A. M. FROMOYAN (Liberia): Mr. Chairman, Mr. Deputy Director-General of FAO, Honourable Minister of Agriculture, Distinguished Delegates, Observers, Ladies and Gentlemen:
I bring you greetings from my Head of State and current Chairman of the Organization of African Unity, Dr. William Richard Torbert Jnr, the Minister of Agriculture, and the government and people of the Republic of Liberia. My delegation would like to extend sincere thanks and appreciation to the Director-General of the FAO and his staff for so ably organizing this Conference; and to congratulate you and your Vice Chairman for your election to Chair the affairs of this Conference. We wish at this time to welcome our fellow states of Dominica and Samoa into the Organization and to pledge our support and cooperation to them.
Mr. Chairman, my statement shall be limited to two main parts:
(1) Liberia's development efforts in Agriculture and Forestry since 1977; and
(2) Comments on major policy issues on the Agenda before this Conference.
Agricultural Efforts
The agricultural situation in Liberia since 1977 has been characterized by institution building and strengthening of productive capabilities and support measures to ensure a take-off for self-sustained and vibrant agricultural growth and development
This process has included:
(1) the establishment of regional development agencies with objectives and improving the overall quality of life in the rural areas, reducing the disparities in income and amenities between the rural and urban sectors and involving the rural masses in their develpment efforts;
(2) the establishment of tree crops development agencies to promote the production of oil palm, coconut, coffee, cocoa and rubber so as to increase export earnings from these crops, direct income to Government and farmers' income; and
(3) establishment of the Agricultural and Cooperative Development Bank as an autonomous entity and the primary financial institution for agricultural lending with emphasis on farmers' cooperatives and individual small farmers. This Bank was established with assistance from the FAO
Achievements to date in the food sub-sector have shown that even though food production is increasing, this increase is not commensurate with the increase in the growth of our population. As a result, the food import bill for Liberia over a five-year period (1973-1977) has amounted to $228 million, constituting 14 percent of total imports.
To reverse this trend, the present administration of the Ministry of Agriculture is giving priority to food research especially research to develop high yielding varieties, increase acreage and improve agronomy practices; seed multiplication and distribution of high yielding varieties in an extension package to farmers; and priority to be accorded reaching small farmers so as to increase their productive capacities
For tree crops, agricultural export earnings have increased from $50. 1 million in 1973 to $116 million in 1977. Plantings of tree crops since 1977 have increased by over 20,000 hectares. Planned tree crops programs in the public sector involving oil palm, coconut, coffee cocoa and rubber will result in planting of about 57,000 hectares and will reach about 6,800 small farmers
-303-Our rural development efforts have met with considerable success in the two projects of Lofa County and Bong County Agricultural Development Projects presently being implemented. For the most part, the targets established have been excelled. To date, these projects have reached over 4,500 rural farm families and have benefited them in a number of measures including crops improvement, provision of credit facilities, road construction, construction of sanitary facilities, training in agricultural and cooperative development, some health measures and provision of banking facilities.
There is a third rural development project for Nimba County which should commence by 1980 and a fourth such project for the southeastern region which is still in the feasibility stage. Both these projects will be much more integrated than the existing two projects, and will include besides agricultural-related activities, rural industries, health, education, communication and the strengthening of existing institutions for project administration.
Recently, a new administration was ushered into the Ministry of Agriculture in accordance with the Government's desire to continually rejuvenate and increase the impetus of agricultural development. Subsequently, the policy objectives, strategies including tactical measures of the Ministry of Agriculture, were revised to emphasize the new thrust on extension.
As a result, the Ministry of Agriculture has instituted the following policy objectives: (1) Diversification of the agricultural economy taking into account physical and human resources endowment; (2) Increase participation of Liberian citizens in modern agricultural production by provision of relevant technology, technical advice, support measures and training; (3) Increase farmers' income, create purchasing power and develop a market for consumers goods. This objective takes into account the constraint on the overall market due to very low income in the rural sector; (4) Maximize the national income of Liberians through agricultural and forestry pursuits. This can be achieved through increase in the number of gainfully employed and through increase in the productivity of the labour force already employed; (5) Development of agriculture as the base for rural development on a self-sustaining scale. The evidence and rationale for this is that agricultural-related activities are the predominant source of income generation and employment for livelihood in rural areas and will be for a long time to come.
The strategies to be employed have extension as the pivot with all other activities supportive of the extension efforts. Extension will be structured to serve the particular needs of three broad and separate client groups with each of the three levels in the extension system interacting with the appropriate level of local government and with the appropriate entity in the rural development structure. Other strategies relate to institutional and support measures.
Forestry Efforts
Recognition of the importance of the potentials of the forestry sector in the economy in terms of its contribution to the gross national product, export earnings, employment, taxes and revenues for development, and industrialization led to the separation of forestry from agriculture by my Government and the establishment of the Forestry Development Authority as a government-owned corporation empowered with the primary functions of formulating forest policies, controlling forest concessions, assessing forest revenues from forest activities and researching and managing forest resources.
A significant development in this sector is the increase in the level of production and the related foreign exchange earnings over this period. During the fiscal year 1977/78, round log production was 508,000 (cubic meters) and increased to 805,000 (cubit meters) an increase of 48 percent. Foreign exchange earnings of about $26 million in 1977 rose to $47 million in 1978, an increase of about 70 percent. 1978 exchange earnings represented approximately 10 percent of the total country's exports and ranks third behind iron ore and rubber. It contributed about 5 percent of the gross domestic product. Revenue of the Government from forest resources increased from $10 million to about $15 million from 1977/78 to 1978/79.
Policy Issues
At this time, we will address ourselves to a number of major policy issues on the Agenda of this Conference.
Mr. Chairman, the Liberian Delegation is concerned about the shortfall in world production of wheat and coarse grains in 1979, the likelihood that carry-over stocks, which are concentrated in a few major exporting countries, will be drawn down in 1979/80 due especially to large increases in grain requirements of major consuming countries, the main constraints to meeting import demands due to transportation and handling bottlenecks in the few major exporting countries and the withdrawal of areas from production in major producing countries. All these factors have adverse implications for world food security in terms of availability of grains in a timely manner and at prices which least developed countries can afford.
Therefore, my Delegation endorses the Director-General's Five Point Plan of Action and especially urges that Food Aid and International Emergency Food Reserve targets be met, and the proposal that the International Monetary Fund provide additional balance of payments support for meeting the rise in food import bills of low-income food deficit countries in the event of domestic food shortages and rising import prices be implemented.
My Delegation supports the separate negotiations of the Food Aid Convention from the Wheat Trade Convention.
Due to the importance of rice in the diet of Asian and African countries and its apparent greater food insecurity since only about 5 percent of world rice production is traded on the world market, we recommend that rice be included in the international grain arrangements.
One of the causes of the rising food import bill in developing countries is that cereals are rapidly replacing traditional staples in the diets of urban consumers due to their ease of preparation and palatability. Therefore, the Liberian Delegation recommends that more attention be accorded improvement of traditional staples to enhance their attractiveness and to reduce strain on increased cereals production which are more difficult to produce than traditional staples.
World food security is hollow without increasing food production capacities in developing countries to attain self-sufficiency. This statement takes due cognizance of the realities that not all developing countries can be self-sufficient in food production. Recent trends, where surplus food grains are concentrated in only a few countries, have increased risks of food insecurity. Therefore it is imperative that developing countries produce sufficient food to ensure adequacy of supply. My Delegation endorses and supports the Action Program for Prevention of Food Losses of which Liberia is a recipient. The great potential of this Program to ensure increased food availability cannot be over-estimated.
Liberia is one of the original six countries selected for the pilot project of the ACC Task Force on Rural Development. Liberia has exceeded the terms of reference of the Task Force by establishing the institution framework and implementation arrangements for rural developments which permeate all sectors; and developing policies, objectives, strategies and tactical measures for rural development with emphasis on decentralization which involves transfer of development responsibilities and authority to local level, popular participation of local people in development efforts with emphasis on self-reliance, coordination of activities of different implementing agencies with regard to complimentarity, and integration of functions of sectoral agencies. All agencies of Government and local institutions are reorganizing and preparing action programmes in consonance with these strategies. Also, specific programmes and projects in support of the new rural development strategy are being prepared and/or implemented.
Therefore, we embrace the Declaration of Principles and Programme of Action of the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development. Furthermore, FAO's role as lead agency in the ACC Task Force on Rural Development should be supported and strengthened.
We have tremendous fishery resources which are not fully exploited. This resource base has been immensely increased by extending our jurisdiction of sea area to 200 miles.
Liberia is an animal-protein deficit country. The demand including imports of animal protein exceeds 6 percent per annum. Fish is our cheapest source of animal protein. Unfortunately, our marine fishery has not been inventoried and studied. However, we are aware of the potential of fisheries totransform Liberia from an animal-protein deficit country to a surplus one and thereby increase food consumption and nutritional level of the country, provide more gainful employment and income to small fisherman and increase export earnings and revenues to Government.
On these lines, Liberia supports FAO's proposed role in development and management of fisheries in exclusive economic zones and requests FAO's assistance in undertaking an inventory of our fishery resources and in formulating fisheries policies and strategies.
One of our chief constraints to animal production in particular and to a lesser extent agricultural development has been the occurrence of animal trypanosomiasis. Its incidence has resulted in lack of economical-sized animal for production purposes, lack of animal traction and lack of integration of crops and animal husbandry.
Against this background, my Delegation endorses fully FAO's Programme for Control of African Animal Trypanosomiasis and Related Development and the coordinative role which FAO will exercise. Areas of development for Liberia should initially be areas of high growth potential and then spreading to other areas in the country. The Programme should be implemented under the aegis of our rural development strategy.
Mr. Chairman, the Government of Liberia has not only anticipated the intentions of the Jakarta Declaration in the formulation of our forest institution, but has succeeded by establishing priorities in forestry development programmes within the framework of the Declaration.
The Liberian Delegation accepts the challenge to adopt proper land-use planning including reforestration, introduce forest resource conservation and to provide a proper support and political backing to forest administration. However, all these are dependent firstly upon an assessment of the forest resource base which unfortunately has not yet been done for Liberia. We are implementing a programme with this objective which will have to be supplemented with external assistance. The FAO's Remote Sensing Unit could adequately fulfill this need, and we anticipate such assistance.
Mr. Chairman, review of the world agricultural situation is far from reassuring but rather appears gloomy especially in meeting world food security. Greater effort and resources are required to meet the basic need requirements of our people, especially rural dwellers. We have the requisite resources at our disposal to eradicate hunger and malnutrition off the face of the globe. What is lacking is the will and commitment on a sustained basis. Now is the time for our concerted collective action to achieve this our mandate to our common humanity before the opportunity eludes us.
L. PURMESSUR (Mauritius): Mr. Chairman, Mr. Deputy Director-General, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, in the absence of the Minister of Agriculture of Mauritius who has not been able to be present today due to unforeseen circumstances, I have the pleasure of making this statemtnt on his behalf.
On behalf of my Delegation, I wish to extend to you, Mr. Chairman, my warmest congratulations on your election to preside over our deliberations. I am confident that under your leadership and guidance, this 20th Session of the FAO Conference will have a meaningful outcome.
We note with satisfaction, that at each session of the FAO Conference there is an addition of the membership of the Organization. This is an indication of the vital role that the FAO is playing in helping countries to free people from the scourge of hunger and malnutrition. At this session, we have the pleasure of welcoming the Independent State of Western Samoa and the Commonwealth of Dominica to our Organization. I wish to congratulate the new member nations, and I am sure that they will make useful contributions to the activities of the FAO.
The problems facing the world today are really disturbing, to say the least. We are suffering from condiditions which we have never experienced before. Inadequate growth, inflation, unemployment and recession are prevailing in the industrialized countries, and their governments have not so far succeeded in finding solutions to these problems. What is worse is that these conditions are resulting in growing protectionism together with a slow-down in world trade. All these are having a negative and grave impact on the economies of the Third World.
This year is the last year of the Second Development Decade called by the United Nations to close the gap between the developed and the developing countries. But the results of the two development decades are far from satisfactory. In so far as agricultural development is concerned, with particular reference to food production, we note with concern that very little progress has been made. In fact the increase in agricultural production in the developing countries during the eight years of the Second Decade is still more than one quarter below the target of 4 percent a year. It is thus virtually certain that this basic target will not be achieved for this decade as a whole. What is more disquieting is that production has been slowest in the poorest developing countries.
It is time that we asked ourselves the question-why the results of the two previous decades have been below expectation? The rich industrialised countries content that in order to achieve better economic growth, developing countries should strive to follow better domestic policies and to create an environment which private and foreign investors will find attractive. On the other hand, the plea
of the Third World, which has been expressed for a long time at many international fora, is that it is difficult for them to achieve a continued economic growth if they are compelled by circumstances to accept a situation of mendacity rather than receiving reasonable prices for their primary products which will reward their efforts and also enable them to finance their development.
It is difficult for developing countries to create a better investment climate when they are compelled, as a result of their unfavourable balance of payments, to have recourse to vigorous measures such as devaluation, financial and import controls. Their efforts at self-reliance in many sectors are thwarted by factors which are beyond their control. Investment in agricultural development which is really essential for their survival, is threatened.
If the objectives of the two previous development decades have been below our expectation, the real cause is that the efforts of third world countries for increased development have not received adequate support of the international community in general and industrialised countries in particular. We are alarmed at the low prices of goods, especially for the Third World and upon which their economies are solely dependent. On the other hand, the prices of manufactured goods from the developed countries have increased to such an extent that the transfer of technology which is so essential for increased production, has become prohibitive. What is more deplorable is that in recent years, industrialised nations have tended to intensify their restriotions on the imports of semi and manufactured goods produced in the developing countries; this is more tragic when we consider that these same countries assisted in promoting the industrialisation of those nations in the 1950's and 1960's. The problems are known to everybody, yet so little has been achieved to find the proper solutions. Various fora have been organised over the last five years to discuss these problems, such as the North/South dialogue, UNCTAD V, the Geneva Conference and the Tokyo round of negotiations; and many pious resolutions have been approved. The developing countries are still waiting for the benefit of these resolutions. In the meantime they have found their economic situation worsened as world inflation is gathering momentum.
The only example where something concrete has been achieved is the recent agreement between ACP/EEC Countries, resulting in the Lome Convention which indeed can be looked upon as a model of cooperation between developed and developing countries. Commercial and economic cooperation between the EEC and ACP countries in terms of free access of all manufactured goods and primary products originating from ACP countries to the European Market, guaranteed prices and firm import quotas together with the STABEX System are all positive steps towards a more equitable trade system. It is my fervent wish that such form of cooperation could be realised in a much wider context, for the benefit of both industrialized and developing countries.
While we appreciate the importance of assistance to developing countries we have to deplore that the commitments are far from adequate. The 0. 7 per cent of GNP target set for official transfer of resources from the developed to the developing countries during the First United Nations Development Decade has become largely mythical, and the plea to raise the present aid level from the present 0. 33 per cent is unlikely to meet with a response. This sad state of affairs can no longer continue, especially at a time when developing countries require massive investment for agricultural development.
Mr. Chairman, I have dwelt on some of the fundamental issues affecting the world today. There are other issues, no less fundamental, which will come up for discussion during our deliberations. I should now like to say a few words on the food and agricultural situation in Mauritius. Like many other countries, we are adversely affected by the present economic conditions prevailing in the world. We are a small country, mainly dependent on sugar exports for our foreign exchange earnings. The depressed price of sugar in the past three years on the world market coupled with the increasing cost of our imports has adversely affected our balance of payments. Although Mauritius has an export quota for sugar to EEC under the Lome Convention, the price obtained for that sugar has not been commensurate with the increasing costs of our imports. In the case of tea, which is our next agricultural export, the position is far worse. The low price of tea on the world market has created a desperate situation, threatening the survival of our tea industry, which provides livelihood to quite a number of small farmers. It is unfortunate that in spite of all the efforts made by the FAO and UNCTAD, nothing positive has yet been achieved towards in International Tea Agreement. Here is a typical instance where the efforts made by a small developing country to promote agricultural development for the benefit of the rural population, are being annihilated by factors which are beyond its control. To see prices of imported goods going up every day and to find that earnings from exports diminishing to a greater extent, is really a situation where hope is giving way to despair.
