EL PRESIDENTE: Buenas tardes, señores delegados. De acuerdo con el calendario y la Agenda, hoy iniciamos la discusión del tema 6, que se refiere a la Situación Alimentaria y agrícola en el Mundo. Conforme con las previsiones contenidas en el Reglamento general de la Organización, compete a la Conferencia hacer un examen del estado de la agricultura y. la alimentación, a la luz de los antecedentes de que disponemos, es decir, de la documentación que nos ha preparado la Secretaría y los informes del Consejo, que habrán tenido la oportunidad de analizar. Y en este examen creo que lo importante es señalar las cuestiones de política que surjan de la situación que se nos presenta y sobre todo por estar en condiciones de hacer recomendaciones concretas a la Conferencia.
El documento principal es el C 77/2 y el C 77/2/Suplemento 1.
Hay otro documento más, del que quizá el Sr. Secretario quiera informarles a ustedes; pero ya me está indicando ahora que es el Suplemento 2 y que ha sido distribuido esta mañana y colocado en los boxes de cada una de las delegaciones. Estoy seguro de que todos ustedes ya lo habrán visto. Contiene algunas cifras actualizadas al 10 de noviembre del corriente año.
N. ISLAM (Assistant Director-General, Economic andSocial Policy Department): In his statement at the Commission's first meeting, the Director-General has already spoken on this item of the Agenda. I thought however that it would help your deliberations if I very briefly drew your attention more specifically to the further supplementary documentation that has now been issued.
Document C 77/2 Supplement 2 consists of an updates version, revised as of 11 November, of the Basic Table I contained in the earlier supplementary document. At this time of the year the early estimates of the current harvests are of course constantly being revised. The changes embodied in the revised Table have tended to balance one another out at the world level. We therefore still estimate for the world as a whole an increase of 11/2 percent in food production and 1 1/2 -2 percent in total agricultural production in 1977. But there have been some significant changes at the regional level to which I should draw your attention. Food production in the developing market economies is now estimated to have risen by 1 1/2 percent-2 percent in 1977 as compared with the earlier figure of 1-11/2 percent. This results from the substantial upward revision for the Far East region where the 1977 wheat crop is higher, and the 1976 rice crop lower than originally estimated.
In Latin America there has been a small downward revision. In the developed countries the estimate of the increase in food production for 1977 has gone down from 11/2 percent-2 percent to 1-11/2 percent. Lower estimates of food production in Australia and of grain in Canada and for cereals, oil seed and other crops in the United States.
As mentioned by the Director-General, FAO's latest forecast of edible cereal stocks outside China and USSR at the close of the 1977/78 season has consequently come down to about 166 millin tons.
Before I close I should say a word about the special chapter on the state of natural resources and the human environment for food and agriculture that is to be included in 1977. As the Director-General has already indicated, a preliminary version of this chapter will be distributed towards the end of the Conference Session for information only and not for dicussion, since the delegates could of course not be expected to go through this lengthy document at this short notice. It was simply thought that the member governments would like to have copies of this study in their hands as soon as possible.
EL PRESIDENTE: Estoy seguro que su introducción al tema es una contribución valiosa para nuestros de bates y que los señores delegados habrán tomado nota de cuanto usted nos ha indicado.
El Sr. Rittershaus, que es el Relator del Plenario, seguramente nos hará conocer las opiniones vertidas por los señores jefes de delegación que han intervenido en el Plenario, en relación con este tema que empezamos a discutir ahora.
L. RITTERSHAUS (Rapporteur from Plenary to Commission I): I will report on item 6 of the Agenda, The State of Global Food and Agriculture as it came out in the plenary Session. There was an overwhelming consensus that while the acute food crisis of 1972/75 has been overcome the world is still far from attaining a full and securely based state of food security. It must however be seen as pointing in a positive direction that most delegations that gave an account of their countries' current agricultural situation either reported in terms of internal or regional food security or at least related national panorama to the overall and global situation. It seems that there is an awareness of world-wide interrelatedness in matters of food production food supply and food security.
The delegate from Barbados pointed out that population growth in the developing world still clearly outpaces increases in food production Moreover there are regions where these increases have been relatively small and uneven, with strong fluctuations and sometimes even appalling decreases from year to year. Dependence on the weather and in particular on seasonal rainfall is still overwhelming is South and South-East Asia, the Sahelian Zone and some parts of Latin America. On the Indian Sub-continent and in the Sahelian Zone an increase or decrease in the rainfall has made the harvest in the last few years either a success or a disaster. This year's monsoon has helped India to a third above-average grain harvest, but its local relative failure has created difficulties in Indonesia. It is however noteworthy that the East Asian mainland which is among the most sensitive to fluctuations in rainfall has been able to reach a relative independence from rainfall. Thanks to investments in irrigation and water control not least in the form of sheer human labour, China has achieved good harvests and even annual output increases, even in seasons of extreme drought and/or tropical rainfall. The Chinese delegate has given an interesting account of how this was achieved.
At this moment the region where a new food disaster is most likely to break loose is Africa's Sahelian Zone. The islands of Cape Verde reported extreme drought conditions for the ninth year. Delegates from several Sahelian countries have warned that a new grain deficit of at least half a million tons might develop. Many Latin American countries also experienced extreme fluctuations in harvest volume due to unfavourable weather, and the international market crisis in coffee was caused mainly by untimelyand unusual frosts in Brazil. All this suggests that the developing countries will remain in the short and medium term critically dependent on aid.
The Agricultural situation in the developed countries is characterized by symptons of over-production and cutbacks in output. After several exceptionally good grain harvests in North America the traditional North American grain exporters instead of welcoming reductions in grain prices had chosen to reduce sown area in order to reduce future harvest volumes and prevent over-reaction of producers.
In the Common market area structural over-production of milk and dairy products or wine and fruit have become endemic.
Meanwhile the socio-economic context in which agriculture is operating has drawn wide attention. Many countries declared that decisive production increases cannot be achieved for long as the majority of producers, the small farmers, are not actively brought into the picture. The small farm sector however is plagued in many places by the accelerating impoverishment of the individual cultivator.
To sum up this brief report on the world situation, stocks, especially grain stocks, are high again and have attained, with 18 percent of the world's annual consumption volume, security level. They may even grow further if current forecasts on next year's harvests are materialized. The forecasts have led to cutbacks in production. Vigilance is needed and should be continued. The trade and price situation is largely seen as unsatisfactory by both exporters and importers. The wider social and economic context remains beclouded by over-population, continuing depression of the small farm sector, and the need for greater resource allocation to the rural sector.
EL PRESIDENTE: Muchas gracias, Sr. Rittershaus, por sus interesantes comentarios e informaciones. Voy a poner en consecuencia ahora a consideración de ustedes el tema 6 de la Agenda.
M, LOT (Nigeria): My delegation would like to thank the Secretariat for the very informative document C 77/2 and C 77/2 Supplements 1 and 2 on the State of Food and Agriculture in 1977. The document throws up some frightening figures about the state of agriculture in the world with
particular reference to the developing countries though in many cases increased production is lagging behind increase in population. Until we are unsure about the accuracy of these figures the implication of this low level of production is grave for the teeming millions of people around the globe, who, by all accounts, will continue to be plagued by hunger and malnutrition and above all by the human indignity which accompanies it. My delegation is most concerned about this state of affairs.
As we said in the Plenary, the answer lies in the immediate massive investment from within and outside the countries concerned. For most of our countries caught in the vicious circle of low income, low savings and low investment, external assistance is a must. This may mean the writing off of development assistance debts owed by the developing countries to the industrialized countries, as has already been done by Canada and Sweden. Because of the need for high levels of assistance the recent World Food Council made a number of specific recommendations calling for massive development assistance and financial and technical assistance in vital areas such as storage, fertilisers, seeds and pesticides, as well as the establishment of an international emergency reserve. The impending launching of IFAD also represents another important source of funds for agricultural development.
