EL PRESIDENTE: Buenos días. Espero que hayan logrado descansar. Me permito abrir la tercera sesión plenaria de nuestros trabajos. Tenemos para el día de hoy la finalización del tratamiento de los temas 4 y 5, y seguidamente estudiaremos el Tema 6, que comprende tres subtemas.
Les anuncio que el observador por Zimbabwe nos ha entregado su declaración por escrito, que será incluida en el verbatim de este Consejo.
Zhang XIGUI (China) (Original language Chinese): Allow me, on behalf of the Chinese delegation, to commend the Secretariat for preparing the excellent document CL 107/2. I should also like to thank Mr Hjort for his brief introduction to this Agenda item. This is an excellent document, informative and analytical.
As is pointed out in the document, global food production in 1993 was not as good as expected, there being a decrease of 1.2 percent compared with 1992, although this was mainly due to a reduction in the developed countries. However, the state of food production and agriculture in the developing countries does not allow us to be optimistic. In 1993 output in the developing countries witnessed an increase of about 1.7 percent, which is lower than the growth in population and substantially lower than the 2.7 percent increase in 1992, 2 percent in 1991 and 4.1 percent in 1990, respectively.
The analysis of the economic environment for global agricultural development and the reviews by region are well described in the relevant paragraphs of the document. We would stress here the issue of food security in the low-income food-deficit countries, which is of great concern to us. We are very concerned about the continuous shortage of food in Africa, especially in East Africa. Meanwhile it should be pointed out that the economy in Asia as a whole shows a satisfactory growth momentum in general. Nevertheless, 75 percent of the world's poor are still found in Asia.
We are of the view that food security in developing countries depends, first of all, on the developing countries themselves. Efforts should be made to develop their capacity for self-reliance. At the same time we also need a fair and just international economic and trade environment.
I would also stress the importance of external assistance for the sustained development of agriculture in developing countries. Unfortunately commitments for external assistance continue to decline. Document CL 107/2 shows that in 1992 commitments for external assistance to agriculture were about US$7 billion, a drop of 6.6 percent from the previous year at constant prices, and a 42 percent decline from the peak levels of 1986.
In this regard we should like to refer in particular to the Special Programme aimed at strengthening food security in low-income food-deficit countries which was adopted at the last Council Session. We are pleased to note that the Special Programme is one of the priorities of FAO. We also endorse the concrete form of implementation through the selection of model regions. It should be stressed that the programme should be complemented by other multilateral and bilateral donations and investment.
We are of the view that the awareness of food security issues in low-income food-deficit countries should be enhanced globally. External assistance to developing countries should also be further increased at the same time.
The Uruguay Round of GATT Multilateral Trading negotiations started in 1986 and finally concluded in April 1994 as the Final Act. We have taken note that the directly related provisions of the Final Act are the Agreement on Agriculture and the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary Measures. we welcome implementation of the Agreement on Agriculture starting from 1995, and we believe that it will be conducive to the reduction of agricultural trade distortions so that agricultural resources will be better utilised and international agriculture will be further promoted. It should be especially pointed out that the conditions concerning the developing countries and the relevant special provisions should be met and carried out, bearing in mind the adverse effect of the least developed and the food net importing countries due to trade liberalisation measures and reduction of subsidies. It is our hope that FAO will conduct more studies to ensure the interests of developing countries during the implementation of the Agreement.
We are very pleased to see that with regard to regional review the document before us contains in-depth analyses and studies on the development and prospects of Chinese agriculture in recent years. The Government of China always attaches importance to the policy advice provided by FAO, and also wishes to strengthen our cooperation with FAO in this field. As a matter of fact, the major issues mentioned in this document concerning agricultural development in China, such as population, rural enterprises, and skilled economy in land management, also are major considerations for our agricultural policies. We would like to further cooperate with FAO and work together on these issues. Meanwhile, we are also willing to explore solutions to these problems together with other Member States who also share the experience developing the sustainable agriculture.
Julio LUCINI CASALES (España): Sr. Presidente, permítanos, en primer lugar, agradecer a la Secretaría de la FAO la confección de los documentos CL 107/2 y CL 107/2-Sup. 1 que tan amplia y detallada información proporcionan para conocer el estado mundial de la agricultura y la alimentación en los momentos actuales.
Pretendemos en nuestra intervención hacer unos breves comentarios a algunos aspectos concretos del primer documento citado que han llamado nuestra atención, documento que creemos es de gran utilidad para situar la realidad actual de los temas agrarios y alimentarios.
En primer lugar, nos parece acertada la inclusión en el apartado "Cuestiones escogidas" de dos temas de total actualidad como son el "Síndrome de inmunodeficiencia adquirida" conocido como SIDA y la repercusión de la concentración "de gases de invernadero" en el cambio climático.
En relación con el primero de ellos, el SIDA, creemos muy acertada la exposición que se hace en cuanto a la situación mundial en la actualidad así como las referencias tan acertadas a la repercusión de esta terrible enfermedad en la agricultura, en la seguridad alimentaria mundial y en las familias campesinas, especialmente en países en desarrollo.
No obstante, creemos que el documento, que expone y analiza muy bien el problema, aporta pocas soluciones concretas en las que inspirar en cada país las medidas a adoptar dentro de sus políticas agrarias para compartir con el resto de las instancias gubernamentales el esfuerzo conjunto a hacer para detener el avance de la enfermedad.
Estamos seguros que la experiencia contrastada de entendimiento y de planteamientos conjuntos en numerosas acciones entre la FAO y la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) permitiría concretar estas acciones. Todos los países aceptarían con agrado tales propuestas concretas para establecer, desde sus departamentos de agricultura, programas que llevar al medio rural con los que colaborar a eliminar las amenazas a que el SIDA tiene sometida a la población mundial.
En cuanto al segundo de los temas mencionados, la repercusión de la concentración "de gases de invernadero" en el cambio climático, la Delegación Española desea hacer unos breves comentarios.
Coincidimos plenamente en lo que se expone en el punto 59 del documento en cuanto a que los conocimientos actuales no hacen aconsejable emprender acciones concretas y costosas en los países en desarrollo, que, si bien serían eficaces, no se puede estar seguro de que estén justificadas dado el elevado coste requerido y el apremio financiero para atender a necesidades alimentarias y agrícolas manifiestas en tales países.
Ahora bien, existen posibilidades de actuación que en general requieren un esfuerzo económico razonable y que, sin duda, pueden colaborar en el control del agravamiento de la mencionada concentración de gases de invernadero.
Dentro de este abanico de posibilidades cabría destacar la lucha contra los incendios forestales que, como es sabido, tiene como objetivo evitar y corregir las consecuencias desastrosas que aquellos causan en muchas regiones del planeta, siendo claro que el tema está exigiendo un esfuerzo de la comunidad internacional.
La destrucción de los residuos de las cosechas de forma ordenada sin recurrir al fuego, la lucha contra la deforestación, etc. pueden servirnos igualmente de ejemplos.
La mayor parte de estas actuaciones no son sino prácticas culturales más beneficiosas que las que normalmente se vienen utilizando. Incluso algunas de ellas pueden quedar recogidas en legislaciones nacionales o reglamentaciones locales, siendo indudable su aspecto beneficioso en relación con el problema que nos ocupa. La labor de información y la de convencimiento de las instancias oportunas podría formar parte de las actuaciones de las unidades de campo de la FAO en aquellos países y lugares que se consideren apropiados.
Como se indica repetidas veces en el documento CL 107/2 y en concreto en el punto 78 del mismo, es imprescindible la necesidad de investigación en estos aspectos. La insistencia y la colaboración de todos, y muy particularmente de la FAO, se debe convertir en motor y respaldo de tal investigación.
Para terminar nuestra intervención, comentaremos algunos aspectos sobre los apartados que los documentos que amparan los temas 4 y 5 dedican a la Ronda Uruguay de Negociaciones Comerciales Multilaterales del GATT.
Si bien es cierto que quedan determinados aspectos por definir para conocer la forma de actuación concreta de la nueva Organización Mundial de Comercio (OMC), sucesora del GATT, no es menos cierto que el Acta Final firmada en Marrakech el pasado mes de abril permite entender cual puede ser el apoyo de organizaciones multilaterales como la FAO en el éxito que todos deseamos que alcance el nuevo orden comercial mundial que se busca con este esfuerzo.
Las actividades de la FAO, bien en solitario o bien participando junto a otras Agencias o Programas de Naciones Unidas, en temas de seguridad y ayuda alimentaria hacen inexcusable que su voz se oiga en ciertos aspectos recogidos en el Acta Final de la referida Ronda Uruguay. Los puntos 93, 94 y 97 del documento CL 107/2 apuntan algunos de ellos: la ayuda alimentaria en general, los niveles de excedentes, los niveles de seguridad, etc. Es indudable la inestimable colaboración que la experiencia de la FAO puede aportar a los distintos problemas que la nueva Organización Mundial de Comercio va a abordar.
De la misma forma, el Acuerdo sobre Medidas Sanitarias y Fitosanitarias que se incorpora a la nueva Organización Mundial de Comercio va a requerir criterios, orientaciones y recomendaciones internacionales, como se dice en el punto 98 del documento, que en alguna medida coinciden con experiencias anteriores de la FAO en los trabajos que inició hace ya casi 50 años.
Hay que mostrarse moderadamente cautos ante unos resultados que todavía están por demostrarse, y que, en cualquier caso, no serán igualmente beneficiosos para todos y cada uno de los países en desarrollo. En estas condiciones, el estudio pormenorizado de las repercusiones de las medidas que se pondrán en marcha y las repercusiones sobre cada uno de los países, especialmente los países en desarrollo, así como las orientaciones precisas e individualizadas a dar a los mismos es el verdadero reto a que debe responder la FAO para seguir constituyendo un punto básico de referencia donde apoyar las nuevas políticas agrarias de numerosos países.
Para terminar, queremos hacer resaltar el posible conflicto en que se puede entrar si por una parte se da una importancia extrema a los aumentos de productividad para garantizar la seguridad alimentaria mundial y por
otra parte, y sin conexión alguna, se pretende avanzar con rapidez en los conceptos de conservación del medio ambiente y agricultura sostenible.
Esta preocupación queda patente en todo el apartado III del documento CL 107/10, si bien las soluciones quedan sólo tímidamente apuntadas en el mismo.
Instamos a la FAO a que profundice en dichas soluciones estudiando y aportando fórmulas globales que afecten tanto a países en desarrollo como a países desarrollados así como a zonas de alto, medio y bajo potencial de producción, de forma que ambos objetivos, seguridad alimentaria y sostenibilidad queden amparados y equilibrados.
Salah HAMDI (Tunisie) (Langue originale arabe): Au début de mon intervention j'aimerais remercier le Secrétariat de l'Organisation pour les documents si riches soumis à l'examen de cette session du Conseil.
J'aimerais remercier tout particulièrement le Sous-Directeur général, M. Hjort, pour sa présentation si claire du document concernant la situation mondiale de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture en 1994.
J'aimerais également remercier le Comité de la sécurité alimentaire mondiale, et particulièrement le Rapporteur de ce Comité pour le rapport de la 19e session détaillé et très complet qui nous a été présenté.
Permettez-moi aussi de remercier le Directeur général pour son intervention si riche et si précieuse au début de nos travaux.
Nous devons mentionner la situation très grave que nous constatons après la lecture des documents proposés au Conseil. Cette situation est particulièrement grave dans plusieurs régions du monde, notamment les pays de l'Afrique subsaharienne, de l'Europe centrale et orientale.
Malgré cette situation, nous restons optimistes en raison des signes positifs encourageants, que nous constatons dans les pays industrialisés, que ce soit en Amérique du Nord ou en Europe. Ces signes sont encourageants car nous espérons que la reprise économique aura des répercussions positives sur l'économie mondiale et sur la croissance de l'économie des pays en développement. Nous espérons que les exportations vont augmenter, que les termes de l'échange vont s'améliorer, et que la valeur des exportations des produits agricoles et des produits de base des pays en développement va augmenter dans le cadre d'une transparence des échanges internationaux, en vertu des principes énoncés dans l'Acte final d'Uruguay Round et dans les autres documents signés à Marrakech en avril 1994, y compris l'Accord de création de l'Organisation mondiale du commerce.
Il est donc vrai que nous restons optimistes et nous espérons que la coopération internationale et la solidarité vont se poursuivre, que les pays industrialisés ainsi que les institutions financières internationales vont continuer à aider les pays en développement et notamment les pays les plus pauvres.
Nous aimerions attirer l'attention sur la situation extrêmement grave que nous constatons dans de nombreux pays d'Afrique, d'Europe centrale et d'Europe de l'Est, et dans certains les pays du Proche-Orient, en ce qui concerne l'alimentation.
La Tunisie qui assume la présidence de l'Organisation de l'Unité africaine en la personne du Président Ben Ali, souligne tout particulièrement la gravité du déficit alimentaire dans certains pays de l'Afrique subsaharienne et surtout de l'Afrique de l'Est, tel que cela a été mentionné dans le document soumis au Conseil.
Au moment où nous affirmons la nécessité d'adopter des approches visant l'autosuffisance au niveau régional et national, ainsi que l'ont dit les chefs d'Etats et de gouvernements africains lors du sommet de Tunis en juin dernier, nous voyons que la situation est si grave dans certains pays qu'il est nécessaire de réaffirmer la nécessité d'intensifier la coopération internationale pour résoudre, à un niveau bilatéral et multilatéral ces crises extrêmement graves, pour éviter les dangers qui menacent certaines communautés humaines et pour aider les gouvernements à adopter les politiques nécessaires et les réformes structurelles qui s'imposent pour trouver des solutions radicales aux graves problèmes qui les menacent.
