CHAIRMAN: I would remind delegates that the Contact Group on the Resolution on WCARRD will meet in the German Room at 3 p.m. The members of that Contact Group are: Australia, Cuba, Ghana, India Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway and the United States of America.
We have a very long list of delegates who wish to speak this afternoon, we must complete this session today; there are meetings to ensure that days are tightly programmed and we cannot eat into the programme for subsequent days. I know that many delegates are anxious to inform the Commission of the progress that they are achieving in their countries, but I would remind you all that the purpose of the Session is essentially to comment on the document before us. We shall not get through the day unless delegates cooperate with us in keeping comments as concise as possible.
Of course, the Conference is anxious to know about the progress you are achieving in your own countries and I would ask that if you wish to make statements about that, you hand them in to the Secretariat for inclusion in the verbatim record.
A. ACUÑA HUMPHRIES (Panamá): Valoramos, señor Presidente, la presentación-introducción de este importante tema (los progresos realizados en la aplicación del programa de acción de la Conferencia Mundial sobre Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural) realizada por el Profesor Islam, Subdirector General, Departamento de Política Económica y Social.
El primer comentario que la discusión de este tema nos merece, señor Presidente, es el de que la FAO como organismo principal de las Naciones Unidas en lo relativo a la reforma agraria y al desarrollo rural, ha cumplido debidamente con la presentación de este informe cuatrienal conforme a lo emanado de la CMRADR, celebrada en este Sede en julio de 1979.
Paralelamente, tenemos que aceptar que ha habido incumplimiento en muchos de nuestros Estados Miembros, que por distintas causas, la mayor parte de ellas de tipo político indudablemente, no llegamos a presentar los respectivos informes nacionales. Esto indudablemente priva al informe de datos que no dudamos hubieran enriquecido en información el Documento C 83/23, Pero, señor Presidente, en todo caso, estas son responsabilidades de nosotros los Estados Miembros que asistimos a la CMRADR, en un número total de 145 Estados Miembros, y no responsabilidad de la FAO.
Por otra parte, reconocemos las dificultades y limitaciones que se confrontan en la presentación de un denso informe refundido, descriptivo y analítico, como lo pidió el pasado período de sesiones de esta Conferencia.
No hay duda de que la reforma agraria constituye uno de los requisitos básicos del desarrollo de nuestros pueblos.
Ya expresamos en el 82° período de sesiones del Consejo de esta Conferencia que pretender dar solución a los problemas que obstaculizan el desarrollo del sector rural de nuestros países sin superar los problemas estructurales que tiendan entre otras cosas a ampliar y hacer más equitativos, de manera primaria, el acceso a la tierra, al agua y otros recursos naturales, es lo mismo que pretender llegar a una cima sin pasar necesariamente por los necesarios escalones primarios, con el riesgo de dar saltos en el vacío.
Los señalado en el Documento en el sentido del escaso progreso logrado, por ejemplo, en el acceso a la tierra por parte de la gente pobre del campo, refleja -y esto lo sabemos todos, pero no está de más repetirlo en esta Conferencia de la FAO- la tenaz posición de los conocidos intereses internos de presión negativa contra la reforma agraria y el desarrollo rural, en alianza con iguales y aún peores intereses externos.
La historia pasada y presente en América Latina y el Caribe en general y en América Central, en especial, es rica en estos ejemplos.
Con estas consideraciones, no pretendemos buscar meras excusas a las no materializaciones de acciones en materia de reforma agraria y desarrollo rural en nuestros países, sino que objetivamente señalamos causas que han sido freno a la reforma agraria y el desarrollo rural.
Asistíamos el pasado mes de septiembre a la discusión de un Documento que evaluaba la marcha de los proyectos de desarrollo rural integrados por el FIDA, y al escuchar las observaciones que realizaba un distinguido miembro de la Junta Ejecutiva del FIDA, de un país desarrollado, nos quedo la firme impresión de que sus observaciones guardaban relación con proyectos que se estuviesen ejecutando en su propio país y no en un país en desarrollo.
Se trata, señor Presidente, de la conocida posición consistente en decir: "Estamos de acuerdo con la reforma agraria y el desarrollo rural, pero..." y se le anteponen tantos peros, que desvirtúan y desvían el sentido mismo de lo que conceptualmente debe ser la reforma agraria y el desarrollo rural.
No hay mejor vehículo para que definitivamente, real y eficazmente lleguemos a los objetivos que constituyen la tantas veces repetida cifra de 500 millones de hambrientos en el mundo, si no es por acciones que se materialicen en proyectos de reforma agraria y desarrollo rural con los matices y particularidades de cada uno de nuestros países.
Las nuestras no son, señor Presidente, meras consideraciones teóricas sobre el tema, sino, por el contrario, experiencia práctica sobre el particular. Y aquí queremos señalar que escuchamos con mucha atención la intervención de Suecia en representación de los países nórdicos y que la consideramos como positiva, optimista y muy alentadora.
Por estas consideraciones, y muchas otras más, respaldamos plenamente el hecho de que la FAO continúe a través, tanto de su sistema de seguimiento sobre los progresos de la reforma agraria y el desarrollo rural, así como en la materialización de ayuda a los países que así lo soliciten, en la puesta en práctica del programa de acción de la CMRADR. Y esto entraña la preparación de informes en períodos alternos de las sesiones de esta Conferencia de la FAO.
Como bien lo expresamos al principio, reconocemos la función de la FAO como organismo principal de las Naciones Unidas en lo relativo a la reforma agraria y el desarrollo rural. Hemos considerado que éste debe ser uno de los aspectos programáticos a que se le debe prestar mayor atención de la FAO.
En cuanto a las prioridades en las orientaciones, destacamos -sin que ello signifique restar importancia a las otras- la que tiene que ver con la promoción de la participación popular para el desarrollo con su correspondiente componente de capacitación.
Uno de los acuerdos a que se debe llegar igualmente en esta vigésima segunda Conferencia de la FAO, es el de exhortar a los Estados Miembros a redoblar esfuerzos para el cumplimiento en la aplicación del Programa de Acción de la CMRADR, así como el confirmar la Resolución 7/79 de esta Conferencia de la FAO, como asimismo, a que se tienda cada vez más a utilizar los trabajos de seguimiento para mejorar sus programas y políticas de reforma agraria y desarrollo rural.
M. LENSTRA (Netherlands): I would like first of all to thank the Assistant Director-General, Dr Nurul Islam, for his introduction of the document before us, the Progress Report on WCARRD Programme of Action, Document C 83/23. I would also like to commend the FAO Secretariat for the very factual and analytical report on changing trends with specific country examples as to the extent of data availability.
An important aspect of WCARRD follow-up is that countries monitor progress in poverty alleviation and rural development and report the results to every other biennial Conference of FAO. The first of these series of country reports is now analysed and presented to us in the mentioned document.
My delegation regrets that FAO, despite wide ranging efforts to obtain adequate and reliable data on the progress in agrarian reform and rural developments since 1979, the factual description and analyses of the report have been constrained by the lack of adequate and comparable data. The distinctive message of WCARRD is attaining growth with equity and people's participation and redistribution of economic and political power. My delegation has stressed the importance of this message on many occasions.
Concerning people's participation, one of the main objectives of the WCARRD Programme of Action, we feel, is the need to form independent rural organizations and in this respect I would like to refer to paragraph 10 of the FAO Resolution 7/79 on WCARRD follow-up adopted during the Twentieth Session of the FAO Conference. I read this paragraph to you: "... calls upon all states concerned, and FAO, to take effective measures which will assist in the establishment and strengthening of self-reliance and representative rural organizations, including rural women's and youth organizations, so that such organizations can effectively and democratically participate in the implementation of the Programme of Action."
Progress in the ratification and enforcement of ILO Conventions related to the establishment of rural organizations has been very limited. In order to stimulate people's participation in rural development, my Government supports the special programme of FAO on people's participation through the funding of seven projects in Africa and Asia.
My delegation would like to make a comment on another main objective of the WCARRD Programme of Action, namely integration of women in rural development. This has been, as you know, of particular concern to my country for several years. In addition to what is said in the Progress Report of WCARRD on that subject matter, my delegation shares the opinion that development policy regarding women should be based on certain premises. Some of them I would like to mention. First, women should be given more influence and should be enabled to take part in the preparation and implementation of development planning at local, national and international levels, so as to give women the opportunity and the means to help shape the changes taking place.
Secondly, women should be in a position to defend their own interests, and development policy must aim at a larger measure of economic independence for women than is at present the case in most countries.
Thirdly, support must be given to women's groups and organizations that are striving to change the traditional relations between man and woman and give them a fair say in the processes of change taking place in the development context at all levels.
In the policy of the Netherlands Development Cooperation, women in development is a priority area, and that is the reason why the Netherlands is supporting the FAO Women's Programme. This programme is still in the preliminary stage and two projects have recently been approved by my Government , one in Lesotho and another project in Sudan. We are prepared to continue this support during the next biennium.
In this connection I should like to add that FAO projects not especially aimed at women, for which Dutch support is requested, should mention the impact of the project on the situation of women affected by the project. In fact separate projects for women should, at a later stage, no longer be necessary because the interests of women should become an integral part of all rural development projects.
Finally, I would like to draw your attention and that of the distinguished delegates, to the expert consultation on women in food production which is organized in Rome for the beginning of December, and is jointly financed by the Governments of Norway and the Netherlands.
H.L. CHAWLA (India): The Indian delegation is thankful to Dr Islam for his excellent introduction on this important subject. I shall very briefly touch upon the major components of rural development in India, and then make a few points on the presentation of the Report.
In the Agrarian Reforms Policy, there are five elements of our policy. One, the abolition of intermediary tenures. Two, tenancy reforms comprising regulation of rent, security of tenure, and confirmation of ownership rights on tenants. Thirdly, ceilings on land holdings and distribution of surplus land. Fourthly, consolidation of holdings and fifthly, compilation and up-dating of land records. This last aspect is important because we feel that in many cases in some of the States land reforms could not be implemented because there is no record and the tenant cannot establish that he has been on the land for a number of years.
Now, under the land ceiling laws, about 4 million hectares of land were declared surplus, out of which 2 million hectares have been distributed to about 1.5 million landless persons. To reduce the fragmentation of land holdings and create a standard holding size for better farming, consolidation of holdings have been completed, over 49 million hectares in the country, constituting about 31 percent of the area.
Among the other programmes, a programme of key importance is the integrated rural development programme. The operational strategy under this programme includes action plans for increasing production and productivity of agriculture and allied sectors, based on better use of land, water, etcetera. The object is to increase the incomes of the poorer sections. Diversification of agriculture through animal husbandry, dairy, forestry, fisheries, sylviculture, etc., also is an important part of this programme. This programme is expected to provide assistance to 15 million of the poorest rural families during the five-year period 1980-85.
Our Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi, has been showing special interest in rural development, and recently, for the small and marginal farmers a special scheme involving an outlay of 2,500 million Rupees was taken up. Under this scheme farmers in dry areas are being given subsidies for land and water development, and they are also being provided with free minikits of improved seeds of pulses and oil seeds and planting materials for horticulture and forestry. There are special area development programmes for drought-torn areas and desert areas. Under this rural development, employment aspect is considered most important because in many cases unemployment, poverty and malnutrition go together.
We have a country-wide programme which is called National Rural Employment Programme. The main interest of this Programme is the provision of employment to two sections of the rural poor who have very little or no assets. Both the development project and target group orientated employment relation projects are closely intertwined in the Programme. This Programme is expected to generate additional employment to the extent of 3 to 4 million man/days per year during the current Plan period.
A special scheme of benefit to women has been started in the rural areas. The object is to increase the incomes of women workers. Another programme called Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme, which was announced by our Prime Minister in August last and it has been introduced. Its object is to tackle the hard core of rural poverty by giving employment opportunities to the landless worker during the lean agricultural seasons. Under this programme about 300 million man/days of work will be generated during 1984-85.
In the matter of price policy and marketing support to which reference has also been made under rural development, substantial price incentives have been given. In the last three years prices of rice and wheat have been raised by about 30 percent, pulses by up to 50 percent, and for other crops also there is improvement. Then there is marketing support, under which about 15 million tons of rice and wheat are produced by government agencies. As from this season, the Government has undertaken the purchase of coarse cereals also, so that the poor people working in dry areas are able to get the right price for their produce.
A good deal of emphasis has been laid during the discussions on the draft resolution on monitoring and evaluation aspects.
In this connection, I would like to submit that the Government of India has set up a standing committee of social economic indicators for monitoring and evaluation of rural development programmes and agrarian reform. These committees are working under the National Statistics Board. India has a sophisticated system of data collection providing sufficient basis for monitoring and evaluation of the follow-up on the WCARRD Programme of Action.
