A.
General actions by the conference
B.
Resolutions adopted by the conference
C. Amendments
A.
General actions by the conference
Admission of observers
Admission of new members
Proposed agreement between FAO and WHO
Approval of commission reports
Election of the council
Election of the chairman of the council
Appointment of the director-general
The Director-General with the approval of the Executive Committee, invited certain nonmember nations, international governmental organizations, and nongovernmental organizations to attend the Third Session of the Conference as observers. The General Committee reported to the Conference at the Fourth and Sixth Plenary Meetings and recommended the admission of these nations and organizations as observers, and the Credentials Committee reported to the Conference at the Fifth and Seventh Plenary Meetings, endorsing credentials. The list of observers admitted to the Conference is included in Appendix A.
Applications for membership in FAO were received from the following governments for consideration by the Conference:
"1. The General Committee recommends to the Conference that action be taken on the applications of Austria, Finland, and Siam, and that the application of Spain should not be considered at this time.
"2. In view of the special circumstances governing the applications of Burma and Pakistan, the General Committee recommends to the Conference the suspension of paragraph 2 of Rule XX of the Rules of Procedure which requires 90 days' notice of application. (In accordance with paragraph 1 of Rule XXXIII, the Rules of Procedure may be suspended by a two-thirds majority of the votes east at any Plenary Meeting of the Conference, provided that notice of the intention to propose the suspension has been communicated to the delegates 24 hours in advance of the meeting in which the proposal is to be made. Therefore, the proposal to suspend the rules cannot be considered at the same meeting but will be on the agenda of a meeting to be held at the earliest possible moment after the 24 hours' notice has elapsed.)
"3. The Committee further recommends: (a) that a vote on the application of Pakistan be taken as soon as a decision has been made on the suspension of the Rules of Procedure, provided of course this decision is in the affirmative; and (b) that, in order to allow delegations to obtain instructions regarding the application of Burma, the vote on this application be delayed for a maximum of one week."
Following the adoption of this report by the Conference, votes were taken on the applications of Austria, Finland, and Siam. Austria and Siam were admitted to membership by unanimous votes, 39 ayes and no noes. Finland was admitted by a vote of 38 ayes and 1 no.
The Conference approved, in the Fifth Plenary Meeting, unanimously except for 1 vote, the suspension of paragraph 2 of Rule XX, which provided that applications for admission to the Organization must be received 90 days before the session of the Conference at which they are considered.
In the Sixth Plenary Meeting, Pakistan was elected to membership by a vote of 43 for, none against. Burma was admitted by a vote of 43 ayes, 1 abstention, and 1 not voting.
The credentials of Austria, Burma, Finland, Pakistan, and Siam were approved by the Credentials Committee and upon formal acceptance of the Constitution by these countries the total number of member governments became 54. This total includes El Salvador, an original member of FAO, whose acceptance of the Constitution was announced at the opening session.
The Conference referred the question of contributions by the five new member countries to Commission III. The Commission's recommendations were approved by the Conference.
Proposed agreement between FAO and WHO
The following report of the Joint FAO/WHO (Interim Commission) Negotiating Committee was presented to the Conference at the Eighth Plenary Meeting 11 September 1947, by Professor André Mayer one of the FAO representatives on the committee:
The Committee, having considered the draft text prepared by the Secretariats of the two organizations, recommends approval of the amended text.
The Committee further recommends that pending the coming into force of the proposed Agreement, the relations between the two organizations should be governed by the provisions of the Agreement as far as possible. It is suggested that such an arrangement should be confirmed by an exchange of letters between the Director General of FAO and the Executive Secretary of the Interim Commission of WHO.
II. Establishment of a Standing FAO/WHO Committee of Co-operation
The Committee recommends that a small Standing Joint Committee of Co-operation should be established to consider matters of common concern to the two organizations and to initiate proposals for such joint action as may be found desirable.
III. Co-operation with other Specialized Agencies
The Committee invites attention to the fact that it may be found desirable to constitute joint committees which will include representatives not only of FAO and WHO, but of the United Nations and of other specialized agencies as well, in order to deal with problems of common interest. The Committee does not believe, however, that such situations as are here envisaged can appropriately be dealt with in the bilateral agreement between FAO and WHO.
The Conference acted on the suggestion of Professor Mayer and expressed provisional approval of the Draft Agreement.
Approval of commission reports
Reports of the three Commissions of the Conference were adopted by the Conference at its Eighth Plenary meeting, 11 September 1947, as follows:
Commission II (Technical Activities), with editorial changes, by unanimous vote.
