A.M.A. CARPENTER (Nigeria): We are here once again to discuss the issues surrounding the seemingly intractable problem of hunger and malnutrition that afflicts more than half of the world population and to review strategies that will eradicate them in the quickest possible time.
The next biennium which is the main focus of this Conference, coincides interestingly with the target period set by the United Nations 1974 World Food Conference, to eliminate hunger and malnutrition. No doubt the questions in the minds of many people today are: How have we fared? What are the chances of attaining the World Food Conference goal in the near future? The end of the decade is virtually with us and even with the greatest sense of optimism one has to admit that in spite of the strides made through the activities of the FAO, IFAD, the World Food Council, Development Banks, developed as well as developing countries themselves, the problem of hunger still plagues us almost as severely as it did in 1974. Indeed in some countries - particularly in my own continent of Africa - the situation has grown more desperate. This state of affairs clearly calls for a critical evaluation of our strategies, a much greater financial support by the International Community and an unwavering political will on all sides. It will not suffice for us simply to meet every two years and show the great flags of our own countries. The serious point is there, thrust into our faces and into our eyes; and I pray that this Conference will really press itself to deal with the control of the real problems.
A situation in which some nations of the world have built up enormous grain stocks while half a billion people wallow in hunger and poverty is untenable and should not be allowed to continue any longer by the international community. It is most amazing that here in Rome - the city of FAO - we see calamities relating to hunger and disease every day on the television and, as I mentioned earlier, those who suffer most are the Africans. I pray that this Conference will remember that while there are big countries which produce surplus food, there are people dying daily in Africa. To me it has a particular sentiment, a particular relation, as an African delegate from the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
From all indications we have very little time left to prevent a world catastrophe and human misery on an unprecedented scale. All nations of the world therefore must rise to meet this enormous challenge.
In my country, Nigeria, the battle against hunger is the number one preoccupation of the Government. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, has demonstrated this, indeed, time without number and the Federal Government has continued to reflect this great concern through a variety of well-thought-out agricultural programmes. For example, between 1979 and 1983, the level of resources devoted to the development of agriculture was increased from 6 percent to 15 percent. I wish other great world countries could emulate us. It was increased from 6 percent to 15 percent of the national capital budget. This has made it possible to increase the supply of a wide range of inputs significantly and to create additional rural infrastructures such as rural roads, agro-service centres, dams and boreholes. Concurrently improvements were also carried out in the area of marketing, storage and pricing policies. As expected, the farmers' response has been overwhelming. Thus, again I would interpose, that whatever we do, it we do not carry the peasant with us,everything that we are arranging here will be almost valueless. We must find a way of carrying the farmer with us. The result is a dramatic increase in agricultural production, making it possible for the first time for the Nigerian Grains Board to buy possible surpluses of grains from farmers. In the past the Nigerian Grains Board was hardly able to get anything to buy. Farming was subsistence but through the great programmes of the new administration under our President, Alahji Shehu Shagari, this year our problem is in fact that of storage.
Notable increases in the production of guinea corn, millet, rice, yams, fish, eggs and poultry meat were recorded, while the importation of maize and rice was drastically reduced. In this regard I would like to thank the FAO - and I hope the Director-General is listening to me - for all the assistance they gave us as far as the technological aspects of constructing silos and storage warehouses were concerned.
This dramatic boost in agricultural production has unfortunately suffered a temporary setback this year as a result of widespread droughts in Nigeria. I am sure a few words have been said about the drought in Africa. Nigeria is to some extent affected by whatever climatic conditions exist in the Sahel and we have not been free from the drought that the Sahelian regions themselves have
been crying out about, as is well known to this Conference. The situation calls for a much greater level of assistance to the African continent such as has been shown by the substantial financial assistance promised by the United States Government. We are very grateful in that respect to the Government of the United States of America, and we hope that other industrialized and developed countries will follow suit in helping our brethren, not only those affected in Nigeria but in the entire African continent. We should like to appeal to other countries to emulate this fine example and save millions who would otherwise have died from starvation. In this respect we are very grateful to the Honourable Minister from our sister country of the Philippines for his very clear statement on the plight of Africa. I think he deserves to be applauded by all African delegates at this Conference.
Another natural disaster I wish to refer to is the animal disease of rinderpest. In 1983 the livestock sector suffered great losses as a result of unprecedented outbreaks of rinderpests in Nigeria and other parts of Africa. As a result of a joint international project called Project 15, Nigeria was free from rinderpest until 1982, when a few other locations of infection were detected and promptly controlled by effective veterinary measures. However, in 1983 over 350 other locations of, the outbreak of the disease were detected all over the country and in the end we lost not less than 0.5 million head of livestock, particularly cattle, leaving thousands of herdsmen, whose livelihood depends on these animals, without a means of livelihood. In Europe they talk of unemployment, but here is a case of something curable. That in fact is throwing the backbone of our economy - the peasants and the farmers - into unemployment, thereby throwing us into the same plight with industrialized countries. This disease has now been controlled at great cost. We are grateful to the FAO for its assistance in improving vaccine production in Nigeria. The delegation of Nigeria also supports the proposal to launch a coordinated continental campaign against the disease of rinderpest. This campaign is long overdue. It is my hope that the international community will give material support to the campaign and I wish to suggest that a commission for rinderpest be established to provide the necessary guidance for the planning, implementation and monitoring of the rinderpest campaign.
I now wish to dwell on the specific issues before this Conference. My delegation has studied the Director-General's Programme of Work and Budget for the 1984-85 biennium and we are quite satisfied that it is designed to attain the objectives for which the Organization is established. The greatly improved style of presentation of the Programme of Work and Budget has facilitated a thorough examination of the main features of the budget. The continued focus on Africa is very much appreciated by us.
The strategies and priorities set for 1984-85 have been found to be in consonance with our aspirations, particularly those relating to the promotion of food production, increased food security and the enhancement of economic and technical cooperation among developing countries. We endorse the Director-General's enlarged concept of food security and would use it to improve our national strategy on food production and supply.
The proposal to strengthen the research and development activities of FAO with a view to improving the research capabilities of the national institutions is most welcome, particularly in Africa.
Please allow me to say a few words on the level of the budget. We in Nigeria have examined the budget and we say with no reservation that we support it as proposed by the Director-General.
My last word is to say to this august and honourable Conference that we are very happy to congratulate the Chairman on his appointment. We in Nigeria know the value of the contribution that the United States of America is making towards the World Food Programme and world agriculture, and the amount of money it is spending in that respect. We only hope that they will continue to be liberal in that contribution.
Lastly, I would like to congratulate the Director-General, Dr Saouma, for the able way he has been able to run this complex Organization. It is very easy to criticize from outside when one has such a world body to run. I assure delegates that the headaches are more than those people outside observe. So with these few remarks, we hope that the FAO will brace itself - and that its member countries will support it - to deal with the world food situation both in terms of population and in terms of world food security.
M. J. BELGRAVE (New Zealand): Mr Chairman, Mr Director-General, distinguished delegates. Firstly, on behalf of the New Zealand delegation I would like to extend to Secretary Block our warmest congratulations on his appointment as Chairman of the Twenty-second session of the FAO Conference. Could I also, Sir, extend New Zealand's congratulations to you and the other Vice-Chairmen on their election. A week ago it was New Zealand's privilege and honour on behalf of our grouping to welcome our new members. But I would like today on behalf of the New Zealand delegation specifically to join other delegations in welcoming our four new members, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Saint Christopher and Nevis and Vanuatu, our Pacific neighbour. New Zealand looks forward to working with them in the future. Also, all of us concerned with the success of FAO's work, owe a lot to the inspiration and continuing dedication of the Director-General and his staff.
As Secretary Block said when he opened our Conference last Saturday, some forty years have gone by since the Hot Springs Conference, when a group of farsighted and committed people met to plan the establishment of a Food and Agriculture Organization. Their immediate task at that time was to help world agriculture recover from the devastation caused by war. Their longer-term aim however, which New Zealand and others supported fully, was the development of a prosperous world agriculture, an agriculture that could raise worldwide nutritional standards to meaningful levels.
Some might have believed that the achievement of this task was impossible. Few would have been aware of its full extent. Indeed, our distinguished Council Chairman, Dr Swaminathan, made reference to this historical concern about the size of. the problem in relation to certain regions of the world when he spoke at a welcome for the Minister of Agriculture for India here in Rome only last Sunday.
Perhaps by the 1980s we can feel some sense of achievement regarding progress that FAO has made in some regions of the world. But, equally, New Zealand shares the feeling of deep concern expressed by many delegations already that a large proportion of the world's population continues to be inadequately fed, inadequately clothed and inadequately housed.
Indeed, certain regions, Africa in particular, still face severe problems. New Zealand supports fully FAO's emphasis on Africa to try and alleviate the particular tragedies caused by drought and animal disease which are being faced by countries in that region. Perhaps we can take a little satisfaction that areas of greatest need are being narrowed down.
In New Zealand's view one of the greatest contributions to FAO 's goals has been made through the provision of technical assistance. This has been achieved directly through FAO's programme and indirectly by promoting amongst member governments an awareness of the need for technical assistance on a massive scale.
In its support of FAO New Zealand has accepted the provision of technical assistance as one of New Zealand's principal contributions to FAO activities. We believe that in the course of this aspect of FAO's work a great deal has been learned. For example, few people thirty years ago would have understood the complexity of the task of transferring agricultural development strategy to a wide range of developing countries. There have been many successes and some failures, I guess, in the programmes commenced by FAO, while the benefits from others perhaps have been slower in coming to fruition than originally planned.
We have a number of questions about programme evaluation and assessment which we have raised in more detail in Commission II. But the point I want to make is that despite increasing environmental constraints, FAO's success rate, as it were, is improving all the time. It is a fact that increasing populations in many parts of the world are being nourished.
I would like to record also that New Zealand remains a firm believer in the principle that economic agricultural development in developing countries is to be preferred to assistance which ignores a country's development objectives. We feel that to encourage growth in agriculture farmers must be able to see economic returns for their efforts; they need stable input prices, and they need a feeling of government commitment that will encourage them to invest for long-term growth and development . Certainly this approach has been confirmed by New Zealand's own experience, both in New Zealand and in other countries.
Over the years a growing proportion of New Zealand's bilateral assistance has been directed to the South Pacific. In a microcosm, the problems facing New Zealand's neighbours in this area typify those confronting the developing world. Many of our close neighbours have limited natural resources compounded by population pressures, high transport costs and difficult communications. The island nations of the region also face balance of payments difficulties, and like many other developing countries, have various obstacles placed in the way of expanding their exports.
These are some of the reasons behind New Zealand's Overseas Development Assistance Programme being concentrated in this part of the world. As an illustration, of the total amount of financial resources allocated by my country to overseas development assistance, 80 percent is disbursed on a bilateral basis, the remainder being directed into international development organizations. But 80 percent of the total bilateral component is allocated to the South Pacific island countries. The reports on the FAO Field Programmes before this Conference identify some of the factors which inhibit development on an international scale. These factors have we feel a disproportionate impact on small countries. Indeed, sometimes the absolute magnitude of the problem facing some larger continental countries can seem to overwhelm the relative significance of the developmental needs of smaller island developing countries. Development is about people and we need to ensure that the individual needs of small nations are not overshadowed by the needs of larger countries.
I would now like to focus on one or two of the other major issues which are recorded in the base documents and preparatory work for this Conference. The Report of the Committee on Commodity Problems, which was discussed at the Council last week, identified the problem of agricultural protectionism as a major inhibition to the potential success of agricultural development.
New Zealand, as a major producer and international trader of agricultural products, recognizes the deficiencies that exist in international trade in these products. We share the views of many countries here that the economic future of some members of FAO is influenced adversely by the effects of protectionist policies in relation to agricultural trade, which all too frequently exist in a number of developed countries.
New Zealand believes that structural adjustment aimed at the removal of these constraints to trade in agricultural products would not only create an improved favourable general economic climate, but would also provide a real stimulus to agricultural output in many developing countries. We believe also that the capacity to expand exports and increase agricultural development is often dependent on adequate access to markets.
Over the last thirty years there has been a great increase in the volume of world trade in agricultural products, although recently there was a reversal of this trend. The benefits of this increase in trade have been unevenly spread. Products which compete directly or indirectly, with domestic agriculture of some developed countries face a discouraging range of trade barriers.
Of course, problems arising from protectionism are compounded by the situation where debt servicing charges and the cost of essential imports to developing countries sometimes absorb all their export receipts leaving little for capital development or the improvement of national infrastructures.
In this context, the recent OECD trade study is, we think, relevant. One of the most important conclusions emerging from that exercise was, in effect, the degree of meaningful trade liberalization that could be achieved without requiring any radical changes in importing countries. In other words, a worthwhile scaling down of protection would probably have limited effects on domestic agriculture in the countries concerned. Required adjustments would be likely to produce fewer problems than anticipated. In this context New Zealand supports fully the work of the Committee on Trade and Agriculture of the GATT set up after last year's GATT ministerial meeting.
Turning to the question of development expansion, New Zealand believes that the ability of countries to cope with the increasing infrastructural and institutional burden of development varies according to the stages of development of individual countries. Something else which needs to be recognized is the profound effect that development demands place on any developing country which is small in size. There is a danger that the sort of skills needed for good husbandry and management, for example, and for associated extension and research needs can get overlooked under the constant pressure of planning and administration involved in handling assistance inputs. The establishment of a basic core of professional and technical personnel is also we feel a basic ingredient in development, an ingredient which must not be forgotten.