Now, there is a recent development which might be of interest to developing countries. As you know, in crop production, timely availability of key inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, diesel electricity and credit is essential. In this sphere, India has tried an innovative approach from last season. We organised two input fortnights prior to the start of our two crop seasons. All the States in the country were asked to mobilise extension and administrative personnel at the field level to ensure that various agencies arranged all the inputs well in time and the farmers are able to get credit and inputs in their villages or nearby places before the start of the sowing season. The emphasis is on proper coordination, proper arrangements for availability at the distribution centres needed by the farmers. Both these fortnights have been very successful, and the farmers' response from various parts is very encouraging. It may be of interest to some countries.
I agree with many of the observations made by Australia in regard to the desirability of focusing our efforts on rural development, primarily on production and production-orientated infrastructural works, etc. The only limitation, as he also mentioned, is the cost-effectiveness of all these projects. I have only to submit that there are some families in our rural areas who have absolutely no assets and no resources, and a measure of rehabilitative effort is absolutely necessary if they are to be brought to a point from where they can walk and run, or a particular section will have to be treated with that measure of relaxation, although the method of production is most important.
Lastly, as regards FAO's Progress Report on WCARRD Programme of Action, I want to suggest in all humility that this presentation should be capable of further improvement, knowing fully the limitations and difficulties of presenting the progress of 150 countries is quite difficult, but still the point is that FAO might like to decide on certain indicators of rural development. There might be some benchmarks for each country, and progress could be measured in relation to those benchmarks.
Secondly, I would think that I have seen in many cases a draft being prepared by the World Bank on their economic service to be shown to the governments concerned for comments. If that type of production could be feasible - although it is going to be difficult - whatever comments are prepared, on that day the view of the country government is also asked. That may be helpful.
Thirdly, there could be scope that under very specific heads, a sort of questionnaire is circulated to different countries and they are asked to fill in information on the points where calculations are needed, etc., and thereafter, the same could be scrutinised by FAO.
These are the few comments which I wanted to make on this item.
N.K. BASNYAT (Nepal): First of all, I would like to thank Dr Islam for his lucid presentation of the Progress Report on WCARRD Programme. I would also like to express our appreciation for the task done by the Secretariat in preparing"this comprehensive Report.
As you are aware, the economic conditions of a large segment of the rural population in most developing countries remain very low. The follow-up of WCARRD progress and support from FAO to these programmes is of great importance to us. It has been very clearly mentioned in the Programme of Work and Budget 1984-85 that the rural poor generally lack effective organisations of their own through which they can participate in planning and implementing programmes, market their produce, get a fair price for their food, and secure the necessary inputs and services. This is where my delegation feels we should put more emphasis. This calls for promotion and strengthening of rural organisations, that is cooperatives at the village level owned and operated by small and marginal farmers and small artisans.
While making a statement, the head of my delegation mentioned the rural development programme being carried out in the context of WCARRD follow-up and launching of an intensive cooperative programme. Under this intensive cooperative programme, cooperative societies owned and operated by only small and marginal farmers are organised, which are known as Small Farmers' Cooperatives. Planning and implementing programmes and services being provided through their own groups, they have organised these societies based on certain commodities. Training of group leaders and members is being carried out to expose them to the management of group activities. This we think could be a very effective way and an institution of their own where they can participate in decision-making which affects themselves. This would be the cooperative way of reaching the rural poor and could be of importance to other developing countries and needs substantial support.
We are seriously considering the establishment of an apex Level cooperative organization with direct linkages up to primary levels where FAO's support would be of great importance.
I also would like to mention at this juncture that we recently held a National Workshop in appropriate management systems for agricultural cooperatives where an integrated approach to cooperative development has been a major focus area, and FAO's support to this is highly appreciated.
Women are being encouraged to join village cooperatives, and a national Plan of Action regarding women in cooperatives, agriculture, cottage, industries and forestry has been made, and training is being organised in various fields by the respective agencies.
H. CARRION (Nicaragua): Nuestra delegación se complace, de manera muy especial, de intervenir en este tema. Por esto, haremos referencia necesaria a nuestra experiencia nacional, pero seremos breves para cumplir con el apelo que usted nos ha hecho.
El informe sobre la marcha de las actividades complementarias de la Conferencia Mundial sobre Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural, plantea algunos asuntos que nuestra delegación considera de particular interés. Las medidas de Reforma Agraria al interior de los países, así como las acciones tendientes a apoyar dichos planes y proyectos nacionales, constituyen, a nuestro entender, el punto de partida de cualquier esfuerzo serio que busque resolver los graves problemas del hambre, la desnutrición y demás lacras sociales que aquejan a nuestros pueblos.
Los países del área enfrentamos situaciones similares en el sector agropecuario. Nicaragua heredó del somocismo un modelo de desarrollo agropecuario, en el cual el sector de agroexportación ha subordinado a su dinámica de crecimiento a una economía campesina tradicional sobre cuyos hombros ha recaído históricamente el grueso de la producción de alimentos. Al influjo de los precios en el mercado internacional, y según el crecimiento de la demanda en los países industrializados, el café primeramente, y después el algodón, la caña de azúcar, la ganadería de carne, fueron asentando progresivamente su predomonio en el agro.
A través de un proceso intenso de concentración y acaparamiento de las mejores tierras, los latifundistas despojaron enormes contingentes de campesinos y dedicaron dichas tierras a la producción agroexportadora. Estos campesinos, separados de sus tierras a través de métodos generalmente violentos, fueron absorbidos, como asalariados permanentes de las plantaciones; otros emigraron a los centros urbanos a engrosar las filas de los desempleados o subempleados, o bien a la frontera agrícola donde encontraron su alternativa de sobrevivencia, en la tumba de bosques para la siembra Je granos básicos. Una proporción importante de ellos, lanzados a tierras marginales u obligados a buscar el acceso a la misma mediante el pago de una renta en efectivo o en especie, sembraban granos básicos durante una parte del año, y emigraban a los cortes de. café, algodón y caña de azúcar para completar sus ingresos como mano de obra barata durante los meses restantes.
Este modelo de desarrollo, concentrador y excluyente, no podía ofrecer más que despojos, hambre y miseria a los campesinos. El 50 por ciento de las tierras, generalmente aquellas de mejor calidad y dotadas de infraestructura, se encontraban al momento del triunfo revolucionario en manos de solamente el 2 por ciento de los propietarios. El índice de analfabetismo en el campo era superior al 75 por ciento, y en amplias zonas del país ascendía prácticamente al 100 por ciento. La desnutrición y las enfermedades azotaban a la población infantil del campo, registrándose un índice de mortalidad de 121 niños menores de un año por cada mil nacidos.
El somocismo impulsó, a través del llamado Instituto Agrario, supuestos planes de reforma agraria así como proyectos de colonización en zonas de la frontera agrícola que no constituyeron otra cosa que un intento para mediatizar la justa resistencia de los campesinos frente al despojo. Estos proyectos no lograron sino lanzar a los pequeños productores a condiciones de vida aún más deterioradas, y provocar irreparables daños en los suelos y bosques. Posteriormente, el somocismo creó el Instituto de Bienestar Campesino, el cual dispuso de un amplio apoyo financiero de la AID, en una versión modernizada del antiguo Instituto Agrario. Ninguno de estos programas pudieron mediatizar la conciencia de los campesinos, a quienes la experiencia había enseñado que sólo una revolución que transformara profundamente las antiguas estructuras, sería capaz de satisfacer sus más profundas aspiraciones y reivindicaciones. Fue así que los pequeños y medianos productores se incorporaron masivamente a la lucha revolucionaria y contribuyeron de manera decisiva al triunfo popular del 19 de julio de 1979.
Señor Presidente, Nicaragua lleva adelante actualmente un proyecto de reforma agraria que recoge muchos de los lineamientos contenidos en el Programa de Acción de la Conferencia Mundial de Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural. Este proyecto es consecuente con la opción adoptada por la revolución nicaragüense en el sentido de hacer de la transformación de los productos de la agricultura y demás recursos materiales, el eje alrededor del cual giran los esfuerzos de reconstrucción y reestructuración de nuestra economía, dentro del contexto de un plan nacional de desarrollo.
La reforma agraria nicaragüense se propone, en el marco de política de reconstrucción y unidad nacional, modificar profundamente el modelo de desarrollo heredado del somocismo, como condición indispensable para mejorar las condiciones de marginalidad y atraso en que fueron sumidos la gran mayoría de los productores agropecuarios, así como para sentar las bases de un verdadero desarrollo nacional. En ese orden se avanza hacia la eliminación de la tradicional subordinación de la producción alimenticia a la agroexportación, y se promueve la más amplia y generalizada participación de los campesinos y obreros agrícolas organizados, incluyendo la participación de la mujer.
La reforma agraria ha hecho pasar para siempre a la historia el esquema tradicional de concentración de la propiedad de la tierra. Solamente a través del decreto numero 3, emitido pocos días después del triunfo revolucionario, se confiscaron un millón de hectáreas que pertenecieron a Somoza y a sus allegados, lo cual representó un decisivo golpe al latifundismo.
La campaña de alfabetización, dirigida principalmente hacia el campo, redujo el índice nacional de analfabetismo de más del 50 por ciento a solamente el 12 por ciento. El crédito otorgado a los campesinos a través del Programa de Crédito Rural, pasó de 95 millones de córdobas como máximo durante el somocismo a más de 900 millones de córdobas en el primer año de la revolución.
La reducción de la renta de la tierra, el incremento de los salarios de los obreros agrícolas, los programas de salud, abastecimiento y educación popular, representan los pasos trascendentales a través de los cuales se concentran las reinvidicaciones por las que lucharon por tantos años los campesinos nicaragüenses.
La ley de reforma agraria, promulgada en agosto de 1981, proporcionó el marco jurídico para la profundización del proceso.
Esta ley, si bien no establece un límite a la propiedad individual de la tierra, faculta para la aceptación de las grandes propiedades ociosas, rentistas, deficientemente explotadas o en estado de abandono, habiéndose aplicado en unas 180 000 hectáreas adicionales. Asimismo, una vez promulgada dicha ley se dio inicio a la titulación de cooperativas y productores individuales por más de 2 000 hectáreas que desde el triunfo les habían sido entregadas a través de distintos mecanismos. Todas estas medidas han dado como resultado el que, solamente en cuatro años, los campesinos pobres hayan pasado de poseer el 3 por ciento a ser dueños de más del 20 por ciento de las tierras cultivables, lo que significa que para finales de 1983 se habrán distribuido aproximadamente 580 000 hectáreas de tierra que benefician a 25 580 familias del campo.
Es así como ha ido surgiendo y consolidándose un nuevo perfil del agro nicaragüense, en el que participan el Estado, los pequeños y medianos productores cooperativizados y los productores individuales. Son casi 100 empresas de reforma agraria entre las que se encuentran ingenios azucareros, empresas ganaderas tecnificadas, así como plantaciones de algodón y tabaco, contribuyen al estado revolucionario con el 20 por ciento del total de la producción agropecuaria del país.
Políticas de incentivos han sido orientadas a estimular a los productores cooperativizados, cuyo peso en la agricultura es significativo para participar en la reactivación económica y en el esfuerzo nacional por desarrollar la producción agropecuaria.
Particular énfasis ha puesto el Gobierno de reconstrucción nacional en los programas alimentarios, los cuales están estrechamente asociados al proyecto de reforma agraria que fomenta la incorporación a la producción de áreas anteriormente ociosas. El programa alimentario nacional se propone alcanzar a corto plazo para el país la autosuficiencia y la generación de excedentes exportables, y en un breve período de tiempo ha obtenido importantes éxitos, aunque nuestros esfuerzos en este sentido enfrentan graves problemas provenientes de situaciones climatológicas, y en especial, los que se derivan del escaso finaneiamiento internacional del intercambio desigual de productos primarios y productos manufacturados en el mercado mundial, del proteccionismo comercial y de las constantes agresiones que sufre nuestro país.
Para finalizar, apoyamos el proyecto de resolución sometido a la consideración de esta Comisión e instamos al Director General de la FAO a que nos continúe informando de los progresos que se han realizado en la aplicación del programa de acción de la Conferencia Mundial de Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural. Instamos también al Director General de la FAO a que siga prestando asistencia a nuestros países en este campo.
A.H.M. ABDUL HYE (Bangladesh): Mr Chairman, though I have prepared a written statement incorporating the progress under the various areas as covered by the local Declaration of Principles and particularly the Programme of Action, I will refrain from going through it in deference to your wish and in order to save time.
