Inatio AKARURÜ (Cook Islands): Mr Chairman, Mr Director-General, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, as this Organization approaches the fiftieth year of its existence, it enters a new era in which the bipolar internationl environment that we have all known for so long has largely disappeared. Unfortunately, as we all know, many problems still impact upon and challenges face this Organization.
The global media has brought this reality into our daily lives, no matter how distant we may actually be from such problems. We are better informed of the situations in certain countries and parts of the world than our fathers would have ever thought possible.
On the basis of that exposure alone, we might be forgiven for thinking that such problems, albeit serious, were nevertheless limited in geographical scope, and that other parts of the world of which we hear little or nothing, are free from difficulties. That, of course, Mr Chairman, is far from the truth.
Little appears in the media about the small island States of the South Pacific. The common image is that of tiny oceanic paradises where life is supposedly easy and work all but unnecessary. Those far away rarely, if ever, think of, or understand, the problems faced in attempting to meet routine needs, including the production of food from our soils and the seas around us. Many small island States in the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and elsewhere share a wide range of common problems such as:
The high cost of administering and providing essential services to widely dispersed islands; limited manpower and expertise in many areas crucial to development; high transport and communications costs; small-scaled production and domestic markets; dependence on a narrow range of tropical products for export to volatile world commodity markets; vulnerability of domestic foods and livestock to exotic plant and animal diseases; heavy and, in many cases, increasing dependence on food imports, emphasizing the importance of food security; very large fishing zones, important for subsistence and commercial production, but which at the same time are both vulnerable to foreign exploitation and costly to manage; narrow, low-lying coastal zones that are threatened by sea-level rise and population growth; often weak linkages between agriculture, forestry and fishing and "growth sectors" of economies, such as tourism; and frequent natural disasters which strike our region such as cyclones.
Such problems place the small island States into a special, sizeable category of FAO Members, and we join with previous speakers in urging the Organization to accord them particular consideration and assistance tailored to their special developmental requirements.
Comprising 15 tiny islands spread over some 1.2 million square kilometres of the Pacific Ocean, the Cook Islands suffers many of the problems which I have just listed. Divided into Northern and Southern Groups, with our main
island and capital in the South, our most distant island, for example, is some 720 miles north of the capital. A coral atoll of only a few square kilometres in land area and less than 1 000 inhabitants, its economy had long been based on copra until recent years saw the virtual collapse of the market. Apart from fish and coconuts, staple foods throughout the Cook Islands, all other food and materials are imported, oil and fertilizer from half a world away. Other islands and peoples of the North experience similar conditions.
Even on the main island and other islands in the Southern Group, the difficulties are considerable. Land holdings for food cultivation are often very small, allowing few if any economies of scale. Although often fertile, the soil still needs costly and sometimes scarce, imported supplements.
With very limited capacity to increase public sector employment, we must expand employment opportunities within the agricultural and fisheries sectors to enable our people to earn both a good living and to remain on their own islands rather than being forced to better their positions through emigration.
Although some constraints cannot be overcome, at least completely, the situation is nevertheless hopeful. As foodstuffs comprise fully one quarter of the Cook Islands' total imports, for example, there is ample scope to increase agricultural production and fisheries activity. Furthermore, an expanding visitor industry has served to heighten that demand.
In sum, the Cook Islands' agricultural sector is in a unique position to simultaneously promote tourism, retain an increasing proportion of tourist expenditure in the country, contribute to a reduction in the balance of trade deficit and broaden private sector participation in the economy.
Some progress has been made in that regard. However, demand remains largely unsatisfied and there is much scope for expanding production. To address that situation, my Government is endeavouring to make agriculture competitive, profitable and an attractive choice for income generation.
To enhance profitability and competitiveness, for example, priority is being given to increasing productivity and reducing costs of production. This will be achieved to a large degree by strengthening the Research and Extension Services of the Ministry of Agriculture. As well, efforts are under way to develop adequate irrigation systems. Encouragement is also being given to the establishment of small-scale agro-processing plants and export ventures aimed at targeting niche markets, thus increasing farm income especially for those living in the Outer Islands.
Access to sufficient farm land has posed a major constraint to making commercial agriculture attractive as a full-time occupation. Various possibilities are being explored to overcome this problem, including the zoning of prime agricultural land.
Since time began, the Cook Islands have looked to the sea and their lagoon waters for daily subsistence. While still true particularly in the Outer Islands, there is also scope to expand fishing and other marine activities to satisfy a growing local demand for foodstuffs and as alternative sources of permanent employment.
My Government's aim, therefore, is to make optimum use of the resources found within both the Cook Islands' large exclusive economic zone and in
the potentially rich lagoons of our Northern atolls. Encouragement is given to the establishment of fishing fleets through joint ventures and the development of aquacultural projects to cultivate black pearls and other marine products such as bêcbe-de-mer. We would like to express our appreciation to FAO for its assistance in this regard, as well as for the provision of valuable legal advice concerning domestic fisheries legislation.
In light of our own situation, Mr Chairman, my Government considers the Medium-Term Plan for 1994-99 to be a positive contribution towards setting the course of this Organization for the next five years, and we support in principle the various programme and sub-programme objectives contained therein.
I wish to touch on certain aspects of the Plan and the FAO's operations that the Cook Islands considers to be of primary importance.
My Government is pleased to see strengthening of activities relating to environment and sustainable development in support of Agenda 21 activities; in particular, the areas of emphasis endorsed by the Council and the increased importance to be given to coastal zones and small islands. The specific project relating to the protection of coastal fisheries from inland sources of national legislation and institutional capacities both coincide with our own ongoing, high priority activities.
As a small, low-lying island country, the Cook Islands endorses FAO's activities relating to climate change, as any significant rise in sea levels could threaten the very existence of a number of its islands. Biodiversity, of course, is of crucial importance to us all, and the proposed medium-term, post-UNCED follow-up action has our full support.
The Cook Islands has long recognized the importance of women in the development process as well as people being directly involved at the grass-roots level in planning and implementing their own programmes and my Government is pleased with the priority assigned by the FAO.
My Government also supports SARD and its expansion to include forestry and fisheries activities, the latter being of high priority for us. It looks forward to participating actively in SARD activities during 1994-95.
The Cook Islands considers the Natural Resources Programme as being particularly important in the context of development of small-scale farming operations in its Outer Islands, where employment options are very limited. At the same time, FAO activites concerning water supply development must continue to complement rather than overlap those of other UN Agencies.
FAO's activities concerning plant protection and pesticides are particularly valuable and directly relevant to our own efforts. Programmes relating to the production utilization and marketing of cassava, sweet potato, yam and other root crops which are grown in the Cook Islands are also of great potential, and we would like to see taro included in those being studied.
Agricultural engineering and rural agro-processing are similarly of key importance to the Cook Islands, particularly in the context of the Outer Islands development, and the need to realize value added benefits for our rural producers.
In common with many other developing members, the Cook Islands assigns high priority to FAO activities relating to assistance in policy advice for sustainable agricultural and rural development, and those aimed at updating agricultural extension services, improving marketing services and infrastructure, and making finance more readily available to the Outer Islands.
My Government has instituted a special nutrition programme encouraging farmers in the Outer Islands to grow fresh fruits, vegetables, livestock and poultry for home consumption and, wherever possible, sale on the local market.
FAO activities undertaken through its nutrition programme, therefore, are of great interest to the Cook Islands.
Marine fisheries are of vital concern to many FAO Members, including the Cook Islands. The fishery activities of this Organization are of great value, and we look to the FAO to maintain a strictly balanced approach to fisheries matters between the interests of coastal states and distant water fishing nations.
Recent years have taught us that practical and legal limits must be imposed on the principle of freedom of the seas as it applies to fishing. Fisheries, Mr Chairman, must be managed and exploited in a sustainable manner and based on a precautionary approach.
The FAO is to be commended for its efforts regarding both the reflagging convention and the development of an International Code of Conduct or Responsible Fishing.
My Government looks foward to receiving information of proposed activities relating to the Code's further refinement.
At the same time, we consider that the continuing efforts to formulate and develop that Code must serve to complement rather than conflict with negotiations taking place elsewhere, most notably at the United Nations Conference in New York on straddling stocks and highly migratory species.
The Cook Islands has benefited from a small but very useful FAO forestry project in the Outer Islands, for which I wish to express our appreciation.
As a small island State, My Government often lacks the manpower or technical expertise to address critical problems in specialized areas within FAO's mandate such as those I mentioned, and the Technical Cooperation Programme provides an ideal vehicle for the Organization to assist the Cook Islands and other countries facing similar constraints in a form tailor-made to our needs and supplementing such assistance as may be made available through sectoral programme activities.
The Cook Islands share the paramount personnel management concern expressed in the Medium-Term Plan, regarding the ability of this Organization to attract and retain staff of the required calibre. Given the resource constraints faced by FAO, we strongly support the statement by the Independent Chairman of the Council earlier this week, that "the FAO's greatest asset is the quality of its staff members" and his emphasis on the need to resist nepotism and to focus on professionalism within the Organization.
In that regard, the Cook Islands wishes to pay special tribute to the recipients of the B.R. Sen Awards. They are excellent examples of the great many dedicated men and women working in FAO. We must welcome and indeed encourage their constructive comments, ideas and advice as being essential for future improved operations of our Organization.
We would like to welcome the new FAO Members, and my Government looks forward to working closely with them for the common good of the Organization.
The Cook Islands would be remiss in not recognizing the part played by the out-going Director-General, Dr Saouma, in the evolution of this Organization.
Finally, Mr Chairman, my Government would like to congratulate most sincerely Dr Jacques Diouf on his election as Director-General. The Prime Minister of the Cook Islands and I each had the personal pleasure to receive him in the Cook Islands earlier this year and to discuss with him both our Government's own development plans and his personal ideas regarding the future operations of this Organization. We are confident, therefore, that we have in our new Director-General an individual with not only a knowledge of but also a genuine interest in the small, Pacific Island Members of the FAO. We are greatly heartened by his pledge to work on behalf of all members of this Organization. There will be difficult times ahead and difficult decisions to make, but Dr Diouf will be able to count on the wholehearted support of all those seeking to better the FAO and to work to achieve the objectives for which it was established. My Government, Mr Chairman, will do everything possible to assist him in his task. And thanks to you all.
Ram Chandra POUDEL (Nepal): Mr Chairman, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, may I extend, on behalf of my delegation and on my own, as a Minister of Agriculture and Local Government of Nepal, our hearty congratulation on your election to the Chair of this august body.
I also take this opportunity to extend our hearty congratulations to the Director-General elect, Mr Jacques Diouf. I would also like to welcome and congratulate the new Members including South Africa in our FAO family.
Allow me, Mr Chairman, to use this forum also to extend our sincere appreciation and thanks to Mr Edouard Saouma for his outstanding contribution as the Director-General of the Organization for nearly two decades. We wish him a long, healthy, happy and prosperous life.
Mr Chairman, we are meeting in this Conference at a juncture of history when, while an unprecedented capacity to feed and nourish the entire humanity has been created, an equally unprecedented number of people are forced to be deprived of food and other basic necessities of life. In fact, the problem of hunger, malnutrition and poverty has become one of an alarming dimension.
The seeming benefits to human society of bio-technology not withstanding, a large majority of plant and animal species provided to us by mother nature are yet unexplored. My own country, Nepal, abounds in bio-diversity. Our experience so far shows that countries like Nepal need concrete assistance in enhancing their capacities in conserving and utilizing bio-diversity to
the benefit of the mass. Nepal is willing to cooperate with other countries in this noble endeavour.
It has become our vested interest as well as collective responsibility to join minds as well as hands in order to seek for a solution to the above problems. We believe that there is a solution. But, to have that, we need to address certain issues - collectively and in a forum like this. The issues facing us today are:
- How best to extend the globally available technology in food production to where it is needed most?
- How best to balance the present needs and aspirations against the requirement of the future?; and
- How best to conserve and sustainably use the plant, animal and other natural resources of this globe?
In a nutshell, Mr Chairman, how can we steer technology, nature and mankind in a balanced way on the road to development? Perhaps this is the question that the present civilization of ours is seeking for an answer. I feel that the overriding goal of an international forum like this should be directed to this noble cause.
It is with this background that Nepal comes to this Conference and views the agenda and the documents prepared for it.
Soon after the present popularly elected government took office in 1991, our priority has been to give a sense of direction to the economy and its development since it is our firm belief that without commensurate economic achievements political changes alone cannot benefit the people. Given the pivotal role played by agriculture in our economy, Nepal's eighth Five-Year Plan (1992-97) has accorded top-most priority to agricultural development and has set as its goals: poverty alleviation, environmental protection and sustainable development, and enhancement of people's participation. Within this framework, a number of priority areas for the food and agricultural sector were identified, including: food security and nutrition; efficient growth of the sector based on agro-ecological comparative advantage; diversification and intensification of agriculture based on farmers' resource endowment; promotion of sustainable farming systems, and a greater market-orientation. In addition, the enhanced role of NGOs in development is also a part of our development strategy.
In recent years, we have taken a number of measures directed towards achieving these goals. A high-level National Environment Protection Council is set up under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister. This apart, a bottom-up planning approach has been adopted where plans are formulated by the local people themselves at the village and the district levels. A separate division with a mandate to assist women farmers has also been created in the Ministry of Agriculture. Similarly, a unified extension service has been formed and an autonomus agricultural research system that can respond to the country's priority of hill and rainfed agriculture has been established.