Before I close I would like to turn briefly to the Programme of Work and Budget for the 1984-85 biennium. New Zealand was one of the members of the Council which last week was able to recommend the Programme of Work and Budget to this Conference for adoption, including of course the Programme of Work in the Fisheries and Forestry Sectors. Indeed, we commend FAO's initiative in setting up the preparatory intensive work for the World Conference on Fisheries which is very important for our region. New Zealand said at the Council last week that we proposed at this session of the Conference to discuss in more detail a number of aspects of the Programme of Work and Budget which are of interest to my delegation. We welcome also the Director-General's initiative in the important area of food security, which is also on our Conference agenda. I think it is being discussed in Commission I today.
In conclusion, New Zealand reaffirms its strong support for FAO. We think the changes being made to the thrust of FAO's programmes are in the right direction. We feel that the increasing attention to programme evaluation by some member nations including my own is a manifestation of a healthy and searching concern for the work of our Organization. We feel that this must be in the interests of us all. Thank you, Mr Chairman.
A.M. KHALID (Yemen, People's Democratic Republic of)(original language Arabic): On behalf of the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen and its delegation, I am particularly happy to be able to participate in the work of this Conference, and to thank FAO, as represented by the Director-General, Edouard Saouma and his staff, for the excellent preparation for this Conference.
I should like to take this opportunity to express on my own behalf and also on behalf of the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen my most fervent wishes that the work taking place at this Conference and the subsequent resolutions may help find efficacious solutions to the many complex problems that are faced by populations suffering from malnutrition and who are living under particularly difficult circumstances today.
From the very first year after the birth of our Democratic Republic our Government has methods for planning agricultural development, fisheries and integrated rural development to overcome the disastrous effects of over a hundred years of colonization. We have had to improve our productivity and the standard of living of the rural populations and make agriculture play a predominant role. We have brought all effort to bear in the agricultural and in the fisheries sector, where large resources were allocated i.e. 22 percent of the Five Year Plan's budget for investment.
The most important task carried out during the last 5 years has been to improve food production and the output of raw materials. Thus we have been able to curb food imports and also improve our industry, using local raw materials. In turn, that has made it possible for us also to increase the acreage under plough and focus more on agricultural production, stock breeding and fisheries through the use of more efficient modern techniques.
The Government has paid great attention to state farms and cooperatives, and has provided many financial facilities improve productivity in this sector. The second five-year plan, from 1981 to 1985, is still following this basic trend i.e. development; benefiting from achievements of the previous five year Plan to improve and broaden the agricultural groundwork, so to speak, to arrive at greater agricultural production and to cover the major needs of the population, not forgetting agricultural exports, of course.
All this is to be done by way of modern technology and those measures aimed at raising farmers' standards of living, increasing yield per acre and developing the cooperative agricultural system. In this five-year plan we aim at greater productivity in agriculture, which increased in value from 31 million dinars in 1980 to 47,2 million by 1985. This represents a 52,3 percent increase for the period and an annual growth rateof approximately 8,8 percent. The share of agriculture in the increase of social output was evaluated at 11,2 percent in 1980 and 10,2 for 1985. The 5 years Plan also aims to develop agricultural and animal production.
This is set within a much greater form of organization of social ownership . To reach this aim considerable investments have been allocated amounting to 60,2 million dinars i.e. 8,11 percent of total plan allocations shared out between agricultural activity and stock breeding. Our Party and our Government are mobilizing every available potential to implement the five-year plan and to achieve success in what has already been undertaken. This is being done with our sister countries and also with the help of funds and international organizations.
There have been adverse weather conditions. The enormous amount of rain that fell during the years 1981 and 1982 have had negative effects causing unusual floods covering a large part of the country, thus destroying many acres of land. This land has now become fallow whereas in the past it was highly suitable for agriculture. As a result of this, not only has the progress of our plan been adversely affected but also other difficulties have emerged. There was a need to deploy new efforts in the agrarian reform sector, which will be necessary, for many years will have to pass before we can again achieve the targets which had been attained in the past.
Since the time of the floods, the Democratic Republic of Yemen has made every effort to improve the situation with the means available and now we are trying to deal with all these problems so that the five-year plan of the future will make it possible for us to overcome the problem Here we are grateful for the aid which organizations and many countries have given us in our plight.
FAO played and important role in the implementation of fishery and agricultural products in the Democratic Republic of Yemen, for over a decade. Last year Y emen was able to benefit from the guidelines, the know-how and the expertise that were supplied, and we feel that the TCP, despite some shortcomings, will supply us with a nucleus which will enable us to put projects into effect. We are now looking for multisource funding in order to get these projects off the ground. We feel it is indispensable to broaden this programme because the spin off would be most positive in all developing countries. In our country Trust Fund projects are being implemented through FAO.
Here we should like to express our appreciation of the aid given to us by the World Food Programme. This aid enabled us to develop certain areas such as agriculture, road building, to build schools and hospitals, and to develop other sectors. We greatly appreciate the aid given by the World Food Programme to the flood victims in 1982.
Here I should like to emphasizethat the development project funded by WFP in our country should be seen as symbolic of the vital aid between our country and the World Food Programme. We feel that the World Food Programme leadership in the field or at headquarters, thanks to its expertise, its know-how and all its efforts, is an important factor in the success of this project. Therefore, speaking on behalf of my country my delegation would like to launch an appeal to all donor countries intending to provide further aid to increase their support for WFP activities, so that it may fulfil its humanitarian task in bringing to an end poverty throughout the world.
We must also welcome the Director-General's initiatives made in the area of food security programme. I would like to seize this opportunity to express my deep appreciation to FAO leadership, namely the Director-General, Dr Edouard Saouma, who persistently directs FAO's activities towards increased and more efficient aid to developing countries, so that development may become a reality.
J. SCHWARZ (Czechoslovakia): Mr Chairman, every General Conference evaluates the past two-year period and imposes tasks for the years to come. This Conference is held in an aggravated international political climate and the discussions of all member delegations reflect the complicated economic situation in the world. The world farming and food production sector is one of the most stricken.
We fully share the concerns expressed in the Director-General's statement and support all the priority targets of this Organization for the next biennium and in the medium term as set out in the documents to be discussed by the Commissions and the Plenary Session. We believe that the main general target should be to achieve, by all means and international cooperation, the increase of food production in developing countries at the level needed for the Third Development Decade, as planned by the optimal scenario of the FAO document "Agriculture: Toward 2000".
My delegation appreciates and fully supports the efforts and practical approaches of FAO in solving the problems of world agriculture. We believe that the priority orientation of our Organization's activities in favour of developing countries is fully justified and, at the same time, we agree with the intensification of development assistance mainly in Africa. We stress again the importance of further evolvement and, particularly, implementation of the conclusions of the United Nations World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development. I would like to lay special emphasis on the need for structural changes in agriculture and for solving the acute socio-economic problems in many member countries.
As we have stressed several times at previous sessions, we see the main causes of world agriculture not being able to reach the required level and an adequate position within the economies of some countries in the fact that these acute problems are not solved or that the approaches to them are inconsistent or hesitant. Such requirements were clearly stated at the World Food Conference and today, after nearly ten years, we have to admit that many conclusions of this important conference still remain a mere postulate.
We support, in particular, FAO's work on most urgent projects such as the minimization of harvest and post-harvest losses, use of high-yielding variety seeds, systems of plant nutrition, prevention of animal diseases and others. We are glad to state that besides the technical aspects, emphasis is laid on the human factor.
Not only the Director-General of FAO but also the heads of other agencies and the United Nations bodies have emphasized that training and education at all levels are and remain the most important contribution to development. We regret that the training possibilities in my country for FAO are not fully used despite the fact that we have, for instance, the oldest veterinary university with very extensive studies in tropical veterinary medicine, high-level forest tropical research institutions and many others. Together with other countries we have several times suggested, proposed and insisted that at least a part of our voluntary contribution to the UNDP programmes should be used by agencies for professional training. I would reiterate that Czechoslovakia is ready to contribute to the activity of the Organization in the field of training and education, exchange of information and experience. We have gained ample experience with the organization of training seminars and I believe that a number of specialists, mainly from developing countries, have had the chance in practice to see the quality of the training events in Czechoslovakia.
I would like, Mr Chairman, to add some remarks on FAO's plan of work in the European region. Here the dominant role is played by the Cooperative Research Programme of European countries, involving more than 350 scientific institutions. These efforts are highly helpful and beneficial and we consider such cooperation as effective. At present, Czechoslovakia is involved in four joint tasks and for the future we intend to extend our participation in this Programme.
I would like to mention with appreciation two other cooperative programmes of our Organization, jointly involving also the United Nations Development Programme. What I have in mind are the new and renewable sources of energy in agriculture and the exchange and conservation of crop genetic sources. Czechoslovakia has recently participated in both these programmes and is developing its activity on these subjects. As to the energy programme, we apply our experience of large agricultural enterprises within integrated energy systems of central Europe. In our opinion, within the genetic programme it will be important to unify the methodologies and to take other measures. At present we are preparing to build a genebank in Czechoslovakia, in continuity with the establishment of the International Genebank. One of our highly qualified experts has recently taken part in an expert mission on research and development of crop production in selected countries of western Africa.
We support the thesis of FAO that science and technology should be one of the highest priorities of this Organization. Through cooperation and research and transfer of technology to developing countries, the Member Nations will strengthen their confidence and thus help to strengthen the peaceful relations and economic cooperation among countries with different social and economic systems. At this point I would like to refer to Resolution 6/77 of the FAO Conference held in 1977 which confirmed the interest of all member countries in using European cooperation as a means for transferring additional technical and scientific assistance to other regions. We hope and support The idea that the next Fourteenth FAO Regional Conference for Europe will have the theme of "Science and technology as an instrument of agricultural policy and rural development" as the main topic. We would like to invite FAO to think about the possibility of proposing one important topic for the networks of the European Cooperative system of hundreds of scientific institutions - a topic which would be a priority interest, some difficult research tasks, the solution of which would represent a valuable scientific contribution to development. I think that other delegations of European countries would agree with me on this idea.
My Government is fully satisfied with the cooperative programmes organized by the Regional Office for Europe in the European region and appreciates very much the spirit of close cooperation, as well as the services of the Joint ECE/FAO Agriculture and Timber Division in Geneva. We cannot share the hesitation of some delegations expressed in Commission II as far as the work of the Regional Office is concerned. On the contrary, we think that regional cooperation, not only in the European region but in all FAO regions, should be much more strengthened, stimulated and improved.
I would also like to make some remarks on the proposed budget for the 1984-1985 period. We are aware that the Director-General was in a difficult situation when preparing the budget, mainly with respect to the growth of its material part, i.e. provision of the technical and economic activities as such, in relation with the increase of costs owing to inflation. We welcome and support the Director-General's action aimed at rationalization and economy and we assume that these efforts will be continued. Of course, the budget as well as the Czechoslovak contribution to the Organization will increase. I should like to emphasize that my country considers our basic FAO membership fee as our actual contribution (which is by no means small) to the material part of the budget, intended to be used within the efforts of the Food and Agriculture Organization in its struggle against starvation, malnutrition and poverty in a number of developing countries.
Now let me inform the Conference at least briefly on the results of Czechoslovak agriculture in the last period.
Despite some problems we can consider the year 1982 and the results obtained this year as, in general, another step forward of the agriculture-food-industry complex in fulfilling the imposed strategic task - to achieve gradually self-sufficiency in grain production and to continue in increasing overall self-sufficiency in food; this is fully in keeping with the objectives of the Food and Agriculture Organization. Emphasis has been laid on the resumption of proportional development of crop and animal production, priority being given to the development of cattle breeding with a thorough implementation of scientific and technological progress.
In 1982, as in 1981, the climatic conditions for agricultural production in Czechoslovakia were not favourable; nevertheless, gross output increased by 1.1 percent. The output of cereals increased by 9.3 percent.
The climatic conditions have also not been favourable this year, with its prolonged high temperatures and lack of rain. Drought affected most severely the crops with a longer growing season; on the other hand, the shorter vegetation crops had a comparatively good yield. This year the total output of cereals including maize in Czechoslovakia is expected to be higher than 11 million tons, the average per-hectare yield being 4.35 tons which is the highest yield-level ever achieved in our country.
Considering our results we have to bear in mind that, while keeping the trend of intensification of agricultural production and thorough utilization of all internal resources, we have had to reduce the rates of further inputs in agriculture, mainly fuel, concentrate feeds and commercial fertilizers. An improved system of planned management has been in use in our agriculture for two years. This system is a set of interconnected measures based on an analysis of long-term development of our agriculture.
In conclusion, I would like to confirm the full support of the Government of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic to the noble and humane policy and practical work of the Food and Agriculture Organization.
Despite all the serious problems we are fully convinced that mankind has plenty of good will and every possibility to remove, at national, regional and global levels, those phenomena in the nutrition of the human race which were referred to as the shame of our century at the World Food Conference in 1974.
Socialist Czechoslovakia is fully devoted to the ideas of broad international cooperation which can be pursued only under conditions of peaceful co-existence, alleviation of international tension, and reduction of the arms race. This was also the spirit that dominated this year's World Food Day celebrations in my country.
On this occasion I would like to stress the world-wide importance of the continuous peaceful efforts of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and all socialist countries, including Czechoslovakia, based, among other things, on the idea that it is only in peace that sufficient bread can be produced. Thus peace in the world is one of the basic prerequisites for a broad international cooperation. Czechoslovakia is always ready to take on and carry an adequate share of these efforts.
