LE PRESIDENT: Excellences, Mesdames, Messieurs, la séance plénière est ouverte. Permettez-moi, avant de passer la parole aux orateurs inscrits, d’adresser mes sincères remerciements à mes collègues Vice-Présidents qui ont assuré respectivement la Présidence de la Conférence depuis vendredi après-midi jusqu’à cet instant. Il s’agit en particulier de Monsieur L. P. Duthie d’Australie, de Monsieur R. Cheltenham de la Barbade et, ce matin, de Monsieur A. B. Dawarda de la Libye.
Je leur adresse mes remerciements pour leur assistance et leur coopération.
Cela étant, je rappelle que pour les délégués représentant les pays, la durée maximum d’intervention est de quinze minutes, la durée souhaitable douze minutes et si possible encore moins. Les représentants des observateurs ont droit à dix minutes d’intervention.
Le Secretariat me rappelle fort opportunément que notre débat général doit s’arrêter à dix-sept heures trente pour permettre à certaines de nos Commissions de poursuivre leur propre travail en utilisant certains interprètes qui pour le moment nous assistent.
Une fois de plus, je compte sur votre collaboration pour que nous puissions respecter ce délai limite de dix-sept heures trente pour la fin de nos travaux.
Srta. Z. ALBRIGO (Guatemala): En nombre de la delegación de Guatemala deseamos felicitar y agradecer a la FAO en ocasión de sus 40 años de actividad, presentando por este medio su cordial saludo a todos los partícipes a este importante evento, haciendo constar sus vínculos fraternales con todos los países integrantes de esta Organización mundial. Felicitamos tanto a dirigentes corao a delegados en su ardua labor de proyección en el cumplimiento de las funciones básicas que se ha impuesto la FAO.
Vemos con mucha satisfacción la ayuda alimentaria que en forma oportuna llega a todas las naciones más necesitadas, ya sea por razones naturales, como ha sido la azotada América en estos últimos meses - y a este propósito quisiera hacer un pequeño paréntesis para renovar a nuestros hermanos colombianos nuestra solidaridad y nuestras condolencias por la tragedia que atraviesa en estos mo-men to s - o por carencia de los medios necesarios de la producción interna para su propia subsistencia; el estímulo a estas comunidades para su propio desarrollo y producción, para dejar de ser dependientes de la ayuda internacional. La transferencia tecnológica, como la ayuda en insumos, dará la suficiencia a estos países para la satisfacción de sus propias necesidades, mejorando en esta forma la producción mundial de alimentos y equilibrando así la balanza comercial y permitiendo mantener más reservas a nivel mundial para poder derrotar definitivamente el espectro del hambre.
Guatemala, como parte de la Organización, participa en todas sus actividades y reconoce el gran esfuerzo que se hace para que recursos provenientes de los países desarrollados lleguen a aliviar los problemas internos, como lo ha hecho la FAO y el Programa Mundial de Alimentos, en la asignación de diversos programas de asistencia alimentaria. Como mujer, quiero expresar mi contento por haber permitido a nuestras mujeres de las zonas menos desarrolladas su participación en los proyectos. Ellas colaborarán con igual dignidad y esfuerzo del hombre, nivelando así las discriminaciones económicas y de sexo y ayudando en la resolución de problemas ingentes en momentos
de depresión económica, de gran endeudamiento exterior y falta de capitales para la inversión agropecuaria e industrial. Nuestro país no es una excepción de los efectos que estos fenómenos producen - y sobre los cuales en esta ocasión es difícil intervenir tomando en consideración que personalidades y expertos de las hermanas naciones han hecho una amplia exposición en las materias. Pero confiamos que con la asistencia mencionada, iremos saliendo adelante en un proceso de liberación económica y de la búsqueda de nuestro propio destino para poder mantener nuestros principios de libertad, soberanía e independencia.
Aprovechamos la oportunidad para dar la bienvenida a esta Organización a los dos nuevos miembros: Islas Cook e Islas Salomón.
Nuestra delegación, en su reconocimiento a la FAO y a los países donantes, se une a la voz de Su Santidad Juan Pablo II, quien en la misa de conmemoración del Aniversario, auguró larga vida a esta Organización que lucha por resolver el problema del hambre en el mundo, deseo común contra cualquier injusticia social, y reitera su incondicionalidad al servicio de la causa que motivaron la creación hace 40 años de esta humanitaria Organización.
A.O. DAWARDA (Libya) (original language Arabic): Allow me on behalf of my country’s delegation to express our deep sympathy to the delegation of Colombia for the catastrophe that has befallen them. We wish to express our sympathies to the bereaved and the families of the bereaved. My country is seeking to do its utmost to take part in the relief operations being extended to Colombia. However, the principles of our country prevent us from using such catastrophes to undertake cheap propaganda tactics.
On behalf of the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, I would like to congratulate the Minister from Cameroon on being elected to preside over this Conference. It is an honour for us that a son of Africa has been elected to chair the proceedings of this Conference. If it is proof of anything, it is proof of the importance that the world accords to this important continent suffering from the famine and backwardness it inherited from the former colonial powers and exploiters.
I would like to welcome the new members of the Organization, and I do hope that a time will come when all colonized nations will join our Organization, beginning with Palestine, southern Africa and Namibia.
On behalf of my country, I would like to pay tribute to the Director-General, Dr Edouard Saouma, for his leadership of this Organization.
After having expressed my dutiful tributes and sympathies and salutes, I would like to say that my country’s statement may not be a traditional or usual one in the form and manner used in these international fora. This is only natural as we come from a country that is living a revolution in every sense. Revolutions require frankness and non-ambiguous words.
This Organization is celebrating its 40th Anniversary, an anniversary that was in fact celebrated during World Food Day. It is an important event in our calendar because of the publicity and attention that it attracts, although such publicity does not feed the hungry.
The hungry and the poor in the world need serious consideration, and there is need for a study of the reasons and causes of their suffering. In so doing we should examine the result of what has been achieved so far. The hungry were not born so and neither were the poor. A review of history would explain to us why the poor are poor today, or the hungry suffer from their hunger. A realistic analysis would help us to find the appropriate solutions for the suffering of the hungry and the poor.
History teaches us that colonialization and occupation were not a result of geographic exploration, but an attempt to usurp the resources of richly endowed countries. The countries’ resources were usurped and the inhabitants enslaved. This led to poverty and hunger. It also led to backwardness in all of its senses for those who remained living in those countries, which became, essentially the sites of occupation. A brief reading of history indicates that this is a fact and that we
had to fight twice to liberate our countries, once with our weapons and once with our hands to feed our people and to defend our freedom and our achievements. We have been killed twice because we have had to harness our manpower to defend our freedoms and our existence rather than direct our energy towards production.
When the powers fail in their attempts to subjugate us, they use the food weapon - God’s manna - as bullets. These superpowers seek to oppress the powerful - the leaders. The latest example was when the CIA was entrusted with the base task of assassinating the leader of a nation which it was not otherwise able to subjugate. That nation is the one that speaks of human rights. All this was indicated in an article in the Washington Post about the attempt on the life of our leader, Colonel Qadhafi.
We have suffered from the armies of the occupying powers. Now we live in the era of economic subjugation. We are suffering from the pressures of the economic system and the recession which is imposed upon us. We are suffering economic subjugation. Due to the shortness of time available I cannot give you the full list, but I believe that this universal organization which is entrusted with finding solutions to the problems of freedom from hunger should undertake a serious and practical study to find answers to the endemic problems of food and agriculture. I say “attempt” and “seek” because we who have drafted the Green Book find that the powerful are always ruling and in this Organization the powerful use their power and exercise their authority over the Organization just as they did in the Security Council. But all peace-loving people will not give up and will continue to struggle. As the nations were victorious in the past in the political struggle, they will be able to find their path and the appropriate weapons to overcome all forms of oppression. When they find these they will find the right centre and forum to take decisions and only then will international organizations become genuine ones. The north-south dialogue was unrealistic as it was a dialogue between the enslavers and the enslaved, between the deaf, and the dialogue of the south left only one avenue open to them.
In the view of developing countries, these are the only ways and means of achieving positive cooperation to enable nations to use their resources, as they possess all the necessary forms of energy and power to become victorious. They have the raw materials, the manpower and the energy. All they now need is a united position. To be victorious in such a battle, people must deal with us as equals and then we can set to them.
I know that my statement is unusual. Some may not understand it but I hope that these will be limited in number. It is also devoid of the diplomatic terms and jargon. But it is clear and frank, so much so that I can imagine what is going on in your minds. Some may be saying to themselves: “What is that backward Arab thinking and dreaming of?” I know I am dreaming, but it will come true one day. In the past the divine messages were given to the humble, and the prophets were victorious. Some among us are followers of the divine messages. The decision which cleansed my country of the American and British occupation and pushed back the desert and established tens of thousands of agricultural farms and provided all the necessary inputs for farmers has also provided our farmers all the livelihood that is necessary. In fact, every farmer in my country earns about 12 000 dinars a year. The appropriate exchange rate, considering the fluctuations of the dollar, is three dollars for every dinar. Our revolution has resulted in bringing some 22 000 kilometres under cultivation. We have built thousands of factories and we have 1 million men under arms in a country which has only 4 million inhabitants.
We have made changes and established a united nation and one in which the people rule instead of the parliament. This is a dream which has become a fact, such as the river in the desert which is simply a steel pipeline founded on a cement pipeline 5 000 kilometres long and will transfer about 6 million cubic feet of water from the north to the south. We have already started to lay down this pipeline and it is estimated that the cost will be about 27 million dollars. All this could be said to be a dream, but the dream is gradually coming true. We have to be resilient and make our dreams come true. Therefore the statement that I wish to make here before my distinguished colleagues is one in which I call for a revolution. We would have hoped for a unity of opinions and views here to suggest to you proposals and studies as to the ways and means of developing appropriate agricultural plans or developing livestock best suited to our desert conditions. I would have liked the developed countries to cooperate with us in finding the means for desalinating sea-water. However, we are far from such cooperation, and drought and desertification continue. I believe that those countries will continue to strive to achieve their ends and we to work to achieve ours. I urge one and all to advance the revolution and to express their solidarity with
the advanced thought in the world, the Green Movement, the Peace Movement and the Campaign for Disarmament. The alliance between the Green Movement and the Peace Movement, once achieved, will enable us to call for adoption of the programmes needed. We cannot do that before society enables us to make our own decisions.
LE PRESIDENT: Je remercie l’honorable délégué de la Libye, mais je dois cependant déplorer la mise en cause indirecte d’un Etat Membre de notre Organisatión. Mon marteau, qui était déjà levé,ne vous a pas stoppé, sans doute parce que vous n’avez pas insisté sur cette référence indirecte.
