13-17 November 1996 - Rome, Italy
| April 1996 | WFS/NERC/NGO/REP Available in English only |
Report of the
Regional NGO Consultation for the Near East on the World Food Summit
Rabat, Morocco, 24-25 March 1996
1. The Regional NGO Consultation for the Near East on the World Food Summit was held in Rabat, Morocco, on 24-25 March 1996 within the framework of the preparatory process for the World Food Summit (WFS). The Consultation, organized by the WFS Secretariat in collaboration with the Moroccan Nutrition Society, was hosted by the Agronomic and Veterinary Institute Hassan II. It was attended by over 70 participants representing 49 non-governmental organizations from the Near East and North Africa Region. The programme of the Consultation is attached as Appendix 1. The list of participants is attached as Appendix 2.
2. The meeting discussed two main WFS documents, i.e. "World Food Summit: Food Security Situation and Issues in the Near East" (NERC/96/4) and "Draft Policy Statement and Plan of Action" (NERC/96/3). The meeting also heard a presentation on "Rural Women and Food Security in the Near East: Current Status and Perspectives" given by the FAO/WID Regional Officer for the Near East.
3. Following the general debate of the first day of the Consultation on the content of both documents, the participants divided into three working groups to discuss the following themes:
| Group one: | Food production, supply, trade and consumption |
| Group two: | Natural and human resources and sustainability |
| Group three: | Regional integration and institutional issues. |
4. The working groups met during the first half of the second day of the Consultation and prepared individual reports on their deliberations which included specific recommendations pertaining to the above mentioned themes. These recommendations were presented by the Rapporteurs of the Working Groups at the plenary concluding session. The presentations were followed by detailed discussions and the outcome was adopted by the Consultation. The three Rapporteurs of the Working Groups and the Chairman of the Concluding Session worked together in consolidating the different contributions into a single report. They also prepared the statement to be given by the representative of the participating NGOs at the Twenty-third FAO Regional Conference for the Near East (see Appendix 3, attached).
5. The consolidated recommendations of the Consultation are given below:
5.1 In the field of food production, supplies, trade and consumption
The Consultation noted the potential of the region to reduce undernutrition by the year 2010 to a level below the 11% proposed in document NERC/96/4. It made the following proposals for amendments of the text:
On "Enhancing domestic food supply capacity":
* The following phrase should be added to item 47 (iv):
- ... and ensure that all development projects are geared towards enhancing food production taking into account natural and social characteristics at local and national levels.
* The following phrase should be added to item 47 (v):
- ... and ensure the participation of NGOs in such services for the benefit of small farmers, and the participation of rural women to enable them to benefit from these services.
* Item 47 (vii) should be amended as follows:
- Strengthen national capacity in and increase the level of appropriations for agricultural research, extension and technology dissemination to support farmers in the application of sustainable technologies for intensification, diversification and distribution of production, giving due attention to the integration of traditional agricultural techniques at regional, national and local levels.
- Facilitate the transfer of agricultural technology between countries outside the region and countries of the region and adjust it to the needs, capacities and natural and human characteristics of the countries of the region.
* Add a new item (xii) as follows:
- expand and improve the food storage capacities at regional and national levels;
* Add a new item (xiii) as follows:
- support and improve rural infrastructure, including roads, electricity and communications, in order to provide farmers with the necessary means to improve production and productivity.
* Add a new item (xiv) as follows:
- continue the effort of rural industrialization to enable the local processing of agricultural products, create labour opportunities for rural population and reverse the current trend of rural-urban migration in the countries of the region.
On "Pursuing and deepening market liberalization and private sector involvement":
* Objective 58 (ii):
- include reference to the presence also of farmers associations.
* Amend item 59 (i) to read:
- pursue and intensify market-oriented reforms that address stabilization and growth objectives, through reduction in market channels and monopolies and prevention of speculations in food trade. Such reforms should also incorporate social and environmental concerns.
* Add the following at the end of item 59 (iii) (after the word "growth"):
- "... particularly in the field of food processing, packaging and distribution; and"
* The participants further recommended:
(i) To create the political, social and economic environment conducive to effective participation of the civil society in developmental activities, particularly those related to food security and to give due consideration in these activities to the role of women being the most directly involved.
(ii) To channel economic and social policies, institutions and development efforts towards the achievement of food security, by increasing agricultural production and productivity and improving access to food by all population groups, particularly the vulnerable ones.