G.N. GOLUBEV (United Nations Environment Programme): It is my privilege and great pleasure to address the Twenty-second session of the FAO Conference on behalf of the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme and to convey to you all his best wishes for a successful meeting. In bringing his best wishes, I would like to assure you how much Dr Tolba regrets being unable to be here personally not only to participate in this important conference, but also to renew his pledge to this meeting and to his colleague and friend Dr Saouma for continued cooperation between FAO and UNEP in a number of areas, some of which I shall mention during the course of this statement. Suffice to say at this early stage that since the inception of UNEP at Stockholm just over a decade ago, relations with FAO have grown stronger year after year and we have continuously developed a common understanding on different issues which is firmly established in our joint Memorandum of Understanding. As UNEP enters its second decade of existence, we can only anticipate this co-operation further in the coming years as both organizations strive to serve member countries.
The 1983 Conference takes place at a time when the world food situation continues to deteriorate.
Many guesses exist of what the situation regarding the world population and food and fibre supply will be like by the year 2000.
According to the International Development Strategy a standard of nutrition necessary to ensure a firm basis for valuable economic and industrial growth in the developing world would only be achieved through an expansion of agricultural production at an average of at least four percent during the third development decade. Seen against the background of increasing erosion, deforestation, desertification and other truly menacing problems that face mankind today, a growth rate of four percent might even appear optimistic. What is certain, however, is the fact that in trying to meet these requirements for food as for other basic human needs such as fibre, the fundamental question of sustaining the resource base, the ecological base, in other words the environment from which those needs must indeed be met, will have to be posed more often in the future than has been the case up till now. It therefore follows that efforts to increase production on a sustained basis must in future also take into account the complementarity of environment and development.
During the eleven years of its existence, UNEP has endeavoured to play a positive role alongside the other organizations of the United Nations system. I will, with your permission, cite a few areas of concern, interest or achievement common to FAO and UNEP and describe how both organizations have together approached them for solutions, and how cooperation can be strengthened in order to ensure that conservation and protection of the world's living resources - plants, animals, soil, water, forests, genetic resources - are provided.
UNEP maintains that in all avenues through which environmentally sound management of the natural resources is to be achieved, enlightened conservation policies are the cornerstone, the key strategy. Conservation is, in this connection, to be seen as a dynamic process through which the use and management of man's existing and potential natural heritage including its insurance against exhaustion or depletion is assured. As such it needs not to be justified before action is taken. I am happy to report that the World Conservation Strategy, the result of five years of hard work by UNEP, IUCN and WWF in association with FAO and Unesco, which lays down inter alia the principal requirements for the achievement of conservation objectives and sets up ways for meeting the requirements, has been well received. Since the World Conservation Strategy was launched in 1980, some 31 countries have begun work on their own national conservation strategies. It is only through assistance to national governments in translating the principles of World Conservation Strategy into positive development that we of UNEP can see a meaningful follow-up to the Strategy.
As we all know, breeding programmes necessary for the protection and improvement of domesticated animals and cultivated plants depend on the preservation of genetic diversity. The accessibility to stored plant genetic resources and the issue of the earth's seeds as an economic resource are important problems for the future conservation and indeed agriculture if developing countries are not to be seriously affected by lack of genetic diversity in their food supply base. In this connection we share the sentiments of a majority number of countries which seek a legal instrument that would assure unrestricted access to stored genetic materials. We believe that the basis for this agreement exists in the document which has been laid before you by the Secretariat to respond to the views so clearly illustrated in various international fora particularly during 1983, in response to the requirements of Conference Resolution 6/81 on the preparation of a draft international convention, that conserved plant genetic resources are made available for the benefit of all human beings. Our work on the World Soils Policy as a central part of the World Conservation Strategy continues. By early 1984, it is expected that guidelines for the control of soil degradation currently being prepared by FAO and UNEP will have been available to governments. We have appreciated the co-operation and support we have received not only from FAO but also from Unesco, the International Soil Science Society and the international community of soil scientists in this important area of our activities. When fully implemented, the World Soil Policy will give practical meaning to the principles of the World Soils Charter which this Conference adopted at its Twenty-first session. We expect policy guidance from the Conference in order to guide future initiative on the matter on which UNEP is deeply interested.
Let me now turn to forests. Although environmental problems are associated with the utilization and/or exploitation of forest land in all areas of the world, the most pressing problems appear to be associated with tropical lands. In recognition of this fact, UNEP, FAO and Unesco' are co‐operating very closely to improve the development, management and conservation of tropical forests. Our basic objective is to develop ecologically-sound management schemes which will provide tropical forest nations with the social and economic benefits of forest resources exploitation. In this respect I express the appreciation of the Executive Director of UNEP to your Director-General acceding to the request of our Governing Council to broaden the mandate of your Committee on Forest Development in the Tropics to assume a greater role in coordinating all aspects related to international tropical forest activities.
The problem of desertification is a serious threat to the welfare of mankind, yet the efforts to combat desertification at the international level have dragged on at a painfully slow rate, mainly because when the solutions specific to desertification have been developed especially in the context of the Consultative Group to Combat Desertification and UNSO, matching financial support to implement these solutions has not always been realized; therefore it can only be hoped that sufficient donor support will be made available by those in a position to provide it as national governments affected by desertification individually and in unison continue to prepare themselves to assume the responsibility of safeguarding agricultural land from encroachment. The important role of FAO in the Inter-Agency Working Group on Desertification as a technical backstopping to our efforts to combat desertification is much appreciated.
With your permission, Mr Chairman, I would like to turn to the all-important question of pesticides.
Pests and disease vectors continue to cause significant losses to crops and livestock worldwide with the ensuing result that a tendency has now grown whereby control is sought through continued and even increased use of pesticides. Through the process of natural selection and evolution, new strains of pests and vectors which generally turn out to be more vicious and more immune to chemicals have appeared and proliferated. At the same time the impact of effects on the environment as a result of pesticides falling on non-targets has increased thus creating totally unnecessary ecological hazards. These and other reasons have led FAO and UNEP to realize the need to promote the development and application of effective new methods of integrated pest management as an ecological approach to pest control. Integrated pest management does not preclude the use of pesticides, rather it encourages simultaneous utilization of all compatible methods including chemical ones in a single management system.
Recent estimates have indicated that a steady increase of 4.5 percent a year in the world-wide use of pesticides will occur in spite of these and planned efforts to intensify the promotion of the integrated pest control concept around the world. It therefore follows that something more needs to be done, must be done, if the flow of pesticides and their increased applications with their familiar implications are to be checked. It is with this in mind that UNEP would like to express its support in principle for the International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides currently being prepared by FAO in collaboration with WHO, UNIDO, UNEP and others. A code of conduct for pesticides, the adoption of which is voluntary by nature, must however be strong and should indeed appear to create a pathway for something like an international convention on the distribution and use of pesticides. Finally, on this topic, we would like to mention the work of the International Register of Potentially Toxic Chemicals and the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) in the field of preparation and dissemination of health risk evaluations of chemicals including pesticides and stress the need to encourage FAO to associate itself more closely with IPCS, the former in its own field of competence.
With respect to marine living resources our joint activities have concentrated on the development of a global plan of action for the Conservation of Marine Mammals.
The FAO initiative to convene a World Conference on Fisheries Management and Development has also drawn the interest of UNEP. This conference will stress the importance of self-reliance of developing countries of proper management of their fisheries resources in economic exclusive zones, a policy supported by UNEP which mandate it is to promote environmentally sound development.
Mr Chairman,FAO and UNEP have co-operated well within the framework of the Regional Seas Programme and currently a number of activities are underway, essentially aimed at improving the knowledge and research on the levels and biological effects of pollutants in the protection of the living acquatic resources in the marine environment as well as produce the information necessary for scientifically justified intervention against pollution. We are also aware, that FAO has formulated a global programme for the development and management of fisheries within the economic exclusive zones. We would like to urge that during the development and implementation of this programme, introduction of aspects of environmental management are taken into consideration and that the effects on marine communities of environmental deterioration are carefully analysed.
I began by saying how much co-operation between FAO and UNEP has grown in recent years. Let me finish on the same note. One of the most worthy forms of co-operation has been the development of the UNEP System-wide Medium-Term Environment Programme - SWMTEP which culminated in a closely negotiated package of programmes with a six-year span, 1984-1989. Following the conclusion of this event, UNEP, along with her sister organizations then embarked on the preparation of a programme with budgetary detail for the first of the three biennia of SWMTEP. I am pleased to acknowledge once again the considerable contribution of FAO in the preparation of SWMTEP as well as the UNEP programme for 1984-1985.
We also cherish the fact that FAO has always participated at the highest level and contributed technically and scientifically in both the DOEM discussions and during thematic joint programming exercises to which Rome has been host to many - this enabling us to benefit from a wide range of expertise available at its headquarters. We hope we can continue to count on the full support and understanding of FAO not only in the programming process, but in the implementation of the UNEP programme.
P.A. BLANDON (Nicaragua): Sr. Presidente, Señor Director General, Señores delegados y observadores, señoras y señores, constituye un doble honor para nuestra delegación traer a esta XXII Conferencia de la FAO un saludo fraterno del pueblo y Gobierno de Nicaragua, y a la vez comunicar los logros y esfuerzos de la Revolución Popular Sandinista en el marco de la agricultura y la alimentación, dentro de las limitaciones económicas impuestas desde afuera por las barreras incomprensibles de quienes utilizan medidas de carácter coercitivo contra países en desarrollo.
Queremos testimoniar a través de un breve, pero significativo balance, lo que significa el peso de la agresión que actualmente vivimos, y cómo repercute en los programas de producción primaria y desarrollo agroalimentario que nuestro Gobierno de Reconstrucción Nacional ha definido para el corto y mediano plazo.
Como ustedes recordarán, recibimos un país en la completa bancarrota, saqueado y semidestruido en su infraestructura productiva, con apenas tres millones de dólares en las arcas del Banco Central. El Gobierno Revolucionario se propuso un plan de reactivación económica y un programa de despegue hacia un modelo que quebrara las estructuras de opresión y dependencia del pasado. Teníamos que reconstruir la economía, cuya base principal es la agricultura, y nos propusimos hacerlo cuando se vislumbraba una acelerada recesión económica en un mundo convulsionado por las grandes diferencias entre los países ricos y los países pobres.
Afortunadamente, contamos con el esfuerzo heroico de nuestro pueblo, y con la solidaridad de organismos internacionales y de países amigos de la región y del resto del mundo.
A pesar de que tempranamente se iniciaron los bloqueos de muchos préstamos de la banca multilateral y se nos cortaron financiamientos bilaterales convenidos para el financiamiento de trigo, pudimos tener un período agrícola de relativa normalidad en 1981/82, incrementando sustancialmente la producción de arroz, frijoles, sorgo, algodón, café y caña de azúcar, gracias a la capacidad innovadora y a la iniciativa de nuestros campesinos y técnicos.
En 1982, fuimos azotados por desastres naturales que significaron pérdidas para nuestra agricultura y ganadería en el orden de los 70 millones de dolares, según un estimado de la Comisión Económica para América Latina (CEPAL). De acuerdo con un informe oficial de la FAO, nuestras pérdidas en alimentos significaron unos 30 millones de dólares.
A lo anterior agregamos la escalada guerrerista de grupos contrarrevolucionarios, agrediéndonos desde países vecinos, y apoyados ampliamente por la administración del país económicamente más poderoso del mundo, dentro de la así llamada "ayuda para acciones encubiertas en Nicaragua", todo lo cual ha creado un "conflicto artificial" entre los países de la región. El balance en Nicaragua de esta aventura filibustera en términos de pérdidas materiales, en infraestructura agropecuaria, social y de servicios es del orden de los 300 millones de dólares.
Debemos mencionar especialmente las pérdidas en vidas humanas, de campesinos, obreros agrícolas, técnicos extensionistas, agrónomos, maestros populares, médicos, entre los que podemos destacar técnicos voluntarios de Francia y de Alemania Federal.
Todo lo referido en el anterior balance, aunque altamente preocupante, no nos amedrenta, porque estamos preparados para hacerle frente; sin embargo, atrasa seriamente el programa de reconstrucción nacional, y desvirtúa el concepto de coexistencia pacífica y de seguridad para la región centroamericana, donde Nicaragua ha demostrado con hechos concretos nuestra voluntad de paz y convivencia, al ratificar los objetivos del Grupo de Contadora para alcanzar la paz en Centroamérica. Hacemos eco en esta Conferencia al pronunciamiento de nuestro Canciller ante la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas durante la presente semana, que culminó con el señalamiento que Nicaragua no desea ser considerada como enemigo de nadie, y que se propicie de inmediato una salida política a la crisis centroamericana que dé seguridad a nuestros países.
Estamos plenamente de acuerdo con los principios de que se eliminen barreras políticas y económicas que permitan una mayor solidaridad internacional, poniendo como base el respeto a la soberanía y a la autodeterminación de los pueblos, de tal manera que resplandezca la solidaridad entre los países dentro de un Nuevo Orden Económico Internacional.
La búsqueda de una auténtica seguridad alimentaria mundial no puede encontrarse sin que sean corregidas las injustas y prevalecientes relaciones económicas. No existen bases para que la mesa del hombre rico resuelva los problemas del hambriento pobre. Es necesario por lo tanto actualizar algunos de los conceptos definidos en la Conferencia de Hot Springs, de 1943, en el sentido de que debe existir una acción coordinada entre los países para resolver el problema del hambre en el mundo. Esto nos lleva necesariamente a realizar un enfoque global del desarrollo agrícola y rural, tal como lo ha propuesto el Director General de la FAO, portándonos a reiterar nuestro voto para que esta Conferencia apruebe la nueva concepción de seguridad alimentaria.
Sin embargo, es difícil para nuestra delegación adelantar si los objetivos y propuestas del nuevo concepto de seguridad alimentaria, traerán también como resultado inmediato paz y seguridad para nuestra región y para el resto del mundo; pero bien vale la pena el esfuerzo en comprometerse al cumplimiento de esas medidas, porque definitivamente favorecen a nuestros pueblos. La comunidad internacional y esta Conferencia en particular deben demostrar un genuino interés en que el concepto de la paz no quede aislado del concepto de la seguridad alimentaria.
