Contents
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VI. Activities and programmes of the organization
A. Programme implementation report 1992-93
B. Programme evaluation report 1992-93
C.
Medium-term Plan 1994-99
D. Programme of Work and Budget 1994-95
E. Procedure for Global Harmonization of
Plant Quarantine
F. United Nations/FAO/World Food Programme
Pledging Target 1995-96
G. Relations with Other Organizations
A. Programme implementation report 1992-93
General
Director-General's Introduction
Chapter 1: Overview of FAO Action in 1992-93
Chapter 2: Resources
Chapter 3: Selected Quantitative Features of Programme Delivery
Chapter 4: Achievements of the Technical and Economic Programmes
Chapter 5: Development Support and Project Operations
Chapter 6: International Cooperative Programme Framework for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (ICPF/SARD): The Streamlining of Special Action Programmes and Improved Management of Field Activities
Supplement 1: Operational Activities for Development
Future Versions of the Programme Implementation Report
129. The Conference considered the Programme Implementation Report covering the 1992-93 biennium, in accordance with the revised programme budget process approved at its last session in November 1991. Following its own request, the Conference noted that the document had been examined by the Programme and Finance Committees, and subsequently by the Council, at their autumn sessions. The Conference took note of the results of these discussions which were available to it.
130. The Conference observed that the Programme Implementation Report was the first of a family of four key programme planning documents, which were submitted for its consideration at the present session, also including the Programme Evaluation Report 1992-93, the Programme of Work and Budget 1994-95 and the Medium-term Plan 1994-99. The Conference underlined the need to ensure close complementarily among these documents, in order to enhance understanding and assessment of the work of the Organization by Member Nations and facilitate related decision-making by the Governing Bodies.
131. The Conference welcomed the concise presentation and balanced format of the report, while noting the wide range of useful information contained therein. The extensive use of tables and graphics was endorsed in this connection. The Conference expressed satisfaction that according to its own directives, an integrated approach had been taken in presenting key data and selected substantive achievements of both the Regular and Field Programmes. However, the Conference suggested that the relationship between these two programmes be better clarified in future reports. It also observed that the Programme Implementation Report incorporated information on aspects of FAO's work which used to be covered in separate reports, e.g. on the use of consultants and duty travel.
132. The Conference encouraged the search for further improvements in future versions of the document, in particular by expanding the coverage of field activities. Explicit suggestions were made in this regard, especially the desirability of using targets and benchmarks, more information on resource inputs in relation to outputs, and other types of information so as better to facilitate the quantitative and qualitative assessment of performance, efficiency, and variances in implementation.
Director-General's Introduction
133. The Conference noted that the Director-General had addressed a number of important policy aspects of relevance to the context of FAO's activities, including those of comparative advantage and efficiency in operations. The Conference underlined the importance of applying such concepts pragmatically. Some delegates stressed their perception that the search for comparative advantage as related to the selection of FAO activities was, by nature, a dynamic process. The importance of ensuring more effective cooperation and synergies among the various components of the multilateral system of organizations and bilateral donors was also stressed. Many delegates emphasized that the range of reported activities in the Programme Implementation Report amply demonstrated the comparative advantage of the Organization and that these activities responded well to expressed requirements in Member Nations.
Chapter 1: Overview of FAO Action in 1992-93
134. The Conference welcomed the synthesis of developments affecting FAO's programmes and of major achievements in the 1992-93 biennium, as provided in this chapter. It observed that despite many challenges during the period, the Organization had pursued its lead role in a number of key areas such as plant and animal genetic resources, responsible fishing and the conservation of tropical forests. It expressed particular satisfaction with FAO's substantive involvement in two key international events, i.e. through the preparations of and follow-up to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and the FAD/WHO International Conference on Nutrition.