We have also embarked on the task of preparing a perspective plan for the entire agriculture sector of the country with a longer time horizon. In fact, some of the problems identified in FAO's "Agriculture Towards 2010", namely one of limited natural resource base and its over-exploitation
amidst a rapidly growing population, are also the issues facing Nepal, this planning exercise, we are attempting to address issues such as enhancement and sustainability of agricultural growth in order to meet demand of increasing population, appropriate strategy for minimizing environment and development trade-offs, and the trade-offs between aggregate growth and interregional and interhousehold disparities, etc Issues such as poverty alleviation and participatory rural development also be addressed. We seek FAO's assistance in this exercise as we progress.
Mr Chairman, I am also pleased to mention that within the framework of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), we have been able to initiate a process to develop, promote and accelerate closer collaborative efforts for the enhancement of, among other things, agricultural production, and science and technology.
Mr Chairman, while we strive for a sustained agricultural growth, the sector continues to be affected by natural disasters. In Nepal, a severe and widespread drought of 1992 and the damaging hailstones of early 1993 were followed by floods and landslides in different parts of the country in mid-1993. These natural calamities did not only take tolls in terms of valuable human life but also damaged vital infrastructures and cut down harvests. While reporting this, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to the Director-General for his quick response to our appeal for help in our efforts to rehabilitate agriculture. The assistance of the Organization, through the emergency Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) projects, has been of immense help to the affected families. Considering such events in Nepal and many other developing countries we strongly support the Director-General's proposal on TCP. I would also like to extend our sincere thanks to World Food Programme and other multilateral agencies and friendly countries for their kind assistance and deep concern shown to the distressed people affected by the drought and recent floods and landslides in Nepal.
At this point let me also state that the role played by FAO Representation in developing countries like ours for the promotion of agricultural development is crucial. They are instrumental in availing us such critically important inputs as technical advice and information apart from serving as a source of link between Nepal and FAO.
On the broader agenda of the Organization, we find the Programme of Work and Budget for 1994-95, as proposed by the Director-General, to be in conformity with our needs and priorities. With my firm conviction that the Programme will be translated into action, I express Nepal's full support to it.
Mr Chairman, the Agenda of this Conference and the documents prepared by the Secretariat cover a wide range of topics and issues. What I have presented here has touched upon only a few of them. Nevertheless, I assure you that members of my delegation will be presenting Nepal's view on specific aspects as we progress in this Conference.
Before concluding, I would like to express our appreciation to the Government and people of the Republic of Italy for their warm hospitality. I also take this opportunity to express my appreciation for the untiring efforts made by the Secretariat in preparing for a successful Conference.
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Jacinto JIJON CAAMAÑO BARBA (Ecuador): Señor Presidente, señores delegados del Director General, señores delegados, señoras y señores. Es una de las primeras intervenciones en este foro un distinguido Jefe de Delegación señaló, con mucha verdad, que el origen de toda cultura es, precisamente, la agricultura. Quisiera elaborar un poco sobre este concepto diciendo que, más aún, salvo algún caso realmente extraordinario, todo proceso de desarrollo económico y social de un pueblo o un país ha estado históricamente, está y seguirá estando, íntimamente ligado al desarrollo agrícola de esa nación.
No es una coincidencia que aquellas regiones del mundo con un mayor desarrollo industrial, y aquellas con el más alto nivel de desarrollo social, cuenten además con los mejores índices de productividad agrícola. Tampoco fue una coincidencia histórica que la Inglaterra del siglo XVIII, cuna de la revolución industrial y tecnológica, haya -antes- desarrollado y popularizado la más avanzada tecnología agrícola de la Europa de ese tiempo. Por fin, el desarrollo industrial de los Estados Unidos de América vino luego de que ese país se había convertido en la más grande potencia agrícola del mundo.
Me parece evidente, señor Presidente, señoras y señores, que el mundo está ahora mismo en el umbral de una nueva de aquellas grandes revoluciones que han transformado a la Humanidad. La revolución del comercio y el dominio de los mares cambiaron la geopolítica de los siglos XV y XVI, pero dieron paso también a un cambio cultural sin precedentes. La revolución de la industria y el dominio primero de la energía afectaron en los siglos XVIII y XIX, no solamente a las instituciones productivas, sino, directa y profundamente, a cada uno de todos los habitantes de la Tierra.
El desarrollo tecnológico de las últimas décadas ha cubierto casi todos los campos de la ciencia y del quehacer humano; pero esta vez no son los elementos de fuerza bruta, el dominio de cantidades, cada vez mayores, de energía, los que forjarán los nuevos rumbos de la Humanidad. Al contrario, la velocidad y la cobertura global de las comunicaciones, la informática en todas sus aplicaciones y formas, y la ingeniería genética, tendrán en los próximos -muy próximos- años consecuencias en la forma de vida de los pueblos, en la forma de trabajo de los hombres y mujeres de esta misma generación, consecuencias que ahora apenas alcanzamos a adivinar.
La "globalización de la economía", como se denomina al hecho de que las fronteras artificiales van cediendo, al menos en lo económico, a la presión ineludible de esas realidades, es -diríamos- un primer y elemental síntoma de las transformaciones que se avecinan. Otro fenómeno del proceso de evolución es el nuevo rol de los Estados y su relación con los ciudadanos : un rol subsidiario ante la creciente y protagónica participación de hombres y mujeres cada vez mejor informados y capacitados. Por fin -y esto habla bien de la naturaleza humana- los conceptos de solidaridad, por un lado, y de libertad por otro, están dejando de ser privilegio de altruistas, para convertirse en piezas fundamentales del pensamiento humano.
Y vale la pena que se haga hincapié en que estos fenómenos de la "globalización de la economía", del rol subsidiario de los Estados, de la libertad y de la solidaridad, no son, de ninguna manera, temas de decisión política. Puesto que no se eliminarán las telecomunicaciones, ni la informática, ni el fax, ni la cobertura inmediata de los medios de comunicación, no es cuestión de aceptar o no aceptar políticamente la nueva realidad. Es cuestión, esto sí, de saber o no saber entender y aprovechar una coyuntura histórica irreversible. Igual se equivocarían los pueblos
chicos si pretendiesen mantener formas de aislamiento, como los grandes si pensaran en términos de autosuficiencia.
No está dicha cuál será la forma de vida del siglo XXI; pero está claro que será substancialmente diferente de la actual. Quienes sepan intuir la tendencia podrán liderar el futuro de la humanidad.
La supervivencia y la utilidad de las organizaciones locales, nacionales e internacionales se ponen a prueba precisamente en las épocas de cambio universal.- La FAO, en su indiscutible rol de directora moral del pensamiento agrícola en el Mundo, tiene ahora más que nunca el reto y la responsabilidad de asumir el liderazgo en una de las áreas de mayor trascendencia para la Humanidad: la agricultura.
Por varias décadas, y en muchas partes del mundo -y eso incluye a Latinoamérica- se creyó en un modelo de desarrollo basado en una industrialización compulsiva, supuestamente planificada, destinada a la sustitución de importaciones. Los resultados puramente económicos quedaron cortos con respecto a las expectativas, y los resultados en términos de desarrollo social han sido en general desastrosos. Creo que se pueden establecer cuatro grandes razones para el fracaso del modelo:
Primera: Porque el modelo de sustitución de importaciones y de proteccionismo interno conllevaba un peligroso germen de aislamiento político y económico.
Segunda: Porque era un modelo de desarrollo no armónico, que rezagaba a otras ramas de la actividad económica, en especial a la agricultura.
Tercera: Porque en su afán de promover pequeñas autosuficiencias, el modelo olvidaba el más elemental principio económico de las ventajas comparativas. Y, tal vez la más importante, la
Cuarta: Porque el modelo era apreciablemente anti-agrario. En efecto, la agricultura se vio no solamente olvidada y perjudicada por omisión, sino que fue en general obligada a subsidiar al proceso de industrialización. Para probar este punto basta citar unos poquísimos ejemplos:
- Intervenciones directas sobre los precios agrícolas tendientes a la provisión de alimentos baratos para la población urbana, industrial.
- Políticas macroeconómicas distorsionadas que gravaban la competitividad del sector agrícola.
- Desestabilización de la tendencia de la tierra y sus fuentes de trabajo con el consiguiente éxodo de mano de obra a las ciudades.
Quisiera, señor Presidente, referirme ahora brevemente a la política agraria del Ecuador y del Gobierno que tengo el honor de representar. Y quisiera hacerlo no como una declaración de principios para cumplir con el programa de esta Conferencia, sino más bien como una manera de intercambiar información sobre nuestra realidad, con el objeto de que ésta pueda servir para fomentar posibles relaciones de intercambio y cooperación.
En el campo interno, la política agrícola del Gobierno ecuatoriano se establece en los siguientes términos generales:
1. Liberalización de los mercados de insumos y de productos agropecuarios y agroindustriales.
2. Apertura de la economía al comercio regional y mundial.
3. Eliminación de subsidios y de restricciones cuantitativas y no arancelarias al comercio agrícola.
4. La intervención del estado en actividades relacionadas con investigación, estudios, capacitación, asesoría y asistencia técnica, promoción, etc.
5 El plan de riego y programas de Desarrollo Rural en beneficio de los agricultores más pobres.
6 La desinversión estatal en áreas de producción directa, comercialización, almacenamiento y, sobre todo, subsidios.
7. El aprovechamiento y conservación de los recursos naturales y del medio ambiente, estímulo a la reforestación y al desarrollo sostenible
En el campo de las relaciones internacionales, señor Presidente, señores delegados, en ese campo y en el del comercio agrícola, el Ecuador propugna, por un lado, la apertura de los mercados como la más valedera opción de solidaridad internacional para el desarrollo económico y social de nuestros pueblos y, por otro, la eliminación total de políticas de subsidios y de "dumping" cuya consecuencia es la destrucción de la estructura misma de las economías más débiles.
En el Ecuador, como en todos los países en desarrollo, se necesita que se fomenten los mecanismos de financiamiento y de inversión en el campo agrícola y de desarrollo rural. Necesita de la comunidad internacional en general, y de la FAO en particular, asistencia técnica y financiera, impulso a la producción y exportación de productos competitivos no tradicionales y, sobre todo, apoyo a los esfuerzos de liberalización del comercio, sin los cuales resultaría absurdo pensar en un desarrollo sostenido y sostenible de nuestra economía.
Si bien la globalización de la economía es una tendencia que he tratado de describir como una necesidad histórica, también el medio ambiente y, por lo tanto, la calidad de la vida futura en el planeta son prioridades de interés global.
El Ecuador ha logrado mantener un claro liderazgo en el tema de la conservación ecológica, tanto en las Islas Galápagos como en una importante red de parques y reservas ecológicas en el interior del país.
El Gobierno ecuatoriano está, por lo demás, profundamente consciente de los gravísimos problemas de contaminación, deforestación, degradación de recursos, etc., que afectan a la calidad de su medio ambiente. Pero debe notarse, por otro lado, que la dificultad de mantener el entorno es tanto mayor cuanto menor sea la capacidad financiera de un país. A nivel regional y global, creemos que una de las materias de mayor y más urgente atención por parte de las organizaciones internacionales debe ser el problema de la deforestación de la Amazonia. Vale mencionar que, en la vertiente oriental de los Andes ecuatorianos, ya se han sentido en los últimos años los síntomas climáticos y pluviométricos que resultan de esa deforestación: miles de kilómetros allende de sus fronteras.
Permítame, señor Presidente, que termine felicitándole en nombre del Ecuador por la acertadísima conducción de esta Conferencia, y que haga llegar, igualmente en nombre de mi país y su Gobierno, la más calurosa felicitación, tanto al Dr. Edouard Saouma por tantos años de abnegada y fructífera labor, como al Dr. Jacques Diouf, por su elección como nuevo Director General de la FAO. Que Dios le ilumine y le guíe en esta difícil tarea de servicio a la Humanidad. (Continúa en inglés).
I would like to take the opportunity of this forum to present to His Holiness the Pope John Paul II a message from my Government in the sense that we are extremely concerned for his health, much preoccupied and very thankful for his participation in this Conference, and I would like to move - if it has not been done before, that the Conference as such would send a message to the Pope wishing him the fastest and best recovery.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you, distinguished delegate of Ecuador. I would just like to inform the distinguished delegate and others who may not have heard that the Conference this morning took note of the accident of the Pope yesterday, of the speech that he delivered to us yesterday, and we have sent a message thanking him for his speech and hoping for his early and fullest recovery.
Ntsukunyane MPHANYA (Lesotho): It is an honour and privilege for me to have the opportunity to address the FAO Conference for the first time since I asummed the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture, Co-operatives and Marketing. I first of all wish to extend to this Conference warm greeting and messages of goodwill from the Right Honourable the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho, Dr Ntsu Mokhehle, his Government and the people of Lesotho.
I would also like to associate my delegation with other delegations who have congratulated you, Mr Chairman, and your bureau for the unanimous election to the high office of this august body. We are confident that under your able leadership and guidance the deliberations of this Conference will be carried to the successful conclusion.
Please allow me, on behalf of my delegation, to commend the outgoing Director-General Dr Edouard Saouma for the selfless service rendered to this organization during the time of his stewardship. He should take comfort in the fact that the majority of us believe that he served with distinction, always bearing the interests of the least-privileged communities into full consideration. We wish him a happy and refreshing retirement.
We, at the same time, wish to welcome the new Director-General Dr Jacques Diouf and congratulate him for his deserving victory in the elections which were preceded by a massive campaign which has not been seen within the United Nations system. We are looking forward to a fruitful partnership as he delivers promises made during his campaign.
Reference has been made in the FAO Medium-term Plan 1994-99 regarding the daunting challenges confronting Africa. Among these challenges, we can single out erratic rainfall and current drought, pest infestation, desertification resulting from declining soil fertility and soil and water erosion, and the generally low level of technology applied by farmers. In particular, in the past three years the southern African sub-region,
including Lesotho, was plagued with long spells of drought which resulted in the active shortage of food supplies and water for both people and animals. We are grateful for assistance rendered by the international community during these difficult years of our time.