Nicaragua considera que la Seguridad Alimentaria Regional es una meta alcanzable. La vemos con optimismo, pero si nos dejan producir en paz y desarrollar el potencial productivo de nuestros recursos naturales.
Consecuentemente, hacemos un llamado a la comunidad internacional y financiera a fortalecer los programas agrícolas regionales, en base al esfuerzo interno de nuestros países, apoyados en sus pueblos y en estructuras económicas y sociales que deben ser justas.
Dentro del contexto de las acciones regionales, tenemos un excelente despegue al conformarse el Comité de Acción para la Seguridad Alimentaria Regional (CASAR), dentro del marco del Sistema Económico Latinoamericano. Hace dos años nuestra delegación mencionó, en la XXI Conferencia de la FAO, la necesidad urgente de crear un organismo regional alrededor del cual los países de América Latina y el Caribe aunaran esfuerzos para lograr su seguridad alimentaria. Hoy en día, estamos satisfechos de participar activamente en este Comité, y mencionaremos su importancia, y gestionaremos su apoyo en la Reunión del Grupo de los 77 sobre Cooperación Económica entre los Países en Desarrollo en el Campo de la Agricultura y la Alimentación, que se realizará en Bucarest próximamente.
Latinoamérica debe asumir con toda responsabilidad la solución del problema alimentario. De otra manera, vislumbramos una América Latina que, despojada de su capacidad de ser autosuficiente, y después de haber sido privada, y además saqueada, de sus materias primas y recursos naturales, tenderá inevitablemente a convertirse, según el caso, en un nuevo territorio de seres hambrientos, que para sobrevivir tendrá que dedicarse dramáticamente a extraer su petróleo, o a vender su tabaco, o su café, y aun vender sus bosques, hasta su previsible destrucción.
Dentro del contexto centroamericano, es importante mencionar que hemos asistido en el mes de septiembre, en Bruselas, a una reunion patrocinada por el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo con la comunidad financiera internacional, para proponer una estrategia de ayuda financiera adicional a la Region Centroamericana, independientemente de la cooperación bilateral con cada país, que sin discriminaciones de ninguna especie se solidarice con los esfuerzos económicos de nuestra region. En este sentido, Nicaragua propondrá dentro del marco de una reunion de Ministros de Agricultura de Centroamérica, Panamá y República Dominicana, a llevarse a cabo en el proximo mes de diciembre, en Tegucigalpa, un Anteproyecto de Seguridad Alimentaria Subregional para los países centroamericanos que, una vez aprobado, esperamos pueda gozar del financiamiento internacional.
A nivel nacional, la estructura economica heredada no nos ha permitido generar los niveles adecuados de producción y productividad, derivada también de una subutilización de nuestras tierras y del bajo nivel tecnológico aplicado en la mayor parte de los procesos productivos, con algunas excepciones en nuestros productos de agroexportación.
Los mecanismos que hemos considerado promover para aplicar la estrategia de desarrollo agropecuario se resumen así: profundizar la reforma agraria, combinando paralelamente la aplicación de nuestra cultura agrícola campesina, con el desarrollo tecnológico de nuestras principales actividades productivas; dinamizar el uso de la infraestructura económica y servicios existentes, utilizando racionalmente nuestros recursos naturales y fuerza de trabajo; desarrollar acciones que tiendan a la autosuficiencia energética; fortalecer y ampliar la investigación aplicada a la producción, al igual que los programas de capacitación técnica.
En resumen, nuestra estrategia de desarrollo agropecuario se propone alcanzar la seguridad alimentaria y la maximización de la generación de divisas a través de un conjunto integrado de metas productivas formuladas para los períodos 1984-1990 y 1991-2000.
Para satisfacer las necesidades alimentarias, será necesaria la coexistencia de varios niveles tec‐nológicos para cada uno de los cultivos básicos, en la perspectiva de una transición tecnológica gradual, que sin violentar los patrones de producción tradicional, los oriente hacia formas superio‐res de desarrollo tecnológico de.acuerdo a las características particulares de cada cultivo y su zonificación agroecológica.
Dentro de las acciones presentadas a consideración de la Conferencia por el Director General, nuestra delegación apoya el programa de labores y presupuestos de la FAO para el próximo bienio, aunque reconocemos que el insignificante aumento presupuestario no permitirá estar a la altura de las nece‐sidades reales de los países en vías de desarrollo, por lo cual esperamos que los países receptores demos prioridad a proyectos con el objeto de multiplicar el alcance de los programas de cooperación técnica, y lograr así una mejor redistribución de esa cooperación.
Nuestra delegación también apoya el proyecto de resolución presentado por el Director General sobre recursos fitogenéticos, porque se trata de preservar para la humanidad entera lo que es un patrimonio de ella misma.
No queremos pasar por alto nuestra insistente y constante réplica en diferentes foros internacionales acerca de la condena que todos los países conscientes debemos hacer sobre el uso de los alimentos como arma de presión política. Nicaragua es una víctima de ello; esperamos la solidaridad del mundo y nos solidarizamos además con otras víctimas de semejante injusticia.
Por último, deseamos felicitar a los nuevos Miembros de esta Organización y quisiéramos que este foro reflexionara sobre lo mencionado por nuestra delegación durante la XXI Conferencia de la FAO, cuando nos hacíamos estas preguntas, que hoy cobran mayor actualidad: ¿Es posible o no sin la agresión extranjera o la amenaza de una invasión, luchar contra todos los males que se predican en todos los foros de las Naciones Unidas? ¿Es posible o no para un país soberano luchar por resolver sus propios problemas sin la amenaza de ser destruido por una nación extraña?
La comunidad internacional no debe, ni puede, conformarse con repudiar los hechos consumados que detesta y aborrece la humanidad, sino tratar exhaustivamente de impedir tales hechos señalando honesta y valientemente los medios pacíficos y la aplicación de los mismos, para evitar el desencadena‐miento de un conflicto abierto que termine con todas las esperanzas de paz y se infrinja la soberanía de los pueblos, como sucedió con el noble pueblo de Granada.
A.G. LAKANWAL (Afghanistan): Mr Chairman, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen: It is a matter of great privilege for me to have this opportunity to address the Twenty-second session of the FAO Conference. On behalf of the Afghan delegation let me congratulate the Chairman and the other members of the bureau on their election. We are confident that under their able guidance and the active participation of the distinguished delegates the Conference will achieve its objectives and find proper solutions to the problems of food and agriculture throughout the world.
In the name of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan I wish to associate my delegation with the spirit and content of the Director-General's speech of 11 November as delivered to the FAO Conference. My delegation wishes to express its full support for his valuable and constructive statement.In his speech the Director-General explained with clarity the present situation of food and agriculture in the world, and especially in the developing world, the forecasts, strategies, and policies which are needed to overcome the prevailing constraints of the problems of food and agriculture on a global scale.
My delegation is convinced that by the eradication of the constraints and other social and economic factors, the problem of hunger, poverty and malnutrition will disappear from the nations of this globe and the people of the world will achieve the prosperity that they are fully entitled to.
I wish to stress the point that food is the first element of human survival. The people of the world possess the right to adequate and healthy food. Based on the social and economic structure of the developing countries, including my country, the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, agriculture plays a major role in the development of their national economies.
Because of the prevailing relationship in the structure of agricultural production in developing countries there are difficulties in the transition from traditional to modern agriculture, including the use of mechanization, for raising productivity. Such difficulties keep the productivity per unit of land low and thereby reduce the total volume of production.
The food and agricultural situation in the developing countries will improve substantially if first the agricultural policies of the developed countries could be modified so as not to limit food and agriculture production and, secondly those countries would reduce the level of expenditure on armaments and therefore release the savings for assistance in the developing countries.
In order for the developing countries to achieve self-reliance in the production of food and agricultural commodities and to realize their resources fruitfully and economically, the importance of assistance from FAO and other international organizations is must crucial. My country has initiated major policies and programmes for increasing the production and productivity of the agricultural sector.
Before the victory of the National and Democratic April Revolution, Afghanistan was a backward country with feudalistic relations which hindered the social and economic development and prevented the increase in agricultural production. Now, we are happy that the People's Democratic Party and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, among their other targets for the economic and social development, have formulated and implemented agricultural development targets, such as implementation of democratic land reform for the benefit of the peasants, establishment of agricultural cooperatives and mechanized stations, improved seeds and fertilizers companies, provided veterinary services, and credit facilities with easy terms. Thus, the level of the food and agricultural production in the country has increased considerably during this year as compared to last year.
About 85 percent of the population is engaged either directly or indirectly in the agricultural and livestock sectors. The gross domestic product from agriculture, livestock and forestry was 62.6 percent of gross national product and the share of this sector to the national income was 67 percent last year.
Due to favourable climatic conditions, as well as the hard work of the farmers under the wise guidance of the People's Democratic Party and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, especially after the evolutionary phase of the April Revolution, the overall production of food and agriculture is considered normal and satisfactory. The total production of cereals is 4 598 000 tons this year, of which wheat alone is 2 927 000 tons. These figures indicate an increase of 0.9 percent and 1.1 percent respectively over the targets of this year, and an increase of 2 percent and 2.3 percent over that of last year. Production of other crops, vegetables, fruits, also showed considerable increase this year as compared to the target, as well as to that of last year.
In the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, 1.9 million hectares are forests and this forms a meagre 3 percent of the land area of the country. Besides forest area, nearly 30 million hectares are range lands. Livestock production is one of the most important elements in the economy of the country, but due to some mishandling and mismanagement the environment is suffering and the forests, pastures and watersheds are not exploited properly. Livestock depends entirely on natural pastures. The use of crop residues, harvested forage and processing of by-products is negligible and concen- trates are seldom fed sheep and cattle. The forests, watersheds and pastures of the country have been over-grazed for centuries. We are aware of the problem of soil erosion and desertification, and we are very keen for adoption of meaningful measures to fight the inimical factors. Thus, we are facing firewood scarcity, degraded range lands, soil erosion and depleted wild life resources.
To improve the situation, it is necessary to have a comprehensive development programme comprising forests, farm lands, range related to forestry such as reforestation, watershed management, restoration of range lands, developement of agro-forestry, prevention of desertification, soil conservation, wildlife and national parks management. We realize that it is a gigantic task and needs considerable trained manpower and expertise. To tackle the above problems, we have proposed a revision to the existing FAO/UNDP project, and I stress that in addition to the new element proposed, the objectives, activities, and inputs of the revised project will be implemented.
In the past, we had the benefit of the World Food Programme in our development programmes. This aid was very useful and a great incentive to our workers. The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan is one of the least developed countries and would, therefore, request this august body to start the WFP donations once again. My delegation promises that it will be our endeavour to make use of the WFP aid in a very objective and useful manner.
The Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan greatly appreciates all the assistance we have received from friendly countries such as the Soviet Union, and the international organizations such as the UNDP and the FAO, which have taken an active part in the economic development of the country. We hope such assistance is continued for the ongoing projects and would be pleased if the pipeline projects are approved and financed for the future. The assistance needed for the agricultural developement is felt in the fields of training local technicians, advisory services, and supply of equipment and materials. The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan has been and still will be a loyal and active member of the FAO and the United Nations. The resolutions and the decisions of the FAO and the United Nations have always been honoured by my country and are put into action.
It is worth mentioning that the friendly assistance of the Soviet Union to the Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan to strengthen the infrastructure, especially to develop the agricultural and livestock sectors, plays a very important role in increasing the agricultural and livestock productions.
The World Food Day was celebrated all over the country on October 17 instead of October 16, which coincided with a religious holiday, with somewhat similar functions and activities as that of last year. Among the activities on the occasion of that day as well as the programmes in advance, were the radio-T.V. messages from high ranking people, issue of essays through the mass media, issue of special stamps, film shows, which helped the public to know the importance of food, its production, distribution and proper consumption.
The Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan had already requested the establishment of an FAO independent office in the country. On behalf of the Government, my delegation would like to extend sincere thanks to the Director-General of FAO that our proposal was accepted and that the FAO independent office will be established in the country soon.
In the Eighty-fourth session of the Council the delegation of Afghanistan announced its support of the Director-General's Programme of Work and Budget 1984-85. Once again I wish to reiterate that his proposed Programme of Work and Budget is well prepared and it will play a major role in the improvement of agriculture throughout the world.
Finally, my delegation is very pleased to attend this Conference and, in the meanwhile, to exchange the views and goodwill of our people and Government with the delegations of other FAO member countries. We love peace and friendship and wish to have peace, food, security and stability all over the world. We hope that the deliberations of the Conference and the implementation of our decisions will result in achieving greater agricultural development which would ensure a higher standard of living for the people.
Javier Gazzo Fernández-Dávila, Vice-Chairman of the Conference, took the chair.
Javier Gazzo Fernández-Dávila, Vice-President de la Conference, assume la présidence.
Javier Gazzo Fernández-Dávila, Vicepresidente de la Conferencia, ocupa la presidencia.
S.J, REGENVANU (Vanuatu): My delegation associates itself fully with the congratulatory remarks made by previous speakers to the Chairman and the three Vice-Chairmen on their election to preside over this Conference.
At the outset I would like to acknowledge with thanks the kind words of welcome which Vanuatu has received from many delegates in this Conference following our admission into the Food and Agriculture Organization.
We are proud to have become members of the FAO which has done so much, and which is doing so much to assist many countries like my own in the development and conservation of their agriculture, forestry and fisheries resources.
Indeed, I would like to express my country's gratitude for the generous assistance in the formulation and implementation of our development programmes which we have already received from FAO and also from several of the other multilateral and bilateral aid agencies represented here today.