Chapter 3: Selected Quantitative Features of Programme Delivery
Chapter 4: Achievements of the Technical and Economic Programmes
135. The Conference welcomed the positive signals of gradual improvement in the financial situation of the Organization under the Regular Budget, while observing with concern the downturn experienced in respect of extra-budgetary resources, including the impact of reduced support cost reimbursement income. It noted, in this connection, the reduction in UNDP funding, which had been somewhat offset by continued support from Trust Fund donors.
136. The Conference noted with interest the particular quantitative information provided in these chapters, including data on such activities as training. It was noted, however, that the data received omitted cost and variance indicators relating to selected outputs in comparison to planned activities. It welcomed the progress made in achieving a more balanced use of capacities and resources of developing countries, including consultants, and encouraged continuation of this practice with due regard for quality control.
137. The Conference expressed satisfaction with the selected substantive achievements mentioned under Chapter 4. It singled out the key role played by FAO in relation to a number of emergencies in the 199293 biennium, such as the eradication of the screwworm in North Africa and the fight against outbreaks of locust infestations. The Conference was pleased to note the numerous instances of catalytic action by FAO in support of technology transfer, and in promoting new development concepts.
138. The Conference also noted the range of assistance, especially policy advice, which FAO had been able to extend to Member Nations in all regions, including Central and Eastern Europe. The contribution of FAO country offices was underlined in this connection. It was noted that FAO had been active in terms of trade-supportive measures, e.g. through the work of Codex Alimentarius and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), and in supporting numerous regional cooperation efforts of Member Nations and national capacity-building.
Chapter 5: Development Support and Project Operations
139. The Conference emphasized that the examples of recent Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) experiences, provided in Chapter 5, gave a clear illustration of the value attached to this programme. Some delegates expressed satisfaction with the rigour of the application of established criteria. The Conference also received the synthesis of views expressed by the technical committees of the Council on field activities of interest to them, while recommending that the depth of examination of field activities by these bodies be enhanced in the future.
140. The Conference observed that important management actions regarding the Field Programme had been undertaken during the 1992-93 biennium, in response to its own directives. It welcomed more particularly the establishment, within the Secretariat, of a Steering Commit tee Field Activities and the streamlining of Special Action Programmes in the context of the International Cooperative Programme Framework on Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development. The Conference looked forward to further improvements in the management of field activities and to progress reports on their impact. It also expressed the conviction that the streamlining and consolidation of the Special Action Programmes should contribute to further strengthening of the links between the Regular and Field Programmes and attract additional extra-budgetary resources to the Organization.
141. The Conference more generally noted the illustrations of close and beneficial interactions between FAO's Regular and Field Programmes. Some delegates drew attention to the extent of support of the Regular Budget to field activities. They stressed the necessity of continued strong participation by Member Nations in setting the policy directions and overseeing the implementation of field activities. They stressed the necessity to improve the institutional mechanisms available to this end. Some delegates identified programmes where linkages between Regular and Field Programmes should be expanded in future reports.
Supplement 1: Operational Activities for Development
142. The Conference noted with interest the information on follow-up to United Nations (UN) General Assembly Resolutions dealing with operational activities, especially Resolution 47/199, as provided in Supplement 1.
It requested that FAO continue to take an active part in related inter-agency discussions, particularly among those based in Rome, and keep the FAO Governing Bodies informed of these.
143. The Conference stressed the pertinence of continued and more active FAO involvement in inter-agency cooperation and coordination on important topics of system-wide interest highlighted in the resolution. These topics included the preparation of Country Strategy Notes, the programme approach, national execution, decentralization and the Resident Coordinator system. It looked forward to further progress reports on practical results on these topics in future Programme Implementation Reports.
144. A suggestion was made that FAO country representatives periodically inform, as appropriate, national authorities on FAO activities in the country with a view to strengthening to the maximum extent possible the relationship between FAO and the different Government authorities concerned.