Commission III (Constitutional, Administrative, and Financial Questions), by unanimous vote, with separate votes on amendments.
Article V of the Constitution as amended by the Third Session provides that the "Conference shall elect a Council of the Food and Agriculture Organization consisting of eighteen member nations, which will each be represented by one member..." In accordance with the Rules of Procedure the Conference considered the suggestions of the General Committee before proceeding to the election of the Council.
The Report of the General Committee follows:
"In accordance with the new Rule XXIV, paragraph 5, as amended by the Conference, the General Committee has considered nominations for membership in the Council of the Food and Agriculture Organization. In presenting its recommendations the General Committee calls attention to Rule XXIV, paragraph 4, which provides that in selecting members of the Council due consideration shall be given to the inclusion in its membership of a balanced geographical representation of nations interested in the production, distribution, and consumption of food and agricultural products. The Committee has found it convenient in the light of this provision to consider nominations by regions, and it agreed unanimously to submit the following list for approval of the Conference, namely, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, France, Italy, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Canada, United States of America, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, China, India, Philippine Republic, Egypt, Union of South Africa, Australia."
At the Eighth Plenary Meeting, 11 September, voting took place with the General Committee's nominations used as a basic list, but delegates were at liberty to vote for countries not on that list. The countries suggested by the General Committee were elected by the Conference and became the first members of the Council of FAO.
Rule XXIV, paragraph 1, provides that "Members of the Council shall be elected for a term of three years; but when the Council is first constituted, one-third of the members shall be elected for a period of one year, one third for a period of two years, and one-third for a period of three years. The members whose terms are to expire at the end of the above mentioned initial periods of one and two years shall be chosen by lot to be drawn by the Director-General immediately after the first election has been completed." This procedure was followed at the Eighth Plenary Meeting, and the members of the Council and their terms of office.
Election of the chairman of the council
The General Committee submitted the following report to the Conference on the appointment of an independent Chairman of the Council:
"The Conference has recommended that the Chairman of the Council of FAO be appointed for one year, and that the General Committee shall submit a nomination or nominations for this office, together with recommendations concerning the conditions of appointment including the allowances attached to the office.
"The General Committee unanimously recommends to the Conference that Viscount Bruce of Melbourne be appointed as the first Chairman of the Council of FAO. the Committee further recommends that the allowances shall be those required to cover the additional expense which the Chairman incurs in carrying out his responsibilities. Specifically the Committee recommend an allowance of 5,000 dollars to cover representation and secretarial expenses, and in addition travelling and living expenses incurred ill connection with meetings of the Council. This recommendation concerning the terms of appointment is to be considered as applying only for this year, and is not to be regarded as a precedent in making future appointments."
The report of the General Committee was approved by the Conference and Viscount Bruce was unanimously elected Chairman of the Council at the Eighth Plenary Meeting, 11 September.
Appointment of the director-general
The General Committee submitted the following report to the Conference on the appointment of the Director-General:
"The Committee wishes to express the deep debt of gratitude which the Organization owes to the Director-General for setting aside his personal convenience in the interests of FAO. At the same time the Committee feels that there is a great obligation on the part of FAO to find a suitable candidate as promptly as possible. The General Committee recommends that the question be referred to the Council of FAO and that the Council be asked to set up a panel of names, in principle at least three. If this could be accomplished in time, the Committee suggests that the election of a new Director-General could be effected without waiting for the next annual session of the Conference, by having a special conference convened in Washington attended by ambassadors or diplomatic representatives instructed by their governments on this single question.
"The General Committee further recommends that the Director-General should preferably be someone of international standing and that the Council might well seek candidates among distinguished men of science with administrative experience. The Director-General should have administrative qualifications in order that he may be able to deal with primary questions of policy. He should also have scientific qualifications, particularly in the field of food and agriculture, and international experience or international interests, and, most important of all, a belief in the objectives and aims of FAO.
"Pending the election of a new Director General, the General Committee recommends that the Conference extended the contract of Sir John Boyd Orr, which will expire on 31 December next, on the same terms as regards salary and allowances, until such time as a special session of the Conference shall elect his successor, or in case no special session is called, until the Fourth Session of the FAO Conference."
The Conference approved the recommendation contained in this report at the Eighth Plenary Meeting 11 September, and expressed its appreciation to Sir John Boyd Orr for accepting a new term as Director-General.
B.
