Gonzalo BULA HOTOS (Colombia): Gracias,. señor Vicepresidente, distinguido colega y amigo de Bélgica, con quien he tenido el grato placer de trabajar en tantas otras reuniones anteriores. Estoy seguro de que, como usted conoce mi estilo, entenderá algunas de las reflexiones que haré a la manera como se comportan en la cooperación internacional ciertos Estados industrializados.
El mandato especifico de la FAO abarca campos de tanta significación en la economía de los países del Tercer Mundo, que nuestra Organización tiene la obligación de hacer contribuciones verdaderamente eficaces, concretas, específicas y positivas que puedan representar aportes válidos a la reactivación del crecimiento econnómico de los países en desarrollo, que será tema fundamental del próximo período extraordinario de la Asamblea General, y que igualmente será elemento esencial en la Estrategia Internacional del Desarrollo para el Cuarto Decenio.
Los organismos dedicados a la agricultura y la alimentación fueron víctimas privilegiadas de la acción negativa permanente que durante todos los años ochenta se ha cumplido sin pausa, sin vacilaciones ni piedad contra los más elementales principios de la cooperación internacional, y especialmente contra el multilateralismo.
En su contribución a la Estrategia, la FAO debe reiterar el concepto ya generalmente aceptado de que el decenio de los ochenta ha sido completamente perdido para los países en desarrollo.
En los últimos 30 años, los representantes de Colombia hemos participado con inútil esperanza en la elaboración de tres Estrategias anteriores, y luego hemos asistido con desencanto y asombro al canto de toda esa música celestial, letra muerta, sin que jamás se haya logrado ningún objetivo, ninguna meta, por modestos que fueren.
Es así como pensamos que un aspecto fundamental de la contribución que la FAO debe hacer en esta oportunidad es la de señalar a la communidad internacional la necesidad imperiosa de que en esta ocasión se elabore una cuarta Estrategia sobre bases realistas, con objetivos cuantitativos concretos y detallados, como dice el párrafo 36 de este documento.
Aunque parezca un poco pesimista la frase final de ese párrafo 36, los representantes de Colombia preferiríamos que se seleccionasen pocos objetivos pero realistas y viables, estableciendo prioridades.
Pensamos que ha llegado el memento de que no se sigan elaborando estrategias como las tres anteriores, que sólo han sido catálogos imaginativos de esperanzas irrealizables que han causado males profundos a los países en desarrollo al ilusionarlos con metas y objetivos que de antemano se sabia que nunca se iban a lograr.
En el aporte de la FAO a la Cuarta Estrategia será necesario que se enumeren los puntos sobresalientes de los fracasos anteriores y las medidas que podrán de verdad contribuir a la reactivación del crecimiento económico de los países del Tercer Mundo, en los campos de la agricultura y la alimentación naturalmente.
Deberemos decir franca y categóricamente que en el seno de la FAO los representantes de Gobiernos consideramos que la falta de voluntad política real y decidida de la mayoría de los Estados industrializados -su país está en esa afortunada minoría, señor Presidente- ha sido factor esencial en el deterioro de la difícil situación que afrontamos.
Afirmaremos que el proteccionismo, sobre todo los subsidios, han afectado considerablemente al comercio internacional de productos agropecuarios, con perjuicios enormes para los países en desarrollo.
Diremos también que la deuda externa sin solución y el alto costo del servicio de esa deuda han convertido, paradójicamente, a los países en desarrollo en exportadores netos de capital al mundo industrializado.
El ajuste estructural a que forzosamente han debido someterse muchos países en desarrollo está teniendo graves efectos negativos sobre la pobreza, tal como lo dice el párrafo 75.
Si ésos, entre otros, son los factores negativos, en una Cuarta Estrategia será necesario tratar de contrarrestarlos, si en realidad ahora los gobiernos de los Estados industrializados quieren hacer un acto de contrición y permitir que este siglo, que esta Cuarta Estrategia que va a elaborarse antes del año 2000 no se lleve a cabo, ahondando aún más la brecha amplia, injusta, insondable, inaceptable, que sigue existiendo entre el Norte y el Sur.
Por ello apoyamos en general los principios contenidos en el párrafo 6, sobre los medios más indicados que deberán incluirse en la estrategia para reactivar el crecimiento y el desarrollo econòmico de los países del Tercer Mundo. Será necesario que los Estados industrializados ofrezcan asistencia técnica y financiera en términos, volúmenes, oportunidades y condiciones que puedan representar un catalizador serio y consistente a los grandes esfuerzos que vienen realizando los países en desarrollo, que están asignando alta prioridad a la agricultura en sus planes nacionales y el máximo de los recursos posibles, dentro de las limitaciones existentes; pero, no obstante, ellos requieren y demandan esa asistencia externa que complemente sus propios esfuerzos y sacrificios internos.
Esperamos, señor Presidente, que la Cuarta Estrategia pueda consolidar con resultados verdaderamente positivos la Ronda Uruguay, que avanza, como lo hemos visto aquí mismo, entre lentitud, tibio optimismo y pequeños pasos de progreso. Porque será necesario que en la última década de este siglo se logre conformar una estructura libre de comercio internacional, que fortalezca el sistema comercial y permita el libre acceso a los importantes mercados de los Estados desarrollados de los productos de exportación de los países en desarrollo.
En la Cuarta Estrategia deberemos insistir en que los países en desarrollo reclaman con justicia y hasta el cansancio mecanismos libres y equitativos, que les permitan obtener ingresos a base de su propio trabajo y producción; ingresos que son mucho más importantes, que tienen mucho mayor impacto en sus débiles economías que cualquier nivel de préstamo y asistencia que se nos conceda en términos paternalistas.
A los representantes de Colombia nos conplace que la FAO esté participando activamente en el Comité preparatorio plenario para el período extraordinario de la Asamblea General, al cual nos referiremos más adelante, y también que la FAO participe en el Comité especial plenario para la EID. La importancia de la agricultura y de la alimentación y el trabajo eficaz de la FAO demandan y justifican esa participación, que la Conferencia debe alentar en el informe sobre este tema.
En Naciones Unidas, los representantes de Colombia hemos apoyado la celebración del período extraordinario de la Asamblea General previsto, en principio, del 23 al 27 de abril próximo. No obstante el desaliento que nos causan todos los fracasos de estrategias y reuniones anteriores, pensamos que es necesario confirmar nuestra fe en un futuro mejor para el mundo en desarrollo. Somos conscientes de que la lucha contra la pobreza es un problema a muy largo plazo, que no se va a resolver en los últimos diez años de este siglo que abarcará la Estrategia, ni en ima Asamblea Extraordinaria más de las Naciones Unidas. Esa es una lucha que corresponderá a dos o tres generaciones, a cuarenta o cincuenta años en el porvenir.
Cuando tratamos estos problemas y sus posibles soluciones, los representantes de Colombia reflexionamos acerca de como es posible que todavía haya algunos -pocos, afortunadamente- Estados industrializados que siguen actuando en busca sólo de su propio beneficio, muchas veces a expensas de los intereses, las necesidades y las justas aspiraciones del Tercer Mundo. Los Gobiernos de esos Estados deberán darse cuenta algún día, ojalá antes de que lleguemos al año 2000, de que las poblaciones de esos Estados no podrán disfrutar plenamente sus sociedades de consumo y de todos los privilegios que han conquistado dentro de una estructura social inigualitaria e injusta mientras subsistan esas desigualdades y esas injusticias, que parecen desbocar continuamente en conflictos regionales en los diversos ángulos de la tierra.
Temas como éste, señor Presidente -una Cuarta Estrategia, una sesión extraordinaria de la Asamblea General, todos en torno a la necesidad de rectificar la acción injusta de la comunidad internacional contra el mundo en desarrollo- suelen suscitar evocaciones de palabras autorizadas, como las del gran líder espiritual, Su Santidad el Papa Juan Pablo II, quien ha dicho: "Es necesario denunciar la existencia de unos mecanismos económicos, financieros y sociales, los cuales funcionan de modo casi automático, haciendo aún más injusta la situación de riqueza de los unos y de pobreza de los otros. Esos mecanismos", continúa el Papa, "maniobrados por los países más desarrollados, favorecen los intereses de los que los maniobran y terminan por sofocar o condicionar las economías de los países menos desarrollados". Los representantes de Colombia esperamos que una Cuarta Estrategia y que una Asamblea más de Naciones Unidas no deba defraudar en otra oportunidad las esperanzas del mundo en desarrollo.
Señor Presidente y distinguidos colegas, puede que nos hayamos desviado un poco del contenido mismo de los temas a nuestra consideración, pero esta declaración ha pretendido ser humildemente parte del testimonio de una larga aunque modesta experiencia, con un resultado decepcionante y triste, pero todavía con una fe profunda e inquebrantable en el futuro mejor del Tercer Mundo.
Sra. Concha Marina RAMIREZ DE LOPEZ (Honduras): Señor Vice-presidente, señores Delegados, en el debate sobre este tama la Delegación de Honduras desea hacer algunos comentarios.
Consideramos que el inicio del Cuarto Decenio de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo coincide con un periodo surtamente dificil para la mayoria de los países en vías de desarrollo, especialmente los países de América Latina. El inicio del Cuarto Decenio de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo coincide con la convergencia de una serie de factores y eventos que han producido un fuerte impacto en las condiciones económicas, sociales y aun políticas de nuestros países.
En primer término, resalta la crisis económica mundial de la presente década y la recesión económica en algunos países y el constante ajuste estructural que varios países se han visto obligados a adoptar y su impacto en la pobreza, especialmente la pobreza rural y el consecuente fenómeno de la migración a los centros urbanos.
En segundo término, se reconoce la pesante deuda externa, que en algunos países ha alcanzado cifras astronómicas que representan compromisos superiores a la capacidad de exportación y generación de divisas e ingresos de los países.
Además de estos dos factores, de un fuerte impacto negativo en las economías nacionales, cabría mencionar el deterioro de los términos del comercio exterior, el cual se traduce en bajos precios de los principales productos de exportación y en una serie de barreras al comercio internacional, como ser: licencias, cuotas, impuestos y subsidios. Como resultado de todo ello, la capacidad generadora de divisas ha sido substancialmente reducida. Todas estas políticas y medidas de proteccionismo han sido analizadas en otros foros internacionales, pero, lógicamente, dada la importancia del sector agrícola, merece la mayor consideración de parte de los países miembros y de la FAO y, sobre todo, de parte de los países industrializados.
En el año 1988, se produjo un mejoramiento en los precios internacionales de varios productos que la región exporta, pero ese aumento en el valor de las exportaciones no facilitó mayores tasas de expansión econémica. Esto se debió, en parte, a que el incremento en el valor de las exportaciones fue neutralizado por el considerable aumento de la transferencia de recursos hacia el exterior, el cual fue causado por altas tasas de interés y por el limitado acceso a nuevos recursos financieros.
Las altas tasas de inflación y las constantes devaluaciones monetarias de varios países han agravado aún más las condiciones económicas y sociales. El aumento de las tasas de interés ha limitado en forma considerable el acceso del crédito a los productores agrícolas, especialmente a los pequeños y medianos agricultores, precisamente los productores de alimentos para consumo nacional.
Todo ello ha producido una contracción en la disponibilidad de recursos para inversiones, sobre todo en programas y proyectos dirigidos al desarrollo de las áreas rurales y en programs de apoyo a los grupos marginados y más necesitados, como son los pequeños agricultores, los campesinos sin tierra, las poblaciones indígenas, la mujer y la juventud rural.
Todo lo anterior nos lleva a sugerir a la FAO que en la preparación del documento de estrategia a ser presentado en el 98Q período de sesiones del Consejo, a celebrarse en noviembre de 1990, se consideren los elementos cruciales para el desarrollo y para la erradicación de la pobreza.