It is our earnest wish to take part fully in the deliberations of this and all future FAO Conferences.
I would firstly like to make a few general points before focussing in particular upon the food and agriculture situation in my own country.
I noted that the Director-General in his address to the Conference and many of the delegates who have spoken during the past few days have referred to the rapidly increasing expenditure on weapons of destruction by both developed and developing countries. This is indeed a sad feature of the times in which we are living and is a terrible legacy to bequeath to our children. I would like to echo the pleas of the earlier speakers for an immediate reduction in the level of such expenditure and for a reallocation of the resources thus released to the fight for the elimination of world poverty and hunger. Indeed, my country has since independence consistently urged worldwide disarmament and more specifically Vanuatu has been in the forefront of the campaign for a "nuclear-free Pacific". We urge other countries to support us in this cause.
Secondly, whilst not wishing to play down the seriousness of the food production difficulties presently being experienced by the Sahelian and Southern African States which is causing considerable suffering amongst their rural communities, I would nevertheless urge the Conference in its discussions not to lose sight of the problems which are peculiar to the small-island developing countries and to recognize our continuing development needs. We too require our fair share of the technical and financial resources of the FAO and other agencies. We would not wish to see aid donors reducing the levels of such assistance which they have earmarked for the small-island developing states in order to use it to combat the spectre of famine in sub-Saharan Africa; rather, we would urge donors to increase their overall levels of official development assistance.
Being a new member of the Organization, I should like to present a brief description of Vanuatu's history, geography and economy as a background against which our development strategies may be placed and understood.
Vanuatu achieved independence in July 1980 following a period of condominium rule by Britain and France, and in so doing inherited two different languages, and three different legal, administrative (and to some extent economic) systems - an unenviable inheritance, as you can imagine. Since then, however, considerable progress has been made to unify these systems although much remains to be done.
The country itself is an archipelago comprising 80 islands stretching 800 kilometers from north to south and is located in the South-West Pacific. With only 125 000 inhabitants, less than 17 per cent of the total land area is currently exploited for agricultural purposes, despite the fact that in much of the country both the soil and the climate are conducive to the development of arable and livestock farming. Furthermore, much of the area that has a limited agricultural potential is suitable for forestry plantations. The territorial waters cover approximately 450 000 square kilometers and constitute an important potential resource; little is known, as yet, of the ocean-bed mineral resources, whereas fisheries appear to have a good development potential.
Agriculture plays a pivotal role in the Vanuatu economy, and the bulk of the population is directly dependent on agriculture for its livelihood.
Over one-half of the cultivated area is devoted to subsistence cropping - principally taro, yams and kumala - while the keeping of pigs is also important. With the growing intrusion of the money economy into the subsistence sector, some traditional subsistence crops are being marketed, but the bulk of production is still for own-consumption and customary exchange.
The cash cropping sub-sector is dominated by the production of copra for export which provides more than 70 per cent of Vanuatu's visible export earnings. The other important export crops are cocoa, coffee, timber and rapidly increasing quantities of beef.
This fact of single crop dependence makes the trade sector extremely vulnerable to market and climatic variations. For example, in 1975 total export earnings fell to only 33 per cent of their 1974 value, largely as a result of depressed world prices. The difficulties caused by such a volatility in export earnings are accentuated by the long-term decline in the real value of copra. The need for export diversification is obvious, although we recognize the problems inherent in such a diversification strategy in that extension and marketing efforts may become too thinly-spread to be effective. Furthermore, it appears that the range of agricultural export crops in which Vanuatu enjoys a comparative advantage is limited.
It is against this background that the present plans for the economic development of the country as embodied in the first national development plan were drawn up. The development plan covers the first period known as the transition and reconstruction phase in a 15 year programme aimed at achieving the goal of economic self-reliance by which Vanuatu will be able to meet import requirements from foreign exchange earnings and fiscal requirements from domestic revenues.
The main objectives of the development plan are: the increased utilization of the country's natural resources, balanced regional and rural growth, encouragement of the development of the private sector and the preservation of our cultural and environmental heritage.
The development plan envisages a structural shift away from the concentration on urban social infrastructure which prevailed prior to independence, to a greater emphasis on investment in the productive sectors of the economy.
The importance of food and agriculture in the economy is explicitly recognized in the development plan which further emphasizes that their development is the means by which national incomes are to be raised, thus increasing the standard of living of all of the population. Moreover, food and agricultural development is seen as the means by which several of the other national objectives - such as balanced regional and rural growth - will be realised. It should be noted, however, that we are mindful of the fact that the development of the rural areas will not come about solely through the development of agriculture; the provision and improvement of such basic services as water supplies, roads, airfields, and health posts is also essential if all of our rural population are to benefit from the "fruits of development". For this reason, we have among other things also planned for the systematic development of physical infrastructure throughout the country and for the implementation of a nationwide rural water supplies programme.
In order to attain the overall objectives, we have identified a broad range of programmes and projects to be implemented in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors. Not surprisingly, given the strained financial position inherited at independence. The government is looking to overseas aid agencies to meet a large portion of the associated financial burden.
We have, for example, begun a coconut replanting programme in order to halt the decline in our coconut resources; we have established a large number of small forestry plantations which will provide sufficient cheap and uniform sawn timber to meet domestic requirements throughout the islands from 1995 onwards; and we have set up a programme to assist village groups in deep-bottom drop-line fishing. This latter programme has proved so successful that fish surplus to village requirements are now regularly being flown to the two urban markets.
At the same time we are seeking to encourage private investors, with the appropriate background and experience, to re-develop many of the previously-alienated ranches and plantations.
In conclusion, I would like to say that although by conventionally accepted criteria Vanuatu may be judged poor and underdeveloped, we have inherited the rich gifts of fertile and largely unexploited land and the largely untapped resources of the sea. What our country needs is the technical assistance and development finance to help unwrap these gifts, and the training of our own people to care for them and to exploit them to better the lives of our people now and in the future.
E. BORTEI-DOKU (Ghana): My delegation, on behalf of the Government and people of Ghana, and on my own behalf, warmly congratulate the Chairman on his unanimous election to chair this Twenty-second session of the Conference of our august Organization. May I also congratulate his able Vice-Chairmen on their election; and I am confident, that under your proven leadership qualities and unquestionable competence of your Vice-Chairmen, the proceedings of this Conference will be steered to a successful and memorable conclusion.
I wish also to take this opportunity to welcome to the Organization, the governments and people of the four new nations recently admitted to join forces with us in our struggle to combat hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. We look forward to fruitful cooperation with them in this exercise.
The Twenty-second session of the FAO Conference is in many ways very unique. It is unique because, among other things, it is being held against: the background of world-wide economic crisis, precarious food deficit and emergency situations, particularly in developing countries, caused by floods, drought, bush fires and refugee problems, and drop in aid to low income and food deficit countries, due to a combination of economic and socio-politico problems that have afflicted the richer nations.
I can go on to enumerate a catalogue of factors, but time will not permit me.
May I now briefly touch on the food deficit situation in my country. Our present problems are manifold. We have suffered from drought, bush fires, refugee problems, shortage of agricultural inputs especially planting materials, tools and machinery. I will, in this connection, however, place on record the pioneering role the Director-General of FAO has played and continues to play in securing food aid and technical assistance for Ghana in order at least to alleviate the severity of the unpardonable situation in which that country has found itself. My Government is also grateful to all other well-meaning organizations, both domestic and international, and friendly nations who responded to our call for assistance. Our closest English-speaking neighbour, Nigeria for example, was only too willing to offer us, at very short notice, enough planting material that we needed. Time will not permit me to pay tribute to all the nations who came to our aid during the time of our greatest need.
Now, having critically re-examined our food and agriculture production policies over the past decades, the Government of Ghana has instituted measures to arrest the unacceptable food deficit situation: there is now a remarkable emphasis being placed on the development of small-scale irrigation projects; increased mechanized farm practices; agricultural credit; re-direction and deployment of our human as well as material resources; and adequate supply of inputs.
These modest efforts, needless to say, require substantial material and financial allocations and we trust that the international community will provide the much-needed support. Indeed, agricultural production faces its greatest challenge in the developing countries particularly in Africa, and it is our belief that this Conference will provide measurable hope for the millions of hungry people who despair in these dire circumstances.
Permit me to mention briefly that there is now the need for a strong emphasis to be placed on research as a means of combating the food shortage problem, particularly the African food situation which has been deteriorating year by year. We are in full agreement with the emphasis the Director-General has placed on research and technology development, and we, therefore, welcome the proposal to provide additional resources for strengthening the Organization's support to the development of national research activities.
The changing weather conditions characterized by persistent drought have brought into sharp focus the vital need to intensify our search for new varieties to match the new growing periods dictated by the erratic rains. It is in this regard that my delegation lends its support to the call by the Director-General for increased attention to be paid to the ready availability, conservation and judicious exploitation of plant genetic resources.
Studies have indicated that the developing world has enough cultivable land to feed far more than the maximum population it is ever likely to have to support. But the developing countries, apart from the political will, need technical and financial assistance to ensure adequate national food security. We strongly support the appeals in favour of all countries affected by acute food shoitages and urge the international community to respond generously to these appeals.
My delegation has studied the Director-General's Programme of Work and Budget for 1984-85. The food crisis situation in many parts of the world, particularly in Africa, clearly underscores the fact that international action in support of efforts of the developing countries to increase their food production has not been enough. That is why we fully appreciate the thrust of the Director-General's proposed strategies and priorities, particularly the effectiveness of TCP as one of the major means of action during the ensuing biennium. In spite of the greatly diminished increase in overall resources, we are convinced that considerable progress can be achieved and thus, we fully support the level of the budget for the 1984-85 biennium.
We are seriously concerned about the progressively decreasing extra-budgetary resources available to FAO. These decreases are largely conditioned by the financial crisis of the UNDP. My delegation will, therefore, like to reiterate the call for this Conference to urge all donor countries to increase their contributions so as to attain the level of resources for the third programme cycle. Furthermore, the International Fund for Agricultural Development has been forced, for lack of resources, to cut down the number of projects necessary for agricultural and rural development. We view this situation with serious forebodings and will join in the appeal for member governments to fulfil their obligations under the first replenishment and complete negotiations for the second replenishment. The need for increased resources to stem the widening food shortage in many parts of the world demand the support of all nations to fulfil the targets set by the World Food Programme.
My Government has the pride and privilege of hosting the FAO Regional Office for Africa. In view of the huge problems facing food production in the developing countries, we feel that there is now a greater need to strengthen the regional offices to provide the needed backstopping to, and effectively coordinate the activities of the FAO country offices.
In conclusion, may I express my sincere gratitude to the Director-General of the FAO, his dedicated and efficient deputies, assistants and staff members for the magnificent manner in which this Conference has been visualized, planned and organized. To them, we say a big 'thank you'.
S. RISTA (Albanie) : Permettez-moi de vous adresser tout d'abord mes félicitations pour votre élection au poste de direction de cette Conférence, au nom du gouvernement de la République socia‐liste d'Albanie et de saluer l'admission des nouveaux membres,Antigua-et-Barbuda, Belize, Saint-Christophe-et-Nevis et Vanuatu.
La crise profonde économique, politique et financière déclenchée dans le monde entier à la suite de la politique d'oppression et de diktat des superpuissances et des autres puissances impérialistes et révisionnistes a entraîné dans beaucoup de pays une baisse sévère de la production agricole. Par conséquent, la situation agro-alimentaire en est d'autant plus aggravée.
Les conséquences de cette crise économique générale et destructive pèsent de plus en plus sur les millions de travailleurs et de personnes affamées dans le monde.
A côté de cela, la course aux armements des impérialistes américains et social-impérialistes soviétiques ainsi que leur politique d'agression et de guerre engagent de grandes valeurs pour des moyens mortels.
La baisse continue du rythme des productions agricoles, l'exode rural, la destruction des terres agricoles et leur exploitation à titre de profit ont approfondi la crise alimentaire.
Les soi-disant aides et les crédits colossaux réclamés par les monopoles et les gouvernements des grandes puissances impérialistes comme des voies de salut pour sortir de la crise sont transformés en nouvelles chaînes sur les peuples et les divers Etats. Dans bien des cas, ils ont servi à la domination politique, à l'oppression et à l'exploitation des masses travailleuses des nations et des pays les moins développés.
La militarisation de l'économie dans beaucoup de pays capitalistes et révisionnistes a freiné ou interrompu le développement agraire. En conséquence, les phénomènes négatifs de la ville tels que le chômage et la vie pesante socio-économique deviennent de plus en plus importants et ceci même à la campagne. Les efforts qui sont faits pour surmonter la crise agraire en élevant le prix des aliments, en changeant les structures de produits agricoles et de l'élevage selon la conjoncture du marché et et non pas selon les intérêts des masses laborieuses, ne débouchent pas sur une solution juste et globale.
La fourniture des produits agro-alimentaires est utilisée par les superpuissances et les pays indus‐trialisés comme une arme politique. Derrière les soi-disant aides qu'elles accordent, se cachent l'intervention, l'exploitation et la subordination politique et économique des peuples. La délégation albanaise pense que les problèmes qui existent dans de nombreux pays pour la fourniture des produits alimentaires comme partie intégrante de la politique agraire et du développement économique en général peuvent être résolus en décidant la souveraineté intégrale sur les ressources nationales en les mettant au service des masses travailleuses.
Les peuples et les pays progressistes deviennent de plus en plus conscients de la lutte à mener contre l'oppression et le pillage néo-colonialistes, contre les charités de l'exploitation. Ils font des efforts pour accroître le niveau de développement pour parvenir à une agriculture avancée afin qu'elle assure les besoins les plus indispensables et qu'elle devienne un facteur de base pour l'indépendance économique et politique.