We are, however, not yet out of danger considering that in Lesotho we still have a shortfall of grains supply of 200.4 tonnes for the 1993-94 marketing year. We have embarked on a programme to reduce this deficit, and plan to achieve self-sufficiency in the forseeable future.
Addressing ourselves to the long-term solution of our problems, we are aware that for some time now the African governments have been making serious attempts to deal with the aforementioned challenges. They did so utilizing FAO expertize to the maximum extent possible within the FAO's limited resources. For example, through the assistance of FAO, national irrigation policies have been formulated. Expanded aid-in-kind for agricultural inputs was suggested by FAO and welcomed by African Governments. It has also been proposed and accepted that if African farmers are to break out of the subsistance level category and be able to feed themselves, they should have access to more and better farm power, tools and equipment. But all these efforts and proposals are meaningless without clear and unamiguous support from the donor community.
Indeed, it is regretted that the donor community has been less enthusiastic to include the proposed solutions to the African problems in the package of their assistance to agricultural projects in Africa. This has been so, irrespective of the fact that African farmers, like those in Lesotho, have always been prepared to pay for the cost of the assistance as long as they were offered credit facilities. Instead, series of attempts have been made, perhaps with good intentions, to imagine solutions to African problems; solutions not based on research.
We fell it is about time that the international community takes a critical examination of all proposals made so far by FAO in favour of Africa, with a view to assist African governments with resources to implement these proposals on an incremental basis. The International Fund for Agricultural Development is showing the way within its own limited possibilities. It is now up to the donor countries to play their part. One of the safe and preferred systems would be "Trust Funds" allocated to FAO to finance, supervise and monitor projects in Africa which are well designed and within the social habits of their communities.
Speaking about the design of projects based on research and/or experiments, we are reminded that FAO is able to perform these activities under the Technical Cooperation Programme Fund. Unfortunately, budget allocations made to this fund under the "regular resources" do not always match the demands. It is for this reason that the proposal made under the "review of certain aspects of FAO's goals and operations" in 1989 continues to be relevant.
It was proposed then that: "In addition to the allocation from the regular programme funds to the Technical Cooperation Programme, the possibility of attracting voluntary contributions for Technical Cooperation Programme be further explored. Consideration should also be given to utilize the bilateral trust funds for Technical Cooperation Programme". We strongly feel that this recommendations needs to be further pursued and progress on it be reported during the 1995 Conference. It is a challenge that we place before the new Director-General of FAO.
In the meantime, the African governments should not despair. Instead, they should rise up to the challenges with even greater determination within their limited means. The new democratic Government in Lesotho intends to do just that. On assessing the past and present performance of agricultural sector in Lesotho, the new Government has found it desirable to adopt new strategies and approaches in order to achieve the required results from agricultural activities. In order to provide clear direction to donors for their intervention with technical and financial assistance in specific programmes, we wish to expound briefly on the intentions of the new Government- of Lesotho.
The highest priority is placed on the protection of the land base from further deterioration. Aggressive soil and water conservation programmes are being pursued through conservation farming systems, which encompass both production on the land while the resource is being protected from deterioration. The watershed management system and environment protection technologies are being improved. In general, we reiterate our commitment to the conclusions of the Rio Conference and to a follow-up implementation of suitable recommendations of Agenda 21. In this regard, the Government has taken a concrete step by establishing the Ministry of Natural Resources, and we are in the process of establishing an environmental secretariat under the Prime Minister's office.
We would also like to renew our support to the conclusions of the International Conference on Nutrition which was held in this beautiful and historic city of Rome in December 1992. In this regard, we have already embarked on nutrition and food security projects which are being implemented by the people at the grassroots level.
With respect to production, the Government of Lesotho has instituted an extensive campaign for increased and improved productivity in both crops and livestock. Taking advantage of relatively good rains for the 1993-94 cropping year, and in order to meet the farmers half-way, a fleet of Government-owned tractors have been distributed in all 65 constituencies to complement the private tractor service. Not surprisingly, the farmers are quite prepared to pay for this service which is intended to facilitate timely preparation of soil and planting of crops.
Livestock farming practices are being improved, and rangeland laws are being reviewed with the active participation of the farming communities.
In order to rationalize agricultural activities and Government involvement, commercialization and privatization are being encouraged and supported.
As far as we can manage, we also consider it imperative to provide further incentives in the form of proper input packages to farmers on reasonable terms. To this end, lending institutions are motivated to consider favourable lending policies for agricultural activities.
The Government strives to achieve its aims and strategies for agricultural development through the involvement of farmers themselves in the planning, design and implementation of agricultural projects, avoiding tendencies to impose projects on people. The people's participation is being encouraged by mobilizing cooperative organizations, farmers' associations, and other grassroots' groupings through the improved extension services of the Ministry of Agriculture. In organizing cooperative undertakings we are mindful that they should be based on shared responsibility of risks and liabilities, accountability and mutual interdependence. The Government is
also formulating an aggressive training programme for farmers. The intention is to maximize utilization of the National Cooperative College, the Agricultural College and several farmers' training centres in the country.
For the rural people with limited access to land or no land at all, the Lesotho Government is devising, encouraging and supporting other forms of income-generating activities. These activities, which are done through local initiatives at village/rural level and mostly by women in cooperative undertakings include, among other things, small-scale intensive livestock production; handicrafts; cookery; and brick-laying. In the process, the communities themselves are encouraged to mobilize funds according to accepted social norms.
Not withstanding our determination to help ourselves, we are painfully mindful that the success of the outlined Lesotho Government intentions will depend on the availability of supportive resources and technical assistance from friendly donor governments and international organizations, including FAO.
For FAO to fulfil its mandate of providing the required technical assistance, it needs an operational budget. The Director-General's proposal on the Programme of Work and Budget for 1994-95 is before this Conference for consideration. It is a product of intensive discussions by FAO Technical Committees, the Programme and Finance Committees, the Secretariat and the Council, we therefore feel comfortable to lend our support and recommend its unanimous approval.
Let me conclude by congratulating the new members to the FAO. I particularly wish to congratulate the Lesotho's one and only neighbour, the Republic of South Africa, upon its being re-admitted into this Organization. We believe that together we shall meet these expectations on behalf of this Organization in the most deep of the continent.
I thank you, Mr Chairman.
Ilia KONDOV (Bulgaria): Tengo el honor, en nombre de la Delegación de la República de Bulgaria, de saludarle a usted y a los participantes en el 27° período de sesiones de la Conferencia de la FAO y desearles un trabajo fructífero.
Nosotros consideramos que esta Conferencia se celebra en una atmósfera marcada por los siguientes grandes desafíos hacia la FAO y los países miembros de la Organización: el proceso irreversible hacia la democratización de las sociedades en el mundo y, en particular en Europa central y del Este; las conclusiones, las apreciaciones y las decisiones de importantes foros internacionales que tienen una relación directa con nuestra actividad (las conferencias internacionales sobre el medio ambiente, el desarrollo y la alimentación); los problemas de la producción y el comercio con los productos agrícolas, incluso las resoluciones del GATT; la necesidad de perfeccionar la actividad de la FAO, en correspondencia con las exigencias de la actualidad.
Nuestra Delegación expresa su acuerdo de principio con los análisis y las conclusiones de los documentos y proyectos de resolución sobre los problemas fundamentales del orden del día de la Conferencia. Se puede decir que, durante el período de discusión, la Organización ha continuado con sus
esfuerzos por dinamizar su actividad en las condiciones financieras existentes de prestar ayuda directa a los países miembros y, sobre todo, a los países en vías de desarrollo por una solución de los problemas del desarrollo de la agricultura, la economía forestal y la pesca, como también la alimentación de la población. Ha sido mejorada la coordinación y la cooperación con las demás organizaciones internacionales. Apreciamos positivamente la participación de la Comunidad Europea durante el período pasado como miembro colectivo de la FAO. Aprobamos la actividad realizada y los resultados alcanzados, evaluados en el informe para 1992-93. Podemos aceptar en principio el programa de trabajo y el Presupuesto para 1994-95, como también el plan para el período de medio plazo 1994-99.
Apoyamos el crecimiento cero del Presupuesto, pero al mismo tiempo subrayamos la necesidad de una estructuración más eficiente, limitando los gastos para actividades administrativas rutinarias y aumentando los resultados de la cooperación directa con los países miembros.
Deseando un trabajo fructífero al nuevo Director General de la FAO, doctor Jacques Diouf, quisiéramos expresar nuestra esperanza en que el próximo período bienal va a marcar un mejoramiento y un perfeccionamiento sustancial de las actividades de la FAO, de sus organismos y técnicos.
Nuestras propuestas en este campo van orientadas hacia las siguientes direcciones : determinar nuevos criterios para la selección de los temas y los proyectos, como también un análisis y una evaluación más profundos de los proyectos técnicos de desarrollo; concretizar más claramente los programas de colaboración con otras organizaciones en relación con las resoluciones de los altos foros internacionales y la aprobación de los proyectos correspondientes de cooperación con los países: medio ambiente y desarrollo, alimentación, recursos genéticos; nuevos contenidos de la colaboración regional, sobre todo en la región europea, dirigida hacia la orientación de las granjas y de las cooperativas agrícolas, los investimentos, los problemas agrícolas, la calidad, la asistencia a los productores y comerciantes por parte del Estado y de las organizaciones sectoriales.
Nosostros consideramos también que existe posibilidad de incrementar la actividad y el papel del Centro de investimento de la FAO para estudiar y elaborar proyectos de investimento destinados al desarrollo del sector en los países del Centro y del Este europeos.
La economía agrícola búlgara sigue reestructurándose sobre la base de los principios de mercado. La base de esta reestructuración son las leyes aprobadas por el Parlamento sobre la propiedad y el uso de las tierras rurales, la privatización, las cooperativas, los investimentos extranjeros, el valor añadido, la ganadería. Próximamente serán aprobadas también las leyes sobre el arrendamiento de la tierra, el tabaco y sus productos, sobre la bancarrota, etcétera.
La restitución de la propiedad de las tierras cultivadas que se lleva a cabo en estos momentos es un fenómeno único y sin precedentes, y es acompañado de grandes dificultades de carácter financiero, organizativo, técnico, social y jurídico.
Según las evaluaciones del Gobierno, hasta el final del año en curso, el 60 por ciento de las tierras agrícolas serán restituidas a sus propietarios anteriores y sus herederos. Están constituidas ya miles de granjas
agrícolas privadas, como también más de 1 600 cooperativas agrícolas de propietarios de tierra.
Lamentablemente, durante los últimos dos años, la producción agrícola continuó disminuyendo a causa de la liquidación de las viejas cooperativas, la decentralización y la destrucción parcial de los fondos básicos, incluso la disminución del número de animales, como también la falta de nuevas estructuras de producción. La gran sequía de 1993 ha tenido consecuencias sumamente negativas.
Las nuevas unidades de producción están enfrentando ahora serias dificultades, tales como falta de máquinas, equipamientos y edificios, así como también de créditos en el país, a causa de los altos intereses bancarios; estancamiento del mercado interno y externo para los productos agrícolas y alimentarios búlgaros; estructuras institucionales aún no establecidas, como asociaciones de productores y otras entidades y organizaciones empresariales; ningún tipo de créditos extranjeros.
Consecuencias muy negativas para el país ha tenido la observancia rigurosa del embargo de la ONU contra Iraq y contra Serbia y Montenegro. Quisiera recordar en esta relación la propuesta de nuestro presidente, Dr. Gelev, ante la última sesión de la Asamblea General de la ONU, en el mes de Octubre, en Nueva York, respecto a la necesidad de una Resolución de la Organización para compensar las grandes pérdidas provenientes de la observancia del embargo indirectamente con medidas económicas tan necesarias para la restructuración general del país.
Es muy útil para nosotros la ayuda técnica del Programa FAR, como también la elaboración de proyectos sobre bases bilaterales con diferentes países. Con satisfacción podemos constatar el inicio de una colaboración más activa con la FAO, como la ejecución de algunos proyectos técnicos y el seminario sobre la creación de haciendas privadas celebrado en el mes de sepitembre de 1993 en Sofia, con la participación de representates de catorce países.
Nuestra intención y nuestro deseo es continuar con esta colaboración y organizar y ampliar las escalas en diferentes campos acordados. Nuestro país cuenta con la participación activa de la FAO en proyectos e iniciativas que interesan a Bulgaria, tales como: creación y funcionamiento de haciendas agrícolas privadas y estructuras de investimento; mejoramiento del control epizoótico en la región y cooperación en la reglamentación de las relaciones mutuas en este campo con otros países y el intercambio comercial de productos agrícolas; incremento de la cooperación y el intercambio de los productos fito y zoo-genéticos, con el fin de mejorar el proceso y los resultados de la selección; ayuda a los propietarios privados en la aplicación de tecnologías efectivas y adecuadas, sobre la base de la experiencia de los países desarrollados; ejecución de proyectos técnicos de desarrollo con importancia particular para el sector.
En conclusión, nosotros consideramos que la FAO, en colaboración con otras organizaciones internacionales, debe responder, aún más adecuadamente, a las exigencias del tiempo actual, en relación con los problemas sociales para la solución de las tareas más importantes del desarrollo.
Kutaiba M. HASSAN (Iraq) (Original language Arabic): In the name of God the Merciful, the Compassionate, Mr President, Your Excellencies, honourable delegates, ladies and gentlemen: it gives me pleasure to represent Iraq at this, the 27th Session of the General Conference of the FAO; and, in the
name of Iraq, I would like to express our appreciation to ,the Director-General for his fruitful efforts to develop and strengthen the agricultural sector in many member countries and, especially, his contribution to agricultural development and food security in developing countries.