Además en la elaboración de la Estrategia Internacional de Desarrollo se deben considerar los principios fundamentales del Plan de Acción sobre Potencialidad del Desarrollo Agrícola y Rural, aprobado en la última Conferencia de la FAO en Recife, y los principios contenidos en el Programa de Acción adoptado hace una década por la Conferencia Mundial sobre Reforna Agraria y Desarrollo Rural, programa de acción que aún tiene vigencia y validez.
En el caso específico de la sub-región de Centroamérica -y aclaro que no pretendo hablar a nombre de todos los países, pero del mio propio, Honduras-, en este caso, señores Delegados, la crisis cada vez se vuelve más aguda, los niveles de pobreza se han incrementado y se ha llegado a un punto en que los esfuerzos nacionales no podrán tener éxito sin la ayuda y la decidida cooperación internacional.
La comunidad internacional y el sistema de las Naciones Unidas han analizado y comprendido la situación, y como respuesta a la problemática se ha elaborado el Plan Especial de Cooperación Económica para Centroamérica, comúnmente conocido como PEC, que en la actualidad está en la etapa de negociaciones para obtener los recursos financieros.
La estrategia para la próxima década tendrá que considerar los lineamientos y directrices del PEC.
NI HONGXING (China) (original language Chinese): Allow me first to thank the Secretariat for having prepared document C 89/19 for the Conference on the basis of the documents dealing with Agriculture Towards 2000, the reform in rural areas and rural development, and international agricultural adjustments. This document has analysed the present situation, the existing problems, as well as future perspectives in global agriculture. On the basis of three elements, economic growth, the fight against poverty, and environmental protection. The document has described the framework for the long-term strategy on food development and agriculture. I would like to make a few comments on this.
We feel that the lack of progress in developing countries as regards agricultural production, is at present the major problem being faced by the world food and agriculture sector, as well as representing the main obstacle to the global agricultural growth and development. The development of agricultural production in these countries is the condition sine qua non for the establishment of greater prosperity within their economies and in this way putting an end to poverty and malnutrition, as well as controlling environmental problems. But they also make it possible to promote the growth of international trade of agricultural commodities and the development of the agriculture of developing countries. Therefore, the development of agricultural production is a very important means of solving some of the major problems which have arisen in the food and agricultural sector. Therefore, whether we consider the interests of developing countries or the common interests of all countries throughout the world, the objectives of the agricultural sector in the Fourth Development Strategy should certainly consider the promotion of agricultural development in developing countries. There are many conditioning factors which exist in developing countries, they may be economic, social or technical, as well as the international economic and environmental factors. The inter-connection and interaction of all these factors have an extremely negative influence on agricultural growth and sustainable development in developing countries and the world as a whole. Nò effort which can be nade to accelerate agricultural development can really lead to any tangible results, if we do not radically take into consideration all these factors. That is why the new agricultural development strategy should on the one hand establish the basic guidelines for food and agricultural development of the countries and regions, so as to make it possible to accelerate the whole process of reform and change in rural development. It should also try to establish the basic guidelines for the strengthening of international cooperation so as to promote measures against protectionism against developed countries, improving the international terms of trade for agricultural commodities, and try to establish an international, political and economic environment which would make it possible to promote development further. As regards its contents, this strategy needs to be complete and take into consideration all these factors so that it can viably respond to the needs of the different regions and countries at different levels of development. Furthermore, it should also emphasize the most important points and give them priorities to those areas which are of most vital importance for developing countries. We have realized that over preceding years as regards the efforts that were made to accelerate reform and development in the rural areas in the struggle against poverty and the efforts to establish food security, international agricultural adjustment and the international community has drawn up strategies and programmes which cover these various elements. However, the international community has not actually made positive progress to date. Certain resolutions and proposals are still simply verbal or down on paper. Therefore, we hope that when the time comes to draw up the new strategy, the FAO will make sure that the action undertaken will be more viable and that the objectives established will be both quantitative and realistic as well as assuring that there exist the necessary mechanisms for control and monitoring, so that it is possible to consider the development in the implementation of this strategy in the future.
R.G. PETTITT (United Kingdom): I thank the Secretariat for paper C 89/12 and Mr Dutia for helping us through the complexities of FAO ' s contribution to the two General Assembly initiatives, that is the Special Session directed to economic recovery and development and the preparation of an international development strategy.
The membership has three particular interests. One is to ensure that FAO's contribution is helpful and correct. FAO must be and must be seen to be a cooperative of the UN system. The second is that the input is in keeping with the views of the membership. The third is that it is influential, and that the wisdom contained within the Organization and the Member States on matters in the sphere of FAO is used to the full in developing the international endeavours of the 1990s.
FAO's input for the Special Session must clearly be a secretariat one, drawing on the guidance given by this Conference, and perhaps it is not realistic for the membership to identify itself with the many contributions which will be necessary between now and the Special Session in April.
My delegation would ask first that the contribution should reflect FAO's importance in achieving objectives in the areas of nutrition, poverty alleviation, human development and the environment. Secondly, that the practical nature of practitioners of farming, fishing, and forestry should be allowed to influence the direction of the Special Session and later the International Developing Strategy and ensure an element of realism which is not present in the previous strategy document, notably that for the Second Budget Decade.
In this connection, we were glad to note in paragraph 36 of the paper, referring to the IDS preparation that it appeared to be the intention that as few targets as possible should be included, and that they should be realistic in terms of the feasibility of their achievement.
As to our contribution to the preparation of the strategy itself, I note that frati Mr Dutia the plan is the same as the Council made in the summer. There is a chapter outlined for this Conference that will be submitted for consideration by the Council in its session next November.
I commend the administrative arrangements which have been made for this and repeat (for the record) the wish expressed by the Council that good time will be given for members to study the draft chapter before they consider it in Council. Of course, we have had the advantage of looking at the mock-up.
Our contribution to the ideas should be in keeping with the emerging consensus over the nature and content of the strategy. The IDS should not duplicate the Special Session. Instead it should focus on a limited number of things and outline ways in which the international community might respond to the challenges of the 1990s. The UK shares the view expressed by colleagues today that the strategy should be concerned with poverty alleviation and growth with equity, as so well put by the delegation of Denmark on behalf of the Nordic countries, with the human aspect of development as described by our colleague from Czechoslovakia, and the sustainability of the development which Bangladesh did.
We are also of the view that the IDS should not, as in the past, focus on world economic questions to the exclusion of consideration of the economic policies of developing countries. Economic problems of developing countries are not totally caused by external factors. Any new international development strategy must include provision for commitments by developing countries as well as by donors. It should also widen its focus beyond north/south relations and consider south/south cooperation and east/south trade and development flows - to use New York terms for these things rather than Rome terms. These points are perhaps almost too obvious to make in an organization like FAO, but they become less obvious, however, the further away one gets from grassroots.
I now turn to the mock-up of the chapter which is proposed should be our contribution to the IDS. It is a good paper. We commend the analysis and its emphasis on the central importance of sustainability and environmental aspects. In fact, we, as an organization, have made a good start with the preparation of our input. Such remarks as I make will sometimes concern points where we disagree somewhat with the emphasis or with the content, and I hope these will be read against my delegation's general support for the outline. I assume, in fact, that this is the sort of input which will be most helpful for the draftsmen at this stage.
First, my delegation found the paper too critical of structural adjustment policies in, for example, paragraphs 45 and 75. Many of the problems of economic decline and poverty are the result of policies now acknowledged to be mistaken and of the overall economic crisis rather than the structural adjustment measures themselves.
As the paper points out, structural adjustment programmes have helped restore economic incentives for agricultural producers and thus encourage agricultural production, as well as benefiting large numbers of poor farmers.
The paper is right to recognize in paragraph 77 the need for a link between structural adjustment programmes and sustainable economic recovery.
We would agree with paragraph 55 that greater emphasis should be given to :removing constraints on growth while maintaining sound macro-economic links. Effective adjustment will usually require overall cuts in government spending, combined with effective management of budgetary resources.
In this context, we find it hard to justify significant subsidy of inputs, and the protection of social and economic infrastructure programmes will require difficult economies in other areas of government spending. Government revenues must be considered, too, including cost recovery measures on government services and agricultural taxation.
We can therefore endorse the importance accorded to economic incentives in paragraph 67, but we question the advocacy of stabilization schemes in paragraph 69. Past experience suggests that they often distort incentives by being used as a channel for taxing or subsidizing agricultural producers.
I realize that I have gone on rather long about this, but it is because I wanted to say that this is the area where the UN system can most help developing countries carry out programmes of structural adjustment, ensuring adjustment with growth and protection of vulnerable groups and the capacity to produce. I have dealt with the point at some length to try to ensure that nothing which emerges from this discussion could be read as suggesting that FAO was in any sense in conf lict with the Bretton Woods institutions or in any sense holding the ring between these bodies and developing countries.
With regard to paragraph 27 of the paper, we recognize the importance of stimulating the demand side of the equation through the creation of alternative rural employment and income generation opportunities. This is a measure which can be expected to work in favour of disadvantaged groups in particular, and this point should appear more fully in our document.
The question of poverty alleviation has also a significant bearing on the issues of the environment and sustainable development, and this is fully recognized in paragraph 48. We should like to see this developed. The need to develop a strategy and approaches which balance both environmental and developmental requirements and objectives on an integrated basis will, we think, be essential if the ultimate goal of susta inability is to be attained.
Turning to research and development, which has already been mentioned by a colleague, we think that research and development, particularly in less favourable areas for rain-fed agriculture, and with a view to environmentally sound production systems, should be emphasized. We would point particularly to the need for intensified research into perennial vegetation, in particular exploration and conservation of genetic diversity.
We support the call for a policy framework to integrate food, fodder and fuelwood systems into a better agricultural and forestry relationship. This, of course, is a prime objective of the Tropical Forestry Action Plan, particularly through the component of forestry and land use.
We were, I think, disappointed in the paper as regards the importance of livestock. Perhaps it will be expanded more fully in the final document. It seems to give insufficient attention to the role and importance of livestock to the agricultural sectors of developing countries. Particular efforts must
be made to improve productivity of local breeds of livestock by upgrading and judicious crossbreeding rather than by the introduction of exotic stock which may be poorly adapted to local conditions. The widespread genetic diversity of domestic livestock in developing countries must be exploited more fully and not squandered by focusing too much attention on selective breeding of small numbers of exotic breeds.
We would emphasize the need for strengthening livestock health and extension services, which must be seen as an integral part of improving livestock productivity in developing countries.
I turn now to fisheries. We liked the paper on this, but we would emphasize that developing countries took an increasingly large proportion of the catch in later years, and further progress in redistribution of the benefits of fishing in the EFZs of coastal states is essential in the next decade. A long-term strategy should include a commitment to assist further in the development of national capacity to replace licensed foreign fishing effort, with parallel support for international marketing and the removal of tariff barriers. Paragraph 118 is, in our view, inadequate on this and should be expanded.
We were glad to see in paragraph 118, however, the view that a high priority must be assigned to the improvement of fisheries management practice and performance in the face of the rapidly approaching full exploitation of conventional fishery resources. In this respect, paragraph 100 describes important initiatives in artisanal fisheries involving self-management of exclusive rights granted to fishing communities which must be pursued rigorously during the 1990s. Actions which remove or reduce the competitive element in exploitation of these common property resources will act to the benefit of resource sustainability and should be supported. The principle involved in paragraph 100 exactly parallels that described in paragraph 105(e) and will also require a greater effort in developing integrated activity in primary fishing communities to relieve, where necessary, pressure on fishery resources.
The major elements of the fisheries sector strategy outlined in paragraphs 115-118 correctly follow the action plan established at the 1984 World Fisheries Conference. However, it is important to note that support for artisanal level aquaculture has not been uniformly successful to date and has significantly failed to achieve any nutritional or social impact on most African countries. Some priority attention to the underlying socioeconcmic or technical constraints to small-scale aquaculture development in Africa must be an essential part of our strategy.
