GENERAL DISCUSSION (continued)
DEBAT GENERAL (suite)
DEBATE GENERAL (continuación)

LE PRESIDENT: Excellences, Mesdames, Messieurs les délégués et observateurs, la llème séance plénière de notre session est ouverte.

Miss Margaret J. ANSTEE (United Nations): I would like to read the following personal message sent to this Conference by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dr Javier Perez de Cuellar on the occasion of the Fortieth Anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

I take particular pleasure in sending my greetings to the participants of this 23rd Session of the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

For the past forty years the United Nations and the FAO have worked closely together to promote growth in the agriculture of developing countries. We have accomplished much in our respective spheres of competence but the challenges we were facing when both our institutions were founded in 1945 are still with us and require all our attention.

I have particularly in mind the need to free the world from hunger. The drought-induced emergency in sub-Saharan Africa has resulted in famine, malnutrition and even in death for millions of men and women.

Both the Director-General of FAO and myself have reminded the international community of the gravity of this situation. In the face of overwhelming difficulties the United Nations system has rallied well in a cooperative effort to meet the enormous challenge of the emergency. Yet, despite recent improvements, the crisis is far from over and the affected countries need further support from the international community. I am very pleased to note that the Conference will review major initiat­ives which the FAO has taken, in cooperation with other UN Organizations, to foster agricultural rehabilitation in the affected countries. Such initiatives should lead to the resumption of economic growth and development in Africa.

In this connection, I wish to inform the Conference that Member States of the United Nations in New York have beeen considering a proposal of the African Group to the effect that a Special Session of the General Assembly be convened next spring to consider in depth the critical economic situation in Africa.

The African crisis has reminded us of the need for increasing food production, not only in Africa, but in all developing nations. The relentless race between food production and population growth remains one of the greatest challenges facing mankind today. Food security is, in fact, an imperative of the highest political, economic and social significance. As has been said more than once, it is a common responsibility of mankind. The United Nations fully supports the efforts of the Food and Agriculture Organization to ensure greater food security around the world and hopes that the present Session of the Conference will evolve conclusive recommendations to that end.

Owing to a weakening in the spirit of multilateralism, the United Nations and its Specialized Agencies are passing through difficult times but we shall turn the tide if we join in a common effort. Action, not words, will win us the necessary support.

I send you my sincerest wishes for a successful outcome to your meeting.

R. VAZQUEZ PLATERO (Uruguay): Es un alto honor para mi representaг al Uruguay en este 23º período de sesiones de la Conferencia de la FAO, a la vez de compartir con ustedes los festejos de los 40 años de vida de esta institución, que tantos esfuerzos ha hecho por mejorar la situación alimentaria mundial y colaborar en el proceso de desarrollo de la agricultura.

Han pasado 40 años desde la creación de la FAO y la situación particular que viven nuestros países hoy en día nos obliga ciertamente a reflexionar sobre los significativos logros que la agricultura mundial ha tenido en este período, pero lo que es aún más importante, debemos mirar hacia adelante y plantearnos con realismo los pasos a seguir en el futuro de nue·stros países y de la Organización.

A pesar del tiempo transcurrido desde 1945, todavía hoy tienen plena vigencia los objetivos de FAO en lo que es su compromiso con la erradicación del hambre y con el apoyo al desarrollo agrícola.

Sin embargo, el escenario de 1985 difiere maгcadamente del de 1945. Mientras que el aumento de la producción y de la productividad parecía en el pasado como la gran solución, tanto al problema del hambre como al del crecimiento, hoy podemos asegurar que el aumento de la producción agraria no es en sí mismo solución alguna.

En lo que hace al problema alimentario nos es claro que el gran desafío no radica solamente en producir más, sino esencialmente en lograr que la gran demanda latente por consumir alimentos se transforme en demanda efectiva de los mismos a través de la capacidad económica de comprarlos. Apreciaroos el gran esfuerzo que los países donantes realizan a través del envío de alimentos a aquellos otros que atraviesan por serias crisis, como es el caso de nuestros heгmanos de Africa, pero todos somos conscientes que ello no es una solución a largo plazo. El problema del hambre en el mundo obedece a causas más profundas y nuestra generación tiene la obligación de analizarlas honesta y sinceramente para procurar soluciones de fondo a este drama de tantos seres humanos.

Es necesario que prestemos también especial atención al crecimiento de la agricultura como motor del desarrollo de toda la economía de nuestros países. En este sentido nuestro país, como productor de alimentos y fibras y como exportador agropecuario, гealiza un importante esfuerzo en producir más y con mayor eficiencia. Lamentablemente hoy debemos reconocer que la barrera más importante con que nos enfrentamos en nuestros esfuerzos es la política de subsidios de precios que los países industrializados aplican a sus sectores agricolas que, apartados de cualquier concepto de eficiencia o ventajas comparativas, estimulan la producción de sus materias primas agropecuarias, generando enormes excedentes que compiten con otras exportaciones. Es simplemente el гeconocimiento de una realidad lo que hacemos al afirmar que todos nuestros esfuerzos por incrementar nuestra producción son vanos frente al desestímulo que implica el tener que competir con los excedentes agrícolas de países desarrollados, que venden a precios muy inferiores a sus costos de producción e impiden de esta manera el desarrollo de la agricultura del Tercer Mundo.

Es razonable que los países industrializados apoyen sus sectores agrícolas, pero no menos razonable resulta enfatizar que tal apoyo puede ser hecho por la vía de transferencias de ingresos directos, no por la vía de precios, de forma de lograr el mismo objetivo sin estimular la generación de excedentes como los que hoy existen.

De no modificarse las actuales políticas de subsidios, no quedará espacio alguno para el crecimiento de la producción agrícola de países en vías de desarrollo y se estaгá comprometiendo así toda posibilidad de crecimiento de los mismos.

En este orden de ideas debe reconocerse que, de la misma forma que hoy unánimemente reconocemos que el problema de la deuda externa es en esencial político y no meramente financieгo, también debemos reconocer que debe dársele un enfoque político al proteccionismo de los países industrializados y ser conscientes del impacto que el mismo tiene sobre el desarrollo del Tercer Mundo.

La experiencia de los últimos anos nos demuestra que la agricultura ya no puede analizarse en forma independiente de otros sectores y características de la economía mundial. Hoy ya es evidente el efecto que el desarrollo de los mercados de capitales y otras variables monetarias y financíeras tienen sobre el posible desarrollo de nuestras agriculturas. Por ello, consideramos prioritario que en el futuro la FAO se constituya en el foro de debate técnico y político de la problemática agrícola mundial inserta en el escenario comercial, financiero y económico que nos toca vivir. Si los problemas principales que enfrentamos se ubican en este terreno, no podemos de ninguna manera ignorar esa realidad.

Las negociaciones del GATT sin duda serán útiles y necesaгias, pero la FAO debe constituirse en el foгo donde analicemos el impacto de las decisiones comeгciales y de otra índole, como es el problema del pago de la deuda externa, no sobre el comercio y las finanzas sino fundamentalmente sobre las posibilidades de desarrollo de nuestra agгicultura, sobre nuestro potencial de producir más y sobre el nivel de vida de nuestros agricultores.

Confiamos en que trabajando conjuntamente países y FAO lograremos este objetivo prioritario de atacar y solucionar los verdadeгos problemas que hoy, en 1985, enfrentamos y que implica necesaгiamente encuadrar al desarrollo agrícola en un contexto más amplio del que hemos considerado en el pasado.

Hago votos para que el espíritu de fraternidad y los deseos de paz que tantos colegas nos han transmitido, reflejen el estado de ánimo con que sabremos responder a los desafíos que el futuro nos depare.

H. NALLET (Président du Conseil mondial de l’alimentation): Monsieur le Président, les Nations Unies et l’OAA célèbrent leur quarantième anniversaire. Le Conseil mondial de l’alimentation est heureux de pouvoir s’adresser, par ma voix, aux représentants réunis à Rome à cette occasion.

Je voudrais ajouter que j’ai appris hier soir la catastrophe qui a frapþé la Colombie. Je voudrais dire tout de suite aux représentants de ce pays qu’au nom du Gouvernement franςais et du Conseil mondial de l’alimentation, je m’associe au deuil cruel qui frappe le peuple colombien.

Nouveau Président, je voudrais partager avec vous quelques réflexions sur la situation présente et vous dire les orientations prioritaires que le Conseil se fixe pour l’avenir.

Chacun le sait, la crise mondiale affecte gravement la situation alimentaiгe de la planète. Bien que des excédents alimentaires existent dans la plupart des pays industrialises, près de 750 millions de personnes sont directement touchées par la faim et la malnutrition.

Cette situation paraît d’autant plus inadmissible qu’il existe une multiplicité d’études et de propositions pour la sécurité alimentaire.

Y aurait-il un défaut de diagnostic? Les politiques formulées sont-elles inapplicables par certains pays? Le soutien à ces politiques est-il suffisant? Voilà les questions auxquelles nous devons répondre.

Le CMA, à sa façon, a tenté d’y apporter quelques réponses. Il cherche, depuis sa creation, à promouvoiг et soutenir les efforts des gouvernements et des agences des Nations-Unies, en vue de mettre en oeuvre des politiques nationales et régionales permettant de mieux intégreг les aspects sociaux et économiques des pгoblèmes alimentaires. Le CMA a particulièrement:

a) insisté sur la priorité politique des questions alimentaires;

b) proposé sous le terme de “strategies alimentaires” une approche intégrée des problèmes de développement;

c) encourage le doublement en termes réels de l’aide au développement conceгnant l’alimentation et l’agricultureï

d) contribué à l’adoption de mesures favorisant la sécurité alimentaire: augmentation de la Convention d’aide alimentaire, création, par le FMI, d’un dispositif alimentaire, reserve Internationale d’urgence de 500 000 tonnes de céгéales.

Mais le CMA doit désormais faire plus. Cela a été décidé par les Ministгes au cours de la onzième session du Conseil et à sa demande, un Comité de réflexion a été désigné par M. le Secrétaire général des Nations Unies, afin de proposer les aménagements nécessaiгes à l’exercice de son rôle politique et stratégique.

A cet égard, le Conseil à Paris a mis en evidence la nécessité de concentrer ses activités sur quatre domaines essentiels:

A) La situation de l’Afrique

La crise alimentaire et économique qui frappe le continent africain est durable. Pour le Conseil, il est nécessaire de soutenir les efforts des gouvernements africains pour passer progressivement du stade des mesures d’urgence à un processus de développement, pour enrayer le déclin de leur production alimentaire et agricole. Tout en cherchant à satisfaire aux besoins immédiate, l’aide alimentaire doit être utilisée plus efficacement et mieux intégrée aux programmes de développement qui touchent les couches les plus pauvres de la population.

B) Diminuer la malnutrition

Au-delà de l’Afrique, la faim et la malnutrition frappent un nombre croissant d’individus.

Les Ministres du Conseil ont propose un cadre d’action basé sur quelques objectifs précis:

1. Diminuer le nombre de personnes menacées de famine ou de malnutrition par le renforcement des systèmes d’alerte rapide, et la préparation des plans et mécanismes permettant de faire face à des désastres imprévus.