My delegation is anxious to seek progress made in all these areas. Of course, a permanent solution to the food crisis in developing countries cannot be divorced from the issue of international trade and the whole problem of international agricultural adjustments. My delegation is therefore heartened by the progress being made in UNCTAD regarding commodity arrangements. We hope this will restore some sanity to the pricing and exporting of agricultural commodities from developing countries. Despite the figures on page 24 of the document, we believe that the terms of trade of agricultural products are still very bad. For example, these figures hide the disparities between individual commodities which not only experience adverse terms of trade but also suffer serious fluctuations in prices. We are anxious to see the industrialized countries do away with the barriers which they have erected in the way of exports of processed agricultural products to their countries. We are confident that these various approaches will enable developing countries to generate substantial resources for development and reduce their reliance on development assistance. An area which cries out for massive investment is irrigation development. That undoubtedly is the only permanent cure for the persistent drought which has become a regular feature in the Sahelian region. Such conserved water would facilitate increased food production through the use of high-yielding varieties which easily lend themselves to growing two or more crops a year.
We in Nigeria have recognized the importance of this approach and have provided during the Third National Develoment Plan from 1975-1980 to bring about 1.5 million hectares of new land under irrigation, mainly for the production of food crops.
I must stress that investment in training of staff and farmers at all levels and the transfer of production technology is also a sine qua non; so also is increased food production through the opening of new fertile land, using heavy machinery or manpower, depending on the relative abundance of those factors of production. Finally, we must not forget to stress the most important ingredient in any package of approaches towards the alleviation of hunger and malnutrition. This ingredient is the political will on the part of all national governments to mobilize whatever resources they can muster to increase food production.
R.B. RAYANGA (Kenya): I should like to confine my comments in our discussion to food security. Document C 77/2 puts the case very clearly. There are food deficits, and they must be abolished. I want to associate myself with the comments made by the delegate from Nigeria, in a general way, and also to look at food security in more detail.
The proposed action on world food security relates primarily to disasters, and this is food because disasters occur, but the bigger problem remains of recurring external food shortages. Crops are planted, food is eaten and gets finished and people who were eating only yesterday are now suddenly hungry again. The victims do not actually die right away, therefore the urgency is not understood, but these people are people who deserve our attention. The report of what is happening in the developed countries in spite of shortages in the developing countries means that the problem of security must be tackled on two levels. On the wider level we must have security to combat disaster, but on the other level we must have farm family security for food.
The situation in this area is as follows: in the first place, production is low, therefore food supply is inadequate. This is because with hand labour one cannot cultivate enough land. Also, yields are too low anyway because of inadequate tillage and lack of inputs. There is also undue reliance on one staple crop to the exclusion of other equally staple foods and marketing systems inflate the price of food once the farmer has sold it. Also there is competition between cash crops and food crops so the farmer has at one level to find food and at another to find money to supply his cash needs. This
problem also attaches itself to nations, because nations must find food and also satisfy their cash requirements, which in fact are foreign exchange. We also have post-harvest losses, which reduce what in fact are foreign exchanges. We also have post-harvest losses, which reduce what was originally low production. Then with the poor communications and low incomes, surpluses from one area cannot be used to fill the gap in another area in the absence of massive government or international intervention.
The question is, what are we to do? First and foremost there must be greater emphasis on food production. The area under cultivation must be expanded, particularly where grains are the staple. This can be done through mechanization and also either through irrigation or through new cropping systems to use marginal lands. Yields also must be increased and food sources diversified, particularly where the staple is a grain crop, by the inclusion of livestock products, roots and semi-perennial crops, such as bananas, which may survive where grain has failed and which also require limited labour. There is also room for the development of fish ponds and the keeping of small prolific animals for domestic food. One can also think of minor irrigation, where possible, to grow vegetables, but also food losses must be abolished. Methods must be introduced to treat and preserve food and vegetables, including those vegetables which either appear as waste or are by-products, such as bean, cassava and pumpkin leaves. Such products are plentiful during the rains but disappear entirely or deteriorate in quality during the dry season. There must be adequate storage arrangements in order to prevent post-harvest losses, which can be as much as 20 percent or even more on grains. In order to avoid such losses, farmers are quite often tempted to sell their crop only to find when they buy it up that the price has shot up by as much as 40 percent or even more.
However, while all this emphasis is being placed on food production, the cash needs of the farmer, and indeed of the nation, must not be forgotten.If they are, food will be sold for cash. Therefore the farmer's programme, and indeed that of the nation, must deliberately include a cash element so that when the food needs are budgeted for sufficient land, time and strength must be left for the production of cash crops. This is important because, after all, the cash is sometimes required to buy food when local food crops fail and in a context where the advantages of mechanization are not likely to be readily available emphasis must be placed on those enterprises or combinations of enterprises which call for the minimum of labour. For example, where the food staple is an annual or a seasonal crop the cash element should if possible be perennial, in order to lighten the burden. In the case of East Africa, and perhaps elsewhere, the communities that have done well are those which have had either perennial or a semi-perennial crop,either as a cash or food crop or where both crops are perennial.
The marketing system should be such that while giving the farmer adequate returns and incentives it does not inflate the consumer price of food beyond ability to pay. Communications must be improved so that surpluses in one area may reach another area to fill the deficit there now that the system includes a cash element, so that the farmer can afford to buy. In time the problem of food security may become a regional one, as is the case of the more fortunate countries, and thus the problem of the small farmer would be avoided.
This may appear to be a tall order and it is true that the problem is gigantic, but that is exactly why we are here. This subject has been tackled in this way in order to highlight the plight of members of the rural community so that their problems, being understood, may be tackled more sympathetically.
W. STEELE (United States of America); My delegation is in substantial agreement with the Secretariat report on the state of food and agriculture in document C 77/2. I should like to confine most of my comments to the document itself. We must keep in mind that many of the estimates reported in the document, as well as our own estimates in the United States, are still preliminary. However, since the document was prepared one of the major developments which has occurred is a 20 million ton reduction in the estimate of the Soviet grain output. The United States Department of Agriculture is now forecasting a Soviet crop of about 194 million metric tons for the 1977/78 season. We are also estimating that wheat and coarse grain production both would be estimated at 90 million metric . tons each.
FAO in its document, as I have just noted, is estimating 100 million tons for Soviet wheat production. This would appear to be somewhat higher than our estimate.
As a result of these developments, world grain production may fall somewhat below the record crop achieved in 1976/77. Based on the United States Department of Agriculture figures, our carry-over stocks of wheat, rice and coarse grains are expected to decline very marginally this year from 1976/77. We are estimating that the decline will drop from 185 million metric tons to 181 million metric tons.
For the United States itself the prospects are very good. The prospects point to a record crop production and larger grain stocks. Our total crop production is this year expected to be about 4 percent larger than last year. Total grain supplies, including wheat and feed grains and rice, for 1977-78 are up nearly 30 million metric tons which will boost our carry-over stocks nearly a fourth. Thus our ending stocks of wheat and coarse grains are expected to exceed 75 million metric tonnes, the highest we have had on hand since the mid-1960s.
I also have some estimates--our most recent estimates--of our production for grains and oil seeds products. I will make these available to the Secretariat. I will not go over them now.
I have just seen the supplement. I cannot react to everything in the supplement but I would point out one mistake, which I did pick up, on the amount of feed grains that are used for livestock production. Apparently the Secretariat has picked up a number for total domestic utilization of feed grains, which includes seed, food and industrial usage, and they have used a figure of 137.5 million metric tonnes, instead of 1.19 million tons that is expected to be fed during 1977-78.
I would noxtf like to turn my discussion to some of the recent policy developments that have occurred in the United States of America. Secretary Bergland in his recent speech before the Plenary discussed most of these but I will repeat them because some clarification seems to be needed on certain points.
The new Food and Agriculture Act of 1977 was signed in September following Congressional approval. The main purpose of the legislation is to authorize a new farm programme for the next four years. Some of the provisions in the new act are set at revising our support prices, our target prices and our loan prices. Our target prices are the basis for direct income support payments to farmers. The significant provisions here are on the target price which is used for income payments. The target price for wheat has been set at $2.90 a bushel and we have raised both the target price and loan price for corn up to $2.00 a bushel. The 1977 wheat loan rate will be at $2.25 a bushel, which will remain unchanged.
In late August Secretary Bergland indicated a comprehensive plan to establish a 30 to 35 million tonnes reserve of food and feed grain and this would be established prior to the beginning of the 1978-79 marketing year. Under this plan the farmer-owned wheat and rice reserve programme would be expanded to include 17 to 19 million tonnes of feed grain. And there would be specific price provisions on when these reserves would be released from the reserve stock.
