Moulaye Mohamed HAIDARA (Mali): Monsieur le Président, Monsieur le Directeur général, Messieurs les ministres, honorables délégués, Mesdames, Messieurs:
J'éprouve un sentiment de profonde reconnaissance et d'espérance d'avoir l'insigne honneur et l'immense privilège de prendre la parole devant cette auguste assemblée.
Monsieur le Président, permettez-moi de saisir l'heureuse opportunité qui m'est ainsi offerte pour vous adresser, au nom du peuple de la République du Mali et de son Gouvernement, mes très vives félicitations pour votre brillante élection à la présidence de cette vingt-cinquième session.
Je voudrais, au nom de la délégation qui m'accompagne et en mon nom propre, vous assurer de notre soutien indéfectible dans l'accomplissement de votre noble et délicate mission.
Notre haute appréciation et nos vifs remerciements vont également au Directeur général de la FAO, Monsieur Edouard Saouma, pour le dévouement et la compétence avec lesquels il dirige avec sa dynamique équipe, les activités de notre Organisation malgré les difficultés actuelles.
Monsieur le Président, la crise économique qui secoue le monde est différemment ressentie par les Etats Membres de notre Organisation.
Les pays en voie de développement en général et ceux d'Afrique en particulier subissent de plein fouet les effets de cette crise. Cette situation entrave la bonne exécution du programme prioritaire pour le redressement économique et le développement 1986-1990 décidé par le continent africain. C'est certainement dans notre continent que le nombre de personnes vivant au-dessous du seuil de pauvreté ne fait qu'augmenter.
A l'évidence, cette situation a été aggravée par les calamités naturelles, la récession économique internationale, la détérioration des termes de l'échange, la montée du protectionnisme dans les pays développés, la baisse des prix des matières premières et l'endettement des pays africains, le déséquilibre entre la production alimentaire et l'accroissement démographique, engendrant ainsi des conséquences socio-économiques particulièrement graves.
Monsieur le Président, le Mali fait partie des pays lesplus défavorisés de l'Afrique. Pays sahélien de surcroît, vaste et enclavé,son économie est dominée par l'agriculture, l'élevage et la pêche. Après 15 années de dure sécheresse, le Mali vit une période de répit.
L'hivernage 1989 promet une production céréalière satisfaisante malgré le très lourd tribut que nous avons payé aux nombreux déprédateurs de nos récoltes que sont les criquets, les sauteriaux, les rats, les chenilles, etc ...
Je voudrais saisir cette occasion pour remercier à nouveau la FAO et tous les partenaires du développement du Mali pour l'élan de solidarité que nous enregistrons chaque année en faveur de notre programme de lutte contre les déprédateurs.
Monsieur le Président, la recherche de l’autosuffisance par la lutte contre la désertification, la maîtrise de l'eau, le désenclavement constitue l'axe fondamental du développement économique et social du Mali. C'est dans ce cadre que nous poursuivons la mise en oeuvre de notre stratégie alimentaire soutenue entre autres par:
- un programme national de vulgarisation agricole intégrée,
- un plan semencier national,
- la restructuration du marché céréalier en vue d'assurer aux producteurs des prix incitateurs,
- la maîtrise des eaux pour la sécurisation, la diversification et l'intensification des systèmes de production,
- la mise en oeuvre d'un plan national de lutte contre la désertification,
- la transformation structurelle et organisationnelle du monde rural afin qu'il soit le moteur de son propre développement.
C'est ainsi que nous avons partout créé des associations villageoises "Ton villageois" dont les actions de promotion socio-économique sont soutenues par une Banque nationale de développement agricole (BNDA), un Fonds national d'autosuffisance alimentaire (FAA) et la Chambre d'agriculture.
Des résultats encourageants ont été enregistrés, lesquels militent en faveur de la poursuite de cette orientation pour un développement durable.
Par ailleurs, les opérations de développement rural (ODR), qui sont des structures d'intervention de l'Etat, sont en cours de restructuration afin qu'elles puissent jouer de plus en plus un rôle d'organismes conseils du monde rural.
Dans le secteur de l'élevage, nous pansons les plaies de la sécheresse. Le Gouvernement du Mali, après une analyse approfondie de la situation de l'élevage et la détermination des différentes contraintes d'ordre écologique, pastoral, nutritionnel, sanitaire, zootechnique et socio-économique a adopté une stratégie basée sur:
- la préservation de l'équilibre écologique par l'élaboration et l'adoption d'un schéma directeur d'aménagement du territoire,
- la maîtrise des eaux de surface et des eaux souterraines dans le souci d'une exploitation rationnelle des pâturages,
- l'accroissement de la production et de la productivité du cheptel par l'intégration élevage-agriculture,
- l'augmentation et la sécurisation des revenus des éleveurs,
- la satisfaction des besoins nationaux en produits animaux.
C'est ainsi que pour stimuler la production laitière, il a été créé un fonds laitier, des ceintures de pâturages autour des grands centres urbains et des parcs villageois dans les zones de production rurales.
Un accent particulier est mis sur l'amélioration de la production fourragère et d'aliments de bétail et la lutte contre les épizooties parmi lesquelles la peste bovine.
A cet égard, je tiens à exprimer les remerciements de mon gouvernement à la FAO pour son appui au démarrage effectif et au bon déroulement de la campagne panafricaine de lutte contre la peste bovine.
Enfin, dans le domaine de la forêt, de la faune et de la pêche, l'action du Mali reste focalisée sur la lutte contre la désertification. En effet, la désertification est le phénomène environnemental le plus critiqué de notre pays. La lutte contre ce fléau conditionne le développement économique de notre pays.
Le plan national de lutte contre la désertification et l'avancée du désert a été traduit en huit programmes principaux, à savoir:
1. Elaboration et mise en oeuvre d'un schéma d'aménagement du territoire
2. Coordination et suivi du Programme national de lutte contre la désertification (PNLCD)
3. Programme Barrière verte
4. Formation, information et sensibilisation des populations
5. Recherche sur la désertification
6. Recentrage des actions en cours
7. Economie des combustibles ligneux
8. Mesures législatives et réglementaires d'accompagnement.
Le Mali, qui a souscrit au Plan d'action forestier tropical dès son adoption, est engagé avec ses partenaires dans l'élaboration de son PAFT qui devra s'intégrer entièrement dans le Plan national de lutte contre la désertification avec le triple rôle de:
- faire le point de tous les acquis forestiers déjà obtenus au Mali,
- coordonner et suivre l'action des divers intervenants en matière forestière,
- approfondir l'étude de quelques secteurs prioritaires comme le code forestier, la place de l'arbre dans le monde rural, la participation des populations aux activités forestières, etc.
Le secteur de la pêche, lui aussi, connaît un regain d'intérêt à la suite de l'amélioration de la pluviométrie. Des actions pertinentes sont entreprises en aménagement des pêcheries, amélioration de l'équipement des pêcheurs, contrôle des pertes après capture. Une vaste étude est entreprise dans le delta intérieur du fleuve Niger sur le stock et la dynamique des populations de poissons aux fins d'une organisation rationnelle des captures.
Enfin la pisciculture rurale gagne très rapidement toutes les zones hydroagricoles du pays en complément à la production agricole.
Quant à l'apiculture moderne, elle s'est rapidement développée depuis l'intervention de la FAO (1983) et du PNUD (1985). Plusieurs apiculteurs traditionnels sont regroupés en associations villageoises de producteurs, alors qu'apparaissent en ville les premières mielleries modernes.