(iii) To establish a mechanism at national and regional levels to enable governments and NGOs to follow-up the implementation of the WFS Plan of Action.
(iv) To take into consideration the demographic factor in all development strategies and plans, and to create the appropriate environment for rural development so as to limit rural migration to urban areas and to alleviate pressure on agricultural land.
5.2 In the field of natural and human resources
The Consultation made the following recommendations:
Natural resources
The Consultation urged the Governments of the Region to:
Human resources
5.3 In the field of regional integration and institutional issues
The Consultation recommended that Governments of the Near East Region:
(i) Coordinate and address their agricultural policies and measures related to agricultural inputs and crops, stressing the comparative advantages in agriculture production; and work towards the elimination of all tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade in the region in order to establish a free-trade region.
(ii) Recognize that the achievement of food security is a national objective which should be put on top of national and regional priorities and should be reflected in national agricultural policies and programmes.
(iii) Generate and provide information on agricultural production, crop prices, etc. and facilitate the flow of such information through a regional data bank to promote national and international investment, and to encourage the adoption of national and regional agricultural strategies that will enable proper agricultural planning and selective cropping patterns that will foster food security.
(iv) Encourage the establishment of joint regional projects in agricultural investment as well as in the fields of technology transfer and agricultural research.
(v) Contain the impending transboundary water crisis in the Near East and its possible negative consequences, with a view to warding off the possible harmful effects on countries from which rivers originate, the countries through which they flow or in which they outflow, as well as ratifying water quotas agreements and preclude the danger of their diversion out of their basins.
(vi) Support humanitarian calls to prevent the economic blockade imposed on some countries of the Region from having negative effect on food security, hunger and malnutrition, or from impeding agricultural development.
(vii) Promote and strengthen the role of farmers' organizations in the fields of agricultural policy and development, so that they are able to defend the interests and welfare of farmers as well as vulnerable groups including small farmers, rural women and youth.
(viii) Strengthen the role of farmers' organizations through their affiliation to the main organizations/associations of the civil society, while striking the proper balance between powers and responsibilities and securing the necessary means for such organizations.
(ix) Encourage the establishment/strengthening of non-governmental organizations in the rural sector and promote their role in the fields of environmental protection, organic agriculture, agricultural services including extension, economic activities, and exchange of experiences.
(x) Encourage the establishment of regional associations for farmers and agricultural producers to protect their interests; and include in their bilateral agricultural and trade agreements provisions for promoting cooperation among farmers organizations/associations in the economic, cultural and social fields.
(xi) Ensure the appropriate environment for enhancing the democratic participation of non-governmental organizations so that these organizations would play their effective role, within the decision-making process, at the conception, planning and implementation levels.
(xii) Call upon the FAO Regional Conference for the Near East to request the European Union to alleviate the conditions of its common agricultural policy with a view to lifting barriers facing the agricultural exports of the countries of the Regions to the European Union and to refrain from the use of agricultural quarantine measures as barriers against agricultural exports without objective justifications.
5.4 On the role and importance of NGOs
(i) Stress the role of NGOs in the conservation of natural and human resources and in ensuring sustainable development and food security.
(ii) Encourage NGOs to participate in FAO activities related to food security and sustainable development.
(iii) Ensure financial support to NGOs in order to help them participate in agricultural and rural development activities.
(iv) Promote the involvement of NGOs in motivating rural communities for the execution of development projects.
(v) Encourage collaboration between INGOs and NGOs in the execution of joint projects; and
(vi) Stress the role of NGOs in agricultural extension directed to small farmers in arid and semi-arid areas to help them improve production and productivity.