It gives me great pleasure to congratulate you, Mr President, on your election; and I would like to congratulate all new members in this Organization. I would also like to congratulate the newly elected Director-General of the Organization, Dr Jacques Diouf, wishing him every success in achieving our Organization's noble goals.
Mr President, agricultural policy in Iraq, since the Revolution of 17 to 30 July 1968 has led to the development and expansion of agriculture and livestock production and this led to a tangible improvement of per caput income which, in turn, was positively reflected on the standards of health, education, and the revenue of citizens.
The Government of Iraq, since the 1970s, accorded increasing importance to the agricultural sector within careful and practical and scientific plans. A number of achievements were realized, especially in agricultural infrastructure, for food production. The State tackled the problem of saline land reform since all agricultural matters must begin with land reform. Hence, more than half a million hectares were reclaimed together with the construction of a large number of dams and storage centres in order to control and rationally use water resources.
These accomplishments went hand in hand with steps taken to improve agricultural production and increase yields. The chemical fertilizer industry was developed to supply farmers' needs, pesticides were made available to control various pests and the State played a leading role in providing improved seed varieties for wheat, which is the basic food product in Iraq, and the Government distributed them among farmers and investors. At the same time the State raised purchase prices for grains, oils and horticultural crops to encourage farmers to expand this type of agriculture as well as to raise their levels of income.
The State also extended consumer price subsidies which led to a jump in the levels of protein and carbohydrate consumption. Livestock has increased in a marked way during the past decades as a result of the provision of vaccines and free veterinary services.
After all these achievements and successes which Iraq accomplished during the past years in the agricultural sector came the war waged by 30 hostile countries against Iraq to destroy the infrastructure and the basis of agriculture in Iraq. The attack was carefully preplanned and rigorously carried out with the aim of destroying Iraq's food security for specific political purposes. The bombardment of irrigation stations and irrigation project areas led to their complete destructions. This made it impossible to control water resources. The attacks also destroyed a large percentage of dams and locks which had been constructed along rivers and streams. Also destroyed were electric and oil networks and factories, which led to a paralysis of irrigation schemes and great damage to field crops.
The heinous attack on Iraq did not stop at the destruction of irrigation and energy networks but went beyond to destroy seed refining factories, cold storage plants and fertilizer and pesticide factories, leading inevitably to a disastrous drop in agricultural yields and an invasion by pests.
Mr President, the total economic embargo imposed on Iraq for more than three years is still there. It continues to be the main reason for the sharp decrease in the quantity of food required by Iraqis and this was confirmed in various reports by missions from international and nongovernmental organizations. It is incumbent upon me here to mention Special Warning Number 237 of July 1993 issued jointly by FAO and WFP after their visit to Iraq between 14 and 28 June 1993. The mission carried out independent surveys to assess Iraq's grain production, its present yields of food supplies and basic requirements of food imports during 1993-94. We totally agree with the foreword to the report which stated that had normal conditions prevailed, Iraq would not have been subjected to food insecurity, nor would it have been eligible for international humanitarian aid because of the natural resources it has been blessed with.
However, the economy of this country was destroyed not only by military aggression but also by the imposition of a total embargo since August 1990. This embargo has led to endemic shortages, hunger, malnutrition and untold human suffering. For example, the embargo led to the decrease of poultry by 80 percent and of milking cows by 50 percent as a result of the severe shortage of medicines and veterinary vaccines. The result has led to a high mortality rate especially amongst infants, and this inhuman embargo has also led to the collapse of 85 percent of meat, 65 percent of eggs, 85 percent of fish and 100 percent of poultry production.
In addition, the embargo has caused the breakdown of a large percentage of agricultural machinery because of the lack of spare parts. Inevitably the process of soil preparation and planting has been delayed, as have been all other automated processes such as planting and harvesting. The Special Warning Number 237 of the joint mission pointed to constraints in the face of yield increases because of the lack of organic fertilizers. Yield losses have doubled in the last three years and diseases and pests are prevalent all over the country. Some areas have been cleared with the help of FAO but large areas remain untreated due to pesticide and equipment shortages. The Special Warning also mentioned that areas in mid and southern Iraq which depend on irrigation were not only exposed to severe yield shortages due to lack of water but also faced the problem of raised ground water levels which has led to dangerous salination and the loss of large areas of arable land. The lack of spare parts has also led to the breakdown of farm machinery, forcing farmers to resort to manual methods with inevitable delays in planting, harvesting and post-harvesting losses.
Some of the 30 countries which took part in the aggression did not find the destruction of Iraq's infrastructure or insistence on maintaining the embargo sufficient, but went further to ensure maximum harm to Iraqi crops during the two past cropping seasons by instructing their military planes to burn wheat and barley fields in the north and destroying thousands of tons of these crops by setting them alight with torches.
In the circumstances of the economic embargo, we would like to ask at this important international forum if the farmer can practise his craft and earn his livelihood in the absence of essential agricultural components, the import of which is refused by certain countries who imposed their will on the Security Council of the United Nations.
This is happening at the same time as FAO is trying to promote and increase agricultural production in every country. Is it not the right of people to have the means of food production? Does not this embargo negate all customs, all beliefs, and all principles, especially as Iraq has fully
complied with Security Council Resolution 687? I would like to quote from the paragraph on page 3 of Special Warning Number 237 of the joint mission. In this paragraph I find a hint of an answer to my questions:
"In view of the range and extent of the food crisis faced by Iraq, the mission has urged the international community to respond urgently to find a solution. Experience during the past three years has shown that sanctions, irrespective of the reasons leading to their imposition have led to wide scale deprivation and the exposure of a majority of the Iraqi population to severe hunger and malnutrition, and in particular children under 5 years old, women who are pregnant and breastfeeding, widows, orphans, the old, the handicapped and the sick. The mission does not believe it possible to continue the imposition of sanctions in their present form without it leading to further deterioration of an already acute crisis of food supplies in Iraq. The permanent solution to the present crisis in food lies in the rehabilitation of the Iraqi economy and this is only possible through a resumption of international trade. Such action would not only put an end to human suffering in Iraq but would also liberalize the scarce amount of humanitarian aid allocated to Iraq at present, and bring relief to a large number of people suffering from hunger all over the world."
It is said on page 10 of the report: "The country's needs are enormous and cannot be covered by charitable supplies. The only solution to the acute problems of food supplies is to make suitable arrangements whereby Iraq could import all its food needs from commercial sources."
Mr President, we have submitted some aspects of the state of food and agriculture in Iraq. I refer you to Special Warning Number 237 of the joint mission. We hope and expect your august gathering to take a fair and just decision, calling for an end to the inhuman economic sanctions and reiterating Iraq's right to export its basic commodities and products to be able to secure its urgent need of food and medicine and as a first step to avoiding a humanitarian disaster before it is too late.
Mr President, the importance of food security is such that it is imperative to accord it greater attention in the phases of agricultural planning and investment. New approaches must be adopted in a large number of countries to reach the goals of self-sufficiency and food security.
We are happy, Mr President, to see the importance that this Organization attaches to global studies on the future of agricultural development and its concern for the environment and women's integration in rural development. We believe that these topics, as well as those items submitted on this session's agenda, are of great importance to societies which are anxious to promote and encourage the process of growth and development. We are confident that FAO will continue effectively to increase food production in spite of the difficulties and challenges that it faces. We are just as confident that it will fulfil its humanitarian mandate and play a leading role in strengthening world food security. Thank you very much, Mr President.
Alexandre José ZANDAMELA (Mozambique): Mr Chairman of the Conference, Director-General of FAO, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen. Allow me to begin my short intervention with very special greetings to His Excellency Dr Jacques Diouf for his election as Director-General of FAO. On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Mozambique, of my delegation, as well as in my own name, I wish you lots of success in the difficult but
noble mission as helmsman of such an important institution as FAO during the next six years of your mandate.
We would like as well, Mr Chairman, to pay tribute to Dr Edouard Saouma for the work of excellent quality carried out over the 18 years of his mandate as Director-General of FAO, and we wish him long life and happiness.
I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate the nine countries for their admission as members of FAO, as well as the Republic of South Africa for its re-admission, which will, without any doubt, strengthen our Organization.
Mozambique is a very large country with an area of some 800 000 square kilometres. The country's agricultural potential is immense, characterized by a diversified climate, with about 36 million hectares of arable land, 40 million hectares of forest, 27 percent of which are covered by high commercial value species. With the existing and identified water resources, it should be possible to irrigate annually around 3.3 million hectares of land.
The 2 700 km long coast, the natural beauty and the relatively abundant and diversified wild life give the country equally high potential for tourism. Nevertheless, agricultural production is the most important activity in the national economy as the main source for consumption and accumulation. In effect, agricultural production has a share of 45 percent of the GDP, employs about 80 percent of the rural population and contributes around 80 percent of the export earnings. But despite this wide potential, it is estimated that only 20 to 30 percent of the arable land has been exploited. However, and in spite of the relatively primary technologies predominantly used, the country was able in the past to produce almost all the essential food requirements for its population, and was also an important producer/exporter of products such as cashew nuts, coconut, tea, cotton, citrus and others.
With the insecurity caused by the war, the agricultural frontier was drastically reduced so that it was almost restricted to the surroundings of the main cities and the provincial capitals, being estimated that about 70 percent of the rural population used to work only 10 percent of the maximum areas once cultivated in the past.
The war has also changed deeply the farming systems and the crop patterns and increased the degradation of the environment, apart from the destruction of human lives, the economic and social infrastructures such as warehouses, roads, commercial networks, health centres, schools and so on.
Institutional weaknesses, and severe drought that during the past two years has struck the whole southern African region, has worsened the economic and social problems of the country.
The situation I have just described does not constitute a novelty for most of you, given that it was presented during the 26th Session when reference was also made to the steps being taken to restore peace through negotiations between the government and Renamo.
It is a great pleasure for me to recall today that the General Peace Agreement was signed here in Rome on 4 October last year, the first anniversary of which we have just effusively celebrated in Mozambique.
More than in the past Mozambique is relying on the various support of the international community for the peace so arduously achieved, for strengthening the ongoing democratization process, for the implementation of the national reconstruction plan which intends to restore the economic and social tissue destroyed by the war, and for the normalization of the life of the population.
As the President of the Republic, His Excellency Mr Joaquim Alberto Chissano has emaphasized during the 48th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York "We are convinced that the success of the present efforts and the large national reconstruction plan will, to a great extent, depend on the creative spirit, determination and hard work of all Mozambicans". On the other hand, the success of this same project will also depend on the generous support of the international community. We appeal to our partners to provide timely assistance for the delays which we observe in delivering the already committed one, which in many cases has been partly responsible for the weak performance of the economy.
Allow me to make a brief reference to some aspects of the work which we should like FAO to carry out.
Mozambique, as on many other occasions, stresses the wish to see FAO more and more involved in a continuous process of changes, more open to the adoption of new forms of technical cooperation with member countries, more involved in the professional and academic training of our technicians in an effort to build up the capacity of member countries in such a way as to draw themselves the most adequate solutions for their own problems.
To this end, we would like FAO's work to be implemented in our countries with a better institutional framing so as to create local capacities on a substainable basis. The projects with FAO support cannot constitute parallel units to existing institutions, but should be integrated into them, and strengthening them. Greater emphasis should be given to the training of local staff, so as to establish the basis for the gradual substitution of the international technical assistance which always constitutes a high cost in our projects to the detriment of other more substantive components. We would like to see FAO's bureaucratic procedures become more expedite since at present they are very heavy and slow.
I would not like to finish my statement, without congratulating you for your election as Chairman of this Conference and for the highly competent way you have been performing your task, which constitutes the guarantee of the success of this session.
Thank you very much Mr Chairman.
Victor Hugo HERNANDEZ (República Dominicana): Señor Presidente, distinguidos Ministros, señores Delegados y Representantes de Organismos aquí presentes; Damas y Caballeros. Constituye para mí un gratísimo honor, dirigirme a esta magna asamblea, oportunidad que deseo aprovechar para externar nuestras inquietudes en torno a las implicaciones que tienen para los países como la República Dominicana, las transformaciones que se precisa realizar en el sector agropecuario a fin de hacerlo más eficiente y competitivo, y compartir, además, algunas experiencias que hemos vivido luego de la aplicación de ciertas medidas de ajuste estructural en nuestra economía.
Quiero antes que todo, felicitar a usted, señor Presidente, por la forma magistral en que ha dirigido los trabajos de la Conferencia y extender dicha felicitación al Dr. Edouard Saouma por la forma en que dirigió la FAO durante estos últimos 18 años. Debo felicitar, además en nombre del Presidente de mi país, Dr. Joaquín Balaguer y en el mío propio, al Dr. Jacques Diouf por su elección como Director General de la FAO, a quien solemnemente comprometo nuestra cooperación y ayuda para el éxito de su gestión al frente de esta organización mundial.
Hemos acudido a esta cita, con el ánimo de examinar ante este selecto auditorio, las posibilidades que tienen nuestras naciones en vías de desarrollo, de acometer con determinación los procesos de modernización de su agricultura; de lograr el mantenimiento de la base de los recursos de producción y de alcanzar al mismo tiempo, mayores stándares de vida para sus ciudadanos. Todo esto en un entorno de globalización económica, caracterizado por la conformación de grandes bloques mundiales de comercio, situación de la que ya no podemos mantenernos al margen, y que nos obliga a adherirnos con decisión y voluntad, para así lograr nuestros propósitos comunes.
La modernización de la agricultura tradicional, es un imperativo de nuestros pueblos que requiere de esfuerzos decisivos, para propiciar los cambios tecnológicos que este proceso demanda y la asignacion de mayores recursos para la inversión.