La faune, malgré une légère amélioration, reste fortement braconnée et des actions plus vigoureuses de restauration sont encore nécessaires.
Monsieur le Président, l'intégration de la femme et des jeunes dans le développement rural est une préoccupation permanente de notre gouvernement. Le plan d'action de la FAO pour l'intégration des femmes dans le développement ne fait que rendre justice à une des couches les plus actives de la population rurale. Au Mali, la désertification, l'érosion des sols et la deforestation sont si importantes que le concept du développement durable est non seulement une nécessité absolue, mais, et surtout, une obligation pour toute notre nation. C'est pourquoi, j'ai dit plus haut que la lutte contre la désertification conditionne notre développement économique et social. Cependant, les impératifs d'un ajustement structurel rendu indispensable et le service de la dette compromettent gravement nos efforts dans ce sens.
S'agissant de l'examen de certains aspects des buts et objectifs de la FAO, nous nous réjouissons de la confirmation selon laquelle les objectifs poursuivis par l'Organisation sont conformes à son acte constitutif et que la FAO continue d'être une Organisation solide et dynamique. Nous souscrivons de façon générale aux conclusions et recommandations du Conseil et nous estimons que les ressources nécessaires à leur mise en oeuvre devront faire l'objet d'un financement supplémentaire.
Enfin, Monsieur le Président, je déplore la situation financière dramatique dans laquelle se trouve notre Organisation.
Elle félicite le Directeur général pour la bonne qualité de sa gestion.
Elle approuve le Programme de travail 1990-91 ainsi que les priorités énoncées dans les documents de travail.
Nous approuvons également le niveau du budget proposé tout en regrettant, comme nombre de pays en développement, la réduction de la part du Programme de coopération technique.
Voilà, Monsieur le Président, les quelques points saillants que ma délégation a cru devoir livrer à cette auguste Conférence.
Je souhaite que nos réflexions et échanges d'idées puissent conforter notre Organisation, la FAO, dans ses efforts en faveur de l'amélioration du sort des millions de personnes qui souffrent encore de la faim et de la malnutrition .
R. OLEMBO (United Nations Environment Programme): It is my privilege and great pleasure to address the Twenty-fifth Session of the FAO General Conference on behalf of Dr Tolba, the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, and to convey to you all his best wishes for a successful meeting. I would like to assure you that Dr Tolba very much regrets being unable to participate in this Conference personally. Therefore, it is on his behalf that I renew his pledge to this meeting and to his colleague and friend Dr Saouma for continued cooperation between FAO and UNEP in the numerous areas of mutual interest. A cooperation which has grown stronger and stronger since the UN family and the international
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community gathered during the UN Conference on Human Environment in Stockholm in 1972. During that Conference a general framework for environmental action was set out, focusing on problems which were perceived as threats to the future of our planet.
The mandate of UNEP was specified to coordinate the environmental activities of the organizations and bodies of the United Nations system, act as a catalyst for their efforts, keep the world environmental situation under review and ensure that the emerging environmental problems of international significance are considered by Governments. The broad goal of UNEP is to ensure that the environmental dimensions and natural resources are managed prudently and utilized in environmentally sound, socially acceptable, and economically viable ways.
This is of great importance since most developing countries and large parts of many developed countries have natural resource-based economies. Their economic capital consists mainly of their stocks of environmental resources: their climate, soils, forests, agriculture, fisheries and water. Their long-term economic development depends on maintaining, if not increasing, these stocks and on enhancing their ability to support agriculture, forestry, fishery, mining, tourism and environment for local benefits and export.
Environmental phenomena are interrelated and the implications of this interrelatedness have to be taken fully into account in the formulation of policies for agriculture, industry, energy and in the management of soil, air and living resources. For example, poor agricultural policies may easily result in land, water and biological diversity degradation; energy policies are linked with acid precipitation, with the global greenhouse effect and with the over-utilization of forests for fuel. Socio-economic and political policies could also have adverse impacts on the environment and hence the need to move toward sustainable development - a concept of development that has recently been brought to the surface with great force by "Our Common Future" and the "Environmental Perspective to the Year 2000 and Beyond".
As the UN family and the international community are preparing to celebrate 20 years after Stockholm in 1992, the mechanisms set in motion by the establishment of UNEP are now focusing attention on how to operationalize and generate universal support for the principles of sustainable development. For environmentally sound and sustainable development to take off, the international community needs to focus efforts at the global, regional, and national levels to resolve long-standing problems which underlie environmental degradation. These include - among others - the sustainable conservation of biological diversity within a broad socio-economic context, prevention of land degradation by combating deforestation and desertification and by improving agricultural techniques, environmentally sound management of biotechnology, protection of oceans and coastal areas and protection of the quality of freshwater resources, protection of the atmosphere by combating climate change and global warming and depletion of the ozone layer, environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes and toxic chemicals and the improvement of environmental health. This all requires cooperation within and across national boundaries taking a pragmatic approach adapted to specific national requirements. The basic underpinning of sustainable development is to bring about full consideration of the environmental dimension in the formulation and implementation of development policies and programmes.
FAO and UNEP have continued to work closely with each other in order to lay the foundations to achieve such sustainable development. In the course of your own review of how FAO could become an even more effective instrument of international development (reflected in document C 89/21-Sup.1) your Director-General sent to UNEP a high-powered policy review group and I am informed that its recommendations to him include strategies and modalities to strengthen the FAO/UNEP collaboration in the coming and perhaps crucial decade for international environmental action.
There was great hope a few years ago that new agricultural techniques, primarily the development of high-yielding crop varieties, would solve the problems of developing countries by increasing the per unit productivity of available land. Unfortunately, this has required the use of purchased inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and machinery. Compounded by the lack of necessary infrastructure - the increasing cost of the inputs, the heavy debt burden and poor foreign exchange status of the importing countries, the low purchasing power among the small and marginal farmers, the possible pollution of soil and inland and marine waters due to losses of applied chemicals and the vulnerability of the high-yielding crop varieties to pest and disease agents, major constraints exist in exploiting the full potential of the new crop varieties in developing countries already starved for capital and who face increasing population growth - their food situation remains precarious.
UNEP, FAO and other relevant organizations of the UN system have tried to resolve these problems and find a number of solutions. However, more needs to be done toward sustainable agriculture. With reference to sustainable agriculture, I would also like to note that UNEP fully supports FAO's current efforts on the formulation of a soil conservation strategy for Africa. Through the programme of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) and in consultation with FAO, UNEP is contributing toward that end by formulating training needs and by organizing training courses on soil conservation for Africa. UNEP appreciates the support FAO is giving to UNEP's efforts on advisory services to developing countries on the formulation of national soils policies.