Certains pays d'Afrique et d'autres pays en développement ont enregistré au cours de ces dernières années des résultats tout à fait satisfaisants en ce qui concerne le développement économique et agricole dans le cadre de politiques et de stratégies nationales, de programmes de réformes structurelles, en coopération avec les organisations internationales telles que la FAO et le PAM, le Fonds international de développement agricole, le Programme des Nations Unies pour le développement, ainsi que d'autres organisations internationales.
La Tunisie compte parmi les pays qui ont adopté une politique de développement économique global et intégré et des politiques sectorielles basées sur le développement durable dans tous les secteurs, y compris le secteur agricole. Le secteur agricole en Tunisie joue un rôle extrêmement positif dans le processus de développement grâce aux excellents résultats enregistrés au cours des dernières années, sauf en 1994 où nous avons vu une certaine régression dans quelques secteurs de l'agriculture à cause de la sécheresse dont nous avons souffert. Grâce à cette politique volontariste que nous mettons en oeuvre, le niveau de développement est tout à fait satisfaisant en Tunisie. Au cours des trois premières années du Plan quinquennal en cours, la croissance économique en Tunisie a atteint presque 5 pour cent en monnaie constante. Nous espérons que ce taux de croissance pourra être maintenu et amélioré au cours des prochaines années.
Ce que nous voulons réaliser n'est pas simple, et nous le savons. Nous en sommes conscients, étant donné les difficultés que nous rencontrons tous les jours, mais nous ne devons pas perdre la foi. Nous devons garder confiance dans nos capacités et les moyens qui peuvent être mobilisés dans le cadre de la coopération internationale pour sauvegarder la paix et la sécurité. Dans la coopération internationale basée sur les intérêts communs, et les relations internationales globales basées sur les principes nobles qui doivent être la base du nouveau système économique mondial, le rôle de la FAO est extrêmement important.
Nous remercions l'Organisation pour l'aide fournie aux programmes mis en oeuvre, et pour la bonne gestion de ces programmes.
Nous pensons également que l'Organisation assume une responsabilité à la mesure des défis auxquels elle doit faire face. Cette organisation est responsable du développement agricole dans le monde, et elle peut faire face à ses responsabilités en renforçant les programmes de coopération technique dans les pays en développement, en les diversifiant, en les adaptant aux besoins des pays concernés. L'Organisation peut intensifier les activités qui visent à renforcer la sécurité alimentaire, améliorer la production et la productivité dans les secteurs agricoles, rationaliser l'exploitation des ressources agricoles et la protection contre les maladies.
A cet égard, tout en rendant hommage aux initiatives du Directeur général dans le cadre des programmes de sécurité alimentaire, de lutte contre les maladies, de lutte contre le criquet pèlerin, j'aimerais affirmer au nom des pays du Maghreb tout particulièrement l'importance de ce programme EMPRESS et l'importance des stratégies préventives pour trouver une solution radicale au criquet pèlerin. Nous pensons qu'il est nécessaire d'étendre l'application de ce programme aux pays de l'Afrique du Nord et de l'Ouest, car ces régions souffrent grandement de la présence de criquet pèlerin. Nous pensons que la prévention est le meilleur moyen pour résoudre un problème aussi grave.
Les criquets pèlerins n'ont pas encore été éradiqués jusqu'à maintenant malgré les campagnes successives menées par les pays concernés avec l'aide de la FAO. C'est pourquoi nous affirmons qu'il est nécessaire de renforcer et d'intensifier l'effort de participation de l'organisation et de mettre à la disposition des Etats Membres les moyens matériels et humains ainsi que les moyens techniques au niveau national, au niveau régional et au niveau international afin de mener à bien le programme en vue d'éradiquer les criquets pèlerins. La lutte contre la désertification et la protection des ressources en eau sont des problèmes auxquels doivent faire face un certain nombre de pays africains particulièrement les pays limitrophes du Sahara. Cela exige des efforts soutenus, cela exige l'adoption de projets et de programmes dans le cadre du programme d'action de l'organisation afin que la FAO puisse aider les pays à combattre la désertification, à protéger leurs ressources en eau et à pouvoir assurer leurs besoins alimentaires.
J'aimerais enfin mentionner les répercussions de l'acte final du GATT et de la libéralisation du commerce mondial sur les pays en développement, particulièrement les pays qui souffrent de déficits structurels de leurs balances commerciales alimentaires en raison de l'augmentation prévue ou prévisible des prix de certains produits agricoles importés comme les céréales. Cela ne peut qu'avoir des répercussions négatives sur la sécurité alimentaire dans ces pays.
Au moment où nous exprimons notre appui aux orientations qui visent à libéraliser l'économie mondiale nous affirmons qu'il est nécessaire qu'il y ait plus de transparence dans les échanges commerciaux actuels. Nous affirmons qu'il est nécessaire de prendre en compte la situation de certains pays et qu'il est impératif d'intensifier et de renforcer le rôle de la FAO dans l'étude des répercussions possibles de l'acte final du GATT sur les pays en développement afin de mettre en lumière les éléments d'équilibre entre la libéralisation du commerce mondial et le renforcement de la sécurité alimentaire.
Mrs Mária KADLECIKOVA (Slovakia): The Slovak Republic greatly appreciates the opportunity at the 107th Council to evaluate such an important issue as the State of Food and Agriculture 1994 in the world. After studying the precisely-prepared document and listening to the high-level discussion by the member countries, we are convinced that the involvement of such a matter by the FAO Council calls for important action.
The fact that agriculture and food production has failed during recent years in some parts of Africa and countries of the sub-region of Central and Eastern Europe, is visible and alarming. While the African region suffers due to the civil wars and disasters, the Central and Eastern European countries are harmed due to the transition of its economy. Restructuring of the economies of the centrally-managed system to the market-oriented one was so expected and promising from our side. Western countries motivated us with promising challenges before the whole process had been launched. The achieved results of several positive features have a common denominator in the rapidly-failing agricultural production and the decline of food security in the subregion. It is obvious that for Europe it is not a favourable sign that a reasonable number of countries are fighting with previously unknown difficulties which lead to the worsening state of competitiveness in the world.
For this, and for many other reasons, the Slovak Republic has a firm interest in unifying its agricultural policy into the integrated European system with the intention of creating a realistic starting point for gradually approaching high-level, efficient and modern food and agricultural production in the whole region. The natural involvement of the unified agricultural system should start from the common agricultural programmes which represent a joint interest and effort in environmental aspects necessary for development. The progressive point for cooperation on a regional basis represents the following activities which are the focus of FAO's conceptual policy: a trade and commodity policy in the light of the GATT Agreements; food quality; and sustainable agriculture and forestry. It should be remembered that Europe is one region and among its rivers, forests and air it is impossible to create safe frontiers. Political constraints on cooperation are already overcome. Now is the time for the defining of common interests for regional development, environmental protection and understanding.
Allow me to continue with information on the status of the agricultural and food sector in the national economy of the Slovak Republic.
The strategy of Slovak agrarian policy is anchored in the document The Concept and Principles of Agrarian Policy which was approved by the Slovak Parliament in July 1993. This document clearly states Slovakia's orientation towards a market economy and states the necessity to modify the impact of market influences in order to achieve several other objectives. In this regard, our agrarian policy follows the priorities of the agrarian policy of the European Union, especially the system of support measures.
Considering the specific position and importance of agriculture in food security for the population, in the management of natural resources and in the realization of its social, non-productive functions, the National Council of the Slovak Republic declared agriculture a high priority in Slovakia's economic policy.
Some signs of stabilization can be observed in agriculture. Producer prices have increased slightly in comparison with last year. Further cost restriction measures led quickly to the relative improvement of economic results in 1993. Economic losses in primary production enterprises in 1993 were lower than in 1992.
Detailed analysis revealed a group of progressive enterprises which were able to achieve consistently good results despite the complicated economic situation. Political and economic measures implemented during this
period certainly contributed to the positive results. However, at the micro-economic level there is still a tension in intra-enterprise financial situations and financial insolvency continues.
If adequate investment conditions arise, Slovak agriculture has every intention to play a strategically important and active role in national economy. It may create job opportunities, initiate the founding of new entrepreneurial activities and become a catalyst for the development of related sectors. As in many other countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Slovakia must pay attention to the solution of problems in domestic and foreign trade.
The Uruguay Round of GATT stated that as from 1995 only tariffs will be employed. However, serious market disturbances will cause us to implement temporary protection measures. In 1993 the highest volume of imports was in cereals, tropical fruits, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, tobacco and tobacco products and feed mixture components. In exports, commodities such as live animals, milk and milk products and cereals were important.
Preliminary evaluation of the GATT Uruguay Round concerning agricultural trade with Slovakia indicates that Slovakia's domestic production is exposed to higher competition from foreign producers. For the time being, there is the possibility of a more visible presence of Slovak products in foreign markets.
The basic priorities in legislation for the period until the end of 1995 come from the strategic objectives of agricultural policy which attempts to harmonize our legislation gradually with that of the European Union and other developed countries.
From that point of view, legal acts concerning the quality of foods and other agricultural products, and accomplishing the transformation of land ownership relations, have special importance. The highest priority in legislation is to complete the Agricultural Law. That will codify the place of agriculture in the national economy, its relation to the creation of the state budget and legislative frameworks for the agrarian market. A legal provision on the agricultural credits system will be elaborated to address the existing need for a special credit system for agriculture.
In the light of agricultural research, the extension of information systems and education we welcome and highly appreciate the initiative of the Director-General to involve our countries in the network of TCDC on behalf of a revitalization of interrupted links among reasonable institutions from the whole sub-region. Slovakia has already signed the necessary agreement.
Mr Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, let me conclude my country's presentation with the following official standpoint. On behalf of those interests wishing to achieve consensus in the sub-regional office for Europe, the Slovak Republic has announced at the Council Session and to the Director-General that it will withdraw its candidature for hosting the sub-regional office. The Slovak Republic will support the country which is the typical representative of the sub-region in accordance with future goals. During the former economic system the majority of private farms food and agricultural production reached high levels in huge combines. We are in favour of the country which has the highest level of agricultural marketing and is open to effective cooperation and discussion on this matter with each country in the sub-region. We are in favour of Poland and we are calling for the achieving of consensus in our sub-region.
Thank you very much for giving me the floor on this subject.
Raphael RABE (Madagascar): Ayant participé intensivement aux travaux de la dix-neuvième session du Comité de la sécurité alimentaire mondial, la délégation de Madagascar fera une intervention brève.
En effet, elle fait sien le rapport du Comité objet du document CL 107/10 et ne fera donc pas de commentaires à son endroit. Quant aux autres documents à savoir CL 107/2 et CL 107/2 - Sup.1, à l'instar des délégations qui se sont déjà exprimées, nous apprécions leurs qualité et reconnaissons leur utilité. Des sujets et des événements qui ont une influence considérable sur la situation de la sécurité alimentaire, aussi bien au plan mondial que dans les pays, sont analysés correctement ce qui facilite la recherche et la mise en oeuvre de solutions adéquates. Nous aussi sommes convaincus qu'il y a lieu de suivre de très près l'évaluation du SIDA qui est plus qu'un problème de santé, car ses effets sociaux et économiques à long terme sur la
sécurité alimentaire, sur la protection agricole et les économies nationales sont incommensurables. Il faudra être aussi en mesure de dégager les conséquences sur les pays en voie de développement en général et sur les pays les moins avancés en particulier, de l'application des dispositions de l'acte final de l'Uruguay Round et faire ressortir les avantages et les inconvénients qui en découleront.
Bien entendu, il y a toujours les problèmes de la dette extérieure écrasante des pays en voie de développement, et de la détérioration continue et inquiétante des termes de l'échange. Enfin, il faudra s'assurer que les pays en voie de développement bénéficieront eux aussi des nouvelles technologies et tireront un juste profit des dispositions des conventions sur la diversité biologique, sur le climat et sur la désertification.
La délégation malgache, comme de nombreuses délégations d'ailleurs, est impatiente de connaître les solutions que le Secrétariat est en mesure de proposer face à ces problèmes qu'il a ainsi clairement identifiés et décrits. Nous sommes certains que nous aurons satisfaction car, d'ores et déjà, nous apercevons une lumière à l'horizon après avoir écouté le discours inaugural du Directeur général. Des actions concrètes appropriées ont été indiquées qui permettront, sinon de redresser la situation agricole alimentaire dans beaucoup de nos pays, du moins d'y relancer le développement correspondant. Nous avons, au cours de la session spéciale du Conseil, appuyé très chaleureusement le Programme spécial de production alimentaire à l'appui de la sécurité alimentaire dans les pays à faible revenu et à déficit vivrier car ce programme vise à faire sauter le goulot d'étranglement qui entrave l'amélioration de la production et de la productivité.
