13. Review of the Regular Programme (continued)
13. Examen du Programme ordinaire (suite)
13. Examen del Programa Ordinario (continuación)
J. SAULT (Australia): We would like to thank Mr Shah for his usuál lucid, well presented, and highly competent introduction. The Review of the Regular Programme is a most important document. It provides a basis for assessing the effectiveness and impact of FAO's Regular Programme, and -just as important - it is a means of identifying problems and weaknesses to be addressed so that improvements can be made in the future.
As the Director-General states in his excellent Foreword to the Report, it is designed to assess "the performance of the Organization's programmes in terms of the clarity of their objectives, the efficiency of their implementation and the effectiveness of their impact. This Review, together with the parallel Review of Field Programmes, provides a means for ensuring the continued relevance of FAO's activities to the needs and priorities of Member Nations".
This Fourth Review of the Regular Programme represents a further advance towards meeting those objectives although, perhaps because it is difficult to reach perfection, we feel it still falls somewhat short of them. In this respect we note, as pointed out in the document, that there are practical limitations on the extent to which the results and impact of FAO's activities can be examined in detail. But we strongly support continued efforts by the Secretariat in the future to make the review of the Regular Programme even more informative, analytical and result-oriented.
Having made those few general remarks, I would like to comment specifically on the external evaluation of the TCP. We are very pleased that the Director-General has commissioned this external evaluation and that the report has been made available to the Council and Conference. It is the first comprehensive external evaluation of the TCP which has been presented to the governing bodies. The consultants' report of 1978 was not so presented.
I would like to recall the remarks I made a couple of days ago on Australia's attitude towards the TCP, namely that we support the general concept of the programme but that there are a number of aspects of TCP which draw attention, in this era of fiscal stringency and concern for accountability and transparency in relation to. government expenditure. These aspects include the adequacy of TCP criteria and the monitoring of the allocation of TCP funds to specific projects. These are particularly important considerations for an unprogrammed appropriation.
accountability and transparency in relation to government expenditure. These aspects include the adequacy of TCP criteria and the monitoring of the allocation of TCP funds to specific projects. These are particularly important considerations for an unprogrammed appropriation.
Each FAO document on the TCP mentions somewhat different criteria, but the impression is that any project up to US$ 250 000 and up to 24 months in duration which relates to the general activities of the Organization has qualified under TCP, even if it is seed money for a larger, longer term project. It is highly debatable whether all projects approved relate to unforeseen and unexpected activities and so could not be programmed under other chapters of the Regular Budget. There is a need for sharper and more narrowly focused criteria at least for funds expended under the Regular Budget.
There is also a lack of transparency in respect of the processes for allocating TCP funds to specific projects. There needs to be some regular ex-post purview of project selection by an external body which reports to the governing bodies. A couple of days ago I suggested perhaps the Finance or Programme Committees but that seemed to give rise to some reservations. I know that this is a difficult matter but I feel it is something that must be addressed if the programme is to have our full support.
Another issue is the absorptive capacity of the Organization effectively to utilize ever increasing appropriation for the TCP. I think that some of the concern on this issue has arisen because the accounts for the TCP indicate that large sums of unexpended funds are being carried over from one biennium to another.
These are matters that we have spent a considerable time examining in the Finance Committee and the Secretariat has provided us with much useful information on the management of project approvals and earmarkings, commitments and the actual expenditure of funds. The matter is a complex one which probably requires further clarification. Suffice it to say that it is my impression that the programme managers endeavour to earmark funds against approved projects by the end of the biennium for which they are appropriated with actual expenditure extending into the following biennium.
Nevertheless, why, as the consultants note, does the rate of the earmarking always have to accelerate sharply in the second year of the biennium? Does this indicate that the availability of funds is not a major factor inhibiting greater implementation of TCP projects?
Also we should recognize that a substantial additional proportion of Regular Budget Funds is used in technical and operational back-stopping for the TCP. The TCP is a cost-intensive, resource-demanding programme which derives from the large number of diverse small-scale projects that are being identified, designed and implemented. These draw resources from throughout the Organization and seem to take up a good deal of the time of the country representatives. The actual support costs for TCP projects must be at least the standard 13 percent. Thus around US$ 70 million, rather than the proposed US$61.4 million of Regular Programme funds would be devoted to TCP.
Last May the Finance Committee approved a special transfer of up to US$15 million to the TCP for the current biennium for rehabilitation projects in Africa. We would appreciate a report from the Secretariat of the funds that have been earmarked against this transfer to date and of the projects for which they have been approved.
It is obvious that we have concerns which extend beyond the matters which are encompassed by the recommendations in document CL 88/8. But in respect of these recommendations we question the need for raising the limit for single TCP projects to US$400 000. There is a danger in departing from the small scale nature of TCP projects which is supposed to be the principal characteristic of the programme. Indexing forward a figure according to inflation is not an appropriate basis for deciding a ceiling. The real question is whether the existing limit of US$ 250 000 is an inhibiting factor. The consultants' report indicated that virtually no projects have approached that limit.
Also, as I mentioned, we see a need for more sharply focused criteria rather than the proposed addition of extra criteria such as are suggested in paragraph 94 (b) of document CL 88/8.
In sum, we emphasize that we think that TCP is a good concept, we support it, but we have concerns about the growing absorption of scarce Regular Programme resources and the lack of transparency in the process for allocating TCP funds to specific projects and countries. We have a proposal for US$ 61.4 million of assessed contributions to be used in an extremely flexible, unprogrammed manner and no provision for any regular, detailed monitoring of their allocation by the governing bodies. In an environment of concern about financial stringency and accountability for public expenditure, this must draw critical attention. The issue is how to respond to these very legitimate concerns without impairing the essential flexibility of the programme.
D.H.J. ABEYAGOONASEKERA (Sri Lanka): I am very sorry that since you have read out a list of 40 delegates to speak on this item, my intervention at this stage is not really on the review of the Regular Programme, properly speaking. I just wish to draw the attention of members to something that happened this morning in an intervention by the delegate of Canada to which I think I should respond. He made a statement regarding the TCP which affect the deliberations of the Finance Committee. I take the floor as Chairman of the Finance Committee to correct any misapprehensions members may have.
Secondly, I should have responded soon after the delegate of Canada took the floor but unfortunately the Sri Lankan delegation to the Conference is very small. At that time the Minister heading that delegation was also due to speak in the Plenary. Therefore, I could not ask your permission to speak then since I was not present in the Commission.
As you have given me the opportunity to do so, I think I would make a short statement on the matter that was raised. If I recall correctly the statement made by the delegate of Canada, it was more of a complaint that while they raised questions in the Finance Committee on the Technical Cooperation Programme, they did not receive satisfactory replies. He went to the extent of even saying that they were prevented from raising their concerns in the report which was adopted by the Committee.
This brings up two questions. One is on procedure. All members of the Finance Committee, including the representative of Canada, were present when we discussed this subject at length in the Finance Committee. The matter should have been raised at that stage. If there were no satisfactory replies to the questions and if they were not in agreement with what was put in the report, this should have been raised at that stage.
Secondly, the matter could have been brought up again at the Council meeting when the same item was discussed. I presented the report to the Council. It did not take place on either occasion. I think this raises the question of procedure as to whether this is the right forum to raise the question here, since the Finance Committee is the committee elected by the Council. It puts its mind to the issues raised before it in the Agenda.
The other point I wish to make is that I do recall quite clearly as Chairman and Coordinator that other issues were raised on this issue of the TCP; questions on the criteria, questions on the method of accounting, questions on the financial regulations governing the TCP. I think the questions were answered to the satisfaction of all Members. It is true that some expressed concern, as the delegate who spoke just before me, Australia, mentioned a little while ago. What I wanted to say is that at that stage we discussed this item, the Secretariat responded fully to all questions and I took it that all Members were satisfied with the answers given and the report as such was adopted unanimously. The report was there before the Council. Parts of the report are available to you. I think the intervention could thus misdirect the discussions in this meeting, if I do not bring this to the attention of the delegates.
H. BENATTALLAH (Algérie): Permettez-nous, à notre tour, de vous dire combien nous avons été consternés d'apprendre la terrible tragédie qui a affecté votre pays. Nous ressentons profondément la douleur de votre peuple, nous vous exprimons nos sentiments de compassion profonde et vous assurons de la solidarité de notre pays.
Notre intervention porte exclusivement sur le PCT, comme nous l'avions annoncé lors de l'examen du point 12 de l'ordre du jour et spécifiquement sur le rapport d'évaluation (CL 88/INF/10) établi par le groupe d'experts indépendant.
Nous voudrions faire état de notre appui à ce document dans sa totalité, y compris ses recommandations. Dans un deuxième temps, nous voudrions livrer quelques commentaires d'ordre plus général en liaison avec les arguments entendus depuis le début des travaux de notre Commission sur la saturation des activités du PCT.
Mais au préalable, nous tenons à souligner à nouveau notre satisfaction à vous voir présider cette séance et cette commission car il n'est pas inutile de rappeler que vous êtes en quelque sorte l'un des parrains du PCT puisque, à sa naissance, vous étiez président indépendant du Conseil. Votre profonde connaissance de ce point particulier facilitera encore une fois le déroulement de nos travaux.
Le rapport qui nous est présenté a plusieurs qualités qui reflètent la compétence et l'honnêteté de ses rédacteurs. Elles honorent la FAO sur les choix subtils de ses experts.
Ce document est relativement clair et objectif. D'une manière très dépouillée et très expressive, nous avons eu accès à l'essentiel, c'est-à-dire la raison d'être du PCT assortie bien sûr d'appréciations critiques.
Nous constatons, par exemple, que les statistiques sont convenablement exploitées, sans excès d'ailleurs, laissant les conclusions découler d'elles-mêmes. Elles sont à cet égard, à une exception près, concordantes avec les recommandations qui nous sont présentées.
Les auteurs du rapport ont collé à leur mandat et vérifié chacune de ses caractéristiques et chacun des critères. Nous voudrions reprendre certains d'entre eux en insistant sur l'essentiel sans omettre de noter certains disfonctionnements inhérents à ce type d'entreprise.
D'une manière générale, il y est démontré que le PCT remplit ses objectifs tout en s'intégrant sans grincements dans le programme ordinaire, qu'il a un impact certain, qu'il a le soutien explicite des pays bénéficiaires et qu'il reste perfectible dans ses modalités d'exécution.
Concernant le chapitre relatif à l'évaluation du PCT, on note que les critères des principes directeurs sont satisfaisants. Celui relatif à l'objectif général du PCT, lequel est interprété au sens large dans certaines activités qui n'ont pas d'effet direct sur la production, demeure tout de même une marque de souplesse essentielle. Celui tenant à l'absence de programmation représente aussi un avantage important. Pour la durée des projets, il est heureux de constater que 96 pour cent du total des projets ont une durée inférieure à 12 mois et 99 pour cent pour les projets d'urgence.
Relativement au coût des projets, le constat met en relief la grande élasticité du PCT. Mais il est important de noter que la grande majorité des projets, soit 91 pour cent, ont coûté moins de 150 000 dollars E.-U. Pour l'assistance technique, le plafond de 250 000 dollars E.-U. a été atteint dans 15 projets sur 2 092. Le plafond de 250 000 dollars E.-U. représente donc moins de un pour cent du total, alors que pour les projets d'urgence il a été atteint dans 13 pour cent des cas seulement.
Nous avons pris note aussi des observations contenues dans le document C 85/5 concernant les crédits importants non engagés au titre des exercices 1980-81 et 1982-83 et adhérons aux recommandations formulées par le Comité du programme à ce sujet.
Dans ce cas spécifique, l'augmentation proposée mériterait sans doute d'être approfondie.