However, a more systematic approach toward sustainable agricultural practices is required. The report of the World Commission on Environment and Development noted, inter alia, that current development policies tend not to promote sustainable agriculture, and that in both developed and developing countries, there is ample evidence of ecological unsustainability of agricultural systems. This concern is also reflected in the Environmental Perspective to the Year 2000 and Beyond and adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 42/186 of 11 December 1987 by which the General Assembly noted that insufficient attention to the environmental impact of agricultural policies and practices has been causing environmental damage, such as: soil degradation, deforestation and desertification; loss of land productivity, soil and water pollution and hazards to human health caused by excessive use of agricultural chemicals; salinization due to inappropriate irrigation; genetic erosion and increased vulnerability of crops to diseases and pests due in part to the use of high-yielding varieties. The Fifteenth Governing Council of UNEP expressing its desire to contribute to the achievement of food security without resource depletion or environmental degradation through the internalization of environmental considerations in sectoral policies and programmes, as a response to a General Assembly resolution, adopted resolution 15/24. It asked that a joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and United Nations Environment Programme meeting on sustainable agriculture be convened within
the framework of the preparations for the proposed 1992 United Nations Conference. In the light of discussions elsewhere delegates will already have a copy of the decision 15/24. The decision asked for four matters. First, the reviewing of the mechanism for integrating agricultural production and environmental policies worldwide. Secondly, it should elaborate a world strategy for sustainable agriculture to guide agricultural policies at national and international levels in order to ensure that such policies encourage farmers to adopt practices that are ecologically sustainable and that lead, inter alia, to improving the quality of life of rural people. Thirdly, to formulate recommendations for practical action that might be taken by the United Nations Environment Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and other international organizations concerned within the context of their ongoing activities to promote sustainable agriculture.
As requested our Executive Director has already forwarded the decision to the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and a preliminary joint meeting at the technical level has already been held to work out modalities for its effective implementation. I note with some pleasure that you are returning to this matter, and I will report to my Executive Director that this Conference is concerned with these matters and they will need some resolution.
Finally, I should like to mention an important issue, namely, the issue of climate change and global warming. Today, we expect that many countries will be affected by the consequences of global warming. The evidence has already begun. For this reason, our Organization and WMO have established an International Panel on Climate Change on global warming. It is my hope that in the work of this Organization when dealing with sustainable development and possible climate change, the impact of the problem will be taken fully into account and an additional element by which we can ensure that nations that require development have sustained economies. This can be done by taking into account the evidence that is available.
On behalf of my organization, I thank you for giving us the opportunity to speak and give you my warmest felicitations.
Nemer HAMMAD (Observer for Palestine Liberation Organization) (original language Arabic): Mr Chairman, Mr Director-General, Excellencies, Heads of Delegations, on behalf of the delegation of the State of Palestine and on behalf of each delegation participating in this important Conference, it gives me pleasure to associate myself with the preceding speakers in congratulating you, as well as the members of the bureau, on your election to the chairmanship of our Conference and your active steering of the deliberation.
On behalf of the delegation of Palestine, I should like to say that the agriculture sector plays an important and strategic role in the economies of developing countries, namely, in providing food security, contributing to the national economy, providing labour opportunities and providing migration from rural to urban areas. This leads the developing countries of the world to accord priority to the agriculture sector for development plans. Nevertheless, the efforts expended by the developing countries in this field did not achieve the desired results whether it be in food security, the increase of national exports or the improvement of their balance of payments.
Millions of people are still victimized by hunger and malnutrition. There is a more than US$5 billion deficit in the trade and agricultural balance of payments of the developing countries, apart from billions of dollars in accumulated debts that have led to more stringency within states toward expenditure on agricultural development and food subsidies for the poor.
We are of the view that the absence of concrete progress in agricultural development in the developing countries has to be attributed to the imbalance in the structure of the global economy, the inability to reach agreement in the North-South dialogue, the proliferation of protectionist policies, fluctuations in exchange rates as well as the acute crisis which the industrial states encounter in trying to export to the developing countries, to which is added the volume of debts which put in a strait-jacket the aspirations of the Third World, their development plans and programmes. We believe that the serious action to repair the imbalance in the global economy, and the establishment of the new international economic order that goes side by side with sophisticated technology, detente and cooperation, should be coupled with the laying of the foundations of a just peace in order to create the essential climate for economic development and to provide the required resources.
Therefore, it is axiomatic that foreign domination should be eliminated as a sine qua non for this development. Could we achieve socio-economic development for the peoples who are under the yoke of racial occupation as are our brothers in Southern Africa, and the people who are under the Israeli occupation of Palestine unless the right of these peoples to self-determination and independence is acknowledged? The Israeli occupation authorities have followed unprecedented policies and stifled all forms of freedoms, in addition to imprisonment, detention and harassment by practising all forms of ethnic and religious discrimination against the Palestinian people under occupation. They have followed unprecedented actions relating to the confiscation of land, people's settlements and reservoirs. The cumulative effect of such arbitrary measures has created a perilous situation for the Palestinian people and led to the popular intifada against oppression, calling for freedom to pursue a self-reliant policy of building the domestic economy.
The Zionist occupation authorities have confiscated more than 50 percent of the total lands of the occupied lands since 1967, and have earmarked it for colonialist settlement. Those authorities have dominated the water resources in the occupied lands, including the surface wells, and limited their use. They banned new ones which would meet the requirements of Arab agriculture. At the same time, they are digging new wells in their settlements in a way which will produce a grave imbalance in underground waters and increase the salinity of the Arab wells, especially in the Gaza Strip.
In the area of rural institutions necessary for agricultural development which were there before the occupation such as those working in credit, extension and research, cooperation and marketing, the occupation authorities either closed down or marginalized the services and activities they extend to farmers. As regards the infrastructure in the Palestinian countryside such as water, electricity, rural roads, utilities, housing services, health and educational services, not more than 50 percent of these services are available in Palestinian villages.
We have to consider the brutal Israeli practice in their campaign of collecting taxes from citizens, represented by the besieging of Bit Sahaur. They also confiscated property and the houses of citizens. States collect taxes, the money to be spent on public services and so on, but in the case of Israel, the occupation authorities collect taxes to build jails and to finance their occupation and oppression of the people.
We would mention here that since the Palestinian intifada, the occupation authorities have escalated measures to punish the inhabitants for their rejection of injustice and oppression, for their wish to rise to freedom and to independence, by military and economic blockade, by burning crops and limiting agricultural facilities.
The Israeli policies and practices over 22 years of occupation have had grave repercussions on the performance of the Palestinian agricultural sector. The share of agriculture in GNP declined from 37 percent to 18 percent. The number of agricultural workers decreased to a mere half and the rate for the work force has decreased from 40 percent to 24 percent. These agricultural workers did not go to the industrial sector, as is known, because the latter did not develop. They were forced to move in conformity with Israeli plans either to migrate abroad or to work in the Israeli economic sectors, with unfair working conditions and poor payment. The deterioration of the agricultural sector is manifest in its inability to meet the basic food requirements of the population. It was self-reliant and self-sufficient before the occupation. It has led to an increase in imports, especially from Israel. The markets in the occupied lands have become the second biggest market for Israeli goods in the world after the United States of America.
The weak performance of the rural areas and the poor living conditions is indicative of one of the biggest problems faced by the occupied Palestinian lands, because development in the long term will not be achieved. We are of the view that the solving of these difficult and intricate problems will not materialize unless the occupation is ended. The Palestinian people should be enabled to practise their legitimate rights of repatriation, self-determination, and the right to establish their own independent state. During this transitional period the Palestinian people require assistance to alleviate their suffering, to explore the best way of finding solutions in order to alleviate suffering, and to rectify the situation in the agricultural sector. Other socio-economic sectors in general should take into account the prevailing circumstances resulting from the Israeli occupation and its practices. Facing the practices and policies of the Israeli occupation requires a concerted international effort to join the Palestinian peace initiative launched on 15 November 1988 in Algiers. This was supported by the struggle of our people within and without the occupied territories under the leadership of the PLO, the sole and legitimate representative of the people.