Finally on the draft of the paper, the conclusions lay correct emphasis on some important issues of social needs, sustainable environment, and so on, and the need for synergistic actions and coherent strategies. While this is not, strictly speaking, a point one should make in connection with the paper, we encourage FAO to ensure that its own internal organization is fully adapted to achieve the efficient integration called for here.
Finally, I come to the separate question of the link which has been suggested in the Review of the Goals and Objectives of FAO between this chapter we are preparing and our own long-term planning. The proposal was that the one could be a substitute for the other. My Minister referred to this point in her intervention in the general debate, but for convenience I can perhaps quote in an abbreviated form what she said on this.
The UK agrees that the longer-term planning should be carried out at the same time as we prepare the International Development Strategy and our own contribution to it, and perhaps this chapter which goes into the Strategy will be enough. In it, FAO should take account of the contribution by other members of the UN family, including the excellent study just done by the World Bank on sustainable growth with equity over the longer term in Africa. But, as the Minister said, we do not yet know whether the Strategy will be a coherent and consistent blueprint, and if it summarizes all the aspirations of the human race in every sector, then it nay give us only limited guidance, little focus and no sense of real priorities.
However - and I am no longer quoting our Minister - if the draft we have before us is a reflection of the eventual chapter, and the points made today by me and others are taken account of, we would perhaps not see difficulty in this being our strategy in the longer term than any term covered by any medium-term planning which we agree.
Engelbert MOYO (Tanzania) : Thank you very much for giving the Tanzanian delegation another chance to intervene at this session.
The Tanzanian delegation is very encouraged to note that FAO is, and maybe will also be, involved in the preparation of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth UN Development Decade and the convening of a Special Session of the General Assembly. FAO's contribution to the IDS and to the Special Session is important. This is based on the fact that FAO is the world authority in the crucial sectors of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, food and nutrition, and rural development, which are all vital in the revitalization of economic growth and achieving the objectives in the areas of nutrition, poverty alleviation, human development and the environment, as has been stated in the document.
As I have already mentioned earlierr agriculture continues and will continue to be the largest sector in my country's economy, and its role is crucial in its effort of breaking off the vicious circle of its economy. My delegation fully supports the recommendation put forward under paragraph 55 of the document under discussion, i.e. document C 89/19, that for the developing countries, including my country, Mr Chairman, the structural adjustment should put greater emphasis on growth-generating aspects by removing constraints - this is very important - and bottlenecks to growth in order to achieve the economic growth in agriculture. This is also endorsed very much by our delegation from UK just now.
It has also been clearly stressed in paragraph 62 of the document under discussion that the greater itajority of developing countries will have to depend on the use of inputs to increase their yields in meeting their food and other agricultural product demands.
My head of delegation has mentioned during the general discussions in the Plenary that my country is experiencing adverse effects in implementing the structural adjustment programme to the agricultural sector, in particular to the small farmers.The programme is accompanied by massive devaluation of the country's currencies, and strong insistence on the removal of subsidies, including subsidies on production inputs. This has resulted in very high costs of the inputs, and in the absence of subsidies, farmers are compelled to withdraw from using the inputs, thus resulting in very poor low yields and decline in agriculture growth.
Paragraph 70 of the document under discussion emphasizes the importance of formulating producer prices to enable small farmers to pay for their purchased inputs. But under the current world market price fluctuations, my country finds it almost impossible to avoid subsidizing farmers for quite a period of time and not temporarily.
Mr Chairman, my country strongly requests FAO as a contributor to the two activities under review, to consider some of the inconsistencies, including the removal of input subsidies, put forward under the external assistance given to developing countries, including my country.
I would very much request the Secretariat if possible to comment on this issue when summarizing the discussions in future, because this item of subsidizing inputs to farmers is vital to my country.
Shahid NAJAM (Pakistan) : It is indeed a welcome sign that the UN General Assembly has, inter alia, asked FAO to contribute in the preparation of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth UN Development Decade. In view of the dominant role of food, agriculture and rural development in the world economy, a development strategy, a priori, has to address the fundamental questions of food security and agricultural development. This in itself, eloquently speaks of the role of FAO in providing the necessary input for IDS with a view to revitalizing economic growth and achieving the objectives in the areas of nutrition, poverty alleviation, human development, and environment.
The methodology envisaged in paras 14-16 of document C 89/19 for making contribution to the preparation of IDS seems fairly exhaustive, and encompasses almost all the fields of competence of the Organization, as also the specific sectoral issues and priorities. We feel that "Agriculture Towards 2000" "WCARRD Programme of Action", "Plan of Action forWomen's Integration into Development" and the "Tropical Forestry Action Plan" etc., and the "Cooperative Action Programme" of WFC could be meaningfully incorporated for preparing the FAO Strategy document.
We are also in full agreement with the point made in the document that the development stragegy should clearly indicate the areas of priority action appropriate to different geographic regions and to countries at different levels of economic development, and with different resources situations and endowments.
The provisional outline and tentative preview of the Stragegy document, after reviewing the food and agricultural situation in the 1980s and the possible trend for the 1990s basically dilates upon the three inextricably interwoven themes of Economic Growth and Agriculture, Poverty Alleviation, and Human Resources Development, and Natural Resources, Environment and Sustainability. The Pakistan delegation would like to contribute on these three themes one by one.
As regards economic growth and agriculture, we are inclined to agree that the strategy of development for the 1990s should concentrate and focus on macro-economics and structural adjustment reforms by removing the constraints and bottlenecks to growth and engendering resource generation to give sustainability to the agriculture sector. However, we would like to stress that unless and until international economic order and trade in agriculture and agro-based products are rationalized, and distortions and imperfections besetting it are removed, all efforts on macro-economic and sector-specific structural adjustment reforms are likely to encounter failure and may well be counter-productive in terms of causing political instability in most of the developing countries with fragile systems.
The present scenario of the international trade environment is asymmetrical. The end result of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations is not yet known, although April 1989 negotiations culminated in agreement on a framework approach setting out long-term and short-term objectives to eventually eliminate protectionism and other forms of imperfections and imbalances, yet without sounding too pessimistic and in view of the past experience of protracted parleys and polemics, we would like to strongly urge that the development strategy must address this issue of international trade and order in a comprehensive and integrated manner.
We also tend to generally agree with the remedial actions proposed in para. 60 of the document aimed at improving the agricultural sector of the developing countries. The four I's - inputs, incentives, institutions, and infrastructure - ought to receive due attention, particularly in the wake of structural adjustment reforms. We would, however, stress that agricultural research and development, which rank not too high in the developing countries, need to be provided with greater impetus to be able to envolve appropriate technological package for agricultural development and sustainable growth.
As regards poverty alleviation and human resources development, it hardly needs emphasis that the economic growth and agricultural development have a direct bearing on the state of poverty. Similarly, human resource development plays a decisive role in increasing the efficiency of the productive sectors. These are crucial social dimensions to the economic growth. However, agricultural policy reforms and structural adjustments strategies, predominantly influenced by the economic and fiscal considerations of the international financial institutions and bilateral-multilateral agreements, tend to relegate poverty, hunger, inequitable distribution of wealth, malnutrition and health to the periphery. The complimentarity and inalienability of economic, social and human resources sectors need to be recognized. We have all along advocated that FAO can play a leading role in this regard. We will, therefore, reiterate that the international development strategy ought to address these key aspects as an integral part of development combining growth with poverty alleviation and equity.
As regards external assistance and the direct food aid to combat malnutrition, we would stress that, in view of the unfortunate trend and progressive decline in the world food security and, particularly, for the least developed countries, the flow of uninterrupted aid, either in the form of emergency relief or augmenting the food supplies or in the shape of food-for-work, will have to be unequivocally enshrined in the development strategy. The WHO/WFP and other programmes of the UN system and different affluent countries have contributed considerably in this regard; size and scope of these programmes commensurate with the enormity of the problem would have to be suitably enhanced.
The issue of environmental degradation is of high priority and there is no denying the fact that the development, which destroys the natural resources that sustain it, is not development. Unfortunately, during the recent decades, environmental degradation and resources depletion have assumed appalling proportions progressively putting the destiny of future generations to peril. The phenomenon is not confined to underdeveloped countries; it is inter-related and has global, regional and national dimensions. Environmental degradation is manifest in a variety of ways ranging from climatic changes, loss of genetic resources, diminution of aquaculture, acid precipitation, desertification, deforestation, sub-soil water contamination, and soil erosion.
On the top of this, there exist conflicts of interests between individual and the private interests on the one hand, and the collective interest of nations on the other, primarily due to the reasons of immediacy of the need of the individual for food and fuel, and that the benefits of conservation measures tend to accrue in the long run and they accrue to the beneficiaries who did not make sacrifices.
Furthermore, the lack of awareness amongst the population creates a situation in which hardly anyone pleads for a programme to protect the country's natural resource base. There is no effective lobby that puts the case before the public and influences the allocation of the public expenditure for this purpose. Short-term expediency and pressures for a broad array and other causes have resulted in very meagre provisions of funds and scant organizational attention.
Absence of appropriate technology for environmental protection and conservation of resources further aggravates the situation. Mr Chairman, we recommend that the strategy, besides the priority indentified in para 101 of the document, should encompass the measures:
To evolve a long-range policy for creating awareness of the importance of environmental consideration amongst the nations and the peoples at the grass-root level, and to undertake and promote appropriate research activities for resources conservation and management, and for the benefit of appropriate technological package.
Mr Chairman, before I conclude, allow me to highlight sane of the broader issues which ought to figure prominently in the agenda for development of a viable strategy:
1. How to transform agriculture in the developing countries from traditionally constrained activity to commercially viable ventures and, related to this, what measures need to be adopted to sustain and strengthen the process of transition in the countries where it has already started.
2. How to ensure food security to all the people living on this planet before the end of this century.
3. How to improve prospects for agricultural trade and replace the present system based on myopic protectionist framework within a more unified global economy.
Each of these issues involved a wide range of policy options, some straightforward and relatively easy to implement and others very complex and politically sensitive. The task that lies ahead is difficult. We hope FAO, while providing input to the International Development Strategy, will be living up to its traditions and attend to these issues comprehensively.
Horacio Daniel FIGUEIRAS (Argentina): Nuestra delegación recibe con agrado la invitación del Secretario General de las Naciones Uhidas para que la FAO esté presente en la preparación de la Estrategia Internacional del Desarrollo del Cuarto Decenio de las Naciones unidas para el Desarrollo. Felicita además, a la Secretaria por su importante aporte preliminar a la iniciativa, el documento C 89/19, que hoy analiza esta Comisión.
Coincidimos en general con la evaluación de los hechos y tendencias de la década que termina, tal como lo refiere el Capítulo II .A, que son descritos considerando los tres ternas principales a tratarse en las Naciones Unidas.
En lo que hace a las Perspectivas para los años 90, Parte II,B, el tono del documento es francamente pesimista. Dadas sus conclusiones, poco o nada se puede esperar de mejoría en la situación de la agricultura que dependa específicamente del hambre rural, menos aún si este hombre habita un país en desarrollo.
Como ejemplo, en la tabla del párrafo 36 se aprecia una clara diferencia a favor de las tasas de crecimiento de la producción agrícola respecto de las de crecimiento de población. Sin embargo, en el párrafo 38, esta diferencia queda aniquilada al ser enlazada con las cifras estimadas de la reactivación del crecimiento económico global. Un crecimiento económico cuyo principal sostén es, para la mayoría de los países en desarrollo, su producción agropecuaria, forestal e ictícola. Más desalentadoras se nos hacen aún las perspectivas, si observamos en el párrafo 40, que los países industriales seguirán con tasas de producción en aumento, aunque menor que en los años 80, y que en el párrafo 41, Europa Oriental y la Unión de Repúblicas Soviéticas Socialistas seguirán incartando iguales volúmenes que hasta ahora.