A. BANEGAS (Honduras): En primer lugar deseo congratularme con usted, señor Presidente, y con los otros miembros de tan distinguida Mesa por haber sido elegidos en tan importantes cargos.
También deseo felicitar y dar el más cordial saludo de bienvenida a Islas Cook e Islas Salomón por su ingreso en esta Organización.
Señor Presidente, Honduras ha participado con gran entusiasmo en la celebración del 40° Aniversario de la creación de la FAO y de las Naciones Unidas. Para Honduras esto es muy significativo, ya que en 1945 fue uno de los signatarios de la Carta de las Naciones Unidas, en San Francisco, California, y uno de los países fundadores de esta honorable Organización.
En esta ocasión tan especial, en nombre del Gobierno de Honduras, deseo felicitar al Director General y personal de la FAO.
Antes de continuar deseo manifestar que el Ministro de Recursos Naturales de mi país lamenta profundamente el no poder estar presente en este 23° Período de Sesiones de la Conferencia de esta Organización, debido a que en Honduras el próximo domingo, día 24, se celebrarán las votaciones políticas generales para la elección de un nuevo Presidente constitucional, Diputados y Administradores locales.
Lo anterior es testimonio de la consolidación del proceso democrático que felizmente se encuentra vigente en mi país.
Los objetivos principales de Honduras consisten principalmente en intensificar el proceso de reforma agraria y alcanzar la autosuficiencia en la producción de alimentos para garantizar a la población un nivel adecuado de nutrición.
El rendimiento del sector agrícola durante los últimos 20 años ha sido desigual. El crecimiento de 1960 fue frenado en 1974 por una importante calamidad natural, el huracán Fifí, que destruyó gran parte de la infraestructura agrícola.
El descenso continuó hasta 1979, año en que el Gobierno inició un programa nacional de producción de cereales básicos.
También se adoptaron enérgicas medidas de reforma agraria, y en el año 1982 se habían redistribuido más de 260 000 hectáreas, es decir, más del 10 por ciento de la superficie cultivada, que pasaron así de las manos de grandes terratenientes a las de 48 000 familias sin tierras. La producción de cereales a finales de 1984 había aumentado en un 49 por ciento y la de leguminosas en un 16 por ciento en relación a 1979.
No obstante lo anterior, una parte importante de la población rural sigue sufriendo deficiencias nutricionales.
Además, Honduras está siendo afectada en su economía por las tendencias regresivas que se manifiestan a nivel mundial. Los ingresos por exportaciones de bienes y servicios han disminuido en un porcentaje importante entre 1981 y 1984.
La inestabilidad política que vivimos en Centxoamérica ha perjudicado la economía y nuestro país destina actualmente parte de sus recursos para acoger a millares de refugiados provenientes de los países vecinos, así como también a satisfacer las necesidades de miles de hondureños desplazados de las áreas fronterizas.
Los programas y proyectos de desarrollo que la FAO apoya en nuestros países están siendo examinados en las respectivas Comisiones y encuentran el favor de mi país.
Dejamos aquí constancia del reconocimiento del dinamismo del Director General en la promocion y organización de las diferentes actividades regionales y subregionales en las que Honduras ha participado.
Reconocemos el esfuerzo realizado por el Director General para mantener el presupuesto de esta Organización dentro de ciertos límites acordes con la crisis económica mundial.
Apoyamos también la política de fomentar la producción de alimentos, mejorar la seguridad alimentaria y los sistemas de información y capacitación.
Igualmente apoyamos la promocion de los programas de cooperación económica y técnica entre los países en desarrollo.
Deseo expresar nuestro convencimiento de que el Programa de Cooperación Técnica de la FAO es un mecanismo eficaz e innovador para asistir a los países en desarrollo.
En Honduras este Programa ha demostrado definitivamente que constituye un agente catalizador de nuevas actividades y proyectos indispensables para el bienestar de la población rural.
La agilidad con que se tramitan y aprueban los proyectos del Programa lo ha convertido en un instrument valioso, no sólo para afrontar nuestras emergencias, sino también -y que es más importantepara prevenirlas.
Finalmente, señor Presidente, deseo expresar que la Oficina Regional de la FAO para América Latina merece nuestro especial reconocimiento por haber promovido y organizado diferentes actividades regionales y subregionales en las que mi país ha participado.
Para terminar, señor Presidente, quiero aprovechar esta oportunidad para expresar al distinguido Delegado de Colombia, en nombre del pueblo y del gobierno de Honduras, los sentimientos de profundo pesar por la terrible tragedia que recientemente les ha golpeado.
E. MULOKOZI (Tanzania): The Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development who wished very much to make this statement is unfortunately not available to do so. I am consequently making this statement on his behalf.
Mr Chairman, on behalf of the Tanzanian delegation I would like to associate myself with previous speakers who have taken the floor before me in congratulating you on your unanimous election to chair this important Twenty-third Session of FAO Conference. There is already an indication that under your guidance and able leadership the discussion of this conference will reach successful results which will further give support to FAO and enable it to fulfil its important task, that of promoting rational world order in food and agriculture and of meeting the challenge to save mankind from hunger and malnutrition. We would like also to congratulate the Cook Islands and Solomon Islands on joining this Organization and we extend to them our warm welcome.
Mr Chairman, we wish also once again to express our deep sorrow and condolences to our Colombian brothers for the catastrophe and tragedy which has taken place in their country. May we extend grievances to the affected families and indeed to the Government and people of Colombia.
Mr Chairman, while I feel honoured and privileged to address this historical session of FAO on its 40th Anniversary, permit me also to mention an historical event which has taken place in my country recently and which has a direct connection and effect on the overall economic and development policies and strategies of Tanzania. Our First President and Father of the Nation, Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere, voluntarily and willingly decided to retire from his post of President of the United Republic and has handed over power to the Second President Nd. Ali Hassan Mwinyi. The fact that the transfer of this executive post held by a man who enjoyed popular support and respect took place democratically and peacefully is an indication that Tanzania is politically stable and mature. I mention this,) Mr Chairman, with the intention of assuring member nations of this Organization that Tanzania will continue to be committed to its policies and principles, and continue to support the commitments to FAO activities made by the First President Mwalimu J.K. Nyerere.
Mr Chairman, Tanzania continued to experience a low level of production in cereals and livestock products, coupled with the low growth in the agricultural sector. A comprehension analysis was called for to show ways and means of tackling the problems. It was against this background that the Tanzanian Government was prompted to study and assess the problems of output in the agricultural sector. This exercise resulted in the formulation and adoption of the Agricultural and Livestock policies. The Agricultural and Livestock policies of Tanzania aim at developing an egalitarian self-reliant agricultural community. The task of implementing the policies is already underway and all necessary actions are being taken to ensure that they are implemented properly.
Mr Chairman, among the major issues included in the policies under “implementation are: increased share of the development budget in the agricultural sector from 11 percent in the early 1980s to 30 percent in the current year; annual review of produce prices and announcement of prices before the planting season: removal of subsidies; review of the standing land tenure system; re-establishment of the Cooperative Unions and streamlining of parastatals to cope with their new role and to reduce costs and increase income to the farmers. Other measures taken include the restructuring of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development to ensure a vertical administrative and technical relationship, the re-establishment of local Government units and the liberalization of trade. The Government has also prepared package programmes on traditional crops to reactivate production so that mid-1970s peak production levels may once again be reached. It is hoped that these packages will increase cash crop and livestock production provided, of course, enough resources can be mobilized.
Mr Chairman, Tanzania has endeavoured to ensure that the farmer receives a large proportion of the price offered for our export crops, but this system is jeopardized by the fact that the international prices of our export crops are being dictated by the developed countries. Hence there is a limit to which we can increase such prices to induce the farmer to produce more.
Having a good policy, per se, may not produce satisfactory results if it is not supplemented by good programmes and projects. Consequently, Tanzania with the assistance of FAO and DANIDA, has prepared a National Food Strategy which covers the period from 1983 to the year 2000. The major components of the strategy are sound land use, improved extension services, prevention of pre- and post-harvest losses and adequate domestic and foreign investment. The strategy has very clearly projected the production targets, the inputs required, storage, Farm Service Centres and financial resources necessary to implement the programme. If this programme had been implemented as planned, Tanzania would have been self-sufficient in food by 1990.
The implementation of the programme has started with the ongoing projects. Several investment proposals have been prepared by the National Food Strategy Cell. Indeed, the programme has helped us to give some sense of direction to farmers in increasing food production. Major thrust has been put in the regions with potential for food production and we are indebted to IFAD for their support in preparing the Southern Highlands smallholder projects.
What we have come to learn from the above programme is that a programme approach rather than the project approach seems to be more effective. In the latter case, the multiplicity of aid agencies * and resource mobilization in efforts operate within undefined project frameworks. Concentration on few potential areas with a total package seems to be the most favoured approach. The approach aims at providing farm inputs and infrastructure required for efficient production, marketing and processing within the national accepted policy and strategy. It is our hope that international donors will appreciate our proposed approach and will recognize its rationality and extend their unreserved assistance in its implementation. At this moment, I would like to thank FAO and IFAD for their assistance in consolidating this approach in Tanzania.
My delegation would wish to emphasize the need to take the question of soil conservation very seriously. Deforestation due to the high demand for firewood has created problems of soil erosion and siltation in dams. My government has embarked on a nationwide afforestation programme to assist and encourage villages, institutions and individuals to establish their own “wood lots”. With support from SIDE, OXFARM, FAO, etc., forestry projects for soil conservation are being undertaken.
Tanzania attaches great importance to research as another area that can help to increase productivity, but I must admit we have not made much progress in this field primarily because of lack of resources. For research to be relevant, it must be able to respond to farmers’ problems locally. The link between applied and adoptive research which determines the usefulness of findings at the research stations is missing. It is the hope of my delegation that in the Programme of Work now under discussion more emphasis will be placed on this area.
Tanzania, with the third livestock population in sub-Saharan Africa, attaches great importance to the development of this important sector. However, there are some serious obstacles that hamper development. Among the problems facing the sector are over-stocking, over-grazing, tsetse fly and inadequate surface water. The current foreign exchange crisis has created shortages of vaccines, drugs and necessary equipment, resulting in low production in the sector.
My delegation extends its thanks to FAO, the UNDP and EEC for their timely support in combatting the outbreak of rinderpest by providing vaccines and logistical support, thus enabling us to contain the outbreak.
The development of our smallholder livestock sector will always remain the primary focal point of our development endeavours. Thus, improvements will be sought by increasing financial and technical support for animal health care, pasture and range management, animal breeding, livestock extension, marketing, processing and manpower training.