For the international community to achieve peace, it has to reveal the Israeli practices which hamper the socio-economic progress of the Palestinian people, and their right to self-determination.
Allow me to register from this rostrum our deep appreciation of the increased awareness within the United Nations system of the plight of the Palestinian people who are suffering under the yoke of occupation. We also register our deep appreciation of the sincere efforts deployed on behalf of our people. In particular, I would like to thank UNDP, UNCDAT, UNIDO, WHO, ILO, Unesco, UNRWA, and others, and express our thanks and gratitude to the
EEC for their important decision in giving priority to Palestinian products and the recognition of the Palestinian certificate of origin. We also thank them for their financial support through the setting up of productive projects. I would also like to extend our thanks to every State and every humanitarian organization which gave support to our people in the social and production domains. FAO, which has a brilliant record in solving the problems of food, hunger, desertification and agricultural growth in the Third World countries, in cooperation with the PLO, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, has played fully and effectively its part in carrying out studies, tabling proposals and giving their full support to the vital agricultural projects needed by our people. This will be very beneficial in meeting the currently exceptional circumstances of our people and for the improvement of the infrastructure and of our living standards.
The glorious Palestinian Intifada is accelerating its efforts to achieve its goal of liberating our people from oppression and establishing our independent status. The tally of human and material losses will continue until we have reached these goals of freedom, independence and a just peace in our land. Through this, we have full trust in all of you, and we thank you.
Idris NOUR (Observer for Organization of African Unity): It is for me a great honour and pleasure on behalf of the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity, His Excellency Dr Salim Ahmed Salim, to address this meeting at a time when you are about to discuss problems of special interest to Africa. He asked me to convey to you his special thanks for the focus that will be given to some of Africa's problems, as well as his interest that the conclusions that will be drawn at the end of your deliberations will further enhance international cooperation for the accelerated fight against hunger in the world.
First of all, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the FAO Director-General for his kind invitation to the OAU to participate in this Conference, an opportunity which I am taking to make our modest contribution on the issues before us. My thanks also go to the Italian Government and people for the warm welcome they have accorded my delegation.
Secondly, I am particularly gratified to recognize the presence of the delegations of the African Liberation Movements, and that of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, to this Conference. Their presence is significant for the struggling peoples of Africa and Palestine as a whole, but also to the liberation movements themselves. The struggle against colonial domination, exploitation and apartheid is fast approaching the finishing line.
The OAU commends those countries, peoples, associations, bodies and organizations which continued their support for Africa in combatting epidemic diseases, drought, famine and other disasters that have been hitting our continent very hard. We do hope that future avenues will be found to help in the implementation of the economic recovery programme of Africa.
This is the last FAO General Conference to be held in the decade of the 1980s, a decade that could be considered as one of catastrophes, of poor performance in African economy, and one that did not guarantee the minimum well-being of the fast-growing population in Africa.
Agriculture, food, nutrition and health are indeed some of the topics that particularly interest us for they are integrated and are probably the prime prerequisites in the search for development for ourselves and our children. One is, however, compelled to acknowledge that in our present Africa, where social wealth is still measured in terms of the number of children of a family or a community, over 4 million African children each year suffer from preventable diseases such as diarrhoea, measles, tuberculosis and others. Children and women make the backbone of our development programmes. Each year other millions of children are victims of the world economic crisis, their continent's external indebtedness, the terms of exchange imbalance, the fall in price of African raw materials, the high price of manufactured goods, currency fluctuations, the attendant famine and malnutrition on the one hand and, particularly on the other from neglect and politico-economic errors that adversely affected the structure of the rural world resulting in the fall in food production. All this happened so swiftly that in many African countries the rural world became completely marginalized and did not receive the necessary protection and resources it needed. That was followed by rural migration, the frightening spectre of the abandoned villages, the fields lying idle and without cultivation. The results of this situation are undesirable.
Food and agriculture in Africa have been subjects of pronounced instability of supplies, demand and prices. Grain imports for human consumption in 1986 stood at 20.4 million tons or US$5 billion. At the same time, food aid accounted for as much as 15 million tons. Payment for the additional food requirements, which involves a foreign exchange burden, is beyond the means of many countries.
Per capita food production has fallen by 5 percent in the 1980s; cash crop production has also fallen. At the same time there has been no compensating rise in non-agricultural output to finance food imports.
The causes of the food and agriculture crisis have been identified as internal, external, natural, man-made, economic, political and institutional. While many studies have been carried out on the crisis, action to resolve it has been rather minimal. After all, when we talk of the African crisis, we are actually talking about a combination of crises that have been interacting and include food crisis, debt crisis, poverty crisis and the environmental crisis. It is by looking at all these problems together that we can centralize our crisis and accordingly be in a position to treat it.
It is worth repeating that African Governments have expressed their intention to take measures for the economic development of their continent. This is expressed in the Lagos Plan of Action and Africa's Priority Programme for Economic Recovery. Nevertheless, Africa does not lack resources.
Although initiatives on increasing agricultural production were undertaken by FAO, practicability of programmes and areas of priority remain some of the challenges facing the FAO.
You will also understand that a meeting of Ministers of Agriculture cannot afford not to examine current environmental problems at the time when these issues have become topical and preoccupy the attention of the entire international community. It does not pay to increase the productivity of the land on one hand and to allow desertification to expand on the other. Resolutions on environmental problems such as dumping of toxic wastes require your cooperation to ensure their full and comprehensive imp1ementation.
The General Secretariat of the Organization of African Unity has a number of projects that deal with some aspects of food and agriculture. One of its projects is the identification and assessment of underexploited food plants for increasing household food security. The other projects include development of aquaculture at household level and a workshop on what went wrong with African agriculture.
On behalf of the OAU I would like to offer FAO and other interested organizations an open invitation to join us in the implementation of these projects. The main objectives of the projects are to increase food supply, eradicate hunger and malnutrition, and ensure household food security.
Hunger in the world has become the order of the day. It is estimated that there are 800 million people who are under the threat of hunger. Hunger has many causes including natural, man-made, economic, social and political. The hunger problem does not coincide with the amount of food available. There is in fact a 10 percent excess of food available in the world, given the nutritional requirements of the entire population. It is, therefore, a question of food distribution and imbalances created by international trade and not of shortages. Considerable human effort, technology, financial resources and, above all, political will are required to eliminate hunger in the world and to sustain human dignity. Without changes of policies and commitment by all concerned hunger will not be reduced. Access to adequate food should be proclaimed by the international community as a basic human right.
The challenge we face today calls first and foremost for the mobilization of our peoples who have not been involved in the making of decisions concerning their destiny for a long time, and we now know the results of such an approach.
We are in a race at the end of which we are sure to score marks and bring joy to the suffering masses of our peoples. I wish your deliberations full success.
A.T.M. Shamsul HAQUE (Observer for the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific): It is my privilege to convey to you the greetings and good wishes of the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific, commonly known as CIRDAP, for the success of this Conference. I am thankful to the Director-General of FAO, Mr Edouard Saouma, for inviting me to attend this Conference as observer. My thanks are due to the distinguished delegates of Bangladesh, Viet Nam and other countries for their references in their statements to this Conference to the role of CIRDAP in rural development in the Asia-Pacific region.
CIRDAP was set up in July 1979 as a regional, intergovernmental and autonomous organization by the Asia-Pacific countries at the initiative of FAO and with support from the concerned UN agencies and donors. Its headquarters are in Dhaka, Bangladesh. At present there are 11 member countries of CIRDAP - five from south Asia, namely Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and six from south-east Asia, namely Indonesia, Laos P.D.R., Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam.