Future Versions of the Programme Implementation Report
145. The Conference considered the two options proposed by the Director-General in the Introduction to the document, in the light of their respective advantages. It considered that Option 1 embodied the timely submission of current information and consideration of the same by FAO Governing Bodies, thereby facilitating feedback to the examination of Programme of Work and Budget proposals. While endorsing Option 1, the Conference also supported the recommendation of the Programme Committee, aimed at combining the positive features of both options. Therefore, the Conference recognized that the next Programme Implementation Report covering the 1994-95 biennium would follow the improved method of preparation and timetable of submission of the present Programme Implementation Report, but would, at the same time, present actual data on the implementation of regular and field activities for the entire 1992-93 biennium. Some delegates requested that information presented in the Programme Implementation Report be submitted to the Committees of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry for review.
B. Programme evaluation report 1992-93
Part One - In-depth Review of Selected Programmes
Part Two - Evaluation of Field Programmes
Part Three - In-depth Review of Thematic Topics
146. The Conference considered the first issue of the Programme Evaluation Report which, together with the Programme Implementation Report, replaced the former Reviews of the Regular and Field Programmes. It noted that the present Report had been examined by the Programme and Finance Committees and by the Council at their last sessions in May and June 1993, respectively. The Council's Report on the item was available to the Conference as document C 93/LIM/9.
147. The Conference welcomed the Programme Evaluation Report as an informative and useful report, containing a candid assessment of implementation achievements and results under the selected programmes and topics. Thus, the selected subjects were covered more comprehensively, and the conclusions and issues raised in the various chapters provided useful feedback for planning, implementing and evaluating programmes and activities in the future. The Conference also appreciated the mix of topics covered, each of which represented a cross-section of various types of FAO programmes and operations.
148. The Conference agreed that the new Programme Evaluation Report presented a good basis for progressive improvements in future issues. In this connection, some delegates suggested areas where improvement would strengthen the evaluative quality of the Report. These included: clearer identification of the results against planned targets, and specification of associated resource inputs; explicit identification and analysis of gaps and deviations between the planned activities and actual achievements; greater attention to analysis of long-term impact and sustainability of results achieved as well as to the cost-effectiveness of programme implementation along the lines of the recently agreed OECD/DAC (Development Assistance Committee) principles on evaluation; and further integration of field operations in analysing the Regular Programme-based programme implementation, especially with respect to the Special Action Programmes. Some delegates also felt that future reports should further highlight interagency and other external cooperation in FAO's programme implementation.
149. The Conference was informed that introducing some of the suggested improvements, especially the systematic application of quantitative methods for cost-benefit analysis would be complex and involve certain costs. Accordingly, it considered that improvements could be made progressively, keeping in view their cost benefit.
150. The Conference stressed the importance of evaluation as an essential aspect of accountability and for improving the relevance, efficiency and effectiveness of FAO programmes It considered that the new Programme Evaluation Report represented an important contribution to strengthening FAO's internal evaluation system. It highlighted the importance of effective feedback from evaluation to programme planning and implementation. In this connection, it was suggested that future Programme Evaluation Reports highlight salient follow-up actions taken on evaluation recommendations, and that the results of evaluation and reviews also be submitted to the respective technical committees of the Council for their in-depth technical consideration.
151. The Conference expressed satisfaction with the significant achievements reported under the selected programmes chosen for analysis. Many delegates considered the performance especially creditable, during a period when the Organization had faced serious financial problems. A view was also expressed regarding the importance of integrating this report into a complementary whole with the Programme of Work and Budget and the Programme Implementation Report to form an effective accountability mechanism.
Part One - In-depth Review of Selected Programmes
152. The Conference generally welcomed the in-depth review of the three programmes. It appreciated the informative nature of these reviews, which also highlighted relevant issues and lessons. Some delegates considered, in particular, the review of the small-scale fishery programme as a model for future reviews, in terms of its critical but constructive analysis.
153. The Conference expressed its support for the Sub-programme for Crop Protection (Chapter One), and appreciation for FAO's global normative activities in such areas as the International Plant Protection Convention and the Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides, as well as for the substantial field programme. The Conference expressed satisfaction with the notable achievements under Integrated Pest Management and migratory pest control operations.