To conclude, I would like to reiterate that the present agrarian crisis in sub-Saharan Africa, including Tanzania, is, among other things, the result of the current balance of payments crisis facing many African countries. The chronic foreign exchange shortage in my country has worsened the agricultural situation by inhibiting imported farm inputs, machinery and the essential consumer goods which are incentives to increased agricultural production. It is with the objective of, at least, minimizing the effects of this serious constraint that my delegation strongly supports the Programme of Work and Budget because it appears to be a compromise in implementing our integrated rural development programme as called for in the National Food Strategy.
On behalf of my delegation and on my own behalf, I would like to express my deep appreciation for the able leadership of the Director-General of FAO and for his personal persistence in mobilizing resources and focusing international attention on the scourge of hunger and malnutrition in the developing countries, particularly in the sub-Saharan region. His personal support has enabled Africa’s rehabilitation programmes to be initiated and Tanzania has begun to benefit from them.
Also, Mr Chairman, we should like to thank you for the manner in which you have directed our deliberations and we sincerely hope that your personal efforts and those of the Conference will yield meaningful results.
Ivo P. ALVARENGA (El Salvador): Señor Presidente: Permítame formular a Ud., a los vicepresidentes, a los presidentes y vicepresidentes de las Comisiones de la Conferencia nuestras felicitaciones por su elección. Aunque nos adelantamos a los hechos, y porque no tendremos quizás la oportunidad de hacerlo en otro momento, quisiéramos expresar nuestra satisfacción por la elección, que sinceramente deseamos, del Sr. Lassad Ben Osman como Presidente Independiente del Consejo. Nos complace saber que el segundo órgano en importancia de la FAO estará dirigido por un representativo de la patria de Habib Bourguiba, una de las figuras más excelsas de Africa y uno de los más prestigiosos padres fundadores del Tercer Mundo.
Paralelamente rendimos tributo de admiración profunda a las exquisitas cualidades personales y las extraordinarias capacidades profesionales del Sr. M.S. Swaminathan que está por concluir su mandato.
Es altamente significativo que la Presidencia de nuestro Consejo pase de un compatriota de Jawaharlal Nehru e Indira Ghandi a uno de Habib Bourguiba.
Queremos asimismo dar nuestra afectuosa bienvenida a los nuevos miembros: las Islas Cook y las Islas Salomón.
Nos unimos a las condolencias que ya hemos expresado en otros momentos por el querido hermano pueblo de Colombia, a través de su delegación dirigida por el amigo y admirado Embajador G. Bula Hoyos.
En lo que concierne a los temas de esta Conferencia, formulamos las siguientes consideraciones: Como ya lo hemos hecho en lo que va desde la Comisión II, apoyamos enfáticamente el nivel del presupuesto y reiteramos nuestra oposición al crecimiento cero. Por el contrario estamos de acuerdo con el incremento del presupuesto, obviamente modesto. Es muy encomiable que se acreciente la disponibilidad de fondos para los programas técnicos, incluso sometiendo a verdaderos sacrificios el resto de la Organización.
Lamentamos la tendencia a la disminución de la ayuda oficial, en especial multilateral, al desarrollo, la cual ha sido deplorada numerosas veces por nuestro Director General y por otras personalidades del más alto nivel del mundo agrícola internacional. El Presidente del Consejo Mundial de la Alimentación Sr. Eugene Whelan, en su informe al penúltimo período de sesiones, manifestaba estar “sumamente preocupado por la tendencia manifestada por las naciones desarrolladas en lo referente a la ayuda multilateral”.
El Presidente del Consejo de Ministros de Italia, Sr. Bettino Craxi, en un artículo significativamente titulado “La miseria arma a los pueblos”, señala que “surge la tendencia a preferir la forma de la ayuda bilateral respecto de la multilateral” y aunque cree en ciertas ventajas de aquélla, dice que “no debemos olvidar los riesgos y peligros de orden politico e incluso economico que se anida en el bilateralismo”.
Permítaseme a este respecto hacer una breve aclaración en materia de principios. Nosotros cóncebimos la ayuda internacional al desarrollo como un acto de solidaridad humana que sustancialmente no se debiera diferenciar del sistema de corresponsabilidad social que se establece en el interior de un país a través de los impuestos. El único principio supremo que debiera seguirse al respecto es: “Dé cada quien según sus capacidades, reciba cada quien según sus necesidades”, principio puesto a la base de doctrinas revolucionarias e incluso elevado a norma jurídica constitucional como, por ejemplo, en el caso de la Unión Soviética.
Un ilustre Jefe de Estado, campeón de la lucha de los pueblos por la libertad y la justicia, a quien acaba de rendir merecido tributo el orador precedente, el hoy expresidente de Tanzanía Sr. Julius Nyerere, dijo en esta misma sala que nadie tiene derecho a aprovecharse de los demás por ser más rico o más inteligente. Lo mismo se aplica a los países·
No podemos estar de acuerdo con quienes quieren ver en pasadas responsabilidades históricas una fuente de grados diversos de obligación frente a la solidaridad internacional. En la Edad Media se hacía una distinción entre hijos legítimos por una parte e ilegítimos, adulterinos, incestuosos y sacrílegos por otra. A estos últimos se les cubría de mayor o menor infamia por las culpas de sus padres. La tesis mencionada sería como volver a esos criterios absurdos, tanto más absurdos si con ellos se quiere justificar el incumplimiento de los deberes de alguien.
Sin embargo, hay en los hechos una distancia sideral entre uno y otro caso. Entre el criterio que se utiliza para tasar a los ciudadanos en el interior de un país y lo que se dedica a la ayuda internacional. En los países ricos, a los particulares se les exige hasta el 90 por ciento de sus rentas para el bien común. En cambio, para la cooperación internacional se estima que el 0,7 por ciento del ingreso nacional es una cifra por demás ambiciosa, a veces inalcanzable. La deformación enorme que en esos mismos países prevalece en cuanto al significado de la ayuda al exterior, se pone de manifiesto si pensamos que en este país donde nos encontramos, el cual se ha ganado con plena justicia un merecido respeto por su creciente compromiso con la cooperación internacional, el proyecto de dedicar 1 900 “miliardi” de liras, o sea poco más de 1 100 millones de dólares al cambio actual, a la lucha contra el hambre en todo el mundo en el espacio de un año y medio, ha despertado polémicas interminables por varios años. Muchos ciudadanos e incluso personajes autorizados se preguntan cómo es posible que se gaste una cifra tan grande para tal objeto. En cambio, nadie hace ningún comentario, quedan en silencio de pequeñas noticias en páginas interiores de los periódicos, las informaciones de que en un solo año los italianos gastan 1 000 “miliardi” de liras en comida para animales domésticos (perros, gatos y canarios, sobre todo) o que consumen 7 000 “miliardi” en cigarrillos, también cada año. O sea, en Italia, donde existe una conciencia relativamente profunda del problema del hambre en el mundo, se gasta al año una cifra igual en alimentar a los animales caseros y 700 por cien más en humo que en llevar alivio a los seres humanos hambrientos de todo el mundo.
No cito estos casos porque quiera criticar a este país que tanto admiro y respeto. Tomo sólo dos ejemplos al azar, entre los miles semejantes que podrían encontrarse en todos los países.
Tornando al programa de nuestra Organización, reiteramos el apoyo de El Salvador a los objetivos y las prioridades trazados por el Director General: fomento de la producción de alimentos, aumento de la seguridad alimentaria, consolidación de los sistemas de información, énfasis en la capacitación, promoción de la cooperación económica y técnica entre países en desarrollo y reforzamiento de los programas de campo.
Particular interés nos merece la vigorización del programa de montes. Pasada la etapa de la política forestal que el venezolano Víctor Giménez Landínez llamaba “contemplativa”, que se limitaba a prohibir la explotación del bosque, se ha caído en una fase de utilización incontrolada que amenaza la vida ya no sólo de las especies forestales sino de la especie humana· Parodiando una conocida frase de Bertrand Russell podríamos decir, sin temor a exagerar, que nuestro tiempo contempla una carrera entre la reforestación y el desastre.
En lo que concierne al Programa de Cooperación Técnica, reafirmamos que se trata de uno de los más eficaces, útiles e incisivos de la FAO. Nuestro país ha sido beneficiario del PCT y somos testigos de lo veloz y certero que es para llegar donde se le necesita. De ahí que nos complace que se aumente su límite máximo unitario. En cuanto a la nueva categoría que se propone, que permitiría financiar la CEPD y CTPD, comprendemos las dudas que puedan tener algunos países. Las comprendemos, pero no las compartimos. Como bien se decía en la edición que la revista CERES dedicó àl tema “si los países desarrollados están realmente interesados en promover la CTPD, han de reorientar sus prioridades en materia de asistencia. Un aumento en las contribuciones... permitirá a los países en desarrollo alcanzar más rápidamente el objetivo de la autosuficiencia”. Nuevas y eficaces maneras de financiar la cooperación entre países en desarrollo, como es, precisamente, el TCP, son un modo idóneo de favorecer su autosuficiencia.
El Pacto de Seguridad Alimentaria nos despierta una plena simpatía, como ya lo hemos repetido en la I Comisión. Desde que la idea apareció apenas esbozada en el trascendental documento sometido por el Director General al Comité de Seguridad Alimentaria en abril de 1983, nos sumamos a ella. Nos complace vivamente que ahora nos encontremos ante un proyecto en debida forma, el cual por desgracia no cuenta con la adhesión de unos pocos pero importantísimos países. Ojalá éstos puedan dar en un futuro próximo su adhesión y levantar sus reservas al respecto.
Damos el apoyo de El Salvador al Código de conducta para la distribución y uso de plaguicidas así como a las actividades realizadas o por realizarse en materia de recursos fitogenéticos, las cuales deben ajustarse a la armonía entre las instituciones existentes y al respeto de los derechos legítimos de todos, incluidos los fitomejoradores.
En lo que concierne a las relaciones con el país sede, esperamos que todo posible malentendido se aclare y se desarrollen de conformidad con la alta estima que merecen tanto nuestra Organización como el noble, bellísimo, generoso, democrático país que la hospeda.
Una referencia especial deseamos formular sobre el Programa Mundial de Alimentos, que con nuestro país ha sido particularmente solícito y eficiente. Agradecemos sentidamente por ello a su Director Ejecutivo y su personal, sobre todo el de la Subdirección de América Latina y el Caribe.
Aquí desearíamos terminar nuestra intervención. Esta tribuna de solidaridad universal no debiera ser utilizada para transmitir mensajes políticos, poléraicos y partidistas.
Sin embargo, hay una delegación que no ha dejado pasar ninguna oportunidad en esta Conferencia sin dar publicidad a su situación política.
