de Agricultura y de otros órganos pertinentes en el proximo año 1985.

La delegación de Colombia desea enfatizar el llamado que ha hecho el Comité de Montes a los países donantes para que aumenten su asistencia a las actividades forestales en las zonas tropicales y áridas.

Aclaradas ya las alternativas por parte del Dr. Flores Rodas, apoyamos la propuesta de Austria para que se preste especial atención a la conservación de los recursos y se proclame 1985 como Año Internacional de los Bosques.

Estamos seguros de que las actividades forestales van a recibir gran impulso a raíz del Noveno Congreso Forestal Mundial que se celehrará en México, país hermano de la América Latina y el Caribe, al cual Colombia está unido por sincero vínculo de amistad y simpatía. Confiamos en que el Gobierno y el pueblo de México, con su hospitalidad y generosa hermandad característica, ofrecerán todas las facilidades para que este Congreso Mundial resulte totalmente satisfactorio.

Sra. E. HERAZO de VITI (Panama): Agradecemos al Sr. Flores Rodas por lo preciso y conciso de su exposición sobre el argumento que estamos debatiendo aquí. Antes que todo, deseamos unirnos a las otras delegaciones que han apoyado la propuesta de Austria sobre el Año Internacional del Bosque.

Abordar en los actuales momentos, con probabilidades de impactar el problema de la deforestación continua y excesiva a que son sometidos los recursos forestales en gran parte del mundo, en especial en las zonas tropicales húmedas, de los efectos de tal deforestación en el proceso de desertificación y de las interrelaciones de ésta con la seguridad alimentaria, debería ser cosa fácil. Bastaría, en efecto, remitirnos a la documentación visual que nos suministran diariamente la prensa y la television, para presentar la imagen de una situación debida, en gran parte al problema que nos interesa en su forma más dramática.

La delegación de Panamá conceptúa, sin embargo, que ello no es suficiente pues para afrontar el problema en forma seria y eficaz. No basta sensibilizar a la opinión pública internacional con aspectos de orden emotivo, que aunque importantes, son destinadps a movilizar, y en algunos casos hasta justificar, una momentánea cuanto paliativa ayuda en víveres y artícülos de primera necesidad.

Para nuestra delegación, el problema que amenaza, como está indicado en el párrafo 14 del documento CL 86/8, el alarmante agotamiento de los recursos forestales a un ritmo estimado en 11 millones de hectáreas al año en regiones tropicales húmedas, debe ser encarado a partir de sus causas primarias concientizando a la opinión mundial de manera de encontrar soluciones válidas que permitan encontrar soluciones que impidan el repetirse de situaciones que representan un escándalo moral y social en nuestra condición de hombres civilizados.

A tal respecto, la delegación panameña considera que, en parte, las principales causas de tan preocupante deforestación se encuentran dentro del contexto de una serie de problemas y/o situaciones de orden social, económico y político que no son exclusivas de la silvicultura, sino íntimamente relacionadas con la compleja problemática del proceso de desarrollo.

En efecto, a nuestro juicio, y sólo por citar algunas, entre las principales causas se encuentran el desequilibrio socioeconómico entre la zona urbana y rural que caracteriza nuestros países en desarrollo, lo que hace que el sector rural marginado pobre y altamente desocupado, ejercite una presion desordenada e irracional, muchas veces trashumante, sobre la selva a fin de procurarse alimentos u otras fuentes de ingresos. Asimismo, el creciente aumento de la población unido a los deficientes procedimientos de productividad agropecuaria típicos de gran parte de nuestros países, hacen que se utilice el bosque indiscriminadamente para la expansíon de la frontera agrícola.

Por otra parte, la ordenación impropia de la tierra, su explotación irracional con el lucro como único objetivo, la acción de grandes empresas comerciales agrícolas y profesionales, nacionales o internacionales, que no tienen en cuenta o descuidan los problemas ecológicos al momento de ejecutar sus operaciones, la falta de legislación apropiada, de eficaces programas de divulgación y de técnicos especialistas, hacen urgente una ordenación de la actividad forestal si no queremos correr el riesgo de acabar con el patrimonio forestal de nuestros países.

Es dentro de este contexto, y por lo antes expuesto, que esta delegación manifiesta su identificación, en forma général, con los lineamientos y las conclusiones emanadas del Informe del Séptimo período de sesiones del Comité de Montes, y en forma específica con la evaluación de él, potenciando los problemas y las perspectivas de la silvicultura después del año 2000, con especial énfasis en su función para el desarrollo, párrafos 8 al 34 del documento CL 86/8.

Deseamos además respaldar plenamente, y lo destacamos, la recomendación de que la FAO prepare un estudio sobre las relaciones entre la silvicultura y la seguridad alimentaria a fin de que el mismo sea presentado en las reuniones del Comité de Seguridad Alimentaria, que se celebrarán durante el año 1985.

De la misma manera, consideramos la necesidad de reforzar la función directiva de la FAO en la esfera forestal, párrafos 46 a 54 del antes citado documento, y expresamos nuestro decidido apoyo a las prioridades y programas que esta Organización ejecuta al respecto, ya que reconocemos, entre otras cQsas, como hemos manifestado en repetidas ocasiones, su capacidad de garantizar la ayuda multilaleral.