2. Réduire sensiblement la mortalité infantile par malnutrition et maladies: la “Révolution pour l’enfance” promue par l’UNICEF et l’OMS est à cet égard exemplaire.

3. Réorienter les programmes de développement vers l’autosuffisance et l’augmentation de la productivité. Le Conseil a demandé sur ce point aux organismes internationaux une évaluation des facteurs de blocage sociaux, économiques et administratifs.

C) Améliorer l’environnement économique et financier international

La mise en place des politiques nationales de sécurité alimentaire des pays en voie de développement doit tenir compte du poids de l’environnement international.

De façon spécifique, le Conseil a notamment recommandé l’échelonnement des programmes d’ajustement liés à la dette. Il s’agit là d’un problème essentiel, évoqué dans d’autres enceintes mais dont je tiens, en tant que Président du CMA, à souligner l’impact dans le domaine qui nous pгéoccupe.

Chacun le voit bien, notгe sort, créanciers comme débiteurs, est lié. Comme l’a rappelé hier avec force Monsieur le Président de la République française, aucune solution viable ne sera trouvée si nous n’acceptons pas, les uns et les autres, le principe d’un partage du fardeau, dans des conditions à définir. Cela suppose bien sûr le retour à la cгoissance de l’économie mondiale, l’organisation des marches des matières premières, un meilleur respect des règies du commerce international, une гéforme du système monétaire assurant une meilleure stabilité des monnaies. Mais le partage du fardeau, l’amélioration de l’environnement international n’y suffiront pas. Il faut aussi que les programmes d’ajustement, mis en place par les financiers, tiennent le plus grand compte de leur impact sur les capacités nutritionnelles des pays concernés. Les émeutes de la faim qui ont éclaté ici et là, les difficultés éprouvées tant par les masses paysannes que par les consommateurs urbains sont là pour témoigner des limites à ne pas dépasser, pour le present mais aussi pour l’avenir. Faudrait-il done en arriver à la situation absurde, qui consisterait à distгibuer duгablement une aide alimentaire à des pays dont les capacités de développement agricole et alimentaire auraient été compromises par des politiques d’ajustement par trop ignorantes de ces réalités? C’est pourquoi, en tant que Président du CMA, je plaide pour que, désormais, les programmes du FMI et de la Banque mondiale prennent mieux en compte l’impact des choix effectués sur la situation alimentaire d’aujourd’hui; je plaide pour que, au coeur des choix, l’on pense au role central de l’agriculture dans la relance de l’économie nationale qui, au-delà des ajustements nécessaires, doit être l’objectif final des politiques mises en oeuvгe. Comment ne pas être frappé à cet égard par certaines analyses développées devant vous depuis le début de cette Conférence? Je ne les partage pas entièrement et j’aurai l’occasion, sur un point au moins, de m’en expliquer, mais nous devons retenir le lien qui a été fait, avec

tant de force et, je le crois, avec raison, entre le développement du secteur agricole et alimentaire et le гedressement économique des pays endettés. Je suis pгêt, pour ce qui concerne le CMA, à mettre à la disposition des institutions financières tout notre capital de réflexion et d’expériences sur ce sujet pour qu’il en soit ainsi, et au plus vite, car l’urgence commande ici de ne point perdre de temps.

D) Développer la coopération régionale

Je dois dire que, en tant que Président du Conseil mondial de l’alimentation, j’ai été très impressionné par la force de conviction de certains discours qui ont été prononcés devant cette Conférence. Je retiens notamment le côté très peгcutant de la notion de “nationalisme alimentaire” exposé par le Président de la République du Pérou dont certaines lignes directrices me paraissent s’imposer à notre réflexion.

Mais alors, quelle est au fond la pertinence de la notion d’autosuffisance alimentaire si souvent affichée par les gouvernements ou par certaines organisations internationales?

Tout d’abord, quand on raisonne à l’échelle d’un pays, on constate qu’il s’agit, soit d’une evolution à accentuer, soit d’une tendance à inverser, mais rarement d’un objectif à atteindre à cent pour cent dans tous les secteurs, pour tous les produits.

Mais nous pressentons aussi que, si nous raisonnons à une autre échelle, le problème qui était insoluble pour un seul pays devient peut-être plus pertinent à l’échelle d’un ensemble de pays d’une même région du monde.

L’Union indienne, la République populaire de Chine, la Communauté économique européenne sont devenues largement autosuffisantes dans de très larges gammes de produits.

Certes, la Communauté économique européenne reste le premier importateur mondial de produits agricoles et alimentaires, mais c’est un choix qu’elle a fait en liaison avec ses amis et fournisseurs du tiers monde et avec ceux de l’Amérique du Nord. Dans certaines régions, l’objectif d’un minimum d’autosuffisance pour les produits vivriers de base passe par le décloisonnement des marchés et la coordination des politiques agricoles. Cela est vrai notamment pour une grande partie de l’Afrique, mais aussi de l’Amérique latine.

Mais il ne suffit pas aux pays industrialisés de dire sur le mode incantatoire aux PED “hors du regroupement régional, point de salut, si vous voulez faire face aux maux que repгésentent pour vos pays la malnutrition, la désertification et la famine”.

Il faut que les pays industrialisés fassent taire leur désir de planter leurs drapeaux sur la moindre opération alimentaire.

Comme nouveau Président du CMA, je suis done particulièrement sensible au thème de la coopération régionale dont l’importance a été soulignée à Paris. Une coopération accrue aux niveaux interrégional et subrégional serait un élément très utile dans les processus de développement. Cela suppose des politiques communes au niveau des pays du Sud dans le domaine de la production et des échanges de denrées alimentaires ainsi que l’a rappelé hier avec force le Président Soeharto.

Le CMA va organiser une série de consultations et de colloques sur la nécessité d’élargir et de renforcer la coopération inter-Etats:

A Dakar, en Janvier 1986, se tiendra un colloque sur la coopération régionale et la sécurité alimentaire en Afrique.

A Buenos Aires, en avril 1986, une consultation ministérielle sur la coopération internationale et les politiques et stratégies nationales.

En Chine, et peut-être en Inde, cette année, une série d’échanges d’expériences dans le domaine de la production des politiques alimentaires, entre pays asiatiques et africains.

Le CMA préparera ces réunions en étroite collaboration avec les pays membres et les organisations concernées.

Monsieur le Président, je voudrais en guise de conclusion anticiper sur une des recommandations probables du Comité de réflexion: le CMA doit resserreг ses liens avec toutes les institutions des Nations Unies ainsi qu’avec les bailleurs de fonds et les organisations non gouvernementales.

Le CMA, regroupant 36 ministres, responsables nationaux des politiques alimentaires, est avant tout un lieu où l’on partage des expériences; participant à la mobilisation des bonnes volontés nationales et Internationales et organisant des débats sur les politiques alimentaires, c’est un forum qui appuie l’action des agences spécialisées.

Pour pouvoir exercer ses responsabilités, je n’hésite pas à le répéter, le CMA ne peut travailler isolément. Il a besoin de coopérer étroitement avec toutes les institutions des Nations Unies et en particulier avec l’OAA dont le rôle éminent a été rappelé ici même par le Président de la République française.

Coopérer avec l’OAA bien sûr, mais également avec la Banque mondiale, les banques régionales de développement et le FIDA qui financent le développement rural des PED et s’orientent maintenant vers la satisfaction des besoins des plus déshéгités. A cet égard, je voudrais souligner combien est nécessaire l’augmentation des ressources du FIDA et de l’AΓD· D’autres institutions comme l’OMS, le BIT et l’UNICEF ont acquis une expérience irremplaçable dans la lutte contre la maladie, la sous-nutrition, le chômage et ont beaucoup à nous apprendre. Le Programme alimentaire mondial a une place à part qu’il partage avec de nombreux donateurs bilatéraux d’aide alimentaire; là encore, le CMA s’intéresse aux succès des initiatives en cours.

Je voudrais aussi attireг l’attention de l’assemblée sur le role considérable des initiatives privées dans la recherche de solutions aux problèmes de la faim et du sous-développement. Des manifestations médiatiques de grande ampleur se sont développées depuis peu dans les pays industrialisés. Sur un mode moins ostensible, les organisations non gouvernementales mobilisent les énergies et développent des solidarités concrètes souvent negligees dans nos projets. Toutes ces initiatives sont porteuses à la fois d’une volonté d’action et d’une exigence de meilleure utilisation de l’aide, auxquelles nous devons être attentifs.

Pour ma part, je m’emploierai à associër, chaque fois que cela sera possible, les organisations non gouvernementales, et en particulier les organisations professionnelles agricoles à nos réflexions et à la mise en oeuvre de nos actions de coopération, Séparément, nos chances de résoudre les problèmes de sécurité alimentaire seraient bien faibles; ensemble, nous devons tenter d’y faire face, avec lucidité et détermination.

Pour conclure, un message personnel et amical.

A l’occasion de ce quaгantième Anniversaire de l’OAA partagé avec l’ONU, je voudrais transmettгe toute la sympathie et les voeux des membres du Conseil à vous-même, Monsieur le Directeur général, ainsi qu’à l’Organisation que vous dirigez avec courage et enthousiasme.

K.A. MAJID ABID (Pakistan): On behalf of my Government and my delegation I extend to you, Mr Chairman, my heartiest felicitations on your election as Chairman of the 23rd Session of the FAO Conference. It is gratifying to see the positive manner in which you have guided the deliberations and we are confident that we will find satisfactory and agreed solutions to the numerous complex problems before us. I also wish to convey our appreciation to the Director-General, Dr Edouard Saouma, for focussing our attention sharply on the issues and challenges confronting us today. I am sure that those present in this august assembly recognize the outstanding role which the Director-General has played in promoting the objectives of this Organization which is engaged in a relentless crusade against poverty, hunger and malnutrition.

My delegation would also like to extend our warm welcome to Cook Islands and Solomon Islands as new members of the Organization. I am sure their presence will add to the collective wisdom of this house.

The current session of the Conference has a special significance as it marks the completion of forty years of the foundation of FAO. I would, therefore, take this opportunity to congratulate all the members, the Director-General, and the staff of the Organization, on this occasion. By surmounting the many problems and removing the constraints in its operation, FAO has established an enviable track record. Its efforts to eradicate hunger during the past four decades have had many successes. But much more remains to be done, as the recent events in parts of Africa have shown. We must reaffirm today the great need to not only sustain but also further strengthen the unique role of this Organization for which it was established four decades ago.

Mr Chairman, the Conference provides us an opportunity for introspection, to look into the past, learn from our mistakes, rectify them and continue on our journey forward with renewed vigour. While rededicating ourselves to the laudable goals set for us by the founding fathers, we must once again resolve that we will act in concert to make this world a better place for us to live in. A renewed dedication will indeed be a befitting tribute to their wisdom and farsightedness.