Sin embargo, la falta de equidad en los ingresos, los bajos precios de los productos agrícolas en el comercio mundial, en beneficio de los países importadores de materia prima, y el alto grado de protección, unido a las exigencias y ajustes agrícolas inapropiados por parte de los gobiernos y organismos financieros, han restringido por años, la disponibilidad de los recursos necesarios para solventar los programas de adecuación y mejoramiento de las estructuras productivas.
Sólo basta recordar que en la década de los años 80, América Latina vivió uno de sus peores momentos, donde casi todo el Continente fue golpeado por la crisis económica y sometido a duros ajustes para honrar su cuantiosa deuda externa. Esto se hizo sentir en la población que vio disminuir el alcance de los programas gubernamentales en la educación, la agricultura, la salud e inversiones públicas. En este período, nuestras naciones produjeron más, pero recibieron menos recursos frescos que en cualquier otro período similar, debido en parte a la permanencia de términos de intercambios muy desfavorables con los países desarrollados y al pago del servicio de la deuda.
En consecuencia, nuestras economías se mantuvieron bajo extremos constreñimientos y sin recursos disponibles para modernizar su aparato productivo. Los excedentes internos para fomentar nuestro desarrollo nunca existieron y las fuentes internacionales de empréstitos se tornaron cada vez más rígidas y exigentes.
El resultado de esta patente realidad ha sido la postergación del proceso, evidentemente retardado, lo cual constituye hoy un reto ineludible que debemos enfrentar con determinación.
Un caso a tomar en consideración es el deterioro que acusan los recursos naturales en la isla de Santo Domingo, la cual compartimos con la República de Haití.
Como consecuencia de la deforestación de las montañas y laderas, el uso inapropiado de los suelos, la agricultura nómada, el pastoreo intensivo a que son sometidas importantes zonas, la erosión ha alcanzado niveles alarmantes. Para sólo tener una idea de la magnitud de este problema, la erosión en suelos de ladera se estima en 1.5 pulgadas por hectárea y año.
Para los campesinos de nuestra isla es, en fin de cuentas, un problema del hombre y el medio ambiente; de educación versus potencialidades, y de existencia o desaparición.
Un segundo tema de agenda, que es propicio reiterar en esta Conferencia General, es el referente a la pobreza y la marginación en que viven importantes núcleos de productores de América Latina y el Caribe.
Profundamente atento y consciente de las características de este escenario mundial y de las particularidades que matizan la problemática nacional, el Gobierno dominicano ha actuado con previsión. Bajo la gestión presidencial de su Excelencia, el Dr. Joaquín Balaguer, se ha logrado ajustar la economía, sin que los sectores menos pudientes de la sociedad hayan cargado sobre sus espaldas el peso que conlleva este reordenamiento económico. Se ha auspiciado, mediante un manejo mesurado y prudente, la apertura de nuestra economía y un mejor acoplamiento de los distintos sectores económicos del país.
Para el sector agrícola, este programa prevé profundizar la apertura de los mercados, liberalizando aún más los precios internos, al tiempo que se estimulan las exportaciones, a través de la eliminación de todo tipo de barreras y de la adopción de diversas medidas de incentivo que serán puestas en práctica, una vez entre en vigencia un proyecto de ley que actualmente se discute con este propósito. Paralelamente, propicia la inversión financiera y el mejorameinto de la comercialización y de los programas de investigación, extensión y capacitación agropecuarias.
Simultáneamente, se encaminan pasos firmes para la reforma del sector agrícola en general, para lo cual ya se dispone de un "Diagnóstico y Estrategia Sectorial", que en los actuales momentos está siendo validada, a los propósitos de que sirva de marco para el diseño de las políticas y los planes, que habrán de ejecutarse con este objetivo en el futuro inmediato.
Dentro de este contexto, un asunto al cual le hemos conferido marcada importancia es el relativo a los problemas del medio ambiente y al adecuado manejo de nuestros recursos naturales, lo cual se manifiesta en el alcance de las medidas que hemos adoptado, y al orden de prioridad con que las mismas se ejecutan.
Los compromisos asumidos por mi país en la Conferencia Mundial de las Naciones Unidas sobre Medio Ambiente, celebrada en Río de Janeiro, Brasil, en 1992, están siendo honrados con los trabajos que actualmente realiza la comisión de alto nivel creada al efecto, la cual es presidida por el honorable señor Vicepresidente de la República.
Los problemas de deforestación, erosión, contaminación de las aguas, degradación de las costas y empobrecimiento del ambiente, que son los más críticos en nuestro entorno vivencial, hoy son manejados desde una perspectiva diferente, que focaliza al hombre como propiciador de las alteraciones desequilibrantes. Bajo este esquema de acción, el hombre que nace, se desarrolla y vive en su ámbito rural, se integra a la preservación de su habitat, incorporándolo al manejo de estos recursos y concienciándolo
de la importancia que tiene mantener en equilibrio el ecosistema donde permanece.
Con igual entusiasmo, hemos acogido las obligaciones y los compromisos contraídos en la Conferencia Internacional sobre la Nutrición, encaminados a reducir la pobreza de nuestros pueblos, como medio eficaz para el mejoramiento de la alimentación y la nutrición.
El hambre y la malnutrición, como se consigna en la declaración mundial surgida de este cónclave, son innecesarias e inadmisibles en un mundo que posee tanto los conocimientos como los recursos necesarios para poner fin a esta catástrofe humana. Hemos encarado con decisión y voluntad política acciones de gran eficacia, dirigidas a fortalecer los programas de alimentación, generación de empleos, educación y salud.
Particular interés reviste para nosotros la desinteresada cooperación que desde hace cuarenta años recibimos a través de la FAO. La incidencia de esta Organización se hace ostensible en todos los procesos evolutivos que se han verificado desde entonces en nuestra agropecuaria.
Hoy día, la asistencia que recibimos mediante la ejecución de diferentes proyectos de cooperación técnica cubre desde la extensión pecuaria hasta el mejoramiento de laboratorios de semillas, lo que para nosotros constituye aportes de inmenso valor.
En la presente coyuntura, en la que un dominicano ha sido electo Director General del Instituto Interamericano de Cooperación Agrícola, (IICA) , cuya responsabilidad principal radica en la conducción de la cooperación agrícola en América, son propicias las condiciones para aunar esfuerzos dirigidos a lograr una mayor concertación de voluntades y ventilar, bajo los signos de los tiempos, alternativas que posibiliten, en un futuro, la adopción de modelos progresivos de integración entre este Instituto y la FAO, similares a los que con tanto éxito se implementan en otras áreas de servicios, lo que aseguraría mayor racionalidad en el uso de recursos y un mejor aprovechamiento de los avances de la ciencia.
J.M. MAKWETA (Tanzania): Mr Chairman, Mr Director-General, honourable Ministers, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, may I on behalf of my delegation, the Government and the people of the United Republic of Tanzania first congratulate you, Mr Chairman, for having been elected to chair this 27th Conference Session. We promise you active support during your period of leadership.
Allow me also to extend our heartfelt congratulations to the newly-elected Director-General, Dr Jacques Diouf, and wish him success in his new office. We know he is going to shoulder heavy responsibilities which will demand dedication, courage, vision and firm commitment to the Organization's ideals. My delegation and the Government of United Republic of Tanzania would like to assure him of our full support.
At this juncture I wish also to thank and congratulate most sincerely Dr Saouma, who has just completed 18 years of devoted service, for the valuable contribution he has made to FAO and FAO member countries. During the last 18 years of service to FAO Dr Saouma has demonstrated great vision, sensitivity to human problems, decisiveness and firmness in his decisions and actions. We wish him good health and success in the future.
After these introductory remarks let me turn to the food and agriculture situation in Africa. For two consecutive seasons, 1990-91 and 1991-92, the food and agricultural situation in sub-Saharan Africa has been bad due to drought, high costs of agricultural inputs and implements, falling prices of commodities and civil strife in some countries.
Along with natural and man-made problems, production and productivity have been seriously affected by insistent pressures on liberalization and privatization in a short time. Liberalization in agriculture has been at the centre of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations. Although the negotiations are not complete, it is a fact that developing countries will require a long period to build-up capacity and competitive production in order to gain from liberalized trade. We hope the initiative taken by the Common Fund for Commodities, if maintained, will enhance the growth of commodity export earnings for developing countries.
Much as we see the need and urgency for liberalization of trade and privatization of the economy, it is important to note that in the case of some Third World countries these steps are not necessarily a panacea to all of the socio-economic problems. In some countries the problems are more complex and complicated than they appear to be. For instance, in a year of bumper harvest of maize in Africa, intra-regional trade cannot absorb all the surplus maize due to constraints in storage, transport and marketing. Such a situation would thus result in considerable post-harvest losses and depression of prices to the farmer. This is what happening today in some parts of Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania.
Tanzania would like to express her appreciation to the leadership of the FAO and World Food Programme in general for articulating these problems. We so hope that FAO and the new leadership will continue to find their solutions in collaboration with Member States and the international community.
Turning to my own country of Tanzania, in the period under discussion there were significant increases in production of food and cash crops. Unfortunately, the increases in production in most cases did not result in a corresponding increase in income to the farmer. Due to economic recession at home and abroad the markets were depressed. This negative trend has had a very unsettling effect on both the farmer and the country. For the farmer, his standard of living went down because he could not meet even his basic necessities. And for the country, loss in foreign exchange earnings meant reduction in services and a growintg debt burden.
Tanzania has about 89 million hectares of land of which 55 percent is arable. However, cultivation is confined to 17 percent of the potential arable land and is dominated by small-scale farming on an average holding of less than two hectares per household. Extensive and shifting cultivation in some of these areas leads to environmental degradation. In order to make agriculture sustainable, there is a need to strengthen the land management aspect and, in particular, to integrate food security measures with environmental protection. This is necessary in order to enable the farmers to meet their food security requirements, reduce rural poverty and retain young and energetic farmers on the land.
Mr Chairman, given the rich experience and the expertise which the FAO has in environment and sustainable agricultural development, my country will be most grateful to continue receiving FAO's assistance in these and other related fields.
The livestock sector contributes between 10-15 cencent of the GNP and does not meet the national demand for livestock products. The poor performance of the livestock sector is mainly due to inadequate essential extension services, disease, inadequate water supply, lack of improved pasture, low prices for livestock products, poor marketing infrastructure and inadequate supply of veterinary drugs and vaccines and their exorbitant prices, when available. The Government is preparing modalities for the improvement and development of the livestock industry. One of the measures to be taken is to involve the private sector in the procurement and distribution of veterinary drugs. Other measures include the improvement of extension services for better animal husbandry and the introduction of improved breeds and pasture.
Forests and woodland occupy about 44.0 million hectares of our total land surface. Of late, due to clearing of forests for agriculture, overgrazing, charcoal burning, woodfuel harvesting, bush fires and harvesting for industrial use, the forests and wood are disappearing at a faster rate than that of afforestation It is estimated that Tanzania is losing between 300 000 and 400 000 hectares of forests and woodland each year. In the effort to deal with the problem, the Government has embarked on several programmes. The major ones are: the Tanzania Forestry Action plan (TFAP), the Livestock Programme Year 2000, Land Use Plan, Plan of Action to Combat Desertification Programme (PADC), the Integrated Soil and Water Conservation and the National Conservation Strategy. The latter aims at providing guidelines on optimal use of the national resources.
In the fisheries sector, the Government has a three-pronged approach, to ensure sustainable fishing. Firstly, the motivation of the private sector to expand their involvement. Secondly a conscious mobilization of the small fisherman, and lastly but not least, with the help of International Organizations such as UNDP, FAO and donor support, improvement in credit facilities, research and data collection.
As regards policy reforms, Tanzania has liberalized the marketing of food, cash crops and inputs.
However, the major problem confronting inputs procurement by private sector, apart from logistical problems and low profit margins, is inadequate cash cover to purchase foreign currency. As an interim solution to this problem, the Government is in the process of establishing a special Agriculture Development Fund that will provide the local cash cover and hence solve the liquidity problem as well as minimize delays in the procurement of inputs. This is a new approach, so it therefore needs time to perfect.
On the whole, the current policies are geared towards creating an enabling environment for the full participation of the private sector in national development at the same time reducing progressively Government involvement in direct production. The major tasks of the Government in the agricultural sector will be to provide training and extension services to the farmers, carry out research and dissemination of research findings to the farmers, undertake disease and pest control, strengthening of policy formulation, data collection and information services. Other objectives are the registration of cooperatives as well as strengthening the Strategic Grain Reserve.
In Tanzania, women play a key role in agricultural production and are the major food producers. In an effort to integrate them in the development
activities, the Government is committed to improving their education. Currently the banks, non-governmental organizations and various donors are extending loans to rural women on concessionary terms to improve access to credit. I would therefore like to use this opportunity to thank the banks, the donor community, and other international non-governmental organizations for their continuing support and assistance in this endeavour.
Cooperation between developed and developing countries is an imperative. In order to foster this cooperation the governments both in the rich and poor countries should not make a mistake of ignoring the basic requirements of the poor. The property of the rich will only be protected by improving the living conditions of the poor people. Here I can do no better than to quote Mr Jacques Chirac, the Major of Paris and former Primer Minister of France, who recently in Rome said:
"The industrialized countries will not regain either prosperity or progress if dire poverty and despair reign a few hundred kilometres from their doorsteps. It is unthinkable that we should allow the countries of the South to become increasingly marginalized. As they develop, so shall we. These countries have enormous needs that must be met, and the countries of the North have untapped production capacities. The crisis cries out for tighter solidarity, for it is only together that we can find out our way back to the path of growth. This battle can only be won through increased solidarity and a greater awareness of our common destiny, in full respect of our diversity."