No tendríamos que decir nada si no fuera porque esos mensajes crean una versión unilateral y parcial de lo que ocurre en nuestra tribulada subregión centroamericana. También nuestro pueblo sufre una agresión no sólo protegida, sino fomentada en el extranjero, en especial contra la manifiesta voluntad repetidas veces demostrada por el pueblo salvadoreño. Una minoría armada pretende imponer a nuestro país un régimen político que repudia, propiciando contra los otros exactamente los mismos actos de que otros dicen ser víctimas. Para citar sólo dos ejemplos, el sabotaje a nuestra economía llega a un millón y medio de dólares diarios, según la radio emisora de los rebeldes. El secuestro
de personas inocentes incluido el de la hija del Presidente de la República, se ha vuelto un instrumen to normal de lucha. Todo ello con la complicidad o la coautoría desde el exterior. Con todo, nosotros no insultamos a los alzados en armas. No por la naturaleza de ellos sino por la naturaleza de nuestro Gobierno que desea verlos reunidos en una sociedad donde podamos convivir todos los salvadoreños·
Centroamérica tiene derecho a la paz. Todos nuestros países tienen derecho a la autodeterminación y a construirse un mejor futuro. Pero para ello, nosostros pensamos que es indispensable una política verdaderamente independiente que no trasplante a nuestra zona los conflictos mundiales, que no pretenda imponerle a otros un sistema que no desean y que respete las minorías, cualesquiera que sean, sin pretender su destrucción con base en mesianismos ideológicos·
Repetimos que somos totalmente contrarios a la politización de la FAO, ajena como debe ser a las disputas bélicas que dividen al mundo. Los países en desarrollo aquí no tienen sino intereses comunes y es bueno y justo que luchemos unidos por ellos.
Ojalá que en el futuro se eviten actitudes que desnaturalizan y hasta podrían poner en peligro nuestra Organización. Que todos trabajemos por su progresivo engrandecimiento para que siga adelante en la luminosa trayectoria que ha trazado en estos 40 años que jubilosamente celebramos.
K.G.A. HILL (Jamaica): Congratulations are in order: to you, Mr Chairman, a distinguished representative of your country, Cameroon, and of Africa; to Dr Saouma, the Director-General, on this 40th anniversary of a still effective Food and Agriculture Organization; and to the officers and representatives who have been given the privilege, the honour and the opportunity to serve the interests of the international community in the field of food, agriculture and fisheries.
May I also add a special word to the non-governmental organizations and to the many individuals who, in all different walks of life, have made important contributions in the fight against hunger and malnutrition.
A word of welcome to the two new members, the Cook Islands and the Solomon Islands.
A word of sympathy for the great suffering and loss of life that resulted from the two recent natural disasters in the sister respublics of the Americas, Colombia and Mexico.
My Minister, the Honourable Percival Broderick, has asked me to convey his sincerest regrets that he was unable to participate in our deliberations. He offers his best wishes for a fruitful outcome to our deliberations. On his behalf, I should like to put on record the full support of the Government of Jamaica for the emphasis given to food and agriculture programmes in Africa by FAO unilaterally and in conjunction with governments and international organizations.
The record reveals some very glaring shortcomings. True, we can never do enough, but despite many commitments freely undertaken the international community has failed to make a decisive breakthrough in overcoming hunger and malnutrition. Neither the will nor the resources have been adequate.
Looking ahead to the immediate future and beyond, my delegation offers these brief comments on a number of important issues which have been the subject of statements by His Holiness the Pope, by presidents and others.
Developments in the world economy: the current economic situation continues to pose grave threats to the socio-political fabric of most societies, and more so to those of the developing countries, whose economies have been unable to adjust to the crisis. There are signs that several governments who play important roles in international, monetary, financial and trade fields may be ready to work cooperatively in the appropriate international institutions in formulating common solutions. We say “may”; we still look forward to more concrete results.
FAO’s work in the area of international agricultural adjustments and agricultural protectionism can help in finding solutions equitable to all countries.
The Programme of Work and Budget, as recommended by the Council, is acceptable to my Government. The modest increase proposed makes allowance for the concerns expressed by governments. The emphasis on Africa is fully justified. We agree to the six priorities and commend the strategy of increased activities by FAO’s regional officers. Economic and technical cooperation among developing countries, ECDC, TCDC, is fully supported by Jamaica as a major category and as a critical constituent element in FAO’s programmes. FAO and, indeed, the UN System as a whole could and should do much more to incorporate ECDC and TCDC in their regular programmes. We support increased resources for these activities which will contribute to global output by stimulating growth and development in developing countries.
The technical cooperation network sponsored by the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean has provided Jamaica and its partners in the region with tangible results. Through this network, more than one thousand technicians from member countries of the Region have received training in the course of 1985 alone, and this has been an effective mechanism for transferring technology. How better can one help countries to help themselves?
Jamaica has benefitted on a timely basis from the Technical Cooperation Programme. This innovative -approach to technical assistance and cooperation should be encouraged. Against the background of the independent evaluation of the programme, my Government supports the establishment of a new category for projects “catalyzing inter-country cooperation, i.e. TCDC research networks, twinning of institutions of two developing countries or between institutions of a developing and a developed country”.
Jamaica also supports the World Food Security Compact which recognizes the obligations of both developed and developing governments, non-governmental organizations and individuals.
Jamaica supports the International Code of Conduct on Distribution and Use of Pesticides, the World Food Programme pledging target of $1.4 billion with the two components of 3.25 million tons of food and $450 million in cash. We support the follow-up to the Mexico Manifesto identified by the Ninth World Forestry Congress and also the Committee on Forest Development in the Tropics. We welcome the proposals contained in the proposed Forestry Action Plan which provides a sound overall conceptual framework for action in the field of tropical forests.
We fully support the strategy for fisheries management and the five programmes of action endorsed by the 1984 World Conference on Fisheries Management and Development. Jamaica, as the headquarters of the International Seabed Authority, takes special note of those activities related to the exploitation of maritime resources for the benefit of all Member States.
My delegation took note of the comment by Mr Joseph Wheeler, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) in the Plenary yesterday. I quote him: “Genetic diversity is fundamental to the food production and other resources needed for the future”.
We join with others in giving support to the international undertaking and programme of work of the Plant Genetic Resources Commission.
I should like to draw attention to the deliberations of the Ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean at their Eighteenth Regional Conference. Our Ministers on that occasion welcomed the proposal by the Director-General to undertake a worldwide in-depth study on agricultural price policy. This, of course, does not mean that efforts at securing remunerative prices on international markets for the exports from developing countries will await the result of those studies. On the contrary, we would hope that remedial steps will be taken as a matter of the greatest priority in dealing with the collapse of commodity prices. The study will no doubt pay close attention to protectionism, to restrictive and other unfair practices, whether they be subsidies or non-tariff barriers by developed countries who, even as they preach free and fair trade, impose barriers and produce market imperfections. The restrictions imposed on sugar exports from the Caribbean Basin countries is one small, but significant, illustration.
Our Ministers will convene in Barbados in 1986 on the occasion of the Nineteenth Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean. My delegation supports the proposal made by the Barbados Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Honourable Richard Cheltenham, that the
Conference examine the approaches which may be adopted in dealing with the special characteristics of agricultural development in small open economies, of which there are many in the region of the Americas.
As one of those small open economies, Jamaica has given new emphasis to agriculture as an engine for growth in its domestic economy. We have given greater attention to the application of technology in agricultural production, to incentives for small- and large-scale farming, and to production geared to foreign markets for non-traditional products.
Jamaica gives its unreserved support to the International Fund for Agricultural Development. It must be a source of great dismay that, despite IFAD’s proven effectiveness, its second replenishment is still stalled because of a million dollars or two. Even if this matter is satisfactorily resolved, IFAD’s lending target for three years will be at a level of US $500 million. We must recall that IFAD was launched with pledges of over US $1 billion nearly ten years ago. We all know that resources are not the problem. The problem is clearly the crises of confidence in international cooperation. There is no doubt that international cooperation no longer commands the consensus of the international community.
With our partners in the Caribbean community, in the region of Latin America and the Caribbean, and in the Group of 77, Jamaica continues to be guided by that spirit which allowed us to celebrate forty years of the United Nations and forty years of the Food and Agriculture Organization.
O.R. da SILVA NEVES (Brazil) (original language Portuguese): Mr Chairman, I would like to congratulate you on your election to the Chair.
On behalf of my country I should like to convey the deepest condolences to the Government of Colombia on the tragedy that has just stricken that country.
It is an honour and pleasure for Brazil to participate in the Twenty-third Conference of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, which this year celebrates its 40th Anniversary.
Under the direction of Dr Edouard Saouma FAO constitutes a privileged forum for reflections on the challenges that many countries have not been able to overcome despite all their efforts.
In this meeting, which brings together representatives from developing and developed countries, we are attempting to find practical solutions to resolve the serious problems related to hunger and malnutrition in the poverty-stricken populations of the earth. Many of these solutions require, because of the nature and magnitude of the problems, a high degree of understanding and solidarity among all countries and peoples. Above all, they require courageous political decisions in the realm of international economic relations that may lead to substantial changes in the present status quo.
In that regard and as a worldwide forum, FAO plays a role of great political relevance in dealing with problems of a structural nature requiring complex negotiations among several governments and institutions. It is within this framework that Brazil reiterates its full support for the Programme of Work and Budget, for the strengthening of the Technical Cooperation Programme and the World Compact for Food Security, for the Code of Conduct on Distribution and Use of Pesticides, for the World Food Programme, and for the Agreement on Phytogenetic Resources, for the priority of agriculture rehabilitation improvement in the African continent and the strengthening of economic and technological cooperation among developing countries.
Multilateral fora such as FAO are the basis for the opening of new negotiating areas for developing countries. It is in this respect, and as a means to secure balance and justice between poor and rich countries, that multilateralism cannot be vulnerable to crisis. On the contrary, it should act to render concrete democratization of international relations possible by strengthening the instruments that will facilitate a more equitable distribution of wealth among all countries. The complexity of the international scene and the global problems faced by mankind in the current era, especially those concerning development, require a greater concentration of efforts, which is possible only within international organizations.
During recent years the world’s agricultural and food situation has been suffering from the impact of economic adjustment, a process started by several governments that were faced with problems of external debts, public deficit, inflation and unemployment. The global economic trends during the 1980/84 period were not likely to promote agriculture since in most cases these trends affected the production of basic foodstuffs assigned to lower-income populations.
One of the ten major economies in the world, and one with considerable available areas for high agricultural production, Brazil is in a position to contribute to the reshaping of the world agriculture structure.
However, in spite of its undeniable agronomic potential, the country faces serious difficulties in providing for the basic needs of its population. The average triennial rate of growth in agricultural products dropped from 6.4 percent per annum in 1975/77 to 1.3 percent in 1982/84. In the period 1977/1984 the basic food crops, rice, beans, corn, manioc and potato, experienced a drop in production of 1.9 percent per annum and per inhabitant, and the production of milk, meat’s and wheat was stagnant.