First of all, I should like to congratulate Professor Islam on his brief, lucid and very effective introduction to a rather lengthy and complicated paper. He has very succinctly initiated us into the main subject covered in the report. Conference document C 83/23 is a very important one because it has initiated a global monitoring system on the progress of agrarian reform and rural development. In this sense it is truly a turning point for judging the progress in alleviating rural poverty.
The WCARRD recommendations expected the developing countries particularly to undertake regularly the collection of data on various aspects of agrarian reform and rural development and monitor the progress towards meeting the objectives and quantifiable time-bound targets set by themselves. It appears from the Report that not many countries have complied with this requirement or have implemented this recommendation. As this Report is a compilation and consolidation of the country reports received by the FAO Secretariat, the shortcoming is based on this limited coverage. But more important than the limited coverage is the manner in which the reports have been collected. In most cases, if Bangladesh is anything to go by, the country reports were prepared hastily by consultants or by consulting firms which went around different Ministries and then put together the paper for submission to FAO. I do not question the quality or the competence of the people who prepared the country reports, but, because of the time constraint and the logistic problem, they had to make do with inadequate information, inadequate data, and to that extent the country reports must be less than adequate. If instead a continuous reporting system is initiated for monitoring regularly the progress in the various areas of agrarian reform and rural development, and the reports are compiled centrally, either at the Planning Commission or at any othe agency, preferably with the participation of the FAO Representative, then FAO Headquarters will have a better input for the preparation of this type of document. I hope this will be done in future.
The quality of this Report, the quality of the analysis, the merit or justification of the conclusions regarding the major trends in the progress of achievement in the various areas covered under WCARRD, depends very greatly on the benchmark data for each area. I am not sure if the benchmark data were collected or are available in every case. If these are not available, then there is no basis of comparison and one can only make subjective judgements. It would also be very helpful if quantifiable time-bound targets are available. This may not be possible in every case. For instance, a quantifiable time-bound target cannot be set for an area like people's participation, or, for that matter, in respect of access to inputs. But some more devices can be found in order to get around this problem, because the aim should be to arrive at quantitative figures objectively, as far as possible.
The developing countries are not an undifferentiated mass. They belong to different categories, such as less developed countries, countries in the lower range of developing countries and countries which are developing at a faster rate. If we want to review the progress in the various areas covered by agrarian reform and rural development, it may not be proper to draw conclusions on the basis of the experience of developing countries with a disparate rate of development. If data from a developing country which is relatively developed are used to draw conclusions regarding trends in certain areas, such data may not be applicable in the case of other developing countries which might be at a different stage of development. Therefore, the Secretariat of FAO should consider the desirability of making separate chapters or sections to review the progress under WCARRD to identify the major trends for different categories of developing countries.
Finally, the basis for monitoring the progress under WCARRD has already incorporated some socioeconomic indicators. There is no doubt that responsibility for improving the data base for quantifying things like the development of land, access to inputs and people's participation lies primarily with the developing countries, but there is a good deal that international agencies, particularly FAO, can do in terms of providing technical assistance, in identifying projects which will have a direct bearing on the amelioration of poverty, the improvement of economic conditions of the rural poor and the disadvantaged.
An agency like FAO should go even beyond that by taking follow-up action for providing funds to take up the implementation of and to continue priority projects. In this respect, I must mention the good work done by the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) in monitoring the progress of WCARRD. I understand similar good work has been done by CIRDAFRICA who played a very effective role in this area and therefore, I expect that those regional organizations who are exclusively dealing with rural development will be given the necessary assistance and will be adequately strengthened.
CHAIRMAN: The Chair thanks the delegate of Bangladesh for his constructive comments and for his forbearance in agreeing to lodge with the Secretariat the statement concerning progress in his own country. While I am sure all members of the Commission and Conference are anxious to hear of the progress in individual countries, in fairness to all delegates who wish to speak we will have to seek your cooperation on that.
Mine M.T. GUICCIARDI (Observateur pour la Confédération internationale des syndicats libres): Monsieur le Président, nous syndicalistes attachons une importance extrême à la présentation du premier rapport sur la mise en oeuvre du Programme d'action de la CMRADR pour lequel la FAO avait une responsabilité particulière. Nous voulons tout spécialement féliciter la FAO des efforts qu'elle a accomplis en ce domaine, et avec le Directeur général nous déplorons que les résultats en soient si lents et que si peu de gouvernements aient donné suite aux engagements pris en juillet 1979.
Pour sa part, la CISL et ses Organisations affiliées qui représentent plus de 80 millions de travailleurs urbains et ruraux des pays en voie de développement comme des pays industrialisés, des pays riches comme des pays pauvres, est bien décidé a poursuivre son action pour un développement fondé sur la justice économique et sociale, et sur la participation de tous les protagonistes y compris les travailleurs et les pauvres ruraux, hommes et femmes.
Dans les pays en voie de développement, atteindre les objectifs de la politique alimentaire n'est pas seulement une question d'augmentation de la production. Au moins aussi importants - si pas plus -sont les problèmes de l'inégalité rurale. Il existe d'énormes barrières, sociales, culturelles, politiques et économiques à la participation des pauvres au processus de développement. Une stratégie efficace pour l'élimination de la pauvreté rurale doit inclure des mesures qui permettent aux masses rurales pauvres d'élever leur propre niveau de vie. Parmi celles-ci, les mesures de financement, d'ouverture de crédit, sont peut-être les plus faciles à prendre Surmonter les barrières sociales et politiques qui empêchent les pauvres d'entreprendre eux-mêmes une action pour améliorer leur propre condition, présente des problèmes beaucoup plus complexes. La réforme foncière et le fonctionnement d'organisations de travailleurs ruraux en sont les deux éléments-clés.
Dans de nombreux pays les meilleures terres agricoles se trouvent sur les grands domaines qui appartiennent souvent à des propriétaires fonciers absentéistes et qui sont exploités par des méthodes de production extensive, en premier lieu pour le marché d'exportation.
Morceler les grands domaines et redistribuer les terres parmi les employés et les petits agriculteurs locaux devrait améliorer la santé de l'économie locale et mettre un frein à la répression sociale et parfois politique, que les propriétaires fonciers imposent aux communautés rurales. Toutefois, la seule réforme foncière n'est jamais suffisante et dans certains pays il existe des problèmes tout aussi importants dus à la trop petite dimension des propriétés terriennes.
La productivité agricole chez les petits cultivateurs peut être matériellement accrue grâce à l'assistance technique. Toutefois les facteurs de production tels que des engrais, de meilleures semences, la gestion de l'eau, des facilités de stockage, de meilleures méthodes de culture et un meilleur équipement, même s'il s'agit de modèles les plus simples, leur restent souvent inaccessibles. Dans ces circonstances, des organisations de travailleurs ruraux peuvent jouer un rôle important dans des programmes collectifs qui répartissent le coût de l'investissement dans des techniques améliorées et les bénéfices qui en découlent. De même les facilités de distribution et de crédit accordées par des organisations à base communautaire sont davantage susceptibles de garantir aux petits agriculteurs une part équitable du prix atteint par leurs produits sur le marché urbain et de leur éviter le recours aux prêteurs et à leur taux d'intérêt ruineux. Une organisation est également un fondement essentiel pour la réussite des efforts de formation et d'éducation déployés non seulement dans les techniques de production mais encore en matière d'alphabétisation, de santé, de nutrition, de petits négoces, et d'emplois liés à l'agriculture.
Bien entendu, le rôle du gouvernement et d'autres organisations publiques est lui aussi important pour les programmes de développement rural. La réforme foncière et le développement des organisations de travailleurs ruraux, dans le sens large accepté par la Conférence mondiale sur la réforme agraire et le développement rural,et codifiés par la Convention No 141 de l'OIT, ne peuvent avoir d'effet que si les gouvernements adoptent une attitude positive à l'égard du changement et résistent à l'opposition des gros propriétaires fonciers et autres puissants intérêts qui se manifestent dans l'économie rurale. Nous attachons une grande attention au Programme de participation populaire sur les activités duquel nous avons cependant quelques réserves. En effet nous avons connu le cas de projets proposés par les gouvernements et soutenus par la FAO, qui, avec les meilleures, intentions du monde, entrent en compétition sur le terrain avec des organisations authentiques de travailleurs ruraux et de petits paysans indépendants des gouvernements, parfois même soutenus par les mêmes agences donatrices. C'est justement là où est l'ambiguïté et le danger de ce programme, et ce n'est certes pas ce qui a été voulu par la Conférence mondiale sur la réforme agraire et le développement rural.
La CISL et ses affiliées sont convaincues que tout effort pour établir un nouvel ordre social et économique ne peut réussir que si la liberté d'organisation est respectée.
Nous faisons appel aux Etats Membres de la FAO pour qu'ils réfléchissent aux changements politiques nécessaires afin de donner un contenu aux programmes adoptés. Nous tenons à souligner combien nous déplorons le peu de progrès réalisés dans le domaine des droits des travailleurs ruraux et des petits paysans. En dépit de l'élaboration des normes par l'OIT et des efforts de persuasion de la FAO, peu de gouvernements respectent les droits des petits paysans et des travailleurs et ceux-ci continuent à être battus, emprisonnés, assassinés, quand ils veulent s'unir pour améliorer tant soit peu leur niveau de vie. C'est à les défendre que la CISL et la Fédération internationale des travailleurs des plantations, de l'agriculture et des secteurs connexes consacrent leurs efforts. Nous sommes convaincus qu'il ne peut y avoir de véritable paix ni de développement économique sans respect des droits fondamentaux des individus et des peuples. Il va sans dire que nous appuyons la Résolution et notamment son paragraphe 8.
Mohsen CHEBIL (Tunisie) (langue originale arabe): Je voudrais remercier le professeur N. Islam pour l'exposé fort intéressant sur l'application du programme d'action sur la reforme agraire et le développement rural et sur le document C 83/23 élaboré par la FAO qui a donné un aperçu assez general sur les progrès réalisés par un grand nombre de pays en développement et sur les mesures prises par nos pays en vue de réduire les affres de la pauvreté, d'aider les petits exploitants agricoles et d'élever leur niveau socio-économique.
Dans ce contexte, la République tunisienne a pris une série de mesures législatives et réglementaires pour répondre à cette exigence.
Permettez-moi, Monsieur le Président, d'en aborder brièvement les plus importantes et notamment celles prises à l'issue de la Conférence mondiale sur la réforme agraire et le développement rural tenue a Rome en juillet 1979.
En 1982 a paru le code relatif à l'encouragement des investissements dans le domaine agricole et celui des pêches. Le code encourage particulièrement le développement agricole par le biais de proiets agro-industriels intégrés, en accordand des avantages fiscaux et financiers aux petits et moyens agriculteurs et aux gens de mer. En outre une importance particulière est accordée 1 integration des jeunes dans le secteur agricole. Ils sont encouragés à acquérir des terres agricoles et bénéficient de prêts à des conditions avantageuses.
De plus une partie importante des terres domaniales est réservée aux jeunes techniciens diplômés des instituts agronomiques.
S'agissant de l'encouragement en matière de développement agricole, le gouvernement tunisien a pris un certain nombre de mesures législatives et de modalités pour renforcer les coopératives de services et les sociétés agricoles d'assurance qui regroupent les petits et moyens exploitants. Ce renforcement se traduit surtout en termes d'encadrement de ces institutions et leur encouragement à s'autofinancer.
En matière de réforme agraire, les efforts se poursuivent en vue de réorganiser le système foncier des superficies irriguées qui atteignent aujourd'hui 74 000 ha. Les mêmes efforts sont menés par les services du Cadastre à l'effet de donner les titres de propriété aux agriculteurs qui leur permettent ainsi d'acquérir des prêts et de restaurer leur terre. Parallèlement à ces actions, le gouvernement tunisien entreprend des projets dans le cadre du développement rural et de l'encouragement des femmes rurales et des familles productrices.
A cet effet, il a été créé un ministère qui s'intéresse aux affaires de la famille et de la femme. Ce ministère a été confié à l'Union des femmes tunisiennes. C'est là une preuve supplémentaire de l'importance du rôle de la femme dans l'émancipation de la famille en général et de la famille rurale en particulier.
De même que la femme participe aux travaux de formation, d'éducation et de recherche scientifique en matière agricole en faisant profiter les exploitants notamment les petits et moyens agriculteurs qui représentent en fait plus de 90 pour cent de l'ensemble des agriculteurs tunisiens.