Malgré les efforts et quelques aboutissements dans le programme et les activités de notre Organi‐sation pour améliorer la situation agro-alimentaire dans le monde, celle-ci continue d'être très grave, des millions de personnes meurent de faim ou manquent des moyens les plus élémentaires de survie.
La cause principale réside dans la politique d'oppression et d'exploitation, la politique néo‐coloniale des puissances impérialistes. Nous pensons que les efforts pour la solution des problèmes de l'alimentation ne peuvent être dissociés de la lutte décisive que doivent mener les peuples et les pays épris de liberté contre l'exploitation et la politique de guerre des superpuissances impérialistes.
Au cours des quatre décennies de sa vie libre, l'Albanie socialiste a fait de nombreuses transfor‐mations révolutionnaires dans le domaine de l'économie, de la culture, de l'idéologie, etc. Notre économie et notre agriculture se développent à des rythmes soutenus, progressent de manière indépendante et sûre, ne connaissent ni le désordre, ni les crises, ni le chômage, ni l'inflation, elles ne connaissent pas non plus les dettes ou l'élévation du coût de la vie.
Le bien-être des masses laborieuses s'accroît continuellement et elles voient l'avenir avec confiance parce qu'il n'existe pas de phénomènes négatifs comme ceux que l'on rencontre dans le système capita-liste et révisionniste et qui commence par des crises sociopolitiques, économiques pour aller jusqu'à la narcotisation et autres blessures.
La politique agro-alimentaire est considérée dans notre pays comme une partie de la stratégie géné‐rale pour la garantie de la liberté,de l'indépendance et de la souveraineté, pour le développement harmonieux, multibranches, de toute l'économie populaire, pour l'accroissement du bien-être efficace des masses travailleuses et de la perspective des générations futures. Nous avons considéré le problème agro-alimentaire comme un problème vital et de base pour le développement de l'économie nationale, jamais comme un problème de conjoncture et temporaire.
L'agriculture en Albanie est entrée dans un processus d'intensification intégrale par des voies originales et avec des rythmes accélérés. Elle est caractéristique de l'organisation socialiste du travail et de la grande production concentrée et spécialisée où les rotations agricoles sont devenues une réalité fructueuse.
Les grandes transformations du milieu écologique agricole en accroissant de plus de deux fois la superficie de la terre cultivable et des arbres fruitiers grâce à une politique très favorable des investissements pour l'agriculture qui représentent environ 28 pour cent des investissements totaux, ont abouti à accroître de plus de cinq fois la production agricole par rapport à 1938. La politique de justice agraire suivie par le Parti du travail d'Albanie a fait que ce pays, autrefois le plus arriéré d'Europe, avec un terrain surtout montagneux et accidenté où chaque habitant ne possédait que 0,2 hectare de sol arable, a développé une agriculture avancée capable de satisfaire les besoins du peuple en denrées alimentaires et de l'industrie en matières premières, tout en augmen‐tant les produits d'exportation.
Le rendement moyen des céréales atteint environ 35 q/ha tandis que dans la zone de plaine il atteint environ 50 q/ha. Cette intensification continue de la production agricole a accompagné le doublement de la population en Albanie socialiste et l'élévation sensible du niveau de vie. Le rythme annuel de l'augmentation de la production globale agricole est deux fois plus élevé que l'augmentation de la population.
Au cours du septième plan quinquennal 1981-1985, on a attaché une attention particulière à l'accroissement des rendements des produits agricoles et de l'élevage. Maintenant le problème se pose pour l'intensification ultérieure de la production grâce à l'accroissement de la superficie irriguée, de l'emploi des engrais, de la mécanisation et d'autres investissements, élevage industriel, etc.
Notre politique agro-alimentaire est basée sur quelques principes fondamentaux et dans le dévelop‐pement de l'agriculture on distingue des phénomènes à contenu social et progressiste.
Cette politique devenue réalité est liée au renforcement des rapports socialistes sur le plan de la production et du développement harmonieux des forces de production dans toutes les zones du pays.
En conservant la priorité du rythme de développement des zones montagneuses on est en train d'intensifier le développement des zones de plaines en accroissant sensiblement les investissements et en utilisant d'une façon plus rationnelle les moyens matériels et techniques ainsi que les réalisations scientifiques. On voit ainsi se réduire les disparités entre les villes et les campagnes. Ces dernières sont entièrement électrifiées et possèdent tout un système de télécommu‐nications, l'enseignement et les services sanitaires y sont gratuits. Par ailleurs, l'Etat couvre toutes les dépenses nécessitées par l'application des mesures socio-culturelles (pensions de retraite, etc..) dans les campagnes comme dans les villes. Significatif à cet égard, est le fait
que les conséquences des tremblements de terre de ces dix dernières années ont été éliminées en l'espace de quelques mois aux frais de l'Etat et grâce à la contribution de toute la population. C'est ainsi que des centres administratifs et socio-culturels ont été reconstruits alors que les paysans sinistrés ont été logés. à titre gratuit dans des logements nouvellement construits.
L'Agriculture est devenue une branche fondamentale et d'une importance vitale pour notre économie nationale. Dans ce cadre, notre Etat suit une politique encourageant le développement de l'agricul‐ture qui se fonde sur les lois de l'interaction harmonieuse des facteurs objectifs et subjectifs.
L'idée traduite dans les faits que l'agriculture est l'affaire de notre peuple tout entier a contribué à un développement économique plus harmonieux du pays, à un engagement plus profond des forces productives et à l'essor de nos villes et de nos campagnes socialistes sans contradiction entre elles.
Le fait que nous comptons exclusivement sur nos forces se reflète dans chacune de nos unités de production, de recherche et de direction. Dans notre pays qui ne contracte pas de dettes et ne reçoit des crédits d'aucun pays étranger, qui va de l'avant grâce à notre travail et à nos ressour‐ces financières, l'agriculture se développe en se fondant sur ces critères. Elle assure sur place ses ressources énergétiques, ses engrais chimiques, ses principales machines, ses semences et autres matériaux biogénétiques d'une grande valeur. Environ les deux tiers de notre peuple vivent et travaillent dans nos campagnes, s'épanouissent et progressent sans cesse. La plupart des travailleurs agricoles de chez nous reçoivent une instruction secondaire professionnelle; il y a dans nos campagnes un spécialiste technicien supérieur pour 250 hectares de terres cultivées ou 210 têtes de bétail. C'est cela qui a assuré l'accélération de l'intensification de l'agriculture.
D'un pays où jadis dominaient les rapports de production semi-féodaux, où faisaient rage la famine, la misère et la féroce exploitation des masses laborieuses par des classes possédantes locales et les puissances impérialistes, l'Albanie est devenue aujourd'hui un pays socialiste agraire et industriel avancé, la patrie d'un peuple libre de toute oppression sociale et spirituelle, le pays d'un bien-être croissant pour tous. "Les transformations révolutionnaires et les progrès qui ont été accomplis dans l'agriculture" - ainsi que l'a souligné le camarade Enver Hoxha, le dirigeant du parti de notre peuple - représentent une des plus grandes victoires de la ligne et de la politique du parti, de la construction du socialisme".
L'Albanie socialiste, bien qu'un petit pays, fait face avec courage aux complots ourdis contre elle par les impérialistes et les social-impérialistes ; elle ne s'écarte jamais de la juste voie socialiste.
Notre peuple poursuit résolument cette voie car c'est la seule qui ait pu lui assurer le progrès, le développement harmonieux et la vraie indépendance. Ne perdant pas de vue dans notre analyse des choses notre point de départ, et voyant bien où nous en sommes arrivés dans la construction du socialisme et la réalisation de notre politique agro-alimentaire, nous faisons toujours la synthèse de notre travail, et éclairons ainsi, encore mieux, notre perspective. La pensée théorique du parti du travail d'Albanie se trouve matérialisée dans le système social de notre pays et dans l'idéologie de son peuple. Cette pensée avancée a aussi servi de fondement à notre politique économique et agro‐alimentaire visant à satisfaire toujours mieux les besoins du peuple.
La délégation de la République populaire socialiste d'Albanie conjuguera ses forces et ses efforts avec ceux des délégations des Etats qui luttent pour un développement économique et politique indépendant apportant ainsi notre contribution à la solution des importants problèmes auxquels est confrontée cette Conférence de notre organisation.
H.P.M. AliNOOR (Somalia): Allow me first of all, on behalf of the Somali delegates, to thank the Secretariat and the other staff of FAO who have assisted in organizing this Conference. Also, I wish to extend to the Chairman of the Twenty-second FAO Conference my warmest congratulations.
I would like also to take this opportunity of congratulating the Director-General of FAO, Dr Edouard Saouma, for his encouraging message on the occasion of the third annual observance of World Food Day. We assure him of our continued and full support in concentrating on strengthening our agricultural sector so that the application of effective policies in alleviating human suffering such as hunger and malnutrition becomes easier.
To show how Somalia supports the appeal of the Director-General of FAO, for the needy people of the world, I quote here part of the speech of the President of Somalia on the third World Food Day:
"Our policy enphasises production-oriented activities and our development strategy assigns priority to agriculture. Our immediate goal is to achieve self-sufficiency in food staples, curtail food imports and enhance food exports. Hence we have been progressively allocating an increasing share of our limited development funds from 22% in our 1971/73 plan to 25% in the second plan, to 35% in the third plan and now to 60% in our fourth, 1982/86 National Development Plan."
"In spite of tremendous adversaries, an aggressive war and the biggest refugee problem in Africa, the world economic and fuel crises, repeated natural disasters of droughts and floods and the usual difficulties associated with development, we remain committed to the implementation of our socio-economic policies for realisation of the just aspiration of our people for food security, rapid transformation of Somalia into a developed, self-sufficient country and a productive partner in the international community."
I have no doubt that this Conference will produce good resolutions that will be very useful for mankind. My delegation and I are delighted to see that this Conference elected the Minister of Agriculture of the United States as Chairman of this Twenty-second FAO Conference and I am confident that this will be a sign and an indication that the rest of us are ready to learn from and adopt the advance of agricultural technology that makes the United States of America the biggest food-producing country in the world.
The timing of this Conference coincides with a period in which there is a lot of concern about the shortage of food in the world, a period in which many people suffer from shortage of food, especially in Africa and Asia.
In spite of the fact that 10 years ago it was agreed by all of us that food and agriculture were to be earmarked as a top priority area for mankind, yet still the situation is much worse today than it was 10 years ago, especially in Africa. Here, I would like to quote part of the speech by the Director-General at the celebration of the World Food Day: "The promise that by 1984 no child shall go to bed hungry" - that has not been achieved.
How then can we explain this short-coming, and make understandable to the poor some of the contradictions and uncertainties of our time?
"- That, for example, the military expenditures of Member Governments of the United Nations - at $700 billion annually - represent about 30 times all the official development assistance allocated to the relief of social and economic problems in the Third World;
- that the military budgets of the developing countries themselves, by 1980, amounted to almost $115 billion, causing one to wonder what comparative priority is being accorded to food and agriculture or agrarian reform and rural development;
" - that developed food-exporting countries who have curtailed their development assistance and food aid allocations because of economic stringencies, are at the same time spending increasing amounts either to limit their own agricultural production or to subsidize their own farm exports."
Apart from the economic and environmetal problems that the world as a whole is facing today, I feel that there is a need for all of us united to stop the destructive aspect of man and the world and make an effort for useful objectives, especially the production of food.
As regards the shortage of food, the case of Somalia is the same as that of many countries in Africa. Somalia, as all are aware, is a host country for many thousands of refugees who, apart from the aspects of feeding, are now proving to be a social problem.
My delegation feels that increased production in rural areas can be achieved by improving the working output/input of the farmer, in providing better social services, better agricultural technology and improving agricultural research and directing it at farm level outwards, and giving the integrated rural programme top priority.
Somalia has undertaken an improved programme of credits for farmers, encouraging the use of animals for crop farming, and increasing animal health through vaccination and control and eventually eradicating trypanosomiasis and the tsetse fly, improving and increasing farmers' extensions services, stopping the growing and eating of qat in Somalia. Qat is a plant, the leaves of which contain a stimulating drug of the narcotic type. The plant had, before the ban, utilized many hectares of good farmland. Furthermore, the country was diverting a large amount of its meagre hard currency for that use. It has been undertaking a programme against desertification which has been threatening the better farming area of the country. It has undertaken a massive compaign of literacy in the rural areas which involves both writing and reading of the Somali and Arabic languages.
Because of the improved programme and the good rainfall in 1982 in Somalia, agricultural production was a little more than average level. However, this year, 1983, the rainfall has been late. Therefore, so far the trend of our agricultural output does not seem very encouraging.
Also Somalia has faced serious economic setbacks in some areas which had been our traditional markets for livestock plus a temporary ban on our cattle because of the rinderpest in some African countries. This disease does not exist in Somalia.
There is an immense fishery potential in Somalia in view of the fact that the country has the longest sea coast in Africa. In order to exploit the country's fishery resources there is a need for technical knowhow and financial investment. It is our belief that greater exploitation of our fisheries will greatly contribute to the international fisheries needs in general and our country's need in particular and Somalia has a fisheries policy. As a result of this, we welcome any potential investigation whether on a joint venture basis or privately in developing countries' fishery resources.
My delegation fully supports the Programme of Work and Budget proposed by the Director-General of FAO for 1984-85 in its totality but we see there is a need for comment in the realization of various technical divisions in terms of their Programme of Work and Budget.
My delegation underlines and endorses the need for inter-agency cooperation to bring about fully the integrated programmes for rural development especially in the area of health, both for humans and for livestock. Therefore my delegation wishes to propose the creation of a programme of primary veterinary care as well as primary health care for humans.