We appreciate that many countries, especially of the Third World, are facing great difficulties. But in the case of Mauritius, the position is worse because we have, on account of our limited land resources, climatic conditions and other factors, to rely only on sugar and tea for our agricultural exports. If the prices of these two commodities are depressed, our economy is in peril. The International Community in general and donor ocuntries in particular should bear these facts in mind when external aid to countries like Mauritius is considered. Experience has shown that these special circumstances are often overlooked by the International Financing Agencies.
Mr. Chairman, in spite of our difficulties and our special adverse circumstances, we are doing our utmost to intensify our agricultural development. It will be noted from Document C 79/2 that agricultural investment in Mauritius has in the period 1974-76 increased by 90% over the period 1971-73. In fact investment in agriculture is the key element in our present 1975-80 development plan. The next development plan 1980-85 will continue to give a predominant place to the agricultural sector. The plan will propose increasing food production by more intensive cultivation of the sugarcane plantations and their interlines.
One of the major constraints for more intensive cultivation of our limited land resources is the lack of sufficient irrigation over a good part of our otherwise good agricultural land. Two irrigation projects had been identified by a land and water resources survey sponsored by the FAO as far back as 1969. When the projects were submitted to the World Bank and other agencies for financing, the rates of return of 8% to 9% were found to be rather on the low side to warrant the loans. Today because of escalating prices the cost of providing irrigation water has increased tenfold whereas the export price of agricultural produce has but increased fivefold.
Despite all this my government still believes that the only way to increase food production in our country will be through the implementation of these irrigation projects with certain modifications so as to make the projects still viable.
The demand for non-plant protein has been increasing and the livestock sector is therefore called upon to play an ever increasing role. In view of our limited grazing areas, we are intensifying our efforts to make maximum use of the by-products of our sugar industry for livestock development.
As far as poultry and egg production is concerned we have reached self-sufficiency. As regards fisheries, despite the fact that Mauritius has declared that it has jurisdiction over the resources of the sea 200 miles around it, it finds itself in the same unfortunate position as all tropical islands surrounded by a vast ocean expanse but without a capital base and the technology to support an ocean going fishing fleet with its attendant infrastructure. Consequently fish resources in the regions are exploited mainly by distant countries while Mauritius is importing fish. In this context my delegation fully supports the Director General's proposals contained in document C 79/21 for the development and management of fisheries in exclusive economic zones.
My delegation is also in agreement with the concept of agrarian reform and rural development as being synonymous with true and effective economic and social development for the mass of mankind. It is in pursuance of this concept that my Government has launched itself in massive investment in the rural sector so as to improve the equality of life of the people. The successful implementation of the first phase of our rural development project has encouraged my Government to implement a second phase which will cover a larger area, with particular emphasis on small scale agricultural projects.
We are conscious of the fact that we would not be able to achieve the targets we have set ourselves, without recourse to external aid. In this connexion we have approached the International Fund for Agricultural Development to finance some of our agricultural and rural development projects. We are grateful to that Organisation for having promptly responded to my request by sending an identification mission to Mauritius. We look forward to IFAD's participation in the intensification of our agricultural development and in our efforts to better the quality of life of our people.
The present critical world food situation calls for emergency measures at all levels, both international and national. The FAO has an important role to play. We fully appreciate the efforts made by the Organisation, under the dynamic leadership of the present Director General, to help the developing countries. In particular we appreciate the steps he has taken to bring relief to famine stricken areas and to alleviate the problems of those countries facing food shortages. We fully agree that, in the absence of an International Grains Agreement, some measures are urgently required. In this connexion, my delegation fully endorses the 5 point plan of the Director General, adopted at the meeting of the Committee on World Food Security. This
plan will go a long way to meet food shortages and also stabilise the price of grains. We also fully support the proposal that IMP should consider the possibility of providing additional balance of payments support to meet the rise in food import bills of low income food dependent countries. Mauritius imports most of its cereal requirements and has therefore taken steps to increase local storage facilities for these commodities. A flour shed with a capacity of 15,000 tons has been constructed and it is within the development plan to set up a grain complex where adequate reserves of rice and wheat representing some 6 months' consumption will be stocked.
Our common aim is to save this world from the scourge of hunger and poverty. This challenge can only be met through the closest possible cooperation between developed and developing countries, in a spirit of common responsibility. In the aftexmath of oil crisis and recession, it is more than ever obvious that a stable world economy is in the interest of both groups.
Each time we meet we pass pious resolutions in the hope that these resolutions will be translated into action. But is sad to note that we are far from achieving the goals we have set ourselves. So long as the industrialised countries continue to pay lip service to some of the fundamental issues such as stabilisation of prices of the primary products of the developing countries and the elimination of protectionist policies, nothing will prevent this world from slipping into social unrest and chaos. Let us therefore hope that the Third Development Decade which is about to begin will usher in a new era in which the international community will look at the overall development of the world in a broader perspective and thus make the New International Economic Order a reality.
G. GOMES (Angola) (interpretation du portugais): Permettez-moi avant tout, Monsieur le Président, au nom de ma délégation et en mon nom personnel, de vous présenter les chaleureuses félicitations du Gouvernement de l'Angola pour votre élection à la Présidence de cette vingtième Conférence générale de l'Organisation, à laquelle incombe, comme son nom l'indique, de s'occuper du problème relatif à l'alimentation et à l'agriculture, et de proposer les solutions les plus appropriées.
Nos félicitations vont aussi aux membres du Bureau de la Conférence auxquels nous souhaitons un travail fructueux et profitable. Nous saluons enfin chaleureusement les nouveaux membres de notre Organisation dont la présence contribuera à rendre universelle la participation des peuples à la solution des problèmes qui nous préoccupent. Nous sommes certains que sous votre habile direction les travaux de cette Conférence tenue à un moment où la faim des spoliés de la terre alarme les pays riches, donneront les premiers fruits réellement capables, lorsqu'ils seront mûrs, de nourrir les 500 millions d'affamés des pays sous-développés. Ces affamés seront certainement plus de 700 millions en l'an 2000 si des mesures ne sont pas prises en vue d'augmenter la production mondiale de denrées alimentaires pour le développement de l'agriculture des pays sous-développés, et si on n'assure pas leur distribution d'une façon équitable garantissant la nourriture indispensable à chaque être humain.
La République Populaire de l'Angola est un pays essentiellement agricole et une partie importante des efforts que nous pouvons soustraire nous-mêmes, la défense contre l'agression sud-africaine est consacrée à la réorganisation, à la dynamisation, à la consolidation et au développement de ce secteur fondamental de notre économie.
Le onze novembre 1975 en lisant la proclamation de l'Indépendance de la République Populaire de l'Angola, notre immortel guide, le Docteur Agostino Neto, affirma que l'agriculture est la base, et l'industrie le facteur décisif de notre développement économique; étant donné que seule l'autosuffisance alimentaire peut nous mettre à l'abri de l'influence des pays riches qu'à maintes reprises de soit~disant philanthropes cherchent à éterniser le niveau de dépendance des pays sous-développés; à leur égard, le développement de l'agriculture permettra aussi la production des matières premières capables de nous procurer par l'exportation les moyens de paiement à l'extérieur et, à moyen terme, de donner à notre pays la capacité industrielle réellement autonome.
A partir du rapport harmonieux entre le développement agricole et le développement industriel, nous pensons pouvoir construire un modèle de développement autocentré dont le but est la satisfaction des besoins toujours croissants des masses populaires.
Mais aux énormes sacrifices et aux efforts consentis pour réactiver l'agriculture et valoriser l'immense potentiel agricole de notre pays, au travail de remise en ordre de toute l'infrastructure agricole abandonnée et sabotée par les colons, nous devons ajouter, en République Populaire d'Angola, la nécessité constante de résister à l'agression des racistes sud-africains qui non seulement occupent illégalement le pays mais détruisent nos cultures, bombardent nos routes et tuent les paysans, sous prétexte de poursuivre, dans un pays étranger et souverain, les représentants légitimes du peuple qu'ils oppriment, les vaillants combattants de la SWAPO.
Comme vous le savez, car la presse mondiale l'a révélé, les racistes sud-africains ont effectué il y a quelques jours de nouveaux raids au sud de notre pays, dans le seul but de détruire des objectifs économiques. A l!aide de bombardiers, d'hélicoptères et de forces héliportées, la soldatesque raciste a miné une large section du chemin de fer de Moçâmedes et bombardé les très importants réseaux routiers qui relient le plateau du sud à la région côtière.
Aux dizaines de morts, mitraillés à bout portant au cours de ces agressions, il faut ajouter les dommages matériels subis par les voies de communication, les seules reliant les zones productrices de biens alimentaires et les régions de consommation. La remise en place des infrastructures détruites obligera notre pays à investir d'importants moyens matériels et humains et entraînera un grave retard dans la mise en oeuvre des programmes de développement agricole en cours.
Cette agression constante est aussi responsable de l'exode de notre population rurale qui représente environ 80% de la population angolaise et cherche aujourd'hui dans les centres urbains la sécurité que le banditisme international du régime sud-africain lui refuse dans ses campagnes et sur leurs terres.
Nous considérons que l'ordre du jour de cette 20ème Conférence de la FAO est de la plus haute importance et nous avons lu attentivement les documents qui nous ont été présentés par le Directeur général et qui confirment l'énorme capacité d'action de la FAO et la profondeur de sa connaissance des questions relatives aux régions sous-developpées.
Nous voulons exprimer ici notre opinion sur l'ensemble des points en discussion, étant donné que notre position sera exprimée en détail au niveau des commissions. Et nous constatons que les objectifs fixés par le Plan d'action de Colombo, qui fait partie de la résolution sur les produits alimentaires et la production agricole adoptée en 1966 par les 86 membres du mouvement des Pays non alignés, non seulement ne furent pas atteints mais on constate que la situation alimentaire et agricole s'est agravée depuis lors, en particulier dans les pays sous-développés.
Et nous constatons que l'expansion moyenne annuelle de 4% de la production agricole n'a pas été atteinte, alors qu'elle était considérée en 1971, dans le Programme d'action de l'Assemblée générale des Nations Unies pour la 2ème décennie des Nations Unies pour le développement, comme étant la condition à l'accroissement jusqu'à 6% du taux de croissance annuel du produit social global des pays sous-développés; et nous constatons que les objectifs fixés par la 7ème Session extraordinaire de l'Assemblée générale de l'ONU en 1975 n'ont pas été atteints.
Et nous constatons encore que le taux de production de produits alimentaires en Afrique au cours des années 70 a été inférieur à celui de l'augmentation de la population.
Nous avons étudié avec la plus grande attention le projet de plan à moyen terme ainsi que le document intitulé "horizon: 2000". Nous aimerions dire que, compte tena de quelques légères modifications d'ordre méthodologique,nous sommes entièrement d'accord avec le premier et qu'à notre avis les perspectives de l'agriculture mondiale jusqu'à la fin du 20ème siècle-le sombre horizon 2000-constituent un cri d'alarme et un défi de l'Histoire auquel il est urgent de répondre en donnant à la communauté internationale les moyens adéquats pour combattre et éliminer la faim dans le monde.
En termes de sécurité alimentaire, notre préoccupation dominante est d'assurer l'autosuffisance du pays en denrées alimentaires de première nécessité, de promouvoir l'introduction de nouvelles cultures afin d'améliorer les habitudes alimentaires de notre peuple, ainsi que de rendre possible la production d'excédents alimentaires pour l'exportation. Tout cela passe par l'augmentation de la production et de la productivité qui n'est possible que grâce à l'introduction des facteurs de production et des moyens techniques avancés qui permettent le passage d'une agriculture primitive à une agriculture développée propre à rémunérer l'effort de chaque travailleur aujourd'hui dépourvu des conditions techniques et des moyens matériels nécessaires au démarrage de l'agriculture, condamné à chercher et à trouver à des conditions défavorables la nourriture qu'il est impossible de produire sur place et, souvent, comme c'est le cas de l'Angola, obligé d'échanger la charrue contre le fusil pour défendre sa terre des agresseurs racistes.
Mais pour pouvoir poursuivre sur la voie préconisée,il est fondamental de prendre en considération le problème des prix, non seulement des prix de vente des produits agricoles mais aussi des prix des moyens de production et des équipements.
Comme d'autres délégations, la délégation de la République Populaire de l'Angola considère indispensable l'exécution urgente d'une étude sur l'incidence réelle de l'augmentation du prix du pétrole sur le coût final des équipements destinés à l'agriculture. Car en essayant de diviser les pays sous-développés en producteurs et non producteurs de pétrole on n'aboutit à rien d'autre qu'à jongler avec un concept objectif-le sous-développement-qui résulte exclusivement d'une longue domination coloniale. Car il faut bien comprendre que l'agriculture ne pourra pas se développer dans les pays sous-développés tant qu'ils seront obligés de payer le coût de l'inflation en faveur des pays capitalistes.
A la base de la stratégie du développement agricole de l'Angola, il y a deux formes d'organisation: l'association des paysans en coopératives de production et la constitution de complexes agro-industriels. Nous cherchons par là à rationaliser les moyens disponibles et, pour atteindre ces objectifs stratégiques, nous avons basé notre politique dans ce domaine sur l'appui au petit exploitant agricole et sur la réactivation des grandes fermes abandonnées par les colons. Pour ce point, nous avons dû reconstruire tous les circuits de distribution et ouvrir des crédits agricoles.
Avec l'organisation et la consolidation des unités étatiques. nous dynamisons les coopératives agricoles dans le but d'aider les paysans à abandonner les méthodes rudimentaires de l'exploitation individuelle pour s'intégrer progressivement dans le système socialiste de production en même temps que sont modernisés les moyens de production en vue de l'accroissement de la productivité.
De façon plus précise, la production agraire dépend du petit exploitant agricole. C'est pour cela que le Gouvernement lui fournit son soutien afin de lui garantir une production accrue et un marché sûr à des prix fixes et contrôlés.
De cette façon, la politique agricole de la République Populaire d'Angola consiste fondamentalement en une série de mesures propres à restituer la terre à celui qui la travaille.
Il est clair que nous recevons, pour atteindre ces objectifs, une aide précieuse de la part de certains pays de la Communauté internationale et de la part des Organisations internationales. Nous voulons notamment remercier la FAO, le PAM et le PNUD, pour l'aide précieuse qu'ils nous ont accordée en un temps relativement court pour réactiver notre production laitière qui, bien qu'insuffisante, peut être considérée comme raisonnable pour un pays qui a connu, après les pillages des envahisseurs, la réduction à néant de sa production laitière. Nous avons déjà importé des animaux de productivité élevée, et nous allons installer des usines pour la production et la conservation du lait.
Nous espérons aussi que bientôt nous serons en mesure de proposer à l'approbation des Organisations concernées quelques projets agro-industriels, notamment dans le domaine de l'aviculture et de la création de porcheries.
En réalité nous sommes conscients du fait que les possibilités de fournir des protéines animales aux populations reposent, en plus du développement de la pêche industrielle que permet la zone maritime angolaise, sur l'implantation de systèmes technologiquement avancés de production de volailles et de porcs.
Nous réaffirmons dans cette Conférence les principes de base que nous avons énoncés lors de la Conférence sur la Réforme agraire et le Développement rural selon lesquels seule la concentration de la production dans les zones de la plus grande capacité productive, l'intensification, par l'incorporation de capital fixe, et l'intégration de l'agriculture et de l'industrie dan des complexes agro-industriels implantés en milieu rural, permettent la matérialisation progressive des objectifs en vue.
Quand les objectifs de la production seront atteints, une sécurité alimentaire effective passera par la constitution et la gestion des stocks des principaux produits de consommation. Mais à notre avis la constitution des stocks, la sécurité alimentaire d'un pays, ne sont possibles que là où une infrastructure d'emmagasinage et de conservation existe. Dans un pays comme le notre, où tout le long de la période coloniale la motivation du système consistait principalement dans l'exportation de matières premières, l'infrastructure existante en fonction de cette motivation était tournée vers l'extérieur. Nous cherchons maintenant à la reconvertir, de façon à ce qu'elle serve d'élément utile de liaison entre la production et'la consommation.