Mr Chairman, in recent years the world economy has gone through a deep recession, the worst in the last 50 years. The developing countries have been particularly hard hit as their economies are inherently fragile and not capable of absorbing such shocks. The global recession has depressed the world market foτ raw materials, which are the chief source of foreign exchange earnings for these countries. The nascent industrial base in these countries has been dealt a severe blow by protectionist trade barriers, shrinking export markets and rising prices of essential imports. Their debts have mounted and the unusually high interest rates have further compounded this burden. Unemployment has placed further intolerable strains on their social and political fabric. These phenomena have had the gravest impact on the poorest countries -particularly some in Africa, which have also had to endure the devastating effects of drought that has bedevilled the area since 1968. The slight upturn in the global economic situation should not, however, result in complacency. The prospects for the least developed countries still remain highly daunting. The limited capacity of these countries to mobilize savings for investment, the declining multilateral and bilateral assistance and the stiffer terms of official development assistance will continue to adversely affect their immediate prospects for recovery. It is in this sphere that this Organization can extend a helping hand. The continuing uncertainty on the second replenishment of IFAD, dedicated to providing concessional aid to the poorest countries, is thus a cause of grave concern for us.

Mr Chairman, the world cereal stocks have reached the highest ever level at 21 percent of the total production. A record world cereal output is forecast for 1985. The increase, however, is unevenly distributed over regions and between countries. The world has witnessed one of the gravest tragedies of an unparalleled dimension on the continent of Africa where thousands of precious lives have been lost because of hunger. In spite of the pledge made in the 1974 World Food Conference that in ten years no child will go to bed hungry, the scale and magnitude of the tragedy is a challenge to the conscience of mankind. We observe some very sharp, and therefore painful, contrasts between regions and between countries. The mountains of surplus in the affluent part of the world and the depths of shortage in the other, underline the need for greater self-reliance as well as for more effective and responsive international cooperation. There is more than enough food in the world for everyone, but still over 500 million people are suffering from endemic malnourishment. Isn’t it heart-rending that one thousand million people should go without health care, while 70 percent of the ailments in the developing countries can be eradicated by provision of potable water, sanitation and immunization? Isn’t it appalling that one third of the children in the developing countries have no school to go to?

Mr Chairman, the world of today is characterized by interdependence. Recent technological developments have shrunk this globe and no country can remain unaffected by adverse happenings in another country. We have to sink or swim together. In this setting, the need for a just International Economic Order can hardly be over-emphasized. For millions who lead a peripheral existence, a little help can mean deliverance from squalor, disease and hunger. What is required is the political will - and that is what we have come to seek here. Without such a will, without concerted action on the part of those who have the wherewithal, the speeches made in this august house will remain mere echoes of the past. We have taken some hesitant steps. The World Food Security Compact is one such step which we fully support. We, however, consider this to be a small first step in a very long and difficult journey.

Mr Chairman, let me assure you that in formulating our agricultural policies we have not lost sight of these realities. Our strategies have always been directed towards improving agricultural production ever since we instituted the planning process. We have met with some measure of success in our policies for food self-sufficiency. During our fifth Development Plan which spanned the period 1978-83, we laid special emphasis on self-sufficiency in food-grains through the expanded use of inputs, price support policies and additional water availability. During the current Sixth Plan our emphasis is on the adoption of suitable policy packages, improved agronomic practices, crop diversification, strengthening of rural infrastructure and establishment of agro-based industries so that job opportunities are provided to the rural masses and a ready market is available to the farmer to pick up surplus produce.

Mr Chairman, agricultural growth during the Fifth Plan and the two years of the current plan was 3.4 percent per annum - surpassing the rate of population growth. During’this period, the index of crop production rose by 30 percent while that of food crops increased by 24 percent. The increase in production was not confined to the crop sector alone. The index for fibre crops rose by 77 percent. Value added in the livestock sector rose at-an annual growth rate of 4 percent. You will agree Mr Chairman, that this growth, sustained over a period of 7 years, is fairly creditable.

These achievements were not always supported by congenial weather conditions.

Mr Chairman, Pakistan is a land of small farmers. They receive special attention in our development priorities. They are provided cost-free loans to enable them to purchase inputs. The amount of agricultural credit provided in the past 7 years registered an increase of over 450%. We have also been vigorously following a price support programme so as to ensure that the farmers do not get a price below an economic threshold level. Mechanization has also kept pace with developments in the agriculture sector. In order to increase farm power, more than 135 000 tractors were imported during this period and small tractors are being encouraged to meet the requirements of small farmers.

Mr Chairman, during recent years, as a matter of policy, we are moving towards greater privatization in the agriculture sector. Distribution of pesticides, which was at one time totally in the public sector, has since been entrusted to the private sector. This activity is dominated by foreign firms. We hope that the Code of Conduct on the distribution and use of pesticides will be adhered to in letter and in spirit by these firms to the benefit of all concerned. The private sector is also being encouraged to establish the seed industry. Besides, the larger livestock farms have been exempted from the purview of the land ceiling. Agro-based industries are being encouraged by improving facilities through rural electrification and rural roads programmes.

Mr Chairman, in spite of our achievements, we are far from our goals. Wide disparities persist between yields obtained by the progressive, the traditional and the average farmers. The latter two categories constitute almost 60 percent of the total farming community. We are striving to bring them to par with the progressive farmers through institutional re-structuring and technological innovation.

Pakistan is contributing in its own humble way to world food security. On the one hand we are trying to raise wheat production to meet our rising domestic requirements on account of high population growth thereby reducing pressure on the world supply, and on the other, we are trying to boost rice production for export so as to supplement overall world supplies. We have, however, two areas of concern - namely oilseed and milk production. We hope that in the coming years these sectors will receive increasing attention.

Mr Chairman, the success of the policies of many Governments are determined by the response they evoke in the people at large.

Mr Chairman, may I now turn to some specific issues before the Conference. FAO’s Programme of Work and Budget has been drawn up with due care. The Programme is a reflection of six principal aims in priority selection which have been carefully identified as: (1) promotion of food production (2) increase in food security (3) consolidation of information systems (4) emphasis on training (5) enhancement of technical and economic cooperation among developing countries and (6) insuring impact at farm level.

Mr Chairman. We would also like to commend the stress laid in the Programme of Work and Budget on the activities of ECDC and TCDC. Pakistan, within its limited resources, is undertaking a programme aimed at the provision of technical assistance to some developing countries in Asia and Africa in the form of training facilities, expert services, equipment and education of students in professional colleges and universities. In view of the resource constraints of the developing countries, greater emphasis should be laid on triangular cooperation within the framework of TCDC so as to make this cooperation more effective. Provision of greater financial resources by FAO and other donor countries will help enlarge technical cooperation among developing countries.

We strongly support economic and technical cooperation between developing countries on a regional and a sub-regional basis. Recently, Iran, Turkey and Pakistan have decided to revitalize their longstanding ties through the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO). We look forward to this organization being represented in the deliberations of FAO. We are also participating in SARC - the South Asian Regional Cooperation. On yet another scale, Pakistan is a very active member of the 42-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference whose Secretary General we had the privilege of hearing the other day.

In conclusion, Mr Chairman, may I once again reiterate our pledge that we will redouble our efforts to increase food and agricultural production in Pakistan beyond the level of self-sufficiency so as to help contribute to the alleviation of hunger and poverty in the world. The task before Pakistan, and before other countries who are similarly placed, is indeed difficult - but not unattainable. In this struggle, we need the support of the international community. Such support would demonstrate that the governments have not weakened in their commitment to act together to eradicate the spectre of hunger from the world by the year 2000. It will also demonstrate that the member nations have not lost sight of the hope and aspirations with which the charter of this Organization was adopted 40 years ago.

Naturellement, le Saint-Siège fait appel avant tout à la conscience de chaque membre de la société humaine, quand il rappelle les devoirs de justice: il faut contribuer en proportion de ses propres richesses, selon le degré de prospérité que l’on a atteint et en vue du besoin de chaque peuple, en ayant la conscience que e’est là une obligation morale.

Le Saint-Siège spécialement par son Magistère, se confirme en tant qu’élément important pour l’information de l’opinion publique et la formation de la conscience civile, par rapport aussi aux graves problèmes qui se posent à la société humaine en ce qui concerne des droits primordiaux, comme ceux d’une nutrition adéquate et du droit à l’existence.

Quant aux organisations non gouvernementales, cette Délégation leur répète qu’elles doivent avant tout reconnaître que l’importante documentation que la FAO leur fournit, en temps utile, sur les ajournements continuels des conditions effectives des peuples et au sujet de l’entité des besoins réels de chaque pays, leur est indispensable. De plus, il est indispensable que ces énergies variées et multiples et les activités qui en découlent, bien qu’agissant selon des initiatives autonomes, soient en syntonie avec les operations et les programmes établis par les gouvernements et les organisations intergouvernementales.

Naturellement, il faudrait aussi que de la part de la FAO, se concrétise un accueil majeur et plus fonctionnel, qui consente un concours plus étroit des organisations non gouvernementales aux phases du débat et du choix des lignes de politique interne et internationale, confié à cette assemblée de la Conférence et aux réunions spécifiques intergouvernementales.

Ce sont des réflexions sur les activités efficaces du passé et des suggestions pour une heureuse continuité du travail que la FAO accomplira dans le futur, que cette Délégation du Saint-Siège formule, tout en renouvelant son approbation et son propre engagement.

I. ONGOIBA (Mali): J’éprouve un sentiment de profonde reconnaissance, d’espérance et de joie pour avoir l’insigne honneur et l’immense privilège de prendre la parole devant cette auguste assemblée.

Monsieur le Président, permettez-moi de saisir l’heureuse opportunité qui m’est ainsi offerte pour vous adresser au nom du peuple de la République du Mali, de son parti, l’Union démocratique du peuple malien, et de son gouvernement mes très vives félicitations pour votre brillante élection à la présidence de cette 23ème session.

Je voudrais, au nom de la délégation qui m’accompagne et en mon nom propre, vous assurer de notre soutien indéfectible dans l’accomplissement de votre noble mais cotnbien lourde et délicate mission.

Notre haute appréciation va également au Directeur général de la FAO pour le dévouement et la competence avec lesquels il dirige avec sa dynamique équipe les activités de l’Organisation.

La réunion qu’il a organisée au mois de mars dernier sur le relèvement de l’agriculture en Afrique est le témoignage éloquent de sa volonté de lutter sans relâche contre la faim et la pauvreté.

Qu’il en soit vivement remercié.

Je voudrais aussi saluer l’admission des îles Cook et des Iles Salomon au sein de la FAO, preuve de la justesse des idéaux de notre Organisation.

Nous saluons l’effort du Directeur général pour limiter la croissance du budget et apportons notre appui pour tous les programmes biennaux qu’il vient de nous présenter.

Cette 23ème session de la Conférence de la FAO revêt une importance toute particulière, car elle coīncide avec le quarantième anniversaire de celle-ci.

En cet instant solennel, je tiens à rendre hommage à la FAO pour les efforts louables déployés et les brillants résultats obtenus pendant ces quatre décennies dans la lutte contre la faim et pour la promotion de l’agriculture dans le monde.