Quant au chapitre relatif à l'efficience de l'exécution des projets, nous adhérons à la conclusion du rapport sur la bon performance mais nous nous interrogeons sur le sens à donner à la préférence aux experts locaux du secteur privé et aux encouragements symboliques à des fonctionnaires pour faciliter leur participation tel que cela est recommandé.
Sur ce chapitre toujours, on note les hésitations de la FAO à acheter localement, bien qu'il soit clairement dit dans le rapport du Directeur général au Conseil sur la première évaluation qu'il fallait de préférence acheter sur place. D'autres remarques sont aussi faites sur les appels d'offres qui placent mal les sociétés des pays en développement.
Plusieurs gouvernements ont instamment demandé à la FAO de rectifier sa ligne. La mission d'experts suggère d'ailleurs à la FAO de s'attaquer sérieusement à ce problème qui a compromis le succès de plusieurs projets.
A propos des catégories, la mission estime, en ce qui concerne les services consultatifs et les investissements, que les activités qui y sont rattachées correspondent à la vocation du PCT, mais attire l'attention sur le double problème de la gestion et de la définition de ces deux catégories du fait d'un certain chevauchement entre elles. Nous notons aussi les remarques pertinentes à propos de l'assistance au développement. Il est recommandé que l'assistance relevant de cette catégorie soit examinée cas par cas pour assurer une utilisation avisée des moyens.
Un autre motif de satisfaction touche la catégorie formation. On estime que les fonds du PCT sont utilisés de façon correcte, mais on recommande néanmoins de vérifier l'opportunité de l'urgence et l'effet direct et rapide.
Enfin, concernant la catégorie des urgences, elle est très appréciée des gouvernements mais plusieurs se sont plaints des délais d'exécution. Cependant, le niveau de ressources relatif à cette catégorie doit être maintenu.
Concernant la conception des projets, et notamment les questions d'affectation des experts et la participation directe du personnel de la FAO dans les projets de préparation des investissements et les projets de formulation et de programmation ainsi que les visites de contrôle, elles
devraient être approfondies, selon nous, par le Comité du programme. Nous notons que le rôle des représentants dans les pays au niveau de la formulation, de l'approbation et de l'exécution des projets, ainsi que de la coordination avec le PNUD, est estimé par certains experts variable et souvent insuffisant. Des directives devraient être données et elles seraient très opportunes.
L'utilité du PCT est incontestable. Ma délégation appuie les recommandations du Directeur général indiquées aux paragraphes 56 à 62 du document 85/LIM/17.
Nous voudrions maintenant commenter les arguments de certaines délégations concernant la saturation des activités du PCT et qui ouvrent, selon nous, la voie à la remise en cause de ce programme.
Il faut rappeler d'abord qu'au moment de la création du PCT, la dix-septième session de la conférence en 1977 a appuyé sans réserve le nouveau PCT (par. 151) parce que la FAO était l'une des rares institutions spécialisées à n'avoir pas de PCT, bien que son Acte constitutif prévoyât l'octroi d'assistance technique par l'Organisation.
Certains membres invoquent aussi, et ont invoqué d'ailleurs dès la soixante et onzième session du Conseil, leurs appréhensions sur le risque provenant des problèmes de coordination dans le système des Nations Unies du fait des nombreuses sources de financement. Cet argument tombe donc également selon nous puisque cette deuxième évaluation montre clairement que la croissance lente et très équilibrée de ce programme lui a permis d'éviter cet écueil.
On a invoqué aussi le caractère de l'universalité de ce programme. Le rapport montre que toutes les régions sont desservies proportionnellement à leurs besoins, y compris la région Europe. Les opérations du PCT se faisant sur demande, il appartient aux pays des autres régions de mettre à contribution le PCT. Il est clair que les règles du PCT ne sont pas discriminatoires.
Mais cette remise en cause larvée du PCT ouvre la voie à des problèmes d'une autre nature; nous pensons notamment aux arguments développés avant-hier par le délégué du Danemark.
Nous partageons l'opinion que certaines activités sont sans doute arrivées à saturation et qu'une réflexion sur les fonctions de la FAO, quarante ans après sa naissance, n'est pas inutile, mais nos conclusions sont assurément opposées.
Nous avons déclaré en plénière qu'un bilan de quarante ans d'activités serait sans doute utile. Mais il doit ouvrir la voie non pour ligoter les activités de la FAO au nom de l'observation de certaines règles désormais obsolètes, mais pour rafraîchir ces règles, les adapter aux mutations qui se sont produites. En somme, il s'agit de modifier les règles et les fonctions de la FAO pour libérer les potentialités qui existent au sein de cette Organisation. Persister à geler les activités désormais fondamentales telles que le PCT, au nom de règles désuètes, est aussi une forme de gaspillage des ressources.
Le Directeur général a prononcé des paroles justes lorsqu'il a déclaré que sans le PCT la FAO serait une grande académie de l'agriculture. Nous serions partisans d'une politique de suppression progressive de cette fonction académique et de tous les rites qu'elle véhicule au profit d'un accroissement des activités de terrain dont le noyau serait précisément le PCT, avec une structure centrale allégée et une décentralisation sur le terrain poussée, ainsi que des ressources conséquentes. C'est uniquement dans cette optique que les règles de vérification et d'efficacité, que certaines délégations préconisent, auraient un sens. Qu'il y ait une mutation, mais qu'elle soit initiée à partir du point de départ, c'est-à-dire les fonctions originelles de la FAO, tout le reste, y compris les règles du jeu, en découleront.
Les aspirations des pays ont évolué. Elles ont perdu leur caractère romantique d'il y a 40 ans. Hors de cette perspective, le discours du contrôle et de l'efficacité a un caractère conservatoire.
E.V. WADE-BROWN (United Kingdom): We have asked to speak to convey our observations on document C 85/8, the Review of the Regular Programme 1984-85. We will wish to comment very briefly on the Technical Cooperation Programme under this agenda item, but later in the proceedings.
We consider the review to be a very comprehensive and detailed document, but consider it could be improved if it contained details of money actually spent by each programme and some attempt to assess programme impact.
I will now turn to those items in document C 85/8 which we consider to be important and I will take them in the order and under the headings in which they appear.
Agriculture, paragraphs 1.1 to 1.61: We endorse the view of the Director-General on the need for more effective international action, with high priority given to food production and food security, his recognition that this action cannot be confined to the agricultural sector alone and his recognition that this is likely to take decades to achieve.
We support greater coordination by a more integrated approach. In this connection we are particularly pleased to note the increased resources made available to African countries by repro-gramming.
We support the study to better define the policy initiatives required to overcome the food crisis in Africa. It is essential that the closest collaboration with the World Bank is maintained in this most difficult area. In our view the immediate priority must be to concentrate effort on the existing, better agricultural areas, the high potential areas, where increased production can be readily achieved by improved inputs, extension and pricing policies.
We support the effort to maximize the effectiveness of publications through the move towards short, clearly presented booklets rather than lengthy texts. We should be interested to learn of any evaluations that have been carried out or are planned, to determine whether the intended target groups are being reached.
We commend the work carried out by FAO on quantifying crop and population potentials culminating in the publication of "Potential Population Supporting Capacities in Lands of the Developing Worlds" and look forward to seeing the country level analyses. This work is of the utmost importance and should be widely publicized at the highest levels.
We endorse the efforts to establish agro-meteorological monitoring to provide early information on the likely levels of crop production for the Global Information and Early Warning System.
Livestock, paragraphs 1.62 to 1.78: We consider the initial response to drought in the rangelands of Southern Africa and the Sahel should be to reduce overall numbers and to retain a nucleus herd of breeding animals. Animal feed security can have only a limited effect in such areas.
In areas where crop by-products are available there is considerably more potential. We would place a higher priority on the use of crop by-products as animal feedstuffs in Africa than on pasture improvement. The problems of improving communally grazed range land are many, and relate more to human and livestock numbers than to technical constraints.
In the Pan-African Rinderpest Campaign programme we consider that the first priority is rehabilitating veterinary departments in the context of rinderpest control.
Paragraphs 1.72 to 1.77 demonstrate that increased priority is being given to milk production. Constraints to increased production in developing countries include pricing policies and cheap imports. To what extent is the International Scheme for the Coordination of Dairy Development (ISCDD) able to tackle these problems? It is unfortunate that this section does not underline the importance of milk as a regular source of cash income to the rural community.
Population, paragraphs 1.93 and 1.94: The United Kingdom approves FAO's progress in reviewing its population activities and its intention to assess the population impact of all its development programmes in accordance with the recommendations of the 1984 International Conference on Population.
There is a need to ensure that this consideration should be continued with enthusiasm in all existing programmes and in planning new projects for the indefinite future.
We believe that population considerations should be considered as an important factor in rural development planning and programmes. Where appropriate, the consequences of uncontrolled population growth and the benefit of population programmes aimed at improving the condition and standards of life of all people, especially women and children, should be included in all training programmes.
Marketing, paragraphs 1.102 and 1.103: The programme of work is very comprehensive, but we consider that, within the resources available, FAO may be attempting to cover too wide a field and feel that the Organization should concentrate on specific areas identified as having priority.
We note that within the countries covered, very little work appears to have been done in the Sub-Sahelian countries. We feel that more emphasis should be placed on assessing the marketing problems of this region.
Nutrition, paragraphs 1.107 to 1.111: There appears to be relatively little emphasis in this section on food and nutrition assessment, apart from the development of a food and nutrition planning unit in Sudan, or on the areas within Africa at greatest risk of continuing severe food shortages. While all countries should have adequate nutritional surveillance capabilities, international organizations must ensure that areas of highest risk receive most attention.
Nutrition programmes, paragraphs 1.112 to 1.113: Nutrition as an important subject should be promoted as an integral part of all training and educational systems. Wherever possible, nutrition support schemes such as supplementary feeding should be integrated into existing or developing social services delivery systems, in order that they can be placed in the context of individual development, growth and preservation of health.
Food Quality and Standards, paragraph 1.114: Our scientific unit, the Tropical Development Research Institute, has been associated with a number of food quality and standards activities and we hope that such collaboration will continue in the future.
Food and Agriculture Information and Analysis, paragraphs 1.117 to 1.124: We should like to congratulate FAO on continued work on the collection, analysis and dissemination of information concerning all aspects of agriculture. The Organization is in an unparallelled position to establish international data bases on prices, outputs, crops, trade situation and prospects and should be supported by all Member States in its efforts to extend and improve this service.
The recent African food crisis has brought the question of early warning of famine to the fore. FAO's Global Information and Early Warning System is very highly regarded and further increases in its activities are welcomed.
Commodity Policies and Trade, paragraphs 1.125 to 1.131: Since there are other institutions, particularly the individual commodity organizations, which can tackle these questions in a much more practical way, we suggest that expenditure in this area could be cut in the future and resources redirected to areas of higher priority in the operational programme.
*World Food Security, paragraph 1.132: Plans for the study of marketing constraints, the role of the small producer and of agricultural institutions in food production and delivery are to be welcomed.
Fisheries, paragraphs 2.1 to 2.2: We place particular emphasis on Fisheries Action Programme 2 Development of Small-Scale Fisheries" and Action Programme 5 - "Promotion. of the Role of Fisheries in Alleviating Under-Nutrition". 1/
Livestock Production, paragraphs 6.1 to 6.74: We believe that in the context of rural development, cash income and draught power are the two most important aspects of animal production.
1/ Paragraphs marked with an asterisk (*) inserted in the verbatim records on request.
*Women in Agriculture Production and Rural Development, paragraphs 7.1 to 7.68: The Rationale and Objectives are in line with United Kingdom policy. We must all look upon women as agents and participants in projects, rather than as (passive) beneficiaries. The importance of the role of women in agriculture, particularly in Africa, cannot be over emphasized. Success in many agricultural programmes will depend upon the commitment of women to programme goals and objectives.
*Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture, paragraphs 8.1 to 8.42: The United Kingdom has always recognized the potential importance of this sub-programme. Our own policy and programmes gives emphasis to aquaculture, and we support the FAO policy.
*We note paragraph 8.10 (page 133) and paragraphs 8.37 to 8.39. We are disappointed with the comparative failure of many inland fishery programmes, and all aquaculture programmes, sponsored by FAO in Africa. We feel. that FAO and others should be encouraged to consider sector studies on this problem and possibly the production of guidelines.
�Research Activities, paragraphs 10.1 to 10.53: We support FAO's concerns on improving National Agricultural Research. In our view there are too many changes in research administration and too great an emphasis on the construction of bureaucratic structures, at the expense of support for scientists and technicians actually attempting to do something effective. The number of missions mounted in African Agricultural Research is incredibly large and it is perhaps time donors organized, coordinated or harmonized programmes to give credibility to research effort and effective support to "doers" as opposed to "talkers".
*The United Kingdom continues to support FAO's efforts to highlight the importance of genetic conservation and encourages the Organization to become more involved in simulation of "in situ" conservation in developing countries. The Organization's efforts in encouraging better control and facilities in national germplasm repositories is a worthwhile initiative, more germplasm is "lost" from collections in development countries than is realized.
*Networks, paragraphs 10.54 to 10.67: We consider these are as good as the components, but in general are to be encouraged and we compliment the Organization on its active role in fostering them.
*Executions of Research by FAO, paragraphs 10.68 to 10.96: We are impressed by the work of the Seibersdorf laboratory. It obviously has an important training function and a scheme of turnover of staff, so that national programmes are "fed" with good technical people with experience, which is laudable. The question that has to be asked is what in the final analysis do developing countries really get out of it all? In our experience, and in particular on the plant breeding side, one can get the same or better from more conventional approaches at less cost.
*Cooperation with UN Organizations and with the CGIAR System, paragraphs 10.97 to 10.104: In our view, the interaction between the CGIAR and FAO is not so simple as suggested - the situation is much more complex. In some ways FAO could assist far more than it does in harmonizing in-country contact .with the national research programmes. 1/
This has been a fairly lengthy intervention, but we have studied and analyzed document C 85/8 most carefully and the length of our statement reflects our interest and the importance that we place upon it.
SEONG-BAE SUH (Republic of Korea): According to the documents prepared by the Secretariat, the work of FAO during 1984 to 1985 has been carried out under the properly placed programme targets. It has been also recognized that because of continued efforts by the FAO Secretariat to have savings in administrative costs, it has been able to allocate an increased share of the budget to the socio-economic programmes which are directly contributing to the solution of problems in agriculture.
1/ Paragraphs marked with an asterisk (*) inserted in the verbatim records on request.
My delegation feels that the five programmes in Part Two are of great importance to the wellbeing of the rural poor because they are short of ways and means to increase their income. In this context my delegation finds that the 1984-85 Regular Programme of FAO has been properly implemented in pursuance of the established targets, and for that we would like to express our appreciation. However, in order to have full effects and more efficiency of these programmes and projects I would like to present some opinion, mainly on the implementation of the five selected programmes in Part Two.
It is my view that a concerted or integrated approach should be strengthened with great concern. For the small farmers, marketing is sometimes more important than the production technology itself. Also, it is my own view that stronger attention should be placed on the education of the programme participants in order to let them be equipped with enough experience and technology to be self-reliant. For this reason we hope that a continual review of programmes will be made to correctly identify the imminent need of the rural poor at the fields and an additional extension given to the development of ways and means to motivate the rural poor themselves.
Finally, it is my delegation's view that the role of the FAO Regional Office be further reviewed in order to fully reflect the local difficulties that each programme implementation poses.
R.W.M. JOHNSON (New Zealand): We must welcome the wide range of information which is provided by this Fourth Review of the Regular Programme of 1984-85. There is now so much information provided that our interventions at Conference can hardly do the subject full justice. Perhaps there is a case for developing further mechanisms whereby the views of member countries can be communicated to the Secretariat, such as perhaps inviting written submissions.
In our interventions at previous Commissions we have sought a system of review which brings out more clearly the objectives set out by the Director-General in the foreword to document C 85/8. We now note that passages in the introduction to the document discussing the practical limitations on the extent to which the results and impacts of the Regular Programme activities can be examined in detail. We note the large amount of information that is required to do the job properly which may raise the cost of the review procedures considerably. We therefore welcome the approach taken in part two of the review to cover activities at a more specific level. The sections on outlook and issues for instance are particularly useful for the five sub-programmes evaluated and the results of the evaluations appear to be conferring a wide range of benefits on the project participants. There still seems to be a lack of specific data on individual programmes though the conclusions reached seem to imply that the basic data has been collected and analyzed.
On the same general reasoning we also welcome the two chapters on research undertaken by FAO and on economic and technical cooperation in developing countries. In general we would like to state that the review process is a necessary element in the whole system of reporting back to member countries and that commendable progress has been made in developing appropriate mechanisms of reporting. We would encourage those responsible to develop the system further so that the maximum information is conveyed within the confines of the methods we have available. The results so far are encouraging
In my earlier intervention I referred to the presentation to the Conference of the report on the Evaluation of the Technical Cooperation Programme. I now understand that the report has already been considered by Council and indeed we have a copy of their views in the papers in front of us. In previous reviews of the Regular Programme at Conference details of the TCP projects and programmes have not been available. It is now very welcome that the Council report has been made available to Conference. The results confirm that recipient governments expressed strong satsifaction with the way the Programme had assisted in meeting their urgent requirements. It can also be noted that feedback from governments on completed TCP projects indicating their immediate effects as well as medium-term impact was often not forthcoming. It is nevertheless gratifying that the basic characteristics of TCP which give it flexibility and speed are confirmed by the evaluation.
I would conclude by stating that we are very well in agreement with the Director-General's proposal as regards maximum cost of projects and the establishment of a new category for TCDC projects.
Joachim WINKEL (Federal Republic of Germany): (Original language German). First of all I would like to thank Mr Shah for his excellent introductory analysis. It was brilliant as was only to be expected. My delegation noted with satisfaction that document C 85/8 takes large account of the recommendations of the Twenty-second FAO Conference. This has enhanced both its information value and its clarity. In particular we welcome the fact that Part Two of the document provides an "in depth" analysis of important programmes that mainly benefit the rural poor. By and large my delegation agrees with the statements contained in the documents and the conclusions drawn.
Let me first of all make some general comments. We welcome the clear structuring of document C 85/8 in its three main parts. We particularly welcome that the evaluation of the Organization's activity under its Regular Programme has been carried out according to uniform criteria within each of the individual sections. This made the document more informative, more analytical and more result-oriented in accordance with the request of the Twenty-second FAO Conference.
Now some comments on individual programmes. In the important Major Programme - Agriculture -the activities have been increased as decided by the Twenty-second Conference. As far as we could see, overlaps were avoided in this Programme and the improved work planning and monitoring system has been introduced. We welcome the fact that under this Programme special importance was given to the rural poor and the role of women in the development process.
The recently completed computer-supported information system for fisheries will be of particular benefit for the work of the Fisheries Department as a whole and in particular for the implementation of the five action programmes to follow-up the World Fisheries Conference.
Beyond that we would like to express once again the recognition of our country for the excellent statistical basic material which - processed in the various publications - is of outstanding interest to all Member States. For the continuous and timely information and possible action to be taken the Global Information and Early Warning System for Food and Agriculture of FAO is very valuable.
A closer integration of forestry into agricultural and rural development programmes is in our view an important strategy. What was very valuable in this main programme was the support of the Ninth World Forestry Conference in Mexico City in 1985 and the International Year of the Forest.
Our basic attitude on the TCP has already been expressed in-the last Council meeting as-well as in this forum under agenda item 12, and we can therefore concentrate now on two items of the evaluation report which are of particular importance to us. Firstly we feel this report does not provide us with adequate information on the Organization's overhead costs for the TCP. This is an important indicator for us in evaluating the cost efficiency of such a programme.
Secondly, according to the consultants' views measures of this Programme were not sufficiently coordinated on a national level in all cases. This however is the pre-condition for optimum effect of all development measures carried out in a given country. We assume that the Organization will meet this recommendation of the consultants which will considerably contribute to the efficiency of the Programme.
C.R. SERSALE DI CERISANO (Argentina): Permítame, señor Presidente, en primer lugar felicitar al señor Shah por su presentación, su tan adecuada presentación, por lo que deja pocas dudas respecto al contenido de los documentos que la FAO nos presenta.
Nosotros apoyamos el examen que nos presenta en el documento C 85/8 y quisiera referirme al capítulo 11 sobre cooperación económica y cooperación técnica entre países en desarrollo.
Nos parece un buen esfuerzo este análisis que se nos presenta por primera vez a la Conferencia de hacer una evaluación temática de uno de los temas en los cuales la FAO ha declarado prioridad.
Estamos de acuerdo con ello y en principio compartimos el análisis aquí efectuado.
En cuanto se refiere a las actividades de Latinoamérica del PROCADES, que es el proyecto de planificación, proyectos y desarrollo rural que ejecutan juntamente FAO, CEPAL con PNUD, queremos reiterar nuestro apoyo a este proyecto que tan buenos resultados ha dado en América Latina en particular en materia de capacitación. Quisiéramos dejar acá nuestra constancia que lamentamos que otras organizaciones internacionales, en este caso el FIDA, no dé apoyo a PROCADES a través de financiamiento de proyectos que ejecuta la FAO. Me refiero a una decisión tomada recientemente por el Presidente del FIDA que decidió no financiar una solicitud que había sido hecha por los países beneficiarios de un proyecto de capacitación dentro del marco de PROCADES. Era una petición hecha por Bolivia, Perú, Chile y Argentina y era un proyecto para establecer un centro de capacitación dentro del marco de PROCADES a ejecutar por FAO. Lo lamentamos, no obstante queremos reiterar nuestro apoyo al análisis de las actividades de la FAO a través del PROCADES.
En cuanto a los problemas que detecta la FAO mencionados en la página 263 los compartimos, estamos de acuerdo con el enfoque que aquí se da y con las recomendaciones que aquí se plantean.
Lo único que queremos decir en este punto es que vemos que se subordina la solución de estos problemas a la obtención de recursos extrapresupuestarios. Nosotros pensamos que visto el origen de los recursos utilizados para estas actividades del CEPD y CTPD, tal como consta en los cuadros 11.1 y 11.3, creemos que quizá, y esto es para el futuro, la FAO podría alcanzar niveles más satisfactorios de financiamiento de los CTPD incluso con recursos del Programa Ordinario.
Respecto a qué tipos de acciones concretas puede emprender la FAO, bueno, por lo menos en los aspectos multilaterales una guía ya la tenemos en el Programa de Acción de Caracas, en la Reunión Global de Bucarest de marzo del año pasado y sobre todo en una actividad que hemos tenido acá, en la FAO, que es la Consulta organizada a mediados de este año sobre cooperación económica entre países en desarrollo en materia de insumos que, ya de paso, es una lástima que no hayamos podido en esta Conferencia contar con el documento final de esa Consulta que hubiera sido un buen documento informativo.
Con esto terminamos sobre el documento 8 y permítame referirme al C 85/LIM/7.
Los comentarios hechos por el representante de Argelia son suficientemente exhaustivos como para abundar en detalles; nos remitimos a ellos y los apoyamos. Especialmente queremos decir que reiteramos nuestro apoyo a la evaluación del PCT hecha durante el último período de sesiones del Consejo en donde expresamos nuestra opinión y creemos que el extracto del informe que se nos presenta acá entre los párrafos 53 a 62 es un buen reflejo de la discusión y creemos que mantener estas líneas no puede ayudar mucho a tener conclusiones positivas respecto a este tema.