Appendix 1
CONSULTATION PROGRAMME
| Sunday 24 March
Morning | |
| 8:00-9:00 | Registration |
| 9:00-9:30 | Opening session:
- M. Sedrati, President, Moroccan Society for Nutritional Sciences - M. Rouighi, FAO Representative, Morocco |
| 9:30-9:40 | Election of Officers |
| 9:40-10:00 | The World Food Summit: Objectives, preparatory process, role of NGOs
Objective of the Consultation - Kay Killingsworth, Secretary-General, World Food Summit |
| 10:00-10:15 | Coffee Break |
| 10:15-10:35 | Food Security Situation and Issues in the Near East and North Africa
- Ezzeddine Boutrif, World Food Summit Secretariat |
| 10:35-12:30 | Discussion of document NERC/96/4 |
| 12:30-14:30 | Lunch Break Afternoon |
| 14:30-16:00 | Discussion of document NERC 96/4 (continued) Coffee Break |
| 16:15-16:35 | Presentation of the draft Policy Statement and Plan of Action (document NERC/96/3)
- Kay Killingsworth, Secretary-General, World Food Summit |
| 16:35-17:45 | Discussion of document NERC/96/3 |
| 17:45-18:00 | Constitution of Working Groups |
| Monday 25 March Morning 8:30-12:30 |
Working Groups in session |
| 12:30-14:30 | Lunch Break Afternoon |
| 14:30-15:00 | Presentation of the conclusions and recommendations of the Working Groups |
| 15:00-16:30 | Panel discussion of the conclusions and recommendations of the Working Groups |
| 16:30-17:30 | Adoption of the conclusions and recommendations of the NGO Consultation |
| 17:30-18:00 | Concluding remarks |
| 18:00 | Closing of the Consultation |
Appendix 2
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
General Union of All Arab Peasants
Agricultural Cooperatives - Libya
P.O. Box 10881, Tripoli
Libya
Tel: 218 21 60 58 18
Fax: 218 21 83 35 84
- Ahmed Mohamed Bafadhel
Association Tunisienne des Mères
Nabeul et Gabès - Tunisie
Maison de la Famille
2, rue du lycée El Menzeh VI, 1004 Tunis
Tunisie
Tel: 216 1 753 012 - Fax: 216 1 752 666
- Salah Afifa
- Talbi Hédia
Agence de Recherche, d'Information et
de Formation pour les Femmes
B.P. 403 - Rabat
Maroc
Tel et Fax: 72 74 06
- Belhaj Fatiha, Coordinatrice
Union Marocaine de l'Agriculture
12, Place des Alaouites, Rabat
Maroc
Tel: 70 78 90
- Ahmed Nejjai, Président
- El Youbi Mohamed Ben Omar, Secrétaire
Mouvement Twiza
B.P. 77, Code Postale 15000 Khémisset
Maroc
Tel: 07 55 30 68 - Fax: 07 55 22 01
- Azaddou Lahcen
- Ajjouti Driss
Union Nationale des Femmes Tunisiennes
56 Avenue Bab Benat, Tunis
Tunisie
Tel: 216 1 56 18 45/26 39 27
Fax: 216 1 56 71 31
- Rokbani Naïma
Union Tunisienne de l'Agriculture et
de la Pêche
Hay El Khadra, 1003 Tunis
Tunisie
Tel: 216 1 797 651
Fax: 216 1 797 292
- Abdelbaki Bacha
Union Tunisienne de la Solidarité Sociale
16, Avenue Roussafi, 1002 Tunis
Tunisie
Tel: 216 1 800 266/796 818
Fax: 79 77 57
- Lassaad Ben Osmène
International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS)
B. P. 6202, Rabat-Instituts, Rabat
Maroc
Tel: 212 7 77 09 35 - 77 17 45/58/59
Fax: 212 7 77 58 45 / 77 81 35
- Sedrati M'hammed
- Larbi Hanane
- Abbadi B.Ali
ENDA - Maghreb
196, Quartier OLM
Souissi, Rabat
Maroc
Tel: 212 7 75 64 14 - 212 7 75 64 13
E-mail: Magdi@endamag.gn.apc.ag
- Ibrahim Magdi, M.D.
- Staatsen Philippe
Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committee
P.O. Box 25128, Shufat
Jerusalem
Israel
Tel: +972-2-833818
Fax: +972-2-831898
- Randa youssef Jadallah Abdrabbou
Société Marocaine de Nutrition
B.P. 6202, Rabat-Instituts, Rabat
Maroc
Tel: 212 7 77 17 45/58/59
Fax: 212 7 77 81 35 / 77 58 38
- Benjelloun Sabah
- Rahmani Mohamed
- Abzahd Mohamed
- Essatara M'barek
- Bennani Kabshi Naima
- Fdili Mustapha
Hoffman Laroche - Food Manager
C/O SMN, Rabat
Maroc
-El Khroufi Driss
Syrian Women's General Union
C/O University of Damascus
Damascus
Syria
- Dr. Samar Bahlawan
Actes-Editions, IAV Hassan II
B.P. 620, Rabat-Instituts, Rabat
Maroc
Tel: 212 7 77 17 45/58/59
Fax: 212 7 77 81 35
-Ettalii Moussa
Association Marocaine pour la
Protection de l'Environnement, D.E.R.D.
