Jean-Claude PIOT (Suisse): Monsieur le Président, Monsieur le Directeur général, Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs, c'est avec plaisir que je m'adresse, sous votre distinguée présidence, aux honorables délégués de plus de 150 pays composant notre Organisation, la FAO, afin de nous mettre d'accord sur les sujets importants pour l'avenir de notre Organisation et de donner les directives en conséquence au Directeur général.
La réalisation des objectifs qui figurent dans l'Acte constitutif de notre Organisation, et plus précisément dans son préambule, à savoir l'élimination de la faim, de la malnutrition et de la pauvreté dans le monde, reste aujourd'hui, malheureusement, tout aussi éloignée pour bon nombre de pays membres et pour une part importante de leurs populations qu'il y a 45 ans, lors de la formulation de ces objectifs par les fondateurs de la FAO.
Derrière la lenteur des progrès en la matière, on peut cependant distinguer des développements différents. Certains pays ont sensiblement progressé par rapport à ces objectifs, les raisons de leur réussite nous intéressent tous. D'autres ont mené des politiques se soldant par de graves échecs. Il s'agit là aussi d'en tirer les leçons. Quelle a été la contribution de la FAO au succès des uns et quels ont été ses efforts pour prévenir les échecs des autres? Ce sont les questions que nous devons nous poser.
Vu les objectifs que nous nous sommes donnés dans l'Acte constitutif de notre Organisation, il est non seulement légitime, mais absolument nécessaire de nous poser des questions critiques à ce sujet. Il s'agit de s'assurer que la FAO puisse contribuer de la façon la plus efficace possible aux efforts de tous les pays pour éliminer la faim, la malnutrition et la pauvreté. C'est pour aborder cette question de manière constructive avec tous les pays membres que mon pays s'est prononcé, il y a deux ans, en faveur d'un examen en profondeur de l'activité de notre Organisation. Je tiens à répéter ce que j'ai souligné alors: mon pays ne cherche pas à avoir une FAO qui coûte moins cher, mais une FAO qui donne de meilleurs résultats pour les populations nécessiteuses du monde. C'est pour lui donner un nouvel élan dans cette direction que nous devons nous mettre d'accord, au cours de cette Conférence, sur les réformes à y apporter.
Monsieur le Président, l'examen de la FAO est sans doute le plus important point de l'ordre du jour de notre Conférence. Les réformes s'inscrivent dans une évolution encourageante que nous pouvons observer un peu partout dans le monde, en particulier dans les pays de l'Est de l'Europe, mais aussi dans de nombreux pays en développement, et que j'aimerais qualifier d'époque d'un "réalisme nouveau".
Nous remercions les Comités du programme et des finances, ainsi que les experts et les consultants, de leur précieuse collaboration dans l'examen de la FAO. Nous aimerions toutefois que la Conférence, dans les décisions qu'elle doit prendre, aille au-delà des recommandations proposées, qui nous paraissent un peu trop timides.
Monsieur le Président, dans ce monde en changement, la FAO doit mieux définir les activités qu'elle peut offrir et les insérer dans des stratégies claires, afin qu'elle puisse proposer des solutions aux problèmes de sa sphère de compétence. N'oublions pas que, dans cette action, la FAO n'est pas seule et qu'elle ne saurait faire tout elle-même; son rôle doit être avant tout celui d'un catalyseur. Nous ne la renforcerons pas si nous lui donnons de nouvelles tâches sans en éliminer simultanément ou conjointement d'autres.
Nous pensons qu'aujourd'hui les champs d'activités de la FAO sont trop vastes et que son programme de travail est trop diversifié. Le résultat est que, dans de nombreuses activités, on n'atteint pas la "masse critique". Elaguons donc avec courage certaines activités parce que notre Organisation, dans ses tentatives de vouloir tout faire à la fois, ne peut pas mener à chef ce qu'elle devrait faire en priorité.
Si nous analysons les causes des succès et des échecs en matière d'agriculture et d'alimentation, il apparaît bientôt que les politiques agricoles, économiques, sociales et les politiques démographiques y jouent un rôle plus important que les facteurs techniques. C'est la raison qui nous pousse à plaider en faveur d'un renforcement massif des activités de la FAO dans le domaine de l'analyse et des conseils en matière de politique agricole, car nous sommes d'avis que beaucoup d'activités techniques peuvent être confiées à d'autres institutions qui ont déjà des liens, qui collaborent avec la FAO. Si les paysans n'arrivent pas à produire suffisamment, c'est le plus souvent moins à cause de leur ignorance des techniques agricoles que par la présence d'un cadre économique et politique peu favorable. Beaucoup de pays ne connaissent pas suffisamment la notion des rapports coûts/bénéfices de leurs politiques. C'est le rôle de la FAO de les aider à faire ces calculs, dans le cadre d'une approche globale des problèmes.
Par de telles études dans son domaine de compétences, la FAO doit apporter une contribution très précieuse aux décideurs politiques. Du reste, l'Acte constitutif engage précisément notre Organisation à jouer un rôle actif dans ce domaine, rôle que nous voulons jouer en recherchant une étroite coopération avec le PNUD et la Banque mondiale.
Les réformes doivent également porter sur les activités de terrain. Il s'agit d'abord de soumettre ces activités à une orientation plus marquée de la part des pays membres. Il s'agit également de les rationaliser en les concentrant sur des programmes sous-sectoriels, par pays, planifiés sur 5 à 10 ans selon le modèle du Plan d'action forestier tropical qui est un excellent exemple. Cette solution serait préférable à l'émiettement actuel des activités de terrain en 2 500 projets (j'ai bien dit 2 500 projets) de faible dimension pour la plupart. De plus, le Programme de terrain de notre Organisation devrait être guidé par les mêmes priorités que son Programme ordinaire.
Par ailleurs, il y aura lieu d'établir des liens plus directs entre la FAO et le monde agricole et ses organisations. Les propositions que la Suisse a faites à cet égard à plusieurs reprises devraient être examinées dans le cadre de l'évaluation projetée des résultats de la stratégie de la Conférence mondiale sur la réforme agraire et le développement rural.
Dans ce contexte, nous sommes très préoccupés par les délibérations qui ont lieu dans le cadre de l'Uruguay Round au GATT. Selon la formule qui sera finalement retenue, la tâche de la FAO en sera soit facilitée, soit compliquée.
Vous savez que la Suisse, avec de nombreux autres pays membres, ne pense pas que le libre-échange pur et dur pour les produits de l'agriculture apporte la bonne solution aux problèmes posés. Par contre, mon pays est ouvert aux besoins d'exportations agricoles des pays en développement. Nous défendons le principe que tous les pays ont droit à une agriculture, ne serait-ce que pour leur permettre d'atteindre les objectifs non commerciaux de leur politique agricole nationale, qui sont parfaitement dans la ligne tracée par la FAO: sécurité alimentaire, protection de l'environnement et des sites cultivés, maintien d'un habitat décentralisé pour assurer la viabilité des zones rurales.
Une telle agriculture se rencontre dans une grande majorité des pays du monde, et a besoin de protection. Je précise que cette protection sous-entend efforts d'adaptation, dynamisme, initiative et sens des responsabilités de la part des bénéficiaires.
Au sujet du Programme de travail et budget proposé pour les deux années à venir, un premier constat s'impose: la structuration et la présentation du Programme de travail et budget ne laissent pas ressortir clairement les priorités du programme car le nombre d'activités proposées sous forme d'éléments de programme, au nombre de 310 dans le seul chapitre 2, ne cesse d'augmenter. Cet éparpillement des ressources n'est-il pas le témoignage d'un certain désarroi face à l'immensité et à la complexité du problème? Je pose la question.
Mon pays demande une concentration des activités et ressources sur des programmes établis selon une stratégie précise et transparente. Nous proposons que notre Conférence décide de réduire le nombre des activités dans l'élaboration du Programme de travail 1992-1993 déjà, et de concentrer les activités retenues dans un nombre limité de programmes d'action spéciaux prioritaires sur la base de propositions à faire par le Comité du programme.
Le budget proposé pour le prochain biennium nous paraît trop élevé, et les demandes d'augmentation des coûts ne sont pas suffisamment justifiées. Le budget nous paraît trop élevé pour deux raisons. D'abord, il ne tient pas compte du fait qu'un plafond est atteint pour beaucoup de pays quant à leurs contributions obligatoires au système multilatéral. De nombreux pays n'ont pas encore payé leurs cotisations. D'autre part, il propose de réorienter l'Organisation en additionnant de nouvelles activités, au lieu de restreindre les programmes non prioritaires hérités du passé et que d'autres institutions peuvent mieux assumer que la nôtre.
Quant à la situation financière difficile de notre Organisation, notre position reste inchangée: les pays membres, quels qu'ils soient, se doivent de régler leurs contributions dans les délais normaux.
Monsieur le Président, je n'aimerais pas conclure mon intervention en vous laissant l'impression que je viens de présenter un réquisitoire au sujet de l'activité de notre Organisation. Je répète que nous ne voulons pas aider moins, mais aider mieux. J'ai désiré apporter dans le débat une critique constructive et je vous prie de bien vouloir la considérer comme telle.
Je m'en voudrais - je le dois à l'équité - de ne pas relever aussi les succès à mettre au crédit de notre Organisation, car il y en a. Ils sont dus à l'engagement, au dévouement, au travail de toute l'équipe de la FAO, à Rome et ailleurs dans le monde.
Un soir de la semaine dernière, en regardant à la télévision les images poignantes des événements qui viennent de se produire à Berlin plus spécialement, mais en Europe orientale aussi, j'ai appris que le vent soufflant de Moscou, et appelé "Perestroïka", ne signifiait pas seulement restructuration, mais aussi réformes. Je souhaite qu'un même vent souffle aussi sur Rome, pour le plus grand bien et la plus grande efficacité de notre Organisation.
Applause
Applaudissements
Aplausos
Adoption of the Second Report of the General Committee
Adoption du deuxième rapport du Bureau
Aprobación del Segundo Informe del Comité General
CHAIRMAN: Before we move to the next speaker, I shall ask the Secretary-General to make two announcements. The first refers to recommendations from the General Committee, and the second to the visit by the Conference to His Holiness, Pope John Paul II.
LE SECRETAIRE GENERAL: Le Bureau s'est réuni ce matin. Il a décidé desoumettre à la Conférence les recommandations suivantes: la première recommandation concerne la nomination des Vice-Présidents, en application de l'Article X, point 2c, du Règlement général de l'Organisation. Le Bureau recommande à la Conférence de répartir comme suit les vice-présidences destrois commissions:
Commission I: Monsieur E. DETRAUX (Belgique), Monsieur Amir SOULEIMAN (Iraq);
Commission II: Monsieur THOMSEN (Danemark), Monsieur A.K.M. Fazley RABBI (Bangladesh);
Commission III: Monsieur LAMPTEY (Ghana), Monsieur G. AHMED (Soudan).
CHAIRMAN: Are there any comments on that recommendation? No, there are no comments. It is adopted.
LE SECRETAIRE GENERAL: La deuxième recommandation porte sur le programme de la séance plénière du mardi 14 novembre 1989: le Bureau a été informé que Son Excellence Monsieur Hissène HABRE, Président de la République du Tchad, prendrait la parole devant la Conférence cet après-midi en qualité de Président en exercice du CILSS.
Pour permettre aux délégations qui le souhaitent de participer au débat général à cette séance, le Bureau recommande que celle-ci soit prolongée jusqu'à ce que tous les orateurs inscrits sur la liste aient pu prendre la parole.
Le Bureau recommande également qu'il soit permis à la Commission I et à la Commission II de suspendre leurs travaux afin que les délégations puissent se rendre en plénière et entendre le discours susmentionné.
CHAIRMAN: I will draw the attention of Delegates to the recommendation that we extend the Plenary Session, so that all speakers have an opportunity to address the Conference. As there are no comments, this is adopted.
LE SECRETAIRE GENERAL: Je voudrais faire une annonce concernant l'audience pontificale prévue pour le 16 novembre 1989, à 12 heures. Sa Sainteté le Pape Jean-Paul II accordera une audience au Palazzo Apostolico, Vatican, aux Délégués Observateurs, assistant à la 25ème session de la Conférence de la FAO.
Vous êtes priés de bien vouloir confirmer votre participation à cette audience en remplissant l'un des formulaires spéciaux qui ont été distribués à chaque Délégation, au Bureau des Documents. Ces formulaires doivent être remis au Bureau des Documents le mardi 14 novembre, au plus tard, c'est-à-dire aujourd'hui même, afin que les cartons d'invitation puissent être préparés pour les Ministres, Chefs et Membres des délégations.
Les Etats Membres sont par ailleurs priés de bien vouloir indiquer sur le formulaire le nom du Délégué qui représentera le pays à l'audience pontificale. Les cartons d'invitation seront strictement personnels.
Des invitations peuvent être remises aux épouses des Délégués sur demande. Les Délégués sont priés de bien vouloir retirer les invitations au Bureau A-132 le mercredi 15 novembre.
Des renseignements complémentaires concernant le transport et l'interruption de séance de la Conférence seront communiqués en temps utile.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you, Mr Secretary-General. We now return to the Speakers' List, and I call to the floor the Honourable Charles A. Maynard, representing Dominica.
Charles A. MAYNARD (Dominica): It is once again my great pleasure to address this august gathering of the Twenty-fifth Session of the FAO Conference, and to bring greetings from my Government and the people of the Commonwealth of Dominica to you, Mr Chairman, the distinguished Director-General, and the staff of FAO. As we meet here, I recall with sadness the passing away on Sunday, 22 October of Dominica's Ambassador to FAO, Dr McDonald Benjamin.
Dr Benjamin was a great public servant, and he contributed greatly to the work of FAO and IFAD. I say with no fear of contradiction that both FAO and IFAD were able to service very much more effectively because of his devotion and dedication. I take this opportunity to publicly thank FAO for the many courtesies extended to us at the Memorial Service held in Rome in his honour on 25 October. Our Government greatly appreciated this fine gesture.
At our last Session, much of our energies were taken up by the matter of the election of the Director-General. I consider that this Session will be able to spend some time on the business of FAO, its operations and plans for its future actions as we enter the 1990s.
I would be grateful for your permission, Mr Chairman, to bring to your attention some of the domestic crises which have faced some of the member countries of the Caribbean as a result of the passage of Hurricane Hugo between 16 and 17 September, 1989. Both as my country was itself one of those directly affected, and also in my position as the current Chairman of the Standing Committee of Ministers of Agriculture in the Caribbean community, we would seek through you, Mr Chairman, this opportunity to inform member countries of the situation and the need to effect emergency reconstruction of the agricultural sector devastated by the storm, and solicit your support for the programme of action to be undertaken.
The event I have just referred to may be a direct consequence of the wider concerns now being so strongly expressed on changes in global environment and the so-called "greenhouse effect". We have been warned that the consequences of this may be increased occurrences of tropical disturbances and climate variations, in both temperature and rainfall, worldwide. We have been informed also that the cause of much of this change in the world environment has been largely because of the accelerated exploitation of some of the Earth's natural resources, primarily its forested areas, now principally located in the more underdeveloped Third World. The effect has also been associated with increased industrialization in developed countries.
However, the solution to these problems appears to be balanced against our efforts in developing our own economies, which must involve the exploitation of our natural resources. It must be made clear that it is imperative that we all understand that unless substantial assistance, both financial and technical, is channelled to underdeveloped countries, the planned exploitation of these resources is unlikely to take place, and may well affect the very survival of our people in the region.