M. TRKULJA (Yugoslavia): We are grateful as usual to Mr Shah for his customary high-level presentation of the subject to which we attach very great importance indeed. I will offer some of the main comments of the Yugoslav delegation on the review of the Regular Programme, I would underline the word Review because in the light of some interventions it appeared that we were discussing an evaluation report. We are, in fact, discussing a review or monitoring report.
First, on format and presentation, there are so many improvements that we very much welcome and improvements are indeed very visible. First may I mention in that context that some of the improvements resulted from the comments of the FAO membership at the last Conference, and then the consequential meeting of the FAO Council and the Council Committees, but the larger
part was, as it were, volunteered by the Secretariat. The final result is in our view, more positive. We specially value the composite tables provided at the level of all major programmes, showing very clearly most essential cross-sections on FAO activities in output terms. In our view, the present format has really reached a very balanced stage, particularly in volume terms, with about 40 percent devoted to a systematic, very brief, almost summary review of all technical and economic activities and support services of FAO. However, we particularly attach value and attention to Parts Two and Three - in other words, in-depth review and thematic review. I have already implied that this volume structure could in our view be very comfortably maintained or extended in the future, depending of course on the selection of thematic and in-depth reviews. We feel that even in its present form, it represents a very essential component in the overall evaluation and monitoring system of FAO. We are satisfied with the narrative. We feel that it was a very welcome novelty to list the countries in the footnotes and thus provide an excellent basis for those countries to offer their own comments and express their own experience.
I do not have time to go into details on Part One. It is enough to say that we continue to believe that it contains a treasury of information. We especially value one of its basic features, namely, that it provides perhaps a unique opportunity for all of us to see a composite picture of agro-programme activities but also the major field activities of FAO, and how they are in fact inter-related.
On Part Two, we would like to note with satisfaction that in the four last reviews, ever since the Review of the Regular Programme was re-established, about one quarter of FAO's activities in technical economic fields were in-depth reviews.
I shall confine my comment to one sub-programme that we believe is really of crucial importance. I am referring to sub-programme 2.1.5.4: Women in Agricultural Production and Rural Development. We have studied the sub-programme very carefully indeed, and we believe that it demonstrates very clearly that it took some time for FAO - I am referring not only to the Secretariat, but to the membership as well - to crystallize concepts, strategies, priorities and methods in need of action in this area. We are aware of the central role of this sub-programme in coordinating the related activities throughout the Secretariat - throughout the house. We believe that the sub-programme has reached a level at which its - if I may say so - teething stage is already over, and a further relative increase is safely possible. We would advocate that now it is very well established, very well oriented, it should be given more in relative terms in the future. I am obviously referring to resources.
On research, we are very satisfied with this thematic review. Given the broad definition -and, as with any definition which one applies to a review of research support activities in FAO, perfection is not possible - we understand that the definition was narrowed down to those activities of direct support to research activities, either international or national. We are in agreement with the main findings, and we believe that the coordination of FAO activities in this area is adequate, with an inter-governmental working group and the newly-established division. We are aware that FAO has very consistently pursued cooperation with other international institutes or agencies in the same area of research, and there is no question that we would like FAO to continue along the same lines.
We want to stress in particular the institution-building aspect of research support, and we believe that TCP could play a greater morale-supportive role than in the past.
On ECDC and TCDC, this is again a very broad subject. I have already taken too much of your precious time so I shall just indicate that the Yugoslavian delegation is informed and aware of the basis of the Resolution announced by the Mexican delegation, and we would like to indicate our full support of that Resolution.
Obviously, it was not our wish to refer again to TCP. I mentioned in my first intervention that we have used every opportunity to express our views. We have always taken a very keen interest in all that was related to TCP, but in light of a number of comments, and given the fact that I failed in my first intervention to mention one of our concerns, you have kindly given me an opportunity to briefly reflect on one of the points mentioned this morning which I have already tackled in my first intervention.
In my first intervention, I wanted to confront the thesis that FAO membership is divided into two groups and divided in a very clear way, with contributions on the one and recipients on the other side. Among contributors, I have confronted the thesis with obvious facts and I believed that the facts had been so clearly demonstrated that this would not be mentioned in subsequent debates. Unfortunately, however, this morning this same thesis was again advanced and, I would say, in even more explicit form. Quite deliberately, and with certain pain, I refrained from offering any comment in my first intervention, but I need to remind you and my distinguished colleagues that this thesis implies, in a very straightforward manner, that the recipients or beneficiaries are happy with their status. They are not. They care very much about efficiency, procedures, criteria, or whatever, and the consequence is that net contributors should be very diligent. I mentioned the case of Yugoslavia as an example, but there are many countries in the same position and I feel - and strongly feel - that this thesis and its straightforward implication is really offensive to most delegations present in this Conference.
I hope that we will not return to this issue again. I trust that you, with your enormous experience, will apply the correct procedure if a similar implication is made again.
José Ramón LOPEZ PORTILLO ROMANO (México) (en nombre del Grupo de los 77): A nombre del Grupo de los 77 y de la propia delegación de México deseo agradecer al doctor Shah por la magnífica presentación que hizo de este tema.
Deseamos agradecer al Director General por haber solicitado una evaluación externa del PCT. Al Grupo de los 77 y a la delegación de México nos parece excelente que haya recurrido a evaluadores independientes, y pensamos que esta es una práctica satisfactoria.
En este sentido subrayamos enérgicamente que no aceptamos que ciertas delegaciones pretendan dividir los órganos de la FAO entre meros donadores y meros receptores, y menos aún que insinúen que la posición de los países receptores es indiferente o irresponsable al decir que una vez satisfechos con las donaciones de ayuda recibida la eficiencia y la efectividad poco les importa a los beneficiarios; esto es inaceptable y le pedimos a usted señor Presidente que impida que estos tipos de insultos se repitan durante la discusión de nuestra Plenaria. Les recordamos a esos países que nuestros gobiernos aportan también importantes y sacrificados recursos a la FAO, e independientemente de ello a todos nuestros gobiernos les importa, como lo hemos demostrado reiteradamente, que los recursos se manejen con eficiencia y eficacia. Aquellas consignas negativas deterioran el espíritu de respeto, entendimiento y cooperación que debe privar en los foros multilaterales.
En otro sentido, los países miembros del Grupo de los 77 apoyamos plenamente el valor del Programa de Cooperación Técnica"; es decir, su eficiencia y eficacia demostrada, su efecto multiplicador en la promoción de acciones en otros organismos y entre nuestros propios países y su carácter universal.
La gran virtud del PCT es también, y de manera muy particular, su flexibilidad. Consiste precisamente en que no se programe a priori, porque responde, y deberá seguir respondiendo a las. necesidades y prioridades identificadas por nuestros gobiernos. ¿Qué evaluación más autorizada que el reconocimiento unánime de los gobiernos de los países que nos hemos beneficiado con su acción, flexibilidad y rapidez de respuestas?
No se puede dudar de estas conclusiones confirmadas, y aún si nuestras voces en estos foros no fueran suficientes, la de los evaluadores externos e independientes lo han confirmado.
Esas conclusiones han sido ya destacadas por la delegación de Argelia, por la de Argentina y la de Yugoslavia, entre otras. En congruencia con ello subrayamos de nuevo que el PCT no puede surgir de aportaciones voluntarias, sino del Programa Ordinario mismo y que deben prevalecer sus características de flexibilidad, de rapidez de respuesta y de eficacia reconocida. Esto no implica que no coincidamos plenamente en su funcionamiento y promover la máxima eficiencia de efectividad posible; esto nos importa fundamentalmente, pero no admitimos que esa sea la excusa para el control por el control mismo y que niegue las características positivas y las virtudes del PCT.
También puntualizamos que el PCT no debe imponerse objetivos a priori porque esos objetivos deben responder al interés específico de cada gobierno. Ello explica también que los movimientos temporales en la asignación de recursos al PCT y que no pueden ser homogéneos durante todo el año.
Aceptamos y concordamos plenamente con las recomendaciones hechas por la evaluación externa e instamos al Director General a que responda a ellas.
El delegado de Argelia, apoyado por el de Argentina y el de Yugoslavia, mencionó varias de ellas.
Ponemos simplemente una nota de alerta en el sentido de no incrementar los costos del control en demérito de recursos preciosos que deberían dirigirse a promover la cooperación técnica. El control por el control y la administración para la administración se llama burocratismo.
Paradójicamente con lo que dicen ciertas delegaciones parecería ser esa la consecuencia práctica de sus pruritos controladores; que no se olvide que otras organizaciones como el PMA y el PNUD permiten a su Director decidir sobre proyectos de mucha mayor monta que los que actualmente tiene el PCT, sin correr peligro de ineficiencia e ineficacia porque todos los Estados Miembros estamos en alerta y se han establecido los mecanismos adecuados para su control.
Estamos plenamente de acuerdo y apoyamos que se eleve el límite máximo de los costos de un proyecto del PCT de 250 000 a 400 000 dólares; esto representará no sólo un cambio cuantitativo sino un cambio cualitativo en las características y alcances del PCT.
Apoyamos también el porcentaje que ocupa el PCT dentro del Programa de Labores y Presupuesto que representa un leve aumento durante los últimos diez años. El Grupo de los 77 y la Delegación de México desearíamos disponer de mayores recursos destinados al PCT y pedimos al Director General hacer todos los esfuerzos para aumentar este nivel. Esto lo decimos, Señor Presidente, tomando en cuenta el gran beneficio probado para nuestros países y especialmente el lamentable hecho de que los recursos de asistencia para el desarrollo han disminuido como es el caso del FIDA, y del PNUD y de otros organismos.
Finalmente, Señor Presidente, el Grupo de los 77 solicita que una parte importante de los recursos de dicho Programa de Cooperación Técnica pueden dedicarse a la promoción de la cooperación económica y la cooperación técnica entre países en desarrollo. Esto se indica en la Sección C de las propuestas de acción del documento CL 88/8 revisado por el Consejo particularmente en el párrafo 52 que apoya el establecimiento de una nueva categoría C para proyectos que catalicen la cooperación económica y técnica entre países en desarrollo. Esto también se plasma en el informe del 88 período de sesiones del Consejo.
Para terminar Señor Presidente el Grupo de los 77 también apoya que la cooperación económica y técnica entre países en desarrollo merezca el apoyo entre las diversas actividades de nuestra Organización. Nuestro apoyo unánime al proyecto de resolución sobre la cooperación económica y la cooperación técnica entre países en desarrollo que el miércoles mi Delegación, junto con los países que lo copatrocinaban, le entregó a usted, Señor Presidente.
Me he referido exclusivamente al Programa de Cooperación Técnica y le pido a usted que posteriormente me permita hacer uso de la palabra en relación a otras cuestiones del Programa Ordinario.
Sra. Doña Mercedes FERMIN GOMEZ (Venezuela): Venezuela lamenta no haber estado esta mañana, Señor Presidente, para haber expresado su solidaridad con la República hermana de Colombia por la tragedia que esta enfrentando con motivo de la erupción del volcán Nevado del Ruiz; por eso, cumple el doloroso deber de expresarlo por mi conducto y directamente a Su Excelencia el Embajador que preside esta reunión.
Pasaremos ahora a referirnos al tema que ocupa este Comité y vamos a empezar por expresar nuestro apoyo al Programa de Cooperación Técnica por considerar que es, indudablemente, un programa que ha demostrado tener una gran eficiencia como se ha comprobado por la evaluación que fue realizada recientemente por un organismo externo a la propia Organización de las Naciones Unidas y asimismo porque ha prestado atención a aquellos problemas que constituyen la esencia del propósito para el cual fue creada la FAO; es decir, para atender a los problemas de la agricultura y de la alimentación, en las comunidades atrasadas en los países del Tercer Mundo y en los países en vías de desarrollo.