With that situation in mind, President José Sarney’s administration tried to solve the problems faced by the Brazilian society and economy. Within the context of a political transition situation, technically and politically viable solutions were designed in accordance with certain basic principles. Firstly, a firm commitment to democracy, with the extension of citizens’ political rights and with a democratic management of the economy. Such commitments originated in the government’s conviction that the nation’s major debt is the social debt acquired by all Brazilians vis-à-vis those who live in poverty or beneath the poverty level. The solution to internal and external debts should be sought in the priority given to the social debt. Approximately 68 million Brazilians live with an income of less than three minimum wages (about US $180) and more than 18 million earn less than one minimum wage (US $60). Thirty million Brazilians live in a condition of malnutrition.
Hence, the Government established a Programme of Social Priorities - health, food, education, sanitation and housing - with initial investments of 12 trillion cruzeiros (US $1.38 billion approximately) and is expecting a more meaningful volume of resources for 1986.
In the specific field of agriculture, the defined priorities were those of producing basic foodstuffs and of supporting small-scale farmers, without abandoning dynamic cultures destined to the internal and external market, including the shaping of the country’s new agricultural policy.
As one of the main commitments of the new Government, the agrarian reform plays a relevant role in the new policies for the agricultural sector. Abiding by the established laws and without disturbing the productive segments of agriculture, a restructuring of the ownership system and use of land was initiated. Both systems were previously characterized by a dramatic coexistence of large properties with vast extensions of land that could be used but were not cultivated, estates, and a large number of underemployed or unemployed rural workers without land. Only by overcoming this situation will it be possible to reappraise and eliminate the inequitable incomes, the unevenness in productivity, the atrophy of the employment capacity in the rural sector, the scarce participation in the market, the elitist characteristics of rural credit and, finally, the difficulties in expanding agriculture and livestock production. The goal established by the Government in the National Plan of Agrarian Reform is to resettle 1.4 million families of rural workers in four years.
Together with the National Plan of Agrarian Reform, the Government has approved the directives of the National Rural Development Policy. These directives assume that changes in the structure of land property should be accompanied by an agile and innovating agricultural policy.
Among the directives of the National Rural Development Policy the following ones should be stressed: new financing system for the agricultural sector, new policies for provisioning and supply of food, irrigation programme, research and technical assistance, and agricultural planning.
Generally, these are the guidelines regarding the agricultural policies of the New Republic Government led by President Sarney.
However, my Government is firmly convinced that all efforts for an internal re-adjustment of the economy, especially those concerning the agricultural sector, should be followed by changes in international relations in the political as well as in the economic fields.
In the last three years developed countries have imposed upon themselves the task of alleviating domestic economic recession by scaling down public expenditures, by adopting programmes that sustain prices and incomes, and by raising the public deficit and internal interest rates.
Stimulated by the low levels of interest rates prevailing in the 1970s, developing countries became heavily indebted and started facing liquidity problems in their balance of payments when taken by surprise by sharp increases in interest rates in world markets.
By adopting policies to protect domestic incomes and make monetary supplies restrictive, developed countries caused a relative valuation of strong currencies, raising the real cost of credits for developing countries from 6 percent in the 1960s to over 20 percent at the beginning of the 1980s, and consequently transferring to these countries the onus of this protection through financial markets.
Confronted by tremendous imbalances in their balance of payments, developing countries restricted imports and were not given any other choice than to accept international organizations’ rules and supervision in their internal adjustment process, with implications for the exercise of sovereignty and for the aggravation of hunger, unemployment and the welfare of the population in general.
The general growth in these countries declined significantly in the 1970s and 1980s despite their elevated rate of demographic expansion.
In the meantime, the world trade in agricultural products decreased as a result of the revaluation of the dollar, the rise in interest rates and financial difficulties experienced by poor countries. Developed countries’ agricultural exports lost their markets, resulting in accumulation of great stocks and opening possibilities for dumping practices.
All this indicates that developed countries are incentivating exports through credits and subsidies and so transferring once more to the developing countries, the exporters of agricultural products, the onus of their internal adjustment process, postponing the economical recovery of the latter.
The problems of agricultural protectionism, increasingly practised by highly industrialized countries, highlighted and aggravated the contradictions prevailing in the current international economic order. The so-called virtues of the free play of market forces, through which supply and demand by themselves would secure an efficient allocation of resources and would lead the international community to higher levels of prosperity, are not even supported by those who, in the agricultural sectors, may be considered their original proponents.
The reality of the international agricultural trade presents itself as a head-on clash with the supposed principles of economic rationality widely known but rarely applied by industrialized countries. This rationality is discredited each day, with no inhibitions whatsoever, in. favour of sectors of low income and zero competitivity in developed countries, leading one to doubt the sincerity of the purposes of these countries.
Actually, the adjustments underway in international agricultural trade are such as to privilege inefficient producers that fail to make provision in their competivity margins over the cost of onerous government protection. As if the difficulties of market access were not enough, as a result of such protectionist practices, developing countries’ exports to traditional markets are reduced with consequent lack of stimulus to increase production and productivity. This happens in precisely those economies in which growth in agricultural output is of utmost relevance to secure minimum levels of prosperity.
We cannot expect a meaningful reshaping in the multilateral trade system in the light of present distortions in agricultural trade. There is no justification for the protection granted to developed countries’ vulnerable economic sectors at the expense of deep imbalances in international markets.
The negotiation of external debts has already demonstrated the need for political action, as well as the need for developing countries’ joint efforts in reshaping the international financial system. The same may be applicable to the agricultural economic policies: a common action by these countries could prevent them from absorbing once more (through international trade) the burden of the adjustment process of rich countries. That is the great challenge of our days and Brazil is ready to accept it.
A.A. AL AGHBARY (Yemen Arab Republic) (original language Arabic): First of all may I congratulate the President on his election and on his wise chairmanship of our proceedings and the Secretariat of the Organization for its efforts in organizing this Conference and for the quality of the documents and the flexibility that is shown in solving the many problems of the delegations attending the Conference.
I also join with others in expressing my deep sympathy, condolences and sorrow to the peoples of Mexico and Colombia who have recently suffered major natural disasters and catastrophes. We shall of course join with all other nations in extending a helping hand to these two countries.
This meeting of the FAO General Conference at its 23rd Session is being held at a very difficult and complex time. We are witnessing many important and vital changes. Some are positive and serve the cause of peace and development. Others are negative and threaten peace and security due to a shortage of food, to natural disasters, to increasing international tension and to the famines which threaten many African countries today. Another positive sign is the improvement in the world economy, especially in the more advanced countries which have broken through the world recession. Similarly an equal improvement in the economies of the developing countries has taken place. However, we find that generally speaking the economic growth in these countries has been limited and food security is still uncertain. There is an increasing gap between food production and food imports or between the required amount of food and the population growth, due to shortage of supplies and foodstuffs.
We agree with FAO and the Director-General that Africa is in dire need of assistance due to the natural catastrophes, such as the drought and famine, which have brought about tremendous losses of human life. We applaud the efforts of the Director-General in assisting those countries to strengthen their economic base so that in the future they may depend upon themselves and ensure food security for their people.
We have already stressed and now repeat the need for self-help so that each country may depend upon itself. We are not calling for autarchy in any country and we do not fail to appreciate the exchange of solutions between civilizations, but this should be done on the basis of equal respect and non-interference in other country’s affairs. We seek to depend on ourselves to guard against future catastrophes. The policies adopted by many developed countries regarding food have become unfitting, from the humanitarian aspect, vis-`a-vis the developing world. We are seeking to be self sufficient in food and clothing to protect ourselves at a time where famine tactics and food embargoes have become the policy of the major powers. Food security and productivity have become the priority in my country. Many countries in Africa have suffered from drought in recent years, this has depleted livestock and food resources, this has happened with Yemen especially in the last years, diseases and epidemics have dominated our harvests and livestock. These problems have reduced agricultural production and we have had to spend millions of dollars in combating diseases and pests when these funds could have been used to improve the economic basis of our agricultural production. This leads to a need for the Organization to strengthen its early warning system in order to predict the effect of these catastrophes and to limit their damage.
I commend very highly the efforts of FAO in our own and many other member countries. We express our appreciation of the leading role of the Organization in the field of strengthening food security in many member countries, whether by emergency supplies in famines and catastrophes or by aid to develop their economies, or through its economic and technical programmes.
We thank the Regional and National Offices of FAO for their efforts and urge the Organization to widen the application of this system and increase their mandates so that these offices can respond immediately with the right decisions to emergencies in developing countries.
On the question of food security, my country’s political leadership has taken far-sighted steps to increase food production and self-sufficiency. One decision required the banning of the importation of fruit which has led to an increase in local fruit production. We have also increased the area devoted to the planting of foodstuffs and fruit. We also plan to rebuild the great Maareb Dam to irrigate 20 000 hectares to produce cereals and fruit. We support the food security compact and the programme for 1986-87 and urge member countries to approve these proposals.
Finally we wish this Conference every success and hope that members will adopt all the resolutions leading to this end.
D. P. WANGCHUK (Bhutan): Mr Chairman, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is a great honour for me to address this Conference which has coincided with FAO’s 40th Anniversary. The Bhutanese Delegation would like to congratulate you for being elected Chairman of this very important Conference. We would also like to extend our warm greetings to the two new Member Nations - Cook Islands and the Solomon Islands. Furthermore, I would also like to take the opportunity to felicitate the Food and Agriculture Organization for forty years of dedicated and distinguished service to mankind.
Mr Chairman, I have the pleasure of informing the Conference that Bhutan celebrated the International Year of the Forest in an appropriate and fitting manner. The celebration was highlighted through various competitions and publicity programmes aimed at creating awareness, as well as a special tree planting ceremony which was organized on the occasion of the visit in August of Mr E. Bojadzievski, FAO Representative for Bhutan. The ceremony was attended by many prominent Government Officials. We also hope to issue a set of commemorative postage stamps and coins for the International Year of the Forest before the end of 1985.
On 16 October 1985, the World Food Day 1985 was celebrated and a major exhibition was organized for three days highlighting the various activities of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry, Animal Husbandry and the Food Corporation of Bhutan, and also the activities of the Food and Agriculture Organization.
Mr Chairman, with your permission, I would like to mention in brief the present state of socio-economic development in Bhutan. The process of planned development in Bhutan was initiated by The Late King, His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchhuk in 1961 with the Launching of the First Five Year Plan. Currently the Kingdom is approaching the end of the Fifth Plan (1981-1987). Over the years of planned development significant achievements have been made in establishing the basic physical and human infrastructure of a modern economy.