Lorsqu'une telle reconversion n'est pas possible, ou lorsque la capacité existante n'est pas suffisante, nous cherchons à créer de nouvelles installations. A titre d'exemple, je veux parler de la construction de deux silos de 50,000 tonnes chacun et de la construction du complexe de froid de Luanda pour le traitement, l'emballage et la conservation de 10 000 tonnes de produits agricoles et d'élevage.
En plus de cet aspect d'ordre interne de la sécurité alimentaire mondiale, nous pensons que le problème des stocks est de la responsabilité de la Communauté internationale toute entière, étant donné qu'en réalité les importants stocks de blé dont disposent certains pays industrialisés pèsent davantage sur la balance des relations politiques et commerciales avec les Etats pour lesquels ce blé est essentiel, et qu'ils ne résolvent pas le problème de plus de 200 millions d'enfants sous-alimentés ou affamés en cette Année internationale de l'Enfant. Et il semble évident que la manutention des stocks alimentaires doit avant tout garantir le ravitaillement régulier à chaque être humain et la stabilité des prix des produits et en aucun cas constituer un moyen de pression politique ou économique.
Lorsque nous parlons d'audace, il faut avoir à l'esprit l'implication en termes de nécessité d'implantation d'un Nouvel Ordre Economique International qui non seulement établisse des rapports plus justes entre pays développes et pays sous-développés, mais détermine aussi la rationalisation de l'utilisation des ressources
disponibles et mette un terme à la folle société de gaspillage qui met en péril la continuité de l'espèce humaine à la surface de la terre. Notre pays suit attentivement et avec préoccupation les efforts des Organisations internationales en vue de concrétiser les principes énoncés, tout en se rendant compte que la bonne volonté des ces Organisations est constamment bloquée par les pays qui ne veulent pas renoncer à leurs privilèges actuels, ce qui représente à plus ou moins long terme un véritable suicide.
Pour la République Populaire de l'Angola, le développement est synonyme de transformation radicale des structures sociales. Cette transformation passe avant tout par l'abolition du colonialisme et du néocolonialisme, ce qui implique l'existence d'une volonté politique de la part des peuples dominés.
De cette façon, quelques pays africains, comme la plupart des pays sous-développés, pratiquent toujours une agriculture imposée par le rythme que l'application de capitaux étrangers anime, dans le sens d'une spécialisation de la produccion agricole en fonction des besoins de consommation du monde capitaliste. Certaines cultures vivrières ont été réduites, ou tout simplement abandonnées, et remises à une paysannerie mal équipée et dépourvue de toute amélioration technique.
De l'abandon de la population à grande échelle de ces cultures vivrières découlent de graves problèmes de ravitaillement en denrées alimentaires. res.
Avant de terminer, je voudrais exprimer mon espoir que cette Conférence analyse les conséquences des agressions militaires perpétrées par le régime minoritaire raciste de Prétoria, qui constituent le facteur le plus grave de stagnation de notre agriculture, qui sont un crime contre la paix et la sécurité internationales et qui contribuent à déséquilibrer la situation de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture mondiale.
Et j'aimerais aussi attirer l'attention de cette Conférence sur le fait que pour atteindre les objectifs que nous nous sommes proposés,il est nécessaire que les peuples encore sous domination coloniale puissent participer librement de l'effort commun de développement agricole qui nous unit en ce moment.
Tant que les peuples de Palestine, de Namibie, du Zimbabwé, de la République arabe Saharaoui et de Timor oriental n'accéderont pas à l'indépendance et à la libre disposition de leurs ressources naturelles, nous n'aurons pas fait notre devoir.
L'agriculture mondiale continue à être dominée par les intérêts des grands monopoles capitalistes qui ont conçu une stratégie du développement agricole dont ils sont les principaux bénéficiaires et qui contribue fortement à aggraver et à élargir la faim dans le monde.
Confrontés à une situation dont les difficultés ne nous échappent pas mais qui nous sollicitent entièrement, nous ne proposons en ce moment aucune nouvelle solution au problème alimentaire mondial, ni pensons qu'il soit nécessaire pour le résoudre de trouver d'autres méthodes ou d'autres voies différentes de celles qui nous ont été proposées, notamment en septembre 1975 par la 7éme Session extraordinaire de l'Assemblée générale des Nations Unies et par la 5ème Conférence au sommet des Pays non alignés en août 1976, étant donné que les progrès réalisés nous semblent avoir été nuls, comme l'a constaté récemment à la Havane le 6ème Sommet des Pays non alignés.
Les réserves exprimées il y a quelques mois ici à Rome par un certain nombre de pays industrialisés quant à la Déclaration de principe et au Programme d'action adoptés par la Conférence mondiale sur la Réforme agraire et le Développement rural, sont pour nous une raison supplémentaire de préoccupation puisqu'elles traduisent l'intention des gouvernements de ces pays de ne pas soutenir les mesures, telles que la réforme agraire, capables de contribuer à diminuer les inégalités sociales, à éliminer la pauvreté, la faim, les maladies et la stagnation rurale dont souffrent les pays sous-développés.
Grâce à la solidarité internationale dont nous avons bénéficié, nous avons pu vaincre les graves difficultés que l'ennemi multiplie devant nous et contenir l'agression de l'impérialisme et de ses laquais.
Nous espérons donc que la solidarité internationale se manifeste finalement de façon concrète pour aider le monde à atteindre l'horizon 2000 dans des conditions de dignité pour tous les êtres humains.
La lutte continue, la victoire est certaine.
C. CARDENAS SOLORZANO (México): Sean las primeras palabras de la Delegación de México para felicitarle, señor Presidente, por su elección para dirigir los trabajos de este importante evento.
Expresamos asimismo nuestro reconocimiento al Director General de FAO, por la calificada preparación que la Secretaría ha dado a esta reunión, y sobre todo, por la gestión realizada a lo largo de estos dos anos últimos, en la que destacan el planteamiento de cuestiones fundamentales y la búsqueda de soluciones que tienen por interés central el mejoramiento del hombre y el progreso de los pueblos, propósitos, actitudes y prioridades en los que el Gobierno de México encuentra coincidencia con la presente conducción de FAO.
Transcurrido ya prácticamente el Segundo Decenio de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo, México puede declarar que ha hecho un importante esfuerzo en. los campos de la producción agrícola, de alimentos en particular, de la pesca, la reforma agraria y otros relacionados con el cumplimiento de los compromisos morales contraídos en los foros de FAO, estando plenamente consciente de las graves carencias que aún debe superar; pero ve aún con profunda preocupación que las metas que se fijó la comunidad internacional en esta década han sido muy escasamente alcanzadas.
En materia agrícola internacional, se afirma reiteradamente que de todo lo dicho y acordado colectivamente, poco es lo que efectivamente se ha realizado y cumplido.
La seguridad alimentaria mundial parece estar quedando sólo como concepto hablado o escrito, alejándose de convertirse en realidad en la medida en que los estados miembros de este organismo se muestran incapaces de llevar a la práctica los acuerdos, como lo demuestra, por ejemplo, la interrupción de las negociaciones tendientes a concluir el nuevo acuerdo sobre cereales: la meta del 0. 7% de su PNB, que se fijaron los países industrializados para contribuir al desarrollo de otras naciones, nunca ha llegado en términos globales al 50 Por ciento de lo estipulado; el propósito de establecer reservas alimenticias nacionales, coordinadas internacionalmente, se ha enfrentado con innumerables obstáculos e incluso la prevista reserva de emergencia se encuentra defasada respecto a los requerimientos; por su parte, la denominada ayuda alimentaria aún tiene por delante acreditar sus contribuciones potenciales al desarrollo.
Ante este balance, ha debido plantearse el Reajuste Agrícola Internacional, cuyas directrices renuevan de hecho compromisos que ya antes se habían contraído y respecto al cual esta Delegación expresa su apoyo.
Asimismo, considera necesario se haga realidad, en escala internacional e internamente en cada país, el Plan de acción de 5 puntos propuesto por el Director General para reforzar la seguridad alimentaria mundial así como también materializar las recomendaciones surgidas de la reciente Conferencia Mundial sobre Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural.
México, por convicoión y decisiones propias, coincidentes con recomendaciones y compromisos derivados, de su participación como miembro de FAO, da en sus programas de desarrollo atención prioritaria a los sectores agropecuario y pesquero, tanto para la elevación de sus producciones y el mejoramiento de las condiciones de vida de quienes trabajan en estas actividades, como en lo que hace a la reestructuración administrativa y al fortalecimiento de las instituciones de ambos sectores, con lo que se da una mayor eficiencia a sus operaciones.
Así,por una parte se atiende con preferencia a la agricultura y a los agricultores de las zonas tempo-raleras o de secano, ampliando en lo general sus servicios técnicos y mejorando los sistemas de coordinación del extensionismo, el crédito, la comercialización y el seguro de cosecha; y se efectúan muy diversos trabajos para aumentar las tierras productivas, tanto de riego como de otras calidades. Por otra parte, frente a las muy amplias posibilidades que ofrece el potencial pesquero de su zona económica exclusiva, México como digo, da prioridad a su ordenación y desarrollo en los planes y programas correspondíentes·
El 70% del territorio mexicano, 137 000 000 ha, corresponde a terrenos forestales, 44 000 000 ha son bosques templados, fríos y tropicales y el resto lo constituyen cubiertas vegetales en lo general no maderables.
Siendo México un país forestal, hace hoy un importante esfuerzo por estimular este sector productivo, planeando e iniciando acciones a realizarse en el largo plazo.
Se han instrumentado así importantes programas de mejoramiento silvícola, que están aumentando y diversificando la producción, al mismo tiempo que dan a las masas forestales mejores condiciones para su regeneración e incremento.
Atención especial se da también al aprovechamiento de nuestras selvas tropicales, donde por primera vez se llevan a cabo inventarios de manejo, que permiten racionalizar el manejo de estos bosques mezclados, considerándolos parte del complejo suelo, cubierta vegetal, fauna, agua.
Tomando en consideración las amplias posibilidades de los recursos forestales para contribuir al desarrollo de los pueblos, esta Delegación considera importante que la Dirección General pudiera encargar la elaboración de un estudio, que se presentara por ejemplo, en la próxima reunión del Comité Forestal, en 1980, sobre las diversas alternativas y medios a los que pudiera recurrirse para aumentar los apoyos financieros técnicos, de investigación, etc. al sector forestal y se permite recomendar que se vean las posibilidades de dar, dentro de FAO, una significación mayor a los programas forestales.
Por otro lado, consciente de la importancia de su propio esfuerzo en esta área, que es coincidente con el espíritu de la Declaración de Yakarta, mi gobierno desea aguí reiterar la invitación que ya hiciera en ocasión del 8 Congreso, para que México sea la sede del 90 Congreso Mundial Forestal de 1984
Los energéticos han sido, son y serán decisivos en la producción agropecuaria y en la satisfacción de las necesidades alimenticias humanas.
Frente a la vida limitada de las reservas de hidrocarburos de nuestro planeta y ante la realidad mexicana de una producción petrolera en aumento, basada en el descubrimiento y cuantificación de yacimientos de grandes volúmenes, el Presidente de México ha sostenido, en el seno de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas, la tesis de que los hidrocarburos deben administrarse y aprovecharse como responsabilidad de la humanidad.
Para los mexicanos es muy claro entonces que uno de los consumos prioritarios de los hidrocarburos debe ser la producción de alimentos, y que destinarlos a una industria "bélica o a la carrera armamentista, que ya arrebatan al desarrollo constructivo y pacífico miles de millones de dólares, muchas veces más que el apoyo que se brinda a instituciones como FAO, o incluso utilizarlos para martener en movimiento ejércitos y material de guerra de países que no viven conflictos bélicos, constituye, sin duda una agresión para las grandes mayorías y un atentado al futuro de la humanidad.
Los países en desarrollo hacen frente hoy día a un estado crítico y desordenado de cosas, que ellos de hecho no han contribuido a crear, en el que destacan la existencia de injustas relaciones de intercambio, agravadas por la inflación y recesión procedentes de las economías más avanzadas; una menor participación relativa en el mercado mundial, sobre todo por la creciente e inapropiada oleada de medidas proteccionistas, arancelarias y de otros tipos, que un buen número de países económicamente fuertes y grupos dominantes dentro de ellos han impuesto unilateralmente; la importación de insumos en lo general y de cereales en particular, que, a pesar del acelerado incremento en sus precios, llegan ya a niveles sin precedente, y parece no se reducirá en corto plazo; en fin, el nivel y perspectivas de una deuda externa creciente que interfiere cualquier propósito de desarrollo autónomo presente o para el porvenir.
A resolver los problemas en su origen, atacando sus causas reales e históricas, nacionales e interna-cionales, debe dirigirse nuestra acción y en ello FAO juega y habrá de jugar un papel decisivo.
En esta perspectiva, mi gobierno manifiesta su apoyo en lo general al programa propuesto por el Director General para el bienio 1980-1981, considerando, además, que FAO debe recibir apoyo y estímulo crecientes de sus integrantes, a fin de que con capacidad plena pueda atender, puntual y eficientemente, sus responsabilidades y compromisos en estos finales del siglo XX·
A este respecto, expresamos nuestra preocupación por la posibilidad que pudiera darse de que FAO, en los próximos dos anos, se viera limitada y dispusiera de una capacidad operativa relativamente menor a la actual. Grave sería nuestra responsabilidad si a eso nos condujeran nuestras deliberaciones y decisiones en el seno del Organismo.
Está por iniciarse un nuevo decenio. La Organización ha replanteado sus objetivos y metas y revisado los medios de su acción.
Es responsabilidad de todos lograr que en este período los pueblos alcancen un desarrollo efectivo, y erradicar, de manera definitiva, el hambre y la desnutrición que hoy padecen más de quinientos millones de seres, con sus irreversibles consecuencias biológicas, sociales, económicas y políticas.
Y será la acción decidida y concertada de las naciones pequeñas y grandes, la que asegure para siempre el alimento suficiente y oportuno para las grandes mayorías de la humanidad, con lo que se dará el paso definitivo para el establecimiento y consolidación del Nuevo Orden Económico Internacional y el surgimiento así de una comunidad internacional donde se impongan y prevalezcan la colaboración, la solidaridad, la equidad y la justicia, Muchas gracias, Sr. Presidente.
M. NGOΒI (Uganda): Mr. Chairman, Deputy Director-General, Distinguished Delegates, ladies and gentlemen, my delegation and I congratulate you heartily on having been elected to chair this august Conference. We wish to register our sincere appreciation for the able manner in which you are conducting the proceedings of this Conference. My delegation assures you of our fullest support for the rest of the Conference. We would also like to thank the Secretariat for the work they have done in producing the many documents for the Conference and the Commissions. Also, Mr. Chairman, I would like to convey, on behalf of my delegation, our Government's greetings and best wishes to this Conference as it seeks solutions to the world's problems of hunger and malnutrition. The deliberations of this Conference are being watched eagerly by the poor and hungry of the world.
Mr. Chairman, let me also, on behalf of my delegation, congratulate and welcome the delegations of the Independent States of Samoa and of the Commonwealth of Dominica who have been admitted to the brotherhood of the FAO. We are confident that they will further strengthen this Organization, and we wish them the best of luck.
Mr. Chairman, it is my pleasure and privilege to inform this Conference that Uganda has now been liberated from the clutches of the tyrannical military dictatorship, which had for eight years become so notorious for its atrocities to humanity. We would like to thank all the individuals, friendly countries and organizations which assisted in the overthrow of the Amin regime. The country is now free and the new government has already committed itself to a policy of respect for human rights, human dignity, human freedom and democracy. Uganda now seeks friendship with all countries and is ready to live at peace with all her neighbours in the region. Also, Mr. Chairman, Uganda is ready and happy to take her rightful place in the International community to play her part without fear and to participate fully in the activities and programmes of the Food and Agriculture Organization.
Mr. Chairman, the eight years of military dictatorship followed by an intensive war of liberation has left the once healthy Uganda economy in shambles. It is my unpleasant duty to inform this august Conference that the Uganda economy is in ruins. Normal economic activities are almost at a standstill, as those who have lately visited the country can testify. Worse still, the country by itself has limited means at its disposal to rectify this situation. It is for this reason, Mr. Chairman, that Uganda is launching an urgent appeal to friendly people, governments and international organizations to assist her in efforts of reconstruction and rehabilitation of the economy. The country's doors are once again open, and the government has already adopted laws and economic policies which protect foreign investments and which will guarantee fair returns and repatriation of profits to such investments.