Las intervenciones que hemos escuchado antes de hacer uso de la palabra, en su mayoría, han sido para apoyar, para aprobar, para elogiar este Programa, pero prestamos debida atención a la intervención del Representante del Reino Unido que dijo haber hecho un examen completo del trabajo y que demuestra en su análisis que eran en su mayoría puntos positivos los que constituyen este Programa. Estamos de acuerdo con ese juicio porque consideramos que ha sido un examen hecho por personas expertas.
Nos sentimos identificados con los países del Tercer Mundo. Estamos de acuerdo con que la FAO debe prestar atención preeminente a esas comunidades atrasadas y no podemos menos que dar nuestro apoyo con relación a este Programa de Cooperación Técnica. Quisiéramos, sin embargo, resaltar algunos puntos del Programa con los cuales estamos más identificados. Me refiero en primer lugar a los Programas de Capacitación especialmente cuando esos programas están dirigidos a las mujeres del medio rural. La capacitación de la mujer, ya lo hemos dicho varias´ veces, cuando se dirige precisamente a entrenarla para adquirir un mejoramiento en su trabajo en relación con la agricultura, demuestra que ella puede dar un rendimiento muy efectivo, y si la FAO ha dedicado programas específicamente destinados a la capacitación de estas comunidades atrasadas, en las cuales la mujer ocupa el más alto porcentaje, esto es una inversión que produce un rendimiento inmediato, puesto que el aumento de la producción y la productividad en estas comunidades indudablemente tiene beneficio para todos. Esta obra de la FAO debe ser realmente divulgada en todos aquellos países que pertenecen al Tercer Mundo, en los cuales la mujer en el medio rural desempeña una función importante, puesto que ella participa no solamente en las labores de la familia, sino también en la labor misma de la producción, del mercadeo y de la distribución del producto. Y esto precisamente es lo que necesita la agricultura en el Tercer Mundo.
Asimismo, vamos a referirnos, destacándolo especialmente, al punto que se relaciona con las nuevas categorías del proyecto, que significan que estos proyectos deben estar realizados o tienen como finalidad establecer un nuevo criterio en cuanto a la ayuda que se proporcionan los países en desarrollo entre sí. Esto es un estímulo para estos países que pueden llegar a desarrollar por sí mismos nuevas tecnologías o sencillamente hacerse experimentados en las tecnologías que reciban de los expertos de la FAO. Los otros puntos que, para ser breves, queremos destacar, son los que se refieren al aumento del nivel de inversión de los proyectos de 250 000 a 400 000 dólares y alguno de los oradores que me precedieron se refirieron a la preocupación para que este Programa constituya una absorción creciente de los recursos de la FAO. Pero si nosotros recordamos que la mayoría de los proyectos de la FAO son imprevistos, porque obedecen a elementos y factores impredecibles en el desarrollo de la vida de algunas comunidades atrasadas, es lógico pensar y comprender que este Programa de Asistencia Técnica debe tener una inversión creciente, porque no sería posible matemáticamente predecir a cuánto debe alcanzar el montante de la inversión de la Organización para agricultura y alimentación de un período dado hacia el futuro. Deben dejar entonces un margen lógico en el que quepan estos programas imprevistos que van a ser atendidos de manera eficiente para el mejoramiento de las condiciones de vida de esas comunidadés atrasadas.
La situación de los países del Tercer Mundo ha esperado ya bastante una atención más específica a sus problemas de alimentación, de educación, de capacitación y de salud y esos son, precisamente, los problemas a los cuales debe dirigirse la acción eficaz de la FAO en un inmediato futuro. Es cierto que esos recursos deben ser administrados de una manera racional, pero no creo que haya ninguna demostración o evidencia de lo contrario en la evaluación que ha sido hecha por este organismo externo que ha presentado un informe al Consejo y a esta Conferencia. Estamos de acuerdo con la opinión de algunos miembros que consideran que el Programa de Alimentación debe tener prioridad en el número de programas inmediatos de la FAO, y sobre todo, entre los programas que fueron elogiados aquí por alguno de los oradores, el programa lechero.
Es lógico que un programa de esta naturaleza conviene al mejoramiento de las condiciones de vida delas comunidades rurales porque ello va directamente a mejorar las condiciones de vida de los niños, que son precisamente el futuro de estas comunidades. Por esa razón, porque pensamos que estos programas deben recibir. una atención primordial en los años del bienio que comienza, es por lo que nosotros consideramos que ese Programa de Asistencia Técnica debe ser respetado plenamente y debe ser aprobado tal como se ha de presentar a la Asamblea. Por esa razón Señor Presidente, le damos nuestro pleno apoyo.
EL PRESIDENTE: El distinguido colega del Reino Unido ha manifestado que, con espíritu reconstructivo redujo su declaración. Nos ha hecho llegar el documento completo de esa intervención y, con la venia de la Comisión, será incluido este texto en las Actas.
M. MOUKIA (Cameroun): La délégation du Cameroun a pris connaissance du document qui récapitule les activités réalisées par la FAO en 1985 dans les domaines de sa compétence. Il s'agit de l'agriculture, des peches, des forêts, de la coopération technique et du soutien au développement, des services de soutien, de la production animale, du rôle des femmes dans la production alimentaire et agricole et dans l'ensemble du développement rural, des ressources des eaux intérieures et de l'aquaculture, du bois de feu, de la recherche, de l'appui à la coopération économique et technique entre pays en développement.
Ce document constitue, à n'en pas douter, une évaluation des programmes de la FAO dans les onze domaines d'activité mentionnés ci-dessus.
En agriculture, nous constatons que la FAO déploie de grands efforts pour dynamiser le travail des services d'encadrement des gouvernements. Mais en raison de l'explosion démographique et de l'exode rural, nous insistons pour que la FAO persiste dans cette voie en multipliant ses interventions auprès des femmes et des jeunes des campagnes. Le rôle de ces derniers mérite d'être relevé: les jeunes constituent le fer de lance du développement des pays en voie de développement. Il ne s'agit pas seulement de se contenter de les former à différentes disciplines; il faut les installer en campagne, les équiper convenablement, les organiser en vue d'accomplir à souhait l'activité à laquelle ils ont été préparés.
Dans le cadre de la production végétale, nous souscrivons entièrement aux objectifs visés par la FAO en mettant un accent particulier sur les programmes de réduction des pertes après récolte et sur la protection des végétaux en général.
En matière de production animale, l'activité de la FAO tient compte du souci d'augmenter la production pour répondre à la demande résultant de l'accroissement de la population.
Pour couvrir les besoins en viande, en produits laitiers et en oeufs, des systèmes d'élevage doivent être mis en place pour l'augmentation de la prodůction. Cette mise en place de méthodes d'élevage efficaces sera soutenue par le renforcement de la lutte contre les maladies animales et l'amélioration de l'alimentation des animaux ainsi que la conduite de l'élevage.
Le programme d'activités 1984-85 de la FAO sur les pêches embrasse tous ces aspects, conformément au souhait exprimé par la Conférence mondiale sur l'aménagement et le développement des pêches tenue à Rome en 1984.
Nous insistons encore une fois sur le rôle de la formation dans les disciplines concernant l'aménagement et le développement des pêches, et nous soulignons qu'une attention particulière doit être portée à la promotion de la pêche artisanale.
Nous apprécions la place qui revient à l'exploitation des eaux intérieures en Afrique (chapitre 8 de ce document).
Sans revenir sur le rôle de la forêt reconnue comme source d'approvisionnement en matière d'alimentation (produits végétaux et gibier), en matière d'énergie (bois de chauffage) et de régulation dans l'environnement, nous apprécions à juste titre les efforts consentis par la FAO pour la mise en place d'une stratégie plus efficiente de la gestion forestière.
Tous les autres chapitres du document C 85/8 rencontrent notre approbation, notamment le chapitre 10, qui traite des activités de recherche telles que définies à la page 173 du présent document, au paragraphe 10.8.
La délégation du Cameroun a précisé avant-hier, lors de son intervention, son point de vue sur le programme de coopération technique. Ce faisant, elle s'était limitée à illustrer son adhésion à ce programme. Elle souhaite la réitérer en rappelant qu'il devrait être soutenu par tous ceux qui partagent les souffrances des plus déshérités. L'objectif du PCT est de donner à la FAO les moyens de fournir l'aide limitée sollicitée par des Etats ou des organisations intergouvernementales reconnues. L'agriculture en général se fait dans des milieux que l'homme ne maîtrise pas ou maîtrise peu. Elle se fait dans les conditions les plus aléatoires, soumises à des variations climatologiques les plus imprévisibles. Les calamités naturelles y sont fréquentes: sécheresses
inattendues, inondations dévastatrices. D'autres calamités naturelles peuvent être relevées: invasions acridiennes ou de chenilles défoliatrices, éclosión subite et propagation de maladies animales. L'utilité et l'efficacité du PCT étant reconnues et son maintien étant indispensable, son renforcement est plus qu'indiqué avec toutefois la possibilité d'en parfaire l'utilisation pour convaincre les pays ou groupes de pays encore hésitants à son endroit.
J. S. NIELSEN (Denmark): While appreciating the very qualified work laid down by the Secretariat in this very comprehensive review of the Regular Programme for 1984/85, I take the opportunity to underline that in supplement to the proposed Programme of Work and Budget 1986/87 this review has also inspired the Danish delegation to comment on FAO's future in our general statements this morning in the Plenary and also in this Commission.
To be noting the requests of all interested parties is part of one side of formulating a programme of work. The other side is a stricter selection in order to achieve the fullest possible impact of the limited resources available in the Organization. Only with a much clearer picture of FAO's real priorities and with better transparency with member countries be able to see if, despite the necessary selection, the general structure of their requests have been reflected in the Regular Programme of Work and in its implementión.
Mr Shah this morning informed us of FAO's comprehensive evaluation activities. Maybe it is appropriate here to underline that evaluation is not the aim in itself, it is an extremely necessary means for making Member States and FAO currently able to judge whether the different programmes are running well and whether there is a need to reorientate the activities of FAO. Only with this aim in mind will evaluation, internal or external, serve to enhance the work of the Organization.
We have unfortunately had too little time to study in depth the very interesting Evaluation Report of the TCP. However, the content of the report confirms the attitudes expressed in the joint Nordic statements made on CCP in the context of the discussion of the Programme of Work and Budget 1986/87. We are concerned about the pressure put on some parts of the Organization because of the necessary backstopping to individual project.- and we are concerned about the difficulties in ensuring the necessary follow-up. Can we say that the TCP has been truly catalytic in initiating other activities? Has it complemented and not substituted other forms of assistance? We do believe that despite the doubts pronounced, the answer is generally affirmative and we appreciate the Programme's valuable contribution to development assistance up to now. Provided that a flexible monitoring system is established we would also be ready to support the Programme in the future. We are convinced, however, that the TCP's future will be put seriously at stake if the Programme is expanded beyond its present size or if its scope is broadened beyond its original and present intentions and objectives.
LI HYOK CHOL (Democratic People's Republic of Korea): First.I pay sincere gratitude to Mr Shah for his excellent introduction of the document under discussion. While expressing our full satisfaction with the structure and content of the Review of the Regular Programme 1984-85, as presented -in document C 85/8, I would like to limit my delegation's comments to evaluation and the proposals concerning the Technical Cooperation Programme.
We have noted with keen interest the evaluation and recommendations. The evaluation carried out by senior external consultants at the most timely and relevant initiative of the Director-General emphasizes the valuable role of the TCP and the need to strengthen it. TCP is the unique aspect of FAO's Regular Programme which cannot be replaced by other programmes because of its beneficial impact on the agricultural development of the developing countries. Throughout the ten years of its existence, TCP has been demonstrated to be most in keeping with the noble objective of FAO. Every member country is in favour of promoting cooperation, and cooperation is a commonly accepted premises for our discussions in seeking a solution to the problem of food and agriculture. However, the level of sincerity of words will be judged by action.