Para terminar, deseamos señalar que nuestra delegación considera oportuna la proclamación del año 1985 como Año Internacional del Bosque, porque este tipo de acciones permite reflexionar sobre el problema, y a nuestro juicio, este es un problema que necesita reflexión.

W.A.F. GRABISCH (Germany, Federal Republic of): The Federal Republic of Germany welcomes the Report of the Seventh Session of the Committee on Forestry. It particularly shares the view that great attention has to be given (a) to the improvement of the forest resources of temperate regions with regard to their diverse functions, (b) to the conservation of forests of humid tropics with regard to their serious hazards, and (c) to a greater integration of agriculture and forestry in arid and Mediterranean zones to avoid desertification.

The Federal Government stresses the need for developing strategies for the global conservation and development of forest resources which are geared to social and regional conditions and requirements. This applies in particular to development aid programmes which have to take the special situation cf the rural population into account to a greater extent than so far.

The Federal Government has noted with special satisfaction the Austrian proposal that 1985 should be proclaimed the International Year of the Forest. It has already supported the proposal in the Committee on Forestry and at the Fourteenth FAO Regional Conference for Europe in Reykjavik. As regards the realization of this proposal, unfortunately we all find ourselves now in a rather uncomfortable situation described in document 86/8 Supp. 2 before us. At the highest international level, that of the General Assembly of the United Nations, the year 1985 is already designated as the Year of the Youth. At the FAO level we have heard that the central theme for the World Food Day in 1985 so far is envisaged to be fishermen and fishermen’s communities. At the national level most probably in most countries, not many provisions have been made so far. In this context I think we have to bear in mind what was expressed by the delegate of Trinidad and Tobago, that probably insufficient resources could be made available because of other deployments.

To find a solution to this seems to be rather difficult. Without trying to add other difficulties I should like to ask the Secretariat if it would be prepared to give sufficient support in the sense that Member States could duly recognize the forest in 1985 as a global concern. This is a very important point. It would have to include the sending out of special leaflets and documentation very early in 1985 to Member Countries. Most Members would not like to try to do this all by themselves and some would probably find it difficult to do so. I hope that fellow delegates will understand that at this juncture of our discussion I find it difficult to give our final view on the draft proposal of the resolution before us, with which we générally agree completely. Apparently in paragraph 3, to declare 1985 as the International Year of the Forest, seems to be impossible, at least at the United Nations level.

M.A. FLORES RODAS (Assistant Director-General, Forestry Department): After listening to Mr Grabisch, the delegate of the Federal Republic of Germany, I want to remind the Council of a couple of things. First, the two project resolutions that we have there, there are two alternatives, making equal emphasis on the objective as proposed by COFO and by the Regional Conference for Europe in Reykjavik. There is a difference of name there, which is the International Year of the Forest.

I want also to remind the Council that the Council is a sovereign body of independent countries. It is a governing body for FAO and certainly for the Forestry Department in FAO. Even though there is a guideline from ECOSOC, the Council is an absolute and independent body to declare at the level of FAO the International Year of the Forest. There is no superior body but the Conference of FAO within FAO and within the United Nations system that controls this Council or the Conference of FAO. So you are a sovereign body to decide.

The Secretariat has prepared two alternatives in support of COFO from the expressions during the last Conference of FAO, then the European Regional Conference. So I see the case as rather clear-cut for you to decide. Whatever your decision is whether we would go for the emphasis on the forest, as suggested by the Regional Conference for Europe,or whether we go with a name International Year of the Forest, the action is exactly the same. FAO is bound by your instructions and by the sovereign decision of your Member Countries to go ahead and do the work. We admit that time is limited, but we will simply have to work faster and harder.

Just thinking aloud, there is a series of already-set meetings in forestry throughout the world next year. Just to mention one, the most important is the World Forestry Congress in July. There is the celebration at the national level of forestry days all over the world on different dates and the World Forestry Day which is 28 March. Then we have the Commonwealth Forestry Conference, as mentioned by the delegate of Trinidad and Tobago. We have the Committee on Forest Education meeting in México before the Congress. We have the Experts Meeting on Appropriate Forest Industries in Indonesia later during next year, the Experts’ Consultation on the Role of Forestry to Combat Desertification, the Silva Medi-terranea, a meeting on forest fires in Portugal plus the regional commissions. So there is already a framework of meetings which gives us a forum to discuss this specific problem.

The point in contention really is, and I want to be very clear on this point, the Council is a sovereign body from the United Nations General Assembly. Your are the governing body for this Organization formed by sovereign countries. So it is up to you to decide. Even though there are these guidelines from ECOSOC, we are not legally bound. FAO is a completely autonomous organization within the United Nations system. I want to make that very clear.

W.A.F. GRABISCH (Germany, Federal Republic of): Just to come in again, I am very happy with the explanation we have just had from Dr Flores Rodas. We would go along and strongly support what is being proposed and what we have been proposing for quite some time, on the understanding that the Secretariat is prepared to lend sufficient support to Member States to give due and proper attention to the proposal, and of course within the existing budgetary resources, because this is something which is very important.

M.A. FLORES RODAS (Assistant Director-General, Forestry Department): Frankly, I am surprised by the question. We are at the disposal of the Member Countries. We must be prepared. This is your decision to make. We will go ahead with support within our limits, economic, physical and mental. Certainly we will do our best, if you want to put it that way.