On the state of food and agriculture in the country, Mr. Chairman, I regret to report another disturbing situation. Generally, Uganda has normally been more or less self-sufficient in its basic foodstuffs, but as I have already reported, this state of affairs has been disrupted. Consequently, general food shortages of varying degrees of severity and magnitude are being experienced in large parts of the country. A combination of factors related to the poor management of the economy by the ousted government has given rise to this situation. In addition to this, low rainfall throughout the country in 1979 and more particularly the complete absence of the Second Season rains have resulted in failure of the Second Season crops. As a result of all this, there is fear that food shortages in 1980 will be more widely spread necessitating massive food aid assistance. This dismal picture is supported by the Report of the FAO Emergency Assistance Mission which recently visited the country at the request of the Uganda Government. I think, Mr. Chairman, it would not be out of place for me to inform this Conference how touched I was when the Director-General invited me to his office during the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development and informed me of the offer for the emergency assistance. This is a clear illustration of the effectiveness of the Technical Cooperation Programme. I should like to convey my Government's gratitude to the Director-General of the FAO for his prompt response to our appeal.
The situation prevailing in the rest of the agricultural sector is not any different. Improper Government policies and lack of investments in the agricultural sector in the last eight years have meant acute scarcity of means of production, i. e. tools and equipment, inputs including drugs for animals and of course for human beings as well; lack of fishing gear and others. These have resulted in the present low levels of production and reserve productive capacity. Consequently, production of major industries has dropped to levels which cannot support the economy. Coffee production for instance has dropped from 213. 8 thousand tons in 1972/73 to an estimated 137. 9 thousand tons in 1979/80. Cotton, has dropped from 467. 7 thousand bales of lint in 1969/70 to an estimated 40. 0 thousand bales in 1979/80; tea has dropped fom 21. 9, that is, nearly 22 thousand tons in 1973/74 to a mere 6. 3 thousand tons in 1979/80; whole milk collection for processing from about 20 million litres in 1972 to practically nothing now. There has been a serious decline in the fishing industry, wood industry, sugar industry and others. This has drastically reduced the capacity of the economy to rely on its own resources in the reconstruction process. In addition, the war disrupted the normal planting programme and management activities, and fleeing soldiers have caused extensive damage to machinery, farms factories, transport system and
livestock. It will, thus require substantial financial and technical assistance to reactivate and reestablish agricultural activities. Both the Report of the Commonwealth team of Experts and the Report of the FAO Emergency Assistance Mission to Uganda concur with this picture and call for increased external assistance.
If this grim picture is weighed against the fact that agriculture looms large in Uganda's economy both in terms of its place in the overall economy, its size relative to other sectors and its dominant role as the source of livelihood for over eighty percent of the population, it becomes clear that rehabilitation of the economy will necessarily mean rehabilitation of the agricultural sector. Mr. Chairman, I have deliberately told this Conference the true facts about my country and avoided glossing over them. However, I wish to assure the Conference that there is now political will and determination on the part of our people to reverse the black image of our country in the last eight years, to mobilize our resources with the assistance from friendly sources and to put Uganda back on the path of development. But, as His Excellency Kenneth Kaunda put it very rightly in his memorable McDougall Lecture, there cannot be peace and security without food. So we have to concentrate on finding food now for the people in order to secure peace and stability which we are re-establishing and which are necessary for development.
On the question of World Food Security, the Uganda delegation regrets to note the failure of the United Nations Negotiating Conference on a new International Grains Arrangement, which is a set back to the continuing efforts to strengthen World Food Security. While we call for speedy conclusion of this and other commodity trade negotiations, we welcome and support the Director-General's action to avert a crisis with the proposed Plan of Action on World Food Security. On our part, the government is in the process of formulating appropriate policies necessary for the implementation of the proposed Plan of Action.
Uganda supports the proposed programme to assist developing coastal states in developing and managing fisheries in their exclusive economic zones. However, landlocked Uganda has inland fishing activities which, too, merit, comprehensive development programmes. With a large water area of some 42 380 square kilometers, teeming with fish, Uganda has fishing prospects which need assessment and development programmes.
Concerning forestry, my delegation and indeed the Government of the Uganda Liberation Front fully supports the Jakarta Declaration of the Eighth World Forestry Congress held in October 1978 at Jakarta in Indonesia. At our present stage of development, we in Uganda depend very largely on forestry for energy in the form of firewood and for building materials. Forests are also very critical in our climatic and environmental stability. We, therefore, urge member nations of this great Organization to support and adopt the Jakarta Declaration.
Mr. Chairman, let me now refer to the activities and programmes of the Organization. Looking at the programme of work of the FAO, and the magnitude of what is expected of it, in this world plagued with hunger and malnutrition, Uganda would have been happier, with an increased level of the budget. However, bearing in mind the present economic situation prevailing in the world, my delegation gives full support to the Director-General's proposed programme of work and budget for 1980/81. To us, the proposals are clear and reflect the Organizations's intimate knowledge of our aspirations and needs which are reflected in special action programmes such as the Technical Cooperation Programme and the process of decentralization at country level.
Regarding the programme for the control of African Animal Trypanosomiasis and related development, my delegation fully supports the proposals put before the Conference by the Director-General, and hence endorses the formation of a Commission of African Animal Trypanosomiasis. Uganda is one of the African countries most seriously affected by this animal scourge, and therefore welcomes these proposals wholeheartedly. On behalf of my delegation and my Government, I ask the member countries of this Organization to endorse the Director-General's proposals quickly, so that he can go ahead and draw up the necessary statutes. Once the Commission is formed, Uganda will seek for membership without hesitation. My delegation endorses and urges this Conference to endorse all the proposals made by the Director-General.
On the review of FAO's Regular Programmes 1978/79, my delegation is gratified to note how successfully these programmes have achieved their objectives. We urge the Organization to increase its efforts even further in the fight against hunger and malnutrition, We equally appreciate the progress achieved in the use of national institutions and other developing country inputs and urge that this be strengthened even further. The wise words of His Holiness Pope John Paul II, the illuminating McDougall Lecture by one of the Great Sons of Africa His Excellency Kenneth Kaunda, the President of Zambia and the foresighted statement to this august Conference by the Director-General, give us confidence and hope in the future of this great Organization: especially concerning its commitment to fight against and eliminate hunger and malnutrition and the determination to promote economic development of the Third World. The Uganda Government will always welcome and support any proposals or actions which are geared to achieving these objectives.
Before concluding, Mr. Chairman, allow me to express my country's deep appreciation to all those who have so far responded to our call for assistance in our endeavour to rehabilitate the country's economy. In particular we would like to thank the Commonwealth Secretariat for compiling a report identifying Uganda's economic needs and areas for immediate rehabilitation. This report has been adopted by Government, as a basis for rehabilitation and reconstruction. Special thanks are due to the FAO, UNDP, EEC and several individual countries and other National and International Organizations which have given us immediate assistance.
Special thanks are also due to the FAO, for the Emergency Mission Report and for all that FAO has done for us; to UNDP, the European Economic Community, and to several individual countries, National and International Organizations which have given us immediate assistance.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, the Uganda delegation wishes the Twentieth Session of the Food and Agriculture Organization Conference success in its deliberations.
J. Y. A. OSMAN (Somalia): Mr Chairman, Distinguished Delegates, ladies and gentlemen: On behalf of my delegation to this historic meeting of FAO 20th Conference, I would like to extend to your Excellency our heartfelt congratulation upon your election as the Chairman of the Conference. My delegation is confident that under your able leadership and wise guidance this meeting of the world body will succeed in finding better solutions to the problems we are facing in producing enough food and developing agriculture the world over.
My delegation would like also to express its appreciation and support to the Director-General and the staff for their effort in improving and injecting new dynamism into the services of this organization which is holding its 20th session today in order to discuss and deliberate the agenda items prepared for the improvement of the world food situation which we fully endorse.
Mr. Chairman, it is rather painful to read from the report prepared by the Director-General that the world production pattern remains unchanged. The import of food commodities by developing countries is increasing day after day, in spite of the effort put by the same countries in trying to increase their national production to satisfy locally needed food stuff.
In this connection, I would like to mention here the great effort made by my Government in developing agriculture upon which our entire national economy is based presently. A substantial amount of the national budget is devoted to make agriculture achieve the level of production required to meet local needs and be able to become exporter of same agricultural commodities. But to be frank, we are still far away from those goals.
The majority of our farmers are small and subsistence, in nature and their production is very low as well as their standard of living, As I have mentioned earlier, the Government has made great effort to change this unhappy situation by creating and strengthening research centres, extension activities, formation of cooperatives, farmers training, development of irrigation facilities as well as establishment of credit facilities.
In order to reach the goal of food security strategies, policies for increased agricultural production are laid down by each and every country. But still the rise of increased production remains slow. Therefore, it is time that we look for the reasons behind this and come up with concrete solutions to overcome it if we are serious in combatting and eliminating hunger, poverty and malnutrition among our fellow men.
Agricultural production, even with todays technology still remains to be subject to adverse weather conditions. My country, as you are aware experiences, failure of a complete crop year once every four years due to droughts. 1973-75 drought which struck the whole country has adversely affected the overall development strategy of the country in that it has necessitated the allocation of huge state resources financial, material and labour towards that end in order to render effective assistance to the sinistered people remaining with no means of livelihood, mostly nomads. The calamity was beyond the ability of our meagre resources but the Government and people, have displayed courage, détermination and unitv. Necessary steps were immediately taken to overcome the frightening situation. If the task of feeding the drought stricken people was difficult the rehabilitation of the same people in different occupations was more serious and challenging. Hundreds of thousands of nomads have been evacuated and settled in the riverline area to become agriculturists and more than twenty thousand others in the coastal area become fishermen. It took us a great deal of effort and time to accomodate the nomads and make them adjust to the new habitat quite different from what they used to live in. These undertakings have been successful not only by the effort of the Government and the participation of the people but, thanks to
the generous help rendered by the UN Organisations like FAO, WHO, WFP and friendly nations. At this very moment we are facing another very difficult problem: that of refugees whose number is in the neighbourhood of a million people. This has again necessitated the diversification of resources meant for development in order to render assistance to these displaced people. We are thankful to those international organizations and friendly nations who assist us in this difficult task.
Huge agricultural projects cannot be financed entirely by the developing countries whose basic economy lies on agriculture and its related sectors. On this ground, we always find there is a big gap between project preparation and implementation. This fall-back naturally reflects on the country's agricultural strategies and policies. Limited inputs and technical know-how are other factors that are slowing down the production rate in the developing countries. Great effort is put into training the nationals in and outside the country. But most of these trainees go to other countries with better financial possibilities.
Many development projects are being implemented in all developing countries and this has brought about a shortage of real experts with practical and financial ability to implement projects according to the objectives. As a result very low level experts are recruited and in most cases caused project failure.
Our development strategy emphasises among other things the following:
Agriculture Production
To increase and stabilize cereals and oil crops production to meet domestic demand and reduce imports.
To increase and raise the quality and quantity of banana production in order to meet the increased local and world market demand.
To develop the irrigation potential of the country in order to have more secured production.
To increase production of industrial crops to meet the demand of existing agro-industries: sugar, textile, oil and flour mills.
To educate farmers as well as extension workers in better farming methods and managements.
Livestock
Livestock constitutes an important sector in the economy of the country. About 80 per cent of the population derive their livelihood from this sector. To help raise the economy of the country many projects on animal health and animal production are implemented by the Government. Trypanosomiasis is one of the problems we are facing today as it imposes heavy losses to our livestock. Disease control and eradication schemes are amongst the most important programmes given high priority in the development strategy of the livestock industry. These include tse-tse and trypanosomiasis control, establishment of disease free zones, and quarantine sites, and control and eradication of infectious and parasitic diseases, In the field of prophylactic service, a vaccine Institute was established in the country and is producing several kinds of vaccines which are given free of charge to livestock owners. In addition, the Government has been providing free of charge most of the veterinary drugs and services since 1973. The result has been a considerable improvement in the health of the national herd.
My Government acknowledges that the desertification process is apparent to a greater or lesser extent and in one form or another in many areas. Four forms of desertification are currently of major concern to us, these are:
Range land degradation
DeforestationSand dune formation
Destruction of arable land
Range land degradation
Classic signs of overgrazing are not uncommon over much areas of Somalia. In the most extreme form, large areas of rangeland have so far degraded as to be totally devoid of vegetation and appear to be truly desert. Social and economic effects are inevitable catastrophic when a severe drought strikes and there are inadequate forage and permanent water reserves.
Deforestation
Only 14 per cent of Somalia is covered by natural woodland. This resource has suffered continuous and serious deterioration for good many years, as a result of uncontrolled cutting and uprooting of woody growth, excessive and unregulated grazing in woodland areas and shifting cultivation.
Sand dune formation
For nearly 2000 Km. along the Indian Ocean coast and up to 25 km. inland, there is an intermittent chain of sand dunes reaching height s of 150 M. and covering an estimated total area of 5000 Km2. They occur mostly in lightly wooded grazing areas and result in some loss of forage and water points.
Destruction of arable land
Valuable arable land is being lost to erosion in some of the most favourable areas. Cultivation practices are generally poor and the increased pressure combined with livestock density growth have led to destruction of arable land.
My Government is actively engaged to halt this desertification process and I am pleased to say that large grazing reserves and forestry plantation areas have been established. Earthbinding to assist retention and spreading of water in supply of grass and fodder crop growth has been successfully introduced at several sites in Central and Northern Somalia. The creation of a Government body responsible to combat desertification and a law to control rangeland were two acts showing the Government will to control and combat desertification.
We believe that antidesertification activities should be global as it involves continents and therefore joint efforts are required with sufficient technical and financial means.
Fishery
Prior to the early years of the present decade no serious efforts had been made to exploit the country's potentially lucrative fishery resources and, therefore, supplement the two other components of the agricultural sector. Fishery is one of the Government's top priority fields and substantial funds have been allocated for that purpose. The investment so far put in fishery seems to be a drop in the ocean in view of the vastness of the geographical area involved and in view of the virtual absence of the basic infrastructure conducive to a quick breakthrough. The need for investing more resources in that field is therefore self evident.
Since 1973 a separate Ministry has been created for fishery development and the basic approach to it has been three fold:
Improvement and development of artisinal or traditional fisheries
Rationalization of existing industrial plants and
Introduction of high sea fishing.
Fishermen scattered along the 3330 Km. coastline have been grouped into cooperatives and the Government has undertaken to provide them with the initial material as well as managerial assistance. The result has been a notable increase in production.
Realising her being a maritime nation by virtue of her long coastline, the Somali Government is trying hard to introduce high sea fishing operation with bilateral as well as multilateral cooperation. The objective of these operations is not only to increase the catches but also to train the personnel who will eventually have to man the nation's maritime fleet in the future. The actual fishing operation of the vessels is combined with gathering of the necessary scientific data such as the assessment of sustainable catches, identification of species, observation of migratory species and season wise areas of concentration. We are greateful to FAO for the catalytic role it is playing in the fishery development of my country as well as to those friendly countries who are giving us a helping hand in our endeavour.
Allow me to state confidently that the Somali Government and people did not spare any effort in promoting food production and agriculture development both economically and technically; but the nation has faced many financial and technical problems that are beyond the country's possibility to deal with. The state of food and agriculture in the world has been reported to be deteriorating with high prices of fertilizers, pesticides and farm machinery still persisting a fact that does not
favour production expansion. Somalia, like many developing countries if they do not get these very indispensable farm inputs at favourable terms, their effort will be minimized and their role in alleviating the human from hunger will be insignificant. We believe, that only our efforts cannot resolve the existing problems in the agricultural development, therefore, there is need of a substantial support from International Organizations like FAO and other financial institutions for capital investment and technical assistance.
In conclusion, my delegation highly hopes that the 20th session will be crowned with concrete decisions that will lead towards a better food situation in the world. Our organization should be a dynamic one in its policies and strategies in order to meet the changing needs of the developing world.
Along this line, we feel that FAO should play a bigger role than before in encouraging agricultural investment in developing countries. It should delegate more power to its Regional offices so that they can expedite project implementation from their part.