We also propose to create a special food reserve of up to 6 million metric tonnes to ensure our current special food aid commitments can be made. This special reserve would be held and controlled by the Government. The reserve could make use of any wheat which was turned over to the Commodity Credit Corporation as a result of forfeitures. The establishment of reserve stocks is intended to serve as a hedge against the inflationary effects of a poor crop in the future. It will also help the United States to meet its food aid commitment and is consistent with the United States' position in negotiating international grains arrangements which include reserve provisions.
Also instituted in August was a decision to set aside 20 percent of the acreage in 19 78 wheat production. We calculate that this acreage reduction will result in about an 8 to 10 percent reduction in actual wheat production.
As the Secretary indicated in his speech on Tuesday of this week, we announced tentative plans for a modest reduction in our food grain production. However, there has been some confusion about the announcement on feed grains. First, recognizing the uncertainties in world production, the decision on feed grains, and only on feed grains, is conditional pending a complete review in January and February of the world and domestic situation.
Secondly, the set-aside will reduce acreage of corn, sorghum and barley by 10 percent. We calculated that this reduction in acreage will reduce the actual production by an estimated 7 million tonnes, that amounts to 3 percent of United States production and about 1 percent of total world coarse grain production.
Thirdly, 1977 coarse grain production appears to be a record in the United States and carry-over stocks are expected to rise to about 44 million metric tonnes. We expect that ending coarse grain stocks for .1977/78 will be the largest since 1972 and, as I indicated previously, ending wheat and coarse srain taken together will be at their highest level since the mid-1960s.Further build-up of those stocks would no doubt worsen the cost-price relationship for our farmers and would reduce incentives to increase production in the future.
I should point out that the set-aside programme is annually determined and should not necessarily be interpreted as applying to subsequent crops.
I would like to return briefly now to the supplement to document C 77/2. In paragraph 50 of that document the FAO calculates that total wheat and coarse grain production for the United States for 1977-78 would be down 20 million tonnés as a result of the set-aside. I take it that is their calculation. Based on the information I have available, it appears that this estimate is too high. My calculations point to a reduction of about 13 million tonnes.
With regard to paragraph 55 of the supplement, reference is made to grain which is turned over to our Commodity Credit Corporation. I would only like to point out that in the case of wheat, some or all the wheat that is turned over to the Commodity Credit Corporation could be utilized for the establishment of the special food reserve that I discussed earlier.
If other delegates or the Secretariat have particular questions about our new policy actions, I would be glad to meet with them whenever it is convenient.
P. MASUD (Pakistan):There has undoubtedly been marked improvement in the immediate short-term world food and agriculture situation since we last met.The grains made by developing countries in 1975, and again in 1976 and 1977, are impressive. While favourable weather conditions were no doubt an important contributing factor, credit should also be given to developing countries for the deliberate efforts made by them to increase production, to greater priority to agriculture and to improved policies and practices.
It would, therefore, be a worthwhile exercise for the FAO to identify and quantify the extent of the increase in food production as a result of the efforts made in the developing countries.
The current situation should not give any room for complacency, nor should it in any way dispel the sense of urgency to deal with the critical problems in the food and agriculture sector. Not only is the improvement in the short-term outlook somewhat fragile, but, more importantly, the longer term trend in food production in developing countries continues to remain inadequate.In fact, the situation in certain parts of the world, particularly in North Africa and in the Sahel, is a matter of great concern.
The increase in food production since 1970 has only averaged 2.6 percent in developing countries, which is far below the 4 percent annual target expected by the World Food Conference.It is a matter of concern, therefore, that the series of recommendations made by the World Food Conference to redress the longer term situation have not yet been seriously considered or implemented.In the light of this the Pakistan delegation would like to underline the following policy issues arising out of the assessment of the current situation.
Firstly, in the short term the developing countries, and particularly the LDCs and MSAs, will continue to need assistance to fill the food gap. It is a matter of regret that the minimum food aid target of a million tonnes still remains to be achieved. We would urge donor countries to make additional allocations during the current year so that the target can be achieved in 1977 and 1978, and would hope that the new Food Aid Convention is negotiated as part of the new International Grain Agreement which duly reflects this target.
Secondly, in the short term, developing countries, and again particularly the MSA countries, will need external assistance for the increased supply of agricultural inputs, particularly fertilizers and persticides in adequate quantities and at reasonable prices.
The MSA countries continue to face a serious balance of payments problem and external debt liabilities which drastically restrict their ability to purchase adequate quantities of agricultural inputs. They need to be protected against .sharp fluctuations in international prices of fertilizers. We would in this connection strongly support the International Fertilizers Supply Scheme and particularly the option proposal recently discussed by the Fertilizers Commssion.
The Pakistan delegation would also draw attention to the desirability of supporting FAO's Seed Industry Development Programme by contributions of 20 million dollars by donors as recommended by the Conference on International Economic Cooperation.
Thirdly, progress towards the longer term goal of a dependable system of world food security is particularly slow and discouraging.Fortunately world stocks of cereals have now increased substantially
to around 17 to 18 percent of annual world consumption.It is vital not to miss the current opportunity to convert a portion of current accumulated stocks into reserves so as not to discourage production efforts.
It is also necessary to intensify efforts to develop an adequate international food reserve system. Towards this end the principles embodied in the International Undertaking on World Food Security need to be put into operation as expeditiously as possible.
The Conference must draw attention to the urgency of the situation and stress the need for a speedy conclusion of their discussions and negotiations for a new international grains arrangement before the expiry of the current extension so that the system of world food security may: soon become an operational reality.
Fourthly, the significant rise in food production during the last two years in many developing countries affords a good opportunity for them to build up their stocks and thereby participate meaningfully in the world food security scheme. However, they face resource constraints which need to be overcome. Technical and financial assistance to such developing countries to help them implement their national food reserve programmes, including construction of additional storage facilities, is therefore a priority area.
Lastly, an increased transfer of resources and provision of adequate assistance to developing countries is aprerequisite for a successful implementation of their food and agriculture development programmes. The recent fall in commitments of external development assistance to agriculture is a matter of grave concern. A hopeful sign is the emergence of IFAD as a reality. However, even the establishment of IFAD would still leave a substantial gap considering the requirements of developing countries. We would hope that donor countries would show the requisite will by substantially increasing their official development and technical assistance to agriculture on a sustained basis.
I am sorry for having taken up so much time, but this is a vast subject and a lot requires to be said.
A. BAOUA (Niger): Permettez-moi d'exprimer la joie qu'éprouve la Délégation du Niger quant à la normalisation de la situation agricole et alimentaire mondiale comme l'indique le Document C 77/II"Sup.1.
Mais cette joie s'estompe face à la situation alimentaire encore préoccupante dans les pays du Sahel. En effet, elle nécessite actuellement une assistance d'urgence afin d'éviter une pénurie éventuelle catastrophique surtout pour certains pays de la région.
Le Conseil extraordinaire des ministres des pays membres du CILSS tenu à Niamey du 16 au 27 octobre 1977 a fait le point provisoire de la situation de la campagne agricole 1977-1978. Il a constaté, comme l'a dit tout à l'heure notre rapporteur, que cette campagne est caractérisée d'une manière générale par une installation tardive de la saison des pluies, une répartition irrégulière des pluies dans le temps et dans l'espace, un déficit pluviométrique important par rapport à la normale, une persistance de l'action des déprédateurs aux champs.
Confronté à nouveau aux menaces de famine, de malnutrition et de maladie qui pèsent sur ces 30 millions d'habitants et son cheptel, le Conseil a déclaré sinistrés les pays membres du CILSS.Il a estimé provisoirement le niveau de l'aide alimentaire demandé pour les huit pays membres du CILSS à 500 mille tonnes.
Pour ce qui concerne particulièrement mon pays une analyse approchée de l'évolution de la culture des céréales de base de 1960 à 1977 nous montre que:
1. D'une part les surfaces cultivées suivaient sensiblement la courbe théorique de l'accroissement de la population de 1960 à 1968. Elle nous montre ensuite qu'elles étaient un peu plus élevées de 1969 à 1971, après la progression de 1969 consécutive à la mauvaise année de 1968, début de la sécheresse dans le Sahel, et nettement plus faibles de 1972 à 1975, période correspondant aux années de grandes sécheresses.Elles atteignent maintenant le niveau de la courbe théorique, c'est-à-dire se rapprochent de l'accroissement de la population, ce qui s'est traduit par un retour souhaitable et souhaité à la normale.