Je ne voudrais pas m'étendre davantage, car toutes ces mesures que je viens de signaler brièvement vont en droite ligne avec les recommandations de la Conférence mondiale sur la réforme agraire et le développement rural. La Tunisie a eu l'honneur d'abriter la réunion des experts sur les indicateurs socio-économiques relatifs à l'application de la réforme agraire et du développement rural pour le Proche-Orient tenue du 15 au 19 juin 1982. Cette réunion a donné lieu à des recommandations et à des conclusions qui ont été soumises à la Conférence régionale.
Je voudrais enfin remercier la FAO pour son rapport analytique sur l'application de la réforme agraire et le développement rural contenu dans le document C 83/23, et dire notre approbation aux recommandations qui y figurent.
Talal NASSAR (Jordan) (original language Arabic): Jordan was one of the Near East Region countries visited by the mission headed by FAO to report on progress in the implementation of the WCARRD Programme of Action. We were also amongst the first countries to respond to the request made by the Organization on an institutional and statistical basis for monitoring and evaluating activities in order to achieve popular participation and an increase in the role of rural women in development and to provide extension and training services, as well as production for farmers, especially the smallholders and the poorest amongst them.
We have reviewed the comprehensive report prepared by the Secretariat on progress towards the implementation of the WCARRD Programme of Action and here we wish to congratulate Mr Moreno and his collaborators on this well-prepared document.
Despite what has been achieved so far in the field of agrarian reform and rural development, much remains to be done. More effort and work are required on the national, regional and international levels. The Organization must therefore continue providing aid to developing countries in this field. The developing countries in turn are called upon to pursue their efforts in implementing the WCARRD Programme of Action.
Needless to say, the first step that developing countries need to take is to establish the statistical and institutional basis for continuous monitoring and evaluation.
As for regional action in the Near East area, the Plenipotentiaries Conference held here in FAO Headquarters last September agreed to the setting up of a Regional Centre for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform in the Near East Region. This Centre is to be based in Jordan. My country's delegation wishes here to express its pleasure and appreciation to the countries of the Region for choosing Jordan to host this centre. I also wish to thank FAO and the Near East Region Secretariat for their efforts and I would like to express our thanks to the Human Resources, Institutions and Agrarian Reform Division for their efforts.
I would like to seize this opportunity to urge the countries of the Region to speed up their ratification of the agreement establishing this Centre. I also hope that the draft resolution to be passed by the Conference on this subject will contain an item urging developing countries as soon as possible to join the Regional Centres already established or about to be set up.
As is well-known within the United Nations system, FAO is the pioneering and lead agency in the area of agrarian reform and rural development. We therefore wish to express our support for its continued action in this field. and hope that there will be cooperation with other international organizations, such as Unesco, the World Health Organization, the International Labour Organization, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, as well as the various United Nations Economic Commissions and UNICEF. We hope that all these organizations will cooperate and coordinate their activities on the national and regional levels. Joint missions should be sent to developing countries to help them in re-designing and planning their strategies and policies in the fields of agrarian reform and rural development.
These are some of the considerations that my country's delegation wishes to stress, hoping that the resolution to be passed by the Conference will also contain reference to them and support for them.
D.C.P. EVANS (United Kingdom): Mr Chairman, I am not clear whether these blinding floodlights have been brought in to support your appeal for brevity, but they will certainly have a salutary effect on my comments right now. I would like to make a brief statement and then hand in some comments to the Secretariat which I think will also help.
Along with many previous speakers, we can indeed commend the Secretariat for producing this latest Progress Report on WCARRD and we support the recommendations that have been included in paragraph 5 of page xiii, under the heading Policy Issues for Consideration by the Conference. This paper is indeed very valuable and it shows the ways in which FAO can assist countries in rural development.
My delegation wishes to draw particular attention to monitoring and evaluation as an important tool in ensuring that in this complex field, activities are still correctly related to the real issues. Without this information our governments would be particularly unable to make day-to-day decisions which are necessary to keep the plans on course.
We appreciate that with different data and indeed with different methods of assessment monitoring progress world wide would be particularly difficult. Much of the material in this report seems to derive from an understanding arising from social scientific research and evaluation. What may well be needed, however, is that much more operational social science research is necessary to provide solutions to the problems which have been identified.
It is not clear what percentage of the funds available to WCARRD activities is devoted to this kind of operational social scientific research, but it is important.
It is encouraging to see the way in which the paper covers specific areas where bodies like FAO can actually help at the grass roots level, such as support to small scale fisheries and to the development of small farm units and to the improvement of TCDC.
Chapter II, paragraph 1, Changes Towards Equity and People's Participation, is reassuring, as we learn that the national development plans of a number of countries are showing an increasing emphasis on meeting the objectives outlined in the WCARRD Plan of Action. The efficient implementation of these plans is of paramount importance, if the rural population is to benefit. We have already heard comments to this effect during this debate.
The comments on inadequacies of conventional cooperatives in paragraph 3 of the summary and on pages 26 and 27 are indeed valid in many countries. However, in the main they have been recognized and it is generally fair to say that attempts are being made to design cooperatives which can better serve the poor.
Many of the small development groups which have been created through our own bilateral assistance programmes rely very much on conventional cooperatives for input supplies and for credit guarantees.
In Chapter II, paragraph 2, the Identification of Intended Beneficiary Groups of the Rural Poor, the policy shifts in forestry and livestock developments are indeed most welcome. However, the close interrelationships between agriculture in its broadest sense and forestry are not, in our view, sufficiently emphasized. A change in policy for forestry will inevitably affect agriculture and livestock production and again vice versa.
The boundaries that exist between ministries in all countries make it difficult for coordinated development programmes to be set up either at national, regional or farm level.
In Chapter III, section A, paragraph 4, Access to Inputs, Markets and Agricultural Services, we very much endorse this section of the document, especially paragraphs 4 (a) to (d). In particular, allied to the provision of credit in support of the development of the small producer, the need for conventional collateral needs to be relaxed.
It is encouraging that this has been confirmed from experience in Asia and elsewhere. Indeed, wherever possible collateral should be production-oriented.
In relation to the integration of women, we can endorse the recognition in the report that specialist women's affairs units can result in isolation and inadequate plans. For this reason we support the long-term objectives of increasing the number of female extension workers. This is important in the technical field of agriculture, and the short-term aim of creating awareness among male extension workers. However, such awareness is more likely to be created by ensuring that all extension workers are given some degree of training in sociological aspects of agriculture, including the importance of wholesale structure for farm management decision making.
Finally, regarding the section on Aid, pages 45 to 49, I would like to refer to developments arising from the work of the international Agricultural Research Centres. These Centres are playing an increasing emphasis on the development of new technologies suited to the small and poorer farmers, and it is regrettable that we find very little reference to them.
While we welcome this Report, the first reaction must be that the Report in 1987 should show much greater progress in follow-up action to the WCARRD Conference of 1979. We have always appreciated that progress was likely to be slow, that the pressures against change in some developing countries were severe, and that therefore it would take a considerable time for real changes to emerge.
The Report is correct in recording concern about the very slow pace of development since 1979 in the case of land reform. Land reform is a key issue in this very difficult field. We need not, however, be under any illusion about the likely efficiency of a sudden land reform programme; there are examples where land reform, though well intentioned, has not led to the results expected in the time-scale envisaged; there can even be a drop in production following the reform, even where the peasants individually benefit from it. The process is a long-term one.
The same problem arises with other socially-advanced notions, such as women's participation in development, but it is apparent from the Report that little has really happened on the ground. The value of women's participation in economic development as a whole should be recognized. There is real value to developing countries in supporting the development of women's participation - a point which does not quite emerge in the Report itself, which seems to stress the social value of women's participation rather than its economic importance.
Another important element in the Report is the contrast which it paints between developing countries in different economic and social circumstances. There is no real attempt to gloss over the differences between many developing countries on this score, and the implications of poor social or economic development are well set out. Without social justice, development is not going to be of great value to most of the people in many countries; and social structures must therefore form part of any true development programmes.
It becomes clear in the paper that assessments of progress vary from country to country, and that therefore it is almost impossible to obtain any uniform measure of real progress - although the Report tries manfully to do this in Chapter IV. Variations in the data base, in the methods of collecting data, and indeed in social assessments of the data, are so wide that it is very difficult indeed to reach any conclusions of universal validity.
Our additional views are as follows:
(a) Chapter II
i. We can support the proposed changes for forestry and in small-scale fisheries development; indeed, we are active in helping in these fields and have taken note of the PWB proposals in this respect.
ii. We can also support the concentration on nutritional considerations as part of a general programme of food development, rather than as a specific problem in its own right.
iii We must be a little concerned about the variations in the assessment of criteria for poverty in different countries; this may well reflect their different social structures, but it does nonetheless to some extent affect the validity of the conclusions reached by the Report.
(b) Chapter III
i. The first lesson must be the effect of social injustice on rural development and reform.
ii. The problems in Africa appear to be different ones - more a case of lack of infrastructure and archaic land tenure procedures than of actual injustice; but the end results are very much the same.
iii Decentralization also poses big problems, and it is fairly clear that words are not followed by action in many countries, where control from the centre is very strong indeed. It is significant that in Nepal, where decentralization has actually worked, there has been real progress.
iv The question of women's access to land and property is also clearly constrained by very complex and difficult legal and social requirements rather than by overt discrimination against women; this must be corrected if there is to be real progress.
v Access to credit and to support finance has been very poor and the gap between theory and practice is nowhere wider than here action must be taken to make credit really available to small farmers it should be recognized that on the Report’s own assessment they are good credit risks.
(c) Chapter IV
The quantitative analysis is in some ways rather disappointing because of the very varied bases on which the figures were drawn up. Nevertheless certain lessons do emerge - none of them very surprising ones. In the first place it is clear that the high risk countries are throughout worse off than the low risk and this reflects not merely calorie intake but also health and education. In other words as expected the poor are getting poorer, and less able to cope, while the comparatively rich are beginning to prosper slightly. The policy adopted by donors to combat this phenomenon concentration on the poorest - is clearly the only one to pursue, even though one must know that the results will often be disappointing. It is useful however to have these figures showing the different results from aid inputs in different kinds of country. We can also welcome the very wide spread of countries used in this sample and acknowledge that this makes the sample all the more valid although China could included in view of its size and importance in the developing world.
Other more detailed comments are: (a) page xi and elsewhere - the inadequacy of statistical services is widely recognized and for example very few African countries have adequate statistical services. Better designed and cheaper survey techniques are generally necessary in order to achieve more reliable statistics. (b) While the need for fuel wood is mentioned for example on page 10, too little emphasis is given to this crucial need. Generally the pressure on wood resources is increasing and much needs to be done in the context of agro-forestry. The work of the International Council for Research in Agro-forestry is worth noting here.
H.M. CARANDANG (Philippines): The Philippine delegation, like many other developing countries, labour under many constraints in its efforts to promote rural development. We have found, for example, no formula on how to solve the problem of excess farm labour when there is only a limited outlet into the other sectors for such labour, because of the limited capacity of the industrial and secondary sectors to absorb more labour. Many remain on the land with the consequent underemployment and seasonal unemployment.
We have not found any formula for solving the problem of agricultural commodity prices which are subject to very violent fluctuations and in the long term tend to decline in real terms, yet prices of inputs continue to increase, and this problem is further aggravated by the protectionist policies of some countries to which we export.
We have not found any way of preventing typhoons, we have 26 of them every year, and droughts are wrecking our harvests. We find it difficult to overcome this obstacle and other vicious circles of poverty, all of which have depressing effects on the incomes of farmers. We have some misgivings about the findings of document C 83/23 regarding the incidence of poverty in our country because of dubious methodology. I do not know how comparable are the data over the time period, likewise I am not sure whether the data regarding incomes are adequately reported. Some questions are also raised about the modification of the design and coverage of income and expenditure surveys on which these estimates are based. Having said this, the Philippine Government would like to reaffirm its support for the Action Programme of WCARRD. The Philippines has done its part to implement this Programme. Under its land reform programme, the Philippines has succeeded in transferring millions of hectares of rice to farmers who till it. Efforts to increase agricultural productivity in rice and corn have achieved some breakthrough so that from a rice-exporting country they have become a marginal exporter of rice. This has been made possible by the creation of an appropriate technology backed by the adequate increases in inputs and a large extension force. Our Government furthermore has established programmes directed to the upliftment of the socio-economic conditions of the rural poor. Relevant to this is the creation of the National Council for Integrated Area of Development (NACIAD), which was created in 1979 by the President, and which has been supportive of national objectives of meeting the demands of industrialization and at the same time preparing for the resource requirements of the future generations. Various programmes and projects have been initiated in the natural resource sector geared towards rural development.