Cinq mois seulement après la programmation par le conseil du programme spécial, on constate avec plaisir que des actions concrètes ont été engagées. Je cite: le cadre conceptuel du programme est défini ainsi que ses objectifs, sa stratégie et ses modalités opérationnelles. Afin de mobiliser le maximum de ressources tous les partenaires potentiels de l'organisation ont été approchés - organisations, institutions financières internationales et donateurs bilatéraux. La Banque mondiale et le PNUD ont déjà répondu positivement nous indique-t-on. L'Union européenne quant à elle, par la voix de l'honorable délégué de l'Allemagne vient de manifester la disponibilité de l'Union à collaborer avec la FAO dans la réalisation de projets au titre du programme spécial sur la sécurité alimentaire. Nous ne pouvons que nous en féliciter, nous sommes certains que le Secrétariat en fera écho sans délai. Il est indiqué également avec satisfaction que le secteur privé et les organisations non gouvernementales seront partie prenante dans le programme. Soixante dix-huit pays à faible revenu et à déficit vivrier sont concernés par ce programme. C'est dire la dimension importante sinon énorme des efforts et des moyens qui sont requis. C'est la raison pour laquelle d'ailleurs le Directeur général ne néglige aucun partenaire potentiel. Nous sommes convaincus qu'il réussira car la communauté internationale dans son sens le plus large le soutiendra et répondra à ses appels qui en vérité sont les nôtres.
Notre délégation est convaincue que les priorités indiquées par le Directeur général dans son discours et les mesures qu'il a prises et compte prendre dans le futur pour renforcer l'Organisation elle-même et, bien entendu, les capacités nationales, contribueront à améliorer la production agricole alimentaire dans les pays où, malheureusement, l'insécurité alimentaire est encore la règle.
Alvaro GURGEL DE ALENCAR (Brazil): Mr Chairman, without taking up too much of the Council's time, let me say once more how happy we are to work once again under your chairmanship. I would like also to make a brief reference to the statement made by the Director-General as it bears on some of the points covered by Items 4 and 5.
I would like to thank the Director-General for his very concise and yet very informative statement. We are happy to see that revitalization of our Organization is proceeding as expected along the lines approved by the Council last June. We would like in particular to praise his practice of continuing consultations with member countries regarding the most important aspects of the work of the Organization as reflected, for instance, in the recent consultations on the short, medium and long-term plans, and also the request for the opinions of member countries regarding the setting up of the agenda with the five main committees of FAO dealing with substantive matters.
Finally, still in that context, I would like to single out the reference that the Director-General has made to technical cooperation among developing countries, to indicate that Brazil also is preparing to sign the agreement on TCDC proposed by FAO, as have other 26 other Member Nations.
So in turning now specifically to Items 4 and 5, I would like first of all to congratulate the Secretariat on this report. We appreciate its multi-disciplinary nature and the attempt to encompass all pertinent and relevant aspects of the problem of food and agriculture. Food security being a top priority for the Brazilian Government, we of course are gravely concerned with the situations under the category of food shortages and emergencies such as appear in the document and are listed on page 6. We are particularly concerned with the situation of some of the countries mentioned, like African countries, for instance, Angola, Mozambique, Rwanda, and we have heard in this general debate the comments of the distinguished representative of Cape Verde on this situation of his country. We on the Brazilian side support the effort being made in the field of TCDC, of technical cooperation among developing countries - we on our side, within the limits of our capability, of course, would be quite prepared to consider the possible TCDC projects with FAO in these and other countries.
One particular remark I would like to make refers to the footnote on page 33 on the ongoing controversy on the so-called low-wage countries. We find the content of that footnote on page 33 to be quite appropriate and quite in line with what is seen by us as sound reasoning in this matter.
Another point we would like to single out is the reference on page 47, paragraph 80, to the question of carbon free energy, as it were. We have special interest in the development of this type of energy, and we are concentrating on byproducts of sugar cane and palm and other plants producing vegetable oils. This type of bio-energy may allow for the development of small-scale projects which would greatly contribute towards energy self-sufficiency in rural areas.
From paragraph 83 on there are very interesting observations on the result of the Uruguay Round. We are in the process of ascertaining, with GATT and FAO cooperation, what modalities and levels of acceptable support are more appropriate, both for the production and export of agricultural commodities and also what measures can be taken for the defence of our domestic market against dumping or unduly subsidized exports and the like.
Still in the context of the results of the Uruguay Round, we would like to make a particular reference to the sanitary and phytosanitary agreement. We note that the agreement defines the standards, norms and recommendations of the Codex Alimentarius as the standards to be followed, applied in international trade in food products from now on. We are in close touch with FAO to develop a project. In fact, we have already gone through the early stages, and we are undergoing now the preparatory phase to adopt our legislation and to reinforce our institutions in order that they may be capable of applying these commitments we have entered into when we signed the sanitary and phytosanitary agreement.
On the question of regional trading blocs, I would like to refer to the tables which appear on page 110 and 111, which I find very useful, particularly for those not familiar with the situation within each of these regional trading areas. Except as regards MERCOSUR, the integrating scheme involving Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, we feel that some updating is required. In fact, the integration process is on course and on schedule, the four member countries having met their commitments. As of 1 January 1995, a common external tariff will be in place.
Finally, special reference should be made by us to the case study on Brazil which appears in paragraphs 368 to 440. We find it very interesting, and although we would not wish to discuss the study in detail or try to evaluate the accuracy of each statement therein, we consider that by and large it shows good understanding of the problems and a comprehensive and, I may say, a fair assessment of the situation. One other thing I would like to remark on is that the study fails to factor in the recent success of the new economic adjustment plan which has brought inflation under control. But this is understandable because it is a very recent event, and the study was, I am sure, prepared before these events took place. What is more important, we believe, is that it recognizes that certain measures taken by the Brazilian Government to redress the situation are in the right direction and are conducive to improvements in the overall situation. Of course, as far as agriculture is concerned, as we have stated on other occasions, it is not just a matter of the level of production. In Brazil this year, the harvest of grain and equivalents will reach 75 million tonnes which again sets a production record for the country. But there are other things which are equally important as the volume of production, and that is the question of access to food. We had the opportunity at the meeting of the Committee on Food Security last March to go in somewhat greater depth into this problem and to refer to the importance of action to generate employment and income which would allow the poorer strata of the population to have access to
food as active participants in this market on the demand side. By and large, these views, which were of course the views of many other countries, too, taking part at that session of the Committee on Food Security last March, are reflected in that report, and we are quite prepared to lend our support to the adoption of that report by the Council.
Fernando GERBASI (Venezuela): Queremos sumarnos al reconocimiento que otras delegaciones han expresado a la Secretaría, por el esfuerzo realizado en la elaboración del documento CL 107/2 intitulado"EL Estado Mundial de la Agricultura y la Alimentación". Hemos leído con especial atención el contenido, particularmente de las partes I y II: "Situación agrícola actual; repercusiones de los resultados de la Ronda Uruguay, acuerdos comerciales y, en especial, aquéllos sobre la situación de América Latina y el Caribe.
Este informe señala que el índice de la producción agrícola de América Latina, considerada en conjunto, mostró en 1993 una reducción de casi un 1 por ciento con respecto al año anterior. La producción agrícola regional solamente subió un promedio del 1,2 por ciento anual en el lapso de 1990-93, lo que significa la mitad de la ya deprimida tasa media de crecimiento del decenio anterior. Igualmente el sector de las exportaciones agrícolas de la región mostró una tendencia similar.
No obstante este panorama negativo se espera, como señala el informe, que en los próximos años mejore algo el marco de las políticas internacionales que rodean el comercio agrícola, en particular como resultado de las conclusiones de la Ronda Uruguay. El reciente fortalecimiento de los precios agrícolas de algunos de los principales productos de exportación de la región, es, sin lugar a dudas, un signo alentador. Sin embargo, señor Presidente, los precios del café, el azúcar, el trigo y la soja, se han mantenido muy por debajo de la media de los años setenta y la mayor parte de los ochenta. Asimismo, a pesar del compromiso de muchos países de reducir los niveles de subsidio a la agricultura y mejorar el acceso a los mercados, la región tendrá que seguir haciendo frente a una fuerte competencia en las exportaciones de sus productos básicos, así como al riesgo de nuevas formas de proteccionismo, como las medidas sanitarias y fitosanitarias, y aquellas que, al amparo del medio ambiente, surgen de manera indiscriminada y, en muchos casos, como una razón de ser dudosa.
Mi país apoya las actividades que adelanta el Director General de la FAO para ejecutar el proceso de reestructuración de la Organización, conforme a lo aprobado durante el 106° período de sesiones de este Consejo.
Apoyamos también la creación de oficinas subregionales y queremos reiterar la necesidad de crear una oficina subregional para Centroamérica.
En la actual coyuntura, la región de América Latina y el Caribe necesita atención especial por parte de la FAO, en lo que a cooperación y asesoramiento técnico se refiere.
Me complace, señor Presidente, anunciar que, al igual que otros países, firmaremos en los próximos días el acuerdo sobre utilización de expertos para la cooperación técnica entre países en desarrollo, tal como fuera propuesto por el Director General de la FAO.
Quiero referirme, aunque sea brevemente señor Presidente, a la política interna de mi país. En los actuales momentos el Gobierno de Venezuela elabora la ley orgánica de desarrollo agropecuario y seguridad alimentaria, que será sometida a la consideración del Congreso para su aprobación. Mediante esta ley se pretende establecer convenientes equilibrios que impliquen altos índices de producción interna, para lo cual el flujo de innovaciones tecnológicas es de vital importancia para modificar los sistemas de producción e introducir reorientaciones en la organización productiva, y potenciar la cultura asociativa de los productores para acometer procesos de integración agroindustrial.
Por otra parte, adelantamos acciones para sanear financieramente a los agricultores y garantizarles el capital de trabajo necesario para la actividad agrícola, e imponer medidas que mejoren la relación de precios de los productos, mediante su racionalización a lo largo de la cadena alimentaria.
Se intensificarán los programas de los ministerios de Fomento (léase Desarrollo Económico) y de Agricultura que promuevan medios alternativos de comercialización tales como: puntos de abastecimientos solidarios,
ferias de consumo, mercados itinerantes y otras modalidades, que mejoran los precios al productor, a la vez que abaratan el costo de la vida del consumidor. Estos ministerios promoverán también la concertación entre productores agropecuarios, industriales y aquellos que se ocupan de la comercialización, a fin de establecer esquemas lógicos de formación de precios a lo largo de las principales cadenas agroalimentarias. Todo ello forma parte fundamental del programa de estabilización y recuperación económica recientemente aprobado y puesto en ejecución por el gobierno venezolano.
Estamos convencidos que la FAO puede y debe desempeñar un papel fundamental al apoyar y colaborar con los proyectos que el gobierno venezolano diseña, destinados a la optimización del sector agropecuario, mediante estrategias productivas que nos permitirán satisfacer la seguridad alimentaria y alcanzar una agricultura sustentable.
Precisamente, es el objetivo del Gobierno del Presidente Caldera centrar en alcanzar una política agrícola integral, que permita una seguridad alimentaria dentro de un marco de seguridad social. Para ello, el Estado se empeñará en proveer al campesinado de recursos crediticios, de tierras, infraestructura, capacitación, extensión y desarrollo social sostenido, y así obtener una mayor productividad agrícola y, en consecuencia, mejores condiciones de vida, distribución equitativa y disminución del éxodo del campo hacia las zonas urbanas que tanto daño nos hace. En otras palabras, se pretende convertir la agricultura en una actividad económica rentable. Por supuesto, señor Presidente, esta política agrícola integral contempla la necesidad de preservar los recursos naturales y el medio ambiente, partiendo del análisis de nuestras fortalezas y debilidades en cuanto al suelo, vegetación y recursos hidráulicos, y desempeñando un papel fundamental: la investigación, en especial la biotecnológica.
Venezuela, en fin, trabaja para rescatar el interés hacia el campo y atraer una inmigración selectiva que coadyuve a la reactivación del sector, el buen funcionamiento, la eficiencia, la competitividad y permita enfrentar con éxito el desafío del autoabastecimiento agroalimentario.
Uno de los obstáculos con que frecuentemente tropiezan los países en desarrollo, como es el caso de Venezuela, es el de las restricciones externas derivadas de una elevada concentración de la comercialización de los productos agrícolas, la tendencia depresiva a lo largo de los decenios de los precios reales, la intensificación de los procesos de regionalización y, particularmente, señor Presidente, el elevado proteccionismo en el sector agrícola. En tal sentido, deseo mencionar algunas cifras alarmantes contenidas en el informe sobre el desarrollo humano, correspondientes al año 1994, publicado por el PNUD, que confirman, sin lugar a dudas, lo anacrónico y costoso de las políticas proteccionistas fundamentadas en los subsidios para los agricultores. Es así que en 1991 el total de los subsidios agropecuarios, otorgados por los países miembros de la OCDE, ascendió a 180 000 millones de dólares y a la sola Unión Europea, la PAC, le cuesta 38 000 millones de dólares anuales, dedicando de ellos 2 600 solamente para almacenar excedentes de producción. A nadie escapa que esta política no sólo distorsiona los precios, sino que afecta tanto al sistema financiero como a las propias estructuras impositivas, pero lo más grave es su incidencia negativa directa e indirecta sobre los agricultores de los países en desarrollo.
Es paradójico constatar, señor Presidente, que mientras se nos exige el ajuste en nuestras economías con un elevado costo social y serios procesos de inestabilidad política, así como una apertura total al comercio internacional, los países industrializados incrementan indiscriminadamente su política proteccionista, particularmente en lo que se refiere al comercio de los productos agrícolas y alimentarios.
Marcello GORGONI (Italy): The Italian delegation congratulates the Director-General and the Secretariat on submitting to this Council such rich documentation in general and on these two specific items in particular. With regard to Item 4, we congratulate them on the improved quality of the document on the State of Food and Agriculture, on the richness of information and the depth of analysis it provides. As for Item 5, while recording that Italy approved the Report of the Nineteenth Session of the Committee on World Food Security, we should like to make a few comments on the Special Programme on Food Production in Support of Food Security in Low-Income Food-Deficit Countries.