2. Les amendements par contre varient d'une année à l'autre, quelquefois avec un intervalle de deux ans. A une année meilleure succède une année plus mauvaise et ainsi de suite.
3. La production, image combinée des deux précédentes caractéristiques, a été nettement supérieure aux besoins alimentaires de la population jusqu'en 1969. Mais depuis 1970, elle accuse des déficits particulièrement importants, surtout entre 1973 et 1975, années très affectées par la sécheresse.
Malgré un déficit de l'ordre de 135 milles tonnes de céréales pour la campagne agricole 1977-78, la situation semble maintenant redevenir normale. Ce déficit concerne 100 000 tonnes de mil et sorgho, 15 000 tonnes de blé, 10 000 tonnes de maïs et 15 000 tonnes de riz.
Pour cette année encore nous nous trouvons dans I,bligation de faire appel à la solidarité internationale pour couvrir ce déficit. Nous lui demandons non seulement de mettre en oeuvre de façon exceptionnelle des procédures et des modalités d'urgence pour la mobilisation de l'aide et le transport des produits, afin d'éviter les lenteurs constatées au cours des précédentes sécheresses, mais aussi et surtout de nous assister matériellement et techniquement dans la mise en oeuvre des projets de programmes de première génération arrêtés à la deuxième réunion du Club des amis du Sahel afin d'assurer notre autosuffisance et sécurité alimentaires.
L'équilibre vivrier constitue l'option fondamentale du gouvernement nigérien. Pour y parvenir, l'objectif principal retenu est l'accroissement de la production vivrière avec la constitution d'un stock de semences et d'un stock régulateur de céréales pour les éventuelles années de mauvaise production. Pour ce faire, il a été assigné au programme triennal:
- d'accélérer le processus de mise en valeur des terres irrigables estimées à plus de 140 mille hectares;
- de diminuer les surfaces consacrées aux cultures de rente, cette réduction de superficies cultivées devant être compensée par l'amélioration des rendements de ces cultures;
- d'encourager les actions de productivités rurales;
- d'exploiter rationnellement le capital terre par la disparition progressive des jachères et de passer ainsi d'un système extensif à un système intensif grâce aux facteurs suivants: diffusion de semences sélectionnées à haut rendement et adaptées aux différentes zones écologiques de notre pays; lutte contre les parasites animaux et végétaux; amélioration des techniques culturales et d'irrigation pour compléter un déficit éventuel en eaux de pluie.
Après ce bref aperçu sur notre agriculture, mon pays a plus que jamais besoin du concours de la FAO et des pays amis pour atteindre cet objectif.
V. de ASARTA (Italie): La délégation italienne a lu avec le plus vif intérêt les documents C 77/2 et C 77/2-Sup.1 en trouvant dans de nombreuses et claires données qui y sont contenues la confirmation du fait qu'au cours des deux dernières années la situation agricole et alimentaire dans le monde a permis d'enregistrer des améliorations sensibles par rapport aux deux années précédentes, 1973 et 1974, pendant lesquelles la crise alimentaire se manifesta de façon plus aiguë et préoccupante.
En particulier, la donnée concernant le taux annuel d'accroissement des productions alimentaires dans les pays en voie de développement, "clef de voûte pour résoudre le problème alimentaire mondial'', est particulièrement intéressante: ce taux au cours des trois dernières années a été de 4,1 pour cent, dépassant de peu par conséquent 4 pour cent, considéré comme limite minimum d'accroissement pour assurer la possibilité de succès à la stratégie internationale du développement agricole.
Toutefois, cette amélioration est due en grande partie aux conditions atmosphériques favorables qui se sont vérifiées pendant ces années plutôt qu'à une hausse qualitative des conditions structurelles de l'agriculture dans ces pays.la. La Délégation italienne espère que cette allure positive n'incitera pas certains gouvernements à retarder la mise en oeuvre de la solution des problèmes endémiques de l'agricul-u ture nationale.Il est certain que dans plusieurs pays en voie de développement les investissements agricoles pour la mise en valeur des productions locales visant à atteindre un niveau adéquat d'auto-suffisance alimentaire, ont été inférieurs aux prévisions. En effet, dans les pays où la densité démographique est plus élevée, le taux de développement de production alimentaire est resté bien au-dessous de l'objectif minimum de développement agricole prévu.
Naturellement, le conjoncture favorable a exercé son influence sur les prix des produits agricoles en inversant la tendance à l'augmentation qui avait caractérisé les deux annés précédentes.
Pendant les deux années 1973 et 1974, les raisons d'échanges entre produits industriels et produits agricoles s'étaient sensiblement améliorées en faveur des deuxièmes jusqu'à atteindre environ 40 pout cent; actuellement cet avantage a été ramené à 18 pour cent, même si au cours des premiers mois de 1977 on a pu vérifier une légère reprise. Après l'essor de 1973-1974, les prix des produits alimentaires en effet ont augmenté dans une moindre mesure que ce soit au cours de l'anné 1975 ou 1976.
La conséquence la plus importante de ce retour aux raisons d'échange défavorable d'avant 1973 est constituée par un certain relâchement des investissements dans les secteur agricoles."Les prix des produits agricoles se vengent", a dit au commencement de 1975 notre ancien Ministre de l'agriculture, le Sénateur Medici, qui a été d'ailleurs président de la Conférence mondiale de l'alimentation; mais cette vengeance a représenté une stimulation salutaire pour les investissements, la recherche, l'expansion des cultures agricoles, etc. A vrai dire, à l'heure actuelle, le retour 1'ancienne tendance risque de retarder le rachat d'un secteur dont l'importance cependant commence à être reconnue par tout le monde.
En effet, dans les pays industrialisés, mais même dans certaines zones du tiers monde, le role que l'agriculture peut jouer dans le développement économique a été, au cours des dernières années, révisé et revalorisé. Ceci non seulement à cause du poids que ce facteur peut avoir au stade du "take off" économique, mais surtout parce qu'une gestion correcte des investissements, des technologies, des systèmes de cultures peut éviter, ou du moins contenir, les effroyables déséquilibres que les Etats et les sociétés ont dû supporter au stade de l'industrialisation.
Cet intérêt renouvelé à l'égard du secteur agricole impose donc aux organisations internationales et particulièrement à la FAO une stratégie nouvelle et plus raffinée pour illustrer les dangers pouvant découler d'un développement déséquilibré au détriment de l'agriculture, et aussi les avantages résultant de l'amélioration des raisons d'échange en faveur des produits agricoles de base, ceci toutefois au moyen d'un mécanisme tel que le "Commodity agreements" capable d'éviter que la revalorisation des prix alimentaires soit cause d'inflation et pèse exclusivement sur les consommateurs.
On a pu aussi constater que l'allure favorable de la situation agricole et alimentaire a permis la reconstitution espérée des stocks, surtout des stocks de céréales.
Malgré tout cela et malgré les progrès incontestables vérifiés pendant ces années, surtout dans le domaine de l'information, on est encore loin de ce système de sécurité alimentaire mondiale qui reste l'objectif le plus ambitieux et significatif de la Conférence mondiale de l'alimentation de novembre 1974.
Il faut bien dire que les appels réitérés pour une sécurité alimentaire plus efficace et pour une solidarité internationale plus active sont passés surtout après la crise alimentaire de 1973-1974 et la Conférence sur l'alimentation qui a eu lieu en même temps, les principes abstraits et des interventions fragmentaires, à une présence plus cohérente sur la scène mondiale.
Le renforcement du role que l'agriculture joue dans le développement économique est capable de donner une nouvelle vigueur au niveau international à ces appels et de contribuer à libérer l'humanité de la terrible incertitude quant à la disponibilité d'aliments.
En ce qui concerne les sources d'énergie dans le secteur agricole et je me réfère plus particulièrement au rapport sur la situation mondiale de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture 1976, il paraît clair que le pétrole restera pour le moment une source d'énergie qu'on ne pourra pas remplacer. Toutefois, tandis que les pays industrialisés sont à même de consacrer dès à présent des capitaux importants à la recherche de sources d'énergie de rechange et possèdent d'ailleurs la structure technologique pour atteindre des résultats appréciables, il semble que les pays qui accèdent à l'industrialisation rencontrent encore dans cette voie de grandes difficultés.