Although the specific priorities of each Five Year Plan have varied, the two fundamental postulates of national economic policy have been to improve the living standards of the people and to achieve economic self-reliance. While the basic objectives of planned development continue to be valid, the rising expectations of the people and the need to further expand and intensify developmental activities have made it necessary for the Royal Government to formulate the Sixth Plan in a more elaborate manner. The two major objectives of the current Plan are: i) to attain food self-sufficiency and ii) to raise the per capita income of the rural populace. Detailed strategies, programmes and projects are now being formulated. We are requesting FAO’s valuable assistance in project and programme formulation for the Sixth Plan in the Agriculture Sector.
Although the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry was established in February 1985, the four Departments of the new Ministry have been working in close cooperation with both FAO and WFP for some years now. The need for such a Ministry was recognized for some time and its final emergence will certainly facilitate the functioning of a vital sector of our economy. The four Departments of the Ministry - Agriculture - Animal Husbandry - Forestry and the Food Corporation of Bhutan - have undergone appropriate restructuring. With these substantive changes, we are now poised, to meet the new challenges. In October 1984 the FAO Representative to India was also accredited as the FAO Representative to Bhutan. Since then, we have had the immense benefit of the FAO Representative’s close attention in our agro-forestry sector.
Agriculture is by far the most important sector in our predominantly agrarian economy. The importance stems not only from the present significance of agriculture in the economy but also from the potential contribution agriculture and related activities can make to fuel the balanced development of the Bhutanese economy. Several countries in situations similar to ours had neglected agricultural development for its cost. We have been fortunate in having recognized the significance of agriculture for our economy from the beginning of planned development in our Kingdom. The importance of agriculture is expected to be reflected suitably in the Sixth Plan through a major allocation of resources for agro-forestry activities.
We are disadvantaged at present by the lack of physical infrastructure and qualified manpower, including suitable agricultural institutions. The technical efficiency in Agricultural Science is extremely low but can be raised considerably with technical assistance from organizations such as FAO. In fact we are in the fortunate position of being able to draw upon the vast knowledge and
technical packages already generated elsewhere. With FAO’s assistance it should be possible to make windfall gains by making successful jumps in agricultural technology, in spite of the fact that agricultural development is generally a slow process. We have partially achieved this through some FAO-assisted Projects in the four subsectors. However, the potential far exceeds the strides made so far. As Bhutan’s manpower and institutional capability improve over time, so also our ability to effectively utilize the services of FAO will be improved in the years to come.
Cooperation between the Royal Government of Bhutan and FAO is expected to increase in the future, both in terms of coverage and intensity. The broad objectives of FAO coincide fully with ours.
Within the next decade, by the time FAO reaches its Golden Jubilee, we expect to make great strides in agricultural development in Bhutan. The next decade will be a crucial one for us as most of the fundamental structural changes in the Bhutanese economy will occur during this period. If, with the assistance of FAO and other multilateral agencies and bilateral donors, the national capabilities to deal with such changes are set into place, the Bhutanese economy would be established on a sound and healthy foundation.
Mr Chairman, my Delegation is highly appreciative of the enormous efforts made by the Director-General and FAO in drawing up an action packed Programme of Work and Budget for 1986-87. We fully endorse and support the proposed Programme of Work and Budget presented by the Director-General. 1/
S. SODNOMDORJ (Mongolia): Mr Chairman, Distinguished Delegates, on behalf of the Mongolian delegation I would like to congratulate you on your election to the chairmanship of the present session of the FAO conference. Our delegation would like to take the opportunity to extend its congratulations to the new member countries, the Cook Islands and Solomon Islands, which have joined the FAO.
The present session of the FAO is taking place at a time, when people throughout our planet are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the great victory over fascism and militarism, in which the Soviet Union and its armed forces played a decisive role. The UN, whose main task is to save future generations from the scourge of war, was born as the result of the great victory of forces of peace and democracy in that war.
Today the imperialist forces pursue the policy of obtaining strategic military superiority and thus exposing mankind to the fatal threat of a new world war. In such a situation the task of preventing the danger of nuclear holocaust and curbing the arms race becomes particularly urgent.
The countries of the socialist community are taking active steps towards averting the danger of nuclear war. The latest vivid evidence of such a policy is the result of the Political Consultative Committee Meeting of the Warsaw Treaty Member States, held in Sofia last October. We believe that it is possible to achieve an agreement on the basis of the proposals put forward at the meeting by these countries which could lead to a halt in the arms race, keep space peaceful and reduce the danger of war. At the current UN General Assembly session the USSR submitted a proposal on “Star Peace”.
The Government of the MPR fully supports the peace initiatives and proposals put forward by the USSR and other socialist countries and is exerting every effort to promote their realization. At the initiative of the MPR the 39th Session of the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the right of peoples to peace, in which it was solemnly proclaimed that the peoples of our planet have a sacred right to peace, and the preservation of this right and the promotion its implementation constitute a fundamental obligation of each state. This document calls upon all governments and the international community to unite efforts in safeguarding the right of man to live in peace in the face of the common danger confronting mankind, the threat of nuclear war.
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1/ Statement inserted in the verbatim record on request.
It should be emphasized that the solution of the global food problem is closely linked with strengthening world peace and bringing about disarmament. In order to improve food supply for the world’s population and eliminate hunger and malnutrition, it will be necessary to make radical changes in the existing international economic order and to remove all forms of neocolonialism, dictatorship, inequality and discrimination.
Mr Chairman, Distinguished delegates, I would now like, briefly, to refer to the development of agriculture in Mongolia and describe the aims put forward in the provision of the population with food.
Since the victory of People’s Revolution fundamental changes have taken place in the field of agriculture of our country. Firstly, individual cattle breeders voluntarily joined agricultural cooperatives.
The agricultural cooperatives in Mongolia have passed through three main stages of development.
In the first stage (1921-1955), the chief task of the Government was to demonstrate to the herdsmen the advantages of collective labour.
In the second stage (1956-1959) the main accent was placed on the further organizational and economic consolidation of agricultural cooperatives throughout the country.
In the third stage (after 1959) measures were taken to further develop and intensify the cooperatives by strengthening its material technical basis and introducing modern scientific methods.
The widespread cultivation of virgin land, which was successfully carried out in 1957-1959, enabled the development of a new independent branch of agriculture, crop-farming, and considerably increased the food production.
As a result of all these measures our country is fully supplying its population with agricultural products and is exporting considerable quantities to other countries. Nowadays Mongolian agriculture has 255 agricultural cooperatives, 28 intercooperative enterprises and 62 state-owned farms. On the average, every agricultural cooperative has 441 thousand hectares of arable land, more than 70 thousand head of publicly-owned livestock and every state farm has 16 thousand hectares of ploughed field. They are equipped by all the necessary agricultural machinery.
The success of cooperatives and the further strengthening of material-technical basis of agricultural production has made it possible to raise the living standards and the cultural well-being of the people. At present the MPR has more than 2 700 students and schoolchildren, 23 doctors and 109 hospital beds for every 10 thousand of its people.
In order to accelerate the rate of development in agriculture, to increase the output of food products and improve its composition, the 10th Plenum of the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee, held in June 1985, adopted the purpose-oriented Programme for the development of agriculture and the improvement of food supply.
The Programme envisages a considerable increase in the production of basic types of agricultural products by the year 2000. Thus meat production will increase approximately by 30 percent.
Mr Chairman,
The MPR supports the activities of the FAO aimed at the development of agriculture in developing countries.
Our country attaches important significance to the further expansion of fruitful cooperation with FAO and we shall continue to contribute to the successful implementation of the aims and tasks of the Organization. l/
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1/ Statement inserted in the Verbatim record on request.
M. GOOBOSE (Observer for the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania): I wish to thank you for allowing me to take the floor and at the same time, permit me to congratulate you and the other members of the bureau elected to serve with you.
Under your able guidance the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) is certain that the proceedings of this Conference will be a success.
At the outset I wish, on behalf of my Liberation Movement, to add an expression of condolence, like other governments have done, to the Government and people of Colombia for the disaster which has befallen their country. Hopefully, we pray God that they may be spared further suffering from a similar calamity.
The PAC, a liberation movement engaged in the struggle against the racist South African regime, wishes to express its gratitude for the assistance it has received from FAO since 1978. With the technical and professional advice we, of the PAC, have received from FAO, we have become far more able to appreciate its services and consequently are encouraged to engage vigorously in our efforts to attain self-reliance in food production. At the moment, under project PAC/82/004 executed by FAO, we are engaged in the growing of grain, vegetables and fruit. We have started to keep poultry and very soon we shall begin the breeding of livestock for dairy purposes. In addition, we are grateful to FAO for allowing us to have the assistance of a United Nations Volunteer to assist us in the FAO execution project. This has made our task much easier and more interesting. We did not have to wait for long before we received the delivery of inputs, especially vehicles, fertilizers and seeds. In the area of human development, we have benefited under the FAO project. There are, for example, eight courses in the field of agriculture ranging from study in crop production, to poultry, agricultural mechanisation, livestock and farm management.
It will be of interest to the delegates at this Conference for me to mention that the PAC has a master plan for the development of a 400-hectare farm granted to us by the Government of Tanzania. The plan this farm envisages is, in addition to agricultural pursuits, the establishment of such facilities as living accommodation for married and single persons, vocational and secondary schools, a medical centre and other community services. The priority, however, is the sufficient production of food which will be the basis of full-fledged, self-reliance effort in all our endeavours.
The PAC pays great attention to the work of FAO because of its educational value and experience in agriculture and food self-sufficiency. We, the Liberation Movements, which are the future governments of our respective countries, appreciate this very much. The work of FAO is even more significant in our continent which is afflicted by natural calamities, including the worst famine in its history.
You will recall that the Africa Regional Conference of FAO held in Harare last year issued the now famous Harare Declaration which set out the course for eventual self-sufficiency in food in our continent. In these endeavours we are certain that the FAO will readily avail itself of its professional and technical expertise to assist Africa in the struggle against the hazards I have already mentioned.
What we appreciate more than anything else in FAO is its programme of developing the human potential. The FAO scholarships available for study in almost all fields of agriculture is a testimony of this and is highly commendable. This is more significant to us in southern Africa where the racist South African regime has for years denied the African people proper education.
Agriculture and hunger are hot political issues in my country because the racist South African regime, with a population of 4 1/2 million people, occupies 87 percent of the richest land, and Africans, with a population of 26 million, occupy only 13 percent of the most barren land.
Such are the manipulations of the abominable racist policies in my country. As a result of this inquitous distribution of land, thousands of African people are dying of hunger because of the scarcity of land. Mr Chairman, famine in my country is not the result of natural calamities as in other parts of Africa; it is the result of a political act deliberately designed to oppress the African people because of the colour of their skin. It is a political weapon consciously inflicted on the African people by the racist South African regime. Added to it are the murders, tortures and arbitrary arrests committed under the present state of emergency which has so far accounted for tens of thousands of lives of the African people. The atrocities so committed by the white minority racists in my country know no bounds. Today, as I speak to you, they are not only killing men and women, but are mowing down with machine guns school children at the ages of 9 years. So sadistic and perverted are the minds of the white racists in my country that to them children of that age can be brutally massacred.