En varias partes del documento se mencionan factores macroeconómicos que, con mayor o menor intensidad, inciden negativamente en el progreso de los países en desarrollo. En los párrafos 38 y 39, se citan la deuda externa, las corrientes de recursos, el acceso a los mercados, el proteccionismo. También en la parte de Estrategias, párrafos 56, 57 y 58, se listan otros elementos limitantes del crecimiento agrícola como las tasas de inflación (no se mencionan, sin embargo, las tasas de interés internacionales), los tipos de cambio, las relaciones de intercambio, y cito: "la tendencia de los países industriales a generar excedentes estructurales de productos propios de las zonas templadas en el marco de regímenes de apoyo de alto costo, las tendencias a sustituir productos naturales por sintéticos y su capacidad -de los países industriales- financiera para subvencionar sustituciones". Como ve, Sr. Presidente, parece poco lo que se nos permite planificar a nuestros países en desarrollo.
Compartimos, sin embargo, las esperanzas en el progreso de la Ronda Uruguay del GATT para reducir los obstáculos al comercio, así como las sugerencias de la Estrategia, de los párrafos 72 y 73, para mejorar la situación de la agricultura.
La parte del documento que trata sobre Pobreza y Recursos Humanos es quizás de pronósticos aún más sembríos. A pesar del estimado, aumento de la mano de obra agrícola en los países en desarrollo más pobres (párrafo 44), los trabajadores rurales ganarán menos y bajará la productividad per cápita, con lo cual seguirán empobreciéndose. En el párrafo 43 ya se menciona la perspectiva del aumento de la desnutrición en Africa.
En el documento se subraya la íntima relación entre pobreza y producción y productividad, insistiendo en la incidencia negativa de los programas de ajuste estructural (párrafo 75), que muchos de los países en desarrollo están tratando de implementar a sugerencia de los organismos financieros rectores. Recomiendo la atenta lectura de los párrafos 75 y 76, que se refieren a la "inevitabilidad" de estos programas para conseguir, a la luz del texto, un dudoso "equilibrio interno y externo", con cuyos resultados bien se puede
"minar", cito, "la base misma del desarrollo, es decir, la salud y la calidad de los recursos humanos". Nuestra reflexión es que si estos programas de ajuste no ayudan al desarrollo y, más bien, consolidan o agravan la pobreza, la FAO debería proponer las modificaciones pertinentes o sugerir en las Naciones Unidas la sustitución de los programas por otros de efectos más favorables.
La última parte del documento (Recursos Naturales, Medio Ambiente y Sostenibilidad) es una excelente evaluación de la degradación y destrucción de los recursos, tanto en los países en desarrollo como en los países industrializados. Se plantean con todo rigor las consecuencias del efecto invernadero, en los párrafos 50 al 52. Se debe destacar la necesidad de fomentar el uso de fuentes no convencionales de energía, con el doble propósito de atenuar este problema debido a polución por gases atmosféricos, y a la vez para paliar la carencia de leña en algunas regiones citadas en otro lugar del informe. En cambio, el informe no menciona el peligro que implica la disminución de la capa de ozono, debida al uso masivo de fluorocarbonados, para uso doméstico, con efectos ecológicos aún incalculables por el incremento de radiación ultravioleta que va a provocar este efecto. Recordamos que otros polutantes, no tratados en el informe -caso de agroquímos, anabólicos veterinarios, etc- son producidos en los países industrializados, y sus concentraciones en alimentos se usan luego como barreras no arancelarias al comercio. Los países en desarrollo esperamos en esta área un "ajuste", que sea expresado como recomendación en las Naciones Unidas.
Nuestra delegación comparte en un todo la parte III C del documento, así como sus sintéticas conclusiones del párrafo 123.
Queda claro, del análisis del trabajo, que la Estrategia depende de la voluntad de las naciones más poderosas, de modo de poner al hombre por encima de la economía, sin subestimar a ésta. Las políticas macroeconómicas deben considerar con máxima seriedad y urgencia los tres temas principales de la Estragegia y hacerse cargo de que el progreso es, cada vez más, patrimonio de todos en este mundo ecológicamente uno.
Aminoti TASSIOU (Niger): Permettez-moi, Monsieur le Président, de féliciter le Secrétariat pour la qualité du document présenté C 89/19, qui traite des stratégies à long terme pour le développement du secteur alimentaire et agricole. En particulier la rubrique II, c'est-à-dire les paragraphes 18 à 52, a le mérite de dresser une analyse succincte des problêmes actuels et des perspectives d'avenir qui malheureusement, pour les pays en voie de développement, ne sont pas très encourageantes. Le paragraphe 25 est à nos yeux très pertinent, car il signale la marginalisation des pays les moins avancés en même temps que leur exclusion du processus de développement. Pour preuve, les perspectives d'avenir dans les pays d'Afrique subsaharienne par exemple montrent que la croissance agricole annuelle projetée pour la période 1990-2000 sera inférieure à la croissance démographique. Ceci m'amène à évoquer ici le cas spécifique du Niger comme modèle par excellence de la zone sahélienne.
C'est une chose connue des honorables délégués ici présents, la zone sahélienne connaît des problêmes dont la solution est un défi non seulement pour ces pays, mais pour la communauté internationale toute entière, à cause de la spécificité et des particularités de ladite zone.
Nous appuyons donc le fait que la stratégie internationale de développaient pour les années 90 doive, pour l'Afrique saharienne du sud et subsaharienne, prendre en compte les éléments mentionnés dans les documents que nous avons cités; le document C 89/19 en particulier, dans sa partie III, paragraphes 53 et suivants, à savoir: la relance de la croissance économique, la lutte contre la pauvreté et la mise en valeur des ressources huitaines, et surtout -comme l'a souligné le représentant du Danemark au nom des pays Scandinaves, la solution des problèmes liés à la sauvegarde du cadre de vie, c'est-à-dire l'environnement et la gestion des ressources naturelles.
Permettez-moi cependant d'attirer l'attention sur les effets pervers des mesures d'ajustement structurel comme facteur freinant dans une très large mesure la croissance dans le domaine agricole. Pour illustrer mon propos, je signalerai dans le contexte actuel le désengagement progressif de l'Etat des circuits d'approvisionnement des producteurs en facteur de production, de libéralisation des circuits de commercialisation des produits agricoles tant internes qu'externes, auquel se superpose la diminution notoire de la subvention aux intrants, l'absence d'un système viable de crédit agricole. L'ensemble de ces éléments fait planer une insécurité réelle pour les petits producteurs.
J'illustrerai cela par des phénomènes récents. En cas de bonne année, comme c'était le cas en 1988 au Niger, les prix aux producteurs en ce qui concerne en particulier les céréales accusent une baisse vertigineuse qui limite leur capacité de réinvestissement. En cas de mauvaise année, c'est le cas en 1989, c'est le consommateur dont le pouvoir d'achat est limité qui se trouve confronté aux problèmes de satisfaction des besoins élémentaires à cause de l'absence de flexibilité et de dynamisme dans le circuit d'approvisionnement et d'importation.
Nous voulons donc appuyer le paragraphe 55 et souligner à ce niveau l'importance qu'il y a à formuler une résolution pour le suivi des effets pervers des mesures d'ajustement structurel, en particulier dans cette zone névralgique, et la prise en compte de ces effets dans le cadre de la stratégie actuelle pour la décennie à venir.
Par ailleurs, la situation géographique et écologique des pays subsahariens fait de ces derniers le lieu de prédilection d'un certain nombre de ravageurs. Je ne citerai ici que le cas des criquets pèlerins pour lesquels l'année 1988 a démontré de manière évidente la faiblesse du dispositif de prévention et d'intervention. Cela risque d'être le cas aussi pour un danger qui actuellement menace le secteur de l'élevage, celui de la lucilie bouchère. Mieux vaut prévenir que guérir. Nous souhaitons donc qu'une résolution soit prise pour que ces deux fléaux similaires, qui ont un caractère endémique dans des zones écologiques particulières, fassent l'objet d'une attention particulière dans le cadre de la stratégie du développement à adopter pour la prochaine décennie.
Ms Sin BALKISH SHARIFF (Malaysia) : We would like to commend the Secretariat for a comprehensive document focusing largely on economic growth and agriculture, poverty alleviation, human resource development and the promotion of sustained development. Prospects of realizing these objectives depend, however, on progress in reducing the debt burden and the outcome of the developing countries in implementing the adjustment measures to overcome macroeconoemic misrtanagement, strong inflation and a narrow production base.
In addition, the sizeable transfer of resources to creditor nations has to decline to enable developing countries to reach more creditable rates of growth.
While a new debt initiative, the Brady Plan debt reduction programme, provides hope for the realization of growth for indebted countries, the slow progress so far has raised concern over the eventual success of this debt initiative.
We find this document timely and useful in our current efforts to formulate the Sixth Malaysian Development Plan for the period 1991 to 1995 which, among others, will emphasize economic growth, human resource development, environment and sustained development, as well as poverty alleviation, which are areas already addressed in the strategy outlined for the 1990s.
The Malaysian delegation believes that growth is paramount for the future survival of developing countries. This is largely based on our experience during the economic downturn of 1986 when development programmes, including those designed to eradicate poverty, suffered downward adjustment in their financial allocation.
The low income groups also suffered the most from the recession. Fortunately, however, this setback was transitory and was arrested by commodity price improvements and adjustment measures specifically undertaken to strengthen economic growth.
Agriculture has been the mainstay of the Malaysian economy, and although it has been overtaken by the manufacturing sector in terms of contribution to the GDP, it is still the main employer of labour. The Government will continue efforts to modernize and commercialize this sector as this is the key to poverty eradication. This sector is also important in food production.
Future efforts will be aimed at maintaining Malaysia's leadership position in the production and processing technology of rubber and palm oil. Simultaneously, the implementation of policies and programmes aimed at agricultural diversification as well as value added enhancement of primary commodities through more processing and downstream activities will be intensified.
The Government will also continue to provide allocation for strengthening the basic infrastructure in rural areas and to provide direct assistance aimed at improving the welfare of the poor, such as resettlement, cottage industries and agricultural projects which can help supplement household incomes.
All development efforts, however, will give cognizance to the protection of the environment for sustained development. In this regard, environmental impact assessment will be undertaken for future development projects.
We compliment the Secretariat on the work done in preparing this important document. We give our full support to the strategy outlined in paragraph 123, and we look forward to a more detailed document.
Sra Grafila SOTO CARRERO (Cuba) : La Delegación de Cuba ha estudiado con interés y agradece a la Secretaría la preparación del documento C 89/19, así como la presentación hecha por el doctor Dutia.
Consideramos, señor Presidente, que la estrategia para la agricultura y la alimentación y el desarrollo rural juegan un papel preponderante en toda la Estrategia Internacional del Desarrollo. A este respecto, coincidimos con el documento cuando nos plantea, en su párrafo 4, que el mandato de la FAO y su función reconocida de autoridad mundial en los sectores cruciales de la agricultura, incluyendo la silvicultura, la pesca, la alimentación y la nutrición y el desarrollo rural en su conjunto, la colocan en una posición única para contribuir a los preparativos y al éxito de la Estrategia Internacional del Desarrollo y del período extraordinario de sesiones de la Asamblea General.
Coincidimos también en que dicha contribución debe estar a la altura de la importancia que tienen esos sectores en las economías y las sociedades de la gran mayoría de los países en desarrollo.
Durante el 95Q período de sesiones del Consejo, mi Delegación se refirió a la especial importancia de la FAO en la EID y alperíodo extraordinario de sesiones, teniendo en cuenta que la agricultura y la alimentación y todo el sector rural tienen una función decisiva que desempeñar para revitalizar el c:recimiento económico y lograr lo$ objetivos en los sectores de la nutriciónr el alivio de la pobreza, el desarrollo huraño y el medio ambiente. Hoy, nuevamente, la Delegación de Cuba recalca en esos aspectos tan importantes.
También, señor Presidente, consideramos que la estrategia en el sector de la agricultura y la alimentación cuenta con una buena base para establecer sus conclusiones y recomendaciones en el estudio, ya realizado por la FAO, "Agricultura Horizonte 2000"/ en el cual se efectuaron análisis globales y regionales de extraordinaria importancia.