Last but not least, my delegation welcomes to membership the newly elected members to this Organization, hoping that their active participation in FAO activities will contribute to our desired goals of global agricultural development.
NGUYEN DANG (Viet Nam): Je me réjouis d'avoir l'honneur de prendre la parole encore une nouvelle fois à cette tribune importante de la FAO.
Je ne voudrais pas m'étendre sur les situations alarmantes de l'alimentation dans le monde, que le Directeur général de la FAO et plusieurs orateurs éminents ont déjà décrites avec émotion et éloquence.
Je voudrais souligner seulement quelques questions qui nous intéressent particulièrement:
1.Nous avons suivi les travaux du Conseil de la FAO et nous avons examiné avec soin le Programme de travail et le projet de budget préparés par le secrétariat pour notre Conférence. Nous voudrions féliciter le Directeur général de la FAO et son Etat major qui ont su, dans une situation mondiale aux multiples difficultés, maintenir l'efficacité de la FAO. Nous appuyons les priorités qu'il a choisies, qui englobent les problèmes cruciaux du développement agricole. En particulier, nous louons l'accent qu'il a mis sur les recherches et les activités sur le terrain et l'effort qu'il a fait pour une petite augmentation du fonds TCP dont le dynamisme et l'efficacité sont déjà bien prouvés. Nous regrettons néanmoins que l'augmentation du budget de la FAO ait été minime par rapport à l'envergure de ses travaux et à son rôle de chef de file dans la lutte contre la faim et la malnutrition dans le monde. 2. Nous nous félicitons de l'effort fait par plusieurs pays développés qui ont généreusement contribué à l'aide au développement sur le plan multilatéral comme bilatéral. • Mais nous sommes préoccupés par la situation contradictoire suivante: dans beaucoup de régions handicapées par un long passé de domination étrangère et défavorisées au point de vue climatique, les paysans du tiers monde après de longs mois de labeur se voient réduits à la famine et la malnutrition. Pendant ce temps, les producteurs des pays développés se voient imposer une limitation systématique sur leurs emblavures aux excellentes conditions naturelles et desservies par une technique impeccable. Ces mesures contribuent à faire baisser la production et les stocks mondiaux de céréales, éléments décisifs pour la sécurité alimentaire mondiale.
3.Nous louons chaleureusement l'élan que le Directeur général de la FAO et le Directeur exécutif du PAM ont donné à l'aide alimentaire pour les cas d'urgence comme pour les projets de développement. Néanmoins, nous pensons qu'il est temps que les responsables de cette organisation étudient l'établissement d'un certain système de critères dans la répartition de l'aide pour que celle-ci soit plus équitable et pour que l'organisation maintienne réellement son caractère multilatéral.
4.Notre délégation voudrait manifester sa préoccupation quant aux situations de menace et d'intervention militaire ou de pression et de sabotage prolongé qui empêchent les pays pauvres
de concentrer les forces vives de leur nation sur la production. Nous soutenons tout effort pour un règlement pacifique des litiges et pour mettre un frein à la course aux armements.
Monsieur le Président, puisque la lutte contre la faim et la malnutrition restent toujours le centre de notre débat, je voudrais vous apporter quelques témoignages vécus du Viet Nam sur cette lutte.
Avec une pression démographique importante sur une terre très exposée aux intempéries et jonchée de séquelles de guerre, le Viet Nam a décidé de relever le défi de 1'autosuffisance alimentaire. Une impulsion énergique dans la production agricole a été déclenchée, accompagnée d'un vaste mouvement de mobilisation et de sensibilisation de la population pour le planning familial. Nous étions partis en 1976 de 13,5 millions de tonnes de paddy pour 49,160 millions d'habitants, s'accroissant avec le rythme annuel de 3,2%. Jusqu'en 1982, nous avons dû importer annuellement une grande quantité de céréales, soit par achat, soit par une aide bilatérale ou multilatérale. Le point culminant se trouve en 1979 où,par suite de graves catastrophes naturelles, les importations arrivaient à plus de deux millions de tonnes de céréales. Mais depuis cette date nous avons pu
progressivement diminuer l'importation grâce à une croissance de la production et une diminution graduelle de l'accroissement démographique. En 1982, nous avons produit 16,6 millions de tonnes de paddy pour une population de 56,2 millions, avec une croissance annuelle de 2,2% (soit un abaissement de 1% par rapport à 1976). Le bilan positif de 1976 à 1982 est le suivant: croissance des besoins 2,4%, croissance de la production céréalière 3,5%. Ce decalage nous a aides à alléger le déficit et nous permet d'espérer d'atteindre l'autosuffisance en besoin minimum de céréales et un commencement de réserve en 1985.
Je voudrais souligner que nous avons encore beaucoup à faire pour une réelle autosuffisance ali‐mentaire: la ration alimentaire de notre peuple est encore trop pauvre en protéines, le lait reste encore un produit de luxe pour nos enfants.
Nous comprenons profondément l'urgence du problème démographique dans l'amélioration du niveau alimentaire. Un simple calcul nous montre l'âpreté de cette lutte. Pour assurer à chaque Vietnamien une moyenne de 2 250 à 2 400 calories par jour, il lui faut une production annuelle de 420 à 450 kg de paddy pour l'alimentation, l'élevage, l'industrie et pour une certaine réserve d'urgence. Même si nous arrivons à maintenir la croissance de production au niveau annuel de 3,5%, suivi d'un accroissement aux environs de 2% de la population, il nous faudrait travailler, bon an mal an, jusqu'à l'an 2000 pour atteindre cette norme de besoin énergétique. Nous considérons ce délai inacceptable car d'ici là les besoins alimentaires de la population comme les besoins de l'industrie se seront multipliés. Si ces besoins ne sont pas satisfaits, le développement économique s'en ressentira. Force nous est de devoir à la fois impulser la croissance de la production et diminuer encore plus fortement l'accroissement démographique.
Sur la question démographique, avec les premiers succès déjà atteints dans ce domaine (abaissement de 1% du taux de croissance en six ans), nous sommes confiants que de nouveaux résultats seront atteints quand notre population comprendra profondément l'importance du problème pour l'avenir de la nation et pour l'intérêt immédiat de chaque famille.
Sur la question de la production, nous continuons pour une longue période à donner la priorité à l'agriculture, en premier lieu aux cultures vivrières. Les mesures concrètes sont multiples, parmi lesquelles nous mettons l'accent sur l'amélioration continuelle de la gestion dans le but d'une exploitation plus rationnelle des terres, d'une répartition plus adéquate du gain obtenu, dans le but d'encourager les bons producteurs et de réserver une partie au nouvel investissement créant ainsi une base plus solide à l'accroissement de la production.
En même temps, nous nous ouvrons à la coopération avec tous les pays et toutes les organisations internationales, en particulier avec la FAO, pour impulser une coopération internationale fructueuse.
R. TSAGAANKHU (Mongolia) (original language Mongolian): Taking this opportunity on behalf of the Mongolian delegation, I would like to congratulate you on your election to the high office of Chairman of this session and express our confidence that under your leadership the present session of the FAO will make a valuable contribution towards intensification of the FAO efforts in overcoming the food shortage facing the world, and in particular the developing countries.
Our delegation also extends the warmest congratulations to the four new member countries, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Saint Christopher and Nevis and Vanuatu, which have joined the FAO.
It is well known that there are enormous possibilities for providing mankind with enough food if
all countries of the world dedicate their scientific and technological progress and economic resources
for the wellbeing of all people.
However, the imperialist reactionary forces fanned unprecedented arms race in order to achieve military superiority and disrupt the existing military strategic balance of power in the world. These are the main reasons for the hunger experienced by thousands of people in the world. Therefore, prevention of a nuclear threat and salvation of the mankind from the holocaust is the task of vital importance today.
The initiatives put forward by the socialist countries, in particular the statement made by Yuri Andropov, General Secretary of the Communist Party Central Committee, President of the Presidium of the USSR are of great importance. His statement was made on September 28 for the positive solution of the vital problems facing the mankind today. In this statement a profound analysis was made of the present world situation and once again the conviction of the Soviet Union to further strengthen universal peace and security of nations has been confirmed.
The MPR consistently pursues the policy of strengthening international peace and security, curbing the arms race.
As an Asian country, Mongolia is anxious about the situation on this continent which has become more tense over the last period. Existence of hotbeds of tensions and conflicts on the Asian continent show the growing importance of the observence of the principle of non-use of force in the relations on the continent. Here lies the significance of the initiative put forward by the Mongolian People's Republic on concluding a convention on mutual non-aggresion and non-use of force in relations among the countries of Asia and the Pacific Ocean.
According to FAO official data, nearly 500 million people are seriously undernourished. The consequence are human misery, various chronic diseases and death. Therefore, the food problem, which is the most acute one among the crucial economic problems facing the international community, demands great efforts by all countries. Curbing the arms race and reduction of military expenditure would promote the solution of these important tasks.
The food problem is closely associated with all other problems of socio-economic development. The successful solution of this problem and the,elimination of hunger and poverty require the introduction of far-reaching socio-economic transformations within the given countries.
In this respect, I would like to emphasize the great importance of progressive land reform, distribution of national income, introduction of nationwide planning methods and the involvement of a wide range of the population into the management of the state and the economy.
In this connection I would like to briefly refer to the experience of agricultural production development in my own country.
In over 60 years of popular power, the working people of Mongolia have carried out truly historic transformations in all spheres of society. The practical implementation of profound socialist transformations in our country occurred in the past four decades.
The first important measures directed to the development of agriculture after the establishment of the people's power was land reform sponsored by the Government, and as a result the land was proclaimed as State property.
The second factor in the successful development of agriculture in my country was the cooperation of individual cattle breeders which had been successfully carried out by the end of the 1950's. Only this has made it possible for us to change the system of management of agricultural production on the basis of strengthening its material and technical basis and applying modern techniques and technology.
The decision of our Government to bring virgin land under cultivation, which was successfully carried out in 1957-1959, played an important role in the further development of agriculture and in the improvement of food supplies, as well as resulting in the considerable expansion of cultivation.
An important factor in the further growth of the Mongolian economy as a whole and of the agriculture in particular is the successful development of the economic, scientific and technical all round cooperation with the member countries of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance and, first of all, with the Soviet Union.
At present agricultural work is completely mechanized in our country and mechanization of labour consuming work in animal husbandry is successfully being introduced. The new five-year plan calls for developing 250-300,000 hectares of virgin land and is being successfully accomplished. As a result of all this, our country not only has met its requirements in agricultural products, but is able to export considerable amounts.
The main task of the new five-year plan, 1981-1985, is to secure further growth of the country's economic potential, and on this basis to achieve a steady growth of the material wellbeing and cultural level of the people. Among other things, capital investment in agriculture will surpass that of the previous five-year period by about 40 percent. As a result of this, the average annual volume of agricultural production is to rise by 26 percent.
At present the main tendency of agricultural development in our country is closely linked with the real needs of rapidly growing big cities and populated areas and newly created scientific and cultural centres. The content and goal of present day agricultural development are acquiring a new form.
It is necessary to coordinate the question of raising agriculture to a new stage and its solution with other branches of the national economy and culture, in particular with the improvement of everyday services for the rural population, and the improvement of management on the basis of scientific and technological achievements.
A number of problems such as to intensify the country's agriculture, in particular processing industry of production of animal origin for its rational organization and location according to industrial and agricultural complexes, and efficiently solving the transportation of agricultural products on the vast territory of our country. All of these problems will be comprehensively tackled.
In solving the above problems, according to the plan we shall rely on our country's economic potential, as well as on socialist labour distribution that functions among the CMEA member states. In implementing the task of the comprehensive agricultural development, we will also decide parallelly the social problems of the rural people.
The Mongolian delegation greatly appreciates the activities carried out by the Food and Agriculture Organization and its technical assistance programmes and projects directed at increasing the agricultural production in the member countries.
For the last ten years the FAO has rendered to our country assistance in strengthening the basis of the vocational schools, in establishing the Gobi wildlife preserve area, several laboratories at the research institute for animal husbandry and veterinary science, and in training personnel. In 1983-1984 we are going to cooperate with the FAO on three new projects.
On behalf of the Mongolian Government I would like to express our deep gratitude to the FAO, namely, to His Excellency Mr Edouard Saouma, Director-General of the FAO, for the assistance provided by the FAO in developing agricultural research establishments and training personnel. My delegation supports the targets of the FAO to increase the average annual growth rate of the developing countries at least by 4 percent.
My delegation is in favour of the Programme of Work and Budget of the FAO for 1984-1985.
The Mongolian delegation welcomes the new policy conducted by FAO from 1976 of austerity in administrative expenditure, paring down unnecessary spending and other related measures.
My delegation is confident that the experiences of countries with different socio-economic systems, which they gained in promoting development and increasing food supplies for the people, will be reflected in the FAO activity.
In conclusion, I would like to express my confidence that the present Session of the FAO Conference will give a new impetus to the promotion of the efforts by developing countries in the field of the economy as a whole and of agricultural development in particular.
S. H. TABATABAI (Iran) (original language Farsi): I speak in the name of God the Merciful, the Compassionate - Peace be upon the great leader of the Islamic revolution and hail to the soldiers of the front of belief against disbelief and hail to the innocent souls of the martyrs of the Islamic revolution.
Let me start my statement with a phrase of Imam Khomeini, the leader of the revolution and the founder of Islamic Republic of Iran : "In Islam agriculture is one of the most important affairs, and farmers are the best creatures of God''.
I come from a country whose agriculture has unfortunately been destroyed by super-powers and their agents.