The issues are not restricted to technical support which we may be inclined to give the priority to in this particular forum. There is clearly a case for more substantial financial assistance for programmes in the field that will have a direct impact on our producers. The FAO clearly has a role to play, and in fact, has been instrumental in achieving some of the desired results. However, for FAO to be fully functional and effective in this particular context it is encumbent on us to ensure that the Organization receives the necessary financial support it deserves. I have included this aspect of support because some of us remember the uncertainties in the business of FAO that were raised at the last session of Conference.
I am particularly pleased that the Review of FAO Operations has taken place, and that the findings are most favourable in respect of the Organization's modus operandi. I trust that this will again engender the trust in the Organization that is required from all, and that there will be a stronger
commitment to support its various programmes. This programme support is particularly critical if we agree that the issues of the world environment are to be fought on the lines of our Third World countries, namely countries primarily in the tropical belt and where development actions will undoubtedly affect global environment. Also, countries that face staggering problems of rising populations, insecure food production and security, dependency on foreign assistance and resulting rising debt burdens.
In the context of the new burdens that we have to shoulder because of environmental considerations and our vulnerability to disasters, it is fitting that we should make an extra call on the international community to come to our assistance at this particular time. The utilization and exploitation of resources must generate a sustainable production that will address the issues of poverty and dependency that have plagued our countries.
We know it is not by accident that our countries have been extensively exploited, but primarily because of lack of understanding of our environments and the introduction of technologies and equipment that we were told was all part of the process of the modernization of our agriculture. It is clear that in all cases this modernization has not yielded the desired results. Where then are the opportunities? I believe that there are a number of positive actions that we can take. Firstly, the role of FAO in developing countries will need to be further strengthened. Assistance must not only be considered in the advancement of technology and research, but must be complemented with extensive financial support in the actual transfer of technology generated at the farm level. It is here that I wish our members to take particular note, especially those better placed financially to provide this emergency support.
In the Programme of Work and Budget for the 1990-91 biennium we know that there is only a marginal real increase in resources of 0.45 percent. On the other hand, the demands placed on the FAO can keep going in line with population increases, environmmental threats, and persistent malnutrition and poverty in rural areas. These demands, when viewed in the context of staff reductions, the work of FAO, and in particular its impact on the welfare of those in greatest need can be severely reduced. Therefore, the technology that is generated must be appropriate to all situations. Again the question of sustainable research capabilities in our tropical environment needs to be addressed. I stress "sustainable" because we in the Commonwealth, in the area of Dominica and the Caribbean, can no longer remain the training ground for foreign scientists but must train our own. There is a role in this emergency situation for both foreign and local specialists, but in the longer term in the matter of sustainability and capacity to deal with changing situations, we must support the indigenous research institutions and centres of learning that are developing in our tropical and underdeveloped environments. The FAO can provide technical leadership, harness and steer the foreign expertise through its existing programmes, such as the Technical Cooperation Programme and others. However, the survival of our indigenous institutions also requires financial support. There may be various mechanisms we may wish to explore in this process, such as twinning institutions, student exchanges, farmer exchanges and the use of indigenous centres of excellence such as the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute, and the University of the West Indies.
I would not wish you to get the impression that we are without our own capacity or capabilities to undertake this task. I believe that within the last couple of decades, our countries have been able, with the assistance of many of the developing countries, to build institutions for training and research that deserve the highest commendation and respect. However, while the flow of cooperation between institutions in some instances has been stronger between north and south as it were, the relationship between our own, within our various tropical regions, have been weaker. There is a wealth of expertise available within our own boundaries that has remained untapped. I emphasize that this expertise is not only that which is often locked up in institutions and various libraries or in the minds of technicians or professionals, but also a real expertise in our farmers themselves, in the experiences and knowledge that we still fail to utilize effectively.
FAO has an effective mechanism for facilitating this exchange, especially in our countries, through its TCDC programme - the programme for Technical Cooperation between Developing Countries. This programme needs to be expanded both in scope and definition if it is to fully harness the expertise I have referred to. Therefore, I make the plea that FAO in its coming Programme of Work and Budget gives this particular programme the regard it deserves and that the essential financial support it requires will be provided. FAO will also need to understand definitions are not to be set in concrete and interpreted as such in the corridors of the headquarters here in Rome.
The Caribbean region, although composed of a number of small sovereign states, is united by a history, culture, and ethnic origin. We are closely bound together in regional institutions and various cooperative programmes that facilitate to an even greater extent the TCDC approach in our context. It would seem, therefore, that the definition of international movement should not be so rigidly applied and enforced in the specific situation of the Caribbean region.
I also make a plea for stronger emphasis on the networks that can promote the utilization of this indigenous expertise. In this battle of survival for our part, and in the wider global context of developing and underdeveloped countries, we are particularly vulnerable to changes in the environment. Our survival depends in a sense on our ability to generate foreign exchange and to develop the technologies now associated with modernization. We cannot consider questions of our own food security without considering the issues of global food security.
I wish to make a plea for assistance to the Caribbean. Their agriculture was devastated by Hurricane Hugo in September this year. In a small island economy such as Dominica, where fishing and agriculture are major occupations for our people, any damage sustained in those areas has serious repercussions. The need for immediate assistance and recovery of this area and the rapid reforestation of our forestry areas is critical. In such circumstances assistance usually flows quickly into the areas of the re-establishment of public utilities, infrastructure, and housing. These are essential and most necessary. But we cannot afford to allow our producers to lose faith and to lose the grip on the advance that they have been making in developing the agricultural sectors of this country. It is for this reason that I find this Conference an appropriate forum to make such a plea for assistance in the agricultural sectors of those countries concerned. Of an estimated US$40 million direct damages sustained it has been proposed that an emergency assistance programme of US$20 million will be needed to provide
the relief required. Having said this I am well placed in making these remarks to this distinguished gathering since my country, Dominica, has in the last decade experienced three severe hurricanes, the last of which was in September of this year. Therefore, I am confident if timely technical and financial assistance is provided it is possible to restore the agricultural sectors of our countries, after these events.
As Chairman of the Standing Committee of Ministers of Agriculture of CARICOM I have asked the Director-General to assess the damage done to agricultural economies and to advise on the assistance required. I am happy to say FAO has acted very expeditiously and a mission visited our countries last month and has already produced a report. On the basis of the findings of this commission I am informed that the Director-General will be supporting the appeal that I now make to you all.
Perhaps it is fitting before I conclude that I should seek your permission to recognize the firm support we have received from FAO, the United States Agency for International Development, Britain's ODA through its Caribbean office, CIDA and the Republic of China and Taiwan following the hurricane.
HE KANG (China) (original language Chinese): First of all, on behalf of the Chinese delegation, I would like to extend my warm congratulations to you on your election as Chairman of this august conference. I sincerely wish this session of the Conference a successful conclusion under your able guidance.
Since the last session of the Conference, the international political situation has taken up a trend for detente; the international trade of agricultural commodities has gone through an ebb and is heading for new progress: A number of countries are now on their way to agricultural reform and continue their efforts to modernize their agriculture. All these are positive, favourable factors for future agricultural development. However, we have noted with great concern that world food security is once again faced with a serious threat posed by a reduction of global food production for two consecutive years and a sharp decline of worldwide cereal stocks. The international negotiations aimed at improving trade of agricultural commodities have not achieved envisaged results. Developing countries are faced with serious economic difficulties and many of them have encountered constraints in developing their food production due to a heavy debt burden and lack of necessary technology. The worldwide agro-ecological environment has been deteriorating. These negative factors are also likely to hinder agricultural development in the future. Therefore, we must have a clear cognizance of the stark reality facing us. We must, proceeding from the actual circumstances and facing the challenge of the current agricultural situation, do a good job in the following areas in a bid to achieve further agricultural development in the nineties. Firstly, to ensure world food security by promoting food production, especially by helping developing countries to increase food production. We hope that those developed countries with relatively rich agricultural resources will, bearing in mind the overall interests of obtaining world food security, fully utilize their resources and produce more food to keep the international market supplied. We also hope that all countries in a position to do so will provide practical support and assistance to developing countries with their resources and technology. The developing countries for their part should try their best to increase their food production. All in all, we believe that
all countries need to strengthen their political will in solving world food problems and to honour the agreement reached by relevant international organizations to ensure world food security and the eradication of hunger and malnutrition.
Secondly, to strive for an early successful conclusion of the international negotiations on agricultural trade. Over a dozen negotiations have been concluded since the Uruguay Round of GATT reached agreement in principle on "liberalization of agricultural trade", but so far no remarkable progress has been made on substantive issues. We believe that the development of agricultural trade and of the entire rural economy are supplementary and promoting to each other. Once a sound environment is established for developing countries, they can create much more foreign earnings than official development assistance can provide. For this reason, the principle of "differential treatment" should be earnestly followed in the course of improving the terms of agricultural trade, and first and foremost, the trade barriers should be lifted to open the market for agricultural commodities from developing countries. We agree with the opinions of some countries that in liberalizing trade, consideration of world food security should not be neglected.
Thirdly, to transform the advocation of "protecting and renewing agricultural resources" into action for developing agriculture. It is of great significance that FAO set out "Food and Environment" as the theme of this year's World Food Day. Sustained agricultural development and environmental protection are closely interactive. In this connection, we should sum up experiences and learn lessons so as to identify and implement a complete set of practical and economical measures for integrated control and management.
The Food and Agriculture Organization is a leading specialized agency for agriculture within the UN system. Over the past 40-odd years, this Organization has made important contributions to worldwide food and agricultural development. We are pleased to note that, after two years' review, the Programme and Finance Committees as well as the expert groups which assisted them in the review unanimously came to the conclusion that "FAO is still a solid and dynamic institution". Following the global agricultural development during the post-war years, an international agricultural community consisting of FAO, WFP, IFAD and WFC has gradually formed in the city of Rome with world-renowned fame. These organizations have, in different ways, provided valuable assistance for developing countries. It is our hope that the relevant international agencies will further coordinate their efforts so as to make new contributions in promoting world agricultural development and in fulfilling the noble task of eradicating hunger and malnutrition.
In 1979, I led the Chinese delegation to WCARRD. At this same podium where I am standing today, for the first time I briefed fellow delegates on how China had initiated reform in the rural areas. Now 10 years have passed and China's reform in the rural economic structure has achieved remarkable success. The introduction and improvement of the multiformed responsibility system characterized by household farming operations with income linked to output not only have greatly mobilized the farmers' enthusiasm for production but also has further brought the advantages of the collective economy into full play. In 1988, the country's gross agricultural output value went up by 82.6% against 1978, registering an average annual growth rate of 6.2%. The year's cereal production increased from 300 million tons to 400 million tons. Efforts are being made to rationalize the rural
economic structure so that agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, fishery and sideline occupations are developing in an all-round way. The gross output value of township enterprises has surpassed that of agriculture, becoming a main pillar of the rural economy. The farmers' per capita income rose by 1.6 times over 1978, irrespective of rising prices. Thanks to hard work and the policy of reform and opening to the outside world, we have succeeded in feeding 22% of the world's population with 7% of the world's arable land. Thus we have basically solved the problem of feeding and clothing our people. This year's summer cereal production reached 93 million tons, setting a historical record. In addition, though natural calamities caused damage in some places, the total food production is still expected to reach a higher level than last year.
In China, agriculture is the foundation but also a weak link in the national economy. The communiqué of the recently concluded 5th Plenary Session of the 13th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party reiterated that our government would follow the principle of continuously developing the economy in a sustained and balanced manner and at the same time steadfastly adhere to the policy of reform and opening to the outside world. At present, in our endeavour to "improve the economic environment and rectify the economic order", we shall accord the highest priority to agriculture so that we continue to adjust the economic structure. Meanwhile, we shall stabilize various rural policies, raise the purchasing prices of farm products, increase agricultural input, mobilize all other sectors to support agriculture, further strengthen the agro-technical extension and service network and pay more attention to the exploration of agricultural resources and environment conservation improvement. Efforts will also be devoted to building up agro-industries, all in a bid to achieve steady and sustained development of food and agricultural production. In international agricultural exchange, we shall, as always, stick to the principle of equality, mutual benefit, independence and self-determination. We shall enhance economic and technical cooperation in the field of agriculture with other countries in the world, and South-South cooperation in particular, with a view to assisting each other for common progress.
CHAIRMAN: Before calling Mr Braks, the Minister of Agriculture for the Netherlands, I wish to point out that last week he was appointed Minister of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries for the fourth time.
G.J.M. BRAKS (Netherlands): I am delighted to be here once again and to have the opportunity of speaking at this Conference. The Conference is being held for the Twenty-fifth time and is therefore a Silver Jubilee. Such a Silver Jubilee should be celebrated, or should it? The world food situation is not splendid. After a number of lean production years, world food stocks have decreased.
The present reserve is only 16% of consumption, which, according to FAO, is too low. Therefore, our Jubilee Celebration seems somewhat clouded by concern about the world food situation. Even so, there is less cause for concern than one would think at first sight.
The existing food situation can be attributed in large part to a conscious restriction of production. A large number of important industrialized countries are compelled by a lack of market outlets to restrict their production. The decline in production is also a result of exceptional weather conditions in western areas.
I am thus of the opinion that the seemingly unfavourable situation of the present will prove to be temporary. Technically speaking, it is certainly possible to achieve the desired reserve level. However, one of the causes of production restriction is serious, namely, the lack of demand resulting from insufficient purchasing power in some parts of the world. This forms a fundamental threat to global food security. The distribution of production in the world (and more and more the way in which production takes place) is also fraught with problems. Some of these points merit attention, so I would like to dwell on them a little longer.
First of all, the market situation. Unfortunately, we know the problems only too well. A heavy burden of debt, an unfavourable balance of payments and currency problems cause a lack of buying power - and not only at macro-level. In countries with problems in this area the individual consumer is also faced with a lack of purchasing power. FAO is right in placing more and more emphasis on access to food. Higher production or import into these areas does not in itself solve the problem of food security. The necessary buying power can be generated by economic developments.
Agriculture is of enormous importance especially to the development of economically weak countries. GATT, too, is aware of this. A lot of attention is fortunately devoted in its negotiations to the special problems of developing countries. This gives them a better chance to develop agriculture in a more balanced way, and to acquire a more favourable competitive position.
Some remarks, now, on production methods. The realization is growing that agriculture should above all be sustainable. It is gratifying to know that FAO, too, is aware of this. This is clearly visible in the present work programme and that for the coming biennium, as well as in the attention given to it in the Review. In my view, it will have to receive even more emphasis. How can we achieve a sustainable agriculture? There can be no agriculture without genetic material, and that genetic material must be conserved. Furthermore, subjects such as integrated crop protection and a safer trade in chemical pesticides are essential conditions for a sustainable agriculture.
The forestry sector is also a focus of attention, both as regards sustainability and in relation to the economics and the environment. In this respect I consider the Tropical Forestry Action Plan highly important. We must also realize that forestry and agriculture cannot be viewed in isolation when it comes to land use. There is, accordingly, a close relation between agriculture and the environment.
Food and the environment was the main theme of the key address by our Prime Minister on World Food Day in this hall last month. I recall his statement that the ultimate goal is the creation of sustainable farm systems which are economically sound and which at the same time produce without affecting the environment.
I would like to add the following to his words. The interaction between agriculture and the environment is highly topical in our small, densely populated, economically highly-developed country. On the one hand, our very intensive agriculture is the cause of environmental problems. We know it. On
the other hand, it is a victim of threats to water, air and soil fertility from industry, traffic and other activities. Government and the private sector together are working on measures to reduce the adverse impact on the environment and their activities.
We have several years of experience now, experience which may also be relevant to countries which have or expect similar problems and which have not yet developed a detailed strategy. Of course, there is also a number of countries with their own specific problems and experiences, such as those connected with the threats to the tropical rain forest.