154. Similarly, the Conference stressed the importance of the two sub-programmes dealing with FAO's statistical activities (Chapter Two) and endorsed the issues identified in the Chapter. It also underscored FAO's role in global statistics and information on food and agriculture, as well as the importance of strengthening national capacity for statistics.
155. The Conference expressed its support for FAO's small-scale fisheries development programme (Chapter Three). It considered this programme an important component of the Fisheries Programme in addressing the poverty alleviation and resource management issues. In this connection, some delegates urged caution with regard to the ambitious nature of the comprehensive approach pursued. The Conference endorsed the suggested in-depth evaluation of the Programme, which could focus, inter alia, on the difficulties encountered in developing local pilot activities into full-scale programmes in various countries.
Part Two - Evaluation of Field Programmes
156. The Conference considered with particular interest the synthesis of 579 project evaluations conducted between 1985-1991 (Chapter Four). It appreciated the candour and the scope of analysis, which went beyond the syntheses presented in the former Review of Field Programmes. The findings of this analysis, especially various weaknesses, provided a good guide for future improvements in FAO's field operations, and the Conference encouraged the Organization to pursue further measures on the lines indicated in the report. Some delegates called for measurable indicators of targets and results against which the substantial inputs of Regular Programme resources to FAO's field activities might be assessed. They also called for the evaluation of the mutually supportive relationship between these programmes and of the mechanisms established to this end.
157. At the same time, the Conference expressed concern over some weaknesses in various aspects of field operations as portrayed in the synthesis, especially those relating to project design. A number of delegates stressed, in this regard, the importance of upgrading skills in project design and evaluation, both for FAO staff and consultants as well as for officials of Member Nations. Some delegates stressed the importance of a greater use of ex-post evaluations which were very few among the project evaluations covered, as well as the importance of paying greater attention to assessing long-term impact of projects, their cost-effectiveness, their sustainability and their replicability. Many delegates stressed the need for multidisciplinary approaches to project planning.
158. The Conference was informed that difficulties involved in designing and implementing technical assistance projects, including their design, constituted a common problem across the UN agencies and that within FAO, the issues were addressed in an inter-departmental manner through the Field Programme Committee. The Conference was also informed that one of the main reasons for the absence of ex-post evaluations was the absence of funding by donors for this purpose. Some delegates proposed that such funding be included in future Trust Fund agreements.
Part Three - In-depth Review of Thematic Topics
159. The Conference welcomed the topic covered in Chapter Five, FAO Activities in Support of the Development of International Trade and appreciated its informative and comprehensive coverage. It agreed generally with the conclusions of this Chapter.
160. The Conference recognized the impressive range of activities under the selected FAO programmes described under the chapter. It expressed support for the Organization's efforts in promoting international trade, and in improving the transparency of commodity markets. It underscored FAO's role in providing commodity market information, an area in which many developing countries had little or no capacity. It stressed the need for FAO to continue assisting developing countries in strengthening their capacity to undertake commodity analysis and policy formulation. It emphasized its appreciation for FAO's support to developing countries throughout the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations and its close collaboration with other international organizations in the area of commodities and trade. In this connection, the Conference emphasized the importance of FAO undertaking a thorough assessment of the effects of the Uruguay Round on commodity markets and trade.
161. The Conference expressed support for activities under the Codex Alimentarius Commission aimed at eliminating technical barriers to trade and stressed the importance of continued cooperation between Codex and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The Conference called for further technical assistance to developing countries, through training and other means, to allow them to develop and apply food safety and quality standards and programmes for agricultural production and trade.
162. In the light of the above discussions, the Conference confirmed its decision that both the Programme Implementation Report and the Programme Evaluation Report be continued in future biennia.