My statement would be incomplete if I failed to mention the need for practical training for the nationals so that they can fill the vacancy in the know-how. The present level of training programme is far from being satisfactory. The last but not the least most important step that will open a new dimension in FAO activities is the recruitment of local experts for FAO projects. We strongly believe that this important step will definitely minimize if not bring to an end the present brain drainage facing most of the developing countries.
Μ· Κ· SAROA (Papua New Guinea): Mr. Chairman, Mr. Deputy Director-General, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen. It is an honour to be here today to be able to present the views of my country, Papua New Guinea. Before I do so, Mr. Chairman, it is with great pleasure that I join the other delegations to this important Conference in congratulating you on your unanimous election as Chairman of this Assembly. I would also like to congratulate the three Vice-Chairmen, who will I am sure share the same difficult task with you during our discussions.
I would also like to extend a warm welcome to the two new members of our organization: Western Samoa and the Commonwealth of Dominica.
Papua New Guinea is a newly independent nation and a relatively small country with a population of about 3 million people whose economy is based on the production of primary commodities. Agriculture is the major activity for the majority of the people with only about 25% of its population wholly engaged in the monetary sector.
Papua New Guinea has tremendous potential for development but has also a number of difficulties and problems to which it must find its own unique solutions before its potential can be fully realised.
The economy of Papua New Guinea can be briefly summarised as follows:-
- a dependence on the utilisation of our natural resources
- a substantial subsistence sector
- a small but growing manufacturing, constructing and business sector
- a poorly developed infrastructural base
- a high population growth rate (about 3 per cent per annum) and a high rate of urbanisation
- a relatively open economy depending upon substantial imports, especially food imports and upon exports of copper, coffee, cocoa and to a lesser extent on coconut products, timber, fish, palm oil, tea and rubber
- a high degree of dependence on foreign aid
- a serious shortage of skilled technical and managerial manpower.
With regard to the topic of 'Strengthening World Pood Security', I would like to make some brief comments. Firstly, Papua New Guinea has had relatively little problems with large scale disasters; problems created by droughts, floods or frost have generally been localised and within the capacity of the country to meet. In addition many staples in the country are less vulnerable to climatic variations than grains.
Papua New Guinea therefore does not see any problems in the area of internal food security. Nor would it be in a position to participate actively in inter-country co-operative arrangements on food security because of the bulk handling and transport difficulties of root staples.
However, there are a few developing countries in the world who can claim to have reduoed post-harvest losses to tolerable proportions, or who can consider themselves adequately secure from major disasters affecting production of basic food crops. The Government of Papua New Guinea therefore applauds the efforts of PAD to put into practice the Programme of action of World Pood Security.
I now turn to the subject: The Development and Management of Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zones which is so vital to the economies of small developing Pacific Island Nations, including Papua New Guinea.
Since the opening of the Law of the Sea Conference some years ago, Papua New Guinea has involved itself with the issue arising from these Conferences. We are proud of the role we have played and the general concensus which has been reached on fisheries matters.
Papua New Guinea has supported the views expressed by the Law of the Sea Revised Negotiating Text and in 1978 we declared our 200-mile fisheries zone which totals over one million square miles of the finest tuna fishing grounds in the world.
Papua New Guinea in co-operation with ten other Pacific independent nations all members of the South Pacific Forum has formed a Fisheries Management Organization known as the South Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency. One of the prime reasons for establishing the Agency was to "Co-ordinate and harmonize their policies on the Law of the Sea so as to ensure the maximum benefits for their people and the region and to adapt a co-ordinated approach in their negotiations with distant-water fishing nations. "
We choose to do this in a manner which will encourage fair use of our resources by distant-water fishing nations in exchange for an appropriate payment for the fish taken from our fisheries zone and the transfer of technology which will allow us to develop our own fishing, processing and marketing industry.
Through participation in the South Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency we expect to achieve this in a manner which will also aid the smaller Pacific nations not so blessed as we are with rich year-round fisheries resources.
As much as 100 000 tons of tuna has been harvested within our 200-mile fisheries zone in a year's time. As raw fish in the United States' tuna market, this tonnage of tuna has a value of U. S. $100 million; processed, its value would come to U. S. $250 million, a figure of real significance to any nation, particularly a developing one such as Papua New Guinea.
Last year foreign tuna vessels based in our country harvested nearly 50 000 tons of skipjack, but we received only a small percentage of the full value of this catch.
All of the vessels were foreign owned; they were manned by foreign captains, engineers and fishermen. Those fishermen of ours who did get jobs earned less money for the same work than did the foreign fishermen.
Virtually none of the tuna caught in our waters was consumed in our country, it was all exported to overseas canneries where people from other nations more wealthy than us found employment packing our fish for developed nations to eat.
Clearly, an industry which uses foreign-owned and manned vessels with no shore-side support facilities contributes little to the developing economy. However, there is no way that we Pacific islanders can take over these vital functions at this stage so, therefore, we must work towards a realistic localization schedule for the entire industry. Until such time as nations such as ourselves take a determined stand to achieve those benefits which are rightly ours, we can expect little progress in building our own industrial capabilities and take our rightful place in the developed world.
While our efforts to gain full benefits have yet to bear real fruit, we do know what we want and to achieve our objectives we have established a set of principles to guide us on our way.
Our first and most basic principle is that our fisheries resources will be developed for the optimal benefit of the people of Papua New Guinea.
Papua New Guinea will not enter into any long-term agreement which does not adhere to this basic concept. To achieve it, however, we will grant favoured status to those who help us on our way.
In determining how we intend to develop our full resource potential, we have encountered many problems and effected solutions which if applied on a regional basis can bring real benefits to the developing countries in the region.
Management of the resources is a basic problem encountered by most developing countries. Papua New Guinea and other member nations of the South Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency hold strongly to the concept that coastal States have the sovereign right to manage the stocks which occur within their fisheries zones.
Unlike coastal States with continental shelves and diversified fisheries stocks, the typical small Pacific nation has only tuna in its surrounding seas and it is this species on which we must rely if we are to derive any real benefits from our oceanic resources.
To ensure control over the stocks which occur within our 200-mile fisheries zone, Papua New Guinea has declared another principle which recognizes coastal State control over all fisheries stocks within a nation's fisheries zone.
Recognising that tunas are a highly migratory species that has no political boundaries and move from one nation's zone to another, we recognised the need for nations sharing stocks of tunas or other speoies to co-operate on their conservation and management.
Papua New Guinea strongly feels that only those nations which share stocks have the right to make decisions about their management.
Distant-water fishing nations that do not share stock with another nation or nations should have no right to make decisions about the management of such stocks. However, they could be invited to participate in recommending of conservation and management measures of such stocks.
Papua New Guinea believes that unless these basic principles are observed meaningful development of the nation's fisheries resources becomes impossible as it cannot say just who can and cannot fish its waters.
The 200-mile fisheries zone came about because of the tuna issue in the Eastern Pacific, and the means established to manage those stocks failed because of the lack of recognition of the coastal States' rights.
The prime purpose of establishing exclusive fisheries zones was to ensure that developing coastal nations would be able to gain real benefits from their fisheries resources and not be dominated and dictated to by the larger developed distant-water fishing nations.
Remove this basic concept of sovereign rights of the coastal States and we, the South Pacific nations, will be unable to gain the full benefits from the only real resource which occurs in our waters-the tunas.
The present system whereby the distant-water fishing nations negotiate unilaterally with those countries with large known resources is unsatisfactory.
Papua New Guinea holds that access arrangements and fees must be structured in such a way as to allow foreign vessels access to the region as a whole with payments for fish taken being directly related to the amount actually harvested from within a nation's fisheries zones.
Such arrangement can best be effected through a regional organisation where neighbouring nations who share a stock agree on a unified set of terms for access to the area and a fee for the fish taken.
In the meantime, we are working toward the development of a cost effective surveillance and enforcement system, which considering the vast distances involved is a truly formidable task, complicated by the lack of funds from all countries in the region.
In the next few years significant changes will occur in the harvesting, processing, marketing and management of the Pacific tuna stock.
The growing realisation of coastal states' control over all stocks including tuna within the exclusive economic zone will bring drastic changes to the industry which will surely benefit those developing coastal states which co-operate on the conservation and management of the stocks.
Mr. Chairman, in this regard, Papua New Guinea endorses and welcomes the proposed role of FAO in the development and management of fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zones as outlined in document C 79/21.
A. LISBOA RAMOS (Cap-Vert): Permettez-moi Monsieur le Président, de vous féliciter chaleureusement au nom de ma délégation, de votre brillante élection à la Présidence de la vingtième session de la Conférence de la FAO. Vos qualités donnent l'assurance que les objectifs poursuivis par cette Assemblée seront complètement atteints.
J'aimerais aussi féliciter le Directeur général, le Docteur Edouard Saouma, de la façon dont il a conduit notre Organisation, et qui a toujours mérité le support total de notre pays pour son dévouement à la cause des pays les plus défavorisés dans la lutte menée contre la misère, la famine et l'ignorance, La préparation de la Conférence, les excellents documents préparés et les programmes d'action proposés méritent notre appui sans réserve.
Aux nouveaux Etats Membres admis au sein de notre Organisation, la délégation de la République du Cap-Vert adresse ses fraternelles félicitations et leur souhaite la bienvenue.
Nous voulons réaffirmer notre engagement aux importantes décisions prises à l'occasion de la Conférence Mondiale sur la Réforme Agraire et le Développement Rural, tenue à Rome au mois de juillet dernier, conférence à laquelle notre pays participait. Il y a envoyé une importante délégation dirigée par son Excellence le Ministre du Développement Rural. Nous espérons que ses résolutions seront mises en application sans délai, de façon à permettre l'amélioration de la vie des populations rurales, l'établissement d'un nouvel ordre économique mondial pour anéantir le fossé qui sépare les riches des pauvres.
Notre délégation avait, à cette occasion, bien décrit notre pays, son processus de développement, son climat, sa condition de pays nouvellement indépendant, ainsi que sa faible économie, sa politique agraire; je m'excuse, d'ailleurs, d'y revenir.
Qu'il me soit permis d'attirer l'attention de la Conférence sur la situation vivrière, qui peut être qualifiée de désastreuse, à laquelle le Cap-Vert devra faire face encore une fois en 1980. En effet, la sécheresse qui a, pour la douzième année consécutive, frappé les îles, a détruit la quasi-totalité de la présente récolte de mais et réduit considérablement celle des haricots, les deux principales denrées de base de l'alimentation du peuple cap-verdien.
Ces ravages ont été constatés par une mission conjointe de la FAO et du PAM qui a visité le Cap-Vert durant la première semaine de novembre pour évaluer l'état des cultures et de la production vivrière.
Notre principale préoccupation, découlant de la situation décrite, consiste donc à garantir des stocks alimentaires. Cependant, si les réponses de la Communauté internationale à nos appels ne nous parviennent pas à temps, une situation très grave pour nos populations pourrait en découler.
D'autre part, il faut souligner qu'à l'indépendance nationale il n'existait pas de structures de stockage, sauf des silos à Mindelo et quelques petits magasins dépourvus du minimum de conditions requis pour protéger les denrées des dépradateurs.
Je voudrais aussi signaler combien est utile pour mon pays le Programme d'assistance à la sécurité alimentaire de la FAO.
Ce programme nous a aidés tant sur le plan des conseils pratiques que sur celui des réalisations qui vont incessamment voir le jour; il nous a aidés à mobiliser les fonds requis pour réaliser la construction d'un silo à Praia. A mon avis, il est essentiel que les ressources du PASA soient augmentées afin qu'il puisse continuer son travail essentiel. En conséquence, nous soutenons fortement la réalisation proposée par l'Inde, le Zaïre, la Colombie et la Yougoslavie.
En dépit de toutes ces difficultés, nous ne nous attachons pas seulement à résoudre les problèmes immédiats de la fourniture des denrées alimentaires. Conscients de la disponibilité et de la décision de notre peuple, et confiants dans le fait que la solidarité n'est pas un mythe, nous nous sommes surtout engagés dans la construction d'un avenir meilleur pour notre peuple, en insistant particulièrement sur le développement de la communauté rurale.
C'est dans ce contexte que l'on conduit toute une série d'actions dont l'objectif principal est d'augmenter la surface cultivée et la production. C'est ainsi, Monsieur le Président, que la République du Cap-Vert, membre du Comité inter-Etats de lutte contre la sécheresse dans le Sahel, a consacré ses efforts dans les domaines suivants:
contrôle de l'érosion et de la conservation des sols et des eaux; lutte contre la désertification; reboisement; recherche et exploitation des eaux souterraines; mise en culture de terres nouvelles; élevage; développement de la pêche.
En effet, grâce à la participation active de notre peuple et à la solidarité des organisations et pays amis, nous avons construit des milliers de digues et des terrasses supplémentaires qui ont permis l'augmentation de l'infiltration de l'eau et l'adaptation de nouvelles surfaces aux cultures irriguées, outre la diminution des effets néfastes de l'érosion.
Dans le cadre du programme de reboisement et de la lutte contre la désertification, nous exécutons actuellement un grand projet qui couvre la plupart du territoire national. Ce programme a conduit à la plantation de 500 000 arbres en 1978 et à un million en 1979, grâce à la participation enthousiaste et engagée des populations.
Dans les îles où cela constitue déjà un problème, nous avons entamé des travaux importants pour empêcher l'avancement des dunes de sable sur les champs, les routes et même dans les habitations.
Concernant la recherche et l'exploitation de l'eau souterraine et les difficultés pour l'approvisionnement de la population et son utilisation dans l'agriculture, un vaste programme est en cours, un nombre important de forages étant déjà exécuté et équipé. Une attention particulière est aussi donnée à la recherche de méthodes permettant une économie de l'eau et l'utilisation des énergies renouvelables pour le pompage.
L'élevage aussi joue un rôle important dans l'économie de notre pays. C'est ainsi que, tenant compte de nos limitations fourragères dues aux aléas climatiques, nous avons organisé une campagne de sauvetage du bétail pour aider les paysans à préserver leurs troupeaux. L'aviculture, l'élevage des petits ruminants et des porcs sont des secteurs qui méritent aussi notre attention.
La mise en place d'un système de crédit agricole dans le cadre du Programme de Coopération Technique de la FAO et la renforcement du mouvement coopératif, surtout chez les agriculteurs et les pêcheurs, constituent des aspects importants de notre politique de développement.
Notre principale richesse est l'homme cap-verdien. Comme je l'ai déjà affirmé, il est décidé à transformer son pays et pour cela il demande, aujourd'hui, l'appui de la communauté internationale.
La paix sera toujours une utopie si d'un côté on trouve les désespérés de la famine et de l'autre ceux qui gaspillent. Il faut que l'égoîsme ne soit pas la caractéristique des rapports entre nations, qu'une coopération chaque fois plus dynamique et authentique s'établisse entre les pays en voie de développement, et entre ceux-ci et les pays développés, tout en respectant les principes des avantages mutuels et la souveraineté de chacun.
Le rôle des Nations Unies et de ses organisations spécialisées, notamment la FAO, est extrêmement important pour un avenir de progrès et prospérité et de paix pour l'humanité. Que cette Conférence en soit la confirmation.
M. PANJSHERI (Afghanistan): Mr. Chairman, Excellencies and Honourable Delegates, Ladies and Candidates. I feel highly proud and privileged in representing my beloved and great country, the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, in this assembly of learned and scholastic international personalities.
Prima facie, it is my pleasant duty to extend very warm congratulations to the Chairman on behalf of my Government and on my personal behalf on his election to the prestigious office. I earnestly hope that he will spare no possible efforts in carrying on the heavy responsibilities of his office.
I also express my Government's deep sense of gratitude and thankfulness to Dr. Edouard Saouma, Director-General, for his broad and advance thinking for freeing the human populace from the cruel clutches of hunger and poverty. His programmes and policies have, beyond doubt proved his great sense of devotion and dedication to his noble cause. My Government highly commends and appreciates his continued interest in Afghanistan and grant of all the possible financial as well as technical assistance. I have no element of doubt in my mind that Director-General's interest in Agricultural development in Afghanistan will continue and new programmes, policies and strategies of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan will receive his adequate and timely support for expeditious and balanced growth and development of Agriculture.