In any case, exchange of information seems like a good thing to me. I have a proposal for this.
In my opinion the time has come for a conference on this subject, a conference with the theme of "Agriculture and the Environment"; a conference which should be a platform for experts from developed and developing countries; a conference which should result in a report with recommendations for the next FAO Conference. It could also provide inputs to the World Conference on Environment and Development in 1992. The Netherlands is quite willing to organize such a conference in 1991, to host it and to bear the cost of it, of course. Possibly, a more modest meeting to prepare such a conference would be necessary in 1990 to precede the session in 1991. I propose to discuss this with the Director-General, and I hope this Dutch initiative can be elaborated within the framework of FAO and in collaboration with other relevant UN organizations.
I would further like to make the following remarks on sustainable agriculture. It is of essential importance that the technical and socio-economic conditions are created to make it possible. Information, education and training all have an important part to play in this respect, as well as in effecting a change in mentality, a change in approach. For example, the division of roles between men and women and its consequences for rural development requires attention.
The Netherlands attaches great value to these matters. This is apparent, for instance, from the so-called multi-bicooperation with FAO, in which we elaborate these and other priority activities in so-called programme areas. I would like to pursue this point but lack of time compels me to restrict myself. All these issues will, of course, be raised extensively by the Dutch delegation during the Conference.
Today I already point to the role that farmers' organizations and cooperatives can play in agricultural development. Besides, they form an important channel for the transmission of signals from the field to the policy-makers. I base this on the experience gained in my own country. Without farmers' organizations and the whole farm infrastructure, Dutch agriculture would never have reached its present level.
FAO has played and still plays a crucial global role in all aspects of agricultural and forestry developments. This is the FAO's mandate, sometimes together with other UN organizations, of course.
At the moment FAO is at a crossroads, and will have to choose which road to take. The review exercise has ultimately resulted in a large number of recommendations in numerous areas. We agree with many of these recommendations. A major part of them can be implemented by reshuffling tasks and priorities without allocating extra financial resources.
We are prepared to consult intensively with the other Member States about these matters. We do hope that this Conference will be able to take a series of clear decisions that can form the starting point for implementation.
Finally, permit me to devote a few words to the Proposed Programme of Work and Budget. As is well known, the Netherlands adheres to the principle of zero real growth for all UN organizations financed through assessed contributions. Only in exceptional circumstances are we prepared to deviate from that principle. It is possible that some of the decisions to be taken with regard to the review will result in costs that cannot be absorbed in the proposed budget through rearrangement of priorities. We would, therefore, need to see the whole package in order to be able to make a considered judgement on both the budget and the review costing. I will leave it at this for today.
I hope I have succeeded in outlining the challenge confronting FAO, and thus all of us. I sincerely hope that together we will accept that challenge, and that it will be reflected in our decisions to be taken during this Conference.
Franz FISCHLER (Austria) (original language German): Mr Chairman, I should like to congratulate you on your election to this very responsible position at this Conference. At the same time I should like to express the hope and wish that success will crown our efforts at this session of the Conference.
Agriculture and forestry have to develop a new thrust on the threshold of the 21st century in order to deal with a great variety of problems and issues before us. We are still facing the fact that 600 million people are going hungry in the world, and this is in spite of the fact that there is enough food in the world to feed everyone if it was properly used and distributed. On the other hand, industrialized countries have problems in finding markets for their crops and in keeping the income of their farmers at levels comparable to those of the remainder of the population.
In addition, we have to face another fact, namely, scientific development, genetic techniques and bio-technology. All of these things are opening up undreamed of opportunities for the future, but also entail risks which are very difficult to assess. Nevertheless, they will bring about another thrust, another further development in productivity, and it is up to us as to whether this progress in production will increase inequality in the world or will ensure a greater balance in the future. In any event, these new possibilities must not result in developing countries being subjected to new constraints or new dependencies.
In recent days and weeks we have seen pictures on our television screens and in the headlines of the newspapers that tell us of events that no one would have dreamed until very recently could happen so quickly, so suddenly. We might say that the path of freedom is opening up at present, but this has implications for the economies, for economic aspects. We find that there, too, concepts of marketing economies seem to be superior, more effective than any others. We must make sure that this freedom and the economic possibilities it opens up are developed in such a way that they work within the framework of conditions that ensure that national and international
solidarity prevails in dealing with all members of society, and also the greatest challenge for the future, in our dealings with nature and our vital resources. Only thus can we progress. Freedom, therefore, must be earned every day; it is not going to fall into our laps.
Agricultural policies have a key role to play on a global scale in order to ensure a new social and economic order, a key role on the way to the next millennium, and this poses an essential requirement. The requirements of economics and of ecology must be reconciled, natural resources must be preserved, which are our force of life, non-renewable raw materials must be used sparingly, and currently open-ended cycles, such as the carbon and nitrogen cycles, must be closed as far as possible. Our policies must sound a harmonious triad of ethics, management and technology so as to develop a style of civilization, which will preserve our sources of life as well as our rights and freedoms. This has been stressed by the seven heads of states and governments of the main industrialized countries at their recent economic summit in Paris, as you will recall.
We must also look to the GATT negotiations in Geneva. There is the matter not only of using new knowledge in the most meaningful way and taking advantage of new political opportunities and commitments, but also we need to use these to solve the problems of agriculture and food all over the world, as well as to ensure access to markets and the eroding of barriers to agricultural trade. These issues have the greatest importance for the economies of developed and developing countries.
In the course of the Uruguay Round, which stands under the sign of further liberalization with national trade, we can say that we know that agriculture is the focal possibility and the essential aspect of these negotiations in the cutting back of national protectionist measures in agriculture.
I stress that Austria is in favour of doing away with protectionism, but our main consideration must be concern for everyone to take into account historical differences, differences in trade structures, measures already taken to stabilize markets in order to maintain environmental standards in production and, in particular, to take into account problems involved in generating agricultural products.
At the last meeting in Geneva, Austria put forward specific proposals in this connection to the effect that in particular direct payment unrelated to production, regional measures and measures to compensate for ecological activities should be excluded in the calculation of the overall support volume. In addition, Austria will continue to press in further negotiations that measures already taken to reduce quotas or similar measures should be taken into account.
I am convinced that farmers can only perform their functions in preserving nature, maintaining population densities in rural areas, and also performing their social and cultural functions, as well as environmental responsibilities, only altogether and in connection with production activities, not in isolation from them. These questions are of paramount importance for the world as a whole. Therefore, we must consider agriculture not just as a sort of industry that is looked at only from the point of view of cost-benefit ratios. It is more than that, much more than that.
Austria considers that the work of the FAO is of particular importance both at regional and world level. We have looked at the budget proposed by the Secretary-General for 1990-91, and we support it.
I would like to draw attention in particular to the significance of the issue of ongoing training in all areas of agriculture and forestry, the role of women in rural development and work in biotechnology and in connection with environmental protection. In particular, I would like to draw attention especially to the work of FAO in connection with the Tropical Forestry Action Plan. I also find of great significance and importance the many projects under the umbrella of TCP, and in particular the work being done there in developing countries.
The Federal Austrian Government has in the past, and will continue in the future to support the goals and targets of FAO and their implementation through carefully targeted activities in a constructive manner. We are glad to see activities such as the research network, work in the area of training in agriculture and forestry, work in connection with the role of women in rural families, in rural development, and last, but not least, the work of the European Forestry Commission. I am particularly glad to note that a greater stress is being placed in the Programme of Work and Budget for 1990-91 on the running of agriculture and forestry from an ecological point of view. We therefore support the Programme of Work and Budget proposed by the Director-General of FAO as specified in Conference document C 89/3 in detail. We support it. We issue an invitation to FAO to hold the next summer school for 1990 in our Federal Centre for Agricultural Training in Vienna. We also intend to carry on organizing seminars on forestry management. Finally, I would like to tell you that Austria will be assuming the responsibility for financing regional and national training programmes in seed production and use within the framework of FAO's worldwide campaign against hunger and malnutrition.
I am also glad to draw attention to the EEC invitation to a seminar on land use for non-food purposes to be held in Spring 1991. As regards the further work of the World Food Programme, I would like to state that my country will go on making a suitable contribution through the WFP, also as regards the IEFR, the International Emergency Food Reserve. As regards the Food Aid Convention, I can assure you that Austria will meet its commitments and that we are considering increasing our contributions to these activities. We have looked with particular interest and studied the documents on goals, roles, priorities and studies of the FAO as well as the study of field operations of FAO, including the management study that has been made available to us. We are sure that FAO will adapt to new conditions and whatever changes may be introduced, and we are glad to see that the Programme of Work and Budget and the budget proposes to carry out activities resulting from the definition of priority targets. The working out of strategies for the 1990s is something which is particularly urgent and deserves our full support. Let us all, therefore, roll up our sleeves and get down to work so that FAO as a whole in its future work, relying on the active support of its Member Nations, may provide a particularly valuable contribution to the well-being of all farmers and agricultural workers for the greater good, not only of rural areas, but of humankind altogether.
Brinsley SAMAROO (Trinidad and Tobago): I bring you greetings from the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago. I also wish to fully endorse the statement made by the Distinguished Minter from Dominica, Chairman of the Standing Committee of CARICOM Ministers of Agriculture.
As we enter the decade of the 1990s, it is to be noted that in spite of the overall indication of increased production of goods and services on the global basis, economic activity in some regions does not fit this general pattern of overall growth. This is definitely the case in the Latin America and Caribbean regions, which, of course, includes Trinidad and Tobago.
The debt trap which entangles the economies of developing countries as characterized by the,estimated record net outward transfer of US$43 billion for 1988 remains a major obstacle to future growth, development and stability. Ultimately, the debt-ridden economies will have to face the menu of options put forward largely on the initiatives of the surplus industrial countries of the North.
Over and above this, our delegations meet at a time when there are some disturbing projections with respect to the global agricultural situation. I shall make brief mention of the highlights of some such projections since it is necessary that they remain foremost in our consciousness as our respective delegations pursue the debates in the various Commissions and in the Plenary sessions over the next few days.
It is indicated, for example, that with respect to per capita food production, some 70 countries in 1989 are not likely to have their food production match their population expansion. There were 56 countries in 1988; there are now 70 in 1989.
In the context of food security, the present situation is one of declining carry-over cereal stocks; in 1989, projected stocks are virtually below the FAO estimated minimum level for safeguarding world food security, and with an indication of a worsening situation in 1990.
In this regard, we note that in the context of Food Aid, there are declining shipments on a global basis in 1989, falling well below the target set by the World Food Conference in 1974, barely the minimum commitment under the Food Aid Convention, and with projections again for a worsening situation in 1990.
Against this world food scenario, we can only hope that all delegations will see the necessity of ensuring that our Conference decisions increase the strength as well as the effectiveness in the years ahead.
The Director-General and the Secretariat must be complimented for their recent review of 10 years of implementation following the 1989 World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development.
It is a most timely publication, and it is important for us to remember that at that Conference some 145 Governments and Representatives of international agencies, organizations and research institutions adopted, in the interest of all mankind, what has been referred to as the "Peasants' Charter", the major concern being "poverty and hunger" on a global scale.
It must be of interest, therefore, for us to get an update on the lot of the peasants during that 10-year period up to 1989.
The report provides us comparative data for two periods: 1979-1981 and 1983-85. We are told, for example, that the early 1980s witnessed a reduction in the rate of growth in the availability of food supplies on a global basis. In more specific terms, one can see that somewhere between 14.6 and 21.5 percent of the population of developing countries were undernourished; as high percentages as 14.6 and 21.5 percent.
Also, while generally there has been a marginal reduction in the incidence of undernutrition in the early 1980s compared to the 1970s, the African continent witnessed a complete deterioration of the former prevailing situation, accounting for 86.5 percent of the estimated additionally undernourished people. It is also by no means encouraging to learn that the incidence of undernourishment increased perceptibly in countries with the largest proportion of their population (that is over 80 percent) in the rural sector. Declining per capita availability of food supplies is also recorded for 29 out of 40 African countries and 9 out of 23 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
On the basis of that report, can we, in the Conference, make decisions on the assumption that surplus food from any group of countries, be they in the North or South, developed or developing, flow readily toward the food-deficit countries in order to compensate for the national deficiencies? The answer is a very resounding "No". The WCARRD Report tells us that 20 out of 32 high poverty countries showed an increased reliance on imports in an effort to cope with feeding their people. Even so, within this group, very few were able, through imported food, to achieve a level of per capita availability of food as would compensate for diminishing internal production.
The Trinidad and Tobago Delegation agrees with your earlier statement that if the FAO did not exist, it would have been necessary to create a similar organization. But we are fortunate in that we already have an appropriate and time-tested institution.
This Conference has the responsibility of dealing with follow-up action from the Twenty-fourth Biennial Conference on the matter of the review of certain aspects of its Goals and Operations. The records will show that the final decision two years ago on this matter did not meet with the approval of all Member Nations. There was much contention.
Fortunately for us, that is all behind us. The experts have reported. The Programme and Finance Committees have jointly executed their responsibilities for the review. There is consensus that the Director-General and the Secretariat provided all the necessary assistance to the review process. In addition, through his own initiative and with the approval of the Committees, the Director-General provided for broadening the scope of the overall review.
Indeed, the Director-General, with his years of accumulated experience in working within and managing the FAO, has given freely his advice, including various alternatives on some matters, with respect to the process of implementation. The Delegation of Trinidad and Tobago is of the opinion that Member States and the Programme and Finance Committee have accepted the conclusions of the expert group on FAO's objectives, role, priorities and
strategies. We agree with the experts, that the Constitution of FAO, in their own words, "needs no changes of substance", that, in the words of the Review again, there is "no pressing need to change the terms of the mandate provided by the Constitution; also, that FAO is - and again I assume the words of the Review - a "solid and dynamic institution". In the circumstances, this Conference should already be well on the way to a very successful meeting.
At this crucial juncture in the life of the Organization, it is important that the big States listen to small States and viceversa; the strong, wealthy and powerful States must be prepared to listen to and negotiate in good faith with those which today are weak and deficient in financial and even technological resources. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and we are all part of that great global chain.
Global experiences are forcing us to take greater interest in environmental occurrences everywhere on this planet. For this and many other reasons, it is becoming increasingly clear that even though the work of FAO is focused on developing countries, considerable benefits are also derived by the developed countries, including those which have indicated a desire to shift their resources for international assistance from multilateral to bilateral arrangements. The Trinidad and Tobago Delegation, therefore, is firmly on the side of agreement and implementation on the major recommendations which have emerged from the Review. For this regard we urge full support for the budgetary proposals put forward by the Director-General to this Conference.
After forced Programme cuts in expenditure of $68M over three successive years and the freezing of over 200 staff positions over the past two years, we do feel that the Organization must not be denied the real 0.45 percent budgetary increase which has been proposed.
Our Delegation also feels very strongly that, whatever the other issues may be, all of which may not be resolved at this Conference, the budget deserves the approval of all Member Nations.
Accumulated experience with the dynamics of growth, development, underemployment, trade issues and other aspects of the overall thrust for national development have proven beyond doubt that sustained development for almost all Third World countries is an elusive goal unless accompanied by a development strategy which gives due priority to a strong agricultural base. In this regard, my delegation stands firmly behind the point of view expressed in the Review that agriculture will continue to present major difficulties for the international community in the years ahead and that there is nothing current in the global scenario of either politics or economies such as would suggest room for complacency on the world food problem.