CHAIRMAN: Thank you very much. I think I would like just to make one suggestion for you to think about on the International Year of the Youth. As far as Dr Flores Rodas has said, FAO had in the past also declared the Year of Rice, and so on, but since 1981 the General Assembly, had mentioned somewhere this resolution, if you decide finally to accept this draft resolution in Supp.2, being aware of the fact that the United Nations has decided to commemorate 1985 the Year of the Youth, in the preamble, and when it comes to the recommendation you could say: “Governments may make special efforts to promote school forestry and a wide variety of youth programmes”. I think it would be useful to take cognizance of the fact in the preamble portion of the resolution that 1985 has been declared by the United Nations as the Year of the Youth, and in the operative portion to make a special mention of the fact that a wide range of programmes in terms of school forestry, youth for development, etc. But you could be thinking about it.

A. ABDEL-MALEK (Liban): Je voudrais pour commencer remercier le Dr Flores Rodas pour l’expose qu’il vientde nous presenter et pour les explications qu’il nous a fournies. La délégation libanaise a lu avec intérêt le rapport de la septième session du Comité des forêts (CL 86/8 et CL/8 sup. 1 et 2) concernant la proclamation de l’Année internationale de la forêt. Ma délégation souhaite d’abord exprimer sa satisfaction quant à l’opportunité des recommandations contenues dans le rapport et plus particulièrement celles qui se rapportent aux questions politiques qui ont été débattues dans le cadre du Comité. Nous souscrivons entièrement à l’option qui consiste à prendre pour objectif principal l’exploitation des ressources forestières, la meilleure contribution possible au bien-être des populations, et à celle du monde rural qui constitue la majorité de la population mondiale. C’est sur cette base que nous assurons de notre soutien le plus chaleureux l’expansion des activités relatives au programme forestier pour le développement des collectivités locales.

Il est incontestable que les forêts des diverses régions et zones climatiques dans le monde sont menacées par des maux de toutes sortes: les feux, les infestations, les maladies, les pluies acides dans les régions relativement industrialisées, la désertification des zones arides, le déboisement et la disparition des forêts tropicales.

C’est en tous cas la communauté tout entière ainsi que les générations à venir qui en subiront en définitive les conséquences; c’est pourquoi nous partageons l’option selon laquelle la profession forestière. les institutions et tous les individus concernés doivent veiller à intégrer les nécessités de la production et de la protection forestière dans leur contexte social, et à fournir tous les efforts nécessaires au développement et à la diffusion de l’information en vue d’une meilleure compréhension de la richesse et du róle des forêts pour l’humanité tout entière.

A cet égard, toutes les personnes concernées devraient être reconnaissantes et redevables au Gouvernement autrichien qui a pris l’initiative de proposer que le prochain Congrès forestier mondial accorde une attention spéciale aux problèmes de la conservation des forêts et que l’année 1985 soit proclamée Année internationale de la forêt.

Ma délégation n’ignore pas qu’il appartient normalement à l’Assemblée générale des Nations Unies de déclarer les années et les anniversaires dans le système des Nations Unies. Nous reconnaissons bien sûr le merite d’unifier les procédures de telles déclarations, ne serait-ce que pour maintenir un certain ordre. Toutefois, en raison d’une coíncidence inhabituelle, l’année 1985 será particulièrement importante pour les forêts. On sait déjà que le neuvième Congrès forestier mondial se tiendra à México du ler au 12 juillet 1985 et qu’il adoptera pour thèmes: les ressources forestières dans le développement intégré de la société.

Bien que cette Conférence ne soit pas destinée à traiter tous les aspects de la question et se propose de réunir des forestiers éminents, des membres d’institutions forestières et des chercheurs de tous les coins du monde, et compte tenu que ces deux réunions importantes sont prévues l’une et l’autre l’année prochaine, il serait extrêmement opportun que la FAO déclare l’année 1985 l’Année de la forêt.

Nous sommes conscients des contraintes et limites de temps que cela impose pour les préparatifs mais il serait regrettable de ne pas saisir l’opportunité offerte par ces deux Conférences pour alerter l’opinion publique et pour attirer au niveau politique l’attention sur l’importance et la situation critique des forêts en 1985. Nous avons noté que l’Assemblée générale a déjà déclaré l’anné 1985 Année de la jeunesse. Nous considérons que ces deux initiatives sont en parfaite harmonie et pourraient se compléter si l’on prévoyait, à l’intention des jeunes notamment, des activités et des programmes qui seraient susceptibles de les intéresser et de les sensibiliser à la valeur des forêts. Ne serait-ce pas là une voie idéale pour promouvoir une première compréhension des problèmes de forêt par les générations futures? Aussi la délégation libanaise apporte son soutien au projet de résolution du document CL 86/8, supp. 2 qui préconise de déclarer l’année 1985 Année internationale de la forêt et suggère la suppression des parenthèses du paragraphe 3 qui s’y réfère, dans le projet de résolution.

B. KOVATCHEF (Bulgaria): I will be brief. My delegation has studied with care the Report of the Seventh Session of the Committee on Forestry. I should like to associate myself with the previous speakers who stated that the members of the Committee on Forestry at its Seventh Session have discussed questions of extreme importance. In this respect we are of the opinion that the Committee succeeded in outlining its aims and in determining’the priorities.

We support the recommendations of the Committee. In this context my country is well aware of the important role of FAO in coordinating the efforts of the Member Countries of the United Nations for investigating the forestry problems and specifying ways and means for their settlement, together with the problems of food, agriculture and environment, and increasing the importance of the forestry contribution to the development of agriculture.