Meanwhile, our agriculture has been subject to various experiments of colonialists. Before the Islamic revolution, our agriculture was considered as a laboratory for the colonialists to test their agrochemicals and political purposes, which consequently resulted in dependency of our agriculture on their products and reduction of land potential.
While Iran used to be an exporting country, as a result of a change in the land tenure, she gradually became a food importing one.
After the Islamic revolution the hands of the plunderers were cut off from our country. However, the plot reappeared in the form of a war imposed upon us. During that war our forests, farms, villages, cities and natural resources were severely damaged or destroyed by weapons such as ground-to-ground and air-to-ground missiles, chemical and napalm bombs.
At the present time as I speak, innocent children and women, slaughtered by the destructive weapons of the superpowers are being pulled out from the ruined houses and buildings of the cities and villages.
Our nation, after the Islamic revolution has faced difficulties which are common in any revolution. However, by following Islamic principles and the Imam's guidelines and by relying on our heroic nation, always ready to descend into the political arena, we overcame these difficulties.
We are making good progress in all fields, but the superpowers who could not tolerate our independence, by using the ignorance, selfishness and egoism of their agent, have imposed a war upon us.
We thank God that our great nation can bravely resist East and West powers and their agents in the region.
We hope that in the next session we will be able with honour to declare to dominated nations the good news of salvation and victory.
In the field of planning for the improvement of agriculture in our country, we have been able to make outstanding progress. Though, facing grave difficulties, our specialists have prepared a national five year plan for the improvement of agriculture, its main points following; I should just say that the major objective of preparing this plan is to increase agricultural production, leading eventually to self-sufficiency.
This objective arises from our belief that dependency on agricultural products has been one of the major weapons of the new colonialism in recent decades.
The main points are:
ForestryPreparation and implementation of national integrated plans for the identification of forest zones and at the same time reafforestation and production of plants, construction of forest roads, buildings for the accommodation of foresters, the identification of forest products and the accurate utilization of forests.
Pasture Reclamation & DevelopmentImprovement and reclamation of 3.5 million ha. by transplanting, cultivation of forage and fodder crops in 115 thousand ha. of infertile areas, growing of fodder crops in 1185 thousand ha. of impoverished pasture, and finally the establishment of seed and plant improvement stations.
Soil Conservation & Sand Dune FixationIn the field of soil conservation we are preparing an integrated programme of watershed management to be implemented in an area equal to 8 681 000 hectares. In the field of sand dune fixation by seeding, planting and mulching and plantation wind breaks, the necessary actions will be taken.
AgronomyConsidering the main objective, that is self-sufficiency, projects designated to increase major crops such as, wheat, barley, maize, oil seeds, sugar, beet, cotton, jute, others have been implemented.
For these purposes, during the five-year plan one million ha. of irrigated land will be added to the area under cultivation.
Supplying pesticides and fertilizersAn integrated plan to supply pesticides and fertilizers has been prepared which consists of:
- Control of pest and plant diseases.
- Preparation of a generic chemical plan.
- Production of different kinds of pesticides and herbicides by installing laboratories and plants
within the country which should lead us to self-sufficiency in this field.
- Preparation, production and distribution of suitable fertilizers and their proper application on the farm.
Establishment of plant protection unitsIn order to identify pests and plant diseases and harmful weeds and to avoid losses, 106 clinical units will be established in addition to existing units throughout the five-year plan.
Pest-controlProgrammes will be implemented by our Government to control and eradicate insect pests during the five year plan and farmers will be trained in these techniques.
Livestock and poultry problemsTo increase animal products, efforts will be made in animal breeding and distribution of improved breeds to livestock producers. For this purpose various artificial insemination centres, livestock breeding and distribution centres will be established and added to the present centres.
Animals Health ControlProduction of vaccines and vaccination of animals to control and eradicate animal diseases all over the country are also other programmes of the five-year plan. For implementation of these projects 960 operation groups will be added to the existing groups during the five-year planning period. To ensure public health, efforts will be made to control diseases common to human beings and animals such as tubercolosis brocellus, etc...
Development and improvement of the general situation and welfare of rural livestock producersThis programme will involve the construction, completion and development of installations for animal husbandry, improved veterinary services and improving the sanitation of water wells and watering troughs.
The next point in the plan is fisheriesThe projects to be implemented in this field are to increase catches, to increase the capacity for the preservation of fish and fish products in the Persian Gulf and also in the Caspian Sea and other inland waters.
Machinery and mechanizationThis programme involves the manufacturing of the required heavy and light machinery in the country, distribution of machinery and equipment and technical services to the farmers and installation of workshops all over the country with follow-up service for machinery to the farmers. These are considered to be regular components of, in fact, the regular programme of agricultural developments.
Research, Training and Agricultural extensionWe are laying considerable stress on research, training and agricultural extension, which we consider to be the basis of progress in agriculture, for which purposes 25 centres, 68 stations and 162 research sub-stations will be established during the next 5 years. The most important single development is to establish single-crop research centres where the production of certain agricultural commodities can be raised to a maximum level which we consider to be one of the best ways of achieving progress in agricultural production as a whole.
Regarding training programmes, we have plans for pre-service and in-service training of technicians and experts in different fields of agriculture.
In the field of agricultural extension, efforts and activities to guide and to advise farmers and livestock producers from the poorest classes of society will be specifically made. During the five-year plan 37 891 test farms and demonstration farms will be established and 112 428 persons will be trained under those programmes.
Related agricultural activities include the construction of warehouses for some 1.3 million tons of agricultural commodities and inputs like seeds, fertilisers and pesticides; the establishment of 4 500 rural cooperatives; and the preparation of transport facilities for deprived and remote agricultural zones in the country.
Reconstruction of War ZonesDifferent parts of our country have been damaged by the weapons and arms of imperialists through their agents, farms and forests have been burned, but are now being reconstructed by volunteers based upon the cooperation of the people. This task is, of course, a priority. We plant ten trees for each one fallen, we set up 10 farms for each farm destroyed.
Dear sisters and brothers, thank you for your attention. I would like to turn your attention to the importance of our work and our activities in our attempt to develop agriculture. I also hope that with respect to our situation you will turn your eyes to the major parts of the world where hunger and poverty prevail due to a few powers who exploit us; turn your attention to the fact that we under the fire of guns and bullets, napalm and chemical bombs, under great missiles, are yet struggling against all these problems in the hope that the nations of the world will wake up from this sleep in which they seem to be plunged by the Eastern and Western superpowers and hand-in-hand with us we will walk forward to benefit from the fruits and gifts which God has given us.
We wish for all oppressed and deprived nations of the world victory, and we are convinced it is not far away. I thank you for your attention.
P. O. ETIANG (Organization of African Unity): Mr Chairman, I would like to join other delegations in congratulating you and your Colleagues in the Bureau, on your election. I would like to express my delegation's confidence that under your guidance, this Conference will make appropriate recommendations and decisions that will speed up the attainment of our required targets in food production and security in particular and agricultural development generally.
I should also like to express my sincere thanks to the FAO Director-General for the kind invitation extended to the Secretary-General of the OAU to attend this Conference. Dr Peter Onu would have personally fulfilled the invitation but for other more pressing matters demanding his attention. He, however, instructed me to wish all participants in this Conference fruitful discussions.
As has been acknowledged by virtually every speaker before me on this rostrum, the centre of the global food problem is in Africa. The twin negative characteristics of the situation in Africa are food inadequacies and insecurity. The Director-General has very eloquently and aptly sensitised the international community to the plight of up to 150 million Africans being threatened with hunger. According to our own estimates, seventy million Africans, 1 in every 7, are living close to starvation. The number of hungry people will significantly increase by the end of this century. The high mortality rate, which is one of the consequences of such a situation, is already frightening at 15.3 percent compared with 12 percent in Asia and 8.5 percent in Latin America.
The causes of our present dramatic food situation are, of course, complex, as was very elaborately expressed on this rostrum yesterday by the executive secretary of the ECA. They must have been building up slowly during the fifties and sixties to produce the catastrophic effects we have been witnessing since the seventies.
Domestic problems have been revolving around inadequate planning, managerial and technical capacity in food and agriculture, grossly inadequate physical infrastructure and a generally weak framework of production and marketing incentives. These problems are being compounded by the vagaries of nature and pests such as drought, floods and locust; the legacy of the colonial past, with its urban based development; population pressure; frequent involuntary civil commotions; the general backward state of the rural areas which are the sources of food and the lack of determined integration of the agricultural programmes in the general economic development strategy of Member States.
As has been acknowledged by virtually every speaker before me on this rostrum, the centre of global food problem is in Africa. The twin negative characteristics of the situation in Africa are food inadequacy and insecurity. Seventy million people, thus one African in about seven, are living close to starvation. The number of hungry people will significantly increase by the end of this century. The high mortality rate., which is one of the consequencies of such a situation, is already frightening at 15.3 percent compared with 12 percent in Asia and 8.5 percent in Latin America.
The causes of our present dramatic food situation are, of course, complex. They must have been building up slowly during the fifties and sixties to produce the catastrophic effects we have been witnessing since the seventies.
Domestic problems have been revolving around inadequate planning, managerial and technical capacity in food and agriculture, grossly inadequate physical infrastructure and a generally weak framework of production and marketing incentives. These problems are being compounded by the vagaries of nature and pests such as drought, floods and locust; the legacy of the colonial past, with its urban based development; population pressure; frequent involuntary civil commotions; the general backward state of the rural areas which are the sources of food and the lack of determined integration of the agricultural programmes in the general economic development strategy of Member States.
It is in the full cognizance of this compounded and threatening situation that all African Governments are agreed severally and collectively as to the top priority in their development effort - the issue of food, NOT merely agriculture in its generality. Accordingly, the Lagos Plan of Action, which is the collective expression of the OAU Assembly of African Heads of State and Government recommends that over the period 1980-85, the objective should be to bring about immediate improvement in the food situation and to lay the foundation for the achievement of self-sufficiency in cereals, livestock and fish products.
In order to deal with the situation, priority areas have been singled out by the Plan for securing substantial reduction in food wastage and post-harvest losses, attaining a higher degree of food security and increasing production of food with emphasis on agricultural diversification. The bulk of these measures have to be undertaken by Member States themselves on the basis of national and state-collective-self reliance. This approach, for the present, needless to say, is woefully inadequate to meet the enormity of the problem. This is the point at which international assistance has to come in.
This distinguished Conference has been kept fully informed by the Director-General of FAO and many African delegations of foreign food aid to Africa. In response, African governments have never failed to express their individual and collective appreciation to all foreign donors of food from both bilateral and multilateral resources. Given the generosity and effect of such assistance, which is continuing, it would not be superfluous for me to add on behalf of OAU to that appreciation. But given the generally acknowledged fact that far from getting better, the food situation in Africa is getting worse, it is tempting to assume that either the problem has not been correctly diagnosed or if it has, no right prescription for it has been applied.
It is the view of the OAU that the problem has indeed been fairly well identified by FAO and other interested Organizations, but it has belied solution partly because of the ever-changing nature of the global economic situation which is, for the most part, outside the ability of African countries to control. This situation which, among many things, includes inflation, indebtedness, drop in commodity prices, sluggish demand for exports leading to balance of payments problems, will continue to run ahead of any remedies that are tailor-made for the food situation and to not take into account the totality of world economic situation. It is in recognition of this that the African countries, together with the rest of the Third World, have been calling for global negotiations on all economic issues, (not only food) - much as that is a priority - which have got us to the present state of economic anxiety.
The realities in international community being what they are, we have no alternative but patiently to wait for the North and the South to agree on the modalities for discussing the economic rises they both have acknowledged. But what cannot wait, is the provision of food for the hungry.
From the African experience, the traditional food donor as well as the recipient are agreed that food aid should not become a permanent substitute for the local efforts as a source of supply, although a few donors would not mind its perpetuation if, along with it, other remunerative trade deals in their favour can be obtained. The most worrying prospect in the indefinite perpetuation of food aid is not only the undermining of local economic effort, or the political subservience of African States to the donors, but the risk is now a looming possibility that the African's life style and culture will be permanently changed by his addiction to the food he cannot produce in the tropical environment.
Pending a satisfactory solution - if such solution will ever be found - it is incumbent on the present day food-aid donor as well as the recipient, in the supreme interest of world peace, to act responsibly, conscious of the interdependence of world economies.
The OAU, in cooperation with FAO and other UN and international organizations, is increasingly becoming seized with the problem of food production in Africa, thanks to the comradely under‐standing among the leaders of these organizations. FAO, ECA and OAU cooperate very closely in meetings of FAO Regional Conferences in Africa. Under these series of Conferences, the African Ministers of Agriculture, as far back as six years ago, adopted a Food plan for the Continent whose abridged recommendations appear as chapter one of the Lagos Plan of Action. Last year, OAU and FAO published a pamphlet titled "FAMINE IN AFRICA" with the aim of sensitizing all concerned to the extent of the worsening situation and its causes and suggesting preventive and control measures. This document, among so many others, is available for those interested in detail.
As we look to the uncertain future, OAU, WFC, FAO, ECA and UNDP are presently cooperating in preparing the WFC Tenth Anniversary celebration next year to be appropriately marked in Africa, the Continent of the greatest needs, thanks to the generosity of the Government of Socialist Ethiopia which has offered to host it.
Conferences alone, however, will not solve the problem. Individual state and international efforts coupled with mutual understanding between food-surplus and food-deficit countries as to the indivisibility of the problem, need to be galvanised together and maintained in an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect before the world can breathe with ease on hunger. We, in Africa, believe that our present adverse food situation is only temporary for, in the words of the President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, Mr Areri, "Africa is the poor rich man". Enormously rich in potential but presently too poor to exploit that potential.
The meeting rose at 18.20 hours
La séance est levée à 18 h 20
Se levanta la sesión a las 18.20 horas