There is no need for debate on this specific topic. Indeed, I wish to highlight a similar point of view set out in what is called "Plan LAC", Plan of Joint Action for Agricultural Reactivation in Latin America and the Caribbean, approved last month at the Fifth Regular Meeting of the Inter-American Board of Agriculture in Costa Rica. The Plan emphasizes hemispheric action of urgent nature in the reassessment of the role of agriculture in the overall model of an effective development strategy within the international as well as the regional context. I wish to commend that report to this Assembly.
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Unlike in the past decades, the consensus is that Agriculture must now take on a leading role, one now which is crucial in targeting the inevitable adjustment process with both growth and development.
Accumulated experience with Growth and Development strategies demands again that we design and implement new arrangements which do not emphasize the traditional dichotomy between growth on the one hand and economic development on the other, leading inevitably, as that always does, to a major imbalance in the distribution of the benefits of development. The rural poor must be involved in technological changes of the Nineties and they must experience positive, social and economic change in tune with the indications of growth at the national level. If we do not achieve this, then social disruption will inevitably follow.
As a member of the Latin American and Caribbean Group, we note that the Review experts recommend FAO's involvement in providing assistance to Governments on policy analysis and the design of programmes representative of operational strategies with "appropriate priority" for agricultural and rural development. Recent experience of Trinidad and Tobago in obtaining assistance from FAO in a review of commodity policy and resource allocation proved to be very enlightening and has provided meaningful points for strategic development both within the agricultural sector and beyond into national planning policy.
Our delegation, therefore, supports FAO's continued activities of this kind; its capability must be strengthened where appropriate in order to facilitate timely and adequate responses to requests of Member States in this regard.
We hope that there will be consensus on the necessity of avoiding any weakening of the Technical Assistance Programme, including the TCP (Technical Cooperation Programme), the flexibility of which has proven its significance in every biennium.
Finally, on the question of the Environment. World events have shown that FAO will have an expanded role in the global effort aimed at containing, managing and even reversing environmental degradation. The issue is at the core of the new thrust for sustainable development. Various continents have been experiencing meaningful changes in seasonal patterns. In the short run, we are somewhat uncertain as to the comparative positive versus negative results of the "greenhouse effect". There are indications, however, of regional climatic changes on the various continents, sufficient to necessitate significant adjustments in agricultural practices in the context of production systems.
My Government considers the matter of the Environment of such significance that it has created a separate Ministry of the Environment and National Service. Accordingly, therefore, the Delegation of Trinidad and Tobago is fully supportive of the full participation of FAO in all international initiatives aimed at relating to the Environment and relating environment with the process of Development.
The Trinidad and Tobago Delegation recognizes the significance of this 25th Conference Session and pledges our assistance in facilitating deliberations.
We must ensure that future historians and development analysts are able to conclude that the Delegates to the 25th Session of the Conference undoubtedly had the welfare of the majority of the world's people in our hearts as we deliberated in this particular Session.
Clayton YEUTTER (United States of America): It is a pleasure to be here with you today, Mr Chairman, and a pleasure too to see all my fellow delegates. I have a prepared text of my remarks available to all of you, but I shall try to embellish these remarks extemporaneously. I would also like to say that I'm sorry that I shall not be able to spend more time in this Conference with all of you: I must return to Washington tomorrow, because I am preparing to lead a Presidential Mission to Poland two weeks from today, and, in view of what is transpiring in that part of the world, it is a very high priority endeavour indeed, so I must return to make preparations for that activity.
I would therefore like to take advantage of my few brief moments here to express a few comments about FAO and the problems that we all face in dealing with food production and distribution throughout the world. I was in Government in the Department of Agriculture in the 1970s, when concern over world hunger began to emerge in a major way. I can recall the conduct of the World Food Conference back in those years, and all of the speeches that were made and the articles that were written about the challenge of meeting the nutritional needs of people throughout the world. Those were legitimate concerns. Fortunately, people in this room and elsewhere have responded effectively in the ensuing years and, as you know, agricultural production has risen. Through the help of professionals in FAO and elsewhere, we have been able to significantly increase food production throughout the world, and millions of people who might otherwise today suffer from malnutrition have been spared that undesirable outcome. Obviously, we can do better: but we should recognize the progress that has been made over the last 15 to 20 years. Is there still a problem? Of course there is. Something like 35 000 children die every day from hunger and malnutrition, and that, as we know, is an unacceptable outcome in a civilized world. Certainly some of the difficulties lie with problems outside of the production area - trade distortions, for example - and I shall come back to that in a moment.
Perhaps the major question which we must all ask ourselves today is whether or not we will be able to deal with the larger problems that will exist for the next ten years, twenty years, or fifty years in the future. The Director-General alluded to this in his comments yesterday, and I have often done so in recent speeches. We will have six billion people on this planet by the turn of the century, a billion more than we have today. Some people believe that we will have ten billion on this planet by the year 2050, little more than half a century from now.
Can we provide the agricultural production necessary to feed these people? Let us hope so. I believe that there is room for optimism in this respect, but it will certainly challenge the professionalism and the ingenuity of all of us to meet the task, and without doubt FAO, as an institution, will play a major role in that endeavour.
With respect to what has brought about so much hunger and malnutrition still existing in the world today, one has to conclude that this is much more an issue of both economic and political policies than it is policies of agricultural production. There is enough food in the world today to provide an adequate diet for everyone, and in recent years we have struggled much more with the problem of agricultural surpluses than we have with the problem of agricultural shortages. The latter was the perceived issue of the
1970s; in the 1980s, it has been surpluses, notwithstanding all the people who experience malnutrition. The problem has been one of policies unrelated to agriculture: that certainly must be confronted by nations, and it is certainly possible that FAO can contribute in that regard too.
One cause of failure, of course, is simply a matter of war and FAO is not in a position to determine whether or not nations go to war. FAO plays a role in dealing with the results of war, and at the moment there are something like 14 million refugees in the world who must be fed in some manner. In a lot of countries the larger problem is one of failed economic policies that have simply not provided growth. The answer to poverty is economic growth. If nations do not experience this then we have difficulties because of hunger, malnutrition and many other shortcomings in meeting social needs. I am not going to sermonize on economic policies here today, because that goes beyond the jurisdiction of FAO and I do not wish to be pious about our policy versus everybody else's policies. We have failed economic policies in the United States just as other countries experience failures. Fortunately most of the developed countries of the world have had more policies that have succeeded than have failed which is why we have experienced economic growth and a better way of life for our people. In many other countries in the world there have been too many failures of economic policies. As a consequence of economic growth not occurring, the quality of life of the people in those countries is not as high as it could be or, should be. Therefore, we must continually examine those policies and see if we can change them to achieve economic efficiency, to generate investment, either internally or externally. We need to apply free market incentives and personal incentives for human beings to be more productive. We have discovered that when nations stray from those courses, (the courses that provide economic incentives), it is then that they discover that their economies do not perform as they should. Eastern Europe today is the classical example of the shortcomings in such policies which have led to the major adjustments that we are now observing on our television screens each day.
The debt burden is a part of this problem, and the developing countries in this room find economic growth difficult to generate because of the existing debt burdens that they have - that too goes beyond the jurisdiction of FAO. There is no time to comment thereon, but certainly that issue must be confronted through the Brady Plan or other efforts of that kind. Aid is a part of that effort, and certainly the united States will try to continue to do its share of aid programmes. We have provided more than US$40 billion in food aid alone through the years, and will continue to provide food aid. But, certainly, that is not the answer to the generation of economic growth. That is a short-term response to difficult problems of hunger and malnutrition, but it is not a long-term policy response that would be appropriate in any country. The better answer is to deal with the economic policies that I mentioned earlier and also to begin to deal with trade policies, specifically.
As most of you know, my experience is in international trade and I am still very much involved in the Uruguay Round trade negotiations. Every nation sitting in this room has a major stake in the outcome of those negotiations over the next twelve months because it is the developing countries in particular who have suffered as a result of the distorted trade policies of the developed world and, in fact, from the distorted trade policies of the developing world as well. We need to correct those and provide market opportunities for nations throughout the globe.
To make a comparison of aid versus trade, I have mentioned already that the United States has provided over US$40 billion in food aid through the years. That is significant, but the fact is that we have bought almost US$ 200 billion worth of goods from the developing countries last year. We make a much greater contribution to developing countries' economies by buying from them than we do simply from providing aid. Therefore, we need to work on opening up markets around the world and keeping them open in order for that to occur. Today the United States takes two-thirds of all the manufactured products that are exported by the developing world. Two-thirds of them come into the United States. We probably ought to take more, but certainly the other developed countries should take a lot more than they do today.
In the short time I have available, I would like to deal more specifically with the role of FAO. There has been a lot of comment already about the review effort within FAO and the desire to improve the management of this Organization. I have enjoyed the working relationship that I have established with the Director-General in my short tenure as Secretary of Agriculture in the United States. I am convinced that he is dedicated to making the FAO a stronger, more effective and more efficient organization over time. I certainly wish him well in that regard. I have also talked to him about expanding FAO's role in some areas that relate to the GATT. The Director-General commented on that in his speech yesterday. We believe it is important for the International Office of Epizootics, Codex Alimentarius and the International Plant Protection Convention to establish standards that can be used in the food area, as GATT rules are administered in that area. We hope that FAO will undertake that important new role.
The question is, how does FAO handle all its present responsibilities and take on new roles at a time of budgetary austerity? That is not an easy task and that is why we pay the Director-General to make the hard decisions. That is why Secretaries of Agriculture have to make hard decisions. If they were easy we would not be there, or would not even want the jobs. That is what makes them exciting and challenging, and I know the Director-General feels that way.
Insofar as concerns the budget, the US position has been that we ought to maintain a zero-growth programme in the United Nations organizations simply because budgetary support does not come easily. As most of you know, the United States has not been paying its dues to FAO and some of the other organizations. In my judgement, we ought to pay our dues, and certainly we are going to do everything that we can to alter that situation in the United States. If we cannot pay dues to organizations, we ought to drop out of the organizations - that is my personal view. I hope that we can deal with this question. However, there is no doubt that one of the reasons we find it difficult to support organizations within the UN system is that general public support within the United States for those organizations has dissipated through the years. Without going into the reasons for that and without indicating any dissatisfaction with FAO, because that is not my purpose here, I am simply saying whether it be the United States or any other country, each of these organizations will have to earn such a reputation that people will support them with enthusiasm. We hope that through the leadership of the Director-General and everyone else in FAO that will occur in the future. In the meantime with budgetary constraints on all of us, certainly the Director-General and everyone else at FAO will have to concentrate very heavily on priorities. That is not a happy task for any administrator. I must do the same in my responsibilities in Washington and
you Ministers must do the same in all of your responsibilities throughout the world. Certainly, FAO will have to devote considerable time and attention to the delineation of what its highest priority functions will be next year and in future years.
Having an effective review process is important in that regard, and any organization, including FAO, ought to be continually reviewing and critiquing its operations. Some of that review process should be done as self-critique with internal review programmes which continue on into the future. We need to make sure that FAO has strong internal review and audit programme that will serve that purpose which should be done periodically if not continually through external review programmes. We all should be subjected to review of what we are doing by outsiders as well as insiders. We need to build that into the FAO system over time.
I am convinced that the Director-General and everyone else involved with the leadership of FAO can do that and do it effectively.
In closing, I would mention that I have had a long association with FAO during my agricultural career for a good many decades. I believe that it is an organization with a great deal of potential for resolving or responding to the problems that have been articulated over and over in this meeting thus far. The responsibility that all of us have as a part of the FAO system is to make sure that we do this and do the job well. I believe we have ample talent within FAO to succeed in that regard. I am convinced that we can do so. I am convinced that the Director-General will provide the leadership for that to happen. I hope that we can all be supportive of him within the budgetary constraints that are inevitable with any organization. Nobody writes a blank cheque for any of us. We have to live within dollar constraints. However, within those constraints we ought to be able to accomplish a lot here at FAO. I am convinced that we can, and we in the United States will do everything possible to help.
Nouri ZORGATI (Tunisie) (langue originale Arabe): Au nom de Dieu Clément et Miséricordieux, Monsieur le Président, Monsieur le Directeur général de la FAO, Messieurs les Chefs des délégations, Mesdames, Messieurs, cette Conférence offre une occasion exceptionnelle à la FAO d'étudier la situation alimentaire et de discuter des questions fondamentales qui nous préoccupent dans les domaines de l'alimentation et du développement agricole.
Le problème de l'alimentation occupe une place prédominante dans le cadre des préoccupations des pays en développement qui doivent faire face à de nombreux défis, dont notamment l'augmentation du volume des importations alimentaires et le déséquilibre des niveaux des prix, le tout aux dépens de leurs exportations en produits agricoles.
De nombreuses régions doivent faire face au problème de la pénurie des produits alimentaires, alors que plus d'un huitième de la population mondiale souffre de malnutrition. Nous nous devons, d'autre part, de faire état de cette série de calamités naturelles qui ont eu des répercussions préjudiciables sur les efforts déployés pour développer la production agricole.
Le développement agricole et la disponibilité de denrées alimentaires requièrent la conjugaison des efforts de la communauté internationale et le renforcement de ses liens de coopération.
Toutefois, les règles qui sont à la base des relations et des échanges entre les différents pays et groupements ont grandement contribué à élargir le fossé séparant les pays en développement des pays développés. Il est donc devenu absolument nécessaire de réviser les principes de la coopération dans de nombreux cas.
Il importe donc à la communauté internationale d'aider les pays du Sud afin qu'ils puissent développer leurs propres capacités en vue de garantir un niveau minimum de sécurité alimentaire et d'améliorer les niveaux de production de leurs produits de base.
Monsieur le Président, Mesdames, Messieurs, en Tunisie, le problème de l'alimentation revêt, à nos yeux, une importance primordiale, car nous sommes parfaitement convaincus que la réalisation de la sécurité alimentaire dans chaque pays est à la base de la paix et de la sécurité dans le monde. En effet, en dépit de l'augmentation substantielle de la production agricole au cours de ces dernières années, il n'en demeure pas moins que les revenus agricoles sont nettement inférieurs à nos besoins, sans cesse croissants, en produits alimentaires et cela en dépit des techniques modernes et des recherches appliquées.
Nous avons donc tenu, depuis le changement historique qu'a vécu notre pays le 7 novembre 1987, à accorder la priorité absolue à l'agriculture. Nous avons mis en application une politique agricole qui repose essentiellement sur la mobilisation totale de nos ressources en eau, afin d'augmenter la production et mettre en exécution les plans sectoriels pour l'intensification de la production et sa diversification.
Nous veillons à garantir et à réorganiser les structures du secteur agricole, et plus spécialement les services techniques, les groupements des agriculteurs comme les coopératives de service, les groupements professionnels, le développement des investissements et du crédit agricole et l'élimination de tous les obstacles susceptibles d'entraver le développement agricole, tels que le régime foncier et la lourdeur administrative.
Tout en veillant à garantir les besoins alimentaires, nous accordons une attention particulière à l'équilibre écologique, à la protection de l'environnement et au renouvellement des ressources naturelles. Dans ce contexte, nous oeuvrons pour l'exécution des projets de reboisement, de conservation du sol et de préservation des réserves naturelles.
Il nous importe, à ce sujet, de souligner, avec un certain optimisme, que la communauté internationale a pris conscience de la gravité du problème de l'environnement. Le président Zein el Abidine Ben Ali, Président de la République tunisienne, avait demandé la convocation d'une conférence internationale pour discuter des problèmes de l'environnement et du développement, et a lancé un appel pour une coopération plus étroite et plus fructueuse entre tous les pays du monde et dans le cadre multilatéral afin de lutter contre les dégâts (sous toutes les formes) et pour rationaliser l'exploitation de l'environnement.