Mr. Chairman, I deem this august assembly an appropriate forum to throw light on new directions and dimensions provided since September 14, 1919 (Sunbula 26,1358) by the democratic regime in my great country. These include appointment of a commission to safeguard and restore legal and human rights issuance of Khalqui statement urging and guaranteeing security, legality and justice to one and all the appointment of a broad-based commission to draft the constitution of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.
Comrade Hafizullah Amine, General-Secretary of the Central Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, President of the Revolutionary Council and Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan immediately on assuming the charge of the State categorically spelt out that one man rule has been put to an end once and for all. Now, the country will be ruled by the true servants of our great people. All the major and minor policy decisions will be taken by the democratically appointed commissions, cabinet and the Revolutionary Council.
The valorous and high commander of the Great April (Saur) Revolution on the advice of the Revolutionary Council established some new offices and reorganized some departments to cope with the needs and requirements to carry on state affairs efficiently through capable and competent persons possessing high professional skills.
Mr. Chairman, we in Afghanistan have adopted "Non, lebas and khana"means food, clothes and shelter as not only a slogan but also as the national policy. The Revolutionary Government is leaving no stones unturned to provide food, clothes and shelter to one and all of our noble countrymen. I will deal with the Government's policies, programme and priorities elsewhere in this address. But here I desire to bring to your notice that the world is being told time and again by some agencies that the Afghan Government is a minority Government and has no support of the masses. This is just lies and propaganda against the Revolutionary Government of Afghanistan.
Mr. Chairman, facts have been falsified to create panic among our noble people because the dominance of these agencies has been eliminated from the country and their friends are not able to exploit the poor as they used to in the past.
The very fact that we completed our land reform programme is a sufficient proof that the Government enjoys full support and confidence of the masses.
Mr. Chairman, above 98 percent of our countrymen are with the Government but the remaining handful of feudals and imperialists are fighting a futile battle to retain the monopolies and wealth which they have built up by exploiting the poor. We are sure that the masses will continue to build a new Afghanistan in which all will get their full meals, enough clothes and good houses. We are in complete control of the situation and will carry on the programme spelt out by our Great Peoples Democratic Party of Afghanistan.
Mr. Chairman, I have critically and carefully scanned through the agenda particularly the Programme of Work and Budget for 1980-81, Review of the Regular Programme, 1978-79, and the most important one Agriculture:Toward 2000. The Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan highly commends and appreciates the approach, strategy and plan of action chalked out by the dynamic and dedicated Director-General.
The Review of the Regular Programme is comprehensive and critical. It has rightly focussed attention on technical back stopping, spread of appropriate technology to realize the maximum payoff, and use of national institutes to promote TCDC, which constitutes the king-pin for the advancement of integrated agricultural development in the developing countries.
The Technical Cooperation Programme is recognized as a model instrument for action. It provides urgently needed assistance by short-term intervention. It helps in emergencies, fills crucial gaps and acts as a catalyst for larger scale, programmes of assistance. Our country has been benefitted by this programme and the Government is hopeful to continue to benefit in future too. Our Government highly commends and appreciates the Director-General's practical approach to extend timely help to the needy nations.
AT 2000 speaks of the Director-General's advance thinking, dynamism, foresight and depth of sense of concern about food for all. The actions and strategies proposed based on critical analysis using FAO's rich experience are excellent from a practical point of view. It has been rightly visualized that the food and agriculture are inevitable components to build a New International Economic Order. New International Development Strategy calls for whole-hearted implementation to end the scourge of hunger.
I perfectly agree and endorse the view that the Agricultural development cannot be isolated from industrialization in appropriate and adequate measure.
My delegation shares the dismay and disappointment of the Food Security Committee in that one of the targets for alleviating human suffering in the world have been met. Official development assistance is low and the World Food Programme pledge remains unfulfilled.
My delegation is also not satisfied that the global and international nature of the World Food Programme is considerably damaged by the need for reference to donors for individual contributions. That means that politics continues to be played with food.
The slow pace of negotiations on international Grains Agreement, is a cause for worry. The Executive secretary's painstaking effort to highlight areas of agreement cannot conceal the fact that disagreement is far more substantial and, from the point of developing countries, more dangerous.
My delegation supports the Plan of Action on World Food Security and commands the resolution for adoption. It is our hope that the IMF and developed countries would honour their obligations under the plan.
And also we believe without peace stability the world food security be meaningless. We see, by open eyes, the imperialistic states and their allies, including zionism destroy the source of food, causes hunger and poverty of the world population.
However, our democratic Government shares the concern about the widening gap in food consumption between the developed and the developing countries. Feeding cereals to the livestock in the world of hungry populace does not appear appropriate. The dependence for food imports on a particular region only may prove disastrous and hence, efforts should be made forthwith to reduce this dependence by identifying potential regions for cereal productions within the developing countries. My country possesses a profound potential to double the wheat and rice production within the next half a decade if adequate technical and financial assistance is provided through IFAD and other financing agencies. I will emphasize here that boosting agricultural production is the overriding objective of this conference and therefore, should assume an increasing role or for promotion of investment in agricultural development projects. This should be successfully accomplished by involving the international, regional and national funding agencies for formulation of economically viable investment projects.
The Government of the Democratic of Afghanistan is fully determined to minmize, mitigate and finally to drive out hunger and poverty out of our dear countru. I can take legitimate pride in reporting to this august assembly that we completed land reforms within a historically short period of six months. This is a strong advocate of our determination and dedication for the cause of providing food security, equality, justice and legality to our brace and noble countrymen.
The main characteristics of the democratic land reforms are: Elimination of feudal relationships and end of oppression by local influential elements through enactment of laws, cancellation ofloans extended by feudal lords and the back-breaking interests thereon, just management of tenancy all-out support to peasants movements, helping and encouraging peasants to get organized, abolishing of feudal ownership of land without compensation and determining the maximum land area for ownership and finally; placing and free of charge at the disposal of landless peasants and petty landholders, establishment of cooperatives for provision of agricultural services, consumer cooperatives, agricultural production cooperatives, extension of the credit for the purchase of chemical fertilizers, improved seeds for cultivation, agricultural implements, etc and prevention of mortgage and sale of lands owned by petty landholders.
In order to eliminate the old pre-feudal relationships the urgent solution of Kochis (nomads) has also been included in the democratic land reforms programme by establishing sale and purchase cooperatives, improving pastures and animal breeding and intensifying combat against animal diseases, expanding veterinary services and live-stock raising and finally encouraging Kochis to get engaged in modern cattle raising, agriculture and industry.
Further, developed agricultural land has been distributed free to the landless labourers and the poor to salvage them from the cruel and centuries old feudal system. We are fully conscious of the fact that mere distribution of land is not all that is required to be done. A vigorous follow-up action is the king-pin for success. The Government has made as many adequate arrangements as possible through available resources for the supply of essential inputs, namely improved seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and above all the package of improved production technology. We are also sparing no efforts to unlock and fruitfully deploy our vast human capital effectivity to achieve a break-through in the field of agricultural production.
Our first Five Year Plan for Social and Economic Development will by far, usher in a new era of prosperity in Afghanistan in the very near future. An adequate priority has been accorded to agricultural and allied rural industrial development. The achievement within this short period has been encouraging.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reform has distributed 583 534 hectares of agricultural land to 248 114 families and earmarked 40,000 hectares to establish State Farms and 30 000 hectares to the Agricultural Service cooperatives. Service cooperatives numbering 1450 with a membership of 90 754 farm families. We target to establish 5 130 cooperatives both for agricultural services and production with a membership of 1 890 000 households holding over 2 million hectares of arable land. We produced 216 million tons of cereals as against our total demand of 3 000 million tons leaving a gap of 200 000-300 000 tons of wheat which has to be imported.
Mr. Chairman, the package of improved agro-practices has been formulated based on available research information and our Department of Agricultural Extension is currently engaged in transferrence of this technology to the farmers as an important component of the country-wide winter season campaign to boost agricultural production.
However, we are working against numerous odds and bottle necks. To illustrate, the improved seeds are an important component of a production programme. The estimated seeds need of the land recipients stands at 36 000 tons of wheat seeds. The Afghan Seed Company has produced 6 000 tons; 10,000 tons has been received from USSR as aid and 4 000-5 000 tons will come through the exchange programme. It leaves a gap of 15 000-16 000 tons and is likely to affect our targets seriously. The FAO has sanctioned 200 tons of Foundation seeds for its multiplication and distribution to the farmers.
In respect of nitrogenous fertilizers, we are a bit better placed. We produce 105 000 tons of urea annually. But, there exists a gap of 12 000 tons equivalent of triple superphosphate as 42 000 tons of diammonium phosphate has already been imported. Our soil being calcareous is generally deficient in phosphorous. We produce neither phosphatic nor potassic fertilizers nor pesticides nor small agricultural implements.
The estimated credit requirements stands at 4. 2 billion Afghanis as against the available 1. 5 billion Afghanis with the Agricultural Bank. The credit applications are being processed by the Agricultural Development Bank and the credit is being made available to the needy farmers. I will implore FAO to accord a favourable consideration to our above immediate needs to extend a hand of help in augmenting the agricultural productivity in my country.
The Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan is fully aware and appreciates the role of strong research-base in pushing up agricultural production. Therefore, we have reorganized our Department of Agricultural Research and Soils. The Afghan Council of Agricultural Research will now be the supreme agricultural research body to lay down the national policies for an integrated development of agriculture commensurate with the policies and programme of the Government. The efforts to achieve the predetermined goals and objectives will be done by the Agricultural Research Institute of Afghanistan through a network of Regional Research Stations. The Institute will enjoy full operational autonomy within the existing framework of rules and laws. The World Bank has kindly agreed to assist in the establishment of che national institute. My country will warmly welcome and looks forward hopefully to receiving the FAO's help in training Afghan personnel to assume and provide agricultural research leadership in future.
The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan is fully aware of the need for wheat stabilization and an IDA loan of $90 millions for this purpose is being negotiated.
The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan reviewed the programme of rural Development seriously and streamlined its functioning to give its full advantage to the rural population. The programme envisages an overall improvement of agriculture, education, public health and hygiene, small scale industries, multi purpose service cooperatives, women and child welfare and minor irrigation, system.
The Department has initiated the work in the above fields in nine provinces and aims at increasing the number of provinces by three each year.
The water is an essential component of an agricultural development programme and unfortunately we are in short supply of this. The Government has vigorously undertaken the construction of dams to divert the available river flows for more efficient utilization of existing water resources and also to generate hydro-electricity. Drilling of tube wells will enhance the irrigated area. However, it would not be possible to bring the whole arable land under irrigation. We have substantial reserves of land available for the extension of rainfed agriculture. A beginning has been made to recognize and determine the potential of expansion of rainfed farming and also to intensify cropping in fully and partially irrigated and assured rainfall regions during the plan period.
An immediate solution for nomads (Kochis) problems attracted Government attention and the democratic Government quickly responded in abundant measure. Sale, purchase and service cooperatives are being established for their livestock and animal products. Improvement of grazing lands, sheep and goat breeding, provision of clean drinking water for nomads and their animals, balanced animal food and intensification of combat against animal diseases through expansion of veterinary services are the priorities to improve the quality of life of nomads. The Government is also encouraging them to undertake modern cattle raising, agriculture and other small scale rural industries.
We also intend to make the full use of meat production especially due to Karkul production. A large percentage of meat goes to waste due to poor storage and transport facilities. The Government is actively engaged in formulating plans for cold storage and creating transport facilities.
Afghanistan has 1 990 million hectares of forest land. It provides wood as fuel, packing material for fruit and vegetables for local and foreign markets. The method of cutting forests is very primitive and it causes a lot of damage to forest lands.
Because of such unplanned cutting and over exploitation the forest area is decreasing by more than 3 percent each year. If enough attention is not paid for the protection and preservation, no forest will exist in Afghanistan within the next 20-25 years. It would be desirable if FAO could sanction a project under the TCP for the survey and planning of forests in Afghanistan.
I am happy to inform that the first population census has been recently completed in our country and the Afghanistan's population placed at 15. 54 million. Out of this about 89 percent are rural and nomads and 11 percent is urban population.
It would not be possible for me to furnish full details of the programmes and projects which are either underway or will be launched on priority basis in the near future. In a nut shell, other priority items for an integrated agricultural development are intensification of research and development activities in dry land farming, soil and water conservation, soil and hydrological surveys, development of forestry, inland fisheries, livestock, dairy, agriculture, rural industrialization etc. The foregoing account clearly brings out that we are encountered with a large and complex gammet of problems as nothing was practically done by farmer royal and exploitive regimers. Apparently, it would not be possible for the democratic government to attend even to the most urgent problems with the existing resources. Therefore, FAO should sympathetically consider the liberal grant of techno-financial assistance to the Afghan agriculture. The assistance will definitely prove blissful to transform the fate of those who have been exploited ruthlessly in the past and need governmental help to produce enough from their fields to being about austerity, peace and prosperity to our noble country in the near future.
The initiative to extend investments support activities deserves commendation as witnessed during the last biennium. Hopefully, it will continue with the same spirit of dedication.
I greatly admire the format of the programme of work and budget and in my view it is a complete and wholewome proposal for implementation during the next biennium.
I hope that my learned fellow delegates will agree with me that the state of food and agriculture in the developing countries continues to be grim and cause of concern. The average annual rate of increase in food production virtually remains stagment well below the target set out in the strategy of the second International Development Decade. Incidence of under nourishment still records onward march and the food aid has not yet reached the minimum level accepted in the World Food Conference nearly five years ago. This conference should address itself to determine and identify the reasons and bottlenecks for proper remedy and rectification in future.
I am of the view that now the time has come to look the facts in the face and accord top priority to projects and problems calling for quick and lasting solution to improve the quality of life of the poor living in the less fortunate part of this world. In my own country, we are engaged in a grim and historical battle to restore the fundamental rights and amenities to the poor who have suffered the exploitation by feudals and agents of imperialists. We are hopeful to transform our society and steer it towards prosperity and austerity in these days to come.
We call on the Twentieth Conference of the FAO to express the solidarity and the support for the people of Palestine, Zimbabwe,Rhodesia, Namibia, South Africa and the Sahnawe people in their just struggle for independence and for the construction of their countries.
L. XHUVELI (Albania): Mr. Chairman, it gives me pleasure on behalf of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania to extend to you the sincere congratulations on your election as Chairman of the 20th Conference of FAO. I also extend on the behalf of my delegation to the newly elected members, the Independent State of Western Samoa and Dominica, our heartiest welcome. The 20th Conference of Food and Agriculture is convening at a time when the progressive and freedom-loving people of the world are opposing the aggressive and predatory policies of the imperialist and social-imperialist powers and are making efforts to strengthen the unity in their struggle for national sovereignty, for their independent economic, cultural and social development.
The delegation of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania hail the victories scored by the peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin America in their just struggle to defend their freedom and national independence. We express our conviction that they will resolutely oppose the plots and the interference of the imperialist and social-imperialist powers to consolidate their political and economic independence.
The imperialist and social-imperialist powers endeavour through deception, dictation, threats and aggression to subjugate the peoples and to intensify their neo-colonialist exploitation, They strive to put the peoples and countries one against the other, to incite armed conflicts and to interfere in the inner affairs of the sovereign states so as to maintain intact their interests in different parts of the world and to intensify their exploitation.
In pursuance of the policy for world hegemony, the two superpowers, the USA and Soviet Union create hotbeds of tension and ignite war fires in different parts of the world; they rival with each other to the detriment of the peoples.
The events in the Middle East, in Indo-China, in Africa and in many other regions of the world are proof of the fierce rivalry between two imperialist superpowers, the USA and Soviet Union. In this rivalry is continually involving itself the social-imperialist China which is trying by all manner and means to enter into alliance with the blackest forces of mankind, "to take its place in the world" and to become a third superpower.
Today the capitalist and revisionist world has been gripped by a grave and all-round crisis which has its own consequences and which worsens the economic status of the peoples.
The imperialist powers in order to shift the burden of the crisis onto the backs of other peoples, are striving to preserve intact the unjust existing international relations. Through their reactionary theories such as the "world interdependence", the "international division of labour" and through their so-called "aids", "credits", etc. they strive to deepen the gap between the industrially developed countries and those under development. The practices followed by the imperialist powers and superpowers so as to keep up their established monopoly over the fields of science and technology, clearly show that they are not interested in creating a "balanced world economic structure" as their apologists propogate but in perpetuating the existing disproportions and keeping up their neo-colonialist exploitation.