Programmes such as the National Livelihood Programme, which in our dialect we call Kilusang Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran, and the Biyayang Dagat Programme and likewise the Integrated Social Forestry Programme, also known as PROFEM II, have been launched. Forestry projects such as the Programme for Forest Ecosystem Management, Communal Tree Farm, Family Approach to Reforestation and Forest Occupancy Management are also under implementation.
We are happy to note that these programmes have had some major accomplishments in 1982, in the Philippines forestry and fishery sectors which have direct impact on the rural development. I shall not go through them, because I have given to the interpreters a copy of all these figures and I am not going to bore you with them.
The Philippine Government has also focused its attention on the development of the small scale fisheries and aquaculture sectors in the country. To cite an example, we have had a project, the Small-Scale Fisheries Development Project, with assistance from FAO through the Canadian Inter national Development Agency, which is intended to serve as a model for a broader programme in small-scale fisheries development in the Philippines.
With regard to the development of the Philippine aquaculture sector, the Government, through its Kilusang Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran Programme extends assistance to fishermen concerned through the granting of loans. Training and demonstrations on aquaculture technology is likewise provided to them through the extension workers of our Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
The Philippines will continue to direct its activities towards the achievement of its ultimate goal of improving the quality of life of its people and also of making national progress as a joint undertaking of the government and the people it serves. We look forward with optimism towards collaborative and consultative efforts concerning rural development on the national as well as on the international level.
L. ARIZA HIDALGO (Cuba): La delegación de Cuba se congratula nuevamente por la inclusion de este importante tema en nuestras deliberaciones, considerando además que debe seguirse incluyendo en futuras reuniones.
Agradecemos a la Secretaría por la elaboración del documento C 83/23, y en especial al Director General por el interés que ha prestado al mismo, y como es logico, al profesor Islam por la presentación tan elocuente a la que, sin duda, ya nos tiene acostumbrados.
Mi país como es conocido, dio gran importancia y da gran importancia al tema de la reforma agraria, siendo la Ley de Reforma Agraria la primera ley promulgada por el Gobierno revolucionario en 1959.
Nosotros circulamos un documento de seguimiento de nuestro proceso de reforma agraria por las casetas; por lo tanto, no vamos a hacer referencia en esta Sala al proceso en nuestro país.
Queremos hacer algunos comentarios específicos sobre el documento y sobre el proceso. La Conferencia Mundial de Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural y el Plan de Acción por ella establecido, con la participación activa de 145 gobiernos representados, es sin duda, uno de los hechos más importantes acontecidos en la FAO. A nuestro entender, la Declaración de Principios y Programa de Acción es el documento más completo en materia de desarrollo rural integral que hemos elaborado. En él se conjugan las ideas y acción de la FAO y de los gobiernos representados. Es un programa que abarca todos los elementos necesarios para la erradicación del hambre y la pobreza. Lamentable es que la falta de voluntad política de muchos gobiernos, no permita el avance esperado por su cumplimiento.
Refiriéndonos a algunos aspectos específicos, hemos podido constatar que, por ejemplo, con relación al acceso a la tierra, el agua y otros recursos naturales, el documento elaborado por la FAO nos plantea que el período posterior a la Conferencia Mundial de Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural no se caracteriza por importantes redistribuciones de la tierra en favor de los campesinos pobres, prosiguiendo en algunas regiones, la elevada concentración de las explotaciones asociadas con un grado elevado también de pobreza rural.
Ha disminuido asimismo la superficie per cápita disponible para la agricultura, citando el documento C 83/23 de la FAO que es lamentable tener que reconocer, y cito: "es precisamente en este contexto de creciente escasez de tierra y continuo aumento del número de trabajadores sin ella, en el que la eficaz aplicación de medidas de reforma agraria junto con otras encaminadas a aumentar la productividad de las pequeñas explotaciones y la asignación de recursos para responder a las necesidades de empleo de los miniagricultores y los campesinos sin tierra, asume más importancia en los años ochenta que en los setenta"; fin de la cita.
Otro aspecto que para mi delegación tiene importancia vital es el referido a la capacitación y extension. Si el campesino no participa en los trabajos de extension agrícola de manera convencida mediante el seguimiento de programas de capacitación según las necesidades, los cuales deben comen zar en algunos países por la alfabetización misma, su participación no podrá ser adecuada, inclusive, para sus propias necesidades.
Relacionado con la participación de la mujer, mi gobierno reconoce plenamente el papel vital de las mujeres en la vida socioeconómica del país junto con el hombre, tanto en el sector agrícola como en los demás sectores. Tienen los mismos derechos constitucionalmente, y por consiguiente, exhortamos a que se cumplimenten en todos los países, los aspectos referidos a la integración de la mujer al desarrollo rural contenidos en el Programa de Acción de esta Conferencia.
En lo referente a las cuestiones expecíficas y de política que debe analizar esta Comisión sobre este tema, mi delegación apoya una vez más el papel rector de la FAO en las labores de seguimiento de la Conferencia Mundial de Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural, considerando de gran importancia la preparación de un nuevo informe para la Conferencia General de 1987. En cuanto a los tres sectores prioritarios para la orientación del Programa de Acción del Grupo de Acción, nos permitimos sugerir que se de un lugar prioritario también al aspecto de la capacitación. Quisiéramos también expresar que nos preocupa que a estas alturas sean necesarios trabajos conceptuales y metodológicos para cuantificar los niveles de pobreza y para elaborar criterios que han de iniciarse para identificar a las pobres gentes del campo. Se trata de que los pobres y hambrientos no están plenamente identificados. Habrá que descubrirlos, no quisiéramos pensar que se incrementarán los estudios para identificar a los hambrientos en lugar de eliminar el hambre misma. En tal sentido, apoyamos las palabras de la delegación de Suecia, en el sentido de que no son necesarios más slogans de palabras y no acciones, consideramos que si bien en materia de legislación agraria pueden apreciarse muchos adelantos, la práctica lo contradice.
En efecto, durante las últimas décadas se van produciendo transformaciones importantes, por ejemplo, la creciente utilización de insumos tecnológicos y equipos modernos, la difusión de nuevas formas empresariales de carácter mercantil, el aumento del número e importancia de trabajadores asalariados como fuerza de trabajo agrícola, la monetización generalizada de las relaciones económicas, el aumento y la diversificación de la producción comercializada, ello evidencia la presencia de un proceso de expansión en casi todos los países, por lo que es difícil seguir calificando a la agricultura como predominantemente atrasada, lo que no significa negar la supervivencia de relaciones tradicionales de producción en ciertos subsectores, actividades o regiones. Sin embargo, hoy persiste con más fuerza los problemas socioeconómicos que históricamente han dominado la escena rural, que motivaron los diagnósticos que nos llevaron a la Conferencia Mundial de Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural, casos son: la subocupación de la fuerza de trabajo agrícola, parece haber aumentado a pesar de las migraciones y la marginalización hacia zonas urbanas. Se mantienen en gran medida los patrones dominantes de la utilización de la tierra y del agua; los problemas de la malnutrición se agudizan siendo pavorosas las nuevas cifras a pesar del relativo crecimiento de la producción agrícola y los declarados niveles porcentuales alimentarios medios que han alcanzado muchos países.
Los crecimientos de la producción y del consumo interno de los productos agrícolas han sido marcadamente insuficientes si les confrontamos con la potencialidad de los recursos disponibles y fundamentalmente con las necesidades de amplios grupos de la población.
Todo esto se trata de justificar con expresiones e interpretaciones defensoras del orden económico actual y se habla de inflexibilidad de la oferta agrícola, distorsiones inexistentes en el sistema de estímulos económicos, insuficiencia de la demanda agrícola, deformaciones estructurales del sector, estas cuestiones son útiles para identificar unos problemas específicos, son insuficientes como explicación comprensiva del necesario crecimiento de la agricultura en la medida que hay más tecnología. Además, esto es totalmente inteligible, para las grandes masas rurales es una dicotomía. Nosotros preguntamos ¿son realmente estos problemas consecuencia del deficiente desarrollo de la agricultura? o, por el contrario, ¿es precisamente este tipo de desarrollo con sus modalidades específicas lo que ha contribuido a la persistencia que de una Conferencia a otra seguiremos llevando? ¿Hasta qué punto las estructuras actuales, en muchos casos económicas y sociopolíticas son compatibles con la superación de dichos problemas e insuficiencia? Es totalmente contradictorio que la penetración del progreso técnico en la agricultura empeore las condiciones de vida de la población rural, que la expansión de la producción sea a costa de la preeminencia de las deficiencias nutri-cionales, que la disponibilidad de nuevos recursos productivos se transforme en hambre y miseria.
La Conferencia Mundial de Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural llamó fuertemente la atención a los países sobre la necesidad de dar mayor apoyo a la agricultura, sin que esto ocurra, como señalan las previsiones de estudios de agricultura en el año 2000 de la FAO, será imposible aumentar la producción de alimentos en la proporción necesaria para evitar el agravamiento de las ya gravísimas deficiencias que presentan millones de personas, tanto en el campo como en la ciudad.
De este mismo modo, ho se podrá disminuir la situación de pobreza aguda en que se encuentran presentes millones de campesinos. Otorgar mayor apoyo a la agricultura no es tarea simple, dicho apoyo significa en sustancia llevar hasta el pequeño agricultor, hasta el minifundista, al trabajador sin tierra, servicios que hasta hoy se han destinado casi exclusivamente a la agricultura comercial de mayor peso economico. En efecto, como varios estudios lo han demostrado, el crédito agrícola es prácticamente acaparado por un número reducido de grandes empresas agrícolas, mientras la mayoría de los productores no reciben crédito alguno de los bancos oficiales. Los recursos para la investigación, a su vez, se destinan en su mayor parte a productos de exportación o industriales.
¿Cómo lograr apoyar realmente la agricultura? Reforma administrativa, nuevos tipos de proyectos de inversón, capacitación de personal técnico, y otras medidas similares, todo eso viene a la mente rápidamente. Nada de esto es novedad, desde hace cuatro décadas todos los que se han preocupado seriamente por el desarrollo agropecuario, han tenido que envolverse de un modo u otro con tales programas, pero si las cuestiones y las medidas que son antiguas, el contexto global es y sigue siendo nuevo ¿como hacer frente al problema en un mundo mucho más poblado, con un número mayor de pobres en una crisis economica mundial perenne en fase de una serie de limitaciones -de recursos energéticos tradicionales y en un medio ambiente severamente castigado por decenios en una agricultura predatoria? Esta es una realidad, es el desafío que la Conferencia de Reforma Agraria planteo a los países y a la FAO. Es por ésta y por otras muchas razones que la crítica- situación de la agricultura está evidenciada en el mundo de hoy, que la FAO reitera sistemáticamente que la reforma agraria debe seguir siendo un prerrequisito para el desarrollo rural, mirada como proceso integral, no mirada subsectorialmente como un proceso solamente de colonización o de expansion rural, ni de redistribución de tierras, un proceso integral de transformación. De este prerrequisito o punto de vista precisamente les gusta hablar a los que expresaron sus reservas en la Conferencia Mundial de Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural y que hoy lo hacen con un paternalismo impreciso, a veces humillante, como perdonándonos. Se refieren exclusivamente a la explosion demográfica y soslayan el hecho cierto de la potencialidad alimentaria del mundo, si fuera justo su distribución.
Por tanto, si se incrementa el hambre y la agricultura en el mundo se mantiene en crisis perenne, no podemos sino seguir manteniendo vigente la lucha por un nuevo orden economico más justo y equitativo.
Sra. Rosibel ZUÑIGA (Honduras): La delegación de Honduras desea expresar su satisfacción por la inclusion del tema, Informe sobre la marcha del Programa de Acción de la Conferencia Mundial sobre Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural en el Programa de la Conferencia y para la discusión en la Comisión I. Además, expresa su deseo y sugiere que el tema sea incluido en todas las subsiguientes conferencias, tanto regionales como en las conferencias a nivel mundial.
Para mi país la reforma agraria y el desarrollo rural continúan siendo la piedra angular en que deben fundamentarse todos los esfuerzos y acciones de desarrollo. Consecuente con estos principios, Honduras ha impulsado durante las dos últimas décadas una reforma agraria concebida en términos coincidentes con los postulados de la declaración de principios y del Programa de Acción, aprobados por la Conferencia Mundial de Reforma Agraria y de Desarrollo Rural celebrada en Roma el io de julio de 1979.