A number of other countries of the Asia-Pacific region, such as the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Cambodia, and Pacific island nations, such as Papua New Guinea, Western Samoa and Tonga, although not yet members of CIRDAP, participate in the activities of the Centre.
CIRDAP is mandated to assist national action, promote regional cooperation and act as a servicing institution for its member countries with respect to Integrated Rural Development (IRD). The principal objective of CIRDAP is to help alleviate rural poverty through people's participation in the development process. Through research, action research, training and information dissemination, CIRDAP tries to achieve its objectives. The Centre functions through a network of link institutions in its member countries with the aim, in particular, of improving the production, income and living conditions of small-scale farmers and other needy rural groups. CIRDAP, whose creation coincided with the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development, promotes exchange of experience and know-how in agrarian reform and rural development among the member countries in line with the Programme of Action developed by WCARRD.
The programme of work of the Centre is based on four areas of concern determined by the CIRDAP Governing Council at the level of the ministers in charge of contact ministries in the member countries. These are: agrarian development, institutional and infrastructural development, resource, including human resource development, and employment.
The research projects of CIRDAP deal with key issues of rural development in general, and of integrated rural development in particular. Some of the research studies carried out in recent years cover areas such as rural women in development, small-scale farming, non-farm employment, cooperatives, decentralization, agrarian reform, landlessness, impact of technology on the rural poor and integrated farming systems.
More and more emphasis is now being given on action-oriented programmes. CIRDAP action research projects are intended to combine theory with practice in the formulation of innovative experimental projects in rural development for improvement of the conditions of the poor and disadvantaged groups. These projects relate to rural women in fishing communities, community participation in IRD through community information and planning system (CIPS), integrated national action for rural children, social forestry in IRD, and basic needs and ecology.
CIRDAP organizes regional, subregional and in-country training programmes, seminars and workshops on different aspects of rural development, mainly in collaboration with the national IRD centres. Beginning from 1986, CIRDAP has been offering regular training courses on Training Methodology, Preparation and Analysis of Rural Development Projects, Monitoring and Evaluation Methods and Techniques in Rural Development.
The documentation and information activities of CIRDAP are geared to developing and maintaining a base of documentation and information on IRD activities to facilitate improved planning and management of IRD projects. CIRDAP has recently initiated video documentation of success stories on rural development. The Centre completed a project on "State of the Art Report on IRD" in 1987, which has been updated this year as a part of the tenth anniversary programme of CIRDAP.
FAO and the Government of Japan have been supporting CIRDAP from its inception. The Centre is having collaborative programmes, amongst others, with the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Economic Development Institute (EDI) of the World Bank, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Government of the Netherlands.
The next meeting of the CIRDAP Governing Council due to be held in Hanoi, Viet Nam on 7-8 December 1989, is going to be attended by a number of Ministers from the member countries.
In conclusion, let me draw your attention to the message sent by Mr Edouard Saouma on the occasion of the CIRDAP 10th Anniversary in July this year. The Director-General stated: "I am confident that with the assistance of CIRDAP, and through the sharing of experiences and the distilling of lessons learnt from past successes and failures, countries in the region will be much closer to realizing their national objectives".
Mr Saouma reiterated FAO's commitment to work with CIRDAP as to assist member countries in their efforts to ameliorate rural conditions and improve the lives of the rural people.
I sincerely hope that with increasing support of the CIRDAP member countries, FAO, and donor countries and agencies, CIRDAP would be able to further intensify its efforts to help alleviate rural poverty and thereby improve the quality of life of the teeming millions in the countries of the Asia-Pacific Region.
Mrs Maria Teresa GUICCIARDI (Observer for International Confederation of Free Trade Unions) (International Federation of Plantation, Agricultural and Allied Workers): The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and its associate, the International Federation of Plantation, Agricultural and Allied Workers (IFPAAW), - representing 88 and 6 million members respectively worldwide - have a long history of involvement and building up policies and activities aimed at increasing security of food supply and promoting agricultural development. Most recently, at the end of October, we organized a major conference on the African Development Challenge in Nairobi, which was preceded by a seminar on Trade Union Responses to the African Economic Crisis. We are happy about the active participation by the FAO, through its representative, since it is true that rural development is a most important target for the developing countries in general, but in particular for the African nations. It is tempting to report in detail on the economic policy conclusions of the international free trade union movement with regard to the food and agriculture situation. However, abiding by the time constraints I should like to emphasize the following.
One common feature of our overall policies for development, employment and an end to poverty is the need to put the people first in development priorities. Development requires participation and dialogue if it is to work. The truth of this has been made clear by the difficulties that have resulted from the imposition of structural adjustment programmes which have not included measures to protect vulnerable groups during adjustment. Much suffering and political and social unrest can be avoided if there is prior discussion with representative organizations of workers on measures to protect the basic needs of the poor.
People's participation has been recognized by the FAO as an important aspect to be integrated into all development programmes; it is indeed fundamental with regard to the work of the FAO for the implementation of the programme of action of the WCARRD - World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development.
It must also be recalled that the WCARRD stated that if participation is to be active and effective it needed voluntary, autonomous and democratic organizations genuinely representing rural people's interests and involving primary producers and rural workers, such as farmers' associations, cooperatives and rural workers' organizations. The basic position of ICFTU and IFPAAW is that there can be no meaningful participation of people either in agricultural or rural development unless the trade unions are recognized as full social partners and are allowed to take their proper place in the various decision-making processes. The best promotion and protection is provided by the standards set by the ILO, in particular Convention No. 141 concerning organizations of rural workers and their role in economic and social development, together with Conventions No. 11 on the right of association and protection in agriculture, No. 87 on freedom of association and protection of the right to organize and collective bargaining. Up to now only 26 countries have ratified Convention No. 141, out of which very few are from the developing world. This clearly reflects a lack of political will on the part of many of the world's governments.
Despite the efforts of the international free trade union movement and the existence of ILO standards, rural workers in many cases continue to be threatened, imprisoned and even murdered when they attempt to unite with the aim of securing even the most meagre improvement in their way of living and providing opportunities for dialogue and agricultural cooperation.
There are many obstacles to the establishment and effective functioning of rural workers' organizations. A number of these obstacles are of a social and economic nature, such as high unemployment and extreme poverty in rural areas, land scarcity and archaic land tenure systems, the drift to urban areas, the use of migrant labour, the increase of non-permanent employment, the excessive instability and mobility of seasonal labour, widespread illiteracy and the geographical isolation of agricultural undertakings. These factors alone make it already extremely difficult for rural workers to organize themselves in strong organizations and to exercise their basic trade union rights.
In addition to these, there are also important legal and administrative obstacles in a number of countries, while repressive measures by authorities and employers, including the use of violence against rural trade union leaders and members, have futher worsened the problem of rural workers to organize themselves.
We are of the opinion that the FAO could and should be of assistance in promoting the ratification of ILO Convention No. 141 and in providing opportunities for dialogue in agricultural cooperation.
The Committee on Agriculture and the Council of the FAO discussed this year the concept of People's Participation in Agricultural and Rural Development and proposed that a Plan of Action be prepared for consideration by the Council and the Conference "in due course". We firmly hope that a concrete time-table and financing is under way. We also strongly support that people's participation through their representative organizations - I add: and the role of trade unions - should be a major focus in the implementation of the WCARRD Programme of Action and will thus become the major theme of the next Progress Report on WCARRD to be submitted to the FAO Conference in 1991.