At the 106th Session of this Council, my delegation was pleased to welcome the new focus on food production in support of food security in low-income food-deficit countries in particular and the new approach
to food security in general. We see now that steps are being taken to move ahead both conceptually and operationally in the direction indicated in May.
We understand that it is not an easy task preparing an appropriate conceptual framework for the special programme in terms of properly defining its objectives and designing an adequate strategy. We also agree that, although in principle all the 78 countries classified as low-income food-deficit countries (LIFDCs) should be eligible to participate, financial and operational constraints make it essential to focus at the beginning on a more limited number of countries. We still share the view adopted by the Council in June that the programme should assist these countries in attaining a higher degree of food self-reliance by developing local food production through pilot projects in a limited number of areas.
Too many countries are faced with food insecurity and a large number of acute, localized food problems, due to both natural and manmade disasters, still exist in several parts of the world, but particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. In many cases, food insecurity as a national problem in terms of an uncoverable trade balance is actually, or should be, at the top of the political agenda. This should not, however, divert our attention from the basic fact that people may be insecure in terms of their ability to have access to food even if their country is a net food exporter. There are clearly two different dimensions in food security, both fully deserving our attention.
One dimension of the food problem deserving attention by the international community is clearly at the national level. At this level the programme convincingly aims at improving the position of individual countries by increasing domestic production and thereby aggregating food availability We share the concern at the persisting or even increasing difficulties of many low-income food-deficit countries in getting enough food through commercial imports or food-aid programmes. For some countries at least these difficulties might become even more acute as a consequence of the expected increase in international prices to be brought about by the process of liberalization of world agriculture initiated by the conclusion of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations. In a world expected to become increasingly open to international competition in all sectors of economic activity, including for the first time agriculture and the food sector, food self-sufficiency is not expected to be a relevant goal per se any longer, if ever it was. Given the difficulties faced by many food importing countries in improving their balance of payments, however, efficiently expanding domestic food supply is certainly a most relevant goal.
Another, no less important dimension of the food-security problem is, however, as we all know, at the household level. An improved food availability at the country level does not necessarily imply an improvement in food security for the household as food may be out of reach for the vulnerable people or groups even in the most affluent country. We consider that this is the true core of the food-security problem. We therefore insist on stressing the need to pay all necessary attention to that complex set of factors and conditions that may impede adequate access to food for the needy, even if food is abundant in the aggregate. Most of those factors are of a socio-economic rather than natural character and should be addressed accordingly.
It is good to foster food production in those areas where potentials are highest, but all attention should be paid to avoiding the risk that, by so doing, we neglect the weak and the poor. If our concern is the needy household, we should carefully consider delivering our assistance not only to the high potential areas and producers but also to the low potential, less favoured, more neglected, areas and producers. The crucial point is to do it by efficiently expanding food production in an increasingly competitive market environment rather than by distributing unproductive and financially hardly viable subsidies.
The technical dimension in food production is no doubt important. Yet the complex socio-economic process of decentralized decision-making at the farm level is of the utmost importance when the adoption of new or improved technologies is at stake. This consideration becomes the more relevant in those cases where a transition is under way from central planning towards a decentralized, market-oriented working of the economy based on private entrepreneurship. We all observe how delicate this process of transition tends to be and how difficult it is to expand private, market-oriented entrepreneurship when history has for too long impeded its naturally slow growth. As far as food production is concerned, we all know the importance of small-scale family farming. But we also know how tremendous the set of difficulties is in modernizing small-scale farm production at the village level, where the peasant is to take his autonomous decisions as to what
and how to produce for his own family but increasingly also for the market without adequate familiarity with the market and the new technology.
If more food security is to be achieved for the country and for the household, the development of small-scale family farming must be a central component of the strategy. We understand that this is perfectly in line with the position taken by the Council in approving the special programme in June, but we feel it necessary to stress its importance once more. Within the programme there is room for much work in this direction and we consider that many projects, possibly not food security orientated at their beginning, could soundly be re-oriented in that direction.
We would like to conclude on this point by mentioning a couple of projects within our cooperative programme with FAO which we consider to be good examples of the re-orientation effort to be made towards food security. The first one is a second phase of a project initially strictly focused on fertilizers in centrally planned Ethiopia which deals now with participatory planning, field demonstrations and sustainable food production intensification to enhance food security in that same country as it moves towards the internationally open market economy. The second, as a new regional project for Latin America and the Caribbean, aims at improving services and infrastructures for small farmers and their organizations in countries and areas where they are increasingly exposed to the competitive forces of the markets. In both cases we are aware of the difficulties to be faced, but we believe that this is a promising path.
Last, but not least, we would like to stress the importance which Italy attaches to a strengthened collaboration between FAO and other multilateral agencies and programmes dealing with the subject of food security.
Noah M. NKAMBULE (Swaziland): The statement by the Director-General demonstrated in no uncertain terms the importance of the topic under discussion, namely the state of food and agriculture. My delegation wishes to concur with the Director-General's assessment.
I wish also to thank Mr Hjort for the clear introduction he gave to this topic, which also included an introduction to document CL 107/10, the Report of the 19th Session of the Committee on World Food Security.
I want to confine my comments to a few issues cited in the documents that have been placed before us. My delegation welcomes most profoundly the Secretariat's assessment of the HIV/AIDS epidemic as it affects general economic development and agricultural development in particular. We agree with the observation in paragraph 13 that this epidemic can no longer be treated as a health problem only, but one that affects all sectors of the economy. The sexually active population in most of our societies also constitutes the active and productive labour force. This is even more pronounced in developing countries, where agricultural productivity is dependent on a high human labour input. The high incidence of this disease among the agricultural population will therefore adversely affect agricultural productivity, thereby leading to widespread hunger, malnutrition and poverty. My delegation therefore supports the recommended interventions contained in paragraphs 51 to 54 of document CL 107/2. In particular, we support the need for agricultural policy-makers to be involved in devising policies and strategies which will increase dissemination of knowledge and information on the disease.
The recently concluded GATT negotiations which are expected to lead to the establishment of the World Trade Organization are very welcome indeed. These developments are likely to usher in new trading arrangements with less restrictions on movement of agricultural commodities between and amongst our borders. In the short and medium term, however, a significant number of developing countries may face some problems in that their agricultural commodities which previously enjoyed preferential treatment in certain markets may no longer enjoy that privilege. FAO therefore should be requested to continue to assist developing countries in assessing likely impacts of these new trade developments.
My delegation has read with considerable interest Part II of document CL 107/2, particulary the chapters relating to regional review of sub-Saharan Africa. The analysis of the case of Ghana starting in paragraph 215 is very interesting indeed. The conclusion reached in paragraph 261 is, however, disheartening - namely that it would take the average Ghanian 50 years from now to rise above the poverty line even if the past decade's higher economic growth rates would be maintained. This point demonstrates the fact that bold economic
structural adjustment programmes do not necessarily assure prosperity to the bulk of the rural poor. The agricultural policy reforms that Ghana has successfully implemented are, however, an inspiration to some of our countries. In my country, for instance, the Government is presently reviewing a number of agricultural development policies which we believe have been instrumental in stagnating agricultural and livestock production. Grain milling and marketing, which previously was undertaken by a monopoly, is now being decentralized and liberalized. The high guaranteed minimum price of grain is now being actively reviewed. The pursuit of the self-sufficiency goal as an end in itself is being discussed in conjunction with the concept of physical and economic food security. In the livestock sector we are presently trying to introduce a cost-recovery policy on dipping chemicals as opposed to the previous policy where the Government was paying for everything. All in all, the Government now strongly believes that for both crops and livestock a policy of diversification and intensification has to be adopted.
Before I conclude, I want to refer to the intensive use of water in agriculture. The recurring drought in Swaziland has now convinced my Government of the need to develop a comprehensive programme for water resource development. This will involve harnessing both surface and underground water resources as well as rain water. For us to achieve this, we will need both technical and financial resources. FAO will, therefore, be requested to assist us in mobilizing these resources.
Lastly, my delegation wishes to endorse the Report of the 19th Session of the Committee on World Food Security.
Señora Evangelina BELTRAN PIMIENTA (México): Agradecemos a la Secretaría, señor Presidente, la elaboración y presentación del documento CL 107/2 que reseña de manera exhaustiva los principales indicadores del desarrollo agropecuario mundial, profundizando su análisis en un país por cada región. Particularmente acertado nos parece la inclusión del rubro denominado "cuestiones escogidas", pues indudablemente es en el marco de esos temas, del nuevo entorno económico y particulares condiciones sociales, que el sector agropecuario ha experimentado los cambios sustanciales que describe ese documento.
El resumen de la situación agrícola en América Latina y el Caribe destaca la identificación de las políticas sectoriales y los acuerdos comerciales en el sector agropecuario, rubros en los que México ha trabajado intensamente para enfrentar los retos de un mundo cambiante y dinámico.
Con relación al Suplemento número 1, del documento en análisis, nos llaman especialmente la atención los párrafos 6 de la página 3, y 3 de la página 9, que a todas luces son contradictorios e incongruentes con la realidad, en este caso de México. Por un lado se señala que este país ha tenido malos resultados en su producción agropecuaria durante 1992, y por el otro se afirma que sus exportaciones alcanzaron un volumen sin precedentes.
El crecimiento agrícola de México, y en general su crecimiento económico, es superior a su crecimiento demográfico, como se desprende de los informes proporcionados a esta Organización, en los cuales se señalan entre otras cosas, la autosuficiencia de nuestro país en los renglones productivos de maíz y frijol.
Por lo que respecta a su comercio internacional es evidente el ascenso significativo que ha tenido. En ese sentido nos gustaría que los documentos evitaran en su contenido concepciones rígidas que ocasionan interpretaciones equívocas.
Este Consejo es una oportunidad que nos permite hacer a ustedes una serie de reflexiones y comentarios sobre los esfuerzos que realizó el gobierno de mi país que concluye su período constitucional el último día del presente mes al sentar las bases para la transformación del México rural y acceder a una agricultura modernizada en proceso de integración al resto de la economía y dentro de un marco internacional normado por reglas claras que nos permitirán preservar recursos para el futuro.
Dentro de ese contexto de cambio de la realidad social en el campo mexicano, nuestro país realizó grandes esfuerzos para aumentar la producción y productividad en el campo a través de la instrumentación de las siguientes medidas: garantizar la certidumbre de la tenencia de la tierra; propiciar la inversión con asignación eficiente de recursos; retirar al Estado de las actividades de procesamiento y comercialización para que el excedente económico que en ellas se genera sea manejado por los productores; reestructurar el financiamiento
para que llegue a los productores según sus posibilidades productivas; articular la generación y aplicación de tecnología; apoyar a la agroindustria; reactivar la construcción y rehabilitación de infraestructura; fomentar y consolidar diferentes formas asociativas y liberalizar el sector externo para permitir equiparar precios internos con precios internacionales, abaratar los costos de producción y competir con eficacia.
Lo anterior tuvo una concreta expresión en el surgimiento de las reformas al artículo 27 constitucional, que consagran para el campo los principios de libertad, seguridad, igualdad, propiedad y legalidad. Se abrió la economía para buscar eficiencia y se puso en marcha un sistema de impulso al agro, que parte desde un modelo de conservación productiva hasta apoyos directos a los productores, denominado PROCAMPO que, por un lado, redistribuyen el ingreso y por el otro premian la productividad y dan soporte a los procesos de cambio de actividades menos rentables a otros de mayor ingreso. Todo ello forma parte de la reforma integral del campo que como Nación nos propusimos para producir mejor y cuidar los recursos naturales.
Para alcanzar los objetivos que nos planteamos, otorgamos especial importancia a la política de comercio exterior agropecuario. Por ello nos estamos insertando al mercado internacional, pretendiendo un acceso más libre de nuestros productos, deseando que la inversión externa también llegue al campo y esperando que los subsidios que otros países otorgan a su agricultura, sean racionalizados y reducidos en el plano multilateral, dadas las distorsiones que provocan en el comercio internacional de productos agrícolas.
En ese contexto, la ampliación de mercados es vital para alcanzar estos objetivos. El Gobierno de México ha iniciado diferentes negociaciones para lograr acuerdos de libre comercio que nos ofrezcan esa posibilidad, y mantiene su compromiso firme con el sistema multilateral de comercio.
De este modo, se negoció y firmó con Canadá y los Estados Unidos, un tratado de Libre Comercio que representa un hito histórico para los tres países pues crea el mercado más grande del mundo, con 380 millones de consumidores.
Los tres países reconocimos las diferencias que existen entre nuestros sectores agropecuarios y dialogamos para que el tratado sea un medio para resolver los problemas que enfrentamos.
Por otra parte, y convencidos del potencial de la integración con América Latina, se firmaron también acuerdos de libre comercio con Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica y Venezuela y se están negociando otros con países centroamericanos con quienes de cualquier forma, mantenemos un amplio proceso de cooperación económica. Ahora bien, ninguno de estos esfuerzos invalida nuestra intención de que el comercio internacional fluya globalmente. No creemos que los bloques deban operar como fortalezas impenetrables, sustituyendo al proteccionismo nacional por otro regional. Más bien, los consideramos como una oportunidad para lograr economías a escala que permitan competir en el mercado mundial. Por esta razón, intensificamos nuestros vínculos con la Comunidad Europea y con la Conferencia de Cooperación Económica de la Cuenca del Pacífico.
Si bien la eliminación de las barreras al comercio ayudará a reactivar las agriculturas nacionales, las posibilidades de prevalecer en un mercado altamente competitivos, estarán determinadas por la productividad, y ésta a su vez, por la capacidad tecnológica. Para crear o ampliar esta capacidad, existen dos tareas fundamentales: la educación superior y el esfuerzo conjunto de gobierno y sociedad en los trabajos de investigación.