General
Director-General's Introduction
Chapter 1: The Context of FAO's Action
Chapter 2: Cross-Sectoral Priorities
Chapter 3: Programme Priorities
Chapter 4: Regional Issues and Priorities
Chapter 5: Resources
163. The Conference welcomed the concise format of the Medium-term Plan 1994-99. It expressed general appreciation for the substantive content of the Plan and considered that the document responded to the directives the Conference had given at its last session. The Conference reconfirmed the advantage of the Medium-term Plan remaining a self-contained document. It requested that further improvements be sought in future versions, including even greater conciseness. Some delegates offered suggestions in this regard.
164. The Conference observed that the formulation of the Medium-term Plan appropriately took into account an extensive process of intergovernmental consultations, involving in particular the technical committees of the Council and the FAO Regional Conferences. The Conference further observed that the Council had thoroughly examined the Plan, in conformity with the revised programme budget process endorsed at its last session. The Conference requested that this process be retained in the preparation of further versions of the Plan.
165. The Conference reiterated the importance of the Medium-term Plan, as a key element in the dialogue among Member Nations on the future orientations of the Organization, being in line with the review process FAO had undergone. It felt that the Medium-term Plan was useful for the selection of major substantive priorities. It was emphasized that the Medium-term Plan was an important element in the continued search for improvement of FAO undertaken by Member Nations through periodic reviews. It felt that another desirable feature of the medium-term planning process was that it permitted account to be taken of recent trends and new orientations of national policies in Member Nations. Some delegates expressed the view that a sharpened focus in the selection of priorities was warranted, including greater attention to identifying areas of relatively lower priority, especially in a period marked by growing competition for resources.
166. The Conference recognized that the Medium-term Plan, alongside the Programme Implementation Report covering the present biennium and the Programme of Work and Budget addressing the next one, permitted Member Nations to assess the validity of proposed priorities and activities. Some delegates felt that closer links should have been established with the Programme of Work and Budget for the next biennium.
Director-General's Introduction
Chapter 1: The Context of FAO's Action
167. The Conference noted that the Director-General's Introduction set the stage for consideration of the document, in drawing attention to the major challenges confronting FAO and the implied magnitude of related resource requirements, while remaining cautious on prospects regarding the latter.
168. The Conference agreed that Chapter 1 provided a succinct but useful presentation of key issues affecting the future work of the Organization. It concurred more particularly with the emphasis given to the role of FAO in the alleviation of poverty, in the mitigation of hunger and malnutrition and more generally in ensuring food security. It stressed the magnitude and the growing complexity of the tasks ahead, in the face of continuing demographic pressures and environmental threats on scarce natural resources.
169. The Conference stressed that meeting the identified challenges would require, in the first instance, strong action by Member Nations themselves. These were to be complemented by support from FAO, in concert with the other international organizations concerned. The Conference stressed the continuing need for FAO to shape its own involvement in response to expressed requirements, and to do so with close attention to the possibilities for complementarities entailing contributions both from and to other intergovernmental organizations and bilateral donors. It also welcomed the emphasis on expanded partnership with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and the private sector, and requested that the cooperation of the Organization with bilateral donors be strengthened. The Conference highlighted the need for continued fruitful cooperation between FAO and GATT over the medium term.
170. The Conference welcomed the orientations for future FAO field activities outlined in the chapter, bearing in mind the likely broadening of requirements for assistance in all regions and the beneficial relationships between the Regular and Field Programmes. It encouraged further efforts by FAO in fostering the development and use of national capacities and in expanding "upstream" work in its technical cooperation activities with Member Nations.
171. The Conference welcomed the attention to selected management issues, urging further progress in the delegation and streamlining of authority, the continued review of priorities, and in the simplification of administrative procedures with a view to increased efficiency and economy.
Chapter 2: Cross-Sectoral Priorities
172. The Conference endorsed the five major cross-sectoral priorities highlighted in this chapter, i.e.:
173. In relation to environment and sustainable development,
the Conference stressed that FAO
should continue its role in promoting
operational and practical measures to achieve sustainable
agriculture. In this connection, it urged due attention to the
needs of the socio-economic development of rural communities,
including small farmers and the pursuit of a holistic approach,
cutting across sectoral interventions, particularly for fisheries
and forestry. The Conference was informed of internal
organizational arrangements designed to accommodate this.