Notre pays aussi connaît bien ces difficultés. La Délégation italienne voudrait répéter qu'en ce qui concerne les consommations d'énergie pour la fabrication de moyens de production (inputs) pour les activités agricoles et pour la gestion de ces activités, les données exposées sont très importantes et intéressantes et qu'il serait par conséquent souhaitable que les consommations correspondantes d'énergie exprimées en termes de pétrole aient la plus large diffusion scientifique et publique dans les pays importateurs de pétrole. Celle parce que les consommations de cette source d'énergie se traduisent généralement en solde négatif dans la balance commerciale des pays respectifs.
K, ANDERSEN (Denmark):Once more the Secretariat has prepared a useful report on outstanding problems in the world agricultural situation. The overall picture may seem bright with an estimated increase in world food production in 1976 of 4 percent. As for developing countries, it is also encouraging that the longer term trends point to an average increase in food production of 0.6 percent in the period 1970-76 which is above the annual growth of population of 2,3 percent.These figures are, however, average global figures and the picture is much less bright when you look into the problem areas, the LDCs and the MSAs.
We are particularly grateful to the Secretariat for having provided the analysis in paragraphs 21-24 and tables 2 and 3 in the Report. Of equal importance is the information supplied in tables 6 and 7 showing development in the per capita production for capital energy supplies in developing countries.
It is alarming to read in paragraph 61 that the total population of countries, where dietary energy supplies are below the requirements, still remains at a level of about 1 250 million.
We commend the Secretariat on the clear information provided on this matter, and we would ask the Secretariat in the future State of Agriculture to concentrate even more on the situation in the problem areas, LDCs and MSAs. The object of progress should be not only to get a better understanding and call more attention to the situation in those countries, but to bring about a shift in emphasis to increase the amount of assets going into those countries. This could eventually lead to overall revision of allocation of aid. We would welcome discussion on this point.
We share the concern about the decline in official commitments of external assets to agriculture shown in table 18. We have also noted from paragraph 115 the observation that donors need to give much greater priority to the agricultural lending in terms of quantity and in terms of borrowing if the minimum production target is to be reached. We would even tend to go a step further and recommend a more selective policy giving higher priority to LDCs and MSAs. This problem is discussed in paragraph 117 which states that poor countries have been receiving smaller per capita commitments for agriculture than the relatively better off ones, in particular the per capita above $300. Clearly there is a case for consideration of reallocation of available resources on terms to the benefit of the poorest countries. Better off countries, as mentioned in paragraph 116, may have the possibility of obtaining loans on the private capital market.
On the Chapter on Food Aid, paragraphs 121 - 123, we would express the hope that the target of $950 million for 1979-80 will be approved by the Conference and the General Assembly and achieved. We also hope the CFA under the leadership of the new Executive Director would take a lead in preparing a coherent food aid policy. We welcome the progress in the establishment of international emergency reserves. We feel a need to clarify the role and function of the reserves in relation to the World Food Programme and the assistance provided by the latter.
We wish to state our support for international commodity agreements and finally would express the hope that the multilateral trade negotiations conducted under the auspices of GATT will be brought to a successful conclusion in the near future.
B.E. MATAMOROS HUECK (Nicaragua): Mi delegación desea felicitar a la Secretaría, por el esfuerzo que ha realizado al preparar este documento. Sin embargo, señor Presidente, tal como lo han expresado.otras delegaciones, consideramos que algunas estimaciones hechas por la Secretaría son simples formulas y que algunas yeces no se corresponden con la situación real de los países en desarrollo.I
Por otro lado también, señor Presidente, mi delegación no comparte algunas de las estimaciones que resultan indicadas en este documento.
A criterio nuestro, Sr. Presidente, las perspectivas de la producción mundial de alimentos, tal como figura en este documento en el párrafo del 1 al 4, han aumentado por debajo del aumento de la población y para 1977 será inferior al crecimiento de la población mundial. En este contexto, Sr. Presidente, es de particularpreocupación que para 1977/78 la ayuda alimentaria aún no alcanzará el objetivo de los 10 millones de toneladas de asistencia alimentaria establecida por la Conferencia Mundial de la Alimentación, y que también, Sr. Presidente, las contribuciones a la Reserva Internacional de Emergencia de 500.000 toneladas hasta ahora sólo se han alcanzado los tres quintos de esa meta.
En relación al párrafo 6, Sr. Presidente, del documento C 77/2, Sup. 1, en los aspectos relativos al comercio de los productos agropecuarios, es para mi delegación muy preocupante la situación de los países en desarrollo. A criterio nuestro, la situación de nuestras exportaciones en 1975 fue estacionaria y los ligeros aumentos para 1976 no bastaron para compensar el incremento en los precios de nuestras importaciones.
Esta situación, según nosotros, ha sido determinada por la excepcional inestabilidad en los precios de los productos agrícolas exportados por los países en desarrollo en los dos últimos años, lo cual ha afectado gravemente nuestra balanza de pagos y se ha alcanzado la cifra record de nuestras ventas externas por la cantidad de 190 000 millones de dólares.
Consideramos, Sr. Presidente, que la solución de los problemas que afectan a la producción y el comercio de los productos agrícolas va enfrentada ofreciendo mejores condiciones financieras y de
asistencia técnica a los países en desarrollo, con objeto de incrementar la producción y la transformación de los productos agropecuarios. En cuanto al comercio, consideramos que la aplicación de medidas proteccionistas y otras medidas respectivas al comercio, son los obstáculos que mayormente los obstaculizan.
Creemos, Sr. Presidente, que en este contexto el alcance del objetivo del orden económico internacional podrfa mejorar esta situación. Y concretamente, en relación a algunos productos que menciona este documento, como el párrafo 19, que se refiere a la carne, creemos que el mercado mundial de este producto ha sido caracterizado siempre por una estabilidad. Creemos que cuando el precio de este producto ha aumentado se ha recurrido a medidas artificiales a fin de disminuir su valor en los mercados. Consideramos que las directrices de la cooperación internacional formuladas aquí en la FAO sería uno de los instrumentos que pudieran solucionar este problema.
En relación al párrafo 20, que se refiere a las tortas y a los productos oleaginosos de aceite vegetal, creemos que la concesión de subvenciones para la utilización de otros productos para el alimento del ganado, y haciendo que la mantequilla de la leche sea más barata que los aceites vegetales, también han afectado a las exportaciones de los países en desarrollo.
En cuanto a los fertilizantes y los plaguicidas, consideramos que son determinantes para incrementar la producción en los países en desarrollo y nos preocupa particularmente que dentro del plan internacional de suministros de fertilizantes haya disminuido la asistencia a los países en desarrollo, particularmente a los más gravemente afectados durante el período 1976/77. La propuesta de opción que presentó la Comisión de fertilizantes en sus discusiones y que figura en su Informe, y que.a través de la misma asegura el precio a los importadores de los países en desarrollo, a las mismas condiciones del mercado externo de los países productores, 3ería una medida que debería ser aplicada para todos los países en desarrollo importadores, y particularmente, a los países en desarrollo más seriamente afectados.
En cuanto a los aspectos relativos a la seguridad alimentaria mundial, consideramos que se deben encontrar los mecanismos de asistencia multilateral a fin de constituir las estructuras para desarrollar la capacidad de reserva en los países en desarrollo, así como darlas la asistencia financiera necesaria.
En cuanto a las actividades de la FAO relativas a las políticas de productos, consideramos que tiene una función muy importante a desarrollar, sea a nivel nacional contribuyendo a formular nuestras políticas nacionales, sea también a nivel internacional y en sus relaciones con otros organismos internacionales especializados, con los cuales consideramos que debe tener una íntima y estrecha vinculación y compenetración como son las actividades que desarrollan el marco de la UNCTAD y el CACJ.
Creemos que la experiencia y la función que la FAO puede desarrollar es extremamente importante, sobre todo para la preparación, elaboración y cumplimiento de acuerdos sobre productos. También creemos que la FAO puede desarrollar una función muy importante en el recogimiento, el análisis y la distribución de datos sobre los mercados, y preparar informes sobre productos sectoriales, así como las proyecciones y dar información en este sentido a los países en desarrollo, particularmente a los que carecen de este tipo de estructura.