Commending some of the recommendations, I should like to inform the distinguished members of the Council that in my country, when a policy in the sphere of forestry is being selected, the programme is submitted for public discussion through the mass media. This helps us to adopt the most effective approach, for the applied procedure is in conformity with the decision of the Committee.

The Bulgarian délégation shares the view expressed by the Committee to the effect that in forestry practice urgent attention has to be given to the proper choice of tree species and their efficient improvement. We consider it necessary that the concepts for training of forestry specialists should be improved.

My country adopts the main theme “Forestry for Development” of the Ninth World Forestry Congress, which the Government of México has kindly agreed to host in July next year, and we support the idea of declaring the year 1985 the International Year of the Forest. It is our belief that this will contribute to further mobilizing the efforts of the institutions in the sphere of forestry all over the world in achieving efficiency in the use of forests and to secure renewal of forest resources.

H.J.H. TALEYARKHAN (India): At the outset I would like to state my appreciation of your admirable suggestion that the Year of the Forest and the Year of Youth should be celebrated in the same period. They are certainly akin to each other, because youth can play a very important and vital role in both the preservation and the restoration of afforestation programmes of what is such a vital source of wealth for the world.

Much of the economic development of the world depends on forestry, we must not neglect it,! as has been the tendency until recently - and without the consciousness which FAO has recently created I am sure matters would have been made worse in what I describe as the three D’s, destruction, denuding and degradation of forests round the world. So there must be minimum destruction of forests by way of cutting down trees. There can be development without destruction, as Prime Minister Gandhi always used to say.

The net area of forest” in the world is decreasing by several million hectares per annum due to the destruction and degradation to which I have referred, chiefly brought about by shifting cultivation in South América, Africa and certain parts of Asia. The world population is expected to rise to 6 000 million by the year 2 000; the annual increase in world consumption of wood will rise still further by about two percent.

Forests fulfil, a wide variety of functions. I am sure that the FAO Programme is paying and will pay the necessary attention to protecting these functions - protecting the soil to counter erosion, floods and landslides; the forests’ shelter which can protect agriculture and local climatic extremes; they ensure clean water supplies, they prevent pollution, they provide habitat for a vast aura of flora and fauna, they are essential components of attractive landscapes, and they even provide recreational facilities for young and old. Forests are home to many species of wild animals and birds, to which reference has been made. They are vast storehouses of plants. Nearly half of all medicines contain a drug from natural origins. Here, I put a specific question to FAO. Has sufficient attention been paid to this aspect? I will repeat it - namely, nearly half of all medicines contain a drug of natural origin which has originated in a forest, yet only five percent of the plants have been studied for their medicinal value, which would be of great utility in the preservation of the health and well-being of human beings.

The cutting down of trees and forests has made areas susceptible to flood damage to such an extent that in the last decade, such damage has doubled, from 20 million hectares in 1970 to 40 million hectares in 1980. I would like to know what active steps FAO is proposing to take to check this kind of damage.

Such destruction removes many habitats which depend on tree cover. It lowers fertility levels in many regions; it increases the number of slip areas, or landslide areas by the frequency of their occurrence; it sweeps away many villages, washes away the topsoil which has been created by falling leaves for hundreds of years; it makes wildlife disappear; it results in the extinction of plant

species. Therefore, I feel that in addition to the many efforts FAO is making, there needs to be created a consciousness of all this in the mind of the general public all over the world.

As you are all too well aware, at one time India ranked high with her forest areas. We had the largest variety of tropical forests, but now we have lost much of it. As a result we have only a small percentage of productive forest left. This is why Prime Minister Gandhi was most particular about the creation of consciousness to preserve those forests, and now we have undertaken a vigorous programme of reafforestation. Malpractices by unscrupulous forest contractors and others have been greatly responsible for profit and loss accounts - huge profits for themselves, and losses for the forest by their chopping and for the poor people whom they exploit. I hope that sufficient attention is being paid to the elimination, or at least the minimizing, of such malpractices.

Large areas once afforested have been replaced by grassland, scrub, swamp, desert, agricultural land. Thanks to the initiative of our Prime Minister, a law has been passed in India to prohibit the clearance of forests for various purposes except with the permission of the Federal, or in our case the Union, Government.

The importance of foresters training institutes cannot be over-emphasized. We have a number of them, as there are in other countries. They must bring understanding to bear on these tasks, so that the odium of unwanted light in this context by the ruthless cutting down of forests can be arrested and the gracious darkness can cover and not be decimated.

In our Himalayan region, with which I am quite familiar, there are at present 60 million cubic metres of forest,butif the present rate of degradation goes on, that figure will decline to only 1.77 million cubic metres by the year 2000, by which time the population of the región will have risen four times. Therefore, urgent attention must be paid to this, because the waters of the Himalayas are responsible for many of our hydro-electric projects, and so on. It will be the case with soils as well. The stocking of forest areas has gone down and must go up again round the world. The stock of growing trees in the world is estimated - and I stand to be corrected - to cover an area of 350 000 million cubic metres,” two-thirds being hard wood and one-third soft wood. At the same time, the total annual removal rate is of the order of 2 500 million cubic metres per annum. What efforts are being made by the international community to arrest this? It cancelled out the efforts made towards actual reafforestation. Therefore, reafforestation cannot be over-stressed, particularly because forests are not only a source of revenue, but are a source of long-term investment for the survival of humanity. Therefore, the international community has a duty and a commitment to recognize this most vital fact.