Resolutions adopted by the conference
1. General recommendation
2. World food and agriculture situation
3. Technical activities
4. Constitutional, administrative, and financial questions
The Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization, being convinced of the gravity of the present world food crisis and of the dangers inherent in the longer-term outlook for food and agriculture, records its conviction that immediate and positive action is required in regard to both.
The Conference believes it essential that governments acting severally and together take all possible steps
to ensure the necessary increase in agricultural production so that the present crisis may be overcome as rapidly as possible;
to ensure the continued increase in food and agricultural production necessary both to meet the needs of the expanding world population and progressively to raise nutritional standards in all countries to levels adequate for health;
to ensure the required parallel developments in industrial production, so as to bring about the rise in purchasing power of both agricultural and industrial workers upon which alone an expanding world economy can be based; and
to ensure steady markets and stability of prices to agricultural producers so that they can plan with confidence for expansion.
that for a number of important agricultural products intergovernmental commodity agreements constitute an effective means of securing greater stability of prices and of increasing the multilateral character of international trade;
that international action parallel to that of FAO in promoting the expansion of agricultural production is essential in the realms of industry, mining, transport, and finance; and that cooperation between the United Nations and its economic agencies and co-ordination of their work is a matter of the most urgent importance.
recommended the taking over of the functions of the International Emergency Food Council by FAO, and the maintenance during the period of acute shortage of the representative commodity committees of the IEFC, which will continue to recommend the international allocation of scarce food;
approved and implemented the recommendation of the Preparatory Commission on World Food Proposals to hold an annual World Review of Food and Agriculture at each session of the Conference, at which national and international programs and policies will be discussed with a view to furthering consistency; and
established a Council of the Food and Agriculture Organization composed of the representatives of 18 member governments, which will act as the executive body of the Organization between the annual sessions of the Conference, keep the world food and agriculture situation and intergovernmental commodity arrangements under constant review, and stimulate action by and cooperation among governments.
a) Shortage of exchange
b) Optimum utilization of food
c) International allocations
d) World food proposals
e) Fertilizers
f) Agricultural machinery
g) Periodic reports
The Conference
Recommends that the Council of FAO should be requested to examine the problem and to take appropriate action with competent intergovernmental organizations for its consideration.
b) Optimum utilization of food
The Conference
Recommends that member nations should take immediate steps
(2) to reduce to the minimum in both exporting and importing countries the feeding to livestock of grains suitable for human use;
(3) to maintain high extraction rates in deficit countries and examine the possibility of raising extraction rates in surplus producing countries;
(4) to ensure that the greatest possible proportion of the milk output is utilized for human consumption instead of animal feeding;
(5) to increase as far as practicable the export of feedingstuffs to those importing countries which have a livestock population substantially below their prewar level.
The Conference
Recommends
(2) that, for the period during which allocation continues to be necessary, member nations should keep in force adequate legislation and administrative machinery for the control of exports and imports of the products concerned;
(3) that the governments members of IEFC dissolve that body with a view to its incorporation into FAO by the end of 1947, under such conditions as may be agreed;
(4) that the functions of the Council and of the Central Committee of IEFC be transferred to the Council of FAO;
(5) that the Commodity Committees of IEFC be continued in existence with their present functions as international emergency committees;
(6) that when the transfer takes place, member governments who are members of IEFC continue their undertakings to one another in this regard and that other member governments consider joining in these undertakings.
The Conference
Recommends
(2) that at each annual session of the FAO Conference a progress and program review be held to examine and consider the food and agricultural programs and requirements of member governments;
(3) that the principles of intergovernmental commodity policy referred to in the Economic and Social Council's resolution of 28 March 1947 and those set out in the Preparatory Commission's Report serve as a general guide to member governments;
(4) that FAO should play an active part in the study of agricultural commodity problems and, where the circumstances demand it, should take the initiative in promoting intergovernmental action in this field;
(5) that for a certain number of important commodities, commodity agreements are the best means of assuring steady markets and price stability at a fair level, and thereby of encouraging primary producers to plan with confidence;
(6) that in framing and concluding commodity agreements governments should bear in mind the interdependence of agricultural commodities in respect of production, consumption, trade and prices;
(7) that FAO continue its present satisfactory co-operation with commodity study groups and councils and with the Interim Co-ordinating Committee on Intergovernmental Commodity Arrangements and ensure the closest cooperation between such study groups and commodity councils;
(8) that so far as policy with regard to agricultural commodities is concerned, the Council of FAO when established should take as a guide the principles indicated at previous Conferences as set out in the Report of the Preparatory Commission and outlined in this Report.