We believe that if FAO is to meet the present need of the developing countries TCP should be there with increased capacity. The importance of TCP should be stressed even more in light of the increasing concern about IFAD and UNDP resources.
We give full endorsement to the decision taken by the Eighty-eighth Session of the Council regarding the findings and the conclusions of the evaluation team and the recommendations by the Director-General. We would like to confirm our support of the increased ceiling of TCP projects to US$ 400 000 and the establishment of a new category (c) for catalyzing TCDC, as well as the actions already taken or envisaged by the Director-General.
A.M. QURESHI (Pakistan): My thanks to Mr Shah for his usual transparent presentation of the Review of the Regular Programme. Being members of the Programme Committee and the Council we have already time and again expressed our position in this regard. Therefore I will be brief.
We are pleased to observe that further improvements in format and presentation in the Review are along the lines suggested by the Programme Committee. We have been traditionally supportive of the importance of evaluations which highlight the success and constraints in the implementation of various technical and economic programmes. They also provide valuable feedback for the formulation of future programme activities and strategies. Such reviews are again a great help to the Organization in determining its strategies in the future years.
The document C 85/8 is quite comprehensive. The review of major programmes in the agriculture., fisheries and forestry sectors is indeed specific and we would like to commend the Secretariat for the hard labour that has gone into the preparation of this report.
We also appreciate the emphasis on the promotion of ECDC and TCDC activities and appropriate and timely thrust on Africa where the need for assistance was no doubt urgent.
Needless to say, we commend FAO's Global Information and Early Warning System, which should not only be sustained but further strengthened.
We would briefly wish to draw the Secretariat's attention to the recommendation contained at paragraph 116 of the document APRC/84/REP and in C 85/INF/10, which reads: "The Conference recognized the importance of buffalo as a source of farm power, milk and meat, and recommended that the Regional Centre for Coordinated Research on Buffalo, including nutrition, reproduction and economic feeding systems be established." FAO was requested to formulate a project and seek financial assistance for its implementation.
We have been extremely disappointed to note that in the absence of a positive response from donors no action has been possible in establishing a Regional Centre for Coordinated Research, although we welcome the location of the coordinating unit in my country under the aegis of the new FAO/UNDP Regional Project on TCDC for strengthening the regional network of buffalo development centres in Asia on a limited scale. We still hope that FAO will take all necessary steps on an urgent basis to seek financial assistance from appropriate sources so that the recommendation of the Regional Conference for a project on a large scale is implemented. The importance of the water buffalo as a source of farm power, milk and meat was also amply underlined by the delegate of Panama this morning, our dear and constant alphabetical neighbours.
As regards TCP, this is one programme which has been unanimously acclaimed as innovative, valuable and effective, besides being catalytic. We in the Programme Committee and in the Council carefully examined in great detail documents CL 88/8 and CL 88/INF/10. The unprogrammed nature, practical orientation, speed and flexibility of the TCP was universally acclaimed. The programme has no doubt given a new dimension to FAO. It is a different manner in which we may view the issues and matters with differing perceptions.
I would like to quote from the statement of my Minister and Head of the Pakistan delegation in the Plenary session this morning which reads as follows: "We particularly support the TCP, which provides timely and flexible responses to the urgent needs of the developing countries." This more than amply demonstrates my country's support to this valuable Programme. Questions have been raised with regard to its viability on the following grounds: (1) that the average cost of the projects has been under US$ 70 000, and (2) that because it entails small-scale assistance, raising the ceiling to US$ 400 000 night conflict with the UNDP.
With regard to (1), in our view if the average cost of programmes totals US$ 70 000, this only shows the concern of the Organization in having as large a spread as possible and in reaching the maximum number of beneficiaries.
With regard to (2), by the very nature of the Programme, TCP cannot compete with the UNDP if the ceiling is raised to US$ 400 000. TCP is quick, responsive and action-oriented. For assistance under UNDP, however, one may have to queue up for at least two years and within that span of time the country may pass from one emergency to another.
The TCP has stood the test of time. We believe that any dialogue in this august body should be constructive, positive and objective. We are not asking for more resources. In fact in real terms over the years there is a considerable decline in the resources made available under TCP. Nor do we say that FAO is World Bank or IMF or IDA or IFAD or a funding institution. We would only like everyone here to recognize the unique role of the specialized agency within the UN system. FAO is FAO and the TCP is not the so-called cuckoo's nest. Such allusions are not reflective of objectivity and are a cause of great concern to us. We feel in all seriousness that TCP is not a cuckoo's nest but the poor countries' security blanket against emergencies. This is our perception.
We welcome the evaluation report on TCP and endorse the actions thereon proposed to be taken by the Organization.
Alif Y. BUKHARI (Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of) (original language Arabic): The document which deals with the Regular Programme, that is document C 85/8, is one that has been studied both by the Council and the subsidiary Committees of the Council and which has been welcomed by them, both for the important information and pertinent analysis included therein. This is why we would like to thank and congratulate Mr Shah for the presentation of this document and of this item of the agenda, a presentation that has been very clear and excellent indeed.
I would now like to speak about TCP. Certainly I am not going to go into details to speak about its importance, or, the technical aspects of this Programme, those technical aspects that have been clearly mentioned in the evaluation carried out by the expert consultants. Such details have been well explained by countries that are benefiting from TCP.
I am not going into details of administrative questions concerning TCP, such as the flexibility of other programmes of the Organization and the need for coordination between the other FAO activities and TCP, or the highly flexible nature of TCP because of the quick and adequate response it gives to the requirements of developing countries.
My delegation finds itself in a position to express its satisfaction with the valuable assistance of TCP which has permitted technical and economic relations to become even closer between countries. We do not agree with some of the views expressed here with regard to benefiting from it, doubts that have been raised about the evaluation of the expert consultants, or doubts about the evaluation carried out by the Organization, since we feel that the evaluation has been exhaustive and has been carried out in a timely manner. Furthermore we should also be aware of another reality which is self-evident i.e., that the recipient countries, the countries benefiting from TCP are those which know how to defend their own interests more than any other country or any other person and therefore, they are the countries that are in position to evaluate the activities that meet the interests, concerns and aspirations of their people to better achieve stable economic and agricultural development.
Any work properly carried out or any work in general finds difficulties, and obstacles along the way. This is normal, but these problems, these obstacles which the TCP may find along its way should not make some countries or some governments doubt its usefulness to developing countries. On the contrary, we should and must work in a serious manner. We should not stop because of these difficulties, but we should instead try to solve the problems and overcome the obstacles. We must try to give the most rational orientations in order to achieve our objectives because constructive reforms are always welcome. It is our duty to give our advice, but always with common sense, although sometimes this may seem difficult, and as we know it is very difficult to build but it is sometimes easier to just demolish everything.
Mr Chairman, we have listened carefully and with attention to the views expressed here concerning the financing of this programme through a voluntary fund, and therefore I would like to say that we are stongly against this approach since our policy has always been a clear one on this point. We have always been in favour of limiting the type of measures that would increase bureaucracy which prevents the achievement of the noble objectives of TCP. We would like to express the hope and we would like to appeal to the Organization for improvement to be made with relation to some of the TCP activities. We would also like to ask the Organization to evaluate these activities by taking into account the recommendations of the expert consultants' report - a report that we would like to support.
In conclusion let me say that this report of expert consultants has also been discussed in the Finance Committee of the Organization, a Committee of which we are members. I would like to assure everyone here that we have obtained all clarifications concerning this report from the Secretariat and that we have also received all information and statistics in a very precise manner, which has taken two long days of work in the Finance Committee. Members of the Finance Committee expressed their views very candidly on this report and they were included in the final report.
These are a few comments that we wanted to make and once again we would like to say that we firmly support the TCP and the recommendations of the evaluation report. We also support the recommendations that have been presented by the Director-General.
O. SALES PETINGA (Portugal): Nous félicitons tout d'abord le Secrétariat pour le document C 85/8 qui se réfère au PCT et que nous considérons très opportun. Le Portugal est un bénéficiaire ponctuel de ce programme, surtout en matière d'assistance technique et d'élaboration de projets fournis par la FAO dans le cadre de ce programme. Il tient à en souligner l'efficacité. On peut dire que ces actions ont contribué de manière décisive au démarrage de nouveaux projets nationaux ainsi qu'à l'achèvement d'autres projets qui auraient pu difficilement être menés à bonne fin.
Comme nous l'avons déjà dit, nous donnons notre approbation. au document en question dans son ensemble, mais nous aimerions présenter quatre commentaires.
Au paragraphe 61, nous constatons avec beaucoup de satisfaction la préoccupation exprimée disant: "L'Organisation choisira avec le plus grand soin les experts et les consultants présentant à tous les égards les meilleurs profils pour la mission envisagée, notamment du point de vue des compétences et des connaissances linguistiques". Nous pensons que la connaissance de la langue des pays où se réalisent les programmes est très importante pour leur efficacité.
Nous acceptons la création d'une nouvelle catégorie de projets de PCT destinés à catalyser la coopération entre les pays.
Nous sommes aussi d'accord pour le relèvement du coût maximum des projets du PCT passant de 250 000 à 400 000 dollars, mais nous aimerions que cette modification n'ait pas comme conséquence la réduction des projets.
Sur le point 95, nous présentons des réserves. A notre avis, les pays, pour une question de principe, devront maintenir le droit d'approbation des experts et consultants du PCT.
R. MARTINEZ MUÑOZ (Colombia): Compartimos la satisfacción que expresó el Comité del Programa sobre el hecho de que este documento es una fuente valiosa de información y análisis en lo concerniente a las actividades y logros del Programa Ordinario y sus interrelaciones con el Programa de Campo.
Convendría registrar el hecho de que se está cumpliendo una evolución favorable en la presentación de este documento a través del seguimiento de las recomendaciones y sugerencias que se han hecho en los Comités del Programa y de Finanzas.
En esta ocasión queremos reiterar el apoyo del gobierno de Colombia para la descentralización. Esta, junto con el Programa de Cooperación Técnica, PCT, ha constituido los dos pilares fundamentales del Programa.
Pensamos que en las regiones y en los países están los problemas, allá están las necesidades que hay que atenderlas prioritariamente; las elucubraciones académicas y técnicas que se llevan a cabo en la Sede no pueden permitir a los funcionarios que desde aquí, desde el conjunto Caracalla, hagan recomendaciones o traten de asistir a gobiernos cuyos estados están muy lejos y en condiciones difíciles.
Debemos reiterar una vez más el apoyo de la Conferencia para la descentralización.
La delegación de Colombia apoya todo lo relacionado con el examen del Programa Ordinario y particularmente la parte final, evaluación del Programa de Cooperación Técnica, PTC, párrafos 53 al 62.
El gobierno colombiano coadyuva plenamente en todos los cambios favorables que se van a introducir en el PCT y entre los cuales cabe destacar: aumentar el límite del costo máximo de los proyectos del PCT de 250 000 a 400 000 dólares de Estados Unidos; establecer una nueva categoría C de proyectos del PCT destinados a actuar como catalizadores de la cooperación entre países, CTPD, que se ajusten a los criterios del Programa.
La delegación de Colombia estima que los consultores externos que evaluaron el PCT son muy respetables y que no es aceptable su descalificación formulada por alguna delegación. Los tres provienen de países muy respetables y son personas ampliamente conocidas.
La delegación de Colombia no puede aceptar la concepción del PCT de que se delimite entre donantes y beneficiarios porque los beneficiarios son también contribuyentes al presupuesto del Programa de la FAO. Si los beneficiarios estamos satisfechos con el PCT es porque realmente trabajan bien, y si los países desarrollados se oponen a esa inmensa voluntad de más de cien países están incurriendo en otro atentado a la cooperación multilateral.