Hundreds of millions of hectares of newly-created forest land will be doubled by the turn of the century as a result of the efforts of FAO and of other international organizations, and also at national levels. Clearly, afforestation must be regarded as the pioneer stage of the restoration of the forest ecosystem, which may take half to one century to establish - well over a hundred years. There are not short-term programmes. The planting of trees in millions can only be achieved through socio-technical organization and a sufficiency of funds, to which I am sure FAO gives maximum attention.

The forester has also to involve educational institutions, students, school children, youth, teachers, village workers, university students, professors of botany, who all can work together in a massive cause for tree preserving and planting activities., I am sure that FAO will try to create universal and global opinion in favour of this. Tree planting is one of the most powerful instruments for teaching ecology to our growing generation. If we take the example of our children, and each child grows one tree and looks after it - if we take the age groups of six to eighteen, 120 million trees could be planted in addition to 12 million trees planted by children up to the age of six years. When the seed has grown up into a tree of, say, two, metres high, the forestry institutions should take them back from the schools and transplant them. Tribes in the hill areas in developing countries and the armed forces by voluntary cooperation can also play their role since the tropical forests are more favourable to life than any other type, and are the oldest surviving species on earth.

However, FAO can inspire foresters to concentrate on the preservation of trees. Once trees are cut down, they cannot be replaced. Scientists like you are fully aware of the damage caused by this destruction. Millions of hectares are exposed to environmental hazards like soil erosion, water-logging, and salinating. Large tracts of pasture land are misused as an exercise ground for village cattle in many developing countries. A proper balance has to be struck between safeguarding the environment and production. More light must be thrown by FAO on this matter for the safeguarding of the environment.. There should not be indiscriminate exploitation resulting in ecological damage. Well-planned programmes to restore the ecological balance which has been so badly disturbed must be organized. Efforts should be made for the scientific development of some improved cultivated products of these regions for the economic development of the local poor people in agriculture and forest products.

There is also the aspect of the thousands of rural landless people who can be provided with help through forestry and through agriculture by the employment-guaranteed programme, which we have done so eminently in India, There is the aspect of social forestry. I do not know if this has been taken into consideration by FAO - I may have overlooked it. To my mind, the aspect of social forestry is very important. It is the effort to improve-village welfare and improve pressures on the forest lands by developing various wood-fuel-fodder-forage-food production on land untenanted by forests. However, the results of social forestry take considerable time to mature and so at times there are certain socio-economic issues as well. Our Prime Minister always used to say that social forestry would succeed only when the forest officers came out of their self-imposed boundaries and gave new insight and” dynamism to the world’s forest policy.

The lack of good management and over-grazing caused great devastation in the pastures. Special emphasis could be laid on maintenance of an inventory of plants, collection of suitable seeds for afforestation, seed germination, seeds in laboratories, distribution of fertilizers an” large-scale sowing of seeds and saplings. Today, according to my study, 1500 million live in rural areas of the world and depend on wood for most of their energy to cook their daily food and heat their homes. Forests, therefore, comprise the most vital resource on which the lives of such people depend.

Foresters can also help to identify and demarcate land suitable for agriculture -- this may not be their direct responsibility, but a way could be found by which they could assist in identifying and demarcating land suitable for agriculture, horticulture, floriculture and introducing integrated forest farming.

We must canalize community action for reafforestation, scientific agriculture and horticulture, improved post-harvest technology and for combating scourges. It must be realized that forestry and land use inalienibly linked and whether FAO has thought in terms of blending the two, land use and forestry development, and functions of the one cannot be divorced from those of the other. Economic access to food through discussions we have held earlier on different items of the agenda can also be supplemented through forestry, and the various plans of action which have been indicated and which have been discussed in the course of this expression of views on the very important subject can also include an integrated production-oriented and balanced sequential land use, renovating overgrowth and denuded grasslands, floral development alternating of grass and crops in strips, bench terracing, that is crops sown or planted on terraces along the length of terraces which can be used for grasses, counter-strip cropping, integrated nutrient supply, slow release manures and fertilizers are more suitable than quick-acting manures, and finally increased stress on animal husbandry, which will make farmyard people available for orchards, potatoes, maize near animal sheds around forest areas. Research is most vital for forestry, and we will have to fix in terms of futurology that is 2000 A.D.which is approaching so fast, and I am sure that the efforts which shall by made the FAO’s Year of Forestry combined with that of Youth will be of great assistance in this area.

K. SHIOZAWA (Japan): My comments will be on some of the matters in the Document CL 86/8 requiring the attention of the Council.

With regard to forestry beyond 2000, we agree with the views and recommendations made by the Committee on Forestry. In much of the temperate forests, management made it possible to get a continuous expanding flow of wood from a relatively stabilized forest area. On the other hand, the tropical forests have been under attack, in particular because of increasing population pressure, and agricultural activities such as shifting cultivation etc.

The destruction of tropical forest is becoming a serious problem. The maintenance and management of these forests is of utmost importance from the viewpoint of resource utilization and environmental protection. Reafforestation leads not only to the loss of timber resources for fuel and industrialized use but also to the devastation of the natural environment, with serious repercussions for agricultural production and the life of rural peoples.