The Conference
(1) SHORT TERM MEASURES
Requests fertilizer producing countries to review sympathetically their own requirements, and to seek means to release a larger part of their output for the use of countries with more acute fertilizer needs, with the aim of securing the maximum output of food from the available fertilizer supplies.
Recommends that FAO give expert advice wherever necessary to promote intelligent utilization of fertilizers and the most efficient use of the limited supplies available and to prevent wastages resulting from inexpert or unbalanced application of fertilizer. (This might involve sending technicians, capable of determining manifest deficiencies by examining soils and crops, to those countries where studies on the utilization of fertilizers in relation to soil quality have not yet been undertaken, and aiding nations to take appropriate steps in order that general farming practices may take full advantage of available scientific knowledge on the subject.)
Recommends that FAO should examine means by which it may assist member nations to make appropriate advance arrangements for transport of their allotted fertilizer requirements to ensure delivery in time to meet their needs.
Urges member nations to examine their own systems for the transport and distribution of fertilizer to ensure that the supplies available are delivered to farmers early enough to be applied at the proper time, and, as far as possible, for the production of essential food crops.
Recommends that FAO collect as rapidly as possible the most complete and precise information available concerning the different groups of fertilizers, especially as regards
(a) the production capacity in each country
(i) as the plants stand today, and
(ii) with necessary repairs, and
The Conference
(1) that governments of member nations should make a special effort to urge their machinery producers to expand the production of spare parts, and to direct a sufficient proportion of these spare parts to the countries where there is the greatest need for them to keep their present farm equipment in operation;
(2) that FAO consult with governments of machinery exporting countries, with a view to encouraging as rapid an expansion as possible in agricultural machinery production, and ensuring that sufficient machinery including spare parts, tractors, and tractor equipment, is supplied to those regions where the lack or unsuitability of draft power is greatest;
(3) that FAO complete as soon as possible the studies which have been already undertaken in order to determine requirements for agricultural machinery and production possibilities in the various countries; and that all member nations cooperate by supplying promptly the information needed for this purpose. The information collected on needs and the production possibilities in the various countries should he disseminated by FAO.
The Conference
Calls upon all member governments to submit a Progress and Program Report in 1948.
Further recommends
(1) that future progress and program reports in order to recognize the wide differences in the conditions and the amount of information available in the different countries be developed at two levels of intensity, namely, a "minimum" report, the submission of which would be obligatory upon all member nations, and a more "comprehensive" progress and program report to be submitted by those governments that have the requisite data and personnel to permit the development of this more comprehensive report. Each, government is to elect which type of report it will submit.
(2) that subject to further definition, the "minimum" report envisaged be primarily a qualitative discussion in a limited number of chapters of the prevailing situation, the critical problems being faced, and the steps taken and success achieved in improving the status of food, nutrition, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. This report should stress the major fields of FAO activity including the social and economic aspects of the problems.
(3) that Part I of the more "comprehensive" report (subject to further definition) contain the same topics and same sequence of information required in the minimum report, and, in addition, that Part II show the production, consumption, import, and export targets for food and agricultural products for the year ahead including estimates of the specific production materials, prices, finances, and other conditions that will be required if such targets are to be attained.
(4) that FAO be directed to formulate more detailed suggestions on the form, nature, and arrangement of each of these types of reports together with the necessary instructions for their preparation; and after clearing them with the Council transmit them to member governments at least five months in advance of the date when the reports are due.
(5) that the member governments communicate in reasonable time with FAO and indicate which of the two types of reports they elect to make.
(6) that FAO, after receiving notice of which report a government has selected, undertake to render whatever assistance it can in the form of expert advice and working schedules to ensure that all reports are of the quality desired and are sufficiently comparable to permit summarization.
(7) that the copies of the progress and program reports designed for the use of the central FAO staff be forwarded so as to reach headquarters at least six weeks prior to the meeting of the annual conference.
(8) that each government transmit 200 additional copies of its report to FAO, either to the regional or Washington office as directed, and that FAO distribute three copies to all other member governments.
(9) that all progress and program reports be written in one of the official working languages of the Conference - either English or French.