Cette session mémorable nous offre l’occasion de mesurer le chemin parcouru, d’analyser sans complaisance nos erreurs et nos lacunes et de jeter les bases d’une véritable sécurité alimentaire.

A l’issue de ces quarante années d’existence de notre Organisation, force nous est de constater que des millions d’êtres humains continuent d’endurer les pires souffranees à cause de la faim et de la pauvreté au moment même où certains pays consacrent des ressources pour réduire leurs excédents de production et où des milliards de dollars sont chaque jour engloutis dans les armes les plus redoutables, alors qu’une infime partie de ces fonds aurait pu soulager des millions de parents, donner la joie de vivre et le sourire à des millions d’enfants.

Le continent africain subit de plein fouet les effets d’une crise alimentaire et économique sans précédent.

La Conférence régionale de la FAO, tenue au mois de juillet 1984 à Harare a montré que, malgré l’abondance des ressources en terres, eaux, bétails et poissons, le nombre de personnes vivant en Afrique au-dessous du seuil de la pauvreté dans une misère abjecte ne fait qu’augmenter.

A l’évidence, cette situation a été aggravée par la sécheresse, la récession économique internationale, la détérioration des termes de l’échange, la flambée du dollar, la montée du protectionnisme dans les pays développés, l’endettement des pays africains, le déséquilibre entre la production et l’accroissement démographique, engendrant ainsi des conséquences socio-économiques particulièrement graves.

A tous ces maux vient s’ajouter le comportement nuisible de l’homme lui-même dans la dégradation de son environnement. En effet, par des pratiques agricoles inappropriées, le déboisement excessif, les feux de brousse, le surpâturage, il contribue à rompre l’équilibre écologique déjà très fragile.

Le récent sommet économique des chefs d’Etats de l’OUA, tenu du 18 au 20 juillet 1985, a mis en évidence la situation critique des économies africaines écrasées sous le poids des déséquilibres socio-écologiques. Ils ont reconnu la responsabilité de leurs pays respectifs dans la détérioration de la situation et ont décidé de conjuguer leurs efforts pour l’améliorer. Ils ont réitéré leur

volonté de mettre en oeuvre le Plan de Lagos. A cet égard, ils ont créé une structure de suivi en vue d’assurer l’application de leurs décisions. Ils ont enfin mis en place un fonds spécial d’aide d’urgence aux pays affectés par la sécheresse. Toutes ces mesures constituent le témoignage éloquent de leur fervent désir de sortir le continent des affres de la sécheresse, de la famine et de la pauvreté.

Cependant, ces mesures hardies doivent bénéficier de l’appui ferme et sincère de la communauté internationale, car le continent africain n’a plus besoin de bonnes intentions et de belles promesses, mais plutôt d’une véritable promotion de ses productions vivrières, conformément au Plan d’action de Lagos.

La crise actuelle ne doit pas être considérée comme une fatalité. En effet, une étude relativement récente effectuée par la FAO et l’Institut international pour l’analyse des systèmes appliqués a prouvé que, si le Sahel adoptait des technologies améliorées de production agricole, il pourrait nourrir sa population.

Cette affirmation est certes réconfortante, mais elle exige la définition de stratégies claires qui reconnaissent à l’homme son rôle moteur de développement et la création de structures propres à stimuler la production.

Pour ce faire, le CILSS et le club du Sahel ont élaboré et proposé aux pays du Sahel des stratégies à mettre en oeuvre. Mon pays, le Mali, fait partie des pays du Sahel dont l’économie, essentiellement agricole, a subi depuis plus d’une décennie les effets d’une implacable sécheresse, devenue endémique de surcroît. La campagne agricole 1984/1985 a été l’une des plus catastrophiques que le Mali ait connue tant sur le plan pluviométrique que sur celui de la production agricole et de l’élevage. Le déficit céréalier a été estimé à 481 000 tonnes. Quant au cheptel, il a été décimé à plus de 80 pour cent dans certaines localités. Cette situation a eu des répercussions désastreuses sur l’ensemble du pays et principalement dans les zones sinistrées de Tombouctou, Gao, Mopti et Kayes où les populations se sont trouvées dépourvues de tout moyen de production.

Des migrations importantes de populations du nord vers les zones relativement plus propices du sud ont été constatées. Au demeurant, ces dernières présentaient elles-mêmes quelques auréoles de sécheresse.

Une population flottante de près de 100 000 habitants était à la recherche d’hypothétiques moyens de survie. Devant cette sécheresse dont les effets sont venus s’ajouter à ceux des années précédentes, le Parti et le gouvernement ont lancé un appel à la communauté internationale pour une aide d’urgence aux populations sinistrées et une assistance pour développer les secteurs agricoles et de l’élevage.

Les actions préconisées par mon pays portent sur:

- la réhabilitation de la capacité de production céréalière pour l’octroi de semences, de matériels de labour, d’équipements;

- la mise en oeuvre de nouveaux programmes, à savoir: changement des systèmes de production (irrigation par pompage, création de petits aménagements hydro-agricoles, installation des populations aux abords de fleuves et des points d’eau afin de les mettre à l’abri des sécheresses éventuelles); la réhabilitation des terres propices du sud pour la sécurisation des agriculteurs et éleveurs sahéliens; la protection du cheptel par la fourniture d’aliments de bétail et la couverture sanitaire à grande échelle; le déstockage du bétail à travers le séchage et la congélation de la viande.

Les actions dans les secteurs forestier, piscicole et apicole ne sont pas en reste dans cette brève énumération.

Je tiens ici à exprimer ma profonde gratitude au Secrétaire général de l’ONU pour la tenue les 11 et 12 mars à Genève d’une importante conférence sur la situation d’urgence en Afrique.

J’adresse aussi mes très sincères remerciements à tous ceux qui, à travers les journées de solidarité, les concerts ou d’autres activités, ont souvent, dans l’anonymat, apporté leur aide si généreuse et si précieuse à mon pays. Cet élan de générosité est sans aucun doute conforme aux idéaux des pères fondateurs de la FAO.

Le Mali, loin de s’en tenir uniquement à l’aide internationale, a, par la voix du chef de l’Etat, fait appel à la solidarité nationale, convaincus que nous sommes que l’aide la plus utile et la plus noble est celle qui provient de nous-mêmes. Les résultats, quoique modestes, sont encourageants. Par ailleurs, le Mali fut l’un des premiers pays à élaborer et à mettre en oeuvre une stratégie alimentaire avec comme objectif la sécurité alimentaire d’ici l’an 2000.

La table ronde des bailleurs de fonds que mon pays organise au mois de décembre prochain et à laquelle, j’ose espérer, les pays donateurs participeront nombreux, fournira l’occasion de faire le point des actions entreprises ét d’envisager les perspectives d’avenir. Toujours dans le souci d’améliorer la production, de promouvoir l’épanouissement du monde rural, mon pays a opté pour un développement endogène et participatif à la base. Pour ce faire, il a pris des mesures énergiques de transformation structurelle du monde rural.

Ainsi, de nombreuses associations villageoises communément appelées “tons” villageois, ainsi que des cooperatives, ont vu le jour et jouent désormais un rôle moteur dans le développement de leur environnement. Elles sont assistées en cela par les structures de l’Etat qui, progressivement, doivent procéder à un transfert de responsabilité à leur niveau. La création récente d’un fonds d’autosuffisance alimentaire destiné à soutenir la relance de la production céréalière, est le témoignage éloquent de notre volonté de compter d’abord sur nous-mêmes. Par ailleurs, le gouvernement s’est engagé à mettre en oeuvre un programme d’ajustement structurel de l’ensemble de l’économie avec l’aide du Fonds monétaire international et de la Banque mondiale. Des mesures de sécurisation de la production agricole par la maîtrise de l’eau sont parallèlement appliquées.

La campagne agricole se présente cette année sous de bons auspices. En effet, malgré le retard de près d’un mois enregistré dans l’installation des pluies, leur régularité dans le temps et leur bonne répartition augurent une situation d’ensemble assez favorable. Cependant, cette pluviométrie, relativement satisfaisante, a favorisé la recrudescence de nombreux ravageurs qui ont attaqué les cultures sur des milliers d’hectares.

Face à ces attaques brutales et spontanées, le gouvernement a, dans un premier temps, pris des mesures énergiques avant de faire appel à la communauté internationale que nous tenons à remercier bien sincèrement pour la promptitude avec laquelle elle a réagi. Cette synergie des efforts a permis de circonscrire rapidement le danger. Le monde traverse une crise sans précédent dont les effets sont encore plus durement ressentis par les pays du tiers monde. Pour sortir de ce marasme actuel, il est absolument nécessaire d’instaurer un ordre économique international plus juste et plus durable. Dans cette avance perpétuelle de l’évolution humaine, il est indispensable pour nos pays d’opérer de profondes mutations, notamment dans le domaine agricole.

Le Mali en est bien conscient et s’est résolument engagé dans cette voie. La communauté internationale devra nous y aider. Je ne puis imaginer un endroit plus propice et un événement plus solennel pour lancer cet appel du haut de cette tribune.

G. JAYASURIYA (Sri Lanka): Let me at the very outset congratulate Your Excellency on your election as the Chairman of this important Conference of the FAO. I am quite confident that with your vast experience you will be able to steer this Conference towards reaching specific conclusions so that the fundamental problems of small farmer food production will well be the concern and receive the desired attention of the world community.

It is indeed a great privilege and satisfaction for me to be able to join at this forum Your Excellencies who are dedicated to resolving major issues that confront the food production efforts of the world community. The efforts of the individual countries have sometimes been successful in clearing the obstacles which inhibited the production capabilities. There have also been instances where such efforts have suffered defeat in confrontation with fundamental problems of agricultural development. You have been witnessing these fluctuating trends and it is indeed the task of FAO and the individual countries to address themselves to developing suitable methodologies which can be adopted to overcome these problems. This Conference undoubtedly creates the appropriate environment for an in-depth examination of these issues and sharing of experience of the individual countries.

I do not wish to burden this assembly by enumerating the agricultural development, policies and programmes launched by my Government under the able guidance of our President, His Excellency J.R. Jayawardene. I would, nevertheless, briefly touch on some of the principal features of the programmes and policies and the efforts taken by my Government to sustain these programmes.

The principal objective of the Agricultural Programmes in my country is an unavoidable commitment to the changes in agrarian structure and institutions which are conducive to an employment-intensive, diversified and high productivity agriculture. The scale of farming operations, the nature and character of supporting services, levels of technology and the research and extension efforts have been geared to constantly find answers to ever-widening technological problems.

Since Independence in 1948, our focus was primarily on providing food through a combined effort of agricultural and rural development. The main features of these programmes had been:

(a) development of an integrated cropping mix with technical and managerial supporting services and provision of inputs at prices favourable to farmers to ensure higher productivity from a unit of land;

(b) development of a suitable agricultural pricing policy, with compensatory floor price schemes to ensure marketing of produce;

(c) systematic land development and alienation of land to peasant category with a fully developed infrastructure;

(d) rehabilitation of the irrigation base by harnessing rivers, improving and repairing major and minor irrigation schemes and developing a system of efficient water management through farmer institutions;

(e) introduction of special subsidy programmes, etc. to develop fisheries, both marine and inland;

(f) creation of an institutional base to build up vibrant and well-articulated peoples’ organizations which could be harnessed for nation building;

(g) decentralization of the administrative power structure to the lowest possible level and harmonious blending of the political leadership with the administrative power cells, so as to enable the people’s representatives to enter the arena of resources allocation, decision making and actual implementation.