También el Plan de Acción de la Conferencia Mundial de Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural, continúa siendo una buena base de recomendación.
En lo que se refiere a las cuestiones actuales y perspectivas para los años 90, mi Delegación debe referirse con pesar a la crisis económica general de los años 89 y, en especial, a la situación de América Latina y el Caribe.
En realidad, señor Presidente, lo que al comienzo de la década de los 80 se vislumbraba como una recesión en las potencias occidentales, ha demostrado ser, en realidad, la crisis económica y social más profunda, prolongada y generalizada que ha sufrido el mundo subdesarrollado en los últimos cincuenta años, como bien apuntara el distinguido Delegado de Colombia, debe recalcarse que han sido años perdidos para los países subdesarrollados.
Para nuestra región de América Latina y el Caribe, las consecuencias de esta crisis han sido particularmente graves debido, fundamentalmente, a sus elevados y siempre crecientes niveles de endeudamiento extermo, asi como al enorme pago de sus intereses, lo cual nos coloca en una situación menos ventajosa aún en el narco de las relaciones económicas internacionales contemporáneas.
Usted conoce bien, señor Presidente, que maestros países del Tercer Mundo no son subdesarrollados por naturaleza. El subdesarrollo es la consecuencia impuesta a un conjunto mayoritario de países, a través de largos años de explotación colonial y neocolonial, ejercida sobre ellos por grandes potencias que imponiéndonos estructuras económicas deformadas y dependientes, nos han inposibilitado un proceso de desarrollo sostenido.
El sector agrícola en particular no ha sido capaz, en la mayoría de los casos, de cubrir ni siquiera las necesidades alimentarias de nuestras poblaciones, debido, en lo fundamental, a la estructura de la tenencia de la tierra f caracterizada por una extendida economía campesina minifundista, de gran atraso tecnológico, que subsiste junto a importantes empresas agrícolas de propiedad trasnacional y de grandes latifundios insuficientemente explotados.
El papel de la FAO en la solución de estos problemas, que juega un papel fundamental en la Estrategia a largo plazo para el sector de la agricultura y la alimentación dentro de la estrategia internacional del desarrollo, sería un paso significativo hacia el establecimiento del nuevo orden económico internacional que hace años proponemos y que se ha convertido en una divisa común de nuestros pueblos, puesto que queremos abolir la explotación donde ésta sigue imperando.
Para terminar, señor Presidente, quisiera expresar que si se cumplimentan los principios elaborados por la FAO para el cuarto decenio de la estrategia internacional del desarrollo, con objetivos realizables, si son aprobados por esta Conferencia, si en el Informe que se nos presentará en el Consejo de noviembre de 1990 se plasman los intereses del mundo en desarrollo de manera clara, precisa y con prioridades realistas, podremos demostrar que juntos la FAO, los Países del Tercer Mundo y los Países desarrollados de buena voluntad, todos juntos, somos una fuerza que puede y tiene derecho a exigir que no continue prevaleciendo el egoísmo, la agresión y el desprecio a nuestros derechos.
Hartmut STALB (Germany, Federal Republic of) (original language German): Document C 89/19 meets with our full approval. We certainly support the opinions expressed by the Secretariat saying that the FAO contribution to the Fourth Development Decade should concentrate on the following sectors: 1. productivity growth, 2. fight against poverty and increase of human resources, 3. natural resources, environmental protection and sustainability in agriculture.
The FAO "Agriculture towards the year 2000", and also different regional studies, we believe have been very good preparatory documents Which we will be able to use when devising FAO's contribution. Allow me, therefore, to make a few comments on the document.
First of all, I believe that the fight against poverty especially, means the creation of jobs and, therefore, it is vital to provide jobs also in rural, and not only in urban areas. In my opinion, this can be seen in a logical chain of events. Employment, if it is lacking, brings about poverty, undernourishment and the destruction of the environment. This is not taken into sufficient account when looking at ecological developments.
Secondly, let me look at the subject of population growth. I know that this is not a theme for FAO's contribution to the Fourth Development Decade. However, in our opinion, the development of the population cannot be separated from any effort that we nay make in the field of agriculture and protection of the environment. My Minister has already said in the Plenary that we need not only to ensure sufficient food for the present generation, but also for the 220 000 new arrivals every day. They also have a right to qualitatively and quantitatively sufficient food. "Ms is a prerequisite for healthy bodily and mental development.
One may wander whether, in the long-term, it will be possible at all to be able to keep up economic development with a population growth of more than 3 percent.
Finally, let me mention environmental protection, which has been given broad coverage in this document. If we cannot manage carefully to use the resources with which we have been entrusted, then even future green revolutions will not prevent an even greater threat to future generations than we can ever imagine now.
Mohamed Badr El Din EL MASOUDI (Libya) (original language Arabic) : My delegation would like to begin by congratulating the Secretariat on document C 89/19 dealing with long-term strategy for the food and agricultural sector which give to the development of human resources its just importance as regards sustainable development efforts. We feel that structural assessment and sustainable development are of particular importance at all levels and therefore it is necessary to bring together the efforts of both developed and developing countries if we want to overcome the obstacles facing mankind. There is no doubt whatsoever that the problems of foreign debt and the payment of interest on foreign debt, as well as the flow of foreign aid and access to markets, are all very important elements in the development of an international strategy and its implementation. The document in paragraph 43 states that poverty alleviation and the fight against nutritional problems and under-nutrition are elements Which are certainly important for future strategies and which are therefore worthy of our full support. My delegation would also like to support what is found in paragraph 21 and that is that there exists an imbalance in international markets due to export subsidies which have led to unfortunate competition in agricultural products. Therefore, what we need to do is to establish guidelines which can be helpful in making the necessary changes in such policies.
My delegation would also like to express its support to the increased role in women in all development aspects and this is what is being done in our country. We also want to support the ideas with respect to human rights which we think are very vital elements in the international strategy as well as recognizing the importance of health and sanitation.
I think when we look at paragraph 84 and the importance given to the forestry sector, we realize that this importance is quite rightly established because we have for many decades been fighting against the deforestation and the competition between agricultural and forest land. We, at the same time, need to realize how important fuelwood may be for our rural populations and recognize their basic needs. Because of this, in many cases, the forests are in constant threat and to this we also need to add the need of preserving our forestry genetic resources. Therefore, we feel it is necessary to make an appeal so that a durable and viable solution can be found. I think we all recognize the very important ecological role played by forests and the important role they have in maintaining an ecological balance, and food production must be developed with this in mind. It must be a type of vertical growth and not a horizontal growth which damages other areas. We need to realize the mutual balance which must exist between agriculture and forestry. I think the role of FAO in improving agricultural production in cutting the cost of production is a very important one. They can develop strategies which will be very important in the future, and we are certain that FAO will be very important in the future, and we are certain that FAO will be able to play this role very usefully, particularly when we recognize the excellent experience and practice that they have had for many years.
Ms Ann M. VENEMAN (United States of .America) : I would like to focus my remarks on three topics: the Special Session; the preparation of an International Development Strategy for the Fourth UN Development Decade; and FAO's input into the processes.
With regard to the Special Session, we believe that a desirable outcome from the Special Session would be a relatively brief document, adopted by consensus, which reinforces the central role of the World Bank and IMF in international economic and financial policy issues and the central importance of market-oriented reforms for achieving growth and development .
Turning to the International Development Strategy, for its part, the united States is committed to the case-by-case approach to resolving the economic problems of developing countries. The diversity of the economies of developing countries calls for differentiated approaches to growth and development.
With regard to FAO's input, we strongly agree with paragraph 73 of the FAO document that the strategy should address the need for developing countries to promote an enhanced role for the private sector, including cooperatives, and to remove "undue impediments" to economic growth.
Paragraph 17 of C 89/19 rightly stresses that the primary role for implementing the strategy falls to the governments of the developing countries and that the role of the international community should be to backstop these efforts by fostering a more supportive environment for international economic relations.
Despite its real short-term difficulties structural adjustment will contribute to broad-based and sustainable economic growth and improvements in living standards of the poor in the medium to long term.
The united States is fully supportive of the concept of sustainable development, in the economic and environmental sense, and believes it should be a basic principle governing all development efforts.
Given the uncertainties of the 1990s, we believe it would be an unproductive exercise for an IDS to attempt to set specific quantitative targets for economic growth, aid flows, or trade. The United States will not accept an IDS that sets growth or ODA targets.
What is needed on the part of many recipient countries is better coordination of development assistance among multilateral and bilateral donors and a more efficient focus of technical assistance on building up these countries' capacity to manage development programmes.
As paragraph 58 of the FAO document rightly emphasizes, the IDS should address a number of issues in the area of international agricultural trade. The United States believes that all countries should be committed to an open and expanding trade system and can make a contribution to strength that system by lowering trade barriers, eliminating agricultural subsidies, and supporting full achievement of Uruguay Round objectives.
R.C.A. JAIN (India): As usual the documentation produced by the FAO Secretariat on the agenda is of a very high quality. I must congratulate the Secretariat for the apprehensive document C 89/19. I have very carefully gone through the paper and find that there is hardly any area left uncovered or any nuance missed in dealing with the subject.
We agree with the analysis of the past trends and the issues and the outline of the strategy for economic growth and agriculture, poverty alleviation human resources development, natural resource based development as also sustainable development.
The Indian delegation therefore commends this outline for adoption as a basis for preparation for the full strategy document for submission to the Ninety-eighth Council in 1990.
My delegation has, while making its interventions on earlier agenda items, already dwelled at length on various issues concerning international agricultural trade, external assistance for development of agriculture, sustainable development, and therefore would not like to take your time in repeating them again.
We would be content making a few observations on some of the aspects under this agenda item. One area which my delegation would like to be given a pride of place in the list of priorities for the future agricultural development strategy is the field of research and development. International efforts should be directed towards development of technologies, especially in the field of rainfed farming. Countries like India where most of the agricultural land is dependent on rainfall, need to concentrate on increasing productivity and production from these lands. Such development would bring about growth of agriculture with greater justice for the millions of small and marginal farmers. In India, learning lessons from the green revolution, we have now moved on to agricultural planning based on regional potential and characteristics. It will be undertaken on the basis of 15 agroclimatic zones identified in terms of soil type, rainfall, temperature and water resources. These cliimatic zones are further divided into sub-zones and sub-regions. These sub-regions vary considerably in their potential for agricultural development. The strategy of agroclimatic regional planning aims at assessing these potentialities zone by zone and integrating them into a national perspective. On similar lines, we would commend regional planning in different geographical zones of the world to exploit the full agricultural potential of these different lands by evolving viable technology packages, providing efficient delivery, services, and ensuring remunerative and stable market prices for their farm produce.
The IDS for the Third Development Decade aimed at 4 percent growth in agricultural production, however, the actual growth rate achieved has been much lower, that is 2.5 percent during the years 1980-1986, 0.9 percent in 1987 and 0.1 percent in 1988.
Recurrence of such divergence between what is aimed at and what is achieved can perhaps be avoided by detailing measures to be taken by the national governments and the international community and organizations. It is also necessary to make reasonable estimates of technical and financial resources, including external assistance needed by the developing countries, and to include them in the IDS so as to commit the international community to their requirements. According to the FAO study "At 2000", during the 1990s agricultural production in the developing countries is likely to grow at a compound growth rate of 2 percent per annum, population at the rate of 2 percent per annum and agricultural demand at the rate of 3.1 percent per annum. This can only leave the world with many more undernourished people at the end of the century than we have today. These figures therefore need to be looked at again in order to make them more realistic and acceptable.
On the subject of nutrition and food aid, I should like to state that food aid to developing countries is related basically to fighting the problem of hunger and malnutrition, which is a problem of humanity as a whole, and therefore food aid should not be tied to conditions of structural adjustments in the developing countries.
To conclude, I should like to reiterate the validity of the agenda document and would express the hope that the task force working on these outlines and the preview will be able to prepare the FAO, the UN and the world to rise to the challenge of food and agriculture and rural development in the decade heralding the 21st century.