(10) that FAO prepare a summary of these reports and circulate this summary to member governments in advance of the annual conference. Along with these should go such analyses and interpretations the Director-General may wish to bring to the attention of member governments and the Conference. These summaries together with supplementary reports on the world situation with respect to food and agriculture as developed from other sources, should be made the central basis of the "Annual Consultation of Governments" at the annual Conference.
a) Agriculture
b) Nutrition
c) Fisheries
d) Forestry and forest products
e) Economics, marketing, and statistics
f) World Census 1950
g) Rural welfare
The Conference
Expresses its satisfaction with the impressive amount of work already undertaken and planned;
Considers that this review of technical activities of FAO provides a desirable opportunity to select among the working projects those which members consider to be of the greatest urgency, and to suggest an order of priority which should constitute a guide for the Director-General in organizing FAO's work during the coming year;
And recommends that such review of technical activities become a regular feature of the annual Conference of FAO.
Impressed with the budgetary limitations on the work of the technical divisions which will be increasingly felt as projects already initiated attain their full proportions,
Requests the Director-General to spare no effort in achieving the highest degree of efficiency in the work of the technical divisions.
Anxious to avoid a duplication of effort between the various international bodies concerned with related fields of activities,
And convinced that the existence of a common interest should lead to more and better service through proper co-ordination of work,
Urges the Director-General to continue taking whatever action is necessary to assure suitable collaboration between FAO and other agencies.
Considering that the work performed by the technical divisions is basic to the existence of FAO since, even when circumstances beyond the Organization's control delay the achievement of its major objectives, these technical activities enable FAO to render valuable services and to become a highly important factor in influencing the work and policies of member governments,
Believes that money spent on these technical activities of FAO is well invested and will give high returns,
And recommends that the largest possible part of the total budget be allocated to technical activities.
Considering that recent experience with regional activities such as those already initiated by the temporary European Office of FAO in Rome demonstrates the great usefulness of regional bodies of experts and regional technical conferences working in close liaison with regional offices as they are established,
Recommends an intensification of these regional activities as one of the next major steps in the development of FAO's technical work.
Considering that the guidance obtained from Standing Advisory Committees has proved invaluable in directing the work of each division into proper channels, and
Considering further that this is equally true of technical ad hoe committees, subcommittees of specialists and working parties, especially in view of the limited staff and budget available to FAO,
Calls upon governments to continue to allow their experts to assist FAO as members of these technical bodies.
Considers that the programs of technical divisions, revised in the light of recommendations contained in the Report of Commission II, inspire every hope that FAO will rapidly reach the stage where its services constitute an indispensable element in the food and agricultural policies of member nations.
The Conference
(1) IRRIGATION PLANS AND MECHANIZATION OF AGRICULTURE
(a) that FAO give high priority to a thorough study of (i) the technical as well as the financial aspects of the irrigation needs of various countries, with due consideration to their connection with hydroelectric developments, and (ii) the mechanization of agriculture, and
(b) that in these studies special attention be paid to the needs of the countries that are less developed industrially.
Urges FAO to take steps to encourage the development of co-operation among governments in the fight against plant parasites.
The Conference
(1) ENERGY-YIELDING COMPONENTS OF FOOD AND COMPUTATION OF CALORIE VALUES
(a) that the report Energy-yielding Components of Food and Computation of Calorie Values be referred to the Standing Advisory Committee on Nutrition;
(b) that member governments, through National FAO Committees and National Organizations and Committees, ask nutrition experts in their countries to examine these procedures without delay and consider the practicability of employing them in evaluating food consumption data for international purposes; and
(c) that FAO carry nut further work in the field of food composition, along the lines indicated in the Report of the expert committee, particularly points (1), (2), and (3) of the Introduction to the Report. The technical aspects of the various problems, and the order of priority in which they may be studied, should be considered by the Standing Advisory Committee on Nutrition.
The Conference
(1) REGIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE STUDY OF THE SEA
(a) that the Director-General ask member nations to examine what fisheries products entering into international trade are most in need of standardization, and how and to what extent such standardization may be accomplished; and
(b) that FAO bring together the information yielded by such an examination without neglecting the nutrition factors involved, and refer it to ad hoc committees of government representatives so that the foundations may be laid for the eventual establishment of an international code defining standards of quality, packaging, weights, and descriptions
The Conference
(1) POLICY FOR EUROPE
(a) that a liaison office be established at Genera which will be able to give to the secretariat of the ECE the technical assistance recommended the Marianske Lazne Conference; and
(b) that the Director-General make suitable arrangements to ensure that the work of FAO in the field of European forestry and forest products is carried out in close co-operation with ECE and other United Nations bodies and specialized agencies.
Invites the countries concerned, to establish subcommittees as soon as possible.
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