Il va sans dire qu'étant donné que cela requiert des ressources supplémentaires qui alourdiront le fardeau des pays en développement et rendront encore plus difficile la réalisation des investissements nécessaires à leurs projets de production, il serait donc nécessaire de
créer des liens de coopération et de solidarité entre les pays en développement et les pays riches afin de protéger l'environnement, surtout si l'on ne parvient pas à des solutions susceptibles d'alléger le fardeau de la dette des pays en développement.
Monsieur le Président, Mesdames, Messieurs, cette Conférence est également une occasion qui nous est offerte pour discuter de la bonne marche de notre Organisation et de l'assistance appréciable qu'elle fournit à nos pays dans le domaine du développement agricole.
Tout en insistant sur la nécessité d'exécuter le programme dont les grandes lignes ont été tracées par le Directeur général dans son Rapport à la Conférence, nous aimerions particulièrement insister sur la nécessité de soutenir les programmes dont les axes principaux sont: formulation de plans de développement, adaptation de l'agriculture aux données climatologiques et promotion du rôle des petits et moyens agriculteurs.
La préparation des documents et les études relatives aux politiques et aux conseils à donner constituent deux importantes activités sur lesquelles nous ne pouvons qu'insister, tout en orientant les efforts vers des priorités clairement définies et c'est justement ce que nous constatons dans les documents, les programmes et les budgets qui nous sont soumis.
Toutefois, le rôle de conseiller qu'assure la FAO doit comprendre également les planifications, l'élaboration des programmes de travail et surtout l'aide qui doit être fournie aux pays membres pour exécuter ces programmes, à savoir la mobilisation des ressources qui leur sont nécessaires, resserrer leurs liens avec les institutions de financement et faciliter le dialogue.
D'autre part, les programmes visant à réduire les effets des changements climatologiques sur les ressources et à développer les systèmes agricoles durables doivent jouir d'une plus grande attention de la part de la communauté internationale et être l'objet d'études et de recherches afin de trouver les moyens d'adapter ces changements à des systèmes agricoles plus rentables que les systèmes actuels.
Nous estimons, en outre, que la nécessité de développer la biotechnologie et de l'intégrer au système agricole, dans son sens le plus large tel qu'il ressort des rapports de l'Organisation avec tout ce que cela comporte comme vulgarisation, services de soutien et formation, constitue une méthodologie plus efficace tendant à une complémentarité entre l'élément humain et les ressources naturelles.
En ce qui concerne le développement de l'agriculture auprès des petits et moyens agriculteurs, nous soulignons l'importance des projets pilotes mis au point par la FAO, intégrant l'emploi et l'utilisation des intrants chimiques ainsi que la consolidation du PAM qui contribue à améliorer le niveau de l'emploi et à exécuter des opérations de développement dans les zones pauvres, mais qui, malheureusement, a réduit ses interventions à la suite de la hausse des prix des denrées alimentaires et à la diminution des contributions.
Monsieur le Président, Mesdames, Messieurs, dans un désir d'être honnête et objectif, je voudrais souligner la réussite enregistrée par l'Organisation, grâce à la gestion sage et clairvoyante de son Directeur général, Monsieur Edouard Saouma, dans le soutien du développement agricole dans de nombreux pays du monde. Grâce à l'expérience qu'elle a toujours placée au service de ces pays, l'Organisation a contribué au transfert de la technologie et à
l'élaboration d'un grand nombre de stratégies pour le développement. Le rapport des experts et celui de la session conjointe du Comité du programme et du Comité des finances sur les activités de l'Organisation et ses objectifs ont justement souligné ce rôle important de la FAO.
Il m'importe également de souligner le rôle qu'elle assume dans la lutte contre les fléaux, comme l'a prouvé l'aide qu'elle a fournie aux pays dévastés par les acridiens et les efforts déployés en vue de mobiliser les fonds et les moyens nécessaires auprès des pays donateurs. Je rends hommage également aux efforts déployés par la FAO pour lutter contre la mouche du ver tarondeau qui menace actuellement le cheptel en Afrique du Nord et même dans le continent africain et dans le sud de l'Europe. A cet effet, nous soulignons la nécessité absolue de faire face à ce grand danger grâce à la lutte biologique et aux ressources financières nécessaires. Nous proposons que cette question soit inscrite à l'ordre du jour de la prochaine Conférence régionale pour le Proche-Orient et l'Afrique du Nord que la Tunisie aura l'honneur d'abriter en mars prochain.
Enfin, l'importance des problèmes de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et de la lutte contre les fléaux dans le monde, surtout en cette période, nécessite plus que jamais un plus grand soutien à l'Organisation afin de l'aider à assumer ses tâches le plus efficacement possible.
Applause
Applaudissements
Aplausos
Geoffrey Lee MILLER (Australia): Mr Chairman, I will begin by disobeying your clear instructions in a typically Australian tradition. On behalf of the Australian Government and the Australian rural community, may I express my pride on your election to the post of Chairman. I thank the Conference for the confidence expressed in you, and I thank you for the credit you have brought to your country. It should come as no surprise to the Conference that you are widely acclaimed in your own country as the most successful Minister ever to carry the responsibility of the rural industries portfolio.
In my address today, I would like to focus on the future. My theme will be that the failures of the 1980s have left us with daunting challenges for the 1990s.
At the outset, let me fulsomely support the words of the Director-General, Edouard Saouma, in his comments on the Report of the Programme and Finance Committees on the FAO Review. He has stated: "The world is going to need a stronger FAO, and FAO is going to need stronger support from the World". Yet, if the world is going to get a stronger FAO and if the FAO is going to get stronger support from the world, then some fundamental realities must be faced. The Organization must use the next biennium once again to consolidate and replenish itself - to strengthen even further the foundations on which the future will be built.
To most of us committed to improve world agricultural performance, the decade of the 1970s ended on a high note. Technological progress had been rapid, with the Green Revolution bringing dramatic improvements in production, especially in South America and Asia; the rate of the growth in the numbers of hungry and malnourished people in the world had begun to decline substantially. A fall in absolute numbers was in prospect; world
economic growth was being led by the developing countries, not the developed, and world trade in both manufactures and commodities was growing at a healthy rate; and although fundamentally lacking in adaptability, domestic agricultural policies were not unduly disrupting world markets.
It took only the emergence again of rapid inflation, as the first half of the decade progressed, to destabilize this optimism. Monetary and fiscal contraction brought demand growth to an abrupt halt. As interest rates escalated, the debt crisis burgeoned. Economic growth became economic contraction, especially in the developing world.
Not only did the numbers of hungry and malnourished grow arithmetically, but they again began to expand geometrically. The rate of growth in the numbers of human beings without adequate basic supplies of food, resumed its inexorable rise.
Farmers in my own country were deprived of their assets. Farmers in the developing world, maize producers in East Africa, wheat farmers in Argentina, sugar growers in Brazil and the Philippines, rice growers in Thailand, palm oil producers in Malaysia, all and many others lost much more. Subsistence producers transforming to cash cropping were at their most vulnerable. It was not their livelihoods that were at stake, it was their lives.
The erosion of developing country food supplies was not confined to agriculture. Driftnet fishing is having a serious effect on fish stocks and other marine resources of the South-West Pacific region, threatening the food supplies of the island people.
Finally, of course, the global ecosystem itself has been put under a cloud, a cloud of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, albeit a cloud with a leaking ozone layer I Our forests are fast being depleted and the excesses of input intensive agriculture, again predominantly in the developed world, are starkly in evidence. Soils are being compacted, acidified and eroded, water supplies are suffering nitrification, phosphate pollution and salination.
In short, to professional agriculturalists the 1980s have left a legacy in which we can take little pride. Let me, however, note some seven redeeming features.
First, the world economy has limped along with a record period of sustained growth in some developed economies. This has given many developing economies hope of being able eventually to cope with their current account problems.
Second, many developing countries, particularly in Asia and South America, have been able to continue fast growth in agricultural output. This has been particularly so in countries not dependent on export markets, although the process has remained stalled in much of Africa.
Third, the Brundtland Commission has focused world leaders on the concept of sustainable development and on the need for international cooperative action to bring it to realization.
Fourth, the Punta del Este Declaration launching the Uruguay Round put agriculture seriously on the negotiation table for the first time.
Fifth, the tide of agricultural protectionism and subsidization in Europe, Japan and the United States has begun slowly to recede. This has for the most part been passive, driven by rising commodity prices rather than active, driven by rigorous policy change. Such active policy change as there has been, has been more in response to budget pressures than to the recognition of the policy problem.
Sixth, the recent Tarawa Declaration called for a ban on driftnet fishing in the South Pacific, a Declaration that has been reinforced by a resolution currently before the Second Committee of the United Nations.
Finally, our institutions, both our companies and our bureaucracies, including our farmers, have gone through, and are still going through, substantial structural change. They will emerge leaner but stronger. They will be more efficient at handling the daunting challenges ahead.
For the FAO, now in its 44th year, the events of the 1980s have brought something of a mid-life crisis. Events outside of the Organization have created great stresses that have been brought into the Organization. Let us openly acknowledge the causes of those stresses.
We cannot condone the morality that has bankers sitting in judgement of the borrowers but not the lender. We cannot condone the morality of those who attack markets with armaments from their Treasuries that their commercial adversaries can never match. We cannot condone the morality of those who barely meet their domestic budget laws only by leaving unpaid bills at the door of institutions whose job is to fight hunger. We need not condone and we neet not forget. But if FAO is to face the agenda of the 1990s as a rejuvenated Organization, it must first face some very hard realities.
The cause of economic and agricultural development will be the first to gain from the lower interest rates that will come from reduced government spending. Our sense of injustice should not blind us to that reality.
There are those friends amongst us who belong, with the rest of us, to the great extended world family of people motivated to fight hunger and malnutrition, people who are committed to work to restore development budgets, to reform policies and to repay debts. We must encourage them; indeed, we must help them. We must send the right signals. Our sense of injustice should not blind us to this reality.
All of us in our own institutions, public and private, national and international, have had to do more with less. Mr Chairman, your own Department, whose administration is entrusted to me, employs around 5 000 people and has a turnover of around US$1 billion annually. We have taken real cuts in budgets and staffing over a sustained six-year period. Yet, we do more now than we ever have. We have achieved productivity gains through focusing our priorities, through delayering of management, through flatter administrative structures, through devolution of responsibility for decision-making and through embracing technical change. We have eliminated duplication and wasteful territorial disputation. We have learned to work even more cooperatively with other agencies.
As the Director-General of this Organization knows only too well, FAO is not immune from these requirements. He has shown a willingness to do more with less in his written comments on the Review, even though he has reminded us of what the individual changes might cost!
Those who have never had to administer a large organization should be sensitive to the demands that such a job imposes on its chief executive. It is much easier to engineer change in a growing organization than it is in a contracting one. Change requires investment; multiskilling of people requires an investment in training; new technology must be bought; even reduced staffing requires spending on redundancy payments and pensions.
We must not demand what cannot be delivered. If we want progress, we must set the budget, set the strategic directions, and then let managers manage. Yet our sensitivity cannot blind us to another hard reality. Like the chief executives of other large organizations, the Director-General of FAO must achieve the impossible. Only when he achieves demonstrably more with demonstrably less will the additional resources he needs to face the challenges of the 1990s be forthcoming. The 1980s have bequeathed the same tough world to administrators as they have to farmers and to developing countries.
FAO faces an inevitable biennium of further consolidation rather than expansion. New demands are certainly being made. At the same time, the outcome of the Review must be implemented. It is unjust that we must win back the support of our sponsors by achieving the impossible. Yet it is a reality. That support is essential if the Organization is to seriously address the agenda it faces in the 1990s.
Another group of people being asked to achieve the impossible are the domestic policy-makers of the industrial countries. They, too, have already achieved a lot, especially in political terms. Let us acknowledge the great political efforts of the members of EEC, EFTA, Japan and the United States in constraining their domestic policies during these past two years. Their achievements have allowed the rise in world prices to substantially cut subsidies and protectionism.
Yet we must acknowledge that with few exceptions the underlying policies remain structurally flawed. These policies are market oriented only at today's market prices. When - not if, but when - prices fall again, measured protection will again rise, markets will again be dislocated, the agriculturally dependent will again be crippled.
The Uruguay Round offers us the chance to learn from history. History has shown that we have experienced a crisis in world agricultural markets roughly once each decade. Each crisis has been prolonged and deepened by our flawed policy responses. The crisis of the mid-1980s is directly related to the effective collapse of the Tokyo Round of agriculture negotiations in 1982. We do not need the crisis of the 1990s that will surely follow if the Uruguay Round were to meet a similar fate next year.
Many have worked hard for the success of the Uruguay Round, and amongst them has been that diverse and unique community of nations, developed and developing, known as the Cairns Group. They have shown that common ground is fertile ground. Australia is proud to be numbered among them as we meet again soon to finalize another comprehensive negotiating proposal.
The Uruguay Round has been given a much needed injection of new life by a proposal recently tabled by the United States. Behind the numbers and the time frames of that proposal is a negotiating framework that is breathtaking in its simplicity, yet comprehensive and practical. That framework allows us
to cut through the details of the complex commodity programmes of individual countries to separately constrain four separate variables: domestic support, market access barriers, export subsidies, and other domestic programmes. Just four variables.
Depending on the nature and strength of those four constraints, all countries can pursue their own legitimate domestic policy goals. The US proposal takes us well past the mere ideological pursuit of the myth of free trade to the practical prospect of effectively constraining the excesses of the past. Let us also remind ourselves that the US itself is making us an offer, an offer that I believe no country can afford to refuse. We must not give the US the chance to retract it.
The industrial countries now face another impossible assignment, namely, another round of domestic agricultural policy reform. We must begin now to contemplate the kinds of changes to our policies and programmes that might make them truly market oriented, that might make them truly compatible with a feasible GATT outcome in 1990. We will never get another chance like it.
Mr Chairman, in the fields of food and agricultural policy and economic development, we face challenges that have been greatly magnified by the mistakes of the 1980s. The great new challenge is the challenge of sustainable development. As FAO knows only too well, there is nothing new about that - nothing new, that is, except the sharp focus in which it has been cast, and the urgency that must be attached to it.
The challenge of sustainable development must be faced at a time of great uncertainty - change is enveloping Eastern Europe. That change will bring new opportunities to FAO. New policies will be needed for agricultural production. New systems will be needed for the distribution and marketing of food and above all, new countries must be encouraged into a more open and liberal world agricultural trading system. A long-absent member of the FAO family may finally take its seat.
That is the agenda for the 1990s. But we have some unfinished business of the 1980s. FAO must implement its further changes and consolidate its capacities. However unjust we find the world, we must again seek the common ground - we must put aside our grievances in the same way as did the founders of this Organization some 44 years ago. Like them, we must face the hard realities and equip ourselves to seize the opportunities ahead.
The other piece of unfinished business from the 1980s is the Uruguay Round. We have one year left to complete the negotiations. To those who say that the task is too tough, I say this: If the shackles of the Berlin Wall can be removed in a day, then the shackles of agricultural protectionism can be removed in a year. We can progressively liberalize world agricultural markets through the 1990s. We must. There is a much bigger agenda that we must get on with.
Mr Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, it has been a very great privilege for me to address you.
Gonzalo BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Señor Presidente, Señor Director General, Señores Ministros, colegas y amigos.
Le felicito, señor Presidente, a usted por su elección. Esta reunión está en muy buenas manos. Esta será la última Conferencia de la FAO en los años 80, decenio que generalmente ha sido reconocido como completamente perdido para los países en desarrollo.