I have great pleasure in bringing to the notice of delegates the latest edition to this policy package, a pension scheme for the farmers to ensure security in old age. The small farmer - the biggest group of the population that works hard to feed the nation - needs an assurance that there is something to fall back on when he is weak and feeble after long years of hard toil in sun and rain. This pension scheme ensures that a farmer reaching the age of 60 receives such assistance. This is in addition to the Crop Insurance Scheme that we have been implementing in Sri Lanka for the last ten years.

I have great pleasure in bringing to the notice of this august Assembly that Sri Lanka has been able to make tremendous progress in moving towards self-sufficiency in our principal crop namely - rice.

The success in the rice sector can primarily be attributed to the significant contribution made by our researchers who have provided varieties which have a tremendous potential, some as high as 10 tons per hectare. With an effective and widespread extension service we have been able to disseminate these new varieties along with the package of practices, particularly cultural practices, to the farmers who, I must say, very readily adopted them. Additionally, the Government made every attempt to provide an effective programme where inputs were made available to the farmers as well as other services which are required by them. My Government also has provided a very attractive guaranteed price for paddy which has acted as an incentive to the small farmers who responded by increasing output and thereby reaped the economic benefits that were envisaged. The realization of this objective is a matter of satisfaction to all of us in Sri Lanka. It is clear that these production increases have been a direct consequence of the development of technologies which are acceptable and relevant to the situation of the small farmers.

Our increase in production has been principally on two fronts. One is by increasing productivity in terms of yield per acre, while the other has been by providing new land under irrigation. Substantial acreage is now being cultivated by the waters of the gigantic Mahaweli Diversion Scheme. Further, a large number of small tanks which have been rehabilitated will provide the required irrigated base for sustained cultivation.

It is gratifying to note that FAO is now funding a research programme which will attempt to develop new technology for these rainfed lands. The experiment of farmer participation in water management has proved extremely successful and, I must say, for a modest investment, there has been a tremendous benefit, particularly to the farmers under these minor tanks.

While we have made significant progress in the paddy sector, creating the climate conducive to increasing production of other food items is a little more complex. The research base in the past has been thin, primarily because of the predominant emphasis to increase production in the paddy sector. Consequently, lesser emphasis has been placed on the subsidiary food crop sector and lesser resources were allocated. Research was aimed primarily at developing varieties that increased production. Most of the research was crop-oriented rather than system-oriented. It is clear that while researchers concentrate on a mono-crop approach farmers operate on a whole-farm basis. They tend to maximize their income while optimising their resource base particularly, land, labour and capital. Appreciating the need for research to be more in harmony with the farmer and his situation, steps have been taken to link institutionally the research worker, the extension agent and the farmer.

Half-yearly programme meetings between these three components have been planned and have been in operation over the last few years. While some initiatives have been taken in this regard, there is still considerable scope for further linking these institutions. Every effort is now being made to increase production in the subsidiary food crop sector. While new techologies are being developed, available technology is actively disseminated by the extension staff. At the same time, the Government provides improved seed and planting material as well as incentives at favourable prices. The overall production of subsidiary food crops has been increasing over the last two years.

Another area that my Government has been giving increasing attention and emphasis to is the horticultural sector. Relatively neglected for a number of years, the Government has recognized its importance and has created a new division within the Department of Agriculture to support this sector. I must offer my sincere thanks to the efforts of FAO in trying to up-lift this sector with the support it is providing to the horticultural programmes, which are now in their second phase. In order to further encourage the farmer to grow horticultural crops, the Government offers a fruit subsidy which has now been in operation for the last four years. The subsidy in its entirety would cover approximately 10 000 acres and utilize about Rs. 25 million. The horticultural project supported by FAO is dovetailing efficiently with the food subsidy.

Our attention is now being focussed on one other important area which is relevant to the FAO. While the need to stabilize rice production is of first priority, it is equally compelling to rapidly step-up production for a number of other commodities, particularly the less expensive sources of vegetable proteins as well as animal proteins.

The livestock sector is an area where the Government is providing increasing attention. There is a long standing commitment to adopt the primarily subsistance-oriented industry to a more commercially-oriented system of production. The integration of crops and livestock and the total approach in a farming system is the main focus of our present strategy. While the adoption is not widespread, experimental efforts have met with success. Here too, I must acknowledge the efforts of FAO in attempting to popularize this approach, with its support in the crop-livestock integrated projects.

The forest cover in Sri Lnaka has declined from 50 percent of the landmass in 1950 to a mere 26 percent in 1982. Deforestation had to take place in order to make way for agricultural development. Illicit encroachments, shifting cultivation as well as the duly authorized felling of timber, all contributed to this present situation. Having taken cognizance of this fact, the Government has planned an Island-wide forestry inventory which will form the base for a forestry plan. The integration of commercial forestry with farming is presently the subject of discussion. As the

first step to create an awareness among the people of the importance of forest cover and trees, a “million trees campaign” has begun recently, the final objective of which is to plant a million trees. The fact that this programme is directed by the Honourable Prime Minister of Sri Lanka alone would indicate the deep commitment to this programme.

Having presented as a back-drop our success story regarding rice production and the programmes of development in other sectors, let me now divert the attention of this assembly to the basic and fundamental issue - namely, nutrition of the people. The objective of national development programmes is to ensure the health of the people. Food plays an overriding role in achieving this goal. Since independence, the Government has consistently intervened to assist the under-nourished, or the under-privileged, as we tend to call them. A food subsidy scheme set in place over three decades ago was the major element in this nutrition strategy. And for nearly two decades there have also been two other interventions, one aimed at providing food supplements to needy pregnant and lactating mothers and infants and pre-school children and the other for providing nutritional supplements to under-nourished school children. There is general agreement that these measures did result in a reasonably adequate calorie intake and a relatively low degree of malnutrition.

I have briefly summarized the past experiences in Sri Lanka, since I believe, that most developing countries are facing similar situations. And I believe, that this past experience emphasises the need for an overall approach to our food and nutrition problems - an approach that integrates incentives for increasing production with strategies and devices for ensuring consumer accessibility to these commodities. I believe that by and large, it is our responsibility to generate our food requirements in our own countries. The performance of the rice sector provides adequate evidence. It is reasonable to surmise that concerted research and development efforts with adequate assistance and support, where necessary, can develop effective solutions to these problems. I also believe that the situation calls for a sense of urgency; an urgency predicated not only by an increasing population but also by the more demanding goals and aspirations of a better educated younger generation.

1 thank you all warmly for this patient hearing. We are fully aware that the FAO has larger responsibilities in the sphere of food production exceeding perhaps those in individual countries. I have no doubt that under the able leadership of the present Director-General, this Organization will steadily surge forward in achieving the objectives which are consistent with the greater needs of the Member Countries.

In conclusion, let me state that Sri Lanka will extend its fullest cooperation in the efforts taken by the FAO to accomplish its humanitarian objectives so that we can expect a well fed world to emerge.

W.L.R. CLARK (Canada): Mr Chairman, may I first express the congratulations of my delegation to you and to the Vice-Chairmen of this 23rd Session on your elections to your important responsibilities. We are grateful that this important Conference will be conducted under very capable guidance.

May I also express through you, Mr Chairman, the condolences of our delegation to the representatives of the nation of Colombia on the tragic events which have occurred in that country in recent hours. Our sympathy and our empathy are very much with the people of Colombia on this occasion.

This is the first FAO meeting that I have attended, and I am particularly privileged that it should be happening on this the 40th Anniversary of both the United Nations and the founding of FAO in Quebec City. The celebration of our 40th Anniversary is an opportunity for us to reflect both upon the history of the Organization and its challenges for the future.

As a Member of Parliament and as Chairman of Canada’s Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, I wish to state very emphatically that Canada remains fully committed to the support of FAO’s important mandate and to the broader cause of our multilateral institutions. I want to stress very clearly that there is no crisis of multilateralism in Canada as far as Canadians are concerned. In fact, despite our own domestic financial difficulties and some financial constraints which we

are incurring as a result of some 200 billion Canadian dollars in Canadian debt and the fact that 25 percent of our annual budget is now spent on servicing that debt, Canadian official development assistance has continued to grow in real terms as a percentage of GNP in the first half of the decade. We are committed to further growth for the remainder of the 1980s. Canadian aid in the current fiscal year is expected to reach 2.3 Canadian dollars, and of this by far the largest portion goes to the food and agriculture sector, both in the form of food aid and through assistance to the development of Third World agriculture, forestry and fisheries. In fact, I am delighted that my Government announced just yesterday that there will be a 10 percent increase in our financial assistance to United Nations Development Agencies. It is perhaps interesting to note that by 1988 the value of our assistance to the food sector of developing countries will exceed the total budget of our own national department of agriculture.

Our continued commitment to development is perhaps best illustrated by the response of Canadians to the critical situation in Africa. When the television cameras first arrived to cover the unfolding tragedy of famine in Ethiopia, they were able to film large quantities of Canadian foodgrains already being distributed. Canadian ODA to Africa will reach a level of 850 million dollars this year. But perhaps even more important for the long term support of development assistance activities in Canada is the simple fact that millions of Canadians have become personally involved - through the activities of non-governmental organizations, by providing funds, food and other basic commodities, or by contributing their own expertise and skills to a humanitarian cause far from home.

Admiration and appreciation is widespread for FAO’s dedicated professional staff, its improving technical capacity and its efforts to alert and mobilize world awareness on questions such as the food crisis in Africa. As the Director General now approaches the end of his second six year term, we express to him our thanks for his commitment and service to this important organization. For ten years he has served with vigour and determination. We also express our gratitude to Mr James Ingram and his dedicated staff at the World Food Programme. They have performed superbly under great pressure - particularly in responding to the tragic crisis of famine in Africa. The Executive Director of WFP, the Director General of FAO, and the Secretary General of the United Nations are all to be commended for recognizing and responding to the new requirements for the management of that important programme. We enthusiastically support the full implementation and consolidation of these new relationships. This process, when completed, will help ensure our continued and growing support for the World Food Programme.

An anniversary celebration provides an opportunity to reflect not only on the accomplishments of the past, but on the ways by which we can improve our impact on the future. Canada remains committed to the FAO charter, but we do have some concerns about the agency’s directions for the future and on a series of programme management issues. We believe that on these management issues we should have a common cause: to insist that all of our institutional facilities develop and maintain the high levels of excellence that will ensure the maximum return from our finite pool of resources.