Mrs Rudene F. WILKINS (Liberia): As seems to be the trend, the Secretariat continues to excel itself in the production of documents which are excellent and concise. I join with other speakers in congratulating this hardworking group.
The Government of Liberia has food and agriculture as the number one priority programme for its economic and social development and is endeavouring to improve its overall agricultural production. Currently, policies and efforts are directed towards the utilization of idle agricultural land for a productive use and the providing of services such as extension, credit, marketing and some basic inputs. Our integrated rural development programme continues to dwell on the enhancement of the economic land social status of the rural populace.
Document C 89/19 concurs with the emphasis which my government places on its agricultural growth. We therefore wholeheartedly endorse this document. Preservation of the environment to sustain this growth, as mentioned in paragraph 60, suggests among other things the diversification of agricultural export commodities for developing countries. My delegation recommends that, in view of the many obstacles and price fluctuations which developing countries, especially African nations, encounter to the export of their commodities, emphasis should be put on the production of finished products which will be utilized for domestic consumption and export, which would in time save much of our needed foreign exchange.
Women's role in agriculture is as vital as is birth to the human race. It is time that decisions concerning women were made by women. We encourage FAO's efforts to integrate women in agricultural activities and decision-making. We hope that Member Nations will implement these programmes in their respective countries.
Noboru SATTO (Japan): We should like to recall the fact that former International Development Strategies have resulted in the economic gap among developing countries owing to the unexpected oil crisis in the 1970s, worldwide recession in the 1980s and, particularly, the worsening of debt problems in the latter half of the 1980s. On the other hand, in the 1980s there was also progress in the Uruguay Round negotiations and the establishment of cooperation systems among industrialized countries such as the Group of Seven.
Taking account of these facts, my country stresses the following points with regard to establishing the new Strategy: firstly, further promotion of self-reliance efforts by developing countries themselves with regard to development; secondly, more efforts by the international community to cooperate with such efforts of developing countries; thirdly, more efficient management of UN system.
Mme Cristina MONTEIRO DUARTE (Cap-Vert) : La délégation cap-verdienne félicite le Secrétariat pour la qualité du document et sa présentation.
Discuter ici et maintenant d'une stratégie internationale de développaient impose que l'on rappelle le contexte international qui a caractérisé les années 80 como il est indiqué dans le document.
L'aggravation de la dette extérieure démontre à nouveau le déséquilibre du flux de capitaux entre les pays développés et les pays en développement, à tel point que l'on se demande quels pays financent quels autres.
Il faut noter les conséquences néfastes d'un commerce international où les termes de l'échange ne cessent de se détériorer, et où le protectionnisme est de plus en plus renforcé; il faut également noter l'insuccès de plusieurs politiques appliquées au niveau national dans les pays en développement, insuccès dû non seulement à des causes exogènes déjà citées mais aussi à l'ensemble des contraintes internes dont il convient de citer: la forte croissance démographique surtout dans le continent africain et ses conséquences néfastes sur l'éducation, la santé et la sécurité alimentaire entre autres.
Tout cela constitue sans aucun doute les ternes de référence clés qu'il faut prendre en compte pour la définition d'une stratégie internationale de développement efficace et conséquente.
Dans ce contexte, nous espérons que toute stratégie tirera profit des leçons des résultats atteints au cours des années passées.
Je me réfère à la participation active des pays du tiers monde surtout pour ce qui concerne la conception de la stratégie. Nous connaissons tous les résultats contestables des si classiques politiques d'ajustement structurel proposé aux gouvernements africains, à tel point que l'on sent actuellement la nécessité de renforcer son contenu humain en relativisant quelques mesures notamment:
- entière et totale libéralisation des prix, sans prendre en compte les mesures structurelles qui corrigent le déséquilibre entre le milieu rural et le milieu urbain;
- totale privatisation de l'économie, ce qui amenuisera le rôle potentiellement positif de l'Etat, bien que la théorie des forces du marché soit loin d'être efficace à 100 pour cent.
Permettez-moi à ce propos de dire que nous sommes d'accord avec le paragraphe 73 du document que nous examinons. L'importance de l'infrastructure et des institutions qui, dans l'ensemble, sont du ressort de l'Etat, fait surgir la question du rôle du secteur public dans la vie économique.
Actuellement, les théoriciens du développement semblent favoriser une reductio! de ce rôle; toutefois, personne ne conteste ce rôle dans certains aspects fondamentaux du développement agricole.
La FAO estime qu'il ne faut prescrire aucun dogme mais plutôt encourager le pragmatisme.
Se référant toujours au document, la délégation cap-verdienne souscrit au paragraphe 35 tout en ajoutant cependant, en ce qui concerne les aspects macro-économiques, que l'hémorragie financière provoquée par l'endettement des pays en développement constitue sans aucun doute un très fort étranglement; il semble inutile dans ce cas d'appliquer des palliatifs qui ne font que cacher ou reporter le problème.
Nous aimerions affirmer ici que la définition d'une stratégie est étroitement conditionnée par le contenu du diagnostic de la situation, ou plus concrètement par l'ordre d'importance attribuée aux problèmes inventoriés; les problèmes qui, pour nous, semblent les plus importants ne le seront pas pour les pays développés.
J'en viens maintenant au chapitre des conclusions. Je ne crains pas d'affirmer que les directives A et B doivent passer - ou passent nécessairement - par la mise en place d'une base interne qui priorise le secteur rural; ce n'est possible que si l'on adopte la directive F comme étant stratégique, fondamentale et prioritaire.
En ce qui concerne les politiques spécifiquement agricoles et alimentaires, la délégation du Cap-Vert a eu l'occasion de s'exprimer soit pendant la dernière Conférence mondiale, soit pendant la Conférence régionale pour l'Afrique.
Crispus R.J. NYAGA (Kenya) : Allow me first to thank Mr Dutia for the clear introduction and the detailed documentation.
My delegation wishes to underline the emphasis on agricultural growth with the aim of stimulating economic growth. We believe that priorities in agriculture should be focused in the long-term strategies of the Inte:mational Development for the Fourth UN Development Decade. We agree that FAO has therefore a very important input in the development of these strategies.
On the indicated priorities which include the WCARRD Programme of Action, TFAP, the Plan of Action for the Integration of Women in Development, the International Code of Conduct on the use and distribution of Pesticides, and the guidelines and targets for International Agricultural Ad justement, we agree that they should be the focus under the strategy being developed by the FAO. We think the Co-operative Action Programme on the Cyprus Initiative against poverty, hunger and malnutrition will be an important input among the strategies directed towards agricultural development and increased food production.
We reiterate that research programmes and the transfer of technology remain a very critical catalyst in the field of food and agriculture. Undeniably there is interdependence of the agricultural sector and the overall economy of developing countries. We believe therefore that impediments that constrain the global economic environment and in particular, agricultural trade, will need to be addressed under the forthcoming conference on the Fourth UN Decade. We encourage the FAO to pursue the areas of action outlined in paragraph 60 subsections A-E regarding the sector specific policies referred to in the documents. We note for the developing countries inputs in particular fertilizersf pesticides, improved seeds, agricultural machinery, continue to drain limited resources of developing countries. We urge that these be given greater attention under the strategies being developed.
We also agree on the importance of the strengthening of the infrastructure and the institutions. We see the need to revitalize growth in achieving the internal and external factors that relate to poverty, incane distribution and human resource development. We also support the views on paragraph 77, particularly A and B.
We also subscribe to the importance of national resources, the environment and sustainability, and in particular forestry and fishery resources. In this regard, we wish to underline the need to focus on the development of marginal lands as these have remained under-utilized and are for many countries the remaining frontiers for increased agricultural production and creation of rural employment opportunities.
We hope the proposed strategies will lead to the realization of a new economic order and provide developing countries with the opportunity to contribute and share equally in the world economy, and at the same time overcome the crippling external debt problems and the food shortages facing our countries.
In conclusion, Sir, We wish to note that a number of strategies and action programmes have in the past been drawn, but unfortunately, a number of these have as yet not been effectively implemented. We think it is imperative that these should be carried out in order to reverse the current trend of declining growth and negative trends in the economies of developing countries.
Antoine SAINTRAINT (Belgique): C'est la première fois que j'interviens dans les débats de la première Commission. Je voudrais dire combien je suis heureux, Monsieur le Président, de vous voir vous, Citoyen belge, présider cette réunion.
C'est un honneur pour moi que de pouvoir intervenir dans un domaine extrêmement vaste. La stratégie à long terme dans le secteur alimentaire et agricole est évidemment à la fois une utopie, parce qu'on ne sait pas très bien où l'on va dans les années qui viennent, compte tenu des immenses défis qui se posent à nous, et en plus il s'agit d'un véritable challenge que non seulement nous devons pouvoir réussir, mais que nous avons le devoir de réussir.
La stratégie nécessite bien sûr toute une série de ^reconversions de structures mentales, d'options et de choix qui sont, par exemple, des options politiques. Il n'y a pas de développement dans le secteur alimentaire et agricole sans donner à ce secteur prioritaire les moyens d'assurer un véritable développement. Tous les pays qui le peuvent devront résolument, dans la décennie qui vient, accepter une reconversion fondamentale d'un certain nombre de points de vue. Nous avons tous consacré, et vraisemblablement gaspillé, des sommes d'un montant hallucinant dans le cadre de ce que l'on a appelé l'équilibre, qui en réalité n'était que l'équilibre de la terreur.
Il est certain que le bouleversement du monde, les énormes masses monétaires qui ont été consacrées à des dépenses d'armement devront, dans la décennie qui vient, être concentrées sur d'autres objectifs. Incontestablement, le secteur alimentaire et agricole, qui implique une stratégie à long terme, doit pouvoir être doté des moyens voulus. Je crois qu'il faut dépasser aussi l'élément purement caritatif en considérant que nous avons de véritables obligations, qu'à l'heure où des centaines de millions de gens sont mal nourris ou sous-alimentés, il est du devoir de la communauté internationale de trouver rapidement des solutions à ce problème.
Ces solutions nécessitent - et ce n'est évidemment pas suffisant - une planification financière indispensable. La priorité à l'agriculture nécessite bien sûr une vision globale, une approche et une stratégie qui ne soient pas limitées à des relations bilatérales, nais qui s'inscrivent dans un contexte multilatéral. Dans ce domaine, incontestablement, la FAO a un rôle extrêmement important à jouer.
On a parlé de libéralisation et je dirai oui à la libéralisation mais pas n'importe quelle libéralisation, à une libéralisation raisonnable, étudiée. Pas de libéralisation sauvage, rendant les riches plus riches et les pauvres plus pauvres. Il faut arriver à des mesures de libéralisation qui au contraire puissent protéger les plus pauvres et les plus démunis du monde. Là, il est indispensable notamment de veiller au respect des accords sur les produits de base, car le démantèlement d'un certain nombre d'accords - je pense à l'accord sur le café, à l'accord sur le cacao et à bien d'autres -risque de porter un coup extrêmement grave à un certain nombre de pays en voie de développement qui vont se trouver confrontés à des situations dramatiques.
Je voudrais aussi souligner, après avoir étudié attentivement le document -nous y reviendrons lorsque nous aborderons à la Conférence le problème de la nutrition - l'indispensable liaison qui existe entre la nutrition et l'agriculture. Incontestablement il s'agit d'un problême où la FAO également a un rôle important à jouer, car nourrir mieux signifie également une alimentation plus équilibrée (on dépense dans un certain nombre de pays des sommes considérables pour mieux maigrir, mais ces sommes pourraient peut-être servir à un certain nombre de personnes pour mieux grossir. )
Je crois vraiment que dans le monde de demain, dans la stratégie de la nouvelle décennie, il y a un certain nombre de choses qui méritent d'être reconsidérées.