En otras palabras, Honduras concibe la reforma agraria como un prerrequisito para el desarrollo rural y la reforma agraria según nuestra política debe basarse en la organización campesina como mecanismo para promover y lograr una efectiva participación de los beneficiarios, incluyendo en estas organizaciones y mecanismos de participación a la mujer y a la juventud. Nuestra experiencia ha demostrado que los programas y proyectos deben surgir de las bases y de no existir esta participación organizada, los resultados de la aplicación de las políticas serán muy limitados.
Junto a una política de fomento y apoyo a las organizaciones campesinas se da énfasis y se concibe como parte de la misma política un apoyo a la promoción y capacitación de dichas organizaciones.
En este aspecto deseamos enfatizar que en el pasado, el Instituto Nacional Agrario, organismo encargado y responsable de la aplicación de la ley de reforma agraria, realizó un programa de promoción y capacitación campesina con el apoyo financiero del Programa de Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo y al apoyo técnico de la FAO. Infortunadamente, por las restricciones financieras de los organismos de Naciones Unidas, este apoyo ha sido descontinuado, pero dada su importancia desearíamos que en lo posible la FAO y las otras agencias del sistema reanuden su asistencia al país en este importante campo de la capacitación campesina.
Otra de las características importantes del proceso de reforma agraria hondureño es el hecho de fomentar y apoyar las formas asociativas de producción, sin menoscabo de dar atención a la propiedad individual o unidad familiar. Es importante resaltar que la experiencia nos ha demostrado que las formas asociativas pueden ser un modelo efectivo y eficaz para lograr la superación del campe sinado en un tiempo relativamente corto, dentro de este modelo las cooperativas han jugado un papel importante. Como resultado de esta política, en la actualidad existen en el país más de 2 000 empresas asociativas como parte del proceso de reforma agraria.
En el aspecto específico de acceso a los recursos productivos, los programas y proyectos además de tierra y derecho de uso del agua, incluyen un recurso importante en el país, los bosques, fomentando el sistema forestal social.
La política incluye la colonización, pero como un complemento a la reforma agraria y no como un sustituto.
Lo anterior es una síntesis muy resumida de los aspectos importantes de la política de reforma agraria hondurena. Sin embargo, queremos recalcar que no obstante los progresos alcanzados dada la complejidad y magnitud de los problemas todavía falta mucho por hacer, pero el Gobierno de mi país está empeñado en acelerar su programa dirigido a beneficiar las áreas rurales.
Habiendo expresado nuestra política reformista, deseamos felicitar a la FAO y a su Director General por la atención que está dando a estos programas, y en este caso específico deseamos expresar nuestro apoyo al documento C 83/23 sobre los procesos realizados en la aplicación del Programa de Acción de la Conferencia Mundial sobre Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural, consideramos que este documento contiene un examen y análisis profundos de las acciones realizadas y pautas para acciones futuras. También Honduras está en la disposición de apoyar la resolución sobre el seguimiento de los progresos realizados en la aplicación del Programa de Acción de la Conferencia Mundial sobre Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural.
Deseamos aprovechar esta oportunidad para pedir a los países que tienen capacidad para contribuir que continúen aportando a la FAO recursos extrapresupuestarios para el apoyo en la aplicación del Programa de Acción y que ojalá pronto se cumpla la meta de 20 millones de dólares que nosotros trazamos en la Conferencia de la FAO celebrada en 1979, y que ahora debido a factores inflacionarios es muy pequeña para cumplir el programa trazado. Sin embargo, el cumplimiento de esta meta indicaría que los países donantes tienen un serio interés y deseo de apoyar a los otros países en sus esfuerzos de mejorar las condiciones de los sectores de población menos favorecidos.
Finalmente, Honduras expresa su decidido apoyo al establecimiento del Centro Regional sobre Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural de América Latina y el Caribe; el funcionamiento de este Centro vendría a auxiliar a los países en los campos prioritarios para el mejoramiento de las condiciones de vida de los grupos de pobres de áreas rurales.
S. PILLAY (Observer for the International Alliance of women): Mr Chairman, I make this intervention on behalf of the International Alliance of Women and take this opportunity to express our appreciation of the place given to the role of women in the document on the Progress Report in WCARRD Programme of Action, as well as the strong support this subject has received from all the delegates who have spoken today, especially the delegate of the Netherlands who touched on many points vital to the integration of women in development.
Since the World Conference, the WCARRD, held in 1979, we have indeed made substantial progress in recognizing the significant role of women in rural development the world over. It could not have been otherwise, considering that women are responsible for over 50 per cent of rural food production. Nevertheless, I have to stress here that our efforts to date have fallen short of the importance of the problem. Women do not - and I stress do not - get an equal share in the benefits that accrue from their labours. In many countries in the rural set up the wages a woman earns for her work are even today lower than what a man would earn for the same work. To add insult to injury, at the end of the day the wages for both husband and wife are handed over to the man. The woman obviously is not supposed to have independent rights to the benefits of her labour.
We have laid great stress on the training and education of women in development activities and their right to benefits from these. I should like to add that men in rural areas should also be educated on the rights of their women to equal benefit-sharing and the need to take upon themselves equal family responsibilities for the welfare of all.
It was heartening to hear of the progress made in various countries regarding collateral and credit facilities for women, but in this area, again, we still have a long way to go. Women still do not have equal legal rights. My organization is committed to establishing real equality of liberties, status and opportunities between men and women in all spheres of life. I therefore request that FAO, along with ILO, if necessary, should undertake in-depth studies into the legal status of women in the various countries with the object of ensuring that women, as individuals, get equal inheritance and land ownership rights with men.
The International Alliance of Women, in their extensive contacts with affiliated organizations the world over, find that overseas aid rarely reaches women in developing countries, especially in the rural areas. We therefore urge the governments, the FAO, and all funding agencies to include representative from women's non-governmental organizations on all planning committees for aid to developing countries and to ensure that all national women's organizations are involved in the distribution of aid.
Finally, I should like to request the FAO to include women's NGOs in their field programmes as well as in the WCARRD follow-up country missions. The instinctive distrust of government personnel by rural people, and the consequent lukewarm response to governmental efforts to organize them are well-known. It is only the NGOs of voluntary women's organizations that can win the confidence and trust of rural women. I would therefore suggest that financial provisions be made at the time of project formulation to include the appropriate NGOs as vital and necessary participants in rural development projects. A reorientation in development-planning strategies in this direction seems very essential to make them more need-oriented.
I. MARINCEK (Switzerland): Mr Chairman, my delegation commends the Secretariat for the elaboration of the first Progress Report on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development. It is an excellent, and at the same time very important, review. It deals indeed with the crucial question of how to have the rural population, and in particular its poorest section, benefit from, and actively participate in development.
My country has repeatedly supported and encouraged the efforts aiming at the implementation of the Programme of Action of WCARRD. We highly appreciate the important contribution of FAO in this regard. We also commend the Secretariat for its substantial and continuing methodological work in developing generally applicable socio-economic indicators. These are indeed indispensable tools for the systematic analysis of the different aspects of rural development.
We do hope that FAO will make maximum use in its field programmes of the insight gained through this first analysis, which was carried out in close collaboration with a number of developing countries.
As far as our own bilateral aid programmes are concerned, growing emphasis has been laid on the participation of the rural poor in development.
With regard to the report submitted to us, we have noted with regret that the overall progress made since the adoption of the Programme of Action has been rather modest. We deplore in particular that the access of the rural poor to land and other production factors has further deteriorated in many developing countries. On the other hand, we are glad to learn that equity and participation have received more emphasis in a number of national development plans in the last few years. We sincerely hope that the next progress review will be able to tell us more about the successful translation of such policies into action.
We are of the opinion that small and landless farmers should not merely be looked at as social problems but rather as an important production potential which deserves to be made best use of. It remains a fact that poor production conditions in agriculture are poor working conditions in agriculture. They need to be improved in the first place in order that the rural poor can effectively participate in, and contribute to, development.
AZIZ UL HAQ (Observer for Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific): Mr Chairman, CIRDAP, the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific, has been in operation for just over four years. It has initiated a chain of useful activities. CIRDAP's major objective is to foster national action and assist national institutions in the promotion of rural development activities in countries of the Asia/Pacific region. CIRDAP's activities centre mainly around the activities of the WCARRD. CIRDAP's studies include subjects like integration of women in development, delivery system in support of small farmers, participation of non-governmental organizations in rural development, the role of rural youth in development, services available to rural children, planning implementation, monitoring and evaluation of rural activities, and so on.
CIRDAP's training programmes take place ususally in CIRDAP's link institutions in its member countries. Such programmes cover training of farm leaders," cooperative managers, local government functionaries, production brigade workers, project managers, supervisors, etc.
CIRDAP's information services cover publication of information on innovative approaches and success stories in fields of rural development. CIRDAP publishes regularly a three-monthly newsletter. It publishes periodic reports and reports on seminars and consultations and study reports. CIRDAP facilitates inter-country exchange and sharing of experiences and facilities, TCDC.
A programme under implementation at the moment is a group study tour of six trainers on rural development of Afghanistan to research and training institutions in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and finally to CIRDAP under the auspices of CIRDAP and with funding from TCDC.
CIRDAP is a new inter-governmental regional institution. Its initiatives are well-appreciated by its member countries. Its services are available to non-member countries of the region also. There is considerable scope for learning from each other in the region. .CIRDAP has access to the institutions of non-member countries also, such as China, the Republic of Korea, etcetera. It is in close touch with other regional institutions such as CIRDAfrica.
Like many other organizations, CIRDAP has problems of funding. Its main administrative funding support comes from its member countries. In its initial years it has received funding support for administration from the FAO and the Government of Japan. It received project support from the FAO and the Government of Japan on a year to year basis. It has received some project support from the Swedish SIDA and the Government of Canada. CIRDAP is now poised to undertake bigger project activities, subject to availability of funding from bilateral donors and UN organizations. Such support may be in the form of funding for projects already listed by CIRDAP or such others as may be agreed upon by CIRDAP and potential donors. Funding is at this moment particularly needed for action research projects as follow-up of studies, training programmes and consultations.
CIRDAP welcomes ideas, resources and constructive criticism.
I. M. KADUMA (Observer for Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Africa): Mr Chairman, distinguished delegates, I should like first of all to thank the FAO for inviting our Centre to attend as observers to this most important Conference. Secondly, I should like to join all the other delegates in congratulating the FAO for a most comprehensive report on the WCARRD follow-up action.
Mr Chairman, as delegates will have noted from this report, the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Africa (CIRDAFRICA) is one of the products of the follow-up action. It is the second Centre to come into stream after CIRDAP and it begun operations in January, 1982. I wish to use this opportunity to thank the FAO for the support they have extended to the Centre thus far. Indeed, young as we are, we have been able to collaborate with the FAO in organizing the First Regional Inter-Country Consultative Meeting on WCARRD for Africa as well as two important seminars on "Women Cooperatives" and on "Agrarian Systems in Centrally Planned Economies in Africa". We hope that this FAO support and cooperation will not only be continued in the future, but above all, we hope that it will be increased.
Indeed the concept behind these Regional Centres on Integrated Rural Development is not only an important innovation in inter-governmental cooperation, but in my view, it is an extremely wise initiative. For this is the first time that Regional Inter-Governmental Institutions have been established with a provision in the Statutes establishing them, for the designation or establishment of strong national links in the name of National Integrated Rural Development Centres which are to act as the focal points in coordinating national initiatives. This thus enables the Regional Centre to plan in accordance with the national development philosophy of each member country.
Besides, the Centres have been established to facilitate the exchange of experiences across international boundaries. It is hardly necessary for me to emphasize the importance of such a deliberate exercise; for by so doing, countries will be able to avoid costly mistakes on social development initiatives experienced by other countries. It is my firm belief and conviction that the existence of these Centres will help mimimise the rate of social experimentation and shall instead enhance the pace of social development a crucial factor in the development of our part of the world.
In this regard, I wish also to use this opportunity to thank the Governments of Norway and the People's Republic of China for the assistance they have extended to the Centre. We do hope that as we mature in. our thinking and action programmes, other governments which are members of this organization will extend their assistance to the Centre. Indeed, in this connection also, we thank the Government of Sweden for the generous grant given to FAO to prepare the establishment of the Centre. We hope we shall soon prove that we are worthy of the effort they have put into the Centre.
Mr Chairman and distinguished delegates, I thank you for your attention and we look forward to working with you in this most important field of developing the rural poor of Africa. I thank you, Sir.
ABDUL WAHIL JALIL (Malaysia): In accordance with your request, Mr Chairman, I will not take up too much time in the Commission, but I will hand over to the Secretariat for inclusion in the verbatim report a substantial portion of my statement pertaining to the rural development activities in Malaysia implemented in the concept and ideas of WCARRD.