This should not be an issue which separates donors from recipients, or north from south. Accepting efforts and results of a standard less than excellent entails great risks in the food sector, where the costs of indifferent performance are astronomical in lost development opportunities and deteriorating conditions of human life. Quantity of activity must be always assessed in relation to its quality, whether we speak of the efforts of national agricultural authorities, of individual aid donors, or of international agencies such as the FAO. We must neither expect, nor accept, less than the best.

In our own parliamentary process, there are two things that we demand of the public servants to whom we entrust the implementation of our government’s programmes: we demand accountability - and we demand transparency. We cannot ask less of the FAO in these matters than we ask of our own public servants.

Each year the member states of this organization entrust to the Director General a large volume of resources to pursue the objectives which we - the governments - mutually share. We expect the Director General to be in a position to demonstrate clearly that his stewardship of these funds has been such as to achieve the maximum impact in our agreed programme areas. It is this approach

to accountability that leads directly to our considerations of transparency. Perhaps I might borrow an old adage from the field of law - “not only must justice be done, justice must be seen to be done”.

To assess these criteria we ask six questions. Does the institution have a clearly stated and agreed upon set of objectives?

Does the institution have a system for an ongoing process of policy development and review that reflects the wishes of its member governments? Does the institution properly reflect its agreed policy directions in the effective planning of its programmes and projects? Is the institution cost effective in the implementation of its programmes and projects? Does the institution have a system of control to ensure that both the financial and technical integrity of its activities are monitored and maintained? And finally, does the institution have an evaluation system which permits it to identify its success in achieving its objectives, to identify its strengths and weaknesses? This last function, evaluation, becomes the essential final link in the circle, if corrective policy and managerial action is to be taken and activities reoriented as necessary to evolve with changing circumstances on the basis of accumulating experience.

My government is one of those concerned that the FAO has assumed a new set of objectives which are not always clear and which may not be sufficiently shared by the membership as a whole to ensure a fundamental commitment to the future of the Organization.

We are also one of those governments concerned that wide areas of FAO’s activities do not currently come under the review of its governing bodies in any meaningful way. The Technical Cooperation Programme and the Special Trust Funds are particular cases in point.

Similarly, we consider that FAO must make yet greater efforts towards becoming a more forthcoming and cooperative member of the multilateral team. We all have a responsibility towards the system as a whole that will require us on occasion to sacrifice somewhat our immediate interests in order to achieve that broader goal.

In reading some of the reports presented to this Conference by some of our subsidiary bodies, I am struck by the apparent divergence between what is reported and the positions put forward in good faith by my government. We are increasingly concerned with the systematic suppression of minority views in the work of the FAO and its associated bodies. It is not my intention to get into a detailed discussion on the quasi-legal technicalities of what does - or does not - constitute consensus. I simply wish to flag that the implications of a continuation of this approach will be both real and severe.

In conclusion, let me state that despite these problems Canada believes that the FAO could be, and should be, a key player in the ultimate eradication of hunger and malnutrition. We will endeavour to ensure that it plays its role to the fullest. We intend to work towards a greater role to the fullest. We intend to work towards a greater openness of both the process and the substance - so that all member states can participate with the respect that they deserve. We intend also to work towards a full integration of the FAO into the broader, interelated system of multilateral and bilateral institutions. Then we will truly be able to seek from our own people, from our own Government, a mandate for a fuller support for this agency and its programmes.

The standards we ask of FAO are indeed ones of excellence, but they are not higher than those we have sought, and often received, from ourselves and from others. Canada is committed and will continue to work actively with all member states and in all governing bodies to increase the relevance and effectiveness of the UN system in our common efforts to achieve our shared objectives.

A. DIAZ SUAREZ (Cuba): Sr. Presidente, Sr. Director General, Sres. Delegados. Permítame, a nombre de la delegación cubana, felicitarlo a usted por su elección como Presidente de la 23^a Conferencia, a los Vicepresidentes y al Director General, Edouard Saouma, en una ocasión tan singularmente importante como es el 40º Aniversario de la FAO.

Quiero aprovechar la oportunidad para trasladar, a nombre de nuestra delegación, su sentimiento de solidaridad a la pena que hoy sufre el pueblo de Colombia por el desastre sufrido.

Nuestra delegación, señor Presidente, desea expresarle su decidida disposición a trabajar en pro del buen éxito de esta Conferencia, contribuyendo así a que se mantenga el positivo papel que siempre ha jugado la FAO en la búsqueda de soluciones a la grave situación que afronta el mundo en el sector de la agricultura y la alimentación, que no vacilamos en calificar de dramática.

Como bien expresara el Sr. Edouard Saouma en su intervención central en el 10º período de sesiones del Comité de Seguridad Alimentaria: “El contraste entre el Continente Africano, de una parte, que lucha contra el hambre, y las naciones ricas, de otra, que se enfrentan con excedentes de alimentos, pone claramente de relieve la importancia del acceso a los alimentos”. Efectivamente, pocas veces ha sido más trágico y evidente como este año la paradoja del hambre en medio de la abundancia, y que por ello tengamos que deplorar que el mundo sigue atravesando una de sus peores crisis alimentarias.

El continuo estancamiento económico mundial, la inflación, el creciente desempleo, la inestabilidad monetaria, las altísimas tasas de interés, el endeudamiento externo de los países subdesarrollados, la injusta relación de intercambio, en fin, las injustas relaciones económicas internacionales existentes, lejos de modificarse favorablemente, tienden a continuar deteriorándose hasta límites insoportables.

El Nuevo Orden Económico Internacional no será asequible mientras prevalezca, en porciones sustanciales del mundo, el imperialismo; sin embargo, muchas de las reformas que conducirán a acelerar la desaparición de este sistema, son alcanzables hoy mismo y se encuentran inscritas en este programa de beneficio común para los pueblos subdesarrollados.

Resolver de modo satisfactorio el grave problema del financiamiento, del intercambio desigual, del cese del proteccionismo, de la inflación y de la transferencia de tecnología, constituye la necesidad más urgente.

Estos problemas que confrontan nuestros pueblos actualmente, pueden y deben ser resueltos para avanzar en el Programa del Nuevo Orden Económico Internacional que perseguimos.

Todos debían comprender, como se ha expresado en esta Conferencia, que es imprescindible crear nuevas condiciones y nuevas perspectivas que permitan dar pasos firmes hacia la consolidación de la paz; unos pocos, uno solo, no puede seguir diciendo lo que hay que hacer. Los países pertenecientes al Tercer Mundo, todos unidos, tenemos que ser escuchados; los más, tenemos que comprender que individualmente somos vulnerables. Todos juntos, somos una fuerza que puede y tiene el derecho a exigir que no continúe prevaleciendo el egoísmo, la agresión y el desprecio hacia nuestros derechos. Tenemos muchas responsabilidades con nuestros pueblos, ignorados aún, y es iroprescindible esta unión para lograr éxito en nuestro erapeño.

Lamentablemente, señor Presidente, en vez de lograr avances en la solución de nuestros problemas, los mismos se agudizan y no se vislumbra la voluntad política de aquellos que con sus esquemas y prepotencia han limitado la práctica requerida para encontrar la respuesta necesaria; el egoísmo del momento no los deja ver la gravedad actual y del futuro. Tratan de buscar respuestas, todas imaginativas y acordes con sus intereses, donde exponen nuestra falta de capacidad receptora y la falta de cuadros necesarios, y no buscan la verdad en su responsabilidad histórica y en los siglos de colonialismo enajenante en que tuvieron sumidos a nuestros pueblos, en las estructuras deformes y dependientes que crearon acorde a sus intereses, en la explotación de nuestros territorios y en las conductas posteriores que han tratado de imponernos a través de la dependencia económica, las empresas transnàcionales y los mecanismos financieros internacionales, que durante años han detenido el desarrollo de nuestros países.

Actualmente, uno de los problemas más graves que tiene el mundo subdesarrollado es el de la deuda externa, debido al hecho de que por imperiosas necesidades de desarrollo, y en ocasiones incluso de supervivencia, los países subdesarrollados se han visto en la necesidad de ir adquiriendo progresivamente compromisos que han traído como consecuencia un incremento notable de su deuda exterior y de su dependencia. Las estructuras económicas de nuestros países, débiles y subdesarrollados, ahora se deforman aún más a causa de la deuda. Abundantes y fáciles créditos otorgados por la Banca Internacional han convertido a los países subdesarrollados, a través de la deuda y del pago de sus servicios, en un conjunto de países cautivos, rehenes y tributarios del capital financiero, sin perspectivas siquiera de pagar los intereses de esa deuda.

Para ilustrar esta afirroación, podemos decir que solamente por la vía del intercambio desigual los países de la región de América Latina y el Caribe han transferido en 1984 20 000 millones de dólares, y en el año 1985 las transferencias ascenderán a no menos de 25 000 millones.

Si el mundo subdesarrollado acumula una deuda externa de 900 000 millones de dólares, la América Latina y el Caribe acumulan de esa deuda 360 000 millones para 1984; y se estima que se ha elevado en 6 500 millones más durante los primeros ocho meses de este año.

A pesar de esta grave situación, los organismos financieros como el Fondo Monetario Internacional, lejos de buscar la solución apropiada, se niegan a discutir los problemas esenciales que afectan a los países deudores; exigen inflexiblemente el pago de esa deuda, reclamando de los Gobiernos de los países subdesarrollados, el equilibrio financiero en sus presupuestos, cosa que no reclaman al imperialismo al mismo tiempo; demandan e imponen medidas de ajuste económico interno, que reducen aún más los ya bajísimos niveles de vida de nuestros pueblos, que es igual a reducir su salud, su alimentación, su educación y sus empleos, en un mundo donde predoroinan el subdesarrollo, la miseria, el hambre y el atraso. Es necesario preguntarse: ¿Hasta dónde quieren llevar esta situación, imponiendo la fuerza y abusando del crítico estado de la inmensa mayoría de nuestros países, para tratar de imponer condiciones inaceptables?

Nuestro Presidente, el Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro, quien está llevando a cabo una lucha tenaz por la solución de los problemas del Tercer Mundo, ha expresado que: “Se ha creado una situación de crisis tan grave que obliga a los países del Tercer Mundo a pensar, a unirse y a buscar soluciones todos unidos, independientemente de su militancia y de ideologías políticas como elemental cuestión de supervivencia.”

Por ello, queremos reiterar la convicción de nuestro país de que la deuda externa que nos abruma bajo las actuales condiciones resulta materialmente impagable y raoralmente incobrable. No se trata de rehuir una responsabilidad; se trata de que, aunque se quiera, no es posible pagar. Por ello, más que antes, es necesaria la unidad de todos los pueblos para resolver los graves problemas que nos aquejan.

Recientemente, el Parlamento Latinoamericano celebró una reunión extraordinaria en Montevideo, para analizar el problema de la deuda externa en nuestra región, acordándose que la Declaración de Montevideo, que recoge este principio, sea trasladada a los Organismos Internacionales para su consideración.