The imperialists and revisionists are trying to spread the views that the general backwardness of many countries of the world, hunger and poverty, as well as the agricultural backwardness will be eliminated only through the progress of science and technology. We hold the view that the economic development in general and the introduction and exploitation of advanced science and technology are inseparable from the political and social factor. It is only by consolidating the national sovereignty and by putting an end, on a national and international scale, to oppression and exploitation, to plunder and subjugation, and by establishing just relations among people and various countries, that favourable conditions are created for an independent national development and progress, for the advancement of economy, culture, science and technology.
The continuous drop of the agricultural production, especially of cereals, which as shown in the statistics made available by the Food and Agriculture Organization during 1979 is forecast to be 6 per cent lower than that of 1978, brings about the lowering of the wellbeing and the further impoverishment of the labouring masses in many countries of the world.
At a time when over 8 hundred million people in the world are suffering from hunger and lack of food the imperialist and revisionist powers continue to pursue their plundering polices and of accumulating stocks of agricultural products.
The imperialist price policy on many agricultural products has become today a device which limits production, a factor which further plunders the peoples. During 1979 alone, it is envisaged that the imperialist monopolies will secure about 2 billion more dollars in profits than last year. Such a plundering policy is part and parcel of the colonialist and neo-colonialist policy followed by the imperialist powers against the peoples of Africa, Asia and Latin America.
In the face of this grave situation created by the imperialist powers, the opposition and struggle of the progressive and freedom-loving countries is forcefully growing. They are better realizing that it is only in this way that they will be able to defend their national interests and freedom and march forward in the road of progress and development.
The Albanian delegation after studying carefully the Draft Programme and the Plan of Action tabled for approval by this Conference observes that in it have been included many issues about which we wish to state that we have reservations. We cannot approve the appraisals made in these documents about the "aids", "credits", "multi-national companies" and other problems of this kind, for the mere fact that the imperialist powers make use of them in the interest of their predatory policy. Likewise we hold the view that the so-called détente, disarmament, international security and co-operation which are propagated especially by the superpowers are nothing else but demagogy and deception which aim at lowering the vigilance of the peoples.
Radical transformations have taken place in Albania during these 35 years of liberation and of the establishment of the People's Power. Thanks to a centralized and well-planned management and resolutely abiding by the principle of self-reliance we have at present set up in our country a powerful, complex and modem industry, and an advanced agriculture.
Socialist Albania is completely independent politically and economically.
The Albanian people have always rejected the pressures and blackmail by the imperialist and social-imperialist powers which through various ways and means have attempted to obstruct and sabotage our country's socialist construction and its economic and social development. Our people have never stretched their hand for aid to the imperialist, social-imperialist and revisionist monopolies. Consistently pursuing the policy of self-reliance, our people have and are successfully coping with the imperialist-revisionist blocade and have scored numerous successes in the overall development of the economy, agriculture included.
Today Socialist Albania is turning from an agrarian-industrial country into an industrial agrarian country with an advanced industry and agriculture. In our country the people pay no taxes whatsoever, health service and education are free-of-charge and electric light has been installed in the remotest houses of the countryside.
Albania has never been hit by such negative phenomena as stagnation, the drop in production, the rising of prices, unemployment, inflation and other elements of economic crisis. Social production and national incomes continue to grow at an average annual rate which is bigger than that of the population growth. The successes in the industrial development have created a sound basis for the further advancement of agriculture which is increasingly developing and modernizing. It is developing harmoniously like all the other branches of economy.
The rates of the agricultural production growth have been so great that it has been possible for our country to overcome within a short span of years the backwardness inherited from the past. The overall agricultural production has increased 5 times, whereas population 2. 5 times. Instead of a primitive agriculture existing before liberation, today we have a modern agriculture. Now almost all the tilling of the land and other farm work is performed by machines. During these years of liberation the irrigation capacity and the energy power have grown more than 12 times and 50 per cent of the arable land is under irrigation whereas more than 145 per hectare of chemical fertilizer as active matter is used. Before liberation such things as chemical fertilizers and tractors were practically unknown whereas today they are produced by the Albanian plants.
Comrade Enver Hoxha, the leader of the Albanian people has underlined that the struggle for an all-round and accelerated development of agriculture is "the struggle for socialism and independence the struggle which hampers the enslavement and impoverishment of the country". Therefore agriculture in Albania is the concern of all the people.
Though a highly mountainous country, possessing an arable land area which is several times lower than the world per capita average, our country is capable of securing the main needs for the most part of the agricultural and dairy products. The year 1979 marked the fourth successive year during which the needs for cereals were met by the country itself and agricultural production has reached the highest level attained in our country. Outstanding successes have also been achieved in the production of other crops, such as industrial crops, vegetables and fruits. The dairy production which has witnessed a considerable growth is capable of meeting almost all the needs of the people and of the industry.
The development of our agriculture testifies to the great possibilities created by the socialist system. An important role in the agricultural development and the increase of the productivity is played by the state sector in which all conditions for the utilization of the more advanced farming methods and techniques exist. The collectivisation has also created favourable premises for the scientific regionalization and specialization of our agriculture, thus putting an end to the one-sided and mono-culture development prevailing in agriculture before liberation.
The Albanian agriculture is assuming an ever more intensive character which is readily seen in the continuous growth of investment and of the labour done for each arable hectare of land, as well as in the constant increase of the labour productivity.
The socialist system in agriculture creates numerous possibilities for carrying out scientific experimentation, for utilizing the new technique and technology which during the years of the People's Power has witnessed a rapid development.
There are now in the country a number of central and local institutions, such as the Institute for Pedological Studies, the Institute for Agricultural, Zootechnical and Veterinary Research etc, the Higher Institutes of Agriculture and other Institutes at the Academy of Sciences which turn out high cadres. Scientific research work in Albania is not simply a privilege of a limited number of people but a kind of work in which are involved the broad masses both in town and countryside. This was made possible thanks to the wide-scale education of the labouring masses of town and country. While before liberation there was only one agricultural middle school, at present in most agriculture co-operatives there are vocational agricultural middle-schools and middle-schools of general learning.
Thanks to the great care shown by the Party and Peoples Power there is no comparison between the economic and social status of our peasantry of today and of the pre-liberation period. Nowdays in our villages which have completely changed their aspect the necessary social and cultural amenities have been set up. In addition to the agronomist and other highly trained agricultural cadres, there are in our villages doctors, pharmacists, dentists, teachers etc. The Albanian peasant of today pays no taxes of any kind, he, like the rest of the population, gets free of charge medical and education and has his own social insurances and pension.
It is already known that on 15th of April of this year a powerful earthquake hit and heavily damaged a number of regions of North Albania. It razed to the ground the dwelling-houses of about 100,000 inhabitants and many social and cultural amenities. But our people, relying on our own forces, raised as a single body, organized the work and within five months liquidated its aftermaths as predicted in the Decision of the Council of Ministers of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania. 17,000 houses and apartment buildings and 165 economic, social and cultural amenities have been built, which are much better and more beautiful than the former. They were given to the people to be their personal property, free of charge and without any tax or rent whatsoever.
The Albanian delegation, just as heretofore, at present too will not fail to render its modest contribution to the successful proceedings of this Conference for the good and prosperity of the peoples fighting to win and consolidate their genuine freedom and independence.
A. ANTOINE (Grenada): Mr. Chairman, Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen. Grenada joins the other delegates, Mr. Chairman, in congratulating you on your election. We have been discussing issues of major importance to the survival of the human family, and we are pleased with the way you have been conducting and directing our deliberations.
The Grenada delegation notes that the World Food Conference of 1974 recognised adequate diet as a basic human right. According to that declaration, Mr. Chairman, in the 1974-76 period some 420 million people in the developing market economies, or 22 per cent of their population, were denied the basic right to eat. In the MSA countries the figure was 28 per cent of the population.
In such a world any gathering dealing with rural development and food production must be considered vital.
Mr Chairman, the Grenada delegation views the food problem from both the short-and the long-term perspectives. In the short run, it has to do with distributing what is produced more equitably by providing food aid, financing food imports, etc. , but in the long run, the solution has to do with increasing production and the capacity to produce.
We do not oppose short-term measures as a necessary first aid, but too often food aid, for example, is used as a means of getting rid of excess production. Further, we support the existing International Emergency Food Reserve, the efforts to encourage stocking policies, the dissemination of information on crop prospects, import requirements, anticipated emergencies, etc. Similarly, we support the proposed Action Plan and hope that the details will be worked out speedily.
But we give much firmer support to plans and programmes which seek to improve the productive capacity of food-deficit countries.
Such approaches must begin with appropriate domestic policies in the area of agrarian reform, marketing arrangements, reasonable access to inputs, research and extension support.
But the food problem cannot be successfully attacked on the domestic front alone. International action will be necessary to remove trade barriers, to provide necessary technical and financial support. Nowhere is the need for International action more critical than in the development of the new Economic Fishing Zones.
Similarly, in most of the developing world, increases in food production and improvement in food security will not be achieved without substantial agrarian reform. In that attempt, many developing countries come face to face with the international might of the multi-national cooperations. In attempting to deal with these firms, developing countries, and especially small developing countries, need international support. Moreover, agrarian reform often involves costly land transfers which the developing world as a whole cannot afford. With funds in short supply, pressures mount for acquisition without compensation and of course increase the socio-political problems inherent in any agrarian reform programme. Perhaps the international community should investigate the possibility of providing funds to finance land transfers as part of its action programme of agrarian reform.
Mr Chairman, Grenada's position on these issues is clear and straightforward. We welcome short-term, first aid approaches to world food security, but we are anxious to see greater attention placed on the more meaningful, more permanent approaches.
As a small, traditional agricultural country just breaking out of the bonds of colonialism, we have traditionally imported most of our food; never as a people have we consciously, systematically attempted to feed ourselves.
Since our revolution in March this year, we have begun to diversify the agricultural sector, including the production of fish and meat and forestry development. We have for the first time embarked on the development of a national food strategy involving the production, marketing and processing of five products which we have, in fact, already begun to implement.
The problems we now face involve shortage of appropriate agricultural equipment, and almost complete absence of livestock, which was depleted under the previous regime, and absence of a marketing system. As I told you before, we did have a feed farm for livestock, but the friends of the old regime needed meat, so animals were slaughtered, and they needed land to build housing, so the land was distributed for housing.
With small inputs of equipment, technical and financial assistance, we shall be able to produce enough food to sustain our population adequately.
We are dependent on and making full use of the technical and financial support of the FAO system. This support is critical if small developing countries such as ours are to ensure food security for their population and make their very small but important contribution to world food security. This does not mean that we are transferring our responsibility to the FAO system. We recognize that the responsibility and the duty of providing food for our people rests squarely on our shoulders.
Finally, access of goods-agricultural and non-agricultural-into the markets of developed countries, reasonable prices for agricultural commodities in the markets of developed countries, equitable terms of trade, a New International Economic Order; and transfer of appropriate technology are essential to world food security. In a word, the Grenada delegation stresses the need for increased efforts designed to assist food-deficit countries to transform their agriculture so that measures such as food aid will in the long run not be necessary.
A. AMAURY STABILE (Brazil) (interpretation from Portuguese): Mr. Chairman, honourable delegates, it is a great satisfaction for us to participate in this conference because we know that here is the place where the great problems of the international community are dealt with, problems which have been of increasing intensity over the last few years. We believe this is an excellent occasion for us to give succinctly the Brazilian position with respect to these problems.
On various occasions in the past, Brazil has participated in FAO conferences and has provided the best proposals in order to move towards a solution to that crucial problem, which is hunger in various regions of the world. In maintenance of this tradition, we would reiterate the Brazilian position in support of the general objectives of this Organization. We state our hope and expectation that in the discussions and decisions which will be taken here which you contribute to minimize the food shortages in the world, particularly for the least developed countries, Brazil's voice will be heard.
Mr. Chairman, we would like to congratulate you and your officers for having been elected to your important jobs in this Twentieth Conference of the FAO. Furthermore, our warmest greetings to Western Samoa and the Commonwealth of Dominica, new members of our Organization.
We would also like to express our thanks to Dr. Edouard Saouma, the Director-General, for his efficient management of the FAO and particularly for his very realistic opening speech.
Brazil considers that this session of the conference is to establish a new strategy to see that indeed we can fulfill the objectives of the FAO, for which purpose we should also contribute into this discussion statements made by His Holiness Pope John Paul II and His Excellency President Kaunda of Zambia.
In this Conference we must move towards a mobilization of technical and economical operation which the international community of the United Nations system can promote.
After relatively high hopes, the agricultural situation in the world is still a concern, particularly for those countries which are just developing, where generally speaking there have not been significant improvements. Unfortunately, the goals laid down by the World Food Conference have not been fulfilled, and the long-term prospects are not encouraging, as indeed is set forth clearly in the document produced by the FAO, "Agriculture Toward 2000" as FAO's contribution to new actions. We know that the Organization in isolation is not sufficient for solving problems to be examined by our Conference, but what is certain is that the FAO can facilitate cooperation between member countries with different experiences in agricultural development to contribute. FAO can also help them to beef up their technical and institutional capacities in response to their own requirements and can also promote better investment in agriculture as well as help to generate any food surpluses.
FAO can also intensify specific actions to move towards the New International Economic Order, towards better marketing and production of agriculture, fisheries and forestry products.
Hence, Brazil has high hopes in this Conference and in the efficiency of the Organization to use the various experiences which are being presented.
May we, first of all, offer a quick commentary on some recent changes in the orientation of Brazilian political economy which imply the establishment of a high priority for agriculture. The contribution to agriculture, stock raising, forestry and fisheries can give to the Brazilian economy are extremely useful indeed, not only for their direct effect in generating employment and income and the production of food, but also for their indirect effect which will tend towards a better distribution of income and a better balance of payments.
Furthermore, agriculture can make a great contribution to the present energy shortfall. The development of agriculture in a country like Brazil,which has very high natural resources in terms of climate, land availability, forestry and labour, is the best choice in the present world economic situation. Over the last few decades, agriculture in Brazil has achieved in real terms a 4 percent growth rate per year.
Over the same period, the urban sector has also been under rapid expansion. The economy has been increasing by about 7. 5 percent-this is the mean for the year-with relevant population increase of 3 percent.
In this period, Brazil has tripled the number of people in the cities who depend upon people who have remained working the land. Agriculture has sustained urban growth by providing food and underpinning oil imports, capital goods and intermediary imports whose use is absolutely necessary for economic expansion. Exports in agriculture have also been decisive and agricultural exports represent half of our exports to date. Agriculture now has a high additional responsibility to produce the biomass which is necessary for the generation of renewable resources of energy. This is genuinely a strategical sector in the sustained process of growth in Brazil.
Changes in this decade, when humanity has become conscious of the unviability of drawing continuously upon non-renewable sources of energy, requires of all countries in general and of Brazil in particular, necessary adjustments in economic policies to find a response to the difficulties which are bound to grow. A new economic policy is being formulated in Brazil and is being implemented now. At its base there is a new agricultural policy, the objective of which is rapid production, expansion through the use of two simultaneous programmes; one is the expansion of a cultivated area and the expansion of productivity pre se. Within the terms of this new orientation we have already implemented certain instruments which can give short-term effects and the first information which is available for various regions of the country which are at the forefront of this programme, has demonstrated the efficiency of these instruments. In this first stage of the process which includes immediate use of new agricultural areas without additional investment, the farmers have been mobilized and have become aware of the importance of agriculture for the development of their country. They enjoy the support of their Government. We already have a system of guaranteed prices and we are perfecting and establishing a minimum remunerative process for their products. The Government is providing finance with preferential tax systems in support of this.
At the same time as these measures to stimulate production, we have also started a process of supply policy to make it more flexible. In spite of the difficulties caused by lack of adequate production due to bad harvests, and because of the recent character of the new agricultural policy, we are not
ready to state fully what are the results of these policies. Nevertheless, the first results are encouraging, particularly for the low income brackets. The new agricultural policy is not, of course, only a short-term measure; on the contrary, its most important characteristic is precisely the long-term and more durable programme. Thus, because we have an enormous reserve of land which can be incorporated into the productive process, the Government is providing specific tax structures the aim of which is to increase production by exonerating from taxing economically producing lands and by hitting with high taxes those lands which have not been properly used.