También hemos escuchado con suma atención las intervenciones de la delegación de Dinamarca; algunos aspectos de ella, los consideramos muy pertinentes, particularmente en lo que se refiere a condiciones más favorables de crédito y financiamiento para todos .los países en desarrollo.
A. HJULSTAD (Norway): After a period of uncertainty with regard to food production our present situation seems more prosperous, but in spite of this undernutrition still is the greatest problem in our world, particularly in the developing countries, and strong efforts have to be made to improve the situation.In particular, I should like to stress the lack of food security which has not been sufficiently improved as a consequence of increased supplies. The ongoing discussions in the International Wheat Council on a new agreement including a food aid convention however is hoped for the future. Reserve stocks must be built up in developing countries as well as in developed countries to secure supplies and level off fluctuations both with regard to prices and supplies. A food aid convention aiming at a minimum quantity of 10 million tons of wheat will be a necessary element in the food aid policy for many years to come , and the same concerns the emergency reserve stocks of 500 000 tons.In addition to grain stocks of different kinds, production of other food stuffs for the purpose :of food aid must be secured and we must try to avoid using food aid as a method of getting rid of temporary surpluses.
In conclusion I should like to underline that food aid, important as it is, and will be, must not impede our efforts to increase food production in the developing countries themselves.
Ms D. KOENIG (Germany, Federal Republic of) (Interpretation from German): First of all I would like to join the previous speakers in thanking the Secretariat. On this point of the Agenda we now have two clear and comprehensive documents and a statistical supplement informing us about the actual present state of affairs in a very clear manner. The supplementary document with the latest informa tion, confirms the present assessment of the overall situation. All in all the world food situation in 1977/78 will not change to any noticeable extent compared with the previous year. The grain supplies available to supply the market are adequate. A further increase in grain stocks - less in the case of wheat - may be expected. The world wheat trade should increase considerably and lead to an increase in prices. Supplies of protein feedstuffs will be much better than in 1976/77. Sugar and milk markets are characterized by continuing surpluses, and there are no major changes in pro duction to be expected in the meat market.
However one must not look at the production and supply situation purely on a world-wide basis. One has to make also regional differentiation and document C 77/2, in particular in paragraphs 21-24 and . 58-63, refers to the existing problems. The first preliminary estimates indicate that in 1977 a lower increase of agricultural production is to be expected in developing countries compared with the favourable results of the last three years. The situation in particular in the MSA or food priority countries is not yet satisfactory. That is why the WFC has asked these countries to make concrete proposals for the increase in production that is needed. In our view this is the basic condition for an increased use of external aid as well. These pledges continuously increased from 1971 to 1975 from $1,1 - 5.7 billion. Document C 77/4 "Review of Field Programmes" asks the reasons for stagnating or even slightly decreasing pledges of agricultural development aid for 1976. It is believed that one reason is that the quick rise in aid has exceeded the availability of suitable projects. That is why it is a condition for further improvement of agricultural aid and cooperation that the recipient countries should further develop their absorption capacities and submit suitable projects.
As regards the recommendations of the World Food Council in paragraph 124 of document C 77/2, I would like to remind you that the World Food Council has not accepted its Secretariat's estimate of external aid of $8.3 million, but only considered it. My Government's concerns about such abstract figures without convincing reasons are well known.
We can judge in a positive way the increase in food aid to now almost 10 million tons of grains and the development of world trade in agricultural products. The share of developing countries in the world agricultural trade has further increased. Their export earnings for most agricultural products have increased to a much greater extent than those of most developed countries. We see a particularly favourable development in the fact that trade conditions for processed products have considerably improved for developing countries. My Government has always attached great importance to trade with developing countries. Almost 50 percent of our total agricultural imports from countries outside the EEC are from developing countries.
LI YUNG-ΚΑΙ (China) (interpretation from Chinese): We are glad to note that since 1975 world food and agricultural production has made some progress. And in particular food production in this world has increased for two years in succession. Facts have borne out that only when food production is develop ed can the peoples livelihood be guaranteed and animal husbandry, forestry, fishery, and various cash crops be expanded accordingly. As we all depend on food supplies this in turn will promote an all round development of agricultural production and give support to industry. Only when food production is developed and self-sufficiency in food gradually achieved, can the super power's control plunder and blackmail by means of food be shaken off,which is indispensable to a country in safeguarding her political independence and developing her national economy. However food still remains a problem in the Third World. The level of food production and consumption in many Third World countries lags behind that of the developed countries and food deficiency and malnutrition are still to be found in many places.
Document C 77/2 points out that a substantial acceleration of the rate of growth of food production in the developing countries and especially in the most seriously affected countries remains the over riding priority. We hold that effective measures must be taken to energetically increase food production and gradually achieve food self-sufficiency in one's own country or region. Meanwhile it is essential to draw a lesson from the serious consequences of soaring food prices to many developing countries during the shortage of food supplies the world market after 1972. The super powers must never again be allowed to profit by the temporary difficulties of some countries in food grains. Since last winter China's agricultural production has been affected successively by such natural calamities as serious winter frost, spring drought, excessive summer rains and typhoons. As China has a large land area natural calamities of one kind or another occur every year whether in the south or in the north. To this our consistent attitude is: first we don't fear them; second we combat them resolutely.
The Chinese people have full confidence in conquering natural disasters because we are guided by Chairman Mao's revolutionary line. We have accumulated experience over long years in winning good harvests in spite of natural disasters and we have laid a solid and ever-expanding foundation in farm land capital construction with which to resist calamities and ensure good harvests.
Under the leadership of Chairman Hua the 800 million Chinese people, united as one and working diligently, have waged ardous struggles agains natural disasters and greatly reduced the losses by carrying out large-scale farmland capital construction and conducting farming in a scientific way. At present we are adopting measures aimed at greater annual increases in grain productions so that we can expand the scale of our construction, improve out people's livelihood and increase our grain reserves step by step while at the same time meeting the needs of our growing population for food.
Finally, I would like to make a few brief comments on the issue of agricultural investment. We have always stood for the principle of relying mainly on one's own efforts while seeking external assistance as an auxiliary.In developing production one must rely mainly on one's own efforts and accumulate the funds needed. All external investment and assistance must be provided on a basis of strictly respecting the sovereignty of the recipient countries. This should be conducive to the self-reliance of the developing countries and have no political strings attached. Priority in agricultural investments and assistance should be given to developing countries with serious food problems.It is common knowledge that agricultural production has a comparatively long cycle and is not so stable. Therefore agricultural investment should be offered on more favourable terms. We are also of the view that all countries, big or small, are entitled to participate on an equal footing in discussion and decision-making on the principles and policies of agricultural investment. No control or manipulation by super-Powers should be permitted.China is a developing socialist country. While developing our agriculture by self-reliance and hard struggle, we are ready to enhance our economic and technical cooperation with other Third-World countries, joining them in extending experience, helping and learning from one another and advancing together, thus making a greater contribution to mankind.
D. DANG MEKOULA (Cameroun):Puisque la delegation du Cameroun prend la parole pour la première fois au sein de cette Commission, nous voudrions saisir cette occasion pour adresser à notre tour, à vous-même et à tous les vice-présidents, nos plus vives félicitations pour votre élection. Nous voudrions égale ment adresser nos félicitations et nos remerciements au Directeur général pour l'excellente presentaa tion du document C 77/2 et du supplément C 77/2-Sup. 1 qui le complète. Dans leur forme concise et précise, ces deux documents nous permettent de nous faire une idée claire sur la situation mondiale de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture en 1977.
L'examen de ces deux documents révèle que, considérée dans son ensemble, la situation de la production agricole et alimentaire à l'échelon mondial s'est améliorée de façon significative et que des progrès appréciables ont été enregistrés dans les pays en développement pris globalement. Malheureusement, pour le continent africain, cette image d'ensemble, qui pousse quelque peu à l'optimisme, est ternie par des données et autres informations qui révèlent clairement que le processus de l'accroissement de la production alimentaire ne s'amorce que très timidement, à quelques exceptions près.
C'est dire que, pour les masses rurales et urbaines d'Afrique, la lutte contre la faim, la misère, la malnutrition et le sous-développement devra encore être engagée avec beaucoup plus de vigueur et que l'assistance de la FAO devra encore prendre une plus grande dimension.