The progress report on the WCARRD Programme of Action before us, is, in my delegation's view, a very comprehensive and analytical document and together with Professor N. Islam's clear introduction this morning, makes our understanding on the subject very clear. My delegation would therefore like to commend both the Secretariat and Professor Islam for their efforts.
At this moment, my delegation would like to focus on only two general issues of the Report. My first point is similar to that expressed by the delegate from Bangladesh earlier today. We appreciate the efforts of the Secretariat in preparing the Report on all aspects of the WCARRD programme of activities but nevertheless, it is the view of my delegation that some of the conclusions, based on the analysis of submission of only 29 countries, will be very general. Therefore, we suggest that FAO undertakes a more comprehensive global study in order to include the majority of the developing countries. It is also our feeling that it would be more meaningful for the Conference and for member countries if the study were stratified so as to reflect the major socio-economic and development stages of member countries. In doing so, we feel we can establish more clearly the nature and progress of WCARRD programmes in these countries.
The document contains the analysis of progress made in WCARRD programme of activities in member countries. Malaysia was able to prepare a report indicating the progress made in the implementation of our rural and agricultural development.
I would therefore like to highlight some of the programmes that we are now undertaking.
The rural and agricultural development programmes in Malaysia have been drawn up and implemented in consonance with the guidelines and principles adopted by WCARRD in Rome in 1979. These guidelines and principles are already embodied in our new economic policy of achieving rational unity through the two-pronged objectives and strategies.
1) Eradicating poverty by raising income levels and increasing employment opportunities through increasing productivity and expanding opportunities for movement to higher activities and provision of social services.
2) Accelerating the process of restructuring Malaysian society to correct economic imbalance through modernisation of rural life, establishment of new growth centres and creation of industrial communities among the Malays and other indigenous people
The overriding objective of the agricultural sector shall continue to sustain agriculture as a major sector of the economy and to maximize farm income more specifically. This sector aims to increase farm income, achieve national food security, intensify efforts and diversify the production of crop commodities.
The approach in our rural and agricultural development efforts has shifted from that of focussing infrastructure development during the early period of development planning, to those of specific programmes and projects designed to directly increase productivity and income of the rural smallholders through the integrated provision of agricultural services and infrastructure incentives and institutional development.
Consistent with the objectives of increasing productivity and income level of the rural population the following strategies will continue to be adopted across the whole spectrum of agricultural development. They are: i) consolidation and optimal use of land and settlements on new land schemes; ii) improvement and intensification of agricultural services and infrastructure; iii) provision of input subsidies and incentives on selected commodities; iv) effective adoption of technology; v) institutional development for people's participation and involvement of NGO's.
In recognition of the vital role of women in the national development programme, the Government has set up a National Council on Integration of Women in development. This Council functions as a national machinery for raising and chanelling issues pertaining to women.
My delegation regards the monitoring and evaluation of rural development programmes as an essential part of any project cycle. Since development is multi-dimensional, monitoring and evaluation require indicators which capture not only economic progress, but also the various dimensions of human well being in a national context. We should therefore welcome the study undertaken by FAO for testing the socio-economic indicators already developed which were considered useful and necessary for the monitoring and evaluation of the WCARRD programme of activities.
On its own, Malaysia has carried out a study on the use of these indicators. We hope that our experience will help to bring about more comprehensive knowledge in carrying out monitoring and evaluation of these programmes. We also feel that regional institutions like CIRDAP can play a significant role in the development and use of these indicators.
Finally, my delegation welcomes the proposed resolution put forward by Mexico, and hopes that the Contact Group now studying this proposal will not have much difficulty in forwarding a resolution that will be agreeable to us all.
M.R. KANBAR (Syria) (original language Arabic): Allow me to congratulate the Secretariat on the excellent preparation of this valuable document, C 83/23, dealing with the Progress Report on the implementation of the WCARRD Programme of Action.
The Syrian Arab Republic is in the lead not only in the Near East but in other regions in the field of agrarian reform and rural development, and to achieve this we have taken fair and sincere steps. Proof of the great importance we attach to achieving agrarian reform lies in the fact that we have recently reduced the limit of the area of privately owned arable land. Our five-year plan, for economic and social development accords rural development top priority. This can be seen in our efforts to combat illiteracy and also to raise nutritional standards. We are marshalling our efforts to achieve cooperation with farmers, young people and women in rural areas. My government provides all production inputs where they are needed. Pricing policies are set up to provide the producers with remunerative prices and to raise their nutritional and living standards.
I shall not dwell at length on our efforts in the field of agrarian reform and rural development, but may I be allowed to express our satisfaction for the visit to our country by the FAO head of mission. This visit was undertaken last April to review the follow-up of the WCARRD Programme of Action. With the mission we undertook a joint review and a comprehensive evaluation of the strategies, policies and Programme of Action related to the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development. The mission identified the shortcomings in our policies, and agreement was reached on the correct basis for future action.
On the basis of these considerations and to highlight the importance my country attaches to the aid that FAO can provide to member countries in this sphere, and as a result of our own recognition of the leading role played by FAO in agrarian reform and rural development, we support the adoption of a resolution by this Conference stressing these ideas. We join with the member countries of our region who have expressed their desire to support the adoption of such a resolution concerned with the subject under discussion.
H. MOHAMADI (Sudan) (original language Arabic): I would like to comment on the excellent quality of this first report on the progress and implementation of the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development contained in document C 83/23. Allow me first of all to point out that the Government of Sudan is willing to continue to give increasing attention to the issue of rural development. We have sought to adopt the principles and strategies required for integrated rural development. We are seeking to improve all aspects related to the integrated economic, social, cultural and spiritual development of life and the individual. We are trying to meet the basic needs of the individual, and his requirements. Within its capability the Government is striving to undertake these actions in a comprehensive manner, reaching to the remote parts of our land in order to achieve justice in social and economic growth, and to strengthen the bonds of national unity.
We are doing this with the participation at all levels of rural dwellers, who represent a large majority of our population. I find that the partial and slow progress achieved in fulfilling justice in economic and social growth as reported in the document before us, is due first of all to the dearth of resources in developing countries, and in general to the economic recession. Other secondary factors are related - social, political and technical considerations as well as the variations in the natural and environmental characteristics of every nation.
So far as concerns land tenure and access to it, in Sudan the situation is unique of its kind. We are attempting to increase the area of arable land available to small farmers to guarantee them and their families a decent life. The population-to-land ratio is a high one in my country, and more than 98 percent of it is government-owned. However, citizens and collectives have their legally vested rights. These regulate the use of land to produce crops, irrigation, and meet other requirements such as forestry products. The use of soil and water resources to meet immediate needs is widespread amongst the various population groups in my country. Accordingly, interest is given to the need to ensure the continuing productivity of the soil. Therefore, we are currently seeking to find an appropriate formula to organize the use of soil to ensure its conservation and its productivity. We are trying to avoid conflict between the various interested groups over the use of land.
We hope that FAO will help us to achieve all this. I wish to point out here that among the declared principles and policies in the field of rural development are those of national ownership of renewable and nonrenewable natural resources. We seek to ensure the fair distribution of the former, and the maximum benefits of the latter.
We have sought to maximize investment returns for the development of renewable resources. This is done in an integrated manner for all plant and animal production methods. We have taken into account on the vertical level the relative advantages of the various economic systems, and on the horizontal level the complementarity of the various ecological systems. Due to the public sector's expansion of the economic structure, our policies also take into account the implementation of a mixed economy system that combines the different systems of ownership: public, cooperative, private and joint.
Some important developments that have taken place since we drafted the report for this document on agrarian reform and rural development are, for example, the official authorization for the setting up of a Supreme Council for Natural Resources. The various regions are represented in this Council and are concerned with the setting up, the approval of and the review of policies and techniques dealing with the use, development and conservation of renewable natural resources. This Council is also in charge of the allocation of land for the various agricultural purposes.
This is the foundation of our integrated rural development. However, considering that national development in the past was undertaken in a sectoral manner without taking into account links with other sectors, another council was set up for planning. There regions are also represented in order to strengthen decentralization in our country. We have also set up an authority to coordinate rural development. This authority helps the various regional centres in setting up the integrated formulae for rural development.
I would like here to refer to this decentralization in our policies and population participation, especially that of women. I would like to assure the representative of the Women's Alliance and point out to her that women in the Sudan benefit from all rights and women play a part not only in agricultural fields but also in construction and other sectors of activity.
Popular participation plays an important role in decision-making and in strengthening local government. The latest decision in this field was taken a month ago in the Governorate of Khartoum. Steps taken in this define the relationship, authorities and responsibilities among the national, regional and local authorities. Under these measures the local authorities were given wide authorities in the fields of integrated rural development. An important point in the area of increasing production is the implementation of new standards in production for 1981-1982 for artificially irrigated projects, as a result, production increased twofold (especially for cotton) in the harvest year 1982/83.
Another point I wish to briefly refer to deals with forests and their role in rural development. Latest approximative statistics acquired by satellite surveys indicate that overall volume of wood in an area of 112 million hectares are estimated at 2 000 million cubic meters. Annual consumption for all purposes especially for fuel - fuelwood and charcoal - is estimated at 67 million cubic meters; logging limits for this renewable source are set at about 23 million. Abusive logging exceeds allowed limits by about 44 million cubic meters p.a. If this situation continues this resource will disappear completely. I would like here to refer to what was said during the 1981 Conference about energy policies and the need to increase the use of renewable sources of energies. In our developing countries, in the absence of the desired balance between cutting and reafforestation, the situation is dangerous not only for rural life where fuel is concerned, but also for food-producing soil as a result of rapid soil erosion and advanced desertification.
Finally Mr Chairman most of what we wanted to say about the document is contained in the draft resolution and we support it, we only wanted to express a few additional comments as Dr Islam and you yourself have requested.
L. SMITH (Barbados): I wish to congratulate the FAO Secretariat on this report on the progress of agrarian reform and rural development. Barbados was one of the countries that provided a fairly comprehensive report to the FAO Secretariat on this matter. I would, however, wish to add a few observations on some of the problems experienced in agrarian reform and rural development projects.
Since rural development projects do and must have a high component of social service improvements in areas such as domestic water supply, electrification, communications, etc., as a result there is often some difficulty in obtaining external financing for these projects since funding agencies do not wish to appear to be giving material budgetary support to national governments. Consequently, there is a tendency to over-stress the capability of these projects, to increase agricultural output of the project area to pay for the projected social improvements.
As a result, target levels of production are set high so as to satisfy the cost/benefit analysis required by funding agencies. Subsequently, when these target levels of output are not reached, there is considerable frustration at all levels, both at the farmer level and at the administrative level, and there is a waning of political commitment to agrarian reform projects because of this apparent inability of the projects to deliver projected outputs.
On the question of credit, our experience is that whilst the agricultural development banks within the lending countries try to accommodate the rural poor and the small farmers, they face problems from the fact that they are using money from various sources and on that money they have to pay interest. Therefore, the tendency is to require farmers to provide some collateral although the banks do try to accommodate farmers by providing unsecured loans for production-type credit.
The problem faced by the farmers in the rural development projects in agrarian reform is that they are unable to borrow any money for significant capital improvements to the farms for items such as farm buildings, pens for housing animals and small dairy equipment and things of that nature. For the moment they are unable to borrow any money or obtain any credit for rural housing improvement, and even those farmers who are able to obtain some credit in these areas find that early in a rural development project the costs of insurance, the repayment of the debt and interest place additional financial burdens on the farmers, particularly at the early stages. Consequently, the people's participation in these agrarian reform rural development projects becomes problematical for the people who are trying to promote and administer it.
The other area which appears to be in some difficulty is extension and I think that all the underdeveloped countries would agree that there is a lack of sufficient personnel and training in the extension area. Our experience is that in spite of the inadequacy of the numbers, many countries do not get the optimum help of the extension service for three main reasons. One is that the extension services in the rural development projects are not sufficiently well coordinated with the research activities going on in the country.
Secondly, there is very seldom any provision for the continuous training of extension personnel, to make sure that new agrotechnical information is being delivered to the farmer constantly. Thirdly, I think one of the most important areas has been overlooked by most developing countries and in Barbados we have only come up against this in the last year. That is the absence of the audio-visual equipment; in the Plenary Session the recipient of the B. R. Sen Award indicated how important this is. We have only recently realized this problem, particularly for farmers who are illiterate. There audio-visual techniques are almost the only area in which important information can be transferred, not only in terms of agrotechnical information, but in terms of public health, nutrition, sanitation and generally many important areas of agricultural education.