Estamos convencidos de que la agricultura sólo podrá trascender en el mundo moderno si logra rebasar el carácter de sector primario para integrarse firmemente al resto de la economía.
Esto es especialmente válido al reconocer que los productos básicos están en desventaja con respecto a los productos agroalimentarios de mayor valor agregado. Una tarea importante en el futuro inmediato será estimular entre los propios productores la creación de alternativas agroindustriales.
La agricultura moderna, sobre todo si la consideramos bajo la óptica del largo plazo, requiere preservar los recursos naturales con que contamos, si queremos asegurar el desarrollo de mañana.
Para ello necesitamos sistemas productivos adecuados, los cuales tienen un costo, que desafortunadamente, no siempre se pueden cubrir con los escasos recursos de que disponemos. El carácter global de los beneficios que
se derivan de la conservación del medio ambiente demanda también un esquema global para asumir los costos que dicha conservación implica.
La globalización, como fenómeno de fin de siglo, supone que las posiciones autárquicas y aislacionistas no prosperarán; pero en un mundo tan interdependiente es necesario definir una nueva actitud de las relaciones entre países. La indiferencia frente a los problemas que aquejen a un estado no valdrá, porque tarde o temprano, el malestar de una parte de la comunidad internacional repercutirá en el resto.
La cooperación internacional deberá definirse en otros términos, en términos de solidaridad e incondicionalidad. En efecto, la persistencia de viejos problemas como la pobreza, la ignorancia o la guerra, y el agravamiento de otros como el deterioro del medio ambiente, el narcotráfico o la migración masiva, requerirán que entendamos que todos ellos forman parte de la agenda pendiente del desarrollo y su solución requerirá la participación de todos.
En un nuevo esquema de cooperación, el rol de los organismos internacionales también debe cambiar. Es claro que los diferentes foros multilaterales se han visto mermados en su credibilidad. Foros donde se concertaban la comercialización de productos básicos están en revisión porque ya no parecen ser tan útiles los acuerdos que regulan estos mercados.
La cooperación técnica internacional también enfrenta una crisis de credibilidad y por eso los organismos internacionales que se dedican a ella deben mejorar la efectividad de su aporte a las soluciones que demandan hoy los países. Esto exige reducir burocracias y estrechar lazos de coordinación entre ellos. Igualmente, deberán vincularse los organismos internacionales de carácter financiero o comercial, porque todos tienen la tarea común de servir a los países que los constituimos.
Esto quiere decir que los países debemos dar nuevas orientaciones a los organismos que hemos creado para ayudarnos. En el caso concreto de la agricultura, se hace necesario una mayor participación de organismos de cooperación en los problemas de generación y transferencia de tecnología en la agroindustrialización, en el financiamiento y en el apoyo a la comercialización de productos agropecuarios, sin olvidar los temas aún no resueltos de la pobreza, la desnutrición y el atraso rural.
Mme Régine DE CLERCQ (Belgique): Monsieur le Président, la Belgique a entendu votre appel hier pour que les délégations soient brèves dans leurs interventions, je me limiterai donc à une intervention style télégraphique.
J'ai deux types de remarques à faire:
de formeEn ce qui concerne la forme: la Belgique s'associe pleinement aux délégations qui ont loué l'excellence de l'analyse des documents qui nous sont soumis, nous croyons toutefois qu'à l'avenir il serait bon de nous les fournir un peu plus à l'avance pour que l'on puisse leur donner toute la considération qu'ils méritent. Il serait bon d'accompagner ces analyses d'une synthèse, tirant des conclusions relatives à la situation de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture dans le monde.
En ce qui concerne le fond: la Belgique souscrit à un nombre de commentaires qui ont été faits par différentes délégations, en ce qui concerne la situation alimentaire des pays en développement, notamment les remarques faites par le Bangladesh, le Burkina Faso, le Brésil, la France et beaucoup d'autres. Nous avons également relevé dans les documents qui nous sont soumis, non sans préoccupation, que la part des produits non concurrents dans les exportations de l'Afrique reste très importante, cela indique une mono-dépendance quasi stagnante, malgré les efforts de diversification poursuivis depuis plusieurs années et soutenus également par mon pays et l'Union européenne. Cette question est mise en exergue, entre autres, dans l'encadré 2 aux pages 34 et 35 du document. Sans doute, cette évolution - ou faut-il dire ce manque d'évolution, mérite réflexion, d'autant plus que la biotechnologie permet davantage à l'avenir la culture de produits tels que le cacao, le café, etc. dans des zones géographiques où ils n'ont pas été cultivés dans le passé.
Une réorientation de la production interne qui est plus directement liée à la sécurité alimentaire semble à la veille de la mise en oeuvre des accords de Marrakech, plus appropriée que jamais, cette réorientation devrait sans doute se conjuguer avec une intensification du commerce régional et entre pays en développement.
A cet égard, en réponse aussi à une des questions posées en bas de la page 35, mon pays hésiterait beaucoup à recommander une formule de développement qui consisterait à abandonner Γ agriculture en faveur de 1 ' industrialisation.
Enfin, nous avons noté comme d'autres les préoccupations exprimées au sujet des effets de l'Uruguay Round sur les pays en voie de développement: je crois qu'il est insuffisant de dire que ces effets dépendront de la structure de leur commerce agricole et de la manière dont ils tireront parti des nouveaux débouchés, ce qui est vrai certes, mais il est davantage vrai que ces effets dépendront de la politique de développement poursuivie par ces pays: ils ne pourront guère bénéficier de la libéralisation des marchés s'ils ne poursuivent pas une politique qui leur permet de l'exploiter, c'est-à-dire par l'amélioration de leurs infrastructures, prospection de marchés etc. Les effets sur les importations pourront être modérés, voire minimisés s'ils poursuivent des politiques de substitution des importations et de promotion des échanges régionaux.
Enfin j'ai le plaisir aussi d'annoncer que mon pays va accroître substantiellement son soutien financier à la FAO dans le proche avenir pour pouvoir permettre l'exécution de projets contribuant à la sécurité alimentaire, notamment des couches de population les plus pauvres dans les pays les plus pauvres du continent le plus pauvre qui est l'Afrique.
En ce qui concerne le point 5 sur lequel des commentaires ont été faits par le Représentant de l'Union européenne, je ne voudrais ajouter qu'une seule phrase c'est que ce thème de la sécurité alimentaire reste au centre des préoccupations de mes autorités politiques responsables qui ont ou qui viennent, à l'occasion de la journée internationale de l'alimentation, de rendre publique une étude circonstantielle à ce sujet. Nous nous ferons un honneur de partager avec les autres Etats Membres, le moment opportun, les conclusions et les constats de cette étude.
EL PRESIDENTE: Muchas gracias, distinguida delegada de Bélgica. Quiero expresarle mi agradecimiento por dos razones: la primera, por la brevedad. Aprovecho para reiterarles a todos ustedes que efectivamente todavía hay una lista grande de delegaciones que van a hacer uso de la palabra. Yo habría querido que termináramos estos temas en esta mañana, pero es posible que no tengamos tiempo para ello. Solicito, por tanto, a las delegaciones que van a hacer uso de la palabra que recorten, en la medida de lo posible, sus intervenciones. Y la segunda, por el anuncio de que su Gobierno hará contribuciones adicionales de carácter financiero a la Organización para la realización de proyectos específicos en materia de seguridad alimentaria y de desarrollo agrícola.
La distinguida delegación de Uganda se encuentra de nuevo en la sala y, por tanto, me voy a permitir otorgarle la palabra.
Mrs Victoria SEKTTOLEKO (Uganda): Although in the document before you Uganda is classified as being among the food-deficit low-income countries in the region, I am very glad to report that the country is actually self-sufficient in food supplies at national level. It realizes surpluses or export. There are localized pockets of food shortages in some areas. Although the country is food self-sufficient, many Ugandans are actually food insecure. This is largely due to periodic droughts in some parts of the country, poor conservation, lack of purchasing power and an inadequate understanding of nutritional issues, particularly on the part of rural masses.
Mr Chairman, permit me to focus a little more on food surpluses for export. As I mentioned earlier, Uganda achieves food surpluses which it generally exports within regional markets. Quite often, however, those regional markets do not readily absorb all the exportable surpluses at the right time. The key words here are "the right time". The result is that the country not only loses important foreign earnings but the food is also lost to pests and diseases given the generally poor state of storage facilities at farms and other levels. Then, of course, farmers become discouraged.
In this connection, we would like to request FAO and all donor countries to assist Uganda to sustain its food production levels through irrigation and investment in post-harvest infrastructure and markets.
The following policies have endeavoured to increase the responsiveness and flexibility of both production and marketing systems to greater efficiency, namely liberalisation of trade and commerce, regional cooperation, gender perspectives and civil service reform. Liberalisation has freed prices and divested government interest. Unfortunately, this had led to negative effects in some quarters. As a result of these measures, our local currency has gained so much strength that international organisations such as the World Food Programme and the EEC, which used to purchase food locally to feed some of our neighbouring countries, are now buying from cheaper markets elsewhere, leading to some of the surplus foods being left unbought.
What the few African countries with food surpluses need now is affirmative action. Therefore, in pursuance of the conclusion of the Uruguay Round negotiations we urge food donors to buy from Africa, to feed Africa and to develop Africa.
Our delegation strongly supports the Director-General's initiative and policies which he announced as the green revolution for sub-Saharan Africa, to emancipate the region from famine, hunger and malnutrition. We are happy with the donor support so far. However, talking as Africans, we would like to emphasise that the success of the Director-General's plans will definitely hinge, among other things, on the cooperation of the countries affected. Some of these countries do not actually have physical constraints limiting agricultural production; there are some political and social hindrances. Bad governance begets food insecurity.
The fishing industry of Uganda is one of our productive sectors which is growing rapidly and which has the potential for greater production in the future. However, it is being killed by the water hyacinth, but we, the farmers, are at the same time concentrating on aquaculture.
As far as concerns the environment, we are concentrating on developing programmes and regenerative farming systems aimed at enhancing sustainable agriculture. We put a lot of emphasis on proper animal husbandry.
In conclusion, despite the devastating effects of AIDS on our population, Uganda intends to continue with our policy of openness.
Turning to the question of women, as can be seen from my delegation affirmative action in favour of women in Uganda is no longer an issue. We are in charge!
Uganda is ready to move with the rest of the world but for now our surpluses remain to be bought.
EL PRESIDENTE: Agradezco mucho las palabras de la distinguida Ministro Sekitoleko, de Uganda. A mí también me complace volver a verla después de la Conferencia Regional de Africa y de los debates tan vitales que sostuvimos allí. Muchas gracias por su declaración. Este Consejo ha tomado nota de todo lo que usted ha dicho. Tiene la palabra la distinguida delegación de la India.
Atul SINHA (India): India appreciates the excellent quality of the document on the State of Food and Agriculture 1994 and congratulates the Secretariat on its learned and in-depth analysis.
The drop in crops, livestock and food production in 1993 is a matter of deep concern especially since in many developing countries the level of food production has remained much below the growth of their population levels. A marked deceleration in agriculture has occurred in the Near East, North Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. A grave food supply situation exists in most of the Sub-Saharan countries. All countries in transition in the USSR, except Poland, have also suffered a dramatic contraction in their per caput food production. The problem of lower food production levels is further compounded by the continuing down-trend of commitments of external assistance for agriculture and food.
India, whilst expressing its concern on this issue, urges greater commitment to external assistance to agriculture and food aid for countries undergoing serious food supply problems. In fact, India also has moved
from a situation of food deficits to self-sufficiency in food grains now, and in spite of a large and rising population it has been able to increase the per caput availability of food grains and has achieved an all-time high of food grain production of 180 million tonnes in 1992/1993. Our buffer stocks stand at about 27 million tonnes.
India believes that the TCDC Programme of FAO offers an excellent opportunity for us to share our experience and expertise for increasing agricultural production in developing countries. We are delighted to note the initiative taken by the Director-General in this regard. In fact, India is the first country to sign the TCDC agreement and we offer our vast expertise and training institutions for developing countries under this agreement for increasing the agricultural productivity. We would welcome proposals on this.
I would now like to make a few remarks in respect of Agenda Item 5 which relates to World Food Security and which is the centrepiece of the Director-General's initiatives. In respect of World Food Security, I would like to say that India has been actively pursuing a food policy, the main constituents of which are production, procurement, storage, movement, distribution, quality control and the maintenance of a buffer stock of food grains. It has been recognized that a positive price policy guaranteeing remunerative prices to the farmers can ensure sustained growth in domestic agriculture and food grain production. This, coupled with developments of high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice, along with a scientific package of agricultural practices, has led to a substantial increase in our food grain production starting from the mid-sixties. The food grain production in the agricultural year 1993-1994 is expected to be an all-time high of 182 million tonnes.
India has a commission on agricultural costs and prices which considers various factors, including cost of production, changes in import prices, trends in market prices, the demand and supply situation and so on, to calculate prices which could be recommended as support prices. The Government then announces support prices based on the recommendations before - and this is important - the commencement of the sewing season so that the farmers are able to adjust their production programmes and cropping patterns after taking into account the minimum price at which they will be able to sell their produce to the Government.
The support price mechanism is, therefore, an integral part of the food security system which aims to ensure a remunerative price for the farmer. We also organize procurement operations in order to purchase food grains from the farmers and to maintain a steady supply of food grains to meet the requirements of our public distribution system.
