SENIOR OFFICERS MEETING
28-30 August 2000

I.      INTRODUCTORY ITEMS

1.     Opening of the Senior Officers Meeting

2.     Election of the Chairman, Vice-Chairmen and Appointment of Rapporteur

3.     Adoption of the Agenda and Timetable

II.     SELECTED ISSUES IN AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

4.     Sustainable Agricultural Development and Poverty Alleviation in the New Millennium: Reflections and Lessons from the Asian Crisis.

        The recent Asian crisis has brought about the need to assess, with a view to future trends, past economic policies and their impact on agriculture and food security. Moreover, in spite of the remarkable success of the Asia and the Pacific region during the last two decades in achieving progress in food security and poverty alleviation, the Region still includes the highest number of food insecure and poverty stricken people. Poverty and food insecurity will, therefore, remain issues of fundamental concern to the Region in the next century. It is important that lessons of the past are carefully drawn, so as to profit from the success of the past for the future. Under this item, agriculture includes forestry and fisheries.

5.     Implications and Development of Biotechnology

       Agriculture must feed an increasing human population forecast to reach 8,000 million by 2020. The Asia-Pacific region has 56 percent of global population, 73 percent of the world's farm households, but 31 percent of world's arable land or 0.28 ha per caput. Production in the region has been stimulated during the last 3 decades through the development and adoption of improved technologies coupled with appropriate government policies and programmes. Further intensification is clearly needed but the ways of intensifying production must change to avoid adverse effects. New technologies - such as biotechnology - offer a responsible way to enhance agricultural productivity today and in the future. Properly focused, biotechnology can be a means to the next green revolution. It is therefore timely and relevant to provide a forum to discuss issues, concerns and implications in developing biotechnology in the region.

6.     World Food Summit Follow-up

        The World Food Summit was held in Rome from 13 to 17 November 1996, at FAO Headquarters. The Summit adopted the Rome Declaration on World Food Security and a Plan of Action, laying the foundation for concrete actions at individual, household, national, regional and global levels. The implementation of the seven Commitments contained in the Plan of Action is the sovereign right and responsibility of each State. Member countries periodically report to the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) as a follow-up to the WFS recommendations and its Plan of Action. The CFS reports on the achievements made by FAO and member countries and on the efforts of FAO in providing relevant technical assistance to those member countries. The document will concentrate on the regional aspects of the subject in terms of priorities and relevance to the needs of member countries of the Region. The Regional Conference invites member countries to report on the constraints and problems encountered in the implementation of the Plan of Action, and to formulate in this respect areas of assistance required from FAO.

7.     Actions Taken on the Main Recommendations of the 24th Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific and Other FAO Activities in the Region (1998-99)

III.     CONCLUDING ITEMS

8.      Representation of the Region on the CGIAR

9.      Information on World Agriculture Information Center (WAICENT)

10.    Other Matters

11.    Adoption of the Report of the Senior Officers Meeting

12.    Closure of the Senior Officers Meeting

PLENARY SESSION
31 August - 1 September 2000

I.      INTRODUCTORY ITEMS

1.     Inaugural Ceremony

2.     Election of the Chairman, Vice-Chairmen and Appointment of Rapporteur

3.     Adoption of Agenda and Timetable

II.    STATEMENTS

4.     Statement by the Director-General

5.     Country Statements and General Debate on the Food and Agriculture Situation in the Region

III.   DISCUSSION ITEM

6.     Report on World Food Summit Follow-up and of the Senior Officers Meeting¹

IV.   CONCLUDING ITEMS

7.     Date, Place and Main Subjects of the 26th Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific

8.     Adoption of the Report (including the Senior Officers Meeting)

9.     Closure of the Conference

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1  Including Senior Officers Meeting items 4 and 6