The other area that we feel is problematical is the area of management of rural development projects. Our experience is that the types of decisions that the management of agrarian reform and rural development projects requires are usually outside the scope of the authority which can be politically delegated to the technocrat who has to manage agrarian reform projects. Consequently, the decision-making is slow and creeps into the whole policy and there is inconsistency between a decision taken in one rural agrarian reform project and one taken in another rural agrarian reform project. So there tends to be a conflict which leads to frustration at the management level which, in time, is sensed by the farmers involved in the agrarian reform projects. Therefore they themselves lose confidence in the management of the projects and in the projects themselves.
We have recognized that agrarian reform and development are a dynamic process and in solving the first order of problems, the solutions themselves generate second orders of problems. The follow-up work in this whole aspect of agrarian reform and rural development must be undertaken by the FAO for the foreseeable future. We would therefore wish to give our support to the FAO continuing its activities in member countries in agrarian reform and rural development. Also in its agrarian aspects, we feel that an analysis of the various organizational structures and their effectiveness should be looked at.
We also feel that the FAO should give some consideration to other indicators such as rural health, nutrition, and thoseothersocioeconomicindicatorsthatarereferredtointhedocument.Wefeelthesearemportantindicatorsofsocialruralprogresandwewouldliketoseeinthefuturereports that some consideration is given to analysing those matters.
W.A.F. GRABISCH (Germany, Federal Republic of) (original language German): The delegation of the Federal Republic of Germany welcomes the fact that the FAO Secretariat has submitted such a comprehensive, well-structured and informative report in document C 83/23, on the progress in the field of agrarian reform and rural development since the 1979 World Conference.
This report shows that the FAO is fully aware of its role as a leading agency and that it is consequently performing its tasks in this important field. It is, however, to be regretted that the Secretariat was obliged to draw up the report on the basis of such a small number of national reports. I think it was the distinguished delegate from Panama who made this point very clearly. This situation diminishes the desired information content of the document before us and, of course, it increases the risk of false conclusions should the information available to date from individual countries be translated to the whole group of developing countries. We hope that more countries have meanwhile submitted their reports to the Secretariat, or if they have not already done so, that they will do so soon.
Perhaps the outline of the Secretariat for the national reports might have been somewhat too complicated. We would, therefore, like to ask that this be borne in mind for the next report in two years' time, and we hope that there will be greater response.
Despite FAO's important role in this field, there is no doubt that the main responsibility for agrarian reform and rural development lies with the individual countries themselves. However, no one can turn a blind eye to the fact that many developing countries will not manage alone to overcome the many and often enduring difficulties by their own forces. For that reason outside support in the form of personnel and other help will continue to be desirable and necessary.
I would like to make a few comments on a number of activities which I regard as being particularly important. We welcome the fact that the activities carried out under the WCARRD Programme have also focused on socio-economic measures, with the objective of improving rural populations' income, living and working situations.
We also support the inclusion of some not purely agriculturally orientated measures in some countries, such as efforts to reduce child mortality or illiteracy. In particular we support these because this sort of measures can help to stabilize the situation of the rural population on a long-term basis. We regard it as being particularly important to involve the rural population in planning and implementing development measures. That is the only way one can ensure that the programmes initiated will also be accepted by the people, and that they will continue to be applied after the time during which they have been promoted.
More concrete indications and guidelines are expected with increasing practical experience in accordance with bilateral experience, although, of course, one must work on the assumption that these have to be adjusted to the individual conditions. In this connection we also welcome the efforts to help rural populations to form associations for their own interests, economic associations and other self-help groups. Attempts to politicise the rural population which has surfaced here and there should however, not be the objective of an internationally promoted programme.
Integration of women in rural development, which has received so much support here, is of great significance. For that reason the measures which have been initiated to improve the legal status and social position of women should be further supported and increased. Here however, there are certain discrepancies still to be noticeable between claim and reality, which should in future be eliminated, not only in Africa. It is quite properly the active role of women in farm work and management that has been highlighted. However, we have seen that often women are not sufficiently trained for these tasks. Therefore, public programmes should lay particular emphasis on relevant extension measures. In our experience extension focusing on the couple running the farm, giving them advice on farm matters, including home economics, is of special benefit. More attention in the development programmes should also be paid to pinpoint possible income combinations by including non-farm activities like work at home, small craft work and also marketing products. This is something which ought to be a way of combating the rural exodus from regions with a small-scale farm structure. In the credit and marketing field, the general conditions, that means in this connection national price policy, is of particular importance. Production stimulating effects of attractive producer prices conflict in this respect with efforts to ensure the food situation for large sections of the population. Various observations in bilateral cooperation show successful results which are attributed to an increase in producer prices. A target-oriented promotion of self-help organizations linking credit and marketing is also supported from the bilateral point of view. As far as the granting of funds is concerned we feel that in many countries, as in the past, the agricultural sector does not receive its fair share from the national budget, and here there is a clear contradiction with the recommendations agreed to in 1979 at the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development. In our view the situation of the priority target groups can only be improved in the long term if there is a clear change of course in this respect. The generally tight economic situation in recent years has not supported the multilateral and bilateral efforts to improve the living conditions for the mass of rural populations. One has to see to it that the food aid programmes which in our opinion should primarily meet acute emergencies should not thwart the self-reliance efforts towards national food supply.
The elimination of hunger as a priority aim is to which many bilateral and multilateral programmes are meanwhile geared. Here a closer cooperation and coordination is absolutely necessary, as well as a more intensive exchange of information and experience; the sort of information and experience which is contained in this report.
To conclude, as far as monitoring, financing, and the development of strategies and policies in this field are concerned, in the future more than in the past it will be necessary for the relevant organizations, and institutions, actions to be coordinated with one another. Experience and knowledge must be exchanged, and incorporated in even more effective concepts and strategies. The developing countries' own responsibility on the one hand, and enhanced joint efforts on the other, should not remain concepts to which mere lip service is paid, but they should be translated to a greater extent than in the past, into practical cooperation.
CHAIRMAN: We have received statements for inclusion in the verbatim record from Tanzania, Poland, New Zealand, and from the representative of the Trade Unions International of Agricultural, Forestry and Plantation Workers. Several delegates who have made statements here this afternoon have lodged supplementary statements with the Secretariat, and I would like to thank those delegations, and the others I have just named, for their cooperation.
It is not surprising that so many delegations should wish to speak on this subject, since after all agrarian reform and rural development are the very front line of the fight against poverty and hunger.
The proposed Resolution on the food situation in Africa has been distributed this afternoon. It is document C 83/LIM/26. This Resolution will be dealt with in the Commission immediately after the conclusion of the WCARRD item tomorrow morning.
B.H. KATANI (Tanzania): Mr Chairman, on behalf of the Tanzanian delegation I would like to thank the FAO Secretariat for their elaborate paper which covers many useful issues that focus to the development of the rural poor. My delegation also would wish to thank Professor Islam for the concise presentation this morning.
The paper presented to us under discussion is very elaborate and has covered all the important issues and we therefore support the observations made in the document. However my delegation would like to make the following comments:
We in Tanzania, Mr Chairman, have been since the Arusha Declaration in 1967 implementing several Rural Integrated Programmes with similar objectives to those pertaining to CIRDAFRICA. Many countries and agencies have provided us with assistance for these programmes. The objectives of these programmes which constitute an important part of our efforts to develop a balanced society, is to improve the economic, cultural and social conditions of the rural disadvantaged.
Our experience shows that, in order to meet the intended goals, the target group should be tailored so that it could benefit through a change in attitude by adopting innovations in these programmes that provide services. Although not all the Regional Development Programmes have been evaluated thoroughly, preliminary investigation indicates positive results in the rural inhabitants of the area where they were established.
Mr Chairman, my delegation would like to speak on this important Institution, CIRDAFRICA, which has got off to a good beginning.
Tanzania would like to use this opportunity to highlight this fact as a follow-up on WCARRD. Africa has already established a Regional Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Africa (CIRDAFRICA) as an instrument for the sharing of experiences and resources in Africa as well as the future vehicle for the planning, monitoring the Implementation and Evaluation of Rural Development Programmes on the Continent.
We are in this regard most grateful to the FAO for the cooperation and assistance rendered to the Centre, for through FAO assistance the Centre has been able in its short existence to organize two important workshops on Women Cooperatives as well as on Agrarian Systems in the Centrally planned countries of Africa. The Centre also collaborates with FAO to organize the first Inter-Country Consultative Meeting on the WCARRD. We do hope therefore that FAO assistance will not only continue in future, but that it will actually be increased.
Here I wish also to take this opportunity to thank the Governments of China and Norway for the assistance they have extended to the Centre. We hope that other governments represented here will emulate their initiatives and give generous assistance to this most important Centre for the Economic Development of the Continent. 1/
Z. GROCHOWSKI (Poland): Mr Chairman, the Polish delegation would like to congratulate the Secretariat on the valuable document before us, which shows the progress made in agrarian reform and rural development in recent years.
This analysis, which shows clearly the changes in agriculture of different regions, will help many countries in improving the Programme of Action. It gives many new ideas to the method of economic and social analysis.
In the last three years, Poland has carried out many fundamental changes in its agricultural and rural policy which are in line with those recommended by WCARRD and presented in the analysis prepared by FAO and now under discussion.
The new agricultural price policy introduced in Poland, and subsidies and tax policy, are intended to increase production initiatives of farmers as well as the effectiveness of the socialized sector in agriculture. Thanks to the new income policy, farmers' incomes per one fully-employed person have risen to the level of the incomes of the non-agricultural population. The process of improvement of agrarian structure in the individual sector was initiated. The scope of social insurance was increased and State administration and administrative methods of managing agriculture were limited.
There has been substantial extension of the rights of agricultural self-management and co-operatives in organizing production, marketing, life in the village and in shaping agricultural policy. Changes in the extension service system and improvements in agricultural education have been introduced. Agriculture, the first sector of the national economy broke down the difficulties caused by the recession.
Poland, despite many difficulties has developed co-operation with many countries and wishes to participate actively in this kind of analysis hoping to broaden it by reflecting the changes occurring in the agriculture of our country and our region. 1/
J.B. JACKMAN (New Zealand): The New Zealand delegation reaffirms its support for the principles of WCARRD. We believe the momentum of FAO's work should be maintained and we believe FAO has a special responsibility, amongst the UN agencies, to take co-ordinating initiatives.
Clearly, the WCARRD principles are permeating the national policies of member countries, maybe not as quickly as we would like but progress is significant.
We believe that further progress depends on the political will of member governments on one side and on the other, the ability of FAO to collaborate effectively with Member States and to collaborate with other international agencies.
In essence, the WCARRD principles are founded on participation. To be able to participate all people - men and women - must have equitable access to land, credit and training resources.
Mr Chairman, my delegation believes that the world community must continue to emphasise these principles if we are to capitalize on the latent ability of all our people. 1/
V. KALACHNIKOV (Observer for Trade Unions International of Agricultural, Forestry and Plantation Workers): My organization expressed together with the World Federation of Trade Unions and the Trade Unions International of Food, Tobacco, Hotel and Allied Industries Workers some ideas on the WCARRD Programme of Action in our joint document presented to the delegates of the Twenty-second session of the FAO Conference.
1/Statement inserted in the verbatim records on request
My organization would like to state that the national and international action envisaged in the WCARRD Programme of Action has remained largely unimplemented, except in the case of a few positive examples Access to the land is being more and more limited to a minority, lawlessness, unemployment are on the increase, the transnational corporations, making use of their political and economic power, are continuing to exploit to the utmost the resources and rural labourers of many developing countries, most cruel oppression, killings, different obstacles are put to the organization of the rural workers, peasants in their representative unions.
The international action in favour of implementing a New International Economic Order, as envisaged in the WCARED Programme of Action has made very little progress. Our organization is fully aware that the disorganization of international markets in agricultural products constitutes and obstacle to the general economic and social advancement. The arms race consumes horrendous sums which are indispensable for rural development. With regard to the possibility and necessity of the utilization of funds destined for armaments to be diverted for the purposes of rural progress my International would even more actively organize all rural workers and peasants for the struggle against this misuse of the productive resources.
Our Conference, which was held recently, stressed the necessity to mobilize all agricultural, forestry workers and peasants for the intensified struggle for the full utilization of the potentials of agriculture and forestry, for the demands of the rural workers, peasants, for disarmament and peace. It is the intention of my organization to develop cooperation with the FAO and other UN bodies to secure implementation of the WCARRD Programme of Action. 1/
The meeting rose at 17.45 hours
La séance est levée à 17 h. 45
Se levanta la sesión a las 17.45 horas
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1/ Statement inserted in the verbatim records on request.