Afortunadamente, ya va a terminar este periodo de tan ingrata recordación para el Tercer Mundo. Esperamos que los años 90 serán mejores. Han sido años difíciles e inciertos durante los cuales se han asestado duros golpes a la cooperación internacional, particularmente contra el multilateralismo. La FAO terminará este decenio en las peores condiciones que nunca antes había conocido. La crisis financiera prolongada, y sin solución a la vista, ha quebrantado hasta los más elementales principios institucionales al producir reducciones considerables en los programas aprobados por esta Conferencia, máximo órgano rector.
Se ha cumplido así la violación de la voluntad soberana de ciento cincuenta y ocho Estados independientes.
Naturalmente, los países en desarrollo son aquellos que padecen las consecuencias de esos hechos. Actividades que son de interés vital para nuestros Estados se han tenido que reducir a su mínima expresión.
El Director General ha sabido manejar esa situación con ánimo sereno e inteligencia, que el Gobierno de Colombia se complace en destacar. No obstante se han ya causado grandes males a nuestra Organización, con consecuencias incalculables, difíciles de reparar en el futuro.
Nos inquieta ahora profundamente el porvenir. Dentro de pocos días, esta Conferencia adoptará el Programa de Labores para 1990-91 y el respectivo nivel del Presupuesto. Desde ese momento, todos los Estados Miembros de la Organización adquirirán el compromiso legal y moral de pagar sus contribuciones. ¿Es que, acaso, vamos a repetir la misma desafortunada experiencia del bienio anterior si adoptamos un nivel de Presupuesto, a sabiendas de antemano que algunas de las más altas contribuciones no van a ser pagadas, y asi se impondrán de nuevo reducciones forzosas en los Programas para el próximo bienio?.
Una reciente y autorizada declaración fue realista y arrojó una tenue luz de esperanza, pero no se dijo cuánto, cómo ni cuándo.
Reiteramos aquí la posición de Colombia en Naciones Unidas. Nosotros preferimos que, si cualquier país no está en condiciones o no quiere pagar la contribución que actualmente le corresponde, según la escala vigente, será mejor, más realista y constructivo que decida reducir el porcentaje de sus aportes.
El Gobierno Colombiano ha venido dedicando el máximo posible de los recursos al sector agrícola altamente prioritario en nuestros planes nacionales de desarrollo.
Hemos logrado notables avances en la producción hasta suspender la importación de alimentos y exportar algunos de nuestros productos agropecuarios. Los buenos éxitos de esa política, basada en claros principios sociales y humanos, han beneficiado sobre todo a los medianos y pequeños agricultores.
El Gobierno de Colombia ha continuado e intensificado su tarea de erradicar la pobreza absoluta, según lo anunciara en la Asamblea General de Naciones Unidas nuestro Presidente Virgilio Barco. Desafortunadamente, los precios internacionales del café, que sigue siendo nuestro principal producto de exportación, han disminuido considerablemente.
El Pacto Cafetero, que incluía cláusulas económicas, confirmación de cuotas, ha dejado de existir en esa forma por razones que preferimos omitir.
Los precios del café han bajado en un 50 por ciento. Cincuenta países, todos de Asia, Africa y América Latina y El Caribe, han visto gravemente afectadas sus ya débiles economías, preservadas, en buena parte, por el Pacto del Café, uno de los pocos acuerdos sobre productos que funcionó bien durante veintisiete años.
En doce meses, los países productores de café perderán más de 5 mil millones de dólares. En Colombia, por cada centavo de dólar que baja la libra del café, perdemos 15 millones de dólares. A fines de 1990, Colombia habrá perdido más de 500 millones de dólares por la baja de los precios del café.
Cordial y respetuosamente les invitamos a comparar esas cifras con el monto de la asistencia que se nos ofrece.
Pensamos que para los países en desarrollo, más que la asistencia paternalista, es importante y decisivo un comercio internacional libre y justo, mediante el cual nuestros principales productos de exportación puedan entrar a los mercados de los países desarrollados y obtener así las divisas indispensables para nuestro crecimiento económico.
La vertiginosa caída de los precios del café ha sido otro factor más de perturbación social y económica, que se ha sumado a los que ya la opinión pública conoce ampliamente y que el Presidente de Colombia, Virgilio Barco, viene afrontando con valor y decisión universalmente reconocidos.
Colombia ha tenido el privilegio de asociarse con Australia, su país, señor Presidente, y con otros importantes países desarrollados y en desarrollo, en el seno del Grupo de CAIRNS, con el objetivo fundamental de contribuir a la liberalización del comercio agrícola internacional.
Somos solidarios y coadyuvamos con interés todas las iniciativas del Grupo de CAIRNS en la Ronda Uruguaya del GATT y en muchas otras actividades, porque consideramos inaplazable la necesaria reforma de la actual injusta estructura del comercio agrícola internacional.
Como dijo hace dos años en esta misma sala el ex-Ministro de Agricultura de Colombia, hoy Embajador ante las Naciones Unidas, Enrique Peñalosa, el Gobierno de Colombia reitera su complacencia por el futuro ingreso a la FAO de la Unión de Repúblicas Socialistas Soviéticas, en uso de su derecho como miembro original.
La presencia de un país tan importante como la Unión de Repúblicas Socialistas Soviéticas deberá generar cambios renovadores y saludables en la vida de esta Organización.
El Gobierno de Colombia piensa que los cuatro organismos internacionales dedicados a la agricultura y a la alimentación, con sede en Roma, deben cooperar racional y adecuadamente entre sí, evitar duplicación de actividades y utilizar de la mejor manera posible los escasos recursos de que hoy se dispone para la cooperación internacional en favor del objetivo común: los países en desarrollo. Apoyamos la iniciativa del Director General a ese respecto.
Las autoridades colombianas están agradecidas al Director General de la FAO y a su personal por la forma activa, eficaz y constante como vienen ofreciendo sus servicios a nuestro país.
La calidad de la asistencia técnica ejecutada por la FAO ha mejorado considerablemente. Los mecanismos se han agilizado progresivamente. Nuestras solicitudes son atendidas con prontitud y eficacia. En nombre del Gobierno de Colombia reitero nuestro más pleno apoyo a la FAO y a su Director General.
El Gobierno de Colombia agradece al Director Ejecutivo del Programa Mundial de Alimentos la asistencia que ofrece a nuestro país en ese programa, que progresivamente se ha venido consagrando como un importante instrumento en favor del desarrollo.
Confiamos en que el Programa Mundial de Alimentos podrá seguir contando con recursos suficientes que le permitan sostener e incrementar su labor que apoyamos y destacamos.
El Consejo Mundial de la Alimentación, no obstante los limitados recursos de que dispone, viene haciendo esfuerzos por cumplir sus funciones de mecanismo de coordinación.
Las últimas reposiciones de los recursos del Fondo Internacional de Desarrollo Agrícola confirman que ese Fondo ha sido también víctima de la campaña contra el multilateralismo. En sus condiciones actuales, el FIDA es apenas la pálida caricatura de lo que concebimos en 1974 quienes recomendamos su creación en la Conferencia Mundial de la Alimentación. Además, la Presidencia del FIDA debe ser permeabilizada para que su funcionamiento sea adecuado, prudente y menos contravertido.
La nueva era que se ha iniciado en las relaciones internacionales con el afianzamiento de la distensión coloca el problema del desarrollo en primer plano.
El Gobierno de Colombia piensa que el problema del desarrollo es hoy el gran desafío al cual se enfrenta la comunidad internacional. En diversos ángulos del planeta ocurren hechos explosivos que son fruto de la injusticia social imperante y que progresivamente podrían amenazar la paz mundial. Los Estados desarrollados, que cuentan con los grandes recursos y las modernas tecnologías, deberán entender esa situación y ofrecer su asistencia técnica y financiera en forma sostenida, volúmenes y condiciones que permitan la recuperación de los empobrecidos países del Tercer Mundo.
Los Estados industrializados, a través de milenios y con base en el esfuerzo creador de sus poblaciones, han logrado formar confortables y florecientes sociedades de consumo, cuyo disfrute sólo podrán preservar si contribuyen adecuadamente a la solución de los problemas que aquejan al Tercer Mundo.
El Gobierno de Colombia es consciente de que los problemas del desarrollo no van a solucionarse en breve período. Será una tarea a largo plazo - dos o tres generaciones -, pero será necesario comenzar a actuar desde ahora, antes de que sea demasiado tarde.
WARDOYO (Indonesia): At the outset, allow me to associate myself with the previous distinguished speakers expressing congratulations for your unanimous election as Chairman of the Twenty-fifth Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN. Permit me also to convey my congratulations to all the Vice-Chairmen, for their unanimous election to also chair the Conference.
We are now gathering here to deliberate this FAO Conference amidst the global food situation which remains precarious. The world food situation is still alarming. At the beginning of 1989 we were informed that there would be a possibility of an increase of 140 million tons of world cereals production. However, we are currently being confronted with a situation in which even with the "best scenario", the production seems not to rise adequately to permit resumption of normal consumption trends and replenishment of stocks to the minimum volume required for food security.
Worldwide food security will remain precarious throughout 1989-90. I note with concern that in many parts of our world little progress in terms of per capita food production had been achieved, due to so many reasons including the adverse effects of high levels of external debt in the development process and the cost, in the short term, of structural adjustment efforts in agricultural and rural development in many countries.
It therefore seems to me, that in many years to come, the world will continue to face a situation in which the least developed countries and population groups will have inadequate access to food.
Therefore, over the next years to come, perhaps we should focus our efforts on the problem of how to turn the latent demand of food of the developing countries into the effective demand. There is no doubt that we have to increase food production, but many other things also need to be done, including the necessary painful structural adjustment of the economy. Such developments are currently under way in many countries including Indonesia.
Indonesia has in the past three years implemented the politically difficult reforms, such as, for example in the agriculture sector, the policies on fertilizer and the domestic prices to track more quickly rising world prices. In addition, as part of its general deregulation reforms, it has liberalized trade measures for coconut oil and export crops in general, which have narrowed the gap between local and border prices. Similarly, the state might provide temporary incentives to encourage the private sector to build proper storage and treatment facilities for corn in order to compensate for the increased costs during the initial phases of learning a new technology.
Due to the need to be more concerned with efficiency, the Government is moving in the direction of allowing market forces to determine prices and incentives.
The strong performance of the agriculture sector in Indonesia could be attributed to at least three basic sets of Government policies.
First, sound macroeconomic management has helped the growth of the agriculture sector, not only because agriculture accounts for a large share of economic activity, but also because of the strong intersectoral linkages and the impact of macro policy variables on agricultural incentives.
The second set of policies is on food crop production. The Government of Indonesia has given very high priority to rice, maize and soybean production. In effect, this has meant embarking on an ambitious, expansion of research and development, rural infrastructure and support services.
The third major set of policies is on tree crops, livestock and fishery development. Investment in these subsectors has been increased since early 1970s.
To a large extent, the impressive performance of Indonesian agriculture is due to the large amount of Government resources devoted to the sector in the form of infrastructure investments and pricing policies to encourage the adoption of more productive technologies.
While it is clear that the agricultural production could not have increased as dramatically without these resources, it should be noted that the overall price and incentive structure controlled by state agencies was appropriate, and it was this sound incentive structure which ensured that these resources were used more efficiently. To improve a country's ability to take better advantage of the opportunities presented by agricultural trade, one must. look at a full range of policies. The impact of fertilizer price policy on world rice prices is the strongest example of this lesson.
The world economy remains caught in prolonged disarray and relations between developed and developing countries continue to be afflicted by severe imbalance and iniquities.
The rapid advances in science and technology which have drastically altered the patterns of agriculture production, consumption and of international economy offer new possibilities for more prosperity of nations in an increasingly integrated global economy. However, it could also at the same time implicate negatively on the position of the developing countries in terms of comparative advantage, terms of trade and the international division of labour.
My delegation's attention also goes to the progress of the GATT Multilateral Trade Negotiations which we believe has implications, directly or indirectly, for the work of FAO.
In a situation in which the agriculture sector is the most important contributor to national economy and provides the largest employment opportunity for the people, changing agricultural policies means changing the national economic policies. I therefore wish to state here that changes in agriculture policies as the consequence of the progress in the multilateral trade negotiations have to be carefully considered, because of their possible negative effects on the livelihood of millions of farm families.
Developing countries need special and differential treatment in the reform process to liberalize agricultural production and trade.
Direct and indirect government assistance measures to encourage agricultural and rural development are an integral element in the development programme of developing countries. In developing ways to reach commitments on support protection and strengthening GATT rules and disciplines, we have to take into account the possible negative effect of the reform process on net food-importing developing countries. With respect to negotiations on natural base products, Indonesia shares the same views expressed by other developing countries that negotiation be emphasized on "access to market" and not on "access to supply" with respect to sanitary and phytosanitary problems. We recognize the need to protect consumers, but the sanitary and phytosanitary measures should not be used as non-tariff barriers to restrict access to market. Provided there is strict adherence to the Punta del Este commitments, the Uruguay Round does offer the prospects of a more open trading system.
It is in the light of the above reality, that Indonesia welcomes the convening of the Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1990, devoted to the revitalization of the economic growth and development of the developing countries. The elaboration of a new International Development Strategy (IDS) for the 1990s will likewise provide an opportunity to concentrate our efforts on effective ways to enhance international cooperation for development.
My delegation was of the view that it is important for FAO to be actively involved in the preparations of IDS and the Special Session of UNGA, as the food and agriculture and the rural sector had a vital role to play in achieving the objectives in the areas of nutrition, poverty alleviation, human development and the environment. My delegation noted with appreciation that the Director-General has already contributed input to the preparation of IDS, especially in the field of agriculture, which in essence is the FAO Strategy for the near future.
We have learned from our past experience that the important role of international cooperation is not only in maintaining the good relationships among countries, but not less important is its role in bridging the direct relationship among the farmers themselves. It is for this reason that in October 1985 our farmers through the kindness of President Soeharto had requested FAO to assist them in conveying their donation to their brothers and sisters in Africa.
In this connection, I wish to inform this august Conference that on 16 October 1989 during the ceremony of the commemoration of the Ninth World Food Day in Indonesia, we have witnessed for the third time, the handing over of the Indonesian farmers' donation of one million US dollars to the FAO Representative in Indonesia for onward transmission to the needy farmers in Africa, making the total donation to the amount of seven million US dollars. This additional amount of one million US dollars, as requested by the Indonesian farmers, is also to be entrusted to you, Mr Director-General, for implementation of small projects in African countries.
As history has witnessed the remarkable role of FAO in assisting the agricultural sector development in most developing countries, I wish to express our hope that necessary efforts be made so as to maintain FAO's capabilities in discharging its task in the future.
In this connection, we wish to place on record our support for FAO's Programme of Work and Budget for 1990-91 as proposed by the Programme and Finance Committee. My delegation welcomes the nine priority areas under the Technical and Economic Programmes of the Programme of Work and Budget. However, we also wish to express our concern on the rather limited increase of the budget which may lead to the limitation of FAO's capability in assisting member countries to solve various problems in areas which fall under its mandate as stated in FAO's Constitution.
I wish to express my appreciation to the Programme and Finance Committees which, in compliance to the requirements stipulated in Resolution 6/87, have successfully completed a comprehensive Report on the Review of Certain Aspects of FAO's Goals and Operations, and presented to the Conference very valuable recommendations. My delegation feels that the recommendations of both Committees are constructive and, therefore, my delegation wishes to support its implementation and furthermore expresses the hope that the Conference will endorse them. These recommendations are of great importance for the future of FAO. We therefore hope that the Conference would also feel able to consider ways and means to ensure their smooth implementation.