But the people are not deterred by these atrocities. They are fighting to regain their land and to live as free people in the land of their birth. Yes, even with their bare hands, they are fighting on. The will to be free cannot be subdued by machine guns.
Many voices have been heard from governments and from highly placed personnages saying racism in my country can be reformed; that the problem is not racism, but terrorism; that economic boycott is not the solution because it will hurt the Africans themselves. We reject these positions, Mr Chairman. Coming as they do from those countries, it is in their interest that the status quo in my country should persist because of their heavy investments in racist South Africa which, if they are withdrawn because of economic boycotts, will cause unemployment in their own countries.
In this connection, the PAC wishes to pay great tribute to the neighbouring countries of South Africa for their refusal to be forced into opposing boycotts, which are applied against racist South Africa. These countries are already withstanding destabilizing effects from the racist regime. Lesotho, Mozambique, Botswana and Angola have had military attacks in their countries by the racist regime with a heavy loss of life of their citizens. In spite of all these, the refusal by these countries to be intimidated is a great contribution to the struggle of the oppressed and exploited people in our country. We greatly appreciate their resolve.
Lastly, in paying tribute to FAO and its officials for the magnificent work they are performing, the PAC is mindful of the fact that FAO is not a political organization. We do not intend it to fight our liberation struggle as such. We have other means and other forms of support for doing that. Nevertheless, FAO’s technical work in the field of agriculture and food self-sufficiency promotes the interests of the national liberation struggle in so far as it equips their members with agricultural know-how. In discharging such services, it does not become political. It must therefore continue its assistance to national liberation movements with a free conscience.
Ms L. STEWART (Observer for the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions): The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions representing 82 million workers from both developing and developed countries welcomes this opportunity to address the Twenty-third session of the FAO Conference, and extends warm congratulations to the FAO on its Fortieth Anniversary. As outlined by many speakers, in those forty years there have been substantial changes in the world food and agriculture situation. Impressive progress has been made by many developing countries to become self-sufficient in food supplies, and even net exporters of food products. As pointed out by the Director-General, developing countries now grow more than half of the world’s cereal supply. However, progress in some regions of the world has been matched by tragic setbacks in other regions. Over the same period there have been devastating famines in Africa for example. The number of malnourished world-wide has risen. In many countries per capita food consumption is falling. There is growing dependence on food imports and food aid. Food production is being concentrated in fewer and fewer hands. Food processing and distribution in many countries are dominated by foreign transnational corporations.
We have learned with relief that the 1985 harvests in Africa have been good and the emergency in most countries is considered over. However, it would be a tragic mistake to believe that just
because the rains have come the problems facing African countries have been solved. Unless lasting solutions are found to their most pressing economic problems, famine will always be lurking round the corner.
Long-term rural and agriculture development, improved food supply and nutrition will be dependent on international cooperation to tackle the world economic crisis. The deflationary response of major industrialized countries to the crisis has precipitously reduced growth in output, disrupted trade flows, lowered world market prices, reduced export earnings and aggravated balance of payments and debt-servicing problems. At the same time, workers’ incomes have dropped substantially and unemployment and poverty have increased world-wide. These developments in turn have had a strong negative impact on agricultural production and the demand for food. The world economic situation has served to deepen the crisis for countries such as those in sub-Saharan Africa.
The ICFTU has always stressed the importance of coordinated international policies for the elimination of poverty and social inequalities, the creation of full employment and the satisfaction of basic needs, including food needs. The ICFTU has been particularly concerned about the critical economic situation and increasing poverty in Africa. The problems of the world economic crisis and its impact on African workers was the subject of an important trade union conference held in Dakar, Senegal, in March 1984.
The ICFTU had been following closely the reports of the FAO’s Early Warning System since October 1983. Convinced of the urgency of the problems, the ICFTU made the food crisis a key agenda item of the Dakar Conference. Since Dakar, the ICFTU has sought every opportunity to keep reminding the international community of the importance of coordinated action in this priority area and of its own proposals for action, including meetings with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, with the IMF and World Bank, the ECOSOC and trade union meetings. As part of the action programme adopted, the ICFTU has coordinated financial support from its affiliated organizations and assistance to affected areas in Ethiopia,and Chad will be a focus of ICFTU socio-economic project activities this year.
The ICFTU has repeatedly drawn attention to the importance of long-term structural lending on concessional terms to countries affected by drought, famine and widespread poverty as a basis for economic growth and recovery. We, therefore, welcome the review of the Guidelines and Targets for International Agricultural Adjustment. We believe that these Guidelines are essential for the achievement of agricultural and rural development. Guideline 4, in particular, which relates to the participation of rural people in decision-making, implementation and evaluation of the process of agrarian reform and rural development, is fundamental to successful development policies. Not enough attention, in spite of what it says in that document, by the way, is being paid to the position of small farmers and landless peasants and to the need to enhance the participation of the rural people, particularly women, in the development process. In this connection, I would remind the Conference of the importance of implementing FAO’s Peasant Charter and underline that freedom of association is a prerequisite for meaningful participation in development by rural producers and workers. We, therefore, call on governments to ratify and implement ILO Convention No. 141, which seeks to guarantee fundamental rights for rural workers for freedom of association.
We also call on FAO to pay more attention to the vital role which women play in rural development and as food providers and producers for their families. Reporting on the participation of women in agriculture is almost entirely lacking in FAO documentation before this Conference. A large part of the failure of development policies and food security strategies can be attributed to the neglect of women’s roles in food production. It is essential that women’s needs and interests be taken into account in rural development policies. Women must participate fully in the development process at all levels of policy formulation and implementation.
Finally, the ICFTU would like to call for closer cooperation between the FAO and trade unions at both the national and the international level. After all, we have a lot of interests in common. We would like to see the development of a real dialogue on policy issues, for example, in the drawing up of documents on the World Food Security Compact, whose provisions also cover the activities of NGOs and on which we are being asked to campaign. We would also like to see regular contacts between FAO representatives at the national level and trade unions, including exchange
of information and views on agriculture and food policies and campaigns such as World Food Day. We should also like to see trade unions, which are already involved in organizing rural workers and implementing socio-economic projects, benefiting from the financial and technical assistance which is available within the context of FAO programmes.
G. FLATEN (Observer for the International Federation of Agricultural Producers): It is no coincidence that both FAO and IFAP were born 40 years ago. FAO celebrated its 40th birthday on 16 October this year, and we, in IFAP, will a little later, on 15 May 1986. After the Second World War, there was an unwavering belief that international collaboration was the key to creating a better world for everyone.
Mr Chairman, we were pleased that the President of Indonesia brought with him a group of farmers to share in the FAO 40th Anniversary ceremony. Few other countries did. We believe that it would have been in order to have had a few farmers and fishermen on the podium telling their story of how they have overcome the continuous harassments of bad weather, inadequate availability of inputs, uncertain credit, trade protectionism, falling incomes, fluctuating prices, disorganized markets, poor roads, faulty transportation, and so on. This is only part of the list of difficulties. Despite all these challenges, they do their job. They could have also told us of the role of FAO in helping them increase efficiently their output of agricultural products.
FAO and IFAP have good relations. All FAO’s Directors-General have addressed and participated in our General Conference - the world farmers’ congress. IFAP, through its Secretariat and members, has taken part in all FAO Conferences and other meetings. Contacts and exchanges of views have been maintained at all levels and on many occasions. This is indeed as it should be, although there is plenty of room to expand activities. Our aims are the same - FAO at the government level and IFAP at the farmers’ level. We all strive for the same objectives, and these include: increasing agricultural production, raising farmers’ incomes, improving the rural infrastructure, meeting the optimal nutritional and consumption requirements of the people of the world, and ensuring the conservation of non-renewable natural resources.
Much has been said about production of food keeping pace with the growth in population. Governments, experts, FAO and other international agencies have helped to make this progress possible. But we must remember that the major credit belongs to the primary producers, the farmers and fishermen. They do the back-breaking work. Yet over the past 40 years the farmers and their organizations have received little encouragement to actively participate in FAO in shaping policies, implementing programmes, working on expert teams, and so on. We believe the time has come for a greater and direct participation by farmer and fisherman spokesmen on the many committees and panels that advise the FAO and the Director-General.
The FAO statistics show that the current food situation is getting better. Yet the overall agricultural situation is desperate. Many of us who were around in the nineteen-thirties, and even those of us who were children then, can smell in the atmosphere of 1985 the agricultural depression of the 1930’s. For the farmers facing sharp drops in income and even bankruptcy there is no good news.
Governments today should be more concerned with seeking ways to increase the access to food for the millions of poor, inadequately-fed people, than with ways to reduce public expenditures in agriculture.
If member governments put greater political efforts into attaining the FAO objectives of raising levels of food consumption there would be no large stocks of food.
Farmers should not be penalized for producing these stocks in the midst of a war on hunger.
We have always maintained that without effective incentives, including sound agricultural and pricing policies and a supportive infrastructure, the farmer cannot and will not utilize his great human and natural resources potential. Give the farmer the necessary security and confidence that
his efforts will be justly rewarded and you will have created the basis for national and international food security. You will also have the means by which a better distribution of food for those who need it, but cannot purchase, can be built.
There is general agreement that living standards and conditions in the rural areas of the Third World must be raised. It is also widely recognized, although not always acted upon, that rural development will, in most cases, be the most effective engine to generate overall economic development. This would create more employment opportunities in both urban and rural areas and enable people to purchase food and other basic requirements. We are pleased to note that at long last, it is recognized that rapid and sound economic development in the Third World should be based on agriculture and not only on industrial expansion, which has often had disappointing results.
But sound agricultural, or economic development and the necessary policy changes do not come about by chance. Usually major political action is necessary before real policy changes are put into motion. IFAP believes that representative and effective farmers’ organizations are the key in this process.
IFAP appreciates that developing country governments are faced with many conflicting claims on their very limited resources. Urban interests, better organized and located closer to the centre of power, often exert an overriding influence which is quite disproportionate to their numbers or •importance. We have stressed for years that farmers must organize themselves. Only then, when farmers’ organizations can truly represent their members’ interests, will their views be fully taken into account.
We call on governments and on FAO to give more assistance to farmers’ organizations to supplement their self-help efforts in creating and developing their own organizations at all levels, from the grass roots to the national level.
We are pleased to report that FAO and IFAP are jointly planning a project to analyze the functions and functioning of farmers’ unions in Africa so that ways and means can be explored to promote this type of organization in as many countries as possible.