My Government is fully aware of the serious situation of the tropical forest in developing countries and has provided technical assistance in order to create and rehabilitate the forest in the countries concerned.

Now I would like to refer to the proclamation of the International Year of the Forest. According to the excellent report prepared jointly by FAO/UNEP, 11.3 million hectares of tropical forest disappear every year, and a report by the UNEP estimates that 6 million hectares of land is lost annually through desertification. Furthermore, damages on temperate forests believed to be caused by acid rain are growing.

In view of the seriousness of the problems, which in the long run are likely to adversely affect not only timber production but also food production and the environment as a whole, it is very meaningful that the International Year of the Forest be proclaimed so that every country and organization make efforts towards a possible solution of these problems through coordinated activities. I therefore strongly support the proposal of the proclamation of the Year of the Forest.

With regard to the specific proposal for the proclamation of 1985 as an International Year of the Forest, we are somewhat concerned about the shortage of time needed for the preparation of the activities of the year. Therefore, we rather feel that it might be more desirable to have an International Year of the Forest in about four or five years time under the auspices of the United Nations in order to allow all governments and UN agencies sufficient time for the preparations of that year.

If the Council wishes to launch an FAO International Year of the Forest in 1985 due to the early nature of forest problems, then my delegation is only too glad to support this proposal. Even in that case my délégation feels that the possibility of having another International Year of the Forest under UN auspices need not necessarily be precluded.

In this connection, my delegation would like to suggest that the Council add the following sentence to be included in the draft resolution in CL 86/8 Sup.2.:

“Requests the Director-General, to consider the feasibility of proclaiming in the near future an International. Year of the Forest at the General Assembly of the United Nations.”

M. ABDELHADI (Tunisie): Je tiens tout d’abord à remercier M. Flores Rodas pour l’excellente présentation qu’il a faite des documents qui nous sont soumis. Ma délégation voudrait appuyer les propositions et les recommandations contenues dans le rapport de la septième Session du Comité des forêts qui nous est soumis pour examen et décision. Compte tenu de l’importance cruciale de la foresterie pour la vie de l’humanité il importe au plus haut qu’un programme d’action visant à freiner le deboisement et la désertification d’ici l’an 2000 soit conçu, que ces objectifs soient clairement définis et que les moyens pour les réaliser soient mobilises. Nous partageons en effet I’inquietude du Comité quant au deboisement excessif,à l’abandon dontles forêts continuent à souffrir et à la desertification dans des zones étendues, notamment en Afrique. Nous souscrivons à la recommandation visant à sensibiliser les consciences politiques sur l’importance cruciale de la foresterie pour l’avenir de l’humanité. A cet égard, ma délégation voudrait signaler l’importance de la foresterie dans les zones arides et les regions méditerranéennes et souscrit à toutes les recommandations du Comité dans ce sens.

A cet égard, je voudrais insister sur le fait que la FAO devrait mettre davantage l’accent sur ses programmes de terrain, sur les problèmes forestiers dans les zones arides avec tout ce que cela implique comme projets régionaux de développement forestiers et de lutte contre la desertification.

Le phénomène de desertification a été souvent évoqué lors des débats sur le problème de la situation alimentaire en Afrique. C’est dire l’importance primordiale que la FAO devrait attacher à ce problème afin de soutenir les pays touches par le phénomène, et notamment les pays du Maghreb. D’ailleurs, l’une des recommandations du Comité des, forêts s’inscrit directement dans ce sens en invitant les pays donateurs à fournir une assistance accrue à la foresterie dans les zones arides et tropicales au moyen d’arrangements multilatéraux et bilatéraux età ce que le role de chef de file de la FAO dans le secteur forestier soit encore renforcé.

En conclusion, ma délégation approuve les nombreuses recommandations du Comité contenues dans son rapport, j’en ai compté 27, et tendant à préciser toutes les dispositions prises par le Secretariat pour assurer un suivi régulier de ces recommandations.

Ma délégation appuie enfin le projet de resolution établi sur une proposition essentiellement autrichienne annexée au document qui nous est soumis, proclamant l’année 1985 comme Année Internationale de la forêt.

Je voudrais enfin saisir cette occasion pour souhaiter le plein succès au Congrès mondial des forêts qui aura lieu au Mexique, à qui nous exprimons nos vifs remerciements.

A.K. OSUBAN (Uganda): Uganda at the outset would like to endorse the conclusions of the Committee on Forestry. I wish only to highlight a few things. We believe that protection and productive management of tropical forests stet vitality to the availability of water, to the prevention of soil erosion, to the supply of energy for most of the people in developing countries and to the survival of millions of plant genetic species, as well as providing a suitable environment for agricultural development.

Therefore, our goal should be to bring tropical deforestation and its attendant ills under control and guarantee a supply of fuel wood to meet the needs of future generations which will depend on it and also ensure continued agricultural production.

Secondly, the Uganda délégation endorses -the importance of training foresters at all levels and especially research workers. We welcome the Committee’s recommendation that FAO prepares a study on the inter-relationship between forestry and food security.

Finally, we welcome the Committee’s proposals, as embodied in the resolution presented by Austria, to proclaim 1985 as the FAO International Year of the Forest, and we also support the decision of the Director-General to make the theme of 1985 FAO World Food Day Conservation and sound utilization of forest reserves.