Creemos que la FAO pudiera, de considerarse pertinente, hacer un análisis de las implicaciones negativas de la deuda externa que ha sido expuesta aquí por muchos países, por la mayoría de los países, en la solución de los problemas de la agricultura y la alimentación que confrontan los países del Tercer Mundo, y de ser propicio, examinarse en las próximas conferencias regionales y otros foros apropiados. Como se ha expresado en esta Conferencia, no es un solo factor el que limita el desarrollo de nuestras economías, y siendo la agricultura la principal fuente de ingresos, el efecto de la deuda externa en este sector debe ser examinado como un elemento de capital importancia.

Las perspectivas, Señor Presidente, siguen mostrándose poco esperanzadoras para el mundo en desarrollo y en particular para los países menos desarrollados.

En lo que se refiere al comercio de productos agrícolas, lejos de observarse resultados positivos, se incrementan las medidas proteccionistas de los países desarrollados de la economía de mercado, y como ya nemos expresado, el intercambio desigual se agrava y hace cada vez más angustiosa la situación de nuestros países, cuyos ingresos por exportación disminuyen ostensiblemente, mientras crecen desmesuradamente los precios de los productos que importamos, entre ellos los insumos agrícolas, tales como maquinarias, fertilizantes, pesticidas y otros. De otra parte, las importaciones de alimentos con destino a los países subdesarrollados, siguen creciendo en alarmantes proporciones.

En tal sentido, mi delegación reitera que los problemas alimentarios se inscriben en el centro mismo de la problemática internacional contemporánea, tanto en lo que compete a los problemas políticos como a la situación económica actual, y que, de no ejecutarse cambios sustanciales de orden político y económico, la profunda brecha que separa a nuestros países de los países desarrollados, continuará ensanchándose sin límite.

La experiencia de Cuba durante más de un cuarto de siglo, que supo adoptar las decisiones políticas necesarias para introducir los cambios de carácter político, económicos y sociales, que le permitieron abrirse paso en el camino hacia el desarrollo, es elocuente. Mientras gran parte de los países subdesarrollados, y en particular de América Latina, han experimentado escasos creciraientos en la esfera agrícola y la alimentación, y ven cada día deteriorarse sus economías, nuestro país y todo nuestro pueblo trabaja afanosamente y con reales perspectivas para construir un futuro mejor.

En consecuencia, los niveles alimentarios y nutricionales de nuestra población se vieron significativamente incrementados. Es igualmente reconocido el importante papel que ha jugado la agricultura para la generación de fondos, que permiten destinar importantes recursos al desarrollo de nuestra economía y a la elevación del nivel de vida de la población en términos reales.

Estos esfuerzos y resultados se han llevado a cabo por la firme decisión de nuestro pueblo y a contrapelo de quienes nos han impuesto un bochornoso bloqueo y hoy continúan agrediéndonos descaradamente, con la realización de vuelos espías en nuestro territorio.

Señor Presidente, las medidas que intenta adoptar el imperialismo para independizar la problemática alimentaria de los restantes elementos que conforman las relaciones económicas internacionales, son numerosas; nos corresponde a nosotros, como representantes de Estados soberanos, declarar que los problemas de la alimentación son parte integrante e indisoluble de todos los problemas que nos afectan económicamente.

En contraposición a estas actitudes negativas, el papel que está jugando la FAO para tratar de librar a la humanidad del flagelo del hambre, es encomiable, y por tal motivo la delegación de Cuba respalda su acertada actuación en la búsqueda de soluciones para detener o mitigar el hambre a que están sometidos más de 800 millones de seres humanos, pudiendo citar, a modo de ejemplo, el importante papel que ha desempeñado para aliviar la terrible hambruna que azota el Continente africano, en cuya solución también se ha expresado un notable grado de solidaridad internacional, ya que, efectivaroente, la solución de la crisis alimentaria de Africa es un compromiso moral de todos los países con mayores posibilidades; algunos, por la responsabilidad directa que tienen en el deterioro y en la explotación de este Continente, y otros, por el sagrado deber de la solidaridad humana, que todos debemos tener presente con todos los africanos.

La cooperación que debe prevalecer en el campo económico y técnico entre los países en desarrollo, debe fortalecerse y la FAO está llamada a continuar jugando un papel importante para contribuir a ello.

En este momento en que conmemoramos el 40 Aniversario de la FAO y de las Naciones Unidas, debemos comprometernos a luchar por elevar el prestigio, la autoridad y el papel de las Naciones Unidas y sus Agencias especializadas; brindarles nuestro sólido, amplio y mayoritario apoyo en la lucha por la paz y la seguridad de todos los pueblos, por un orden internacional justo y por la solución al trágico problema del subdesarrollo que afecta a la inmensa mayoría de los países.

Nuestra delegación apoya la gestión del Director General para hacer de la FAO la organización multinacional más eficiente. Esta afirmación se traduce en nuestro respaldo a sus proposiciones a la Conferencia sobre el presupuesto de la Organización para 1986/87, incluida su estrategia, prioridades y distribución; al establecimiento del pacto de seguridad alimentaria; al código de conducta para los plaguicidas; al compromiso internacional sobre recursos fitogenéticos y, en suma, a todos los acuerdos de las conferencias regionales y del Consejo que la Secretaría ha puesto a nuestra disposición para su examen en este 23º período de sesiones.

En este marco, nuestro país reitera que está dispuesto a luchar consecuentemente por un sólido y coherente movimiento de cooperación entre los países subdesarrollados, así como también, luchar por la solución a las demandas de nuestros países, por la instauración del Nuevo Orden Económico Internacional, oponiéndose a quienes intentan entorpecerlo por la fuerza en una forma inmoral.

La humanidad reclama bienestar, el mundo reclama la paz, el hombre requiere respeto a su dignidad. Unamos todos nuestras fuerzas para que florezca la vida y se alcance el noble propósito de que nuestra generación y las futuras tengan el bienestar, la paz y la dignidad que merecen.

LE PRESIDENT: Je remercie beaucoup l’Honorable délégué de Cuba, et tout en m’excusant auprès du délégué du Népal, qui devait prendre la parole immédiatement après Cuba, je passe la parole au délégué de Colombie, en raison des circonstances.

Srta. M. HURTADO (Colombia): De todo corazón mil gracias en nombre del Gobierno Colombia

H. MALLA (Nepal) (original language Nepalese): First of all, please allow me to take this opportunity, on behalf of my delegation and on my own, to congratulate you Mr Chairman, on your being elected as the Chairman of this Conference. While I am personally very much delighted over this opportunity to lead my country’s delegation to this august gathering for the third consecutive time I still feel that the world’s food and agriculture situation, in spite of past efforts and achievements, is far from being satisfactory. On the one hand disposal of surplus food is bewildering those who have it while on the other hand a large mass is still struggling for two ends to meet. Mr Chairman I am quite confident that under your able leadership we will be able to address ourselves towards this fundamental issue. Let me also take this opportunity of assuring you of my delegation’s full support in the smooth running of this conference.

In the spirit of sharing achievements and problems allow me now to highlight some of the recent policy and programme measures adopted by my country under the dynamic and able leadership of His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev. In line with our strong commitment to development through the people’s active participation, the by-laws of the Decentralization Act, which provide for a formally structured framework for activising the effective participation of the local people at the grass roots level in all the areas of local level development planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation were enforced in 1984. This effort to decentralize power to make decisions on planning, to manage development activities, to mobilize resources at the local level are very much in line with what we had resolved during WCARRD. I am glad to report here that this significant step marks our strong commitment to development through the people’s active participation.

The Seventh Plan of Nepal which started this year has indicated agriculture as the lead sector of the economy.

Mr Chairman, we consider food as the most basic of the basic human needs the fulfill of which has been the fundamental objective of the Seventh Plan. Towards this we have aimed both at increased food production and its accessibility to the needy people. We are continuing to identify those areas which are currently deficient but have the potential to be self-reliant, to then concentrate on the provision of inputs and product support services to such areas.

In the area of food security, a national food security scheme has been developed to mitigate the problem of recurrent food deficiencies, mostly in the high altitude remote areas. This scheme envisages three kinds of food reserves: (a) Minimum operational stock, (b) Emergency stock, and (c) Price stabilization stock. The minimum operational stock will be targeted primarily to the lowest income groups of the traditional food deficit remote areas. Emergency stock would be utilized to meet the emergency food needs of those areas that are affected by natural calamities. The third kind of stock is to be mobilized for price stabilization purposes.

Assessment of the population supporting capabilities of the land obviously becomes a first step toward devising a comprehensive national food security scheme. In this direction, His Majesty’s Government is very much interested in sharing the experience of FAO for a detailed country level study.

We are happy to report to you, Mr Chairman, that we have been actively engaged in developing community forestry through peoples’ participation to meet the need of forest products for the local populace. Similarly, we are also involved in the development and management of watersheds. We have been sharing our experiences with member countries of the south Asian region in this and many other aspects.

Turning more specifically to the Director-General’s Programme of Work and Budget for 1986/87, I am happy to note that there is a striking consistency in the policies and priorities in the areas of increasing food production and food security in our national programme as outlined earlier and in those presented by the Director-General.

On the global information and early warning system, Nepal is actively participating in the programme. We plan to improve the quality of information gradually over time by strengthening the village (Panchayat) and district level information gathering mechanism and by improving the analytical capability.

We endorse the Director-General’s proposal on the Draft Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides. In the same vein, we support the Director-General’s proposals on the World Food Security Compact.

I am quite impressed by the observation made by the Director-General regarding the need to adjust the Organization in response to changing circumstances in the development scene. In doing so however, my delegation strongly feels that the organization will emphasize the specific needs of the least developed and landlocked countries such as Nepal.

We do share the Director-General’s concern on the declining trend of resource flow to the agricultural sector at the international level. While Nepal on its part has accorded top priority to agriculture, including resource flow to this sector, we hope that the international community will respond more favourably in this direction.

We do appreciate the Director-General’s approach in resource allocation as outlined in his budget proposal. My delegation is in full support of the biennial Programme of Work and Budget as proposed by him.

Mr Chairman, allow me to welcome with pleasure the two new Members, Cook Islands and Solomon Islands into the family of FAO.

Our association with FAO dates back to the early days of FAO itself. While we are observing the 40th Anniversary of the Organization here, we in Nepal are also celebrating 35 years of continued partnership. We look forward to the furtherance of this partnership for the continued progress and prosperity of mankind at large.

H.A. KASSIM (Bahrain) (original language Arabic): Mr President, Mr Director-General, Your Excellencies, distinguished heads of delegations, Ladies and Gentlemen, May God’s blessings be upon you all. It is with great pride and honour that I head the delegation of Bahrain at the 23rd General Conference of the Organization and I would like to warmly congratulate the President of the Conference on his election to head this session. His election reflects the great trust placed on him by participating States and I should like, on behalf of the delegation of Bahrain,to wish him every success.

I would like to congratulate the two delegations of Cook Islands and the Solomon Islands for becoming members of this Organization. Our meeting at this international forum is a propitious opportunity to review developments during the two years following the last General Conference and to consider the global food situation in order to pave the way for our deliberations which I hope will be objective and practical. This is indeed a prerequisite forced upon us all by the difficult conditions prevailing in some countries as a result of drought and natural disasters.