Il nous faut aussi souligner l'interrelation extrêmement étroite qui existe entre les différents secteurs de l'agriculture, de l'élevage et du secteur forestier. On parle souvent de développement global, intégré, harmonisé. Ne faut-il pas adopter des politiques au niveau mondial qui permettent une bonne intégration des secteurs? Pour le moment on n'en est même plus à reconstituer des secteurs menacés qui sont en train de se dégrader, mais à prendre des mesures partielles et insuffisantes pour essayer de sauver le patrimoine commun de l'huitanité.
On parle beaucoup de développement durable. Je crois qu'il s'agit d'un pléonasme, car il n'y a pas de développement réel s'il n'est pas durable. C'est un développement qui se prolonge, qui continue, et qui va bien sûr à l'encontre d'un certain nombre de notions où l'on examine la possibilité de faire mieux avec moins. Je crois qu'il est possible de faire beaucoup mieux avec beaucoup plus. Cela est une option politique fondamentale importante.
L'ajustement structurel dont on parle égalaient ne doit pas se limiter uniquement à un certain nombre de pays. Il doit être vu dans un cadre global où les responsabilités de tous les pays doivent être clairement déterminées car l'ajustement structurel implique nécessairement non seulement structurel des pays en voie de développement, mais l'ajustement structurel des économies des pays développés.
Il existe, comme vous le savez beaucoup mieux que moi, Monsieur le Président, une interrelation extrêmement étroite des politiques agricoles, des politiques industrielles, des politiques économiques, des politiques commerciales et des politiques monétaires. Je crois que cette interrelation mérite d'être soulignée car mettre l'accent sur un aspect sans toucher les autres aspects me paraît un élément d'antidéveloppement. Il n'y a pas de développement possible si simultanément on ne crée pas un certain nombre d'incitations. Je prendrai l'exemple le plus patent du paysan africain, du paysan de l'Asie, du paysan des Andes. Comment pouvez-vous imaginer une production meilleure, une production de qualité, si le produit de son travail ne lui permet pas d'améliorer ses conditions de vie, si la monnaie n'est pas stable, et s'il ne trouve pas la possibilité dans les marchés voisins de se vêtir, de s'équiper, d'obtenir un certain nombre de produits dont il a besoin pour lui-même et sa famille? C'est pourquoi mettre l'accent sur un secteur sans l'intégrer dans sa globalité serait regrettable.
On dit in fine du document qu'il s'agit d'un défi que la FAO doit assumer. C'est un défi extrêmement complexe. Je crois que si la FAO doit assumer ce défi, elle ne doit pas l'assumer seule, mais elle doit l'assumer dans la solidarité et dans une étroite collaboration de l'ensemble de tous ceux qui sont ses Etats Membres.
Pascal BRIODIN (France): Tout d'abord je rejoins d'autres délégations pour dire que le document préparé par le Secrétariat est réellement d'une grande qualité et montre une fois de plus que notre Organisation dispose d'une excellente capacité à analyser les problèmes du développement.
Ma délégation insiste en outre sur le fait que l'OAA, par son mandat de chef de file dans les secteurs de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture, se trouve bien placée pour contribuer à la préparation de la stratégie internationale de la quatrième Décennie des Nations Unies pour le développement.
Le rapport qui nous est présenté brosse un tableau complet aussi bien des obstacles au développement que des facteurs capables de mettre les pays défavorisés sur la voie du développement.
Je ne veux pas entrer dans le détail des propositions du rapport, ni mettre en exergue les analyses que ma délégation juge pertinentes. Pour cela, je vous demande de bien vouloir vous référer aux précédentes interventions de la délégation française qui a insisté sur la nécessaire prise en compte des objectifs de développement durable, de sécurité alimentaire, de lutte contre la pauvreté et d'un fonctionnement satisfaisant des marchés.
En fait, ira délégation, sous ce point de l'ordre du jour, voudrait poser au Secrétariat une simple question:
Pour établir ime stratégie à long terme, ne faut-il pas tout d'abord hiérarchiser clairement les priorités en fonction d'objectifs précis? C'est pourquoi ma délégation souhaite que le Secrétariat identifie ces priorités et nous expose le schéma détaillé de la stratégie qui sera mise en oeuvre dans le domaine de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation.
Roberto PONCE (Ecuador): Mi delegación no desea repetir los comentarios que ya se han hecho en torno a este importante tema de la Estrategia Internacional del Desarrollo, pero algunas de las declaraciones realizadas esta tarde nos han impulsado a señalar brevemente dos aspectos, considerados por algunas delegaciones como componentes importantes de esa Estrategia.
Por ejemplo, coincidimos en el papel fundamental que organizaciones como el Banco Mundial y el FMI deben jugar en el resaneamiento de la economía internacional. Pero para que esto sea una realidad práctica, creemos que es absolutamente indispensable que se libere a estos organismos de las ataduras que en la toma de decisiones y en la concesión de los créditos les impone la vinculación entre contribuciones y número de votos; vinculación de la cual, felizmente, la FAO está libre.
Igualmente, complace oír en esta sala que hay países desarrollados que están dispuestos a incrementar la cooperación a los países en desarrollo en forma individual, reconociendo las particularidades de cada caso. Creemos ver en esta disposición la reafinrmación de una política de cooperación basada en el mutuo respeto y que lleve implícito el reconocimiento a la plena y soberana capacidad de cada país para fijar sus prioridades. También esperamos que esta manifestación no signifique una merma del apoyo que estos países desarrollados, importantes miembros de esta Organización, deben continuar otorgándole, justamente como reconocimiento del papel fundamental que deberá jugar la FAO en la aplicación de la futura Estrategia Internacional de Desarrollo.
R.W.Ch. VAN DEN BERGH (Netherlands): We consider that the document on the long-term strategy is very interesting because it gives a clear and comprehensive outline of FAO's views on the subject. Before commenting further on the three themes as mentioned in the document on the preparation of the IDS, I should like to emphasize that in our view there should be a strong interrelationship between macro-economic adjustment and sector policies, most importantly for agriculture. The relation with social adjustment should also play an important role.
In general terms we recognize the importance of structural adjustment programmes as a means of achieving sustainable growth. Sustainability of growth is a precondition for the realization of a balanced development process aimed at improving the situation of the poorest groups in the long run. Many developing countries have embarked upon these programmes and also on sectoral adjustment programmes with a view to obtaining more macro-econcmic stability. However, until now the experience has not always been a positive one, certainly not as far as short term effects are concerned. I shall come back to this later.
Economic growth, the debt and balance of payments situation, has not improved as much as had been hoped. Therefore, in our view additional measures are deemed necessary to improve productive investment, rural infrastructure and elementary public services at acceptable levels. We consider FAO to be the best equipped organization to assist countries in designing agricultural policies and programmes for rural development.
We regard external financial assistance as essential. Net outflows should be turned into net inflows. Moreover, these resource flows to developing countries should be tuned to priorities that are set out by the countries in question themselves. Donor activities are most effective when well coordinated.
For optimum results in relation to structural adjustment programmes a number of principles should be adhered to in our view. Structural programmes should be fully adapted to the realities of developing countries; they should be of long enough duration; various measures to be taken must be coherent; concrete objectives as regards the agricultural sector are imperative; incentives for farmers in addition to price rises are necessary; when necessary, there should also be temporary input subsidies; and full participation of the private sector is an item to be considered.
I now come to the second item of poverty alleviation. As far as poverty alleviation is concerned, there is a growing concern about the position of the poorest population groups, mostly formed in rural areas. They are the ones whose suffering is severest under deteriorating economic circumstances in developing countries.
The relation between structural adjustment and poverty alleviation needs to be strengthened, firstly through their integration. This means that the programmes should be designed and implemented in such a manner that, without interfering with their rain objectives, adverse effects on the poorest groups are reduced to a minimum. Secondly and at the same time, additional activities should be undertaken to allow for possible negative side-effects on the situation of the poor.
Important donors will have to realign their policies regarding structural adjustment by taking into account measures required for poverty alleviation. Possibilities to protect and improve living conditions for the poor differ according to the country in question. As mentioned, hunger and malnutrition depend mainly on the ability to acquire food - in other words on purchasing power. In many cases reduced access to food is not always completely compensated for by targeted food programmes. Therefore food programmes should be aimed at categories of persons that are not capable of attaining food security. In this respect we support the World Food Programme projects.
In order to secure the income position of rural populations, appropriate measures should be taken to create employment opportunities outside agriculture. Effective and full participation of the local population in decision-making processes is a prerequisite for the efficient use of human resources. The same applies to implementation and evaluation of agricultural and rural reform measures.
I should now like to deal with the subject of natural resources, environment and susta inability. The crucial importance of environmental factors for a sustainable development cannot be emphasized enough. We are therefore pleased to note the growing awareness that sustainable development is impossible without taking environmental factors into consideration, and that responsible use of natural resources, whether replenishable or not, should prevail in order to obtain susta i nability.
Our delegation would also like to emphasize the importance of controlled population growth and poverty alleviation; otherwise, strategies to attain sustainable agriculture, forestry and fisheries production ace doomed to fail. The adjusted figures in paragraph 36 concerning population growth shew an increase to the end of the century for all developing countries as a whole and a situation in which food demand surpasses production capacity. This means more pressure will be put on productive natural resources thereby endangering susta inability and a healthy maintenance of natural resources. Increase in productive capacity, in high potential areas as well as in more marginal areas, should therefore be achieved by environmentally sound practices, and environmental damage should be reduced to a minimum. In this context I should like to state that our delegation strongly supports the Tropical Forestry Action Plan. We also applaud the efforts made by the World Bank to integrate environmental aspects in its policies and in the preparation and implementation of projects. Also the guidelines and procedures for assessment of environmental compatibility that are being improved are an important step forward. More integrated plant protection measures and integration of forestry and agriculture must lead to less soil degradation.
Finally, as Minister Braks stated in his speech, the realization that agriculture should be sustainable is growing, and much depends on a change in mentality. I may recall Minister Braks' offer to host a world conference on the theme of agriculture and the environment.
Jaime GARCIA BADIAS (España): Deseamos felicitar a usted, señor Presidente, y a la Secretaría por la elaboración del documento e iniciamos lo que, a nuestro entender, significa el contenido y la gran repercusión que tiene este documento en toda estrategia a largo plazo a niveles agrarios.
Nuestro país cree que cualquier estrategia a largo plazo de las economías agrarias, es necesario no olvidar que toda estrategia en sí misma puede tener xana visión excesivamente técnica y de macroeconemía, que no contemple a su vez al individuo y todas la connotaciones que ello representa.
Sabemos, señor Presidente, que el desarrollo agrícola es necesario si pretendemos realmente dar posibilidades de nutrición a las poblaciones que tienen deficiencias alimentarias. Para ello creemos que se deberían tener presentes varios factores, a nuestro entender básicos, para un éxito en la estrategia a desarrollar, tales como contemplar el medio ambiente, donde una estrategia no lo degrade a niveles irreversibles y sí contemplar un desarrollo sostenible mediante una aplicación sensata de los medios de producción, especialmente abanos y pesticidas.
Otro capítulo importante es la participación de la mujer, básica en muchos países, para la obtención de alimentos, pero descuidada - nosotros diríamos muy descuidada - a la hora de aplicar una programación en la fornación que la contemple positivamente y no sólo como un medio de trabajo y reproductor.
Otro capítulo importante: los jóvenes. Porque de ellos es el futuro, futuro en el cual estamos implicados y en el cual estamos planteando, sin contemplarlos en todas las connotaciones que ello requiere, ya que su participación no será posible aplicarla sin progranas ni estrategias agrícolas que permitan a los jóvenes ser formados, y progranas de formación que los contemplen.
Otro capítulo a tener en cuenta, son las cooperativas y el asociacionismo. Desearíamos diferenciar ambos conceptos, ya que, señor Presidente, creemos que un primer paso asociativo nos puede llevar a un cooperativismo equilibrado tal como lo entiende la Alianza Cooperativa Internacional y sus fundadores en el siglo pasado.