Les délégués qui m'ont précédé ont souligné avec brio que, pour parvenir à une réelle sécurité alimentaire dans les pays pauvres, le seul recours valable reste la nécessité d'accroître la production des denrées dans ces pays au taux de 4 pour cent par an.
L'importance des facteurs de production, la nécessité d'asseoir, au niveau national, des politiques dynamiques d'expansion du secteur agricole et alimentaire, l'impact de l'investissement dans le secteur agricole, thème central de nos délibérations, ont retenu toute notre attention. Par conséquent, nous ne nous y attarderons pas.
Pour revenir à l'Afrique, notre délégation voudrait attirer l'attention de notre Commission et aussi celle de la Conférence, sur un aspect tout aussi important de l'investissement qui, à vrai dire, n'a pas toujours bénéficié de l'intérêt qu'il mérite lors de nos délibérations; nous pensons ici aux in-frastructures de transport et de commercialisation pour le continent africain.
L'analyse faite dans le document C 77/2 souligne clairement, au paragraphe 22, que l'Afrique reste encore loin derrière dans le processus amorcé dans le domaine de l'accroissement de la production alimentaire.
Cette situation triste, qui procède à plusieurs égards du fait que notre continent englobe le plus de pays les moins avancés, le plus de pays les plus gravement touchés par la crise économique, le plus de pays enclavés et semi-enclavés est donc préoccupante.
Vous vous en doutez, le continent africain dispose encore de vastes zones vides aux potentialités sylvo-agro-pastorales incontestables; mais en l'absence d'infrastructures de communications, routes, chemins de fer et autres, ces zones enclavées restent sous-exploitées ou incultes. De plus, l'insuf fisance et souvent l'inexistence d'infrastructures de transport et de communications en Afrique ont toujours constitué un obstacle puissant au développement des échanges intra-africains.
C'est face à cette situation que le Groupe des 19, à la Conférence sur la coopération économique inter nationale, à Paris, Conférence Nord-Sud, a proposé un plan supra-national de désenclavement et plus précisément le lancement d'une décennie pour le développement des transports et communications pour le continent africain. Le Conseil économique et social a été, semble-t-il, saisi de ce programme et l'As semblée générale l'examinera aussi.
Beaucoup de délégations, en session pienière, ont marqué leur appui au lancement de cette décennie. C'est donc en raison de l'intérêt que notre délégation accorde à l'aboutissement du programme et à l'accroissement de la production agricole, à la sécurité alimentaire, à l'amélioration du bien-être économique et social des populations concernées, que nous suggérons que notre Commission, et pourquoi pas la dix-neuvième session de la Conférence de la FAO, appuie vigoureusement cette initiative et que notre Organisation saisisse les instances compétentes par des voies appropriées aux fins de faire aboutir le processus de lancement de cette décennie.
Je m'excuse d'avoir été si long, mais la portée du sujet m'y obligeait.
S.H. AL-SHAKIR (Iraq) (interpretation from Arabic): May I thank the Secretariat for the excellence of document C 77/2 and its supplement, concerning the state of food and agriculture. This document contains extremely useful information for us and gives a certain amount of hope with respect to the world food situation, with particular reference to the increase of stockpiles of grain and also the international world food security scheme. The present situation, which is somewhat optimistic, should not lead us to relax our efforts to increase foodstuffs production throughout the world, because we all know that the increase in production has not been evenly distributed between the various countries involved. Certain countries, MSAs and LDCs, and the Sahelian countries in Africa, the third group,have not seen their agricultural production go up significantly.
Among the countries which have been seriously affected over the last few years we have to ihclude my own country, Iraq, and that is why we are attempting to concentrate our efforts upon those areas where the rainfall is fairly high and fairly certain, because we believe that in those areas we can guarantee gradually to raise the production to reasonable heights.
Agricultural production in our country has also been affected by the increase in price of the agricultural machinery necessary for development. In spite of this we hopeto improve the production rate and to raise the growth rate in agricultural yields for all foodstuffs, particularly staple foodstuffs. All of this is part of a generalized national plan to lead the struggle against malnutrition and hunger.
We hope that this Organization and other specialized agencies of the United Nations family will have a major role to play in carrying out surveys and studies on specific problems in the developing countries, particularly the MSAs, and it is also their role to encourage those countries and to guide them in setting up valid programmes.
E. SAENZ (Colombia): Siguiendo la tónica con que la delegación de Colombia ha venido actuando no sólo en los debates de esta Comisión, sino en otras sesiones de trabajo, seremos muy breves.
En los sectores más pobres del mundo existe hambre y malnutrición y es justamente en estos países donde nosotros consideramos que hay que dar prioridad para la producción de alimentos, tratando de llegar a metas importantes de autoábastecimiento. Los países de mediano desarrollo también deben ser tenidos en cuenta incentivándolos para que produzcan más y puedan tener excedentes que vayan al mercado inter nacional y se aproveche de ello para que lo compren los países necesitados, así como aquellos países que ofrecen ayudas en productos alimentarios.
Registramos el informe de la Secretaría cuando nos dice que la previsión en las cosechas para 1977 son buenas y que también lo han sido las cosechas del ano 1975 y 1976·
En relación con el punto de Fertilizantes, vemos cómo ha aumentado su utilización; pero nos preocupa el aumento permanente en los costos de la producción de los mismos que, en consecuencia, va a dar mayor precio a los productos agrícolas. Pensamos debe hacerse algo a este respecto, y como lo mani festó el delegado de los Estados Unidos de América en la Comisión de Fertilizantes, la técnica debe aplicarse no sólo para que se produzcan fertilizantes, sino también en sus máquinas, para que no sal ga tan gravoso producirlos. Hacemos un llamado a este fin y consideramos que los países en desarrollo que ofrezcan infraestructuras aceptables o estén cercanos a ella, deben tener prioridad en la instala ción de nuevas plantas productoras de fertilizantes.
Finalmente esperamos que el desarrollo agrícola sea consecuente con la productividad misma y que ésta ayude a combatir el hambre y la malnutrición en forma positiva y pronta.
EL PRESIDENTE: Ya no tengo más oradores inscritos en la lista. A mi juicio este tema es quizá el más importante de nuestra agenda;del que pueden surgir recomendaciones que en relación con la situación agrícola y alimentaria del mundo podrían tener repercusiones no sólo en las políticas nacionales sino en otras Organizaciones Internacionales. Estoy seguro que muchos de ustedes están pensando en intervenir.
T.J. KELLY (Australia): Nobody could fail to respond to such a delicate plea, and I do so not only seriously and in order to make a few observations on behalf of Australia but also to give brother delegates some time, if they would like to have it, this afternoon to think about their own interventions.
This being Australia's first intervention, we too congratulate you warmly, Sir, upon your election; and we would like to say, as others have done, that we are very happy indeed with the Secretariat documents the quality of which I think is sufficiently illustrated by the substantial nature of the discussion which it has provoked.
Turning now to the subject of the world state of food and agriculture, which you have rightly identified as being so important to all of us, we in the Australian delegation share the satisfaction of others in the apparent improvement in the world situation and outlook, and equally we accept and endorse the thought that this remains well short of what is needed.
I think there is little point in going over again ground which has already been covered by other delegates and which perhaps may account for the fact that there are at this stage fewer interventions than we might have expected.In other words, it has all been said, and said well.
May I perhaps inject a complementary note to what has been said about the needs of developing countries, the Importance of both the agricultural aspects, including fertilizer inputs and technology, and draw to the attention of delegates the thought that, as the delegate of Kenya has pointed out, there is a real need for agricultural production to comprehend both food crops and cash crops, and I make this point because it is important in the total world food situation.
In the developing countries which have some capacity for expanding production, the situation for the producer is comparable to the situation which we broadly describe as world hunger, which is simply the aggregate of a lot of hungry people. Now any country's food production is the aggregate of what will be produced by all the farmers who are producers in that community. The point I am coming to is that for a producer to continue his investment he needs to be able to pick up in his domestic market or in the context in which we are speaking, the world market, an adequate return for his considerable investment and his labour.
I do not want to make any more of the point than that except to say that in this overall problem and dilemma that we face we need to be sure that moving out of the agricultural field into what is described as the international trade field there remains sufficient incentive to the man who is capable of producing to keep him in the field.