The free trade union movement has been investing much effort in the organizing of women workers. Particular attention must be given to women in the rural sector as the major part of these workers are indeed women. In the past, women have too often been neglected by development policies and programmes, including training and modernization schemes which often failed because it was wrongly assumed that men were the agricultural producers. An important element in rural development policies must be support services specifically targeted for women, aimed at improving the productivity and remunerative value of women's work in agriculture, which at the same time would further integrate women in development and strengthen their participative capacities.
We therefore welcome the inclusion in the Conference agenda of the Plan of Action for the Integration of Women into Agricultural and Rural Development; we support the Plan's two-pronged approach of including both women-specific projects and the integration of women into mainstream projects. We agree with the identification of the four areas for action - the civil status, economic, social and decision-making spheres and with the three major tasks: data-collecting, training and public information and integration and participation of women in agricultural projects. In carrying out the strategies and actions we urge FAO to involve the trade unions and women trade unionists within them and to make use of their experience - at all levels: local, national, regional and international.
As trade unions we know that women are ready and eager for a full role and full recognition in the economy, for the achievement of more equal societies with decent standards of living and health and opportunities for education and justly remunerated work. The FAO Plan of Action for the integration of Women in Development has therefore all going for it to succeed.
Another item on the Conference agenda concerns directly the interests of the working people; the introduction of the "Prior Informed Consent" clause into the International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides. The ICFTU and IFPAAW have been urging governments for ratification of the Code, and we have been urgently supporting the introduction of the PIC scheme. Weaknesses in the regulatory systems of many countries mean that it is both unfair and unrealistic to expect importing countries to assume major responsibility for controlling international trade in hazardous pesticides. We also believe that the minimum basis for the PIC clause should be to include those pesticides which have been classified by the World Health Organization as most toxic under its Class 1 list. In addition, a pesticide which has been banned or restricted in any one country should be included in the PIC scheme.
We sincerely hope that this can be achieved.
Lino VISANI (Observateur de l'Alliance coopérative internationale): Je vous remercie vivement de m'avoir donné la possibilité de prendre la parole pour l'Alliance internationale des coopératives. J'ai l'honneur de participer à la vingt-cinquième session de la Conférence de la FAO en qualité de représentant des mouvements coopératifs de soixante-dix pays membres de l'ACI qui comptent plus de 600 millions d'associés. Une grande partie de ceux-ci opèrent dans le tiers monde.
Notre dernier congrès, qui s'est tenu l'année passée à Stockholm avec la participation du Sécrétaire général des Nations Unies, a consacré une partie fondamentale de ses travaux à l'engagement prioritaire de toutes les organisations coopératives du monde pour développer le mouvement coopératif dans le tiers monde. Cela est en effet une condition essentielle pour contribuer à la création de rapports de coopération mondiale et pour surmonter les disparités profondes existant entre le nord et le sud du monde, entre développement et environnement. A cette occasion, on a fait un riche bilan d'une longue période d'activité mais on a aussi renouvelé les engagements pris en vue de soutenir et d'aider la croissance d'un mouvement coopératif libre, indépendant et démocratique, en tenant compte des conditions extrêmement difficiles du sud du monde où se trouve la plupart de la population mondiale composée, en grande partie, de paysans.
Les directives et les objectifs fondamentaux indiqués au cours de cette Conférence sont donc extrêmement importants pour nous en vue de réaliser une stratégie à long terme pour le secteur agricole et alimentaire, tel qu'il se présente actuellement et où la FAO joue son rôle de tout premier rang.
Le développement durable, l'environnement, la coopération mondiale, le désarmement sont donc nos objectifs principaux dans lesquels on pourra trouver une solution pour le problème des déséquilibres les plus marqués entre nord et sud du monde, comme, par exemple, celui du poids insupportable de l'endettement et du développement de la démocratie, c'est-à-dire de la participation démocratique, à égalité de droits.
On voit dans le monde entier des signaux positifs dans cette direction et qui sont en évolution très rapide.
Dans ce cadre, nous souhaitons que les difficultés où la FAO opère actuellement puissent être surmontées grâce à l'esprit de compréhension et de collaboration, mais aussi grâce au renouvellement des initiatives de la part de la FAO.
Il faut examiner à ce propos le budget 1990-91 et surtout la partie concernant le mouvement coopératif, c'est-à-dire de la participation rurale. Nous attachons, par exemple, beaucoup d'importance à la réalisation d'un plan pour l'intégration de la femme dans le développement agricole et l'Alliance de coopération internationale donnera tout son appui à ce projet.
Par contre, le problème fondamental de la participation populaire est traité, à notre avis, de manière insuffisante, car s'il est vrai qu'il n'y a pas de développement agricole et alimentaire durable sans participation populaire, il est évident que cela comporte le développement d'organisations
populaires libres, démocratiques et, surtout, coopératives puisque les coopératives représentent la forme d'association la plus répandue dans le tiers monde et qui permet aux travailleurs des campagnes, en particulier aux plus déshérités, de participer du développement agricole durable.
On avait déjà affirmé ce principe pendant la dernière réunion du COAG et la vingt-quatrième session du Conseil avait approuvé les directives décidées sur le document présenté par la FAO sur l'organisation d'un plan d'action dans ce domaine et sur la nécessité de faire de ce sujet la direction principale pour développer la politique de la Conférence mondiale sur la réforme agraire et le développement rural. Mais on ne fait allusion à tout cela ni dans le budget 1990-91 ni dans les derniers documents de la FAO; il y a seulement quelques observations intéressantes du Directeur général à propos de la révision des rapports administratifs avec les organisations non gouvernementales et la FAO.
Plusieurs délégations des gouvernements affirment la nécessité d'élargir les rapports entre la FAO et les organisations non gouvernementales en vue de réaliser des rapports de collaboration plus étroits et plus productifs et ces délégations mêmes déclarent leur disponibilité à participer avec des fonds extrabudgétaires.
Actuellement, une stratégie mondiale pour le développement durable agricole et alimentaire est nécessaire et nous croyons donc qu'il faut réaliser des rapports plus étroits et plus efficaces avec les organisations internationales non gouvernementales dans leurs fonctions spécifiques et en relation avec l'ensemble des expériences qu'elles représentent dans le secteur des associations rurales, tout cela afin de réaliser aussi des rapports plus efficaces avec les ONG locales et régionales: l'Alliance de coopération internationale veut affirmer ici sa totale disponibilité de collaboration à ce propos.
Nous souhaitons que le prochain Conseil de la FAO puisse se trouver dans la condition d'examiner et d'approuver un plan d'action pour le développement des organisations rurales et, pour l'instant, nous souhaitons qu'on puisse réaliser les propositions présentées par la FAO au COAG, avec aussi le renforcement de la division qui s'occupe, à l'intérieur de la FAO, de l'activité des organisations rurales.
Glenn FLATEN (Observer for International Federation of Agriculture Producers): It is indeed an honour for me as President of the International Federation of Agricultural Producers, to address this Plenary Session of the FAO Conference.