Para concluir, apoyamos lo expuesto por la delegación de México y queremos solicitar a ciertas delegaciones, siempre las mismas, una actitud de mayor responsabilidad.
La delegación colombiana por principio rechaza todo intento de que los países donantes traten de hacernos sentir el peso de sus contribuciones.
R.C. GUPTA (India): My delegation had the opportunity of making our views known on this document first in the Programme Committee and later on in the Eighty-eighth session of the FAO Council so I feel that it will not be necessary for me to take your time or burden your records by repeating them. I would only like to say that we feel that this review responds to the wishes we expressed in the last session of the FAO Conference. It contains extremely useful information. With regard to evaluation, we had said in Council and also in the Programme Committee that to the extent to which information is available, the quality of evaluation can improve. But this information is not come by easily. You have to have proper systems in developing countries and it will take time. It will take more effort - but under the constraints, this is an invaluable document which gives us an idea of the work of the Organization and the extent to which its efforts have succeeded. In my experience here, I have found that when a document is too large or too bulky people criticize it for containing a lot of information which is not relevant; if it is concise it is criticized for not containing certain information. Some people cannot give their support without qualifications - but I am not going to dwell too much on this point.
With regard to the Technical Cooperation Programme, which has engaged the attention and concern of a number of delegates during our discussion here, we have again considered this matter in both the fora which I referred to just now, the Programme Committee and Council. Some of the statements made in this forum this afternoon we found offensive, containing lack of respect for equal members of the Organization and reflecting an attitude which is completely lamentable.
We were told that developing countries would take money from wherever they could. In the Council we were told we lack commitment. I believe that the developed countries have to learn - and perhaps the stage has now come - not to try to tell us what is good for us. Perhaps you know - if I may cite an instance, of a country neighbouring the country from which I come, a hilly country -experts from developed countries advised them to fell their forests to generate revenue, to have more areas for agriculture; in that country you now have mountainous deserts, and over the last
decade they have been advised to reafforest the area. First, their scarce resources were used for deforestation, ravaging the base of agriculture - and now they are being advised to reafforest. Perhaps we know better what to do with our resources and whatever little we can get from outside. I believe the time has come for them to understand that we have an equal commitment - or perhaps more commitment - than their concerns. We are scarce in our resources, and we want to use them most frugally; we regard assistance as an equally valuable, and perhaps more scarce, resource, and we want to use it as frugally, as carefully and as conscientiously as we can.,We have absolutely no doubt that TCP is a programme which has immensely helped developing countries because of its flexibility and its unprogrammed nature.
I have heard some distinguished colleagues here saying that some of the projects, some of the subjects, or work, on which TCP funding has been expended could have been foreseen. Yes - but in an ongoing programme there are various steps which come to light as the programme proceeds. If you take broader subjects, broader topics, you certainly can say "this could have been foreseen", but a certain element in an ongoing programme cannot be foreseen, and if, at that critical juncture, some assistance is available to carry on that programme, it helps - and to that extent TCP has been useful.
Some people have tried to over-emphasize the emergency nature of TCP. If you look at the TCP projets, not more than 25 percent of them are of an emergency nature - but those projects are crucial to certain ongoing programmes; they fill certain gaps which could not be foreseen - and to that extent the unprogrammed nature, the flexibility, and the innovâtiveness has to continue.
Two subjects have been posed for decision by the Conference: one is raising the ceiling of individual projects from US$250 000 to US$ 400 000, and secondly, including another category - that is, a category of economic and technical cooperation among developing countries. I believe that these two recommendations are closely interconnected. I said in the Council - and I beg your indulgence to allow me to repeat it - that if you include TCDC and ECDC as a category for which TCP funding should be available,it is absolutely essential to raise the ceiling from US$250 000 to US$400 000. You will come up with certain projects which would need a greater amount of financing. Again-, the fact that, on the average, the funding of projects has been only US$ 70 000 should, I am sure, assure those who have doubts that the funds are not just doled out indiscriminately, but are given according to need. We feel that the raising of the ceiling at this juncture is necessary.
Some however have even questioned including ECDC and TCDC as a category for TCP funding. I have not been able to forget the remark made by a distinguished colleague from the United Kingdom in the last meeting of the Committee on Food Aid, when he told us "These poor countries must learn not to live from the crumbs from the rich man's table, and they should try to stand on their own legs". We are used to that kind of arrogance - We have had the experience of four hundred years with these people. We have liv.ed with them, we have taken them in our stride, we have treated these remarks with the contempt which they deserve. These people tell us to stand on our own legs - we are trying to do this with TCDC and ECDC. In. this endeavour and with some timely assistance, a small amount -four hundred thousand odd, certain bottlenecks can be overcome. We fail to see the reason why these activities should not be included.
I have taken too much time. I only wish to conclude by saying that we support both the recommendations of the Council with regard to raising the ceiling for TCP projects, and also with regard to including a new category, (c), which has been recommended.
Sra. Doña María Eulalia JIMENEZ (El Salvador): Mi Delegación desea, en primer lugar felicitar al Sr. Shah por la presentación excelente que ha hecho del tema que nos ocupa, así como deseamos felicitar a la Secretaría por la calidad del documento que ha sometido a nuestra consideración. El análisis detallado y completo que se hace en él sobre la labor realizada por la FAO en el bienio 1984-85 es una prueba más de la eficiencia con que la Organización trabaja. Nos parece muy adecuado que se lleven a cabo estos exámenes del Programa Ordinario en forma sistemática, pues ello permite corregir errores y mejorar en forma constante. El examen del contenido, en nuestra consideración,
merece nuestro respaldo y del mismo quisiéramos recalcar algunos aspectos. En la primera parte que se refiere al informe sobre las actividades que se llevan a cabo quisiéramos enfatizar la labor realizada en el campo de la capacitación. Pedimos disculpas por insistir sobre ese punto. pero lo consideramos esencial. Hemos leído con mucho entusiasmo los conceptos vertidos en relación con el punto 15 y alentamos a la Organización a continuar sus esfuerzos de capacitar a las mujeres. Constituimos la mitad de la humanidad y si estamos en condiciones de luchar por igual en esta dura batalla por salir del subdesarrollo, creo sinceramente que los resultados serán más que positivos. Se han hecho muchos esfuerzos orientados a la incorporación de la mujer en el proceso del desarrollo, sin embargo, como ha dicho esta mañana el Delegado del Panamá, debemos continuar en nuestros esfuerzos y alentamos a la FAO a tal propósito.
Esperamos con interés el resultado del estudio que se indica en el párrafo 1.138. Es importante que se hagan esfuerzos coordinados para ayudar a la, rehabilitación y al desarrollo de la agricultura africana.
Queremos referirnos ahora al Programa de Cooperación Técnica. En primer lugar, permítame felicitar al Director General por haber solicitado una evaluación externa del PCT. La delegación de El Salvador apoya firmemente el Programa de Cooperación Técnica. Como lo dijimos en nuestra intervención cuando discutimos el Programa de Labores y Presupuesto, el PCT ha demostrado ser un instrumento sumamente eficaz para atender los graves problemas que afectan a los países en vías de desarrollo.
La evaluación externa realizada así lo demuestra. Durante el 88o período de sesiones del Consejo se examinó dicha evaluación. Apoyamos las decisiones tomadas por el Consejo a este respecto. En particular, apoyamos las propuestas hechas por el Director General a raíz de dicho informe, a saber: (a) incremento del límite máximo de los costos de un proyecto de 250 000 a 400 000 dólares; (b) establecimiento de una nueva categoría "C" de proyectos del PCT destinados a actuar como catalizador de la cooperación entre países.
Estamos completamente de acuerdo en que parte importante de los recursos del PCT puedan dedicarse a la promoción de la cooperación económica y técnica entre países en desarrollo. Elementos de juicio
suficientes han sido presentados por el Presidente del Grupo de los 77 para respaldar estas cuestiones, y por ello las apoyamos firmemente.
Asimismo, respaldamos plenamente los conceptos vertidos esta mañana por el delegado de Panamá con relación al PCT.
Refiriéndonos ahora a la segunda parte del documento en discusión, felicitamos a la Secretaría por el examen a fondo que ha hecho de estas cinco actividades fundamentales. Queremos recalcar el sub-programa 2.3.43 sobre leña. Apoyamos los objetivos y estrategia de dicho subprograma y hacemos especial énfasis en las orientaciones indicadas en el párrafo 9.9 del documento.
La delegación de El Salvador piensa que el problema de la leña debe ser resuelto en la planificación a corto plazo; es decir, como un problema de emergencia. La leña debe utilizarse en manera tal que nos permita producir una fuente de energía que elimine o disminuya la gran dependencia de nuestros países del petróleo, la cual tanta importancia tiene en nuestra deuda externa. Es decir, debe ser orientada a programas de desarrollo encaminados a la electrificación rural, a la construcción de viviendas, en fin, a programas encaminados a mejorar a las condiciones de la población rural de nuestros países.
La delegación de El Salvador saluda con mucho agrado el cambio en la orientación del subprograma encargado de los programas para la mujer, incorporando en el mismo la importante función económica que la mujer desempeña en el campo rural.
Felicitamos a la señora Finney por la forma eficiente en que desempeña sus funciones al frente de ese subprograma. Lo demuestran claramente las actividades que se detallan en el documento, en los numerales 7.17 en adelante.
Para concluir, la delegación de mi país desea manifestar su apoyo al proyecto de resolución sobre cooperación económica y técnica entre países en desarrollo que ha sido presentado por el Presidente del Grupo de los 77 y que está siendo analizado por el Comité de Resoluciones. Conocemos su contenido y podemos respaldarlo plenamente.
Abbas ADELI RANKOUHI (Islamic Republic of Iran): The delegate of the Islamic Republic of Iran supports the Programme of Work and Budget for the next period of FA´O activities. We believe that the TCP programme is one of the useful means of helping those countries which need more technical assistance. Therefore the budget for this Programme should be increased in the next programme of FAO activities and we also support that programme.
R. RABE (Madagascar): Dans l'examen de ce point important de notre ordre du jour, la Délégation de Madagascar voudrait faire part de la position de son Gouvernement à l'endroit du programme de coopération technique. Dans sa déclaration en séance plénière, le Ministre de l'agriculture, chef de notre délégation, a d'une façon très claire fait part de l'appui ferme et indéfectible que notre gouvernement accorde au PCT. Ce soutien est justifié par l'excellence des résultats que ce programme a enregistrés dans tous les pays en voie de développement.
Le rapport d'évaluation ne fait que confirmer les performances plus que satisfaisantes obtenues par le PCT pendant les 10 années de son existence. Le PCT a répondu pleinement aux résultats que les Etats étaient en droit d'en attendre. Plus que jamais, notre gouvernement est convaincu que les textes régissant le PCT doivent être confirmés et consolidés dans leurs dispositions pertinentes. Sans le PCT, la FAO serait un organisme purement académique qui recommanderait des mesures mais se garderait bien de contribuer à la mise en oeuvre effective et sur terrain de ces recommandations. Nous nous opposons vigoureusement à certaines manoeuvres qui tendent à transformer la FAO en institution inefficace et pratiquement inutile.
Le PCT doit faire partie du programme ordinaire de l'Organisation et, pour pouvoir garder ses principales qualités, à savoir efficacité et souplesse, il gagnerait à ne pas être programmé. Il doit continuer à financer les opérations d'urgence mais également à aider les Etats dans la formulation et la mise en oeuvre des programmes entrant dans les catégories fixées par les textes en vigueur.
La volonté et le désir des Etats de promouvoir la CEPD et la CTPD devraient être encouragés par la création d'une catégorie afférente au sein du PCT. Aussi notre délégation apporte-t-elle chaleureusement son appui à la création de cette catégorie.