G.M. AHMED (Sudan) (original language Arabic): We would like to thank Mr Flores Rodas, Assistant Director-General, for his complete and excellent introduction to the document related to the Seventh session of the Committee on Forestry, which contains a review of all the issues concerning forestry development, as well as many recommendations that we wholeheartedly support.

Furthermore, my délégation hopes that these recommendations will be followed-up with all donors and interested agencies, in order that the world community be able to safeguard its environment and benefit from these valuable resources.

Deforestation, occuring for different reasons, as energy, agriculture or habitat, has led unfortunately to rapid and severe desertification as well as drought in the regions bordering deserts, it has even reached the savannah, critically reducing the arable and grassland areas.

The developing countries can find no way nor issue out of this deplorable situation, since they lack the technical means, and are totally unable to operate horizontal expansion in the field of agriculture, habitat, or energy, which would provide other areas than those occupied by forests. Therefore, my délégation would suggest to intensify aid given to investments in agriculture as well as in forestry, and multiply programmes for stopping desertification through international cooperation.

We also think that issues concerning forestry planification are deeply related to food security, and we would like in this context to express our gratitude to the Director-General for the instructions he gave to carry out a study on this problem. We are looking forward to the findings, given the great importance of African countries, in the sub-Saharan region.

There will not be real awareness of all forestry issues until we bring the world attention to the destruction going on in our environment. Our délégation therefore commends the Austrian suggestion of proclaiming 1985 an International Year for Forestry.

J. MUSHARRAF (Pakistan): I would like to make only one point. The Committee on Forestry in its Report while identifying the problems of forestry beyond 2000 and suggested action programmes, has apparently, if our interpretation of the text of the document is correct, seemingly ignored one particular problem of quite major proportions and we want to point to this apparent omission. The Report has emphasized the problem of desertification in places like the Sahel and depletion of humid forests in places such as the Amazon. We welcome all these concerns because these desertifications and depletions cause a threat to the environment: of stability and the food production systems and to the likliehood and well-being of people. But no mention is made in the Report of another form of desertification, which is the desertification of the mountains in semi-tropic areas.

I refer specifically to the Himalayan region: Nepal, India and Pakistan. It doesn’t seem that these areas fall into the three categories which are listed in this Report, namely temperate, humid and arid Mediterranean. If that interpretation is correct, then it means that the operative paragraph of this Report, paragraph 34, which I read and which says “that the Committee recommended that FAO take particular note of the areas of emphasis recorded above in formulating and implementing its programme for the forestry sector”.

This would therefore mean the semi-tropic mountain areas will not be a part of the work programme of the FAO in future. This we consider quite unfortunate, since it is as much a grave problem, just as desertification is a creeping problem, the denudation of the Himalayan Forest is as much a creeping and advancing problem which affects our región to a very large extent and has the same great implications in terms of environment and stability for the food production stability and the livelihood and wellbeing of peoples in our country. Therefore we would like to emphasize the importance of this issue for our countries and highlight it. People have ignored that the Himalayas provide the catchment to our Indus irrigation system which has such a potential for food production that it has been described by some people as the Indus food machine. This Indus food machine, because of the desertification of the Himalayas, is likely to be almost extinct and a threat to the very existence of the Indus irrigation civilization through silting to floods and so on.

Once the topsoil is lost it becomes irreversible. Water can be created, underground water, salinization; we can even make rain, but creation and transportation of topsoil and soil is probably a far more difficult engineering problem than the creation and transportation of water. Therefore I want to emphasize this. The fundamental underlying cause perhaps is the biotic pressure which everyone knows is pressure of people on the forests and the destruction that they cause to it. Hence perhaps the fundamental solution and the need is what Dr Swaminathan very rightly pointed out in the case of crops in a previous session. Some sort of social engineering is necessary, ecological agriculture and ecological forestry where people get organized into groups, and the government organizes the people and some sort of incentive system is created, some sort of mechanism to create incentives and to remove disincentives, etc. Something similar to this sort of idea is in fact mentioned in paragraph 32 of this Report where they talk of removing disincentives, buth we have not come out with solutions to this problem of biotic pressure. We have to admit that the traditional methods have failed. We have the forestry departments, and it is the forestry department and the people situation; somehow to create a mechanism where people start getting a stake in the forestry. We just do not have the mechanisms, as Dr Swaminathan has said; it is a problem for the social sciences.

Other prescriptions, technology, suitable species like a domestic plant for an arid zone, etc. alternatives to fuelwood as a source of energy when the distinguished Ambassador of India probably suggested pipe gas, but I do not think that is very practical in all the areas; programmes and projects of various types as in the FAO programmes, which are listed or mentioned in this document from which, hopefully, India will not be excluded. But particularly usefulness is what I think is suggested in paragraphs 13, 16 and 17, or rather the recommendations in 16 and 17, in which the report talks of the need to carry out comparative analysis of successful developments to give publicity to success stories and to disseminate the lessons on successful projects. I think this itself would be extremely helpful for countries like ours.

With these brief observations, I would like to say that we support this report except for the proviso that the explicit cognizance, the desertification of the mountains, should be taken cognizance of in the report. Secondly, as regards the International Year of the Forest, I think I personally would prefer this other alternative of having an international year because somehow it sounded more dramatic than the other alternative, and the idea perhaps is mainly propaganda value, so I would support the idea of the international year.