We fully agree with the views of Italy that food grain self-sufficiency in the aggregate is not enough and that food grains must be available to the vulnerable sections of the population at affordable prices. Our public distribution system makes available a large quantity of food grains to a significant proportion of the entire population, thereby achieving the objective of protecting the consumers and making available to them food grains of acceptable quality at affordable prices.
Whilst there has been a significant increase in food grain production in India, agriculture is still subject to nature's vagaries. In order to impart a measure of stability to food supplies and their prices the policy of buffer stocking of food grains has been followed over the last several years. Presently our food grain position is comfortable and the Government is maintaining buffer stocks which at present are well beyond the minimum limits prescribed.
India also has a national nutritional policy which was formulated in 1993. You will appreciate that the mere supply of food grains is not enough. The nutritional aspect has to be seen. Our nutrition policy states that nutrition is a multi-sectoral issue and needs to be backed through both direct nutrition intervention for especially vulnerable groups but also through development policy instruments which would create conditions for improved nutrition. Our goal should be to achieve household food security which would enable every household to have physical, social and economic access to nutritionally adequate and safe food to meet its needs. The nutrition policy also aims to achieve and attain a per caput availability of 215 kilogrammes per person, per year of food grains.
I will now touch upon the issue of the Uruguay Round and its impact on the food security policies of countries. The Uruguay Food Agreement which was authenticated at Marakesh in April 1994 would not interfere with India's ability to follow its own agricultural policies and programmes or its food security system. India's developmental needs are exempted from the purview of the agreement. These include a
subsidy for research, pest and disease control, marketing and promotion services, infrastructure services, and so on. For developing countries like India, there are some other agricultural subsidies which are not subject to any ceiling. These are investment subsidies generally available to agriculture and subsidies to agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides and seeds which are generally available to low-income and resource-poor farmers.
As regards the question of food security, it is to be noted that the operation of a public distribution system in India is not subsidies to the farmers or producers but is considered as consumer subsidies meant for the rural and urban poor to meet their food requirements. Such consumer subsidies are exempt from GATT discipline and are clearly stated in the agreements as such.
Further, India has stated in its schedule of commitments to GATT that concessional sales of food grains through the Public Distribution System and other schemes with the objective of meeting the basic food requirements, are a social security net and are in conformity with the provisions of the agreement. The schedule has been verified and accepted by our trading partners. Incidentally, this issue has also been discussed at the 22nd FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific held at Manila on 3-7 October 1994.
India supports the report of the Committee on World Food Security.
Carlos A. BASCO (Argentina): La delegación argentina expresa su satisfacción por el documento elaborado por la FAO, en el que se presenta un análisis completo, a nivel mundial y regional, sobre el estado de la agricultura y la alimentación.
En materia de conclusiones de la Ronda Uruguay, quisiéramos hacer algunas observaciones.
El informe señala, como principal consecuencia del acuerdo sobre la agricultura, que las políticas que distorsionan la producción o el comercio serán probablemente cada vez más insostenibles. Consideramos que es una apreciación demasiado optimista teniendo en cuenta los modestos objetivos del acuerdo agrícola.
En otra parte del documento se expresa que la liberalizacion parcial del comercio aumentará los precios mundiales, y ello tendrá consecuencias negativas en los países en desarrollo importadores netos de alimentos y en los países menos adelantados.
Consideramos que esta premisa no es absoluta porque debe entenderse que la variación de precios se relativiza con el bajo nivel de reducción de los subsidios a las exportaciones. Por otra parte, la reducción de subsidios también tenderá a reducir el nivel de fluctuación de los precios internacionales, lo cual fue siempre particularmente negativo para las economías de estos países, que se beneficiarán con el aumento de la actividad económica mundial resultante de los acuerdos del GATT.
El impacto en los países en desarrollo, las obligaciones menos rígidas, los altos niveles arancelarios y un mayor plazo para producir el ajuste, no deben forzar mayores cambios en los programas internos, tal como lo acaba de expresar el delegado de la India.
Por otra parte, el acuerdo agrícola no impide la operación de entidades comerciales del Estado, por lo que se corre el peligro, desde nuestro punto de vista, de incentivarse la creación de organismos con la intención de distinguir entre operaciones de exportación subsidiadas y no subsidiadas. Además, no existe ninguna expectativa de que se produzca un incremento significativo en el comercio de granos y aceites, como consecuencia directa de la arancelización comprensiva o por las disposiciones de acceso al mercado del acuerdo agrícola. Todo lo contrario. El acuerdo aparece como un marco que limita el potencial de expansión de acceso a mercados, salvo en el caso del arroz.
Por otro lado, la arancelización favorece un proceso de transparentización que se ve disminuido por los altísimos niveles arancelarios de muchos países. Cuando finalice el período de implementación, aún se mantendrán aranceles prohibitivos para la mayoría de los cereales y aceites. Las nuevas reglas del GATT no producen un impacto directo significativo sobre el nivel de la ayuda alimentaria donada. Algunas organizaciones internacionales especulan con que el aumento de precios internacionales podría disminuir el nivel de ayuda alimentaria. Esta proposición merece algunas observaciones.
Por un lado, los países donantes prometieron una cantidad mínima de ayuda alimentaria basada en lo acordado en la Convención de Ayuda Alimentaria.
Por otro lado, los cargamentos de ayuda alimentaria pueden aumentar como resultado de los acuerdos del GATT. Una razón posible para ello es que los gobiernos de los países exportadores, teniendo en cuenta los límites de volúmenes de exportación, pueden disponer de un excedente que destinen a ayuda alimentaria.
Un punto que el informe no toca, es el relativo a la utilización de créditos a la exportación, que perjudica a países exportadores que no tienen los recursos suficientes como para financiar sus exportaciones. En ese sentido, la mayoría de los países de la OCDE poseen líneas de créditos en condiciones muy favorables. Argentina está trabajando en un proyecto para regular la utilización de los créditos a las exportaciones que puedan ser utilizados para disfrazar subsidios.
En la página 117 del documento CL 107/2, tal como lo adelantó el delegado de Brasil, se indica que en el MERCOSUR no todos los miembros han cumplido el calendario de reducción arancelaria. Ello no es exacto porque el programa de desgravación arancelaria del período de transición 1991/94 era automático, aumentando la preferencia arancelaria cada seis meses y alcanzando actualmente el 89 por ciento. El primero de enero de 1995 entra en vigencia el arancel externo común, que cubre más del 85 por ciento del universo arancelario. El 15 por ciento restante tiene fijado un régimen automático y paulatino de convergencia al arancel externo común en los próximos seis años. Pero quiero destacar que el arancel externo común varía entre 0 y 20 por ciento como máximo y que las excepciones al mismo en general son por debajo del arancel externo común.
Con respecto al punto 365 de la página 118, en la versión en español, quiero recordar que las discrepancias macroeconómicas entre los países del MERCOSUR se están reduciendo rápidamente y ello facilitará el desarrollo de las siguientes etapas del proceso de integración.
En lo que se refiere a la agricultura, si bien existen diferencias en los niveles de intervención del Estado todas las medidas están en consonancia con el Acuerdo Agrícola firmado en la Ronda Uruguay del GATT.
Con respecto a la frase de que "La Argentina ha activado considerablemente su intervención normativa a favor de la agricultura en los últimos meses", la delegación de Argentina quiere expresar que la misma es incorrecta y que por el contrario, la Argentina continúa desregulando la economía y no está dispuesta a otorgar subsidios de ningún tipo a la producción agrícola.
Gonzalo IBAÑEZ (Chile): En primer lugar quisiera adherirme a las felicitaciones que a usted, señor Presidente, y a la Secretaría del Consejo se han formulado de forma unánime por los distinguidos representantes aquí presentes, por los documentos tan completos como ilustrativos. Asimismo, quiero felicitar al señor Hjort por la presentación clara y precisa que ha hecho sobre el tema.
Señor Presidente, los documentos entre su extensa y valiosa información, constatan que la agricultura de los países en desarrollo está experimentando grandes y veloces cambios, en respuesta a un conjunto de transformaciones que dicen relación con los procesos de globalización económica, los avances tecnológicos y los cambios en los hábitos de consumo, que a su vez se relacionan con los nuevos patrones demográficos y de ingreso de los países.
Durante el último decenio se han producido en el mundo grandes transformaciones geopolíticas y económicas, entre las cuales se cuentan: la nueva situación del Este europeo; la constitución de bloques comerciales de gran poder económico; la creciente importancia del Asia en el comercio mundial; las oscilaciones cíclicas de las economías industriales; un crecimiento del comercio muy por sobre la producción; y una activa búsqueda de la presencia en los mercados internacionales por parte de los países en desarrollo.
No obstante lo anterior, el desarrollo de las agriculturas de los países del hemisferio sur enfrenta un mercado mundial caracterizado por políticas que distorsionan severamente los precios relativos y actúan como mecanismos de transferencia hacia los productores de los países más desarrollados. La OCDE, como lo ha dicho el delegado de Venezuela, ha cuantificado el impacto de estas transferencias, estimando el costo total en
180.000 millones de dólares EE.UU. anuales, lo que equivale a un 45% del valor de la producción agrícola de estos países.
Estas políticas proteccionistas y de subsidio a la actividad agropecuaria han tenido dos efectos negativos en los países en desarrollo. En primer lugar han incidido en la baja de los precios internacionales, afectando gravemente los ingresos de los agricultores, especialmente al campesinado. Y por otra parte, al ser los mercados esencialmente de excedentes productivos, se producen amplias y frecuentes fluctuaciones en los precios internacionales, lo cual introduce una variable adicional de inestabilidad de nuestras agriculturas.
En el contexto señalado, cabe resaltar que la principal característica de las agriculturas de los países en desarrollo es su marcada heterogeneidad, lo cual tiene importantes efectos al momento de identificar líneas de acción orientadas a solucionar los problemas del sector y de la seguridad alimentaria de estos países.
La inseguridad alimentaria, exceptuando las situaciones derivadas de problemas climáticos y conflictos sociales, se debe en gran parte a la falta de estrategias y políticas que vayan en apoyo de la pequeña agricultura de los países en desarrollo, la cual constituye la principal fuente de abastecimiento interno de alimentos.
En este marco, no pocas veces los gobiernos optan por desproteger su agricultura productora de alimentos, optando por abrir sus fronteras a los alimentos subsidiados de bajo costo. De esta forma se cierra el círculo vicioso de pobreza rural, pobreza urbana e inseguridad alimentaria.
Por ello constituye un requisito fundamental, en una estrategia de seguridad alimentaria, el reconocimiento del rol preponderante que juega la agricultura campesina y la necesidad de realizar una real y efectiva transformación productiva de la pequeña agricultura de manera de incrementar la rentabilidad de estas explotaciones mediante un acceso fluido a la transferencia técnica, un adecuado financiamiento, y muy especialmente en el fortalecimiento de formas organizativas que hagan énfasis tanto en la comercialización conjunta como en la gestión.
La modernización de este estrato amplio de productores campesinos tiene especialmente una dimensión productiva, en la medida que disponen de recursos no plenamente aprovechados. Simultáneamente, ello está directamente vinculado a la necesidad de mejorar los niveles de equidad social que está presente en el sector agrícola de estos países.
Lo anterior no se contrapone a la ayuda alimentaria a aquellos países que tienen graves problemas de abastecimiento, pero sí es cierto que todas estas acciones deben estar estrechamente relacionadas con programas de desarrollo agrícola y rural que den sustentabilidad a la producción de alimentos de los países.
Asimismo, queremos respaldar el informe del 19° período de sesiones del Comité de Seguridad Alimentaria Mundial en el sentido de considerar la seguridad alimentaria no sólo como una cuestión de estabilización de suministros para asegurar la disponibilidad sino que se considere en un contexto más amplio, relacionada con el acceso físico y económico a los alimentos, tal cual ha sido reiteradamente señalado en la Carta del Campesino, el Pacto Mundial de Seguridad Alimentaria y la Declaración Mundial sobre Nutrición. Esto se hace particularmente evidente cuando leemos en dicho informe que a pesar de los buenos resultados de las cosechas a nivel agregado, la producción de alimentos básicos por habitante ha disminuido en la mitad de los países de bajos ingresos y con déficit de alimentos.
Además, se debe tener clara conciencia de que las políticas aplicadas por los países tienen efectos directos en la seguridad alimentaria.
Es precisamente en este sentido, que creemos que la FAO debe reforzar los instrumentos de cooperación en investigación y transferencia tecnológica y aquellos relacionados con la información y capacitación.
El objetivo central de la asistencia técnica de la FAO debe ser la incorporación de mayor inteligencia a los procesos productivos, orientado tanto al incremento de la productividad como al mejoramiento de la calidad y diversidad de los productos. Innovar, en este sentido, no necesariamente es crear algo nuevo, sino también, recoger el conocimiento y la experiencia de los agricultores y la diversidad de la naturaleza para que a partir de ellos se entreguen técnicas y tecnologías apropiables por los pequeños productores.
Por otra parte, la información es un recurso de creciente importancia en la competitividad de los sistemas de producción y comercialización; y fundamental en el diseño e implementación de políticas públicas.
En razón a lo señalado, resulta altamente provechoso que los países tengan la posibilidad de satisfacer los requerimientos específicos de información que les puede proporcionar la FAO, así como también se debe realizar una constante evaluación de la oferta de información, incluyendo en ella tanto su contenido, su oportunidad, sus destinatarios y la manera en que se canaliza.