Other than that, if I were to continue I would be repeating what has been said by others and I see little point in that.
Α. ANDERSON (Sweden): It is a matter of gratification that the last two years have witnessed a considerable improvement on the food and agriculture front. Both developing and developed countries have shared the increase more or less immediately.
In my country, Sweden, the cereal output during the last two years was higher than the levels attained earlier. It has, of course, not been so much in the international context. Sweden is a small country but it gives us the feeling at home that the general situation has become better. At the same time, we are aware that for hundreds of people lack of food is a daily reality.
After this general opening, my delegation wants to underline that it has two rather different questions in relation to the State of Food and Agriculture.
The first and most important is, of course, the agricultural production in developing countries. They have made a rigorous effort in the adaptation of modern technology which, in many cases, has helped to strengthen their capacity. Several developing countries are on the way to a good position, to self-sufficiency. Other developing countries, however, still have a very long way to go.
We learn from Table 1 in Document C 77/2-Sup.1 that the average increase of the agricultural production in the developing market economy is low and, what is worse, much lower now than two years ago. These facts underline the need for investment in agriculture, especially in the least developed countries. Here we touch upon the Council's invitation to the heads of delegations to give particular attention in their statements to investment in agriculture. Very important information has now been provided on this subject in the Plenary.
The second important question in relation to the international state of food and agriculture is the production - or, better, in this context, the resources for production in the developed countries. There has been a large expansion in the developed market economies during the last year as shown in document C 77/2, and commented on by nearly all of us. The good harvests in 1975 and 1976 and the rather good prospects for 1977 may, because of the fall in price decreases and the increases in stock, be a reason for contracting production. To be short, here I will refer to the Danish delegation which said, just a few minutes ago:
"We wish to state our support for international commodity agreements and would finally express the hope that the multilateral trade negotiations conducted under the auspices of GATT will be brought to a successful conclusion in the near future."
P. MASUD (Pakistan): While making my original statement to the Commission, I was feeling very guilty that I had taken up too much time but I now find that there is plenty of time and I would like to introduce a new concept which the Conference might like to consider. I am very sorry if Γ am repeating myself but I feel that this is a very important subject which deserves emphasis. The optimal development of food and agricultural production in developing countries does not only entail the provision of increased material and financial resources. It also calls for a re-examinâtion of existing investment patterns and planning in agriculture and related sectors. It is now being increasingly recognized that due to changes in dropping intensities and production technology the existing pattern of investment must significantly change in the future. After all, development depends on a much broader process of capital accumulation than a simple accumulation of phy sica Leap i tal. Above all, investment is required in human skills and resources, the most abundant and precious resource in developing countries, as also in the right kind of technological changes, in the creation of institutions and also adequate managerial and organizational capacities. In view of scarce capital resources ways and means to increase the use of labour for capital formation at the farm level need also to be carefully investigated. These are some of the additional investment considerations at the national level which the experts might like to consider.
P. GRIFFIN (Ireland): As this is the first time my delegation has spoken I would like to congratulate you, Mr. Chairman, on your election as Chairman of this Commission and to compliment you on the way in which you are carrying out your duties. Secondly, my intervention is prompted by two things. One is the temporary probably scarcity of volunteers to speak and the other is the last intervention of the delegate of Pakistan, who mentioned the importance of human resources in relation to agricultural investment and, of course, it is closely inter-related with the subject which we are discussing.
In his statement yesterday my Minister touched on this question and highlighted the importance of cooperation and also, when dealing with production, of ensuring that the smallest farmer is involved.This is something to which we attach a great deal of importance.
First of all this can be facilitated through cooperation and, secondly, through the appropriate technology. I might refer in this connexion to Page 37 on which the activities of the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes are referred to. There is a reference there to the need for diversifying the food aid basket by providing adequate quantities of commodities other than cereals so as to improve nutritional standards in developing countries.It refers to the suggestions made by many delegates that records should be increasingly improved to purchase within the developing countries with a view to encouraging local production. In fact, this was stressed by a great many delegates and it is the general view of that Committee that this is an important way of helping the developing countries' production.
In relation to the point made by the delegate of Pakistan on human resources, and still on the question of food aid, this may not be very strictly relevant but it is a point which I think should be borne in mind.That is the importance of human resources as an investment.That sounds a rather cold way to describe aid of a kind which is being given bilaterally and multi -laterally. But the point about this type of aid - I am speaking now of the type of feeding programmes which are given both bilaterally and multilaterally - is that not only does it feed people who are hungry but it is, in fact, one of the most important investments which can be made in agriculture inasmuch as it obviates permanent mental and physical incapacity in children, say, in the early ages from birth up to two or three years. If malnutrition is corrected there this can have permanent effects. It is something which is obviously humanitarian in the first place but it is also an excellent investment in agricultural development.
Also, in his earlier intervention the delegate of Pakistan mentioned two of the factors which have led to the improvement in the present situation, one of them being weather; he also stressed the credit which is due to the developing countries. This is credit which we should be very ready to give. It is very encouraging and something to be greatly welcomed to see that the developing countries have, in fact, discharged the responsibilities which lie on them, as on the developed countries, to give priority to this important activity. It was universally recognized by the World Food Conference that the only way of solving the world food problem is by appropriate priority being given by the developing countries and assistance being given by the developed countries, because otherwise there is no way in which the problem can be solved.
It seems that prima facie his suggestion that FAO should try to analyse the proportion of improvement which is due to the efforts of developing countries might not be practicable.It might be regarded as a subjective kind of exercise and subjective views might be taken of it, and if it were possible to make an estimate it would certainly be interesting, but I am not sure that it would be very effective.
P. MEHDIZADEH (Iran):I should like to refer to the points raised by the delegate of Pakistan and the delegate of Ireland to some extent, but I would particularly like to refer to the process of development in many countries and the labour movement from one sector to another. In the case of the least developed countries, most of the labour forces are in agriculture, and when development takes place there is labour movement from agriculture to industry and from industry and mechanization to services.The point is that when there is a labour movement from agriculture to industry the machinery which is supposed to replace the labour previously in agriculture is very expensive in most cases, and the services for the machinery are not available in many remote areas. This means that sometimes the agricultural projects are more expensive.
Although I should like to compliment the Secretariat on the preparation of the document, there is no very substantial emphasis on prices.There must be a proper balance in prices between the production of agricultural commodities and the actual labour and capital going into that production.Therefore, I should like to echo the suggestion made by my delegation in Council sessions and in the Fertilizers Committee that we should find a balance between the price of chemical fertilizers and the machinery and hardware which we use in agriculture.
As the delegate of Pakistan said, if we want to produce more and produce efficiently, we have to be competitive in world markets, and therefore our prices must be such that the production is profitable for the farmer.
EL PRESIDENTE: Ahora sí que parece que no tenemos más oradores inscritos.Quizá si dejáramos el week-end, muchas delegaciones tendrían oportunidad de reflexionar sobre lo que hoy se ha oído y perfilar a lo mejor algunas intervenciones. Veo que hay muchas cabezas que asienten esta propuesta, de manera que si no hay otras observaciones, vamos a cambiar nuestro Calendario; vamos a dejar libre el sábado en la tarde y nos volveríamos a reunir el martes en la mañana para continuar con este mismo tema a las nueve y media.
Antes de concluir, perdón, quisiera referirme al Comité de Redacción, de cuya integración informé a ustedes en la última sesión. Me observan que el número de miembros es de 13 y alguien me dijo que, estas brujas no existen, pero seguro que las hay y entonces, /.por qué no cambiamos el número y ponemos 14 para evitar un número que no nos gusta a todos? Y pensando en ello, les voy a proponer incorporar a la delegación de Suiza al Comité de Redacción, que siempre ha hecho muchos aportes constructivos y creo que podremos trabajar con ello muy eficientemente también,
P. MEJIA (Secretario de Comisión I): Los países miembros del Comité, para recordarles, son: Australia, Bélgica, Benin, Brasil, Canadá, Cuba, Filipinas,Hungría, Irán, Japón, Kenya, Pakistán, Suiza y Túnez.
EL PRESIDENTE: Bien, señoresdelegados. Se levanta la sesión.
The meeting rose at 17.00 hours
La séance est levée à 17 heures
Se levanta la sesión a las 17.00 horas