174. The Conference concurred with the Council's view that the comparative analysis by FAO of tradeoffs between conflicting short- and long-term objectives was an important component of its advice to Member Nations, in relation to the formulation of sustainable agriculture policies. It recommended the further expansion of environmental dimensions in traditional areas of FAO's work, such as in the collection and dissemination of statistics or in the analysis of the impact of agricultural policies. The Conference welcomed special attention being paid to the needs of small island states. It also welcomed FAO's continued emphasis on the preservation of biodiversity.
175. The Conference considered that the chapter took appropriate account of several significant social and institutional aspects of development, beyond purely technical or economic aspects. It encouraged further efforts in this direction, particularly as regards people's participation, especially the role of women. It noted that the priority on women in development, which had been separately highlighted in the last Medium-term Plan, had now been subsumed under the broader heading of people in development, but that this new format did not imply any reduced attention to the subject.
176. The Conference reiterated the importance of FAO's support to technical and economic cooperation among developing countries (TCDC/ECDC), at a time when developing countries were aiming at stronger links among their economies and exploring new avenues of cooperation.
177. The Conference also reiterated the pertinence of intensifying FAO's assistance to Member Nations in terms of policy formulation and implementation, especially for the many countries which were undergoing difficult economic and social situations, due either to structural adjustment or to transition to different economic and social systems.
Chapter 3: Programme Priorities
178. The Conference gave its broad endorsement of the medium-term objectives and priorities for the three major programmes of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. It recognized that these priorities had been extensively influenced by follow-up requirements to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) and the International Conference on Nutrition (ICN). Some delegates noted that creativity and flexibility would be required to achieve all post-UNCED requirements.
179. The Conference underlined that while follow-up to the ICN was conceived primarily as a country-driven process, FAO had a crucial role to play in terms of advice and training.
180. Among other substantive activities under Major Programme 2.1, Agriculture, the Conference supported FAO's critical role in the conservation and utilization of plant and animal genetic resources, in the strengthening of agricultural research and the promotion of technology transfer and exchange of information among Member Nations. The Conference also stressed the extensive requirements for assistance in the management of natural resources, particularly in Member Nations affected by potential shortages of water, or involved in desertification control.
181. The Conference reiterated the important contribution of FAO in the promotion of responsible fishing, including development of a Code of Conduct. It also highlighted the unique role played by FAO in the assembly and dissemination of fisheries statistical information.
182. The Conference stressed its expectation of further strengthening of forestry activities, which would facilitate inter alia the provision of assistance in the formulation and implementation of national forestry plans in all regions. It also underscored the need to give greater emphasis and focus, and to devote increased resources to the sector.
183. The Conference requested continued FAO involvement in capacity-building and training activities in all developing countries. In this context, the Conference also looked forward to assessing the impact of the streamlined Special Action Programmes, in terms of sharpened priorities in future versions of the Plan.
Chapter 4: Regional Issues and Priorities
184. The Conference welcomed the description of the main issues and priorities, as identified by the FAO Regional Conferences in the respective regional contexts. It expressed the hope that FAO would be able to meet the extensive and changing requirements for assistance in all regions. However, the Conference stressed the specific requirements of the African Region, which called for continued priority attention by the Organization.
185. The Conference addressed the growing needs of the countries in Central and Eastern Europe, and noted these required an appropriate and urgent response from FAO, which should be developed in full complementarily and collaboration with other sources of assistance and international organizations. In this connection, the Conference recommended that FAO develop further assistance to this region built on the useful initiatives taken to date. Such assistance should concentrate on selected technical areas where FAO was well placed to provide advice and promote regional cooperation and the transfer of experiences. FAO's investment support services could also be directed to collaborate with financial institutions and other institutions interested in working in the region.