Asimismo, la FAO podría fortalecer su función de asesoramiento sobre políticas y facilitar mayor asistencia técnica a los países que lo requieran en relación a los efectos que la Ronda Uruguay del GATT pueda tener en el sector agrícola, pecuario, pesquero y forestal, de acuerdo con la nueva situación comercial internacional.
En el ámbito de la seguridad alimentaria, coincidimos plenamente con el Comité de Seguridad Alimentaria en el sentido de proseguir en la búsqueda de indicadores que den cuenta de la situación en su carácter más amplio de la seguridad alimentaria, tal como se ha realizado en los trabajos que establecen índices agregados de seguridad alimentaria en los hogares.
Los elementos antes señalados necesariamente tienen efectos directos en la capacidad de gestión y productividad de las pequeñas explotaciones y de esta forma se estará dando debida atención no sólo a la situación desmedrada de este segmento de agricultores sino también a la seguridad alimentaria de muchos países.
Por último, quisiéramos recomendar que el Comité de Seguridad Alimentaria, en el desarrollo de sus trabajos durante su 20° período de sesiones, pueda tener presente los avances del Programa de Seguridad Alimentaria que está llevando a cabo la Secretaría y que al mismo tiempo se ocupe de manera activa en los documentos preparatorios de los próximos eventos que la FAO realizará en vista a la celebración de sus 50 años, tanto en Canadá como en la proyectada Cumbre Mundial de la Alimentación.
Dato' Ahmad Zabrí IBRAHIM (Malaysia): My delegation would like to commend FAO for the comprehensive report on the State of Food and Agriculture 1994 and for untiringly providing Member Nations with valuable information on a regular basis on the world food situation, as found in the Food Outlook and Foodcrops and Shortages Special Report.
My delegation notes with concern FAO's latest forecast of 1994 global production as 1 934 million tonnes, which is only 2.4 percent up from the reduced crop of last year and definitely below the forecast trend. Global rice production is forecast to increase by only 1 percent. It would not be difficult to conclude that cereal prices would go up, with consequent effect on the food bills of food-importing countries at the expense of their other development efforts. Similarly food aid would also decline in terms of availability to low-income food-deficit countries from the target of 10 million tonnes projected for them.
Against this backdrop of declining food production is the disturbing scenario in the Horn of Africa, Rwanda, Angola, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iraq and, more recently, the excessive rains that have caused floods in parts of China, India, Pakistan and the Philippines. All these events will have profound effect on food availability in 1995 and 1996 if steps are not taken to increase production of food, especially cereals.
Although we have discussed in many fora the need to increase food production, especially in Africa, parts of Asia and parts of Latin America, we are still unable, in general, to transform such aspirations and resolutions into practice. We are still caught in the web of production, its economics, trade, and food availabilities through food aid. While policy advice and guidance given by FAO has helped to transform the focus in national planning in some countries, in many other countries food production potential will only be fully realized by concerted effort in their national capacity-building and people's participation. This would entail examination of the state of infrastructure, institutions, manpower and training status at both the national and grassroots levels of a particular country. Project demonstration should precede full-scale implementation. The concerted effort would also mean a concentration of available FAO resources in the selected areas, in the first instance, to be followed by international support through the organization of a food-production summit to emphasize the need for such capacity build-up and to demonstrate the capabilities of those countries poor in food production but rich in their desire to meet the challenges of being self-sufficient in food.
With regard to food security, my delegation is gratified to see that FAO is now seeing this subject in the broader context of issues which affect physical and economic access to food as exemplified by various global declarations such as the Farmers' Charter, the World Food Security Compact and the World Declaration on Nutrition. While this subject is proceeding through normal means, it must also be pointed out that there is a special need to look at food security in some affected countries in Africa by special food production measures.
My country notes with satisfaction that the Nineteenth Session of the Committee on Food Security demonstrated a high interest in food security, with a greater understanding on the part of international communities to separate the issues of environment and issues of food security. It was realized that other international fora do not place food security high on their agenda compared to FAO, which places the highest importance on external issues.
An equally important conclusion was that food security and rural development should be repackaged in a form that could attract greater international attention, Member-Government involvement and international financial support. Towards this end my delegation urges FAO to revitalize its rural development programme towards improving rural off-farm and non-farm incomes in order to increase income necessary to buy food.
On the subject of global warming linkages to agriculture, forestry and fisheries, I have this to report. Whilst the linkages between global warming, agriculture and forestry are still subject to much conjecture, there is broad consensus that an effective response by the global community would require an integrated and comprehensive approach. FAO, as the UN agency responsible for the key areas of agriculture and forestry, has the technical expertise to contribute to the necessary integration of policy and strategy inputs vital for an effective action programme.
The Director-General in his statement made mention of the fact that a joint technical consultation would be organized in 1995 with the Pan-American Health Organization and the International Office of Epizootics to address the long-term strategies for global eradication of foot and mouth disease, with special emphasis on South America. Recognizing the fact that foot-and-mouth disease is also prevalent in the Southeast Asian region, my delegation would like to urge the Director-General and FAO to give equal emphasis to the Southeast Asian region to address foot and mouth disease.
Lastly, I should like once again to congratulate FAO on wanting to look at food production and food security more deeply in the interests of having a more stable world economy, from the point of view of both meeting human needs for food and generating income to buy other goods.
R.D.S. KUMARARATNE (Sri Lanka): I should like to take this opportunity to convey our appreciation for the excellent documentation prepared by the Secretariat for the use of Council Members.
World total production output has continued to record depressed growth. The trend has directly affected the food security situation, health and unemployment and has given rise to various other economic and social problems.
The decline of world agricultural production by 1.2 percent in 1993 was mainly due to the drop in production in some developed countries. Although some developing countries recorded an increase in their production, it is doubtful whether this increase would be enough to feed the growing population in those countries.
If we consider the changes in per caput production for the period from 1988 to 1993, most of the developing countries have recorded a minus growth. With this situation, food shortages in developing regions are unavoidable. Hence these countries need assistance either on an emergency-relief basis or on a food-for-development basis. The long-term sustainable development plans have to be incorporated with these short-term food requirements.
On the other hand, developing countries are in a critical situation regarding their capital requirements, especially for the agricultural sector. Since most of the developing countries are highly dependent on their agriculture for value addition to GDP, they cannot neglect this sector, in which a large portion of the population is employed. Hence these countries have to maintain their capital inflow to this sector, especially for the provision of inputs, price support and selective subsidies. With fiscal disciplines that have to be adhered to under the structural adjustment policies in developing countries, there is only a narrow margin to
accommodate the requirements of the agricultural sector. Moreover more than 20 percent of the export earnings of the developing countries are used as debt-service payments. While having large portions of import inputs for agriculture, it is difficult for these countries to divert the export revenue to capital requirements of this sector.
Implementation of the Uruguay Round GATT agreements will also have mixed results on agricultural developments in the developing countries. Phasing-out of support prices and subsidies and removal of non-tariff barriers will pave the way for broader market access. However, the decreasing production at global level will certainly have an adverse impact on price levels.
The situation in developing countries, especially net food importing countries, will have serious effects on these price hikes. Moreover the downward trend in production and free market access will reduce surplus food stocks in the future. In this regard, the role played by FAO will become more and more important.
Let me now touch on an alarming trend that is evident in some countries of the Asia Region, particularly in Sri Lanka, in regard to food production. Although respective governments are continuously investing in agriculture by launching special programmes of development through the utilization of available technology, there has been a disturbing trend of yield stagnation in the principal grains such as rice. All efforts to mobilize and harness resources, both technological and human, have been proved to be less effective in view of the fact that the yields are becoming plateaued and depressed, often reflecting a drop in productivity. Avenues of increasing investments are progressively becoming hamstrung due to budgetary constraints.
Perhaps one way of overcoming the yield stagnation would be meaningful and systematic interventions by agencies such as FAO in developing and assisting the innovative approaches to technology transfer, genetic engineering, etc., for increasing productivity. FAO should also vigorously spearhead programmes of adaptive research in food production in order to scale over the destructive tendency of production stagnation. My delegation would like FAO to take a serious look at this aspect, which we believe requires urgent attention.
Nur SUTRISNO (Indonesia): I should like to thank the Secretariat for providing us with the excellent documentation for our deliberations.
Allow me to take this opportunity to convey the results of the Conference of the Ministers of Food and Agriculture of the Non-Aligned Movement, which has also been noted by the Nineteenth Session of the Committee on World Food Security, as mentioned in paragraph 20 of document CL 107/10.
As mandated by the 10th Conference of Heads of State or Government of the Non-Aligned Countries, the Conference of the Ministers of Food and Agricultural of the Non-Aligned Movement on Food Security was convened in Bali from 10 to 11 October 1994. The Conference was held in order to formulate policy guidelines on ways and means, inter alia to reduce poverty and to enhance food security and self-sufficiency in developing countries, to establish meaningful south-south technical cooperation schemes and to strengthen cooperation in the area of agriculture and food production as well as to take major steps in providing substantial food aid to relieve critical shortage, thus to promote food security.
The Conference has adopted the Bali Declaration on Food Security of the Non-Aligned Movement and other developing countries which call for the improvement of efficiency and effectiveness in international cooperation for promoting food security, particularly in developing countries, and reiterates that the right to food is a fundamental human right, and categorically rejects the use of food as an instrument of political and economic pressures.
The Conference also adopted the Action Programme on Food Security for the Non-Aligned Movement and other developing countries in three high priority activities, namely Project on Seminars/Training/ Workshops for Policy-Makers and Planners of the Developing Countries; Project for an Apprenticeship Programme; and Project on Potential Joint Venture Projects.
With the conclusion of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations, Indonesia supports the priority accorded by FAO in strengthening its analytical framework to examine the impact of the Uruguay Round and other major trade liberalization agreements especially on food supply and food security.
It is necessary for FAO to help Member Nations in making adjustments to the new disciplines resulting from the Uruguay Round. Compensatory measures are needed to protect adversely-affected developing countries and vulnerable groups and net food import developing countries from negative effects of structure adjustment programmes.
In closing, my delegation would like to endorse the Report of the 19th Session of the Committee on World Food Security.
D. SANDS SMITH (United Kingdom): I shall be very brief, but there are one or two points that I should like to make.
I would like to comment first on Agenda Item 5, the Report of the Committee on World Food Security. We consider that the Committee on World Food Security has an important role in support of FAO's food security activities. We believe it should act as a forum for technical consideration of all FAO food security activities, and not only global early warning. This point is well made in paragraph 26 of the Report, which refers to the Committee placing more emphasis in its future work programme on clearer articulation of FAO's food security policy framework.
We also attach great importance to the Committee's recommendations set out in paragraphs 35 and 36 of the Report, namely that there should be analyses of the constraints that hinder the full realization of the potential of both high and low potential areas of production. We look forward to seeing the results of the current case studies that the Secretariat said they would pursue, and we should like to know how these stand.
One final point on Agenda Item 4: We would underline that the role of the Committee on World Food Security is to look at overall food security, but that food aid policy questions should be left to the CFA.
If I may, I should also like to make a very brief, but I think important point, regarding Agenda Item 4 - The State of Food and Agriculture. The United Kingdom attaches great importance to the efficient and effective conduct of the business of the Council. The reports which FAO produce on the state of food and agriculture are a most important element of the Organization's work, but to be of operational value they must be produced quickly, otherwise there is little point in producing them as frequently as they are at present. It seems to us that the Report itself can be put to the Council very much for information. The debate which we have at the Council should be on key issues arising from the Report. We hope that at future meetings we can take the Report as being read, and then discuss one or two critical issues in the Report arising from the Report. It was most helpful on this point that the Secretariat did in fact identify three areas, but I fear that our debate has not taken us very far in looking at how these issues should be tackled - and I stress the word "tackled" - though I pay tribute to the Spanish delegation and other delegations which put forward concrete proposals. This question of tackling issues should in our view be the core of our work at the Council under this agenda item.
EL PRESIDENTE: Les pregunto, señores delegados, antes de pasar al turno de los observadores, si desean intervenir. Como ningún delegado desea hacer uso de la palabra pasamos al turno de observadores.
B.N. NDIMANDE (Observer for Zimbabwe): Mr Chairman, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen. Thank you for giving us the honour to address this very important international gathering.
One of the most critical factors affecting agricultural production in Zimbabwe and indeed most of the Southern African Region is the increased incidence of droughts in recent years. Although there has been some recovery in the last two years after the devastating drought of 1991-92, agriculture has not recovered to its pre-1991 levels. The 1993-94 season was characterized by an abrupt secession of the rains in late February and early March. This had a significant effect on crop yields which were reduced drastically in some areas of the country.
Despite the sudden cut-off of the rains, Zimbabwe has managed to produce enough maize to cover local requirements with a surplus that has been made available for export to countries in the region. The ravages of
nature again struck our wheat crop which was in its last stages of drying up. A brief wet spell towards the end of October resulted in the deterioration of the quality of the wheat crop which had been forecast to meet domestic requirements.
The Government has taken a leading role to ensure that agricultural production, the engine of economic growth in Zimbabwe, recovers to its former strength. Small-holder farmers have been assisted through the provision of agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and seeds for planting. Further efforts are being made to assist small-holder farmers to market their products. This assistance is in the form of advancement of credit to private traders to purchase lorries and to build warehouses that will make agricultural inputs readily accessible to the small-holder farmer and provide an outlet to market his produce.
In our region where the incidence of drought is becoming a common feature, the promotion of improved land and water use techniques for sustainable agricultural development assumes even greater importance. It is in this area that we call upon the international community to assist us to build the necessary infrastructure to harness our rivers to provide water for irrigation. Support for this initiative to mitigate the devastating effects of drought will improve the food security situation for most of our peoples.