Compte tenu de la situation de crise qui prévaut dans la plupart des pays en voie de développement, et surtout dans le continent africain, le pourcentage réservé au PCT dans les programmes nous semble un minimum. Si à l'origine, ce pourcentage était de 11 pour cent, il est tout à fait logique et raisonnable qu'il soit porté à 13 pour cent dans le biennium 1986-87. A ce niveau, d'ailleurs, il ne répondrait pas encore à notre souhait car de nombreuses interventions de caractère prioritaire sont encore laissées pour compte. Dans le même ordre d'idées, notre délégation pense que le plafond de chaque projet gagnerait à être porté à 400 000 dollars.
En ce qui concerne le contrôle à entreprendre à l'endroit du PCT, nous pensons qu'un tel controle doit intéresser aussi bien le programme ordinaire que le programme de terrain et il ne nous paraît pas justifié d'instituer un système de contrôle plus serré particulier sur le PCT. Tous les contrôles doivent être sérieux, dignes de foi et de confiance pour les Etats Membres. En tout cas, le contrôle a priori du PCT nous semble absolument exclu car cela n'aurait qu'un effet négatif et nocif et annulerait à coup sûr la célérité et l'efficacité du programme. Les évaluations externes et indépendantes sont à encourager car elles permettent aux Etats d'assurer que les fonds sont utilisés dans le cadre des objectifs prescrits par les organes directeurs et permettent aussi de connaître les résultats obtenus.
Nous signalons que l'Organisation dispose de comités de programme et de comités financiers qui ont le droit et le devoir d'éclairer les Etats sur l'utilisation des fonds et sur les résultats obtenus. Pour notre part, nous avons pu constater que le Secrétariat a toujours fait l'impossible pour mettre à la disposition des membres de ces comités les informations qu'ils avaient demandées en leur temps, et ainsi ces comités ont pu reconnaître le bien-fondé du PCT et sa bonne gestion.
Naturellement, des améliorations peuvent être faites dans la communication rapide et exhaustive des informations par l'utilisation et la mise en oeuvre des systèmes informatiques de l'Organisation; et nous savons que le Secrétariat s'apprête à s'engager dans cette voie, ce que nous encourageons vivement.
Notre délégation a dû évoquer certains faits réels et vécus pour démontrer, s'il en était encore besoin, que le PCT est un outil performant et précieux, qu'il a toujours oeuvré dans le cadre des règlements qui le régissent et que, par conséquent, nous avons le devoir de le soutenir, pour peu que nous désirions vraiment que la crise alimentaire soit surmontée dans des délais convenables.
L. GANSORE (Burkina Faso): Avant tout, nous voudrions apporter l'appui total de notre délégation à la déclaration faite par l'ambassadeur du Mexique, au nom du groupe des 77, et à la récente déclaration du représentant de Madagascar.
Cela dit, nous remercions le Secrétariat pour la présentation claire et précise des documents. Il s'agit des documents qui contiennent une série d'informations sur les activités de la FAO. Nous savons très bien jusqu'à quel point le Directeur général attache une grande importance à l'évaluation et, justement, les documents relatifs à l'évaluation qui nous sont soumis ne se bornent pas à énumérer les réalisations de la FAO mais mettent également un accent sur les difficultés rencontrées. Il s'agit là d'une bonne initiative qui permet à l'Organisation de corriger les erreurs ou de rectifier le tir à l'avenir.
Nous apprécions le rôle joué par la FAO dans le domaine de la coopération économique et technique entre pays en voie de développement - le développement du secteur maraîcher, les pêches, la nutrition, l'aquaculture, le rôle de la femme dans le développement rural - et nous invitons l'Organisation à redoubler d'efforts dans les domaines que nous venons de citer. Notre délégation, par la voie de notre Ministre de l'agriculture et de l'élevage, a déjà indiqué l'appréciation de notre Gouvernement à l'égard du programme de coopération technique. L'absence de programmation, la souplesse et la rapidité d'intervention font de ce programme un outil irremplaçable au service de nos pays.
Mon pays, qui a bénéficié de plusieurs projets PCT, est bien placé pour indiquer à ceux qui doutent de l'efficacité du PCT, à ceux qui doutent même de sa nécessité, qu'il s'agit d'un programme efficace. Le rapport des consultants n'indique-t-il pas, à la page 3 du document CL 88/10: "Aussi bien les représentants des gouvernements que ceux des organismes estiment que le programme joue et doit continuer à jouer un rôle essentiel dans le système d'aide à l'agriculture et qu'il ne semble exister aucun autre dispositif équivalent."
C'est pourquoi notre délégation appuie sans réserve les propositions contenues dans le rapport des consultants, notamment le relèvement du plafond maximum des projets PCT de 250 000 à 400 000 dollars et la création d'une nouvelle catégorie de projets dans le cadre de la coopération économique et technique entre pays en voie de développement.
Enfin, nous estimons que le PCT doit continuer à être financé par les mêmes types de fonds initiaux, c'est-à-dire de faire partie intégrante du programme ordinaire.
P. WIESMANN (Suisse): J'aimerais féliciter le Secrétariat pour l'élaboration de ce document" clairement sous-divisé en trois parties, ce qui facilite grandement la lecture et l'étude des problèmes. Mes remerciements vont aussi à M. Shah qui a si habilement introduit le sujet.
Pour des raisons de temps, il est malheureusement impossible de faire de commentaires sur un grand nombre de points qui nous semblent intéressants et prioritaires. J'aimerais, en conséquence, appuyer la proposition du délégué de la Nouvelle-Zélande, à savoir chercher une solution adéquate pour faire part des commentaires des différentes délégations au Secrétariat.
Quant au PCT, ma délégation a déjà eu l'occasion de faire connaître ses commentaires dans le cadre du point 12 de l'ordre du jour. Avec votre permission, je me concentrerai sur trois points qui nous semblent être importants et prioritaires: il s'agit du programme forestier, du rôle des femmes dans le développement rural et de la campagne mondiale contre la faim (Action dans le développement).
Sur le premier point, nous constatons avec satisfaction que les objectifs à long terme de la FAO qui, d'une manière générale, visent à augmenter la production des forêts essentiellement pour le bien de la population rurale, sont conformes à la nouvelle stratégie forestière adoptée par la Conférence de
la FAO en 1981, stratégie qui cherche à résoudre les graves problèmes de l'érosion, du manque de bois de feu, etc.
Il est également réjouissant de constater que le programme des forets au service du développement rural a avancé, du point de vue des finances attribuées, à la deuxième place, derrière le programme "Investissement et Institutions". L'évolution des dépenses extra-budgétaires est encore plus marquée: 20 pour cent des dépenses en 1984 sont accordées à ce programme comparé à 3 pour cent en 1980.
Les activités du programme ordinaire dans le secteur "Forêts communautaires" sont axées principalement sur des études socio-économiques, des études comparatives de l'expérience faite, des études qui évaluent la place que jouent les activités liées à la foret dans les revenus et les emplois non agricoles et l'organisation de stages de formation sur la planification des projets à participation populaire, ce qui doit être jugé comme une approche adéquate et adaptée aux contraintes qui existent à l'heure actuelle dans ce domaine.
Sur le deuxième point, ma délégation est heureuse de l'attention croissante portée par la FAO à la situation de la femme. Elle aimerait la féliciter des nombreux et divers apports qu'elle fait en cette matière. Je ne citerai ici, pour les programmes propres de la FAO, que les contributions de la FAO aux travaux du groupe de travail WID (Women in development). Nous souhaiterions que la FAO continue à tenir compte d'une façon concrète et active des trois faits suivants d'importance comparable mais, pour le moment encore, inégalement reconnus:
Premièrement, le rôle joué par la femme dans la production agricole, dans le cadre de la famille ou comme ouvrière agricole. On sait que la modernisation de l'agriculture risque d'avoir un effet négatif sur la situation de la femme si cette modernisation n'est pas réorientée. La FAO s'en occupe à juste titre. J'aimerais néanmoins rappeler les conditions souvent très dures, voire franchement mauvaises, dans lesquelles la femme doit travailler ainsi que les salaires des ouvrières agricoles, qui sont souvent plus faibles encore que ceux des hommes. En collaboration avec le BIT, la FAO doit également prendre ces problèmes en compte. Doit aussi être pris en considération l'apport considérable des femmes dans la commercialisation des produits agricoles et dans leur conditionnement. Ces activités sont en général d'une très grande importance pour les femmes et pour leur famille, comme sources de revenus. Il serait souhaitabl.e que la FAO se donne pour tâche d'aider les femmes à garder l'accès à ces revenus ou de rendre ces activités plus rentables.
Deuxièmement, il est bien connu maintenant que, dans un très grand nombre de sociétés, la responsabilité d'assurer l'alimentation de la famille revient largement, si ce n'est exclusivement-, à la femme. D'où l'importance, pour elle et la famille, d'avoir accès à un revenu et, dans les régions rurales et semi-rurales, de pouvoir produire elle-même une partie des aliments nécessaires. Nous attachons de l'importance à ce que la FAO continue de suivre attentivement ces questions.
Troisièmement, un fait d'une portée particulière pour les possibilités de développement des pays et pourtant souvent négligé, est celui de la nutrition, notamment des groupes défavorisés. Il est reconnu maintenant que l'augmentation de la production et la meilleure productivité agricole ne suffisent pas pour assurer l'accès aux aliments, et je ne m'étendrai .s sur ce sujet. Ce qui e^t moins connu c'est que, malgré les progrès accomplis, la malnutrition des enfants reste également importante. En outre, la malnutrition de la femme - de la femme enceinte en particulier et de la mère qui allaite - est à la fois un phénomène très répandu. Une femme enceinte sur deux est anémique pour des raisons nutritionnelles. Très grave, sa santé est directement menacée ainsi que celle de ses enfants, comme le montrent des recherches scientifiques. Et pourtant, c'est un phénomène généralement ignoré par les planificateurs. L'OMS et l'Assemblée mondiale de la Santé ont attiré l'attention sur l'importance de la malnutrition des femmes et ont engagé les responsables à prendre des mesures. La FAO, elle aussi, est concernée. Elle a d'ailleurs un auxiliaire de qualité: le Sous-Comité sur la nutrition de l'OMS.
Et pour finir, sur le troisième point, je serai bref: la campagne mondiale contre la faim (Action pour le développement). Ce programme a pris son importance à la suite de la Conférence mondiale sur la réforme agraire et le développement rural. Ma délégation constate avec satisfaction la continuité de ce programme et l'élan avec lequel il est conduit en ayant pour objectif de mobiliser et de soutenir les ONG des pays en développement et des pays industrialisés. Nous sommes favorables à l'accent qui est porté sur le renforcement institutionnel et opérationnel, dans les pays en développement, des ONG et des groupements qui bénéficient de leur action. La collaboration des ONG entre elles à l'intérieur des pays d'un continent en développement est certainement un objectif
qu'il faut continuer d'appuyer. Comme le mentionne le document de référence, au paragraphe 4.26, le Gouvernement suisse apporte une contribution financière à l'ensemble du programme CMCF/AD en Amérique latine pour la période 1985-87.
Ms. K. KILLINGSWORTH (Secretaria de la Comisión II): Esta tarde, por primera vez, inmediatamente después de esta sesión de la Comisión, se reunirá el Comité de Redacción bajo la presidencia del señor Hartfort T. Jennings. Los miembros del Comité son: Argelia, Australia, Bangladesh, Brasil, Canadá, Francia, República Islámica de Irán, Kenya, Líbano, México, Países Bajos, Filipinas y Estados Unidos de América.
EL PRESIDENTE: En nombre de la Comisión deseo suerte y doy nuestro agradecimiento anticipado a nuestro colega y amigo el señor Jennings, de los Estados Unidos, Presidente del Comité de Redacción, así como a los miembros de esa importante Comisión.
The meeting rose at 18.15 hours.
La séance est levée à 18 h 15.
Se levanta la sesión a las 18.15 horas