Rabat
Maroc
Fax: 212 7 77 64 59
- Bennis Abdelhadi
Confédération Internationale du Commerce
et des Industries des Légumes Secs (CICILS)
France
-Haj Benchaib Mohamed
Institut mondial du phosphate (IMPHOS)
Angle, Route D'El Jadida
Boulevard de la Grande Ceinture
BP 5196 Maarif, Casablanca
Maroc
Tel: 02 48 41 22/232/24
Fax: 02 48 41 21
- B. Amar
- Benjelloun Abdelouahed
- M'Rabet
A.M.S., UNICEF
B.P. 511 Tour Hassan, Rabat
Maroc
Tel: 75 65 97
Fax: 75 90 24 B.
- Denial Mustapha
Association de Producteurs d'Agrumes
au Maroc (A S.P.A.M.)
22, Rue El Messaoudi, Casablanca Maarif
Maroc
Tel: 36 39 96/46 - Fax: 36 40 41
-Darrab Ahmed, Secrétaire Général
Association de Développement Rural
en Zone "Arganier" de l'Anti-Atlas
Maroc
- Rokia Ouaal
- Saadia Chhiba
Heure Joyeuse
5, rue El Jiraoui, Casablanca
Maroc
Tel: 24 50 69
Fax: 24 40 37
- M'Jid Najat
A M C E R L E C
Rue My Youssef B.P.73, Safi
Maroc
Tel: 62 29 11 - 62 35 70
- Benzidia Ahmed, Président
Rural Women's Association
Baalbeck
Liban
Tel: 961 08/870 724
Fax: 961 08 802 995
- Yahfoufi Batoul
Agricultural Food Marketing Associaton for
the Near East and North Africa (AFMANENA)
P.O. Box 9145, Amman
Jordan
Tel: 69 34 02/ 66 11 92
Telex 21654 UNDP.Jo.
- Mahmooud A. Hiyari, Secretary General
Confédération Internationale des Syndicats Libres (CISL)
(UMT) 232, Avenue des FAR, Casablanca
Maroc
Tel: 02 30 01 18
Fax: 30 78 54
- Benseddik Fouad
General Federation of Jordanian Women
P.O. Box 92 16 87, Amman
Jordan
Tel: 64 06 34
- Hilweh Malhas
ICARDA - INRA
Guich, Rabat
Maroc
Tel: 67 54 96
- Mekni Mohamed Salah
Association Nationale des Améliorations Foncières de l'Irrigation et du Drainage (ANAFID)
Représentant de la Commission Internationale des Irrigations et du Drainage (CIID) et la Commission Internationale du
Génie Rural (CIGR), Rabat
Maroc
Tel: 67 20 03
- Bekkali Abdallah, Président
Fédération Nationale de l'Agriculture, UGTM, Rabat
4 rue Ibn Toumert, Bab El Had, Rabat
Maroc
- Moudden Mokhtar
- Cherkaoui Abdellatif
Ibn Khaldoun Centre for Development Studies
17 Street 12 Morattam, Cairo
Egypt
Tel: 20 1 50 66 2/3
Fax: 20 2 510 10 30
- Shahera Youssef
- Greta Meszoely
Union Marocaine du Travail (UMT)
232 Avenue des FAR, Casablanca
Maroc
Tel: 212 02 30 01 18
Fax: 212 02 30 78 54
- Dr. Ahmed El Gharbaoui
ICARDA
Aleppo, Syria
Tel: 963-21 21 34 33
- Beltagi Adel, Director- General
Forum Maghrebin pour l'Environnement
et le Développement (FMED)
2 Rue Zahla, Rabat
Maroc
B.P. 403, Rabat
Fax: 72 74 06
- Fatima Alaoui
Union Nationale des Femmes Marocaines
3, Rue el Afghani, Rabat
Maroc
Tel: 72 29 37
- Fatima Dehbi
CARITAS Internationalis/CARITAS - Maroc
Eglise Notre Dame de Lourdes
Rond-Point d'Europe, 20 500 Casablanca
Maroc
Tel: 02 26 35 37
- El Kaddioui-Eder Frédérique
SOLAGRAL
11, Passage Penel, 75011 Paris
France
Tel: 331 42 51 0700
Fax: 331 42 51 18 29
- Laure de Cenival
Association Marocaine pour la Promotion
de la Femme Rurale
Résidence Irchad sect. 13 51 No.3
Hay Riad, Rabat
Maroc
Tel: 212 7 71 31 69
- Benmahi Malika
The National Society for Consumer Protection
P.O. box 926692, Amman
Jordan
Fax: 606983
Tel: 692211
- Al Kilani A.