P.H. GRUE (Norway): My delegation is also on this Agenda item speaking on behalf of the three other Nordic countries which are represented here by observer delegations. The Nordic delegations are alarmed by the rapid depletion of tropical forests. Half of mankind is dependent on energy from wood in order to cook their food. The forests represent a great part of the world’sgenetic resources and the forests are a source of raw materials for a range of industries and products.

My delegation agrees with what is stated in document CL 86/8 that the potential contribution of forests to human welfare and food security has never been greater.

I think there is no need here to repeat further the discussion that took place in COFO on this subject as it is well documented in the report.

We do however want to underline with reference to paragraph 31 of the COFO report the need for an action programme aimed at reducing tropical deforestation and control of desertification before the year 2000.

We also give our full support to paragraph 32 on the reorientation of forestry programmes in the direction of rural development and the integration of social goals with productive and protective objectives.

We are glad to note that paragraph 47 underlines further emphasis within the programme on greater participation of the local population in the benefits of forestry. In some fields our delegations would like to see a closer cooperation between agriculturists and forest resources managers and the enhancement of agro-forestry projects. One’example or possible useful cooperation is what is mentioned in paragraph 21, namely research concerning anti-desertification methods and identification of drought resistant tree species.

For the first time in its history the Regional Conference for Europe devoted a full day to discussion on the alarming situation facing European forests. In north and middle parts of Europe the most dangerous threat to the forests is the acid rain and the pollution across boundaries. In southern Europe the forests are threatened by forest fires. Protection of the forest resource was a common theme of the Conference that also adopted a number of recommendations for the attention of governments and of FAO.Inter alia the Conference recommended that international cooperation be increased, especially through existing bodies and mechanisms such as the European Forestry Commission and its working groups, and the Economic Commission for Europe, particularly its Timber Committee. We trust that the already ongoing cooperations between FAO and the ECE will be. further strengthened.

My delegation also recognized that the Committee urges FAO to strengthen its efforts in conservation of gene pools or native species in their dry zones. The Committee further stressed the need of expanding field activities and research on tree species suitable for arid zone forestry. My delegation welcomes these initiatives from the Committee.

At the last FAO Conference a number of ministers and heads of delegations, among them ministers from the Nordic countries, strongly favoured an increase in the budget devoted to forestry activities. At this stage when the FAO is preparing its Programme of Work and Budget for the next biennium, 1986-87, my délégation would like to reiterate its strong appeal.

In document 86/8, Sup. 1 and 2, the Director-General has proposed several actions to give special recognition to the forest as a global concern. The first proposal is to pay attention to the process of disappearance and degradation of forests during the year 1985. The Ninth World Forestry Congress in México will be a fundamental basis for a strong marking of the problems which have our deep concern. My délégation supports this proposal of giving special recognition to the forestry problems in 1985. The second proposal from the Director-General is that the Council may wish to declare 1985 the International Year of the, Forest. In this connection I have some remarks which I feel are important. In the Nordic countries we already have some experience of forest years. For example in Finland and Sweden, 1983 was a year of the forest. As to gaining some positive concrete results they had to prepare this year of forestry very actively one to two years beforehand.

We think that if a year were declared for a very good purpose we should succeed in the goals of the year. Success provides that the year should be organized and prepared properly. Otherwise we may have negative effects instead of positive ones. Owing to our experience in the Nordic countries it is very hard to succeed in organizing a year of forest if you have less than one to two years time for preparation, although you have ready channels and organization for it.

We would also like to note that the General Assembly already has decided that 1985 will be the Year of Youth. Further it is decided that 1986 will be the Year of Peace, and 1987 the Year of Shelter for the Homeless.

I think that they are experienced with years of forest in our countries, and the last international years (both proclaimed and proposed) prove that it would be sensible to postpone the declaration of the International Year of Forest.

J.D.L.RICHARDS (New Zealand): As, Council representative for the Southwest Pacific Region my délégation would like to place on record the value we attach to the work of the Committee on Forestry and the work of the Forestry Department, but because, it is so late at night I shall be very brief in the points that I want to make.

First, we strongly support the effort to reverse the deterioration in the world’s forests reserves which the Report so clearly highlights. We attach particular importance to recommendations 16 and 52 dealing with the inter-relationship of the forestry and food problems and the resulting need for an integrated approach to the issue. We support the recommendation in paragraph 53 on the need for efficiency with the projects at both the country and agency level. We believe care should be taken to ensure that new FAO initiatives are integrated with those of other agencies.

We fully support the recommendation in paragraph 16 which calls for what might be described as forest conservation success stories to be highlighted.

Finally, we share other delegations’ views that it is desirable to draw attention to and dramatize the importance of forestry and the problems that it is facing by taking particular action. We like the idea of giving special recognition to forestry in 1985, partly because of the pressing nature of action required and because of the World Forestry Congress to be held in México. As to declaring 1985 the International Year of the Forest we see pros and cons but would be ready to go along with a consensus view.

H.J.H.TALEYARKHAN (India): I just wanted one expression of certainty about the celebration and observation of the Year 1985. While we entirely go along with it, there should be some assurance that the work which will be done in that particular year will have a link of continuity in the future. It should not end with the year 1985; there should be no slackness or slackening about it. That is what I wanted to mention.

The meeting rose at 20.15 hours
La seance est levee à 20 h 15
Se levanta la sesion a las 20.15 horas