Mr Chairman, in conclusion let me again on behalf of my delegation commend FAO for its continued support to my country in our effort to develop ourselves.
Abdalla Mohamed Ahmad ABDALLA (Sudan) (Original language Arabic): It is a great pleasure for me to address this august assembly on behalf of the people and Government of Sudan. I would like, first of all, to congratulate you on your election and for the trust bestowed upon you by the Conference. Yours is a well-deserved election because of your acknowledged wisdom and qualities. Your role of conducting the business of this session is increasing in importance as is the role FAO is called upon to play in the light of the changes, challenges and threats facing the world in the economic, social and environmental fields whose indications are becoming clear and affecting many parts of the world. This requires serious reflection, clear vision and goodwill, together with well-thought-out actions to avert their negative effects on our developing countries in particular.
First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to express our deep appreciation and gratitude to Mr Saouma, who led this important organization in an exemplary, able manner during 18 years - 18 years during which he dealt effectively and in an impartial manner with major issues in food and agriculture for the benefit of all. We note with pride and admiration FAO's role, which increased considerably under his wise leadership. Thanks to his innovative initiatives which resulted in a strong relationship with the member countries and the UN system as a whole, thus enabling FAO to gain the respect and support of both the developing and developed countries, FAO played its role in agricultural development effectively. It also dealt in an able manner with the difficult development matters. All this took place thanks to the Director-General's open mind, clear vision and readiness to cooperate with all.
Sudan highly values the achievements made under Mr Saouma's Leadership. We would like to emphasize that the solid basis laid should be expanded, and FAO's capabilities should be further enhanced to enable it to deal with the substance of the issues that determine humanity's fate. This, of course, requires a big boost to the UN system as a whole by ensuring regular resources and by defining the criteria to be observed by the different agencies. There is no doubt that FAO should achieve its objective within this overall framework and in harmony with the member countries in order to bring about prosperity and stability and in order to combat poverty and depravation.
I would like to emphasize that Mr Saouma, the outgoing Director-General, is leaving behind a strong organization more than ready to continue its good work and to face the challenges in the fields of food, nutrition, balanced agricultural development and environmental protection.
I would like to congratulate the new Director-General for the trust placed in him by the member countries. I would like to reiterate my country's support for him in this heavy task which he has been elected to undertake. We congratulate ourselves on his election at this critical juncture.
The last year has seen major events that highlighted the role played by FAO and other UN agencies, events such as UNCED, which was held in June 1992, the International Conference on Nutrition held in December 1992 and its declaration, as well as the International Conference on Women in Development. We think that ICN was a culmination of a long organizational and scientific work directed towards dealing with the problems of food and nutrition in the developing and the developed countries. We also think that UNCED defined the principles and the challenges our planet will face in the 21st Century and stressed the need for rational utilization and preservation of our natural resources for their sustainability as well the role of the various sectors. We think that the orientation and the programmes defined by UNCED constitute the focal point for FAO in the future activities that it is going to carry out with the other organizations and the member countries.
My delegation would like to take this opportunity to highlight some of the features and orientations of the agricultural development in Sudan as well as some of the successes we achieved in agricultural production and the efforts we are making in order to preserve our natural resources and rationalize their utilization. Thanks to our huge resources like vast areas of fertile land, abundant water supplies from rivers, valleys and rain, underground water resources, forestry resources, pastures, livestock, and thanks to the stable agricultural policies, we made great strides in the production of various crops like sorghum, millet, wheat, vegetable oil, sugarcane, pulses, vegetables, and fruits, as well as animal products. We managed to secure an appreciable level of self-sufficiency as well as creating a surplus for export, thereby helping to achieve and consolidate the basis for food security on the national level. The last three agricultural seasons were characterized by adequate rainfall that enabled us to achieve an increase in the gross national product in spite of the impact of the market economy measures taken during the last two years within the framework of the macro-economic policy. These measures removed subsidies and liberalized trade. This increase was achieved in spite of the difficult international trade conditions that depressed the prices of two major export commodities, cotton and oilseeds. Thanks to the stability of the agricultural and economic policies and the heavy emphasis put on agricultural production, Sudan managed to achieve, during the last two
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years, a growth rate in its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of more than 11 percent. This is a direct result of the increase in the agricultural sector in Sudan.
What appears, in fact, from time in some technical and non-technical, official and non-official reports on the difficult food situation in different parts of Sudan, reflects only the situation in some areas of instability like the South of the country or the areas affected by the drought waves. In fact, a big food surplus that could feed the whole country is achieved.
The government is currently negotiating in order to bring peace to the south of the country. We sincerely hope that these efforts will bear fruit so that the south will enjoy peace, stability and contribute to the overall development of the country.
In view of the growth in the agricultural sector that led to self-sufficiency and surpluses in most agricultural products, in view of the efforts being made to bring peace to the south of the country, and in view of the efforts made to mobilize and to secure and expand the people's participation in economic and political decision-making, we are sure Sudan will play its natural role in achieving national and regional food security, a role commensurate with the size and diversity of its natural, environmental and human potential. That is because our agriculture policies are formulated in such a way as to achieve overall agricultural development by harnessing our diverse natural resources within an environmental balance that would help achieve sustainable development for the benefit of the future generations.
Mr Chairman, we highly value FAO's role and its interaction with the developing countries in order to achieve a balanced, sustainable agricultural development. We pay tribute to the achievements made by FAO and its leadership. We would like to stress the need for FAO's continuing along this road and express our deep concern regarding any attempt to divert FAO from its current course or to reduce the role it is playing by virtue of its Constitution.
We are convinced that the new Director-General will continue playing this role. We expect him to get more support that would enable him to fully use FAO's diverse capabilities to make it more effective in dealing with agricultural development problems in the developing countries. Therefore, we think it is necessary to support FAO's policy by putting more emphasis on the Technical Cooperation Programme that proved its effectiveness, and by enabling FAO to continue its support for the environmental projects, for the projects aimed at women and integrated rural development, as well as those aimed at upgrading the human resources in the agricultural field and transfer of technology. We should also support FAO to increase its interaction with the regional organizations and the economic blocs in a way that would enable it to meet its commitments to the farmers and all the poor of this world.
Allow me, Mr Chairman, to call on FAO, the international neutral organization, to undertake a more vigorous role in a world characterized by breathtaking developments and by the setting-up of unbalanced economic blocs and to take the initiative in playing a coordinating role between these groupings in a way that would pry open their markets for the agricultural products of the Third World, thereby protecting the developing countries of any attempt aimed at containing their products, because, if
this is to happen, it will have an adverse impact on agricultural development in the developing countries.
In conclusion, Mr Chairman, I wish this Conference every success. Thank you for your attention.
Francis KANGAUDE (Malawi): Mr Chairman, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, in the first place, I would like to join those who have delivered their statements before me in congratulating you on your election as Chairman of this august assembly. Secondly, I would like to convey the congratulations and best wishes of the Government of Malawi to Dr Jacques Diouf on his election to the post of Director-General of FAO. My Government promises to cooperate with him and to support him in his work. I would also like to congratulate Dr Edouard Saouma and to thank him for all the good work he did in his 18 years of service to FAO.
Mr Chairman, I would also like to welcome all new members to this Organization including South Africa which has been admitted in anticipation that she will soon be on the the transitional path to true nationhood.
I would now like to discuss the state of food and agriculture in my country, Malawi.
There are about 1.8 million smallholder farmers in Malawi who live mostly in rural areas and produce most of the food needs of the country. Smallholders are, however, constrained by the size of their holdings, which average less than 1.0 hectare. Within the smallholder farmer community, women form approximately 70 percent of full-time farmers.
Although the majority of the women work side by side with their menfolk in various crop and livestock activities, there are many who work on their own as result of either being widowed, divorced, or their husbands being away from home for long periods. In an effort to ensure that extension field officers reach not only men, but also women, special programmes are formulated for the women farmers. For example, the formation of farmers' associations (called farmers' clubs) exclusively for women is encouraged. It is through these clubs that new technical messages are delivered. In addition, credit facilities for women to acquire farm inputs are channelled through these farmers' clubs. This strategy has assisted a lot in boosting food production in Malawi.
Agricultural credit for smallholder farmers in Malawi has played an important role in boosting smallholder agricultural production in general and food production in particular. The Ministry of Agriculture administers this through an organization known as the Smallholder Agricultural Credit Administration (SACA). Basically, the following two types of credit are offered: (a) short-term or seasonal credit for seed, fertilizer and agrochemicals; and (b) medium-term credit for ox-drawn implements, irrigation equipment, baling machines, livestock etc.
Of much concern to us now is seasonal credit. Smallholders are organized in clubs and it is through these clubs that credit is issued and recovered. Due to various reasons, including the effects of a recent drought, most farmers were not able to make repayments on the 1991-92 rescheduled credit and the 1992-93 credit. This has led to depletion of the credit fund so leaving insufficient resources for lending through the next agricultural year.
This is a very unfortunate situation for the country considering that the majority of farmers will not receive inputs on credit for the 1993-94 season because the loans have not been repaid in full. What this means, Mr Chairman, is that Malawi's food production will go down dramatically in 1994. Therefore, through you, Mr Chairman, Malawi is appealing to the international community for assistance in bridging the smallholder credit financing gap. Considering the current cost of inputs, Malawi needs a total of about US$60 million to fulfil the projected lending budget for the 1993-94 season.
Maize is the staple crop in Malawi, occupying about 80 percent of cultivated land. Most of the land is put to local maize varieties which are low yielding.
Fish is another important food commodity in Malawi, being the main source of animal protein for the local community. At the moment, over-fishing is a major problem which is mainly dictated by the high demand for fish.
For most years now, Malawi has attained and sustained food self-sufficiency status. It is only in years of extreme calamities such as the drought of last year that Malawi requests for food aid from friendly countries and organizations.
On behalf of my Government, I would like to take this opportunity to thank FAO for the assistance it extended to Malawi during the difficult period of the 1992 drought. FAO provided us with funds with which we bought and distributed fertilizer and hybrid maize seed to farmers who were hardest hit by the drought.
Malawi's success story in food production stems mainly from rainfed agriculture. The potential for irrigation is, however, quite large, estimated at about 2 00 000 hectares, of which only one twentieth is currently utilized. The severe drought of 1992 also underscored the importance of irrigation for food production.
Plans are at an advanced stage to develop a large-scale irrigation scheme known as the Shire Valley Irrigation Project in the southern part of the country. Due to funding contraints, however, implementation of the plan cannot start immediately. Malawi is, therefore, appealing to the international community to assist with the funding.
Also, for the coming five years or so, several low-cost self-help irrigation schemes under the Small-Scale Irrigation Project will be developed throughout the country. While some schemes will be financed under the upcoming World Bank Agricultural Services Project scheduled to start early in 1994, there are many others remaining that lack funding. We are making a similar appeal for funding these smaller self-help projects.
Like in previous years, Malawi participated in celebrating this year's World Food Day, whose theme was "Harvesting Nature's Biodiversity". The FAO chose this theme in order to alert the world community to focus attention on the importance of biodiversity and its contribution to humanity and food security as a whole.
It is worrying to note that nature's biodiversity is, by and large, being lost at an alarming rate. In Malawi, forests are recognized as a natural resource that has great productive value as well as important environmental
function for water, soil and wildlife conservation, and for social and recreational activities.
One hears and reads that natural habits have elsewhere been partially lost or completely destroyed. Definitely such destruction is a threat to world agriculture and invariably humanity at large. We, therefore, call for a concerted effort by all nations to conserve biodiversity at all costs.
Malawi's efforts in conserving plant genetic resources are coordinated at the Malawi Plant Genetic Resources Centre based at the Chitedze Agricultural Research Station in the central region of the country. The Centre implements its programmes in collaboration with local institutions such as the Forestry Research Institute of Malawi and with other countries. The work includes plant genetic resource conservation for a cross-section of plants, namely: field crops, forestry, ornamental, medical and wild plants.
While nutrition is a subject which cuts across ministries or sectors, the Ministry of Agriculture in Malawi is particularly charged with food security at national, and, more importantly, at household level. Despite being self-sufficient at national level, some families lack food during certain months of the year. These food-insecure families comprise the landless, those with little land and those who cannot procure inputs.
To address this problem of resource-poor farmers, the Ministry of Agriculture has put into place food production programmes especially targeted at such vulnerable groups. The programmes include food for work and the growing of high-value crops such as burley tobacco from whose income farmers can buy food.
I would not do full justice to my brief if I did not highlight the political changes which are taking place in my country. I must, therefore, brief you and the distinguished delegates about that. These changes have a strong bearing on our agricultural production. If I may remind you, Mr Chairman, it was at the Consultative Group (CG) meeting at the Paris Club last year when donors decided to withhold development aid to Malawi until practical measures were taken to introduce multiparty democracy and to pay attention to certain human rights issues which were in question.
Malawi paid due attention to all the issues. A national referendum on whether the people wanted to replace the single party system of democracy with a multiparty democracy was held on 14 June this year. A multiparty system was chosen, as you may already know. As of now, we have a National Consultative Council (NCC) and a National Executive Committee in place to review the Malawi constitution and initiate all necessary laws for the re-introduction of a multiparty system of democracy. So far, the transition has been smooth and it is hoped that it will be so until multiparty elections are held in May next year.
Malawi's commitment to good governance and respect for human rights is unquestionable as can be attested by the mechanisms in place during this transition period and the work that is being done by the NCC to ensure that this goes into laws. In this connection, Malawi is appealing through this assembly to the international institutions and donor countries to resume their aid. We hope that the next Consultative Group meeting on Malawi next month will result in full resumption of aid to Malawi. As I have said earlier, much aid to Malawi is for direct support to agricultural production.