Over the last four years of my presidency, I have travelled widely, visiting farmers in their villages and farms in almost all our member countries. This experience, which I am privileged to have had, leads me to make three important observations:
The first of these is that there can be no permanent solution to the world food crisis without economic justice for the farmer. Countries which have abundant food supplies have in nearly every case created an environment in which the farmer's entrepreneurial spirit can flourish. This does not mean heavy government intervention. It simply means that farm inputs must be available at the right time and at prices which farmers can afford, that there is a fair price policy for producers, for what they sell and that there is an effective marketing system.
My second observation is that national agricultural policies have to be adapted to the specific circumstances of individual countries. It is just not realistic to try to work out a blueprint in Washington or Geneva for a national agricultural policy that can be a recipe for success worldwide. There are different historical, cultural, geographic and climatic factors that need to be respected. National governments, working with national farmers' organizations, must find the appropriate farm policy mix to encourage local agricultural development.
My third observation is that in spite of efforts at the national level, solutions to many of the most serious constraints facing agriculture can only be found through cooperation at the world level.
Such constraints include:
- low and unstable prices for primary commodities. I am thinking in particular at the moment of the present desperate situation facing coffee and cocoa producers;
- inadequate financing of agriculture in the developing countries which needs greater assistance from the industrialized countries;
- measures to reduce the heavy debt burden of developing countries;
- measures to create a fairer and more stable multilateral trading system, not forgetting the silent majority of developing country members of GATT.
I know that these three observations are probably familiar to FAO. They correspond to FAO's long-term goals and strategies for agriculture, which are supported by IFAP.
IFAP also supports FAO's work programme priorities for 1990-91.
I am sure you agree, Mr Chairman, that the key to the success of these programmes is obtaining the cooperation of the people involved - the farmers - and earning their confidence.
The most effective channel of communication from the farmer to the government is through representative and independent farmers' organizations. The form of organization can vary by country. We have in the membership of IFAP farmers' unions, farmers' cooperative federations and chambers of agriculture. They are responsible organizations which are a valuable partner to government in the development of the rural economy. Government cannot work individually with every farm family in the country. It therefore needs to work with representative organizations in which farmers are grouped.
This was one of the important messages that came out of the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development over a decade ago. More recently, it has gained broader support, for example in the World Bank and UNDP. IFAP has for over ten years been running programmes to promote and strengthen farmers' organizations in developing countries. This involves small-scale projects at the national level, as well as regional and worldwide workshops. FAO has contributed significantly to this work. FAO has shown increased concern this year for people's participation and the role of non-governmental organizations.
IFAP has taken an active part in discussion of the item on Peoples' Participation in Agricultural and Rural Development at the Tenth Session of the Committee on Agriculture. The subsequent decision of the Council to prepare a Plan of Action on Peoples' Participation is a source of satisfaction for IFAP.
Growing concern for farmers, especially the needs and aspirations of low-income farmers at both policy level and in field operations, was evident during the World Food Day celebrations in Rome, and is also Prominent in the Plan of Action on the Integration of Women in Agricultural and Rural Development, which is an innovative and indeed sensible undertaking for which IFAP has already indicated substantial areas for possible consideration.
There is also more explicit consideration of NGO involvement in projects at their identification and design stage, and encouragement for a closer relationship between the FAO country representatives and NGOs. This could lead to effective involvement of the appropriate NGOs in project preparation and implementation.
This recognition of the increasing importance of non-governmental organizations is much appreciated. IFAP welcomes the recommendation for a review in 1990 of the present administrative and financial procedures guiding FAO cooperation with NGOs in order to strengthen that cooperation. IFAP urges in the review due consideration be given to the vital role of genuine representative and economic farmers' organizations and to their international body, IFAP should be identified, where appropriate, as the organization entirely financed and controlled by farmers' organizations. Wherever possible, it should be specified which type of organization is being dealt with, instead of simply referring to NGOs.
People's participation is neither an easy nor a short-term task. We hope that the Plan of Action will serve both to clarify the very nature of the concept of people's participation, with its essential organizations, as well as to boost the implementation of the part of the WCARRD Programme of Action related to this matter.
Unfortunately, the Plan of Action on People's Participation is not explicitly identified in the Programme of Work and Budget for the next biennium. We know that the preparatory process has already been initiated, and we are confident that FAO will soon fulfil its undertaking in this regard. IFAP stands ready to continue cooperation with FAO and contribute its considerable experience in this area to the preparation of the Plan.
While people's participation is perhaps the major concern of our Federation, I would like to briefly address two other aspects of the work programme for the next biennium.
Firstly, sustainable development and farming systems will be a priority for both IFAP and FAO in 1990. At our next World Farmers' Congress, to be held in Trondheim, Norway, in June 1990, we are honoured to have the Chairman of the UN Committee on the Environment, Mrs Gro Harlem Brundtland, give a keynote address on Agriculture and the Environment. From this discussion, we hope we can contribute to FAO in its preparation for the proposed 1992 UN Conference on the Environment.
My other concern is with preparation of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth UN Development Decade and the Special Session of the General Assembly that will discuss this matter. IFAP supports the lead role of FAO in the food and agricultural sector and fully shares the view that this sector has a "vital role to play in revitalizing economic growth and in achieving the objectives in the areas of nutrition, poverty alleviation, human development and the environment". We value highly the preliminary work being done in preparing the study on the Long-Term Strategy for the Food and Agriculture Sector. We share the view expressed in paragraph 73 of the document that: "What must be emphasized in the Strategy is the need for promoting an enhanced role for the private sector, including cooperatives...". IFAP looks forward to the final Strategy including an explicit mention, and clear indication, of the important role played by farmers' organizations, be it in policy-making (price fixation, identification of research priorities), providing services (marketing agricultural products, input supplies, credit facilities, access to extension and training), or in acting as a link between primary producers and national authorities. This would be in accordance with the WCARRD Principles, the FAO Conference Resolution 7/79 and the Recommendation of COAG's tenth session, which should be included among the FAO-sponsored actions on which the full Strategy will be based.
I would like, before closing, to express our appreciation for the good working relationship enjoyed with FAO, for the expertise FAO staff bring to many of our meetings, for the valuable yearly consultation we have with the Commodity and Trade Division, for the support for the development work of the Federation, and for good cooperation with our permanent representative in Rome, Mrs Pela. We wish every success to the Director-General and his staff for the coming biennium.
Let us work together to make the coming harvests plentiful, so that millions more of our people can look forward to a life without hunger.
Ms Z. INDRUCHOVA (Observer for World Federation of Trade Unions): As you all know, this session of the FAO Conference takes place in the year of the tenth anniversary of the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (WCARRD). The occasion provides us all with the possibility to reflect on efforts and collective action to promote the implementation of WCARRD conclusions and recommendations.
The Director-General, in his opening statement, has made an earnest effort to analyse the current world food and agriculture situation. It is true that there are numerous challenges facing it and it is also true that the ten years since WCARRD, designated as the Third United Nations Development Decade, are already considered as a "lost decade" which witnessed, in most developing countries, a severe setback in the quest for the elimination of hunger and poverty.
Numerous changes have taken place in the world since 1979. The tremendous advances in science and technology and the growth of productive forces offer great prospects to accelerate social progress.
However, as we enter the 1990s, we face an accumulation of unresolved economic and social problems while the human civilization itself continues under the threat of a nuclear holocaust and ecological disaster.
Ten years after WCARRD, we can see that the specific problems of the millions of agricultural workers and peasants, and other sections of the population in rural areas in the developing countries, have not been properly addressed. Although development strategies have continuously stressed the need for agrarian reform and restructuring of the rural economy, most governments have failed to implement such reforms. Vast sectors of the population thus remain unemployed or underemployed, in many cases illiterate and denied access to modern civilization. The rural workers' movements for appropriate changes in agricultural policies continue to meet with persecution, violence and loss of lives as many events during the past decade demonstrated.