Permit me to express my gratitude and esteem to His Excellency Dr Edouard Saouma, Director-General of the Organization for his unceasing efforts and timeless work to enable this Organization to discharge its responsibilities and provide a rich record of achievement through its unique system of operations which depends on the principle of decentralization.

Mr President, this Conference has particular importance, I believe, for two reasons. The first is that it coincides with the 40th Anniversary celebration by the Organization and second because of the conditions under which this Conference is being convened.

I would like to take this opportunity to commend the promising and special role played by this Organization so that it can participate in ensuring food security and in liberating humanity from hunger so that no man, woman or child will sleep hungry.

The difficult circumstances in the African countries, in particular as a result of drought, place a special responsibility on our Conference as international aid to the affected countries has not fulfilled the hope, of saving them from these problems which have put millions in jeopardy.

If present conditions, climatic and otherwise, have resulted in food surpluses in some areas, there is nevertheless a need to cast aside selfishness and put the general interest ahead of the personal one through an international cooperation whereby the surpluses would be used to feed the hungry in the Third World instead of their destruction to maintain the level of prices. There is no doubt that this needs a coordinated system and an efficient network to ensure the delivery of supplies to stricken areas. The Organization’s expertise and pioneering role in extending aid as well as the trust it enjoys in this domain, make it the ideal organ to play such a role. I therefore hope that the Organization will double its efforts and devote greater consideration to this problem which has threatened part of the globe with a disaster unprecedented in scale.

Mr President, at the same time that the world was looking forward to a more just international economic order, we noticed with sorrow and disappointment that the gap is growing wider between developed and developing countries. The terms of trade between the two sides have also been marked by difficulties and obstacles. This has thwarted the efforts of developing countries to revive their economies and has presented them with external barriers such as protectionist policies, high interest rates, unfavourable rates, fluctuations and the debt burden, which becomes all the heavier because of the lack of material resources for investments.

The trend toward greater protectionism being pursued by some countries will not be to the benefit of international trade. It is to be regretted indeed that there are increasing demands for greater protectionism in some countries at a time when the international community is looking for a form of cooperation to put an end to such practices and to expand trade exchange, thus enabling the developing countries to depend upon their own efforts. Protectionist policies may fulfil individual interests in the short term, but in the long term their pervasiveness and harm will be thrust even upon those countries which follow such policies.

At a time when the developing countries are facing greater obstacles regarding their exports, the burden of debt compounds those problems. What makes everything worse is that high interest rates and inflation result in a great debt accumulation which, in turn, limit these countries’ efforts to redirect investments to the agricultural sector, since most of these countries already concentrate the bulk of their resources and capabilities on social infra-structure trade, industry and tourism projects.

It has also been shown that donor countries are the greatest beneficiaries of aid given to developing countries since this aid is usually conditional.

There is a great need.today for international cooperation and solidarity to stem the unfavourable economic conditions pervading in so many countries.

Developed countries must shoulder their responsibility and cooperate to close the gap dividing them from developing countries and they must combat the factors threatening world peace. There is a need to renew the methods of giving aid to poor countries. The delivery of food aid during periods of crisis is only a temporary solution. What the situation really needs is a radical method whereby those countries would be assisted in developing agriculture and in improving production methods; in other words, in enabling them to feed their people.

There is also a need to alleviate the debt burden of countries incapable of making repayments by re-scheduling and decreasing debt service charges, as well by not making loans politically or economically conditional.

Mr President, agriculture has been overlooked in development plans in the Arab homeland and this has negatively affected that sector to the extent that the agriculture export/import ratio dropped to 15 percent in 1983 from 80 percent in the early 70s.

The decrease in self-sufficiency in agriculture commodities in the Arab homeland has made it necessary to review the priorities of development, and consequently to intensify efforts to increase national investments in the agricultural sector. But the road ahead remains a long one before we arrive at an Arab food security strategy.

If we are talking about the necessity of cooperation between countries, I must point to a unique example and that is the Gulf Cooperation Council. This Council has all the material components for success, but the determination and faith of leaders and people alike are the principal reasons behind its success. Noticeable achievements have been scored by the Council although it was only established five years ago. The Council has proved itself to be a unique and vivid example of cooperation and coordination of efforts, and as such, we must see it as a contributor towards world peace.

In the agricultural domain, I would like to mention one of the most important resolutions adopted at the Sixth Summit Conference of the Council which was held this month in Oman. Approval was given to an agricultural policy based on a unified strategy, agricultural integration, the optimum use of natural resources, self-sufficiency and encouragement of the private sectors.

The tenets of common action for the joint strategy can be seen in the following programmes: (a) the joint programme to coordinate agricultural regional plans and policies; (b) the joint programme of agricultural and food production; (c) the joint programme of surveys, use and preservation of natural resources; and (d) the joint programme of agricultural research and technological development.

I must mention the increasing interest in the agricultural sector which is now a major concern in the Council’s development plans. All these measures have increased investments in the agricultural sector, in production and manufacturing.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the FAO and other organizations and associations for sparing no effort in extending technical aid and expertise to enable us to develop production methods and practices.

Mr President, at the end of my statement I would like to support the Programme of Work proposed by the Director-General for the next biennium. It reflects the ambitions of this Organization to be one of the leaders in the field of international cooperation to alleviate the sufferings of poor countries and help them deal with the debilitating crises they are faced with.

I will end by expressing my grateful thanks to the Director-General and all the employees of the Organization for the excellent arrangements and timeless efforts made to make our task easier.

May God help us in attaining the success we look for and guide this Conference to a successful conclusion, resulting in the adoption of resolutions which will enhance the role of the Organization and enable it to shoulder its heavy responsibilities.

May God’s peace and blessings be upon you all.

K. GRZESIAK (Poland) (Original language Polish): The present session is an important international event, in view of the 40th anniversary of FAO. This fact disposes wider reflections on world agricultural problems and on the role of the FAO in inspiring and organizing this cooperation.

Since the very beginning of its existence, the FAO has been constantly taking up efforts in solving agricultural and food problems, thereby supporting the processes of consolidating the economic independence of countries, especially the developing ones. The effects of FAO are evident in the inspiring of developing processes and progressive structural changes in agriculture and in alleviating the food imperilled situations. The great, insatiable needs of a part of mankind make us aware, however, that sending bread to the hungry is not enough but that we have to reach boldly to structural causes of hunger, the elimination of which must be the subject of still greater concern of our whole Organization.

Millions of people worldwide are expecting it from us.

Poland, the co-founder of FAO, has actively supported all initiatives aimed at effectively improving and overcoming hunger, at speeding up the growth of agricultural production in developing countries, at implementing agrarian and social reforms and scientific-technical programmes, and at establishing fair rules for economic cooperation. This is the spirit of the new international economic order.

Under these banners Poland celebrated this year the jubilee of FAO and the World Food Day.

We succeed in solving ever more effectively the problems in the intensification and the modernization of Polish agriculture. Poland, with a high potential in animal production, especially regarding milk, and with an extensive network of international cooperation in this field, including cooperation with the FAO, could become a specialist training centre for the dairy industry, animal production and veterinary care systems. We hope that our offer to expand the existing cooperation is accepted.

We agree with the evaluation of the situation in world agriculture, contained in the documents before this Conference.

The achievements in agricultural sciences point to further real progress. But the spectre of famine, which is now with us, brings to light striking and growing disproportions. On the one hand there are the great food surpluses in the developed countries, and, on the other hand, the increasing deterioration of agriculture in Africa. Agricultural knowledge and science as well as concepts of agrarian and socio-economic reforms, which are extensively disseminated by FAO, are, unfortunately, not yet effective in solving these problems. The humanitarian relief does not alleviate the acuteness of the problem since the actual issues at stake go deeper than technology in the organization of production. The development of agriculture in countries threatened with malnutrition and hunger is inseparably linked to their possibilities for general socio-economic development. It is necessary to develop available resources to achieve these purposes and also to obtain economic assistance. Meanwhile, their prospects have deteriorated in recent years. World trade, which is unequally based, causes great losses to developing countries, losses which very often exceed the assistance granted to them.

High debts, political barriers and discrimination make progress impossible in many countries and food is used as a weapon for political purposes. Poland, as a country against which that weapon has been applied, can state this loud and clear.

The expenses involved in cutting back on agricultural production in the richer countries are greater than the cost of developing agriculture in the poorer countries. This is the paradox of the contemporary world. Is it a paradox that we can accept? Can we reduce the role of our Organization to merely traditional areas and traditional fields of activity? Indeed, we cannot.

If FAO is to perform its functions better in the future, it must take up these problems at a global level. It must reach out to the very essentials of the phenomena of underdevelopment and hunger. Therefore, we welcome with pleasure and favourably look upon the attempts being made by the FAO in this respect.

We were one of those countries which postulated that these problems be tackled at previous sessions. I would like to declare the readiness of Poland to join in the effort. The FAO must be bolder in introducing agricultural and food problems and in looking for solutions to indebtedness and development and we should support the activities undertaken by the United Nations.

Poland participates, to the best of its abilities, in helping the developing countries. It is our intention to expand technical assistance and food relief from our own society and we intend to send volunteer experts to work in those countries within the framework of the initiatives taken by FAO.

Only further progress in solving the global problems of socio-economic and agricultural development can provide us with a more favourable climate for standard FAO activities: technical assistance to developing countries, analytical activities information. All of these will make consultancy work with governments more effective in improving the agricultural policies. We look

very favourably upon the growing importance of these activities within the FAO and we declare our approval for the Programme and Budget for the years 1986-87, as presented by the Director-General, Mr Edouard Saouma.

We note with appreciation the increased cooperation in the European region. This necessary assistance produces valuable results to the developing countries and this is emphasized in our various collaborative projects and is highlighted with clarity.

By modernizing its agriculture, Poland is joining ever more actively in these activities, particularly the agriculture research programmes in energy conservation, bio-engineering and bio-technology, plant and animal breeding, atomic energy use in agriculture and food economics, and also, recently, in social studies, including the question of “pluri-activity.”

We expect that the work of the Regional Office will continue to expand in the future, that it will assume an increasing importance in FAO plans and budgets, and that it will meet with the approval of the Council and the Director-General.

Until recently, the FAO kept on increasing its role by mobilizing different sources such as financial and credit help, to assist developing countries. We now see with concern that this side of its activities is being reduced. This is why FAO has had to search for opportunities to increase the non-budgetary contributions. Many countries have difficulties in increasing their contributions in foreign exchange but can offer assistance in the form of staff training, specified resources, experts, and I think all of this is useful and it would be helpful to create a kind of Trust Fund, TCP, within FAO which would bring together, not merely financial contributions, but also contributions in kind.

Permettez-moi, avant de terminer mon discours, d’évoquer le souvenir de ce jour où, il a 40 ans à Hot Springs, a été prise la décision de créer la FAO. Je voudrais également exprimer l’espoir que l’esprit d’entraide et de coopération internationale de ce jour mémorable guidera l’action de notre Organisation dans l’avenir.

The meeting rose at 13.35 hours
La séance est levée à 13 h 35
Se levanta la sesión a las 13.35 horas