Mr Chairman, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, I thank you very much for your attention.
Hans POPP (Suisse) (Langue originale allemand): Monsieur le Président, chers Ministres, chers Délégués, Mesdames, Messieurs, j'ai la joie et l'honneur de représenter la Suisse pour la treizième fois à la Conférence de la FAO. Ce qui veut dire que je suis et accompagne les travaux de la FAO depuis 25 ans environ. L'importance des tâches et des défis auxquels doit faire face notre Organisation n'a pas diminué, bien au contraire. C'est pourquoi la Suisse souhaite poursuivre sa collaboration fructeuse avec la FAO, en la renforcant encore si possible.
Je tiens à assurer le nouveau Directeur général de notre pleine collaboration. Et je tiens également à féliciter Monsieur Jacques Diouf de son élection. Nous lui souhaitons plein succès dans sa tâche difficile et astreignante. Nous espérons que son élection donnera un nouvel élan et un espoir renouvelé aux pays d'Afrique.
Mais je tiens aussi à dire à Monsieur Saouma, en tant que Directeur général sortant, combien je le remercie de ses inlassables efforts et de l'excellente atmosphère de collaboration et de confiance qui a régné entre nous. Monsieur Saouma a dirigé avec talent et avec sagesse les destinées de la FAO, et je formule les meilleurs voeux pour son avenir.
Mesdammes et Messieurs, la Suisse est depuis longtemps un membre actif de la FAO. Nous soutenons cette Organisation pour son rôle indispensable à l'accomplissement de tâches tout à fait essentielles telles que la lutte contre le faim et la malnutrition, l'encouragement d'une agriculture durable et respecteuse de l'environnement, l'amélioration du bien-être de millions d'êtres humains dans les régions rurales en luttant ainsi contre l'exode rural et une urbanisation malsaine toujours accrue.
Ces défis sont de taille et, si solution il doit y avoir, ce ne sera possible qu'ensemble. De nouvelles tâches s'y ajoutent; je pense notamment aux besoins de l'Europe de l'Est et des pays de l'ancienne Union Soviétique. Dans cette région, l'aide de la FAO est également essentielle comme l'honorable délégué de la Bulgarie nous l'a d'ailleurs dit cet après-midi en termes très clairs.
La Suisse a fondé sa politique sur l'aide au développement et l'a adaptée à ces défis et à ces besoins primordiaux en recherchant à aider les pays à s'aider eux-mêmes. En ce sens, les critères que le Gouvernement recherche sont le renforcement des institutions et l'encouragement à la production.
Outre l'assistance bilatérale importante, la Suisse mise depuis toujours sur l'assistance multilatérale en passant également par la FAO.
En 1992, nous avons fourni à la FAO, directement ou indirectement grâce à des ressources extra-budgétaires environ 20 millions de dollars, c'est-à-dire 4 ou 5 fois la contribution au budget ordinaire. A cela s'ajoute l'aide alimentaire.
Nous attendons de la FAO une utilisation aussi efficace que possible des moyens.
Des programmes tout à fait essentiels tel que le programme pour l'assistance à la sécurité alimentaire, ne peuvent être couronnés de succès
que s'ils trouvent une place dans une politique de stratégies agricoles avec toutes les mesures nécessaires d'encouragement à la production. C'était là la conclusion d'une mission d'évaluation de 14 pays à laquelle j'ai été mandaté par la FAO pour y participer.
Là où ces conditions ne sont pas remplies, la FAO doit aider les pays à créer les conditions de cette collaboration avec les autres pays donateurs.
A cet égard nous plaidons pour un renforcement de la FAO en tant qu'Organisation responsable de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture. Nous voyons aujourd'hui une trop grande prolifération des projets et un éparpillement des moyens.
Monsieur Saintraint, Le Président indépendant du Conseil, dans son rapport de mardi, nous a d'ailleurs fait part de ses considérations. Il a demandé à juste titre du courage pour recentrer le rôle de la FAO.
Nous voulons aussi mettre en garde contre la création de nouvelles institutions commes des conseils et des comités.
Mesdames, Messieurs, je reviens au thème central, pour dire qu'une politique agricole cohérente est la condition sine qua non pour résoudre les problèmes nutritionnels et de l'emploi. Une telle politique agricole requiert quatre mesure:
1 - l'établissement d'une infrastructure minimum y compris en recherches, formation et conseils;
2 - l'encouragement à la production, surtout grâce à une politique de stabilisation des prix et à une structure de commercialisation efficace;
3 - le bon fonctionnement du marché pour les intrants les plus importants, pour que les agriculteurs aient accès aux moyens de production qui leur sont nécessaires;
.4 - la protection adéquate contre les importations ruineuses.
L'expérience a démontré que là où ces conditions alimentaires sont remplies, il n'y a ni famine, ni sous alimentation. Les agriculteurs reagissent positivement à de tels encouragements et à de bonnes conditions générales.
Une certaine protection vis-à-vis de l'extérieur est nécessaire car chaque peuple a droit à une sécurité alimentaire minimum, ce qui requiert une production intérieure propre.
Mesdames, Messieurs, à cette Conférence, comme d'ailleurs les années précédentes, on condamne à nouveau les politiques dites protectionnistes. Je voudrais toutefois dire ici qu'il faut veiller à parler d'une facon plus nuancée et comprendre qu'une certaine protection des importations est absolument nécessaire pour des millions de paysans, surtout dans de nombreux pays en développement. C'est pour eux une question de survie et la sécurité alimentaire de peuples entiers peut en dépendre.
Pour le maintien de beaucoup de gouvernements, il serait d'ailleurs responsable de laisser l'agriculture du pays subir la concurrence d'un agrobusiness, souvent égoïste et subventionné.
Nous attendons de la FAO que sur une telle question, une attitude claire soit adoptée pour protéger des millions de petits agriculteur et dans l'intérêt de la sécurité alimentaire.
Si nous oeuvrons sérieusement dans le sens de la production durable et de la protection de l'environnement, nous devons en fait protéger les agriculteurs qui emploient des méthodes de protection de l'environnement. En général, ces agriculteurs coûtent plus cher à court terme, mais leur action est à plus long terme.
Ainsi, nous en sommes arrivés aujourd'hui au commerce international des produits agricoles. Je crois que tout le monde s'attend, peut-être trop, à la solution de ces problèmes. Le commerce est nécessaire mais n'est pas une panacée, comme mon collègue de la Tanzanie le disait dans sa déclaration. La Suisse est en fait un des pays qui importent le plus de produits agricoles dont une grande partie viennent des pays en développement. Ces importations sont en constante augmentation. Or il y a peu de taxes sur ces produits. Mais, nous aussi, corne les pays de la Communauté européenne, nous avons connu une augmentation de la productivité durant ces 40 dernières années, et même une vraie révolution agricole due à ces progrès techniques, l'offre des produits agricoles ayant beaucoup augmenté.
Ainsi, Monsieur le Président, Mesdames et Messieurs, c'est là la cause de la surproduction des pays industriels et non pas vraiment les prix. Le Gouvernement de mon pays lutte contre les excédents avec une série de mesures telles que: limitation de l'offre, mise en jachère de certaines terres, primes accordées aux agriculteurs qui protègent l'environnement et enfin le découplage de la politique des prix et des revenus. Cette réforme de la politique agricole est en voie d'introduction en Suisse, dans les pays de la Communauté et dans d'autres pays européens. En fait, cela permettra de diminuer les excédents et, par voie de conséquence, puisque c'est essentiel, on diminuera les subventions jusqu'à ce qu'on puisse les supprimer complètement.
Mais il faut un certain temps pour en arriver là et, évidemment, il faut également réduire le nombre des paysans (moins de 5 pour cent dans mon propre pays).
Le changement de structures a ses limites; limites que nous pouvons imposer à nos agriculteurs.
Aussi, la Suisse souhaite le succès du GATT mais ne veut rien faire au prix de la sécurité alimentaire et ne veut pas non plus sacrifier entièrement l'agriculture car, chez nous comme ailleurs, les agriculteurs sont plus que des producteurs; ils garantissent la sécurité alimentaire. Ils veillent à nos terres et maintiennent la terre productive en bon état. Les agriculteurs doivent remplir ces tâches pour la société tout entière. Ils doivent donc être protégés et, dans beaucoup de pays, ils ont besoin de l'aide de cette Organisation dont l'objectif est de parvenir à un plus grand bien-être de toutes les populations et de lutter contre la faim et la malnutrition.
Monsieur le Président, Mesdames et Messieurs, nous ne voulons pas la confrontation mais la solidarité. Nous voulons une collaboration dans un esprit de confiance et je crois que c'est là le mot d'ordre actuel.
Fourth Report of the General Committee
Quatrième Rapport du Bureau
Cuarto Informe del Comité General
CHAIRMAN: I thank the distinguished Delegate of Switzerland for his statement. Distinguished delegates, I think we ought to take advantage of a quorum in the Hall at this time to receive the fourth report the General Committee. The document C 93/LIM/29 has been circulated, and it sets out the report of the 4th meeting of the General Committee. I hope we can accept this report as being read. If members have no comments on the report, which does include the resolution printed on page 2 of the report, I will take this report as having been accepted by Conference.
Fourth Report of the General Committee, including the Resolution,is adopted
Le quatrième rapport du Bureau, comprenant la résolution, est adopté
El cuarto informe del Comité General, incluyendo la resolución, es aprobado
GENERAL DISCUSSION (continued)
DEBAT GENERAL (suite)
DEBATE GENERAL (continuación)
- STATEMENTS BY HEADS OF DELEGATION (continued)
DECLARATIONS DsES CHEFS DE DELEGATION (suite)
MANIFESTACIONES DE LOS JEFES DE LAS DELEGACIONES (continuación)
Ivan TARNAJ (Croatia) (Original language Croatian): Mr Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, I have the great honour and particular pleasure of addressing, as Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Croatia, the participants of the 27th FAO General Conference.
The Republic of Croatia became a member of the United Nations in 1991. Membership in other specialized UN agencies - UNESCO, UNIDO, WHO - followed in the wake of this event, confirming Croatia's commitment to join the countries which promote democratization processes through mutual cooperation and agreement, and to integrate itself into the family of countries with already developed democratic systems and market economies.
Having become member of FAO, Croatia does not only want to promote its agriculture, but also to gear it to the future food requirements of the members of this specialized organization.
The Republic of Croatia enjoys highly favourable natural conditions for a varied and efficient agricultural production. It is at one and the same time a Balkan and a Central European country, a Mediterranean and a Danubian-Pannonian country, a country of mountains and lowlands alike.
Croatia's agricultural production resources are noteworthy: it has 3.2 million hectares of agricultural land, 63 percent being accounted for by arable areas and 36 percent by pastures. In 1990, 21.6 percent of this land was owned by state (socially-owned) integrated factory farms and 79.4 percent by private farmers.
The basic types of agricultural estates prevail in the Republic of Croatia: state or socially-owned, and private farms. The number of the former in
1989 was 585, the average farm area was 797 hectares, but almost six-tenths of such farms owned less than 50 hectares. At the same time, the four largest state-owned farms owned more than 20 000 hectares of land each.
State-owned farms achieve high yields per unit of area and a high output per head of cattle because they have the best land, good equipment, quality seed, and well-trained operators and specialists.
In the same period, 569 000 private farms had an average area of 2.9 hectares, -usually split into 6 to 7 plots. The supply of equipment was low, and the farmers poorly trained and - on the average - old.
Even farms wishing and having the capability to develop agricultural production on a greater scale were limited by the maximum land holding of 10 hectares. Croatia also abounds in forests: 43.5 percent of its area is accounted for by woods and forest land. Out of the 2.1 million hectares of forests, 81 percent are state-owned and 19 percent are in private ownership. The rate of field crop production differs depending on whether state-owned or private farms are involved, which is the result of the already indicated policy of the state in respect of both farm categories. Crop yields achieved on state-owned farms match the yields attained in countries having a developed agriculture. Thus, in 1990 the yields per hectare amounted to the following: wheat 6.91 t/ha., barley 6.01, maize 5.40, and sugar beet 40.83. The yields of the same crops on private farms, in the same year, were as follows: wheat 4.03 t/ha., barley 2.53, maize 3.54, and sugar beet 39.14.
In 1990 Croatia had a sound foundation for a faster development of livestock breeding: it had 39 000 horses, 830 000 head of cattle, 1.6 million pigs, 751 000 sheep and a poultry stock of 17.1 million.
The difference between livestock productivity achieved on private and state farms was considerable. State farms ran intensive, and private farms extensive and semi-intensive production. In 1990 the milking capacity per cow and sheep amounted to, on state farms 5 725 and 83 litres, respectively, and on private farms to 1 827 and 30 litres, respectively. State farms produced 19.04 pigs, and private farms 12.37 pigs, per breeding sow.
The final value of agricultural production is also unfavourable, and in 1990 livestock breeding accounted for only 46.8 percent of the total.
Croatia also has relatively well-developed facilities for the processing of agricultural products. In 1990 there were 499 foodstuffs and tobacco industry plants of varying scale and product range. Some of these facilities are over-dimensioned and poorly coordinated, for example, slaughterhouses and meat processing plants. In forestry, the volume of wood in state-owned forests is estimated to be about 270 million cubic metres, and in privately-owned forests to be about 37 million cu.m. The annual increment is about 7.6 million cu.m. in state, and only about 1.1 million cu.m. in private forests. The inadequate development and the poor structure of agriculture and forestry production in Croatia are mainly due to the inappropriate agrarian policy enforced from 1945 to 1990. Such a state of affairs required rapid changes, especially of tenure property, as soon as the country attained independence. However, the initiated transformation processes in Croatian agriculture were soon interrupted by the war imposed on Croatia in 1991, which has not yet ended in either formal or real terms. 551 000 hectares of arable area and about 120 000 farms are still under
occupation in the UNPAs and the so-called "pink zones". Farmers account for most of the 250 000 displaced persons, citizens of the Republic of Croatia forcibly driven out of their homes and still sheltered in a number of hostels, hotels, hospitals and refugee camps. At present Croatia is caring, with the help of the international community, for 525 184 refugees and displaced persons, a figure equal to 12 percent of its population, which is a globally unique example of relief efforts.