186. The Conference noted that this version of the Medium-term Plan did not include resource projections, in the light of the diverging opinions expressed at its last session when it considered the Medium-term Plan 1992-97. The Conference further noted that the Council had generally agreed on the usefulness of purely indicative resource projections in future versions of the Plan.
187. While again various opinions were expressed on the subject, the Conference generally agreed that it would be useful to assess the import of proposed medium-term priorities in terms of broad resource projections. It stressed, however, that these projections could not in any way be considered as binding on Member Nations. On balance, nevertheless, the Conference recommended, therefore, that indicative resource projections be included in the next Medium-term Plan.
D. Programme of Work and Budget 1994-95
General
Approach
Programme Priorities
Technical Cooperation Programme
Financial Framework
Budget Level
188. The Conference expressed its appreciation for the improvements in the format of the Programme of Work and Budget document, while noting its consistency with past formulations. Some delegates recommended that the document be further improved by providing, for instance, clearer targets and benchmarks, expanded explanations of resource shifts and information on actual expenditures.
189. The Conference recalled its endorsement at its last session of the revised programme budget process, noting the extensive consultations on the programme budget proposals that preceded the Conference session, from the Outline Programme of Work and Budget to the present full Programme of Work and Budget. The Conference welcomed the refinement of proposals, in response to observations and concerns expressed at various stages. The Conference expressed appreciation for the views of the Council and of the Programme and Finance Committees, when they considered the full Programme of Work and Budget 1994-95 at their autumn sessions.
190. The Conference recognized that one of the key features of the proposals, which had been consistently pursued, was the absence of any real net programme growth over the Programme of Work of US$676.9 million, as unanimously approved at its last session. Some delegates maintained that the figure of US$645.6 million, indicated in Conference Resolution 4/91 as the net base budgetary appropriation, should have been used. While noting the divergence of views on which base level to use for the formulation of budgetary proposals for the 1994-95 biennium, the Conference in general confirmed the validity of the US$676.9 million base level figure.
191. The Conference agreed that the absence of net programme growth reflected a realistic compromise which also took account of expectations of budgetary restraint and the difficulties experienced by many Member Nations, notably in meeting their obligations to the Organization.
192. The Conference, however, highlighted the challenges confronting FAO, including the extensive requirements for assistance in all regions, particularly in Africa, and the new needs of countries of Central and Eastern Europe, which were coupled with pressing calls for active FAO involvement in follow-up actions to the two major international conferences, the International Conference on Nutrition and the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. Many delegates noted that these heavy demands on FAO would have justified a net increase in resources. They also drew attention to the financial difficulties experienced by FAO in the last few biennia, entailing the curtailment of valuable programmes. They stressed that FAO, therefore, needed more resources to meet these challenges adequately.
193. Some delegates considered that they saw a potential for substantial savings, which would permit FAO to address agreed challenges within present, and possibly reduced, resource levels. In their view, the application of more rigorous priority setting, coupled with an imaginative search for economies, should contribute to achieving this. They called for an independent thorough review of administrative areas, also covering field programmes. They also drew attention to ongoing fiscal stringency measures affecting their own public administrations, which they urged be equally applied in international organizations.
194. The Conference observed that another feature of the proposals had been the need for FAO to adjust to a difficult context of reduced Support Cost reimbursement income, entailing the need to absorb under the Regular Budget a limited number of posts hitherto funded under Support Cost income but which more properly belonged under the Regular Budget. Some delegates questioned this aspect of the proposals and stressed their expectation that it would not recur in the future. The Conference was informed that a large number of Support Cost-funded posts had been eliminated, and that those proposed to be absorbed under the Regular Budget were strictly determined by the nature of the work performed.
195. The Conference welcomed the fact that the proposals also addressed the needs of the countries in transition in Central and Eastern Europe, through an increase in the provision for the Regional Office for Europe, taking full account of the needs of other regions.
Contents
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