One of the important resolutions passed at the 24th Session of the Conference is Resolution 3/87. My delegation has the pleasure to note that a Plan of Action for the Integration of Women in Development is now ready for consideration by the Conference. Our deliberation on this important agenda will certainly give a clear signal to the world that we have a strong political will to accelerate the implementation of the "Nairobi Forward-Looking Strategies" (NFLS). From the very beginning, Indonesia has placed the programme of "Women in Development" as one of the important components of its Development Plan. My Government is of the view that women, as citizens and as an integral part of the family, are potential human resources in development.
They have the same rights, responsibilities and opportunities as men in all aspects of the nation's life and development activities. Therefore, their status in the community and their role in development activities should continuously be accelerated and directed toward facilitating their maximum contribution to nation building in accordance with their nature, self-esteem and dignity as women. It is our earnest hope, that this Conference take the appropriate action, so as to facilitate the integration of WID concern into the main stream of FAO Programmes.
This year we celebrated the Ninth World Food Day under theme of "Food and Environment", which to my delegation's view is not only an important theme, but also very appropriate and relevant to our current global economic situation and challenges. It called upon all of us to assume responsibility for maintaining the function of the environment while making all possible efforts to ensure world food sufficiency.
We feel that our responsibility for keeping the functions of the environment and genetic resources in connection of the bio-diversity is also encouraged by the fullest awareness that national resources and environment are important not only for the Indonesian community, but also for all human beings who inhabit this beautiful and lovely planet. I therefore wish to express the suport of my Government for the international undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources.
From the very beginning, the Indonesian nation has indeed been determined to preserve the natural resources and the environment in its efforts to reach food self-sufficiency. To this end, we have been trying hard to preserve continuously our national resources and environment, and also to intensify the regreening and reforestation of our damaged forests, particularly in the upstream areas.
We in Indonesia recognize that pests are one of the major limiting factors on improvement of agriculture production. Although the concept of integrated pest control has been implemented in Indonesia, we believe that as a last alternative pesticide is still needed in agriculture production. As an importing as well as exporting country of pesticides, we understand that the implementation of "Prior Informed Consent" on trading and use of pesticides will avoid adverse effects of the use of pesticides.
Therefore in this connection I wish to express my Government's support for the inclusion of the "Prior Informed Consent" clause into the "International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides".
We appreciate the world awareness for the conservation of tropical forests, but at the same time we are concerned because of the negative propaganda against the use of tropical timber products. The Government of Indonesia has in the past taken all necessary steps and is currently implementing programmes to conserve our nature and to develop our forest. We wish to once again underline that Indonesia is committed to the principles and framework of the Tropical Forestry Action Plan.
We would like to use the TFAP approach as the rational instrument for developing the forestry sector in Indonesia. Forests are a major part of our natural environment, they are also significant for the improvement of the welfare of our people, through the implementation of our Five-Year Development Plan.
We have the responsibility to undertake the development of our country which should be able to raise the welfare of the people, while on the other hand, if also carried out, the responsibility on the maintenance of Indonesia's forests as part of the world environment.
It is in this sustainable development pattern that we improve the social welfare of our people by harmless ways.
We develop our agriculture by maintaining the integrity of function of our forest, land and water. We improve the standard of living of the present generation without reducing the capability of our natural resources to also contribute to the improvement of the standard of living of the future generation.
In conclusion, I wish to convey my Government's appeal that there is an urgent need for an effective global cooperation, including the mobilization of additional financial resources in order to promote environmentally sound and sustainable development that would ensure continued economic growth and social progress without compromising the well-being of future generations.
Mrs Hoda EL MARASSI (Egypt) (original language Arabic): Distinguished Heads of Delegations, Your Excellency Dr Edouard Saouma, on behalf of the Delegation of the Arab Republic of Egypt, I would like to congratulate you and the other office bearers, on your election to steer the deliberations of this important Conference. We are confident that with your wisdom and high qualities this session of the Conference will reach resolutions conducive to the resolution of our aspirations. At the outset I promise to be brief and keep my remarks within the time allocated.
On behalf of my country I would like to express my special greetings to His Excellency Dr Edouard Saouma for his tireless efforts in the service of FAO to make a towering edifice in the UN family dedicated to the lofty objectives for which it was established and still pursues its mission.
Our Conference today is witness of events of historical significance in the annals of humanity. Summits draw nearer and Eastern Europe is out to embrace Western Europe in a bid to reach new horizons of democracy. This will have repercussions all over the world leading to a wave of global detente which we, in the Third World, receive with marked optimism and high hopes that it will reflect itself positively on our world. Our world, which lurks under heavy burdens of 500 million hungry inhabitants, our world that suffers the burden of debt deploys huge efforts to solve its problems resulting from the huge indebtedness and scarcity of resources, given the increasing - ever-increasing - population.
Given such winds of hope, we should launch an appeal to rich countries so as not to forget the problem of indebtedness in Africa and the Third World, and further pursue the steps already taken by friendly countries, such as France, Italy and West Germany, either to cancel part of these debts or to reduce their burden. At this juncture mention should be made of President Hosni Mubarak for his efforts in his capacity as Chairman of the Organization for African Unity.
Allow me to review briefly the agricultural policy of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the plans and efforts deployed for the modernization of the agriculture sector. As you are aware, agriculture in Egypt is the lifeline and essence of their existence since the dawn of history and given the instrumentality of the agriculture sector, a long-term plan was formulated covering the period from 1982 to 2002. This plan is based on the need to adapt the agricultural sector to modern technology, taking into consideration the need to overcome environmental and climatic conditions and to ease their control of this sector. Since the arable area is limited to 7 fedans producing food and clothing for a population of over 53 million people, increasing at the annual rate of 2.7 percent they will reach 75 million in the year 2000. This strategy of agriculture is based on two main parameters, namely, increasing the yield per unit, using all means of technology relating to intensive farming. The rate of intensive farming has reached 200 percent, namely the crop area reached 14 million fedans. Secondly, obtaining maximum returns for agricultural products of the water units used. This means the optimum use of water resources, including the use of advanced technology in the ways of irrigation and crop selection, genetic mixes and the parameters of agricultural development. Over the second
five-year plan (1987-1992) they are as follows: first, a realization of balanced growth between the agricultural sector and increasing demand resulting from the ever-increasing demand by the increasing population. Secondly, achievement of maximum self-sufficiency in strategic crops, and thirdly, channelling the generation of an export surplus that would reduce the increasing deficit in the current account balance with the other world, especially in agricultural export commodities.
Egypt has already completed two basic studies. One relates to main water resources and the other covers major land resources. Planning is under way for the reclamation of desert lands, based on these two studies. Over the past 35 years we have reclaimed 1 335 000 fedans and in the current five-year plan we are planning to reclaim 150 000 fedans annually. In addition, Egypt believes in the role of technical cooperation between developing countries and based on this the Egyptian International Agricultural Centre was established in 1965. It provides grants for the training of participants from African, Asian and Latin American countries in the field of agriculture. Also, it organizes regular training courses throughout the year in a number of agricultural areas, namely plant production and protection, livestock and animal health, and land and water rural development.
In addition to training programmes that are organized at the request of international organizations or governments within the framework of bilateral agreements, we are pleased that we have already trained about 10 000 participants in the form of training grants so far. The Centre welcomes the sons of sisterly countries in order to share with them our expertise and experience in the various fields of agriculture.
The agenda of this Conference includes a number of important and major issues. I would comment on them as follows; first, the Programme of Work and Budget. We feel comforted and confident, given the achievements of FAO during 1988-89 without being forced to resort to borrowing. This is due to the prudent and vigilant management. However, we would express our regrets for the budget cuts during this period to the amount of US$45 million adversely affecting the technical backstopping of field programmes and training programmes especially in the role of women in rural development. It also adversely affected the capability of the Regular Programme to respond in a timely and effective manner to the requests of member countries to get the assistance of the Organization, and it also made it difficult to continue the programming of the Regular Programme and to implement it in a regular coherent manner.
We have considered the Programme of Work and Budget for 1990-91 and feel satisfied with the priorities and programmes proposed by the Director-General. These represent balanced concentration, selected priorities in areas where the Organization enjoys comparative advantage and effectiveness. We are aware of the strenuous and persistent efforts deployed by the Director-General to reduce the increase in the budget level compared with the last year to the extent that the increase did not exceed 0.5 percent. In this respect we would like to endorse the Programme of Work and Budget for 1990-91.
Secondly, I refer to the conclusions of the review of the work of the Organization. As you are aware, the last general Conference had adopted a resolution that the Programme and Finance Committees would be assisted by two groups of experts to review the Organization's objectives, priorities and strategies in addition to the field operations. The experts have done
their work well and they have presented their important reports. It pleases us that the conclusions of the Review are satisfactory and in line with our appreciation of the Organization, that is to say it is strong and dynamic and that it makes efforts in the main three dimensions, namely, the collection and dissemination of information, as an international forum for the agreement of relevant issues, and the provision of technical assistance for member countries. No doubt the Review will result in important charges in the work of the Organization in the future. It concluded that there were some recommendations that would make the Organization more effective and more efficient.
On behalf of my delegation we welcome the conclusions of the Review and endorse the Report submitted together with the views of the Director-General. We are confident that he will implement all the recommendations if we have the necessary resources. As you know, the Organization now is going through very difficult financial circumstances that adversely affect the implementation of its Programme of Work. On this point, we would like to join the previous speakers in their appeal to countries who have not yet paid their contributions to the Organization to respond to the appeal and pay their contributions and arrears.
There is a vital topic to which I should like to refer, namely, the emergence of the American screwworm fly in North Africa. The Director-General has responded in a timely manner to this emergency situation. This has been aided by the excellent work undertaken by him in facing the upsurge of desert locusts. In this respect we endorse the Programme of Work for combatting this fly. We call upon donor countries to support the control of the screwworm fly which now threatens North Africa and tomorrow will threaten all of Africa and then Southern Europe.
Before I end my statement I should like to refer to item 22 on the Agenda of the Conference, namely the resumption of activities of the Near East offices in Cairo, in response to the desires expressed by countries of the region which have been transmitted to the Director-General. In this respect, last October the Arab Republic of Egypt had already signed an agreement with the Director-General of FAO in which it affirms its commitment to undertake all material arrangements and necessary repairs in order to make the premises suitable for the resumption of activities. On behalf of my country I express my thanks to the countries of the Near East Region which have expressed their appreciation for the resumption of activities in the Cairo office when the reasons for the transfer of these activities to the Headquarters in Rome no longer existed.
Agriculture will remain the lifeline of our existence and it will remain instrumental in our life. For thousands of years since man started his first steps toward civilization, agriculture has provided us with food, shelter, clothing, warmth and security and in our time we realize that agriculture plays a vital role in this area.
Based on this, we find FAO is an important data bank from which we can get the focal point for technical expertise. It is one of the opportunities for the developing countries to have a forum for the North and the South from which viewpoints emerge toward a bright future for humanity at large.
Murlidas Madun DULLOO (Mauritius): First of all, may I express the endorsement of my delegation of the main issues for discussion placed before us, and the various courses of action outlined by the Director-General in his statement. It is a well-balanced Agenda that takes into account current priorities as well as long-term objectives. The statement of the Director-General very appropriately brings into focus those areas on which we should concentrate in the course of our deliberations.
We also wish to congratulate you, Mr Chairman and your bureau, the Council, the Director-General and his staff, and the various Working Committees for the progress achieved so far. All these people deserve our full support in pressing on with action programmes on the basis of the policy guidelines.
We are meeting at a time when major events are happening around us that will no doubt reshape the political and economic environment as well as the physical and natural environment we live in. There are bound to be major changes in the relationships between East and West, North and South. The winds of democracy, freedom and concern for fundamental human rights is blowing over the whole world, bringing down walls that have stood in the way of peace, stability and harmony between men. Almost all the countries and various regions have now succumbed to the concept of a free market where the private sector plays an eminently predominant role. This gives rise to the need for structural adjustments and reforms on the one hand, and on the other, when the danger of nuclear conflagration is receding into the background with detente and disarmament agreements, there is the global threat to our environment compelling us to think in terms of our common future, the survival of our planet earth and of humanity at large. But we should be careful lest with that concern globally for our planet we forget man's daily needs - his food.
We should not forget that a hungry man is an angry man. All our efforts for peace unification, stability and progress will be nullified if our food and nutrition problems are not solved. We have seen that whole political and economic systems can be shaken up and destabilized as a result of food insecurity and the need for food. I refuse to believe a new world order is being put into place whereby military, political and economic domination is being replaced by food domination and food dependency. This is why at our last Conference I quoted the promoter of the famous Marshall Plan when he said: "Food is an important factor in our foreign policy" or, as others put it, food dependency can constitute a terrifying weapon.
It is at this juncture that the FAO is more than ever an ideal forum, especially for developing countries faced with such tremendous difficulties, in which to make our voices heard whilst far-reaching decisions of direct interest to us are being taken at world level - among others, through the impending Lomé IV Convention between ACP and EEC Countries, the European Single Market starting in 1992 and, closer to our Agenda, the on-going GATT Multilateral Trade Negotiations (Uruguay Round).
Trade is as important as aid to our developing economies. Discussions taking place in other fora may have profound implications not only on the activities of FAO but also on our national policies in respect of both production, which falls more appropriately within the competence of FAO, and trade in agricultural products which, if the Uruguay Round succeeds, will fall within GATT. Another aspect of trade in agricultural products which is of relevance to UNCTAD especially is the renewal or the negotiations of new international commodity agreements, and the recent coming into force of the Common Fund for commodities will also have some bearing on world trade in
agriculture. We do hope that these negotiations will be an opportunity of improving the general agricultural trade environment and improving the prospects of agricultural export earnings of developing countries, in particular, against protectionism and non-tariff barriers.
We also give a full mandate to the FAO to contribute in the preparation of an international development strategy for the 4th UN Development Decade. We expect this strategy to put appropriate emphasis on objectives of food production and agricultural development. In concrete terms, this development strategy should be based on the participation of small farmers, the improvement of quality of life in rural areas, the integration of women and the modernization of rural farming through technological changes.
We support fully the initiatives being taken by the FAO in the field of conservation and protection of the environment, especially in mobilizing international efforts for the protection of world plant genetic resources and in devising an International Code of Conduct on Distribution and Use of Pesticides based on the concept of prior informed consent. The FAO should "watch out" lest environment becomes one of the harsh conditions for funding institutions supporting structural adjustment. This may become an obstacle to food production and agricultural development.
The situation regarding food production in certain regions of the world is still far from satisfactory. For example, in Africa the situation has been deteriorating consistently over the last ten years. The present average per capita food production in these regions is lower than in 1979-80. Last year my country had the honour to host the FAO Regional Conference on Africa where the main constraints to African agriculture were examined and a number of recommendations were made. These recommendatiòns should now be followed up. It is true that many countries of Africa have encountered climatic set-backs such as prolonged periods of drought or destruction of crops by locusts, but I think there are also structural causes at the root of this situation.
The failure of agriculture and food production in these regions cannot be taken out of the context of the general economic crisis which continues to afflict most of the developing countries represented here. This crisis, in many cases, has paralysed all efforts at development and has caused a deterioration in many sectors including agriculture.
I will not go through all the factors that have contributed to the deterioration of the situation, such as the debt burden, the constant fall in commodity prices, world inflation, high interest rates and the consistent decrease in resource flow culminating in net negative outflow of capital from developing countries. These have already been dwelt on and you, Mr Chairman, appropriately summed up all these matters yesterday. I support the resumé you gave yesterday on the presentations made by various speakers on these matters.