The war has brought terrible suffering to Croatia: 6 829 persons were killed, 25 951 wounded, while 12 721 are still missing. Along with destroyed cities, industries and infrastructure, agriculture has also suffered substantial damage.
According to 1992 data, the so-far recorded direct damage has been particularly high in livestock breeding: more than 120 000 cows and heifers, 65 000 sows, 14 000 horses, 232 000 sheep and 2.5 million poultry have been destroyed or misappropriated.
Furthermore, about 40 percent of production and storage facilities of the Croatian foodstuffs and processing industries have been destroyed or occupied. During war operations, about 15 000 hectares of forest were burnt down or deliberately set afire.
Orchards and vineyards also suffered damage. Farming equipment has not been spared either: about 18 000 machines and attachments have been destroyed or misappropriated.
The list of destroyed facilities includes the Faculty and Institute of Agriculture in Osijek with very valuable laboratory equipment.
Even the so-far recorded direct damage suffered by Croatia's agriculture owing to the war shows that it has been extensive. According to expert estimates, indirect damage is even higher. A considerable part of areas involved in war operations have not been farmed for three years. Forests are not being renewed. Livestock breeding activities cannot be fully restored without the prior reconstruction of stables and other facilities.
Raw materials are not available for a number of processing plants because the required areas or livestock are occupied or misappropriated, for example, sugar beets, grapes and milk. The communications between the northern and the southern parts of the country are still difficult, and this has disrupted the flow of raw materials and semi-manufactured and finished products. Croatia has lost some of the foreign markets for its farming products because it cannot deliver them in time and in the contracted quantities.
Along with these hardships and with the damage caused by war, Croatia is also feeling the consequences of two severe droughts and other natural adversities caused by hail and floods in 1991 and 1993.
All these vicissitudes notwithstanding, the great vitality of Croatia's agriculture is also confirmed by the fact that the country has not experienced food shortages or hunger despite the severe destruction brought about by war, the occupation of part of the most fertile land, and the great number of displaced persons and refugees. However, this does not mean that we neglect or detract from the importance of food donated through international relief operations.
The foregoing considerations imply that the reconstruction of Croatian agriculture is a top priority task. Reconstruction should be understood in a broader sense of the word. That is, it should involve alike the offsetting of the consequences of the 45-year-long inadequate agrarian policy and the reconstruction proper of farming areas affected by war. These are long-term and demanding tasks.
Through agrarian policy measures the Republic of Croatia is endeavouring, to the extent permitted by war-time circumstances, to transform agriculture from a socialist to a market activity. The Farming Land Law regulates the basic property relationship. The 10-hectare maximum has been abrogated and the privatization of socially-owned integrated factory farms has started with the establishment of a greater number of smaller independent enterprises. The enactment of the law on denationalization and the restitution of land unlawfully appropriated and nationalized after the end of the Second World War is currently under way. The restitution of nationalized land and property to their lawful owners will allow for the completion of the process of transformation and privatization of integrated factory farms.
A considerable difficulty in this process is posed by the unfavourable age structure of the farmers and the related relatively high resources required for an appropriate welfare policy. Another important factor is the ensurance of equal business activity conditions for both state-owned and private farms. Attempts have been made to reduce the price of agricultural produce by cutting down direct and indirect subsidies to agricultural producers. The Government also promotes increasing liberalization of agricultural produce exports and imports.
Having become a member of FAO, the Republic of Croatia has joined the family of countries wanting to cooperate, within the international community, in the promotion of agricultural production and the improvement of the global food situation. Having wrestled itself free from socialism. the Republic of Croatia, with its millennial history, European tradition and major agricultural potential knows the way out of its current vicissitudes.
The Republic of Croatia and its agriculture look forward today to FAO's understanding and assistance in order themselves to be able tomorrow to assist all the member countries requiring help. In the restructuring of its agriculture and its post-war reconstruction, Croatia first of all looks forward to FAO's professional and technical help. Croatia has a sufficient number of well-trained and competent experts of various backgrounds who, in cooperation with FAO specialists, can draft the best way towards a profitable, high-quality and environmentally acceptable agricultural production in Europe.
Let us take this opportunity to express our gratitude to FAO and the_World Bank experts already engaged in two projects in the Republic of Croatia. We believe that this is a sign of trust and of interest in Croatia's agriculture. We also hope that these projects mark the beginning of a long-term and successful cooperation, and that the Croatian delegation will be able to report the results achieved at the next Conference.
As a full member Croatia will provide every support to all FAO endeavours to reduce the present imbalance in the production and consumption of agricultural products, foodstuffs in particular, and to offset food shortages wherever required. By feeding hundreds of thousands of refugees
from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and its own displaced persons, over the past years Croatia has acquired substantial experience and knowledge of this problem affecting Europe now on the eve of the 21st Century.
We believe that the century-long experience of Croatia's agriculture, its European environment, major potential, hard-working farmers and well-trained specialists can significantly contribute to the work and activities of such an eminent specialized organization as the FAO. We, therefore, look forward to mutually beneficial future cooperation.
Mme Madina LY-TALL (Mali): Mesdames et Messieurs les Ministres, Honorables Délégués, Mesdames, Messieurs, c'est pour moi un grand honneur et une grande joie de prendre la parole devant cette auguste assemblée.
M. le Président, l'occasion solennelle qui m'est ainsi offerte me permet de vous adresser au nom du peuple malien et de son gouvernement mes très vives félicitations pour votre brillante élection à la présidence de cette vingt-septième session. La présente Conférence sous votre éminente direction vient également d'élire le nouveau Directeur général de la FAO. Vous me permettez, à cet égard, de souligner notre appréciation des efforts très louables déployés pendant dix-huit années par le Directeur général sortant, M. Edouard Saouma, pour la réalisation des nobles objectifs de notre Organisation. Dans ce cadre, le programme de coopération technique FAO qu'il a initié a eu une incidence positive sur la résolution des problèmes urgents de nos pays au plan tant national que régional. Ces programmes ont effectivement contribué au renforcement de nos capacités de mise en oeuvre des différents projets avec les partenaires au développement.
Nous avons été très sensibles par ailleurs à sa perception du rôle de la femme dans le développement économique et social, en général, et à la dynamique imprimée en particulier à la promotion de la femme au sein de notre Organisation.
Sous votre sage et clairvoyante direction, la Conférence vient d'élire pour la première fois en 48 années d'existence un responsable africain en la personne du Dr. Jacques Diouf du Sénégal pour diriger notre Organisation, ce qui, pour reprendre un de mes prédécesseurs, constitue certes une célébration pour l'Afrique, mais est aussi un grand défi. Nous tenons en tout cas à lui réaffirmer notre engagement total et à lui donner l'assurance de notre disponibilité entière.
Les éléments de programme du nouveau Directeur général visant à faire de la FAO un centre d'excellence, à perfectionner la programmation des activités et la vision qu'il a des dimensions régionales et sectorielles de la problématique de l'alimentation, constituent à n'en pas douter les garants d'une réussite certaine.
La session de la Conférence de la FAO offre traditionnellement l'opportunité à la communauté internationale de débattre de la situation alimentaire mondiale. Cette situation reste dominée par l'accroissement de la dépendance de l'Afrique au cours des dix dernières années. Cette évolution négative liée aux effets conjugués de facteurs endogènes et exogènes ajoute à la paupérisation du monde rural dont les besoins essentiels restent encore à satisfaire.
Nous nous devons de trouver ensemble les moyens d'une croissance économique durable dans cette partie du monde ayant davantage à l'esprit le nouveau contexte de démocratisation. Dans cette perspective, le Mali, avec l'appui de la FAO, a élaboré en 1992 un schéma directeur de développement rural. Ce schéma demeure encore le cadre priviligié pour l'orientation des activités aux court, moyen et long termes.
Les options, choix et priorités retenus sont l'aboutissement d'un large débat national, notamment la Conférence nationale et les états généraux du monde rural qui non seulement les ont confirmés mais ont réclamé une plus grande responsabilisation des populations rurales, une relecture des lois foncières et un accès plus large des ruraux aux intrants, aux équipements et au crédit.
Lors de ces consultations nationales, il est apparu une volonté manifeste du monde rural de changer la nature de ses relations, de ses rapports avec l'administration générale et les services techniques du gouvernement. Ces grandes options viennent d'être récemment traduites en objectifs stratégiques dans un plan d'action à court terme au Ministère du développement rural, plan d'action qui vise à traduire dans les faits toute une volonté de changements : changement de structure et de mode d'intervention en matière de développement rural, changement par rapport à la perception du rôle de l'Etat. Il ne s'agit plus d'encadrer, voire d'enrégimenter le paysan, l'éleveur, le pêcheur, l'artisan, mais d'entretenir avec lui des relations de partenariat pour une forme de développement dans laquelle ses intérêts particuliers aussi bien que ceux de la collectivité seraient préservés. Il s'agit, à travers la décentralisation et la privatisation, de restituer aux populations rurales individuellement ou organisées en collectivités, l'initiative, le choix, la forme et la gestion des activités qui concourent à leur développement.
Dans cette nouvelle approche, les structures du développement rural ont pour rôle de promouvoir la création du cadre législatif et réglementaire propice à l'éclosion des initiatives, d'en contrôler le respect, d'assister, de conseiller et de former. Elles se retirent progressivement de leur fonction antérieure.
Parmi les autres éléments constitutifs de ce plan, une attention particulière est accordée aux femmes pour leur permettre de valoriser leurs compétences au bénéfice du développement, notamment par la promotion de l'éducation et de la santé en milieu rural. Un intérêt accru est porté également aux jeunes ruraux pour lesquels il est prévu une formation plus adéquate et l'amélioration du cadre de vie dans les villages afin de lutter contre le sous-emploi et la tentation de l'exode.
Enfin, dans le cadre de l'application du Pacte national qui nous lie avec l'ancienne rébellion touareg, le suivi et l'appui à la réalisation du programme d'investissement dans le nord du pays seront renforcés.
M. le Président, au Mali nous sommes profondément convaincus que la sécurité alimentaire et la prospérité que nous voulons pour les populations dépendront essentiellement des efforts que la collectivité nationale est prête à fournir en recherchant la participation active et consciente des hommes et des femmes en milieu rural. Cependant, la pleine manifestation de la solidarité nationale ne peut qu'améliorer les chances de succès de notre lutte commune contre la faim, la malnutrition, la pauvreté et la maladie.
Face à l'ampleur et à la complexité des problèmes, M. le Président, il est important qu'en plus de la compétence nous ayons la foi. En souhaitant la bienvenue aux nouveaux membres de notre Organisation, je fonde le vif espoir que les travaux de cette vingt-septième session de la FAO ouvrent à l'Afrique de nouvelles perspectives.
RIGHT OF REPLY
DROIT DE REPONSE
DERECHO DE RESPUESTA
Ms Naima AL-SHAYJI (Kuwait) (Original language Arabic): The Kuwaiti delegation has asked for the right of reply in response to the statement made by Iraq. Thank you very much for conceding this to us. Very briefly, during this sitting we would like to say that the discussion and the way in which the resolution from the Security Council of the UN has been changed, is something which does not fall within the jurisdiction of the General Conference of the FAO.
Frank D. BUCHHOLZ (united States of America): The United States agrees with Kuwait that this is an innappropriate forum for discussing Security Council resolutions. We regret that the delegate of Iraq has sought to politicize this Conference with his statement. UN sanctions are designed to secure Iraqi compliance with the terms of the cease fire resolution and all other relevant resolutions. The international community strongly supports the continuation of sanctions until Iraq fully complies with the terms. The international community has made every effort to minimize the suffering of innocent Iraqi civilians, including exemption of foodstuffs, medicines and other essential supplies from the embargo. The adoption of resolutions 706 and 712 and relief efforts total hundreds of millions of dollars. Any hardships being suffered by the Iraqi people are due to the policies of the Iraqi regime, not the actions of the international community in maintaining sanctions in accordance with Security Council resolutions.
D. SANDS SMITH (United Kingdom): We, too, agree that this is not the appropriate forum for discussing Security Council Resolutions. We do not believe that sanctions should be lifted until Iraq complies fully with relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions. We do believe that Iraq could help their own population by implementing UN Security Council Resolutions 706 and 712. These Resolutions permit Iraq to export oil. Proceeds from this would go to a United Nations account to fund UN operations, including a humanitarian programme. But Iraq decided in early October not to continue negotiations on possible implementation of the Security Council's Resolutions. The international community has no quarrel with the long-suffering Iraqi people, and it is well known that food and medicines are permitted under the sanctions' regime.
Waleed A. ELKEHEREIJI (Saudi Arabia, kingdom of) (Original language Arabic): We in our turn would like to support this and say that these sanctions are not within the ambit of this Conference. We would agree with what has been said by Kuwait, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Jacques LAUREAU (France): La délégation francaise voudrait s'associer pleinement aux remarques qui ont été formulées par les quatre orateurs qui m'ont précédé et nous insistons une nouvelle fois sur le fait que la Conférence générale de cette Organisation n'est pas le lieu de discussion des résolutions du Conseil de sécurité - Je vous remercie.
The meeting rose at 18.10 hours.
La séance est levée à 18 h 10.
Se levanta la sesión a las 18.10 horas.