Following the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development, great hopes were raised at the Twenty-second FAO Conference with regard to people’s participation. The following resolution was unanimously adopted by member governments in the framework of a US$ 20 million programme and related to this fact:
“Call upon all States concerned and FAO to take effective measures which will assist in the establishment and strengthening of self-reliance and representative rural organizations including rural women’s and youth organizations, so that such organizations can effectively and democratically participate in the implementation of the Programme of Action.”
Farmers and IFAP were at that time happy to note that at long last recognition was given to their key role. Finally, they were promised action. As far as we are aware, very few such projects were initiated or funded. Certainly none have so far had a real effect at the national level.
We call on governments and FAO to seek funding and renew their efforts to promote people’s participation in projects. This is reflected in the interests and work of both the FAO and IFAP. This applies to the world food situation, commodity issues, the market situation, processing, seed and fertilizer, pesticides, disease control, and many other allied subjects. We participate in each other’s meetings, exchange information and collaborate in many different ways.
But our cooperation must go beyond occasional meetings. The Committee for the Promotion of Aid to Cooperatives also demonstrates successful collaboration. This Committee, served by a small but very effective joint secretariat, brings together FAO, ILO, the United Nations and four international non-governmental organizations including IFAP.
We share FAO’s concern with regard to the disadvantaged groups such as the very small farmer, the subsistence farmer, women and youth, and we appreciate FAO’s collaboration with IFAP at the recent World Women’s Conference in Nairobi.
When we turn to FAO for aid and cooperation, we are turning to the member governments. It is they who have to take the initiative in implementing the host of proposals to strengthen the agricultural sector in the war on hunger. It is they who should encourage the FAO Secretariat to bring the farmers’ organizations and their farmer members into the FAO policy-making and development process. Governments can facilitate this process by cooperating more closely with the farmers’ organizations in their own countries. The time is now as governments, FAO and farmers face the most difficult economic situation in agriculture since the 1930s.
L. VISANI (Observateur de l’Alliance coopérative internationale): Monsieur le Président, Messieurs les délégués, Mesdames et Messieurs, je vous remercie pour m’avoir donné la parole au noro de l’Alliance coopérative internationale.
A l’occasion de la Journée mondiale de l’alimentation et du quarantième anniversaire de l’Organisation des Nations Unies, l’Alliance coopérative internationale a réuni son Comité central à Washington en la présence du Secrétariat des Nations Unies. Par cette manifestation, l’Alliance coopérative internationale a voulu souligner sa totale solidarité avec le début de coopération internationale des Nations Unies et sa conviction que la solution de la question agraire et alimentaire mondiale est une condition essentielle pour réaliser Le développement équitable de la communauté internationale.
Dans ce domaine nous considérons comme fundamental le rôle de la FAO, surtout en ce moment.
Durant cette dernière période, l’ACI est devenue la plus grande organisation non gouvernementale reconnue par les Nations Unies avec l’adhesion des mouvements coopératifs de soixante-dix pays et 500 000 000 d’associés à.toutes les coopératives. La moitié de ces associés demeure dans les pays en développement. Nous pouvons dire maintenant que le mouvement coopératif et l’idée coopérative sont devenus facteurs de développement dans les pays du tiers monde.
Nous avons aussi réalisé une importante collaboration avec la FAO à l’occasion de la déclaration de Gaborone pour une décennie de développement coopératif dans l’Afrique centraie et australe.
Nous jugeons positive l’orientation générale du programme de travail pour les prochaines années, présenté a la Conférence.
Nous pensons toutefois qu’il serait nécessaire de souligner l’exigence d’une plus étroite intégration entre le développement agricole et le développement rural, comme il avait été indiqué dans la Conférence mondiale sur la réforme agraire et le développement rural.
Nous considérons la participation de la population rurale comme une condition essentielle pour la réalisation des objectifs économiques et sociaux des projets de développement agricole et alimentaire. Nous devons aussi participer à la réalisation des formes associées de gestion autonome de son propre développement par la population laborieuse et moins favorisée, dans une relation créative avec le milieu, et dans l’intérêt général du pays.
Dans ce domaine de la participation à une gestion associée et démocratique dans l’intérêt général, nous croyons que le rôle des coopératives et des groupements ruraux dans ses plus diverses formes est fundamental pour le rendement du projet de développement. Par conséquent il faut, à notre avis, étudier de nouvelles orientations à l’assistance technique et à la formation et disposer des moyens proportionnés.
Nous pensons qu’il serait très important de consacrer un point de l’ordre du jour d’une réunion du COAG à ces problèmes.
Ibrahim ZAKARIA (Observer for the World Federation of Trade Unions): Mr Chairman, Your Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, the World Federation of Trade Unions highly appreciates the efforts made by the FAO to promote international action in providing relief and assistance to the millions of victims of famine and food shortage in the affected African countries.
This tragic experience for Africa and the world which continues its terrible toll - still affecting millions - must make us all think deeply about the various inter-connected problems of world food security. It must also make us think deeply why such a terrible tragedy could not be averted through timely international action and why action at national and international levels did not develop to the extent necessary.
It must make us all think why the objectives of the Third UN Development Decade face the prospect of non-fulfillment and why the last five years were largely years of gross under-achievement.
The realistic assessments made by the Director-General of the FAO at this Conference provide us with the various aspects of the immensity and the acute seriousness of the problems. And it is quite appropriate for us to draw attention to what the Director-General stated in his introduction to the Draft Programme and Budget, that “it is impossible to divorce the issue of resources for development from that of the resources spent on arms”.
We would like to recall that at the Second Special Session of the UN General Assembly on Disarmament in 1982, the WFTU and many other organizations and several member States had pressed for a 10 percent reduction in arms budgets and a transfer of the savings thus effected to finance projects of economic and social development. It is easy to calculate that over 200 billion dollars could have been thus found in the last four years if such a modest proposal was accepted.
And let us also recall that over the period 1981 to 1985, the indebted developing countries paid back some 605 billion dollars as debt service, i.e., on an average of 120 billion dollars a year.
It stands to reason that such burdens can and should be lifted and these resources used to assure peace and security on our planet, as well as world food security.
Such transfers - and the manner in thich they could become essential byproducts of arms control agreements and agreements on lifting the burdens of the debt crisis and on promoting a new international economic order, we believe, should become a principal concern of this Conference, especially in the background of the Geneva talks and the US-Soviet Summit.
There is no shortage of proposals, solutions, and policy prescriptions to deal with the problems of hunger and the extreme under-development of rural areas, which condemn millions of people living there to a life of deprivation and backwardness. The FAO has itself given us enough proposals for actions and there are enough experts, scientists, and engineers who know how to deal with these problems.
We are thus back to what was discussed at the World Conference on Agrarian Reform on Rural Development six years ago in this historic city, that is, the problem of the lack of “political will”.
The WFTU wants to state emphatically that the immense increase in rural poverty and the rise in the number of the hungry people in the world should be directly traced to the non-implementation of the conclusions of the WCARRD - both at the national level and international level.
It must be seen that such a failure to implement what was agreed upon has taken a terrible toll of human lives and that the billons of dollars which are squeezed out of the peasants and agricultural workers by the agri-business transnational corporations have caused, and they continue to cause, a terrible human tragedy.
It is therefore necessary that the FAO make a special investigation, with the cooperation of international trade union organizations and organizations of peasants and agricultural workers at the national level, of the real reasons for the lack of progress in agrarian reform and rural development so that public opinion may be mobilized to create the necessary political will in securing the implementation of the WCARRD proposals.
Recently, the WFTU, the Trade Unions International of Agricultural and Forestry Workers, the Trade Unions International of Food Workers and other organizations organized a Round Table discussion on “Trade Union Alternatives to the Food and Agricultural Crisis in the World”. Participants in that Round Table greeted the FAO on its 40th anniversary. In this message, the participants in the Round Table outlined a number of concrete proposals. The full text of this message has been made available here at the distribution desk.
The 37th Session of the WFTU General Council which met recently adopted a resolution calling for action by workers and trade unions in all countries to provide relief to the victims of famine and food shortages in Africa and to demand effective national and international actions to promote long-term solutions through agricultural and rural development programmes.
The WFTU welcomes the Director-General’s initiatives to promote rehabilitation of agriculture in the famine-affected countries and to rebuild Africa’s capacity to feed itself.
The WFTU also supports the proposed World Food Security Compact. We hope that such schemes would not remain just a package of intentions and that ways will be found to build real international cooperation to make it a success, overcoming the pressures and obstacles from the transnational monopolies which now dominate the trade in food and agricultural commodities in the capitalist world.
The draft International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides represents a significant step forward and is an excellent FAO initiative. The tragedy in Bhopal last year has drawn worldwide attention to formulate and enforce adequate safety standards in the manufacture and use of insecticides and we hope that the FAO, the WHO and the ILO will organize effective monitoring on a continuous basis.
It was envisaged in the WCARRD Programme which the FAO published as the Peasants Charter that effective action be taken to promote people’s participation in development. In the countries which have carried out radical land reforms, we can see good examples of the full involvement of the rural workers and their organizations - especially trade unions and peasants’ associations - in developing real people’s participation in development.
On the other hand, where there have been no reforms or only such reforms to increase the domination of capitalist monopolies in agriculture, the basic rights of association are denied and in fact, there is veritable suppression of the human rights of the rural masses. We think that greater international action is needed to stop such violations of human rights and to ensure implementation of democratic agrarian reforms, abolishing the exploiting structures which really hold back agricultural and rural development.
We believe that the FAO could provide greater support to the efforts by the rural workers’ organizations in the matter of specifically training active participants and organizers to encourage people’s participation in development.
We also think that the FAO could greatly increase its activity concerning the problems of women in agriculture, especially in the context of the proposals made in the Peasants Charter.
In conclusion, the WFTU wishes success to the efforts of the FAO to fulfil the aims of its Charter as a member of the UN family, taking due account of the wishes of the workers and peoples of the world, expressed in their greetings on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the FAO and the United Nations. 1/
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1/ Statement inserted in the verbatim record on request.
LE PRESIDENT: Nous voilà tout à fait en avance sur notre emploi du temps de cet après-midi. Nous avons en fait terminé une importante partie du travail de la Confèrence dans la mesure où le débat général est terminé, le débat général qui consistait à entendre les déclarations des chefs de délégation et des observateurs. Demain nous allons entamer une autre partie importante du travail de la Conférence à 9 h 30 avec l’adoption du rapport de la Commission II sur le point 12 du calendrier et qui porte sur le Programme de travail et budget pour 1986-1987 ainsi que les objectifs à moyen terme. S’il n’y a pas d’autres remarques ou d’observations de votre part, il ne me reste qu’à remercier tous les orateurs de cet après-midi pour leur compréhension et pour leur grande faculté de synthèse et à vous remercier aussi car grâce à la coopération de tous nous avons pu terminer notre travail à temps.
The meeting rose at 17.15 hours
La séance est levée à 17 h 15
Se levanta la sesión a las 17.15 horas