Concomitantly, programmes to use the humid fertile valleys are moving forward to improve agriculture there and we are preparing other measures of a fiscal nature so as to stimulate urban savings flows into the Government.
With respect to the rise in productivity, programmes of intensification are moving forward in the area of research for more yielding species. We are also stimulating the use of fertilizers so as to obtain a higher yield per hectare. This aspect is important because the programme to bring under production the humid valleys represents an important contribution to the rise in grain productivity, in that it is along this path that we will be able to obtain biannual crops. The extention of the humid valleys comes to something like twenty million hectares which can be brought into the national economy and will give us an average yield of 7,000 kilos per hectare per year, as compared to 1,000 previously. Hence, this is an important component in the fulfillment of our present agricultural policy. The incentive to promote rapid expansion in agriculatural production will, however, require considerable financial re-sources, considerable volumes not only of direct investments, not only the preparation of new areas for the plough, but also in the preparation of new infrastructures such as housing, transport, technical assitance and, of course, investments in public health, education, sewage, so as to lay down the necessary conditions for human settlement.
Other countries have similar conditions to ours and we "believe that some initiatives could be developed by FAO so as to set up specific funds together with the necessary organization so as to stimulate those countries which, due to their own internal conditions, can produce the necessary extra food. The use of these funds, based on a financial operation in the long term which could be amortized by the food produced from the credit given, would be an excellent solution to the problem of hunger from which millions of people suffer. Such operations will have, in the short term, a double effect. First of all, the country which would receive the financing could promote and develop agricultural production in favourable areas basically by increasing the productivity, and this would also be an excellent example to follow. A second effect would be that the country would thus be able to amortize the initial credit which had been given to it, to the benefit of the population.
Cooperation and technical assistance of FAO in ray country has been highly significant. This experience is important, particularly in those activities intended to raise the diet level of the low income brackets of our population, but we think this contribution can all the better follow the new direction which FAO has taken. Industrialized countries will make an important contribution to the developing countries by providing them with the relevant easy access to international markets and better conditions of competitiveness. We know that agricultural development of various countries is limited by problems of international trade. The protectionism of certain developing countries' markets is a difficulty for the exports of developing countries. It restricts the generation of income which would be the result of a free trade. Such limitations are worsening the already unfavourable terms of trade between the agriculture exporter countries and the developed industrialized countries. These conditions have become worse recently, and indeed the stability of agricultural prices has also suffered. A good development of input markets is absolutely essential if we are to raise the activity of agricultural developing countries. In a situation where there is food at low prices, we find ourselves at the same time in a situation where there is an unjustifiable rise in modern inputs for agriculture. There is a considerable challenge, therefore, to stabilize the price of food products at low levels and to stabilize at proper levels agricultural inputs, to move out of the present spiral of inflation.
In spite of a certain amount of progress, we must recognize that protectionism is still an obstacle. Hence, we have a great deal to do in order to achieve genuine changes in international trade.
With respect to the items on the agenda for this meeting, Brazil would like to state its full support for the Programme of Work and Budget for the biennium 1980/81, especially concerning the areas of agriculture, fisheries, forestry and the relevant austerity limits for administrative costs. Brazil would like to express its concern at the inequitable distribution of responsibilities in the area of contributions to the FAO budget. Our delegation is extremely interested to see the Programme for the development and management of fisheries in the EEZ's and we believe that the capacity and technical experience of FAO can make a substantial contribution towards raising incomes and nutrition
al levels of the poor population through fishery resources in certain specific countries. In relation to World Pood Security the Brazilian Government expresses its connern at the interruption of discussions on the New International Food Grains Agreement. We would hope that these negotiations could he resumed as quickly as possible. Brazil has increased its storage capacity by more than 100 percent in the last five years and has attempted to develop its own schemes of buffer stocks for food commodities which, when necessary, could supply both the external and internal markets.
The ways to find the proper instruments and tools to reduce world famine have been supported by many efforts but have given rise to few concrete results. Brazil will not fail in its commitment to the international community and will make its contribution to an increase in the world food supply towards the promotion of a New International Economic Order. We are a country which has physical resources that offer partial solutions to some of the world's problems, the world where the population is going up so quickly. We have land and vegetation resources, solar energy and hydric resources which can be formed into food and energy, which elements are increasingly rare in this world. We have an agricultural area of 500 million hectares 30 percent of which is being utilized with cattle raising and. only 10 percent, or 50 million hectares under agriculture. We have more than 300 million hectares to help to increase world food production and to increase energy biomass.
As a developing country short in its own capital we require investors to give us the necessary implants so that all this potential can be mobilized for the benefit of the world. We are certain that our country is aware of its prospects and is aware of its position in history.
My Government, in soite of difficulties, has associated with the present crises and is attempting to provide our country with the necessary political, social and economic conditions that will lead us to a development, which aims at an improvement in the standard of living of the poor population. Prom this point of view we reaffirm our support to the general objectives of this Conference and make clear our trust in the capacity of science and increasing understanding among people as the best path to be followed to gain a solution to the present world problems.
z. GREGOR (Observer for World Federation of Trade Unions): First of all I would like to thank you for giving me the possibility of expressing the positions of the World Federation of Trade Unions on certain questions which are at the centre of its concern, before this august assembly.
Our Organization, as well as the Director-General of the FAO, is seriously concerned about the fact that hunger and malnutrition are not on the decrease. On the contrary, statistics show that this situation is growing worse.
Like the Director-General, the WFTU is of the opinion that concrete and efficient actions are necessary to fight against the ever deepening economic crisis which hits a great number of countries as a result of the capitalist social system and which directly affects the living and working conditions of agricultural workers and peasants. It is therefore necessary to seek and find appropriate and adequate solutions.
We do not believe that national or even international action only by governments would be sufficient. The workers' and peasants' organisations certainly could also contribute specifically to this action of vital importance.
In this direction we have already submitted concrete proposals both at the 19th session of this Conference and at the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development. However, these proposals have been taken into account neither by the governments concerned nor by the FAO.
Before this Conference we declare that our organisation, with the strength of 190 million organized workers behind it, several tens of millions of whom are agricultural workers, is ready to carry out actions with a view to promoting a genuine participation by workers, especially those from the countryside, more participation by women and young people, in economic and social development and in eliminating hunger and misery from our planet. In this connection the World Confederation of Trade Unions appreciates the initiative taken by the FAO Director-General in submitting to this Conference the Plan of Action on World Pood Security.
All these aims and objectives can only be achieved in a world of peace. This is why the WFTU insists so much upon the necessity of ending the arms race and upon the gradual realisation of a general disarmament. A part of the enormous means thus saved could be used for the promotion of urgent economic and social projects and especially for giving greater assistance to developing countries.
In this respect the WFTU fully supports the historic call of the Soviet Union made by President Brezhnev in his speech on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the GDR, in Berlin, the capital of the German Democratic Republic, aimed at maintaining and strengthening the policy of detente and disarmament, and at overcoming the dangerous manoeuvres of the enemies of world peace.
Concerning the implementation of the results of the recent World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development, the WFTU and the Agricultural and Food Workers Trade Unions International consider that its results do not respond fully to the demands and needs of hundreds of millions of men, women and children who suffer from hunger and misery. Moreover, it is with sadness and deep regret that the trade unions do not see any evidence of the vital political desire on the part of many governments to arrive at genuine, radical and democratic agrarian reforms, giving the land to those who work it and limiting the harmful power of monopolies and transnational corporations over life and work in rural areas. These are vital preconditions for economic and. social development and for the establishment of a new international economic order.
Nevertheless, this Conference has enabled the advancing of certain ideas and principles which will inspire the countries concerned in particular developing countries to promote the principles of their economic and political independence and to administer their own national wealth.
The WFTU stresses the essential importance of Chapter III of the Programme of Action concerning "Popular participation". It draws the attention of governments to 8 A (i) regarding the application, in rural areas, of ILO Conventions No. 87 on freedom of association and No. 141 concerning the organizations of rural workers and their role in economic and social development. On this occasion we would like to launch a new call to governments to ratify and apply these conventions.
The adoption of the "Declaration of Principles" and of the "Programme of Action", certainly is the result of a compromise. Nevertheless, these two documents favour the application of agrarian reforms with popular participation and stress the irreplaceable role of agricultural workers and their organizations and that of rural women and young people in development.
These documents must not remain dead letters. At national level, workers and their trade union organizations, along with peasant organizations, must work in order that documents adopted by governments at the end of the Conference do not remain as a simple declaration of good intentions but that the words of governments are matched by their actions.
In addition, we would like to inform you that already before the World Conference on Agrarian an Reform and Rural Development the trade union organizations realised a great initiative at the international level with a view to mobilising the workers all over the world, in particular those from rural regions, for action in favour of radical transformations in the rural world by genuine agrarian reforms. This initiative lead to a World Τ. U. Conference held in Algiers in November 1978 in which also participated the representatives of the FAO and of the Arab Labour Organization, and the delegates of 55 national T. U. organizations from 46 countries in four continents. Represented were also three international T. U. organizations (World Confederation of Labour, World Federation of Trade Unions, Trade Union International of Agriculture), and three regional T. U. organizations: the Internat. Conf. of Arab TU's, the Organization of African TU Unity and the Permanent Congress of TU Unity of Workers in Latin America. This TU Conference adopted a declaration addressed to the workers all over the world, and an appeal addressed to the participants of the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development which took place in the same hall in the month of June.
This TU Conference set up a Permanent Committee the task of which is to follow the implementation of workers' demands cast at the TU Conference in Algiers. The Permanent Committee held its session last week in Brussels (on the invitation of the WCL) and inter alia has initiated a study on the impact of the "Declaration of Principles" and of the "Programme of Action" of the Rome Conference with an objective to ensure an active participation of both industrial and rural workers in the realisation of genuine agrarian reforms which would contribute decisively.
At international level, the World Federation of Trade Unions is ready to co-operate actively with the FAO in order to contribute towards the implementation of its own engagements in accordance with Chapter XII of the Plan of Action and which are mentioned in document C 79/28, as well as the tasks arising for the FAO within the framework of the new international development strategy planned by the United Nations for the 1980s.
Therefore, we suggest that the FAO co-operate more actively and more efficiently with the international TU organizations.
This is why the WFTU and the Agricultural and Food Workers TUs wish to emphasise from this rostrum the necessity that the Director-General of the FAO continues to hold regular annual FAO/Trade
unions consultations, taking special account of the contribution that trade unions can and must make to the solution of the great problems which are posed before the FAO so urgently at present. It is necessary to use all the possibilities the FAO and the trade unions have at their disposal at the regional level in all the continents.
In this connection, we rely upon not only the FAO itself, but also upon the willingness of all governments to contribute thereto.
EL PRESIDENTE: Señores delegados, cuando antes el Representante de la Delegación de China ha pedido la palabra, he indicado que de acuerdo con el punto 39 del primer informe del Comité General, que aprobamos el primer día, le rogaba que lo hiciera al final, dado que en dicho punto se dice que cuando un delegado desea replicar deberá hacerlo preferiblemente por la tarde del día en que se ha expresado la crítica y después de que todos los que desearan participar en el debate hubieran tenido la oportunidad de hacer uso de la palabra.
Queda en este momento tan solo una organización que desea hacer uso de la palabra, el Representante de la Organización Meteorologica Mundial. Por tanto, podríamos proceder o bien dando ahora la palabra al delegado de China, puesto que los delegados de los gobiernos tienen prioridad, y después a la Organización Meteorologica Mundial; o bien interviniendo ahora la Organización Meteorológica Mundial y después el Delegado de China.
Dejo la decision al delegado de China.
Entonces, si les parece, hablaría ahora el Representante de la Organización Meteorológica Mundial e inmediatamente después intervendría el Delegado de la China. Tiene la palabra el Representante de la Organización Meteorológica Mundial.
M. CONNAUGHTON (World Meteorological Organization): Mr. Chairman, thank you very much for allowing me this opportunity to speak. In view of the lateness of the hour you will be glad to hear that my statement is very brief.
Mr. Chairman, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen: it is my pleasure to convey to you the greetings and the good wishes of Dr. Davies, the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization.
Down through the years FAO and WMO have as sister specialized agencies of the United Nations family had a close and friendly relationship. I believe it is true to say that this relationship has over the past few years become even closer. Tangible evidence of the close collaboration between our two Organizations in the field of agrometeorology may be found in various forms. I will just mention a few. The Joint Secretariat Unit of Agricultural Meteorology was formed during the past year. There is a continuous meteorological input to the FAO Global Information and Early Warning System. There is the presence of a WMO meteorologist in the Locust Control Unit of FAO. There is also the joint sponsorship by FAO, WMO and the European Space Agency of two training courses on the application of Remote Sensing to Agricultural Meteorology. There is also the Agroclimatic Survey of Southeast Asia which is currently being carried out by FAO, WMO and UNESCO. All these joint activities bear witness, I believe, to our mutual desire to cooperate in fields of common interest.
Such collaboration follows logically from the fact that weather and climate play such important roles in all aspects of agriculture. This fact was indeed well recognized by the World Food Conference when it called for close cooperation beteween FAO and WMO in the field of agricultural meteorology. This fact was recognized too by the Nineteenth Conference of FAO when in its Resolution 12/77 it called for the closest collaboration between agriculturists and meteorologists at both national and international levels.
I am confident that the future will bring continued and even closer cooperation between our two agencies. In particular I believe that there is much scope for the introduction of a meteorological component into many of FAO national agricultural projects and that such input would enhance the value of the projects to the countries concerned. I would assure you that WMO would be glad to cooperate with FAO in arranging for such input into appropriate agricultural development projects.
To conclude, Mr. Chairman, may I wish you on behalf of our Secretary-General a most fruitful Conference.
XING CHONG-ZHI (China) (interpretation from Chinese): Mr. Chairman, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen: The delegate of Albania makes use of this forum in which we are discussing important problems in the field of food and agriculture to attack China. For this we feel very regretful. The stand of the Chinese Government is known to all. Distortions about Chinese policy are utterly groundless and not worth refuting. In order to ensure that the proceedings of the Conference should go ahead smoothly we think it unnecessary to pay much attention to the unjustifiable attack by the delegate of Albania.
L. XHUVELI (Albania): Our delegation is of the opinion that the Albanian Government has problems on the present state of agriculture and food in the world today as well as the factors that exert their influence on them. We have always voiced our views openly and so we did in this Conference. In this Conference we voiced our opinion on China, an opinion which has been testified to with each passing day. We oppose the interference of the Chinese delegation.
XING-CHONG-ZHI (China) (interpretation from Chinese): The Chinesse delegate has to reiterate its position, that the attack by the Albanian delegate is not worth refuting. I have nothing more to say.
EL PRESIDENTE: Señoras y señores delegados: Antes de levantar la sesión quisiera hacer dos indicaciones. La primera, que el señor Secretario General de la Conferencia, aquí ausente, continúa con una mala costumbre y es la de citarnos a los miembros del Comité General a horas tempranas. Entonces quiero recordar a los señores delegados de la China, Líbano, Panamá, Arabia Saudita, Senegal, Reino Unido y Estados Unidos de America que mañana nos volveremos a reunir el Comité General a las 8. 45 horas en punto y ruego a todos su asistencia.
La segunda cuestión es que mañana tendremos una agenda cargada de trabajo. Probablemente habrá del orden de unos 14 oradores en la mañana y otros tantos por la tarde. Si bien algunos de ellos por ser representantes de organizaciones y no de estados miembros intervendrán tan solo durante 10 minutos, pero como tenemos que mantener el orden y terminar mañana, yo agradecería a todos que su intervención se ajustara mucho al tiempo e indico que, en la medida que sea necesario, prolongarán el debate de la mañana durante 15 minutos más y el de la tarde hasta que terminen todas las intervenciones, con el fin de terminar nuestro programa de trabajo.
Nada más señoras y señores, se levanta la sesión hasta mañana a las 9. 30 de la mañana.
The meeting rose at 18. 45 hours
La seance est levée à 18 h 45
Se levanta la sesión a las 18. 45 horas