Por ello nos encontramos con que las políticas económicas, los procesos de evolución y los ajustes estructurales tienen que estar coordinados y, a nuestro entender, la FAO tiene un papel de primera magnitud.
En consecuencia apoyamos el documento y hacemos votos para que se consiga, primero: un aumento de las autocapacidades mediante todos los procesos de formación a que hemos hecho referencia. Segundo, un aumento de la colaboración entre los países a fin de que estas medidas se puedan llevar a cabo y que tengan el éxito que todos deseamos. Tercero, una mejor gestión de los recursos, ya que esto es básico dado que son pocos y muchas la necesidades. Todo ello representa a la postre la salud, la seguridad alimenticia, en una palabra, el futuro de aquellas poblaciones que están inmersas a largo plazo, en este proceso de seguridad alimentaria.
Manuel VIVADO (Bolivia): Desearía, señor Presidente, referirme a cinco aspectos de la estrategia internacional de desarrollo planteada en el documento.
En primer lugar creo que es importante expresar la necesidad de lograr una aplicación efectiva de todas las recomendaciones que emanen para esta estrategia. Anteriormente se han llevado a cabo otros esfuerzos acerca del nuevo orden económico inteniacional; pero desafortunadamente, su aplicación ha sido parcial y ha sido incompleta. Sería de gran utilidad y beneficio para todos los países que se pusiera una práctica efectiva en la aplicación de esta estrategia.
En referencia al párrafo 58, sobre el comercio agrícola internacional, sabemos que la promoción y fomento del incremento productivo en el sector agropecuario depende directamente de la existencia de mercados accesibles. Estos mercados accesibles tienen que significar que no existan barreras artificiales, que no existan subvenciones a los productos similares de países de una alta demada, que hagan imposible una competencia abierta y una competencia libre. Es necesaria una competencia que pueda permitir el incentivo económico necesario a los países en desarrollo para que abastezcan, bajo condiciones iguales, las necesidades de alimentación al resto de los países del mundo.
Deseo utilizar el ejemplo de la producción de hojas de coca, ya que es un ejemplo de reactivación agrícola y reactivación económica que ha surgido directamente en función de la demanda del mercado.
El párrafo 67 del documento se refiere a los incentivos económicos. En el caso de la producción de hojas de coca en mi país, se ha incrementado diez veces la superficie, y quince veces la productividad en un período de diez años, respondiendo a esta demanda de los países consumidores. Esto ha sido hecho sin tener ningún prograna especial de créditos de fomento, sin proveer ningún tipo de asistencia técnica y sin desarrollar ningún tipo de facilidades de mercado. Esto ha respondido directamente a un incentivo económico.
No es afortunado que el ejemplo que debo utilizar sea un ejemplo de una producción agrícola que ha sido convertida en un producto que es dañino. Habría sido de gran beneficio para Bolivia y, estoy seguro para muchos otros países subdesarrollados, que la demanda que se hubiese generado de los países desarrollados fuera para un cultivo legal, para un cultivo beneficioso. De ahí que menciono la necesidad imperativa de hacer accesibles los mercados de los países desarrollados.
Haciendo referencia al párrafo 73 del documento, mi delegación desea expresar su acuerdo de modif icar el rol del Gobierno para que no tenga una participación directa en obras de producción en el desarrollo. Es necesario movilizar toda la fuerza creativa y todo esfuerzo humano que existe en los sectores productivos privados, llámese campesino, o llámese agricultores comerciales.
El Gobierno de Bolivia ha establecido una nueva política agropecuaria que fundamentalmente tiene tres puntos que establecen el marco de acción del Gobierno en este campo. En primer lugar, se establece que el rol principal del sector agropecuario estatal estará dirigido hacia definición de políticas; hacia el establecimiento de normas; a la fiscalización y hacia la producción de incentivos para dirigir el desarrollo.
En segundo lugar, señor Presidente, el Gobierno dedicará sus esfuerzos a la producción de servicios de necesidad colectiva que no puedan ser previstos por entidades particulares en un nivel regional o nacional.
En tercer lugar, reconociendo el hecho de que aún no existe ningún modelo económico de desarrollo que sea perfecto y, por último, el Gobierno dedicará su atención a la aplicación de acciones de equidad que protejan a grupos vulnerables.
Para una mayor participación del sector privado es necesario, sin embargo, fortalecerlo y proveerlo de las mismas facilidades, de la misma asistencia y de la misma cooperación que anteriormente ha sido provista al sector estatal.
Es necesario elaborar programas específicos para permitir el desarrollo del sector privado.
El otro aspecto se refiere a los recursos húrtenos capacitados, citados también en el párrafo 76 sobre políticas macroeconómicas, y el siguiente, el párrafo 77, considerando que el conocimiento, la tecnología y la experiencia son aspectos fundamentales para el desarrollo. El conocimiento profesional, la tecnología adecuada y la experiencia local son factores que hacen posible llevar adelante un desarrollo.
Desearía hacer recuerdo de la Resolución nQ 3405 emitida en la 20 a Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas, en la cual se establece la necesidad de fortalecer la capacidad local. Este aspecto ha sido también citado en el párrafo 4.11 del documento C 89/4 que está siendo considerado por esta reunión.
Hemos visto con mucha preocupación que a lo largo de los últimos años la asistencia técnica provista por varios organismos internacionales, incluyendo entre ellos a la FAO, ha provisto a profesionales y consultores extranjeros para realizar labores que son de conocimiento y que son dentro de la capacidad de profesionales nacionales.
Esta práctica infortunadamente sustituye en forma explícita y desplaza en forma implícita a los recursos húrtanos capacitados nacionales, y consideramos que se debe poner en verdadera aplicación la Resolución 3405 citada; y se deberían emitir instrucciones precisas a todas las Agencias y Programas que dependen de las Naciones Unidas, y específicamente dentro de la labor de la FAO, para que en primera instancia, para cualquier tipo de asistencia o cooperación técnica se busque el personal nacional capacitado.
Como quinto y último punto, en referencia al párrafo 112 sobre la estrategia para las zonas forestales, me permito hacer el recuerdo de la declaración del Sr. Ministro de Asuntos Campesinos y Agropecuarios de Bolivia, Dr Mauro Bertero Gutiérrez, quien ha propuesto una histórica pausa ecológica. Esta pausa de 10 años significa para nuestro país el no emitir más concesiones de explotación forestal, el de suspender concesiones de nuevas tierras, y el de ejercer un control estricto respecto a la explotación de las áreas que están ya concedidas.
Esta pausa, este período de análisis, este período de estudio nos permitirá elaborar los documentos de estudio necesarios que nos provean los elementos de juicio imprescindibles para determinar las áreas de reserva, para establecer las normas de utilización de recursos y para definir el sistema de control fiscal.
Indudablemente es muy difícil que un país en form aislada pueda ejercer de manera efectiva una pausa, si es que no es acompañado de actitudes similares por países que pueden demandar el producto resultante de la explotación de nuestros recursos naturales.
En ese sentido, desearía invitar a todos los países que comparten este problema a sumarse a una pausa histórica. Y desearía solicitar la reflexión de los países que demandan productos naturales originarios de nuestras reservas a meditar y encontrar una manera de disminuir esta demanda durante nuestra pausa.
Paul R. ERYDEN (Australia): We believe the Special Session of UNGA should elaborate a conceptual policy framework and that the IDS-IV should address in greater detail the practical and operational policy elements of development, drawing on input from UN specialized agencies such as FAO and others. The objectives might be to develop complementary strategies which generate faster increases on a sustainable basis in agricultural production, the creation of on-farm and off-farm jobs, and improved nutrition. We agree that, as put forward in the Cairo Declaration of the WFC, preparations for IDS-3V provide an excellent opportunity to focus on the problems of hunger and malnutrition.
FAO affiliated contributions to the IDS will need to address issues such as food for emergencies; food for market needs; problem support capacity; and timing of deliveries. A clearer focus is needed to consider how development strategies and aid packages, including food and non-food components, can be focused on rapid growth in incomes for those who are hungry.
In addressing FAO's attribution to the IDS, in our view the following issues will need to be considered. Firstly, agriculture debt: the indebtedness of the developing countries, and how developed countries, including Australia, should address this issue. Opening up trade and more liberal trade policies by industrialized nations would help and benefit the poorer nations. Export subsidies: the USA, EEC, Japan - the need for reform in their policies. The combined annual cost of agricultural support policies as we know, is estimated to exceed US$ 280 billion. Food production, is unlikely to match population growth in many countries and regions. Population growth is a fundamental issue. The need to increase land use intensity, greater inputs per hectare. The effect on input and output prices and marginal lands on the environment.
Secondly, fisheries: the issue of resource depletion; the effect on some fisheries of developing countries.. The need for distant water fishing nations to reduce fishing effort in sane fisheries, especially in the Pacific. Gill netting and the effect on localized fisheries in the South Pacific, and environmental concerns such as the destruction of a number of non-utilizable species.
Thirdly, forestry: the depletion of tropical rain forests and the need to maintain support of the Tropical Forestry Action Plan and FAO/UNDP activities. The environment and the need for environmentally sustainable assistance projects in developing countries and a global view of environment which is required for domestic planning and development activities.
Fourthly, with regard to FAO policy/ my delegation believes that this should focus on technical issues where FAO is best equipped to supply Member Countries with high level technical expertise and advice.
FAO should also be seeking to influence international trade, resource flow and debt policy-making by collaboration with other institutions. Whilst noting FAO's competency in structural adjustments and stabilization is limited.
In general we feel FAO should assess more critically what it is best equipped to offer.
Overall, in our view, FAO's contribution should firstly reflect its mandate in the UN system, complement the contributions of other multi-lateral organizations, and provide the unique perspective which the FAO has on growth and development issues as they relate to food and agriculture, and secondly, provide a durable basis for promoting global economic growth and development and international economic cooperation.
A. Alim FAOZI (Indonesia): I would like also to join the other delegates to congratulate the Director-General and Secretariat for initiating a comprehensive work and providing such a document as C 89/19 which is very informative.
The world economy remains caught in prolonged disarray and relations between developed and developing countries continue to be afflicted by equities. The rapid advance in science and technology, Which is drastically altering the patterns of agricultural production, consumption and of international economy, offer new possibilities for more prosperity of nations in an increasing 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 on the GATT Multi-Lateral Trade Negotiations which We believe has implications directly or indirectly for the works of FAO. In a situation where the agricultural sector is the most important contributor to the national economy and provides the largest employment opportunity for the people, changing agricultural policies mean changing economic policies.
I, therefore, wish to express here that changes in agricultural policies, as a consequence of the progress in the multi-lateral trade negotiations, have to be carefully considered because of its possible negative effect 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 wishes to encourage agricultural and rural development which are an integral element in the development programme of developing countries. In developing risks, the risk ccramitment and support protection and strengthening disciplines, we have to take into account the possible negative effect of the reform process on importing developing countries. With respect to negotiations on natural products, Indonesia shares the same views as other developing countries that negotiations be emphasized on access to the markets 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 research should not be used as non-tariff barriers to restrict access to the markets. Provided there is strict adherence to the Punta del Este comitment, 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 entertaining the Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly in 1990 devoted to the trade-related session of the economic growth development of the developing countries. The operation of a new international development strategy (IDS) for the 1990s will likewise provide an opportunity to concentrate our thoughts on effective ways to enhance international cooperation for development.
My delegation was of the view that it is important for FAO to actively be involved in the preparation of IDS and the Special Session of UNGA as the food and agriculture and the rural sector have 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 with its strength in the FAO strategy for the near future.
SECRETRY, COMMISSION I: Firstly, I have been asked to remind delegations that there are two deadlines for nominations for elections, both of which fall due at 12 noon on Monday 24 November. These are for elections to the Council and for elections for the Chairman and members of the Programme Committee and of the Finance Committee. Further details can be found in today's issue for the Journal of the Conference.
The meeting rose at 17.45 hours
La session est levée à 17h 45
Se levanta la sesión a las 17.45 horas