Another area that could have a positive impact on the food security is the control of animal diseases and plant pests. Because of the demands on our limited resources, these very important controls have sometimes not received adequate funding.
A major feature influencing the development of agricultural pricing and marketing policy in Zimbabwe is the economic structural adjustment programme. Zimbabwe has in the past four years moved from an environment of government intervention in agricultural pricing and marketing to one in which market forces are now the dominant force. These measures have been implemented not without pain, particularly to those people that the programme is intended to assist. What the international community, especially those who provide financing, must take into cognizance is that policy initiatives to improve the economic and social welfare should be taken by the countries implementing structural adjustment programmes. Failure to acknowledge this can lead to social unrest.
Mr. Chairman, Zimbabwe is cooperative with other countries in the Southern African Development Conference in Food Security and Early Warning Programmes. We take our participation in these programmes seriously and welcome assistance in manpower development such as has been provided by FAO to enhance our capacity.
We are participating actively in the developments within the GATT and watching closely developments in other regional economic blocs throughout the world. We hope that the new developments will take into consideration the special needs of developing countries.
We would like to congratulate the Director-General on his comprehensive report. We also welcome and endorse the Director-General's new initiative to make FAO more dynamic through restructuring the Organization and decentralizing its activities. FAO staff are commended for the excellent report on the state of food and agriculture.
Tiberiu VASIESIU (Observer for Romania): First of all we want to congratulate the Secretariat for the documents and to appreciate the introduction made by Mr. Hjort, Deputy Director-General.
We also thank Mr. José Ramón López Portillo, the Independent Chairman, for the possibility he offers to us as observers to present some aspects of the agricultural policies of the Romanian Government.
In accordance with the social-political changes that took place in Romania after the fall of the Communist regime in the agriculture and food economy, there were produced fundamental mutations in what regards the ownership over the land, the organization of the activity, the integration of these in the process of setting up of the mechanisms of the market, in the agro-food production, with influences on the food security of the population.
After 1990, the Government of Romania adopted a programme of reforms with the aim of liberalizing the economy. As a result, in agriculture, there appeared important changes: The former land owners were put in their rights. We can say that nowadays the private sector in agriculture is dominant, representing 80 percent of the arable area of the country, while in the animal husbandry sector the animal numbers belonging to the private sector represent 85 percent of cattle, 90 percent of sheep and 53 percent of hogs.
This sector, the private one, requires a scientific policy of support and development as a unique solution of food national security and for revigoration of the whole Romanian economy. The Romanian Government benefitted from FAO's assistance during the last year, and will welcome any assistance and technical future projects of our Organization in the support of our country. The long-term objective of the strategy of developing the agriculture of Romania consists in ensuring a threshold minimum food security.
We should create an institutional framework, adequate to the relations of a market economy with sustainable agriculture as its base.
In conclusion, I would like to say that in what regards the initiative of FAO to create a sub-regional centre for Central and Eastern European countries, Romania, which had officially announced her candidateship for hosting this centre in Budapest since the FAO Conference in 1993, and had made diplomatically information in this respect to the European states, maintains her candidateship, and hopes for a solution in favour of Budapest.
Pandeli PASKO: (Observador de Albania): Muchas gracias, señor Presidente por darme la palabra y muchas gracias también por la inclusión de unas informaciones y problemas de Albania en el documento CL 107/2.
Refiriéndome a dicho documento lo que se dice en la página 5, versión inglesa, tabla 2, me parece que está en contradicción con lo que se dice en la página 138-139, punto 514. En la página 5, Albania se incluye en los países con una baja de producción de -4 a -10 por ciento, mientras que en el punto 514 se dice que la producción es todavía 16 por ciento menos de la producción de 1989. Por tanto, creo que Albania tiene que ser puesta en el último cuadrado de la tabla 2, página 5.
El 11 por ciento de crecimiento que se menciona en el punto 511, es el crecimiento de la producción general en 1993 comparado con 1992; pero en 1992 sólo la producción de trigo, el cultivo principal de Albania, fue del 50 por ciento de la producción de 1989. Algo característico de Albania es el alto ritmo de privatización en agricultura, lo que ha causado la creación de minifincas familiares. Si hay buenos ritmos en el crecimiento de la producción general y si la inflación ha bajado mucho, esto se debe a las drásticas medidas del Gobierno y a la ayuda internacional multilateral y bilateral y también a la sed que tenía el campesino albanés por ser otra vez propietario.
Proyectos de la FAO, como las políticas agrarias que se deben aplicar sobre el crecimiento de asociaciones agrícolas y también la ayuda indispensable y con alto nivel técnico de los especialistas de la FAO, tienen su parte en este crecimiento de la producción en Albania.
Como se menciona justamente en el punto 511, la desocupación es una de las mayores preocupaciones. A pesar de las muy buenas condiciones geográficas no se aprovechan esas condiciones y la emigración continúa.
Los ritmos de crecimiento de la producción que han justificado la ayuda indispensable internacional nos hacen optimistas para avanzar en las transformaciones económicas y la reorientación de la agricultura de Albania.
Alois WAGNER (Observer for the Holy See): Mr Chairman of the Council, Mr Director-General, Distinguished Ministers, Delegates and Observers, Ladies and Gentlemen. Taking the floor in this meeting of the FAO's Executive Body, first of all I wish to congratulate the Director-General for the high level of the documentation and studies submitted to the examination of the Council. The precise data showing the agricultural situation in its particular aspects, i.e. environment, food aid, sustainable development, can and should encourage the future action of the FAO, as well as the food and agriculture policies made up by the governments, first of all in the developing countries.
The delegation of the Holy See thinks that one of the most important objectives in order to eliminate hunger and malnutrition in the world is the training and the education of those who participate in agriculture's activities at a different level and responsibility. In fact, as underlines the analysis on the world situation, the agricultural sector and related food production require the utmost attention both from national policies and from the international cooperation.
With reference to this item, following the very important and interesting positions expressed by the distinguished speakers, may I bring to your attention some special priorities: First, the need for education and encouragement of the young people in recognizing the importance of agriculture in each country and in the world society. Second, a spiritual encouragement of young people is very important in assuring that in the future the agriculture will be seen as:
1. the culture and the cultivation of our Earth;
2. the culture and the cultivation in seeking nutrition;
3. the agricultural work performed as one of the oldest human professions; and
4. the agricultural activity done by men in favour of his seems, the other men and the humanity as a whole, thereby an activity that presents a culture of solidarity.
The delegation of the Holy See considers particularly important the question of the training and education of young people. It considers that any international objective or programme might include these points:
1. Agriculture is not only a material or technical process. Agriculture, in fact, is a realization of human culture as the soil is cultivated and produces nutrition for the people. In our technical, industrial and administrative societies, too often our eyes are closed to the value of agriculture.
Young people should be taught that working in the field of agriculture is a profession. In their school programmes they should be encouraged to consider the greater ramifications of this profession, that to be a farmworker means helping to meet the fundamental need of nutrition for all peoples. Do not forget that agriculture is a profession that remains autonomous, self-sufficient and independent. A farmer remains a free man, at least in certain areas, even today.
The Holy See delegation considers that all technical aspects are very important in agricultural activities. However, in every expert consideration we should also examine the human aspect, the ethical view showing that the earth, meaning the soil, is the gift of God to all peoples. I am convinced that you, as responsible representatives of the world, will agree with me that, as far as the field of agriculture is concerned, it is essential, and to be a farmer is a most worthy profession.
M.S. HARBI (Observer for Sudan): I should like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation of the Director-General's introduction which was extremely positive in tone. Ever since he was elected to this post, the Director-General has shown himself to be very active and positive in his endeavours. We are sure that, with your enlightened Chairmanship, Sir, we shall be able to complete the consideration of these items in a most positive manner.
The main points have already been mentioned by the various members of the Council, so I need not address them. However, there is one particular point I wish to pick up from the introduction by the Director-General: it is a point which is of great interest to developing countries, in particular African countries. You will recall that my country is in the African region. It is the problem of rinderpest. This is an extremely important issue for our countries. Of course, there are efforts for the eradication of rinderpest, within the Panafrican Rinderpest Campaign: a common project OAU/concerned member countries. We feel that this programme has to be supported and developed. We agree with the Director-General's position on this matter. We certainly agree that international cooperation is urgently needed to eradicate rinderpest.
However, those of us who see the effect on the spot of the rinderpest realize that eradication is far from easy. It is prevalent in African countries. In some African countries we have a state of civil strife and it is difficult to take eradication measures and to protect wild livestock in the difficult conditions which prevail.
We do our best of course. There are projects in Africa for the control and eradication of rinderpest. We have a particular project under OAU which covers a number of countries in the area. FAO is helping, and can help even further, particularly as regards doing extension work on how to cope with the rinderpest situation.
Of course, the efforts which have been made are still not enough and they need to be further intensified because, as everyone knows, rinderpest has a very negative impact on meat production, on export both of meat and livestock on the hoof as is the case with foot-and-mouth disease which has a similarly negative impact.
We heard what was said at the International Conference which was held in Paris when the International Office of Animal Health, the OIE met. This was very much to the point. Recognition was given to the effort that FAO was making to try and eradicate certain major animal diseases by the year 2010. I attended that meeting of OIE and I raised some questions which were not answered at the time. However, we must go on trying to improve our measures for the eradication of these animal diseases. We must, of course, help to create the necessary basic conditions. This means civil strife and wars must be stopped in order that with the return of peace, animal health campaigns can be developed in the best possible conditions.
The Director-General also identified areas in Central Asia and in Asia Minor and in South East Europe which were selected for the first steps in this world campaign. Later on the campaign will be extended to other parts of the world and to other continents especially Africa. We appreciate that those countries in the parts of the world I have mentioned do need a lot of help, but we would suggest that we need a concerted effort. We need to do something on all continents. In this way we will be working against the disease everywhere at the same time and this will give us a greater chance of success. Of course, this will require very close international cooperation in order to ensure the final eradication of rinderpest.
The Director-General's statement also refers to foot-and-mouth disease in South American countries and here again I would like to stress that this disease is also present in Africa. To conclude, Mr Chairman, we are suffering a lot from the negative impact of rinderpest. We hope that we shall be able to achieve the eradication of it by the year 2010 as has been said. However, as I was saying before it is only possible if we have the necessary preconditions and there we look to FAO and the new Director-General to exercise their utmost efforts and to take the most effective measures possible.
Ermond HARTMANS (Observer for CARITAS): I address myself to the Report of the Committee on Food Security. In paragraph 13 this Report mentions that there are nine East African and seven West African countries which have serious food supply problems. My organization, Caritas International, represents a network of some 150 autonomous organizations and has operations in all these sixteen countries. Our approach of meeting the urgent food deficit has been the same as the one which is mentioned in paragraph 13 of the Report; namely, the financing of large-scale cereal imports. In Caritas we know that this is not the best way to handle the situation, but at the moment we have no other alternative.
There is, however, another solution wholly or partially to prevent these food shortages from occurring in future. In almost all these sixteen countries the main staple food is not cereal and certainly not wheat, but roots, tubers and pulses. Through our food assistance we are changing the food habits of the people and bypassing the real opportunities to provide food and food security with the products they produce and consume traditionally, and which are best adapted to the local ecological conditions.
In this context, let me quote the Minister of Agriculture of Ghana from the opening statement which he made at a symposium on tropical root crops held in October 1991 in Accra. He stated, and I quote, "the potential contribution of the major tropical roots and tuber crops, cassava, yam, sweet potatoes and coco yam, to the economies of most tropical and sub-tropical developing countries cannot be over-emphasized. In most of our countries (and practically all countries where major food deficiencies were present) these crops are closely associated with food security" - that is the Minister speaking -- and complement the objectives of protecting the populace against malnutrition. They provide the bulk of the daily calorie intake of the majority of our
people. In fact, roots and tubers have been described by some as the insurance crops which survive very arduous tropical conditions including droughts.
Since the Minister spoke, dramatic developments have been reported by the International Institute of tropical agriculture concerning cassava. New triploid varieties are producing double the yields, reaching 40-50 tons per hectare to the presently-used best variety. They have the same taste, the same nutritional value and are disease resistant against the major disease, Mosaic virus.
I am making this statement in order to ask for much greater attention and emphasis to be given to these important crops in our fight for food security and sustainable development. In the Report of the Committee only three lines are devoted to this matter in paragraph 41.
It is my hope that the pilot projects the Director-General mentioned which are presently being developed will include, firstly, the demonstration, multiplication and promulgation of high-yielding disease-resistant variety of roots, tubers and pulses.
Secondly, the proper utilization of these crops for humans and animals. Thirdly the possibility of keeping roots and tubers in the ground as food reserves to be used in times of need.
I wish to assure you that many of my fellow non-governmental organizations are ready to give FAO and the countries a helping hand in such an undertaking in a true partnership arrangement.
EL PRESIDENTE: Muchas gracias al distinguido observador por Cáritas. En primer lugar, por haber reducido su declaración, que sabíamos era mucho más larga y, en segundo lugar, por sus aportaciones tan interesantes y útiles. Con esto damos fin al tratamiento de los Temas 4 y 5 por parte de los distinguidos delegados. Las respuestas a las diversas cuestiones planteadas aquí, así como el resumen de la reunión, las obtendrán hoy a las 14:30 horas. El tiempo de interpretación se ha acabado y me permito concluir esta tercera etapa de nuestras sesiones.
The meeting rose at 12.45 hours.
La séance est levée à 12 h 45.
Se levanta la sesión a las 12.45 horas.