At this point, we should be reminded that it is a matter of the utmost priority that the World Food Programme be able to raise adequate resources in order to maintain the level of its food aid programmes. It is a "must" that all those countries which can contribute should enable the pledging
target of US$1 500 millions fixed by the World Food Programme for 1991-92 to be fulfilled. But the magnitude of the problem is such that its solution would require no less than a substained programme of massive external aid and long-term structural action both at international and domestic levels.
Regarding domestic policy reforms that may prove necessary, developing countries are indeed capable of implementing structural adjustment programmes successfully, provided these are formulated imaginatively on terms which are socially, politically and humanly acceptable. Here, the FAO, by reason of its long field experience in developing countries, should work closely with such organizations as the IMF or the World Bank (or eventually with the EEC since the next Lomé Convention envisages providing structural adjustment assistance) in the formulation of such programmes.
I would add that both our domestic long-term planning and budgetary policies should refocus on food production, food self-sufficiency and agriculture as priority objectives. The uplifting of the small farmers and the integration of women through proper training can give a big boost to such policies. These domestic policies must be supplemented by external aid and urgent structural changes in the international economic and trade environment. These two factors have important roles to play. These are needed first of all to stop the present deterioration process and then to re-activate real growth within the economies of developing countries.
Regarding the flow of external aid, I think it is not empty idealism to speak of international solidarity. This solidarity has still a key role to play. The international community should perhaps be reminded of the commitment taken in the early seventies by developed nations to earmark 0.7 per cent of their GNP for development assistance. This commitment still holds good today, and many developed countries would still wish, and certainly can afford, to recommit themselves to this pledge.
The idea of North-South partnership in the process of development is a sound economic proposition for both sides. It can lead to an immediate improvement in the lives of millions of poverty-stricken populations. But it can also re-activiate economic growth in the developing world and expand trade for mutual benefits. Experience also shows that the achievement of food self-sufficiency in developing countries is not an unattainable goal. Many developing countries on the Asian continent continue to prove the green revolutions can be solid realities.
At the beginning of my statement I said that a better trade environment is vital to our developing economies. I wish, therefore, to say a few words about the on-going GATT multilateral trade negotiations. At the mid-term review of the GATT Uruguay Round multilateral trade negotiations held in Geneva in April of this year, it was agreed among other things to negotiate a framework for liberalizing trade in agriculture and bringing all measures affecting important access and export competition under strengthened GATT rules and disciplines. Such an agreement may perhaps in the long term be beneficial to the international community as a whole but in the short and medium terms, as is already being experienced, net food-importing countries will be adversely affected by an increase in world prices for food items. It is estimated that developing countries will have to pay an additional amount of US$11 billion if they are to maintain their already low level of imports of foodstuffs.
Perhaps I may here quote the case of my country. After a decade of stagnation and recession, Mauritius has known for the past few years some remarkable economic progress in relative terms, so much so that we have been described as "a cat becoming a tiger", "a small lion of the Indian Ocean" and recently by the newspaper Le Monde as “a little dragon". But if one enters this "little dragon", one sees that all is still fragile and vulnerable. Agriculture, mainly sugar, still represents 65% of the net export earnings of my country. We are a net importer of food, especially staple foods like rice, wheat, milk and meat.
As we know, prices of agricultural commodities, including sugar, on which many developing countries depend for their export earnings to finance imports of essential goods for investment purposes, have continued to decline. In fact, the present situation is clearly to the disadvantage of the developing countries which continue to remain vulnerable to external factors on which they do not have any control.
An agreed principle of the Punta Del Este Ministerial Declaration is to ensure mutual advantage and increased benefits to all participants. To achieve this objective the international community should adopt certain policies in favour of developing nations, especially net food-importing countries such as my own which are bound to be affected adversely by the reform and the liberalization process being envisaged.
In this respect perhaps consideration may be given to the following; (i) increased food aid over a long programmable period; (ii) enhancing the purchasing capacity through concessional sales, including the provision of adequate low-cost export credits and grants; (iii) the conclusion of new international commodity agreements with economic clauses which will ensure, in the medium term at least, a stable and remunerative level of earnings that developing countries derive from the export of their commodities. In this respect FAO may play an important role in conjunction with both GATT and UNCTAD.
To conclude, my delegation would wish to sum up its main views on the essential issues for our consideration:
Firstly, the least developed countries should be given immediate relief from their debt burden, both on a bilateral and multilateral basis, since debt distress is paralyzing all their efforts at development and food production.
Secondly, FAO should assist in obtaining better trade prospects for agricultural produce in the context of the GATT Multilateral Trade Negotiations (Uruguay Round) and special and differentiated treatment should be given to net food-importing countries.
Thirdly, the International Development Strategy for the UN 4th Decade of Development should place emphasis on food production and investment in the agricultural sector.
Fourthly, flow of aid from developed to developing countries should be stepped up in the light of the standing commitment taken by developed nations to devote 0.7 per cent of their GNP to development assistance.
As regards FAO's activities, my delegation supports the Director-General's plea that FAO should have adequate financial resources to play its role as an effective instrument of our policies. In particular, my delegation wishes to express its support for the following specific proposals: (a) the
Programme of Work and Budget for 1990-91; (b) the proposed Review of Certain Aspects of FAO's Goals and Operations; (c) FAO's budget resources, especially the share of it earmarked for technology transfer, particularly in biotechnology, should not be decreased. FAO's active cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the transfer of recent technologies (e.g. in isotopes and radiation), as demonstrated by the interesting ongoing exhibition, can assist in avoiding large-scale waste, post-harvest losses and other storage problems in a large number of developing countries; (d) maintenance of FAO's field operations at least at the present level; particularly the creation of a project identification and formulation service for inspection of field operations and technical staff training should continue at full strength; (e) policy coordination between FAO and other multinational agencies such as the World Bank, IMF and GATT. We must congratulate the Director-General for the initiative already taken in this direction; (f) as a follow-up of the Uruguay Round negotiations, the establishment of two small units within FAO, one to work in the Food Policy and Nutrition Division and the other in Plant Production and Protection Division, in order to assist GATT in streamlining health and plant regulations on trade in agricultural commodities - this is important especially with the coming of the single European market; (g) the holding of an International Conference on Nutrition to assist in the formulation of policies dealing with the larger problem of malnutrition. These are some of the policy guidelines on which my delegation would like to express its agreement.
I have listened with keen interest to previous speakers. We have all agreed on the various problems confronting us and the solutions to these problems. We are all with the same sincerity of purpose pledging ourselves to satisfy man's basic need, his food. Therefore, let us resolve to give ourselves and our Organization, the FAO, the means to attain this objective, thereby contributing to make the world a safer and better place in which to live.
Mrs Victoria SEKITOLEKO (Uganda): I am delighted and highly honoured to have this opportunity to address the Twenty-fifth Session of the FAO Conference. This Conference is important in many ways. The issues on the agenda and those to be raised by the delegates reflect areas of growing concern all over the world. Our coming together in this Conference also signifies a common concern and willingness of the international community to address problems affecting the agricultural sector. I hope that this spirit will be reflected in concrete actions on matters requiring urgent attention.
Many studies have been carried out in the past few years about the African food crisis; the problems have been identified and solutions are available. What is required now is not more consultancies, not additional studies and research but a concerned effort to implement the identified programmes that will reverse the current trend of declining food production. We should avoid acting on a piecemeal approach to the solution of African food problems as this will not ensure long-term solutions. What is happening today is action or reaction to crises and calamities. When a disaster occurs the conscience of the world is aroused to mobilize massive quantities of aid to alleviate the immediate suffering of the people, but without responding to the underlying problems.
It is sad to note that African countries are becoming more and more vulnerable as far as food security is concerned. It is estimated that food production in sub-Saharan Africa has been declining at the rate of 1.25 percent per annum. What is lacking in solving the problems of food shortages is the political will because all the data and information required on food production and availability is readily available. Food is a basic human right, and all of us who cherish respect for basic human rights must work together and ensure that food is provided to all mankind. Developed countries must take necessary measures to supplement the efforts of developing countries in fighting hunger and malnutrition.
Concentration on raising yields per unit area has been the mode as far as agriculture production is concerned. In some areas production increases have been achieved by opening up more land. But the situation in many countries is such that there is no more fresh land that can be brought into production. Efforts and resources should, therefore, be directed toward drastically reducing food losses after harvest. Post-harvest food losses are currently estimated in the range of 20-30 per cent. It is thus worthwhile to reduce these losses, particularly at the farm level. We strongly recommend that the policies and programmes should emphasize food security at the farm level as priority number one. It has been observed that food shortages within each country and region could be accommodated if the distribution of food is properly rationalized.
The current trend is to seek immediate assistance outside the country and region when in fact there is an adequate surplus in the region that could be tapped to look after those with shortages. In any case, such surpluses are often wasted due to lack of storage, processing and handling facilities.
A lot has been said about the environment. I support all that has been said by previous speakers. All I have to add is that, whereas in Uganda we are aware of all these problems, what we lack is the means with which to disseminate information to the public and the money to implement the suggested solutions.
I would now like to talk about women. The declaration of the Women's Decade in 1975 was a significant milestone in history. It ushered in an era of dramatic development in the analysis of gender issues. The roles of women in many spheres of life are beginning to get greater prominence whereas they had been taken for granted in most countries. Nevertheless, there is still a long way to go because attitudes, traditions, customs, norms, beliefs and age-old prejudices cannot all be changed in less than two decades. Consequently, women are still disadvantaged in many ways. Women produce more than half of the world's food and they are actually the backbone of the world's agriculture. Yet such essential services as extension advice and credit are given to men. Most of the landless, the unemployed, the poor and the undernourished are women. In many countries women's issues are not attended to or even raised during meetings. This is because women are marginalized in both decision-making and decision-taking. Sadly enough, this is happening in spite of the official rhetoric on promoting women's participation in decision-making and development.
Appropriate programmes should be designed to assist women in agriculture. FAO, therefore, deserves a pat on the back for its role in sensitizing the role of women in development. For our part in Uganda, when we realized that the problems facing women are many and complex, the government created a
fully-fledged Ministry of Women in Development. It deals exclusively with women's issues. Currently we have a number of women holding high offices of responsibilities in government. In the same vein, I hope FAO will have some women directors to concentrate on women's issues.
The worsening of the economic environment, especially the collapse of the prices of primary commodities such as coffee, mounting external indebtedness, disintegration of the infrastructure facilities, reduction in food production, and deterioration of social services such as health, education and housing, caused a number of African countries to undertake economic reforms. The most recent of such programmes are Africa's Priority Programme for Economic Recovery, 1986-1990, adopted by the OAU in 1985, and the UN Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development, 1986-1990. In addition, since 1980 (for Uganda 1982), a number of African countries have adopted stabilization and structural adjustment programmes with the support of the IMF and the World Bank. As the largest productive sector in many developing countries, agriculture has been the target of structural adjustment programmes supported by the IMF and World Bank to obtain balance of payment assistance and external finance support. The Fund and Bank structural adjustment programmes that entail expenditure cuts, devaluation, removal of food subsidies and price liberalization have the effect of raising the prices of imported agricultural inputs. Yet in most of these countries agricultural credit institutions are not yet in place.
The effect of increased consumer prices is felt immediately on the demand side, whereas the increased incentives to producers are not there. For salaried workers, the structural adjustment programmes will immediately reduce the real income brought about by a rise in the prices of food and other goods. As a result of the cuts in public expenditure, social services and public sector employment have been adversely affected. The living standards of the most vulnerable in society, namely the women, children and the elderly, have been seriously affected. Women with special nutritional needs like expectant mothers, nursing mothers who need food and special diet, are suffering more as decreasing their food intake and the quality of their diet has a negative effect, not only on their health but also on the children to be born or to other ones being nursed. It is a truism that the transitory period before the supply response for adjustment is established, i.e. the so-called "crossing of the desert period", is very, very tough, especially on the vulnerable groups. To cushion these effects on the structural adjustment programme, anti-poverty measures need to be extended beyond the usual two to three year programmes if structural adjustment programmes are to increase production so as to improve their countries' balance of payments and contribute to the economic growth in the long run. The elements of the programmes should include input subsidies aimed at creating a price incentive for production of export crops, easing restriction on credit ceilings to free funds for investment in agriculture, application of differential tax rates with the agricultural sector, and a cautious approach to interest rates so as to avoid fuelling inflation further. Excessive trade liberalization should be avoided in view of the protectionist practices of the industrialized countries against exports of developing countries. Privatization must be selective. Otherwise, wholesale privatization will lead to the take-over of public enterprises by the transnational corporations contrary to developing countries' determination to build an independent, integrated, self-sustaining economy. Structural adjustment should be approached not only with a human face as UNICEF says, but with a human heart. This is because when a country is constantly bedevilled with permanent currency devaluation, very high interest rates and the terrible credit squeeze, it produces an environment which is alien to
investment. What is unfortunate is that the infamous inflation which leads to the devaluation of their currency is only found among the small urban areas. Most of the repression going on in the rural areas where up to 98 percent of the people live is disregarded. Interestingly enough, economists say that when the poor are given money, for example, if the poor got fed up with poverty and went back to simple methods of growing food, enough for their families and the surplus for the market, the government would be advised not to buy these surplus food crops because this would create inflation. It is claimed that the poor do not save. To the international donors, the reasons for the lack of saving, for example, is the lack of banks, the scarcity of goods to be bought, etc., i.e. material. In the end this attitude keeps food production very low, resulting in the poor becoming poorer. Since excess food will not be bought, it is not prudent to borrow for consumption. It has become very difficult to borrow in order to produce more food.
From the FAO Director-General's statement yesterday, it is encouraging to note that FAO has established dialogue with IMF because in summary, the IMF policies have brought a great impact on the efforts of FAO, so they should be harmonized. I would be very happy to know if there is anybody from the African region who actively represents Africa during this dialogue with the IMF. This is because I happen to come from Africa, and sometimes when we are represented, these people come out with generalities which do not actually give the real issues. I have dwelled on this issue because it is my personal experience, and I believe that if this were so, Uganda - not only Uganda but Africa - would need maybe less help.
Promoting agricultural production in the Third World will require substantial assistance from governments and agencies, national and international development agencies. But I have this to say about that part of assistance. When negotiations are taking place, the negotiations prior to signing the full agreements should be done on the basis of equal partners. Technical assistance staff should only be engaged in fields where local expertise does not exist either in the country or in the region. All technical assistance personnel should be considered as employees of the Executing Agency and not those of FAO, Rome. The facilities accorded to the local counterpart officers should be fairly close to those giving technical assistance.
Lastly, I would welcome clear information telling me as Minister of Agriculture how much money I can expect per year from FAO so that I can tailor my budget accordingly.
Having said that, allow me just a few minutes to make a few comments on some major items of this Conference; that is the Programme of Work and Budget and the subject of the Review of Certain Aspects of FAO's Goals and Operations. Although this may not be the occasion for a detailed examination of the same, I would like to point out some areas and aspects that I would consider to be of particular importance. We find the proposed Programme of Work and Budget to be in line with the basic mandate of FAO, that is of promoting food production and food security. Whereas we are pleased with some of the selected priorities and welcome the continued efforts of the Director-General to select priorities and to shift resources to technical and economic programmes, we would have wished an increased allocation in the programmes concerning root and tuber crop production, increased resources in the development of fisheries, and, as suggested by most people from North Africa, increased resources in the care of animals. Regarding the level of
the budget, my delegation, as I told you in the beginning, comes from a poor country. We would definitely have welcomed a bigger budget if we were going to get it this year, but if only a small one is available, by all means we shall always support FAO.
The meeting rose at 13.20 hours.
La séance est levée à 13 h 20.
Se levanta la sesión a las 13.20 horas.