The peasants and rural workers in many countries are still subjected to triple exploitation: by the local landlords and money-lenders; by the representatives of urban capital in alliance with the rural rich, and by the agri-business TNCs and foreign capital. The situation calls for urgent effective measures, at all levels, to fights against this triple exploitation.
We are firmly convinced that it is possible and necessary, through genuine implementation of the WCARRD Programme of Action, to lift these vast sections of the rural labour force from a state of technical, economic and social backwardness and enable them to gain access to education and training oriented to the beneficial use of appropriate new technology.
The World Federation of Trade Unions considers that there are alternative policies for real recovery and for full employment if the outflow of resources from the developing countries, engineered by policies of profiteering and speculation, is eliminated. The IMF, through its structural adjustment policies imposed on developing countries, has also its share for turning the 1980s into a "lost decade". We have repeatedly warned on the social costs of the structural adjustment measures imposed in an arbitrary and one-sided manner in many countries and heavily tilted against the working people, who are made to pay through loss of jobs, lower real wages and living standards, loss of social benefits and labour protection.
That is why the defence and further expansion of trade union rights should be seen as a constituent part of the measures to promote social development, giving the working people the right to participate in economic development.
The trade unions have always stated from this rostrum that there is no real shortage of resources for economic and social development and for a stable recovery from the present crisis.
The INF treaty stipulates the elimination of a whole class of nuclear armaments and negotiations are going on for further reductions. It is therefore time to seriously implement policies of "disarmament for development". We believe that positive results can come only by involving the working people and trade unions in this process.
Opinion is now widely shared that the present huge dimensions of the ecological crisis would have been foreseen and avoided if policies were oriented to long-term people's interests and not the immediate short-term profits for the monopolies.
Questions of protecting the environment have come to the fore in the recent period, and greater international cooperation must be promoted to this field. In this sense, the WFTU is ready to actively support, through its Commission on Environment, all relevant FAO action.
It is being generally recognized that the active involvement of the working people and their organizations in the formulation of economic and social policy as well as in monitoring its implementation has a particular importance.
Thus, the role of trade unions in the economy and society is assuming a new role in the present situation in all countries and all social systems. There is also wide recognition of the need for international action to deal with the specific problems of global economic relations, of foreign debt and sustainable development.
The WFTU wishes to remind here that the principle of people's participation has been strongly embodied in all WCARRD documents as a basic prerequisite for the success of rural development policies.
We are, therefore, very disappointed that we cannot see people's participation figuring among the nine FAO priorities as they are defined in the Programme of Work and Budget for the next biennium.
In this connection, we wish to draw the attention of the Conference to the recommendations of this year's COAG session which largely discussed "People's Participation in Agricultural and Rural Development".
On the other hand, the WFTU welcomed the adoption of FAO Plan of Action for the Integration of Women into Agricultural and Rural Development. We believe that the necessary basis for a fruitful cooperation in this field has been laid down at the 5th World Trade Union Conference on problems of Working Women, organized by the WFTU in September this year in Sofia. The contribution of the FAO representative to the Conference deliberations was highly appreciated by all participants.
Finally, may we recall the WFTU's firm belief that the solution of all the economic, social and ecological problems in our interdependent world requires cooperation, democracy and workers' participation, and active international solidarity.
It is in this spirit that the 42nd session of the WFTU General Council (which met last week) has decided to convene the 12th World Trade Union Congress in November 1990 in Moscow, as an open forum for dialogue, solidarity and justice, to which the FAO is cordially invited as an important UN agency which can play a unique role in the development and democratization of international relations, in order to guarantee that the enormous achievements in science and technology be turned in a decisive manner to serve man, his dignity and prosperity, in a world of peace and security.
EL PRESIDENTE: Gracias a la distinguida representante de la Federación Sindical Mundial.
No hay más oradores disponibles.
Distinguidos colegas y amigos, hemos llegado así al término del debate general durante el cual han desfilado por esa tribuna 133 autorizados representantes de Gobiernos y 14 Observadores de Organizaciones; en total, 147 oradores.
Antes de dejar Roma, nuestro Presidente, el Honorable J.C. Kerin, de Australia, hizo ya un interesante y adecuado resumen del debate general celebrado hasta el pasado viernes. Hoy han hecho uso de la palabra distinguidos representantes de otros Estados Miembros y Observadores de algunas Organizaciones.
Yo trataré de complementar muy breve y específicamente el excelente resumen anterior de nuestro Presidente, cuya valiosa labor todos conocemos.
Los últimos oradores insistieron sobre la necesidad de que los agricultores sean beneficiarios de asistencia, de recursos, formación y capacitación para que la agricultura pueda seguir siendo el capital humano, la fuerza motriz insustituible de un verdadero desarrollo rural integrado.
Se insistió en que la FAO debe implementar adecuada y eficazmente el Plan de Acción en favor de la integración de la mujer en el desarrollo rural.
Los oradores destacaron la importancia del sector agrícola en el contexto general del desarrollo, sobre todo en los países del Tercer Mundo, en los cuales el sector agropecuario cumple una función vital en sus economías.
Varios oradores insistieron en la necesidad de que se modifiquen las actuales estructuras del comercio agrícola internacional, a fin de que un comercio libre y justo permita la exportación con precios equitativos de los productos de los países en desarrollo a los importantes mercados de los Estados desarrollados.
Todos los oradores que hoy intervinieron anunciaron el apoyo de sus Gobiernos al Programa de Labores y Presupuesto, propuesta hecha por el Director General de la FAO, Organización que todos coinciden en que debe seguir funcionando cada vez mejor y más eficazmente en favor de todos los Estados Miembros, particularmente de aquellos en vías de desarrollo.
Se expresó general apoyo al Director General de la FAO y al eficaz funcionamiento de esta Organización. Se reiteraron cordiales y merecidas felicitaciones a nuestro Presidente, al Honorable Kerin, las cuales ruego a los distinguidos representantes de Australia transmitan al distinguido y eminente Presidente de esta Conferencia.
Esta tarde intervinieron también representantes de siete organizaciones internacionales, cuyas actividades están vinculadas a los objetivos de la FAO. A esos distinguidos representantes queremos decir que para nosotros es importante que esas Organizaciones concedan importancia a la función de la FAO, al hacerse presente en esta Conferencia, interviniendo en el debate general.
Al despedirse de esta Conferencia, nuestro Presidente hizo una importante declaración, de la cual extraemos un punto fundamental: el diálogo, el consenso, la flexibilidad, la cordialidad y el entendimiento deben seguir siendo parámetros inmodificables, dentro de los cuales deberá seguir trabajando esta Conferencia.
Pienso que todos apoyamos esa exhortación constructiva de nuestro Presidente Kerin.
Si no hay ningún comentario por parte de ustedes, levantaremos ahora la sesión de esta tarde.
La próxima Sesión Plenaria será, como estaba prevista en el calendario, pasado manana miércoles a las nueve y media de la manana, tal como se anunciará en el diario de la Conferencia.
Si nadie quiere intervenir ahora, gracias por su atención y les deseo fructíferos trabajos en las Comisiones.
The meeting rose at 16.15 hours.
La séance est levée à 16 h 15.
Se levanta la sesión a las 16.15 horas.