African Farmers Union, Egypt
Inernational Federation of Agricultural Producers
The Central Agriculture Co-operative Union, Egypt
P.O. Box 14, Gizah
12211 Egypt
Tel: 202 36 12 835
Fax: 202 3609134/202 3609256
- Hon. M. Idriss, Représentant
Union Arabe des ingénieurs agronomes
B.P. 3800, Damas
Syrie
C/O I.A.V. Hassan II - BP 6202 Rabat-Instituts
Rabat, Maroc
Fax: 212 7 60 19 52
- Abdesselam Eddebbagh, Représentant
Fédération Européenne de Zootechnie
I.A.V. Hassan II - BP 6202, Rabat-Instituts
Maroc
Tel: 212 7 77 84 68
Fax: 212 7 77 58 45
- Fouad Guessous, Représentant
Comité des Femmes Marocaines pour le Développement
B.P. 403, Rabat
Maroc
- Touassi Fatima
ONG Franciscaine
Conférence Franciscaine Internationale
- Soeur Rosette Arsan
Conférence Franciscaine Internationale
Maroc
- Soeur Huguette Gosset
FMED - Consultant
Economiste Agricole-Gibraltar
P.O. Box 465,
Gibraltar
Tel: 350 70 597
Fax: 350 79 887
- Vanya Walker-Leigh
Regional WID Officer-FAO/RNE - Cairo
Egypt
Tel: 33 72 229
Fax: 34 95 981
- Nadia Makram Ebeid
- Lamia El Fattal
Union of Arab Chambers of Commerce and Industry
P.O. Box 11-2837
Beirut, Lebanon
Fax: (00961-01) 86 28 41
- May Demashkieh Serhal
Association des Facultés agronomiques Africaines (AFAA)
B.P. 6284, Rabat-Instituts
Maroc
- Saye Parwon Gbargbay
FAO SECRETARIAT
Kay Killingsworth
Secretary-General, World Food Summit
Ezzeddine Boutrif
Senior Officer, World Food Summit
Ibn Khaldoun Center for Development Studies,
17 Street 12 Morattam, Cairo
Egypt
Tel: 20 1 50 66 2/3
Fax: 20 2 510 10 30
Nadia Makram Ebeid
Regional WID Officer, FAO/RNE, Cairo
Egypt
Tel: 337 2229
Fax: 349 5981
Hilweh Malhas
General Federation of Jordanian Women
P.O. Box 921687, Amman
Jordan
Tel: 640634
Fatima Dahbi
Vice Présidente de l'Union Nationale des
Femmes Marocaines et Vice Présidente de la
Commission de Développement du Conseil
International des Femmes
3, Rue El Alghani, Rabat
Maroc
Tel: 727 937
Lamia El Fattal
FAO/RNE, Cairo Egypt
WID Consultant
Tel: 33 72 229
Fax: 349 5981
Belhaj Fatiha
Agence de Recherche d'Information et Formation
pour les Femmes
B.P. 403 - Rabat
Maroc
Tel: 72 74 06
Fax: 72 74 06
Docteur Batoul Yahfoufi
Programmes de Nations Unies pour le
Développement Rural
Rural Womens' Association, Baalbeck,
Liban
Tel: 00961 08/870 724
Fax: 00961 08/802 995
May Demashkieh Serhal
Director in the Research Department
Union of Arab Chambers of Commerce and Industry
P.O. Box 11-2837, Beirut
Lebanon
Fax: (00961-01) 86 28 41
Naïma Rokbani
Union Nationale de la Femme Tunisienne
Directrice du Centre de Formation
Agricole Moderne des Jeunes Filles
56 Avenue Bab Benat, Tunis
Tunisie
Tel: 216 1 56 18 45/26 39 27
Fax: 216 1 56 71 31
Samar Bahlawan
Syrian Women's General Union, Syria
Prof. University of Damascus, Damascus
Syria
Afifa Salah
Présidente, Comité des Mères de Nabeul
Maison de la Famille
2, Rue du Lycée El Menzeh VI
1004 Tunis
Tunisie
Tel: 216 1 753 012
Fax: 216 1 752 666
Hadia Talbi
Présidente, Comité des Mères de Gabès
Maison de la Famille
2, Rue du Lycée El Menzeh VI
1004 Tunis
Tunisie
Tel: 216 1 753 012
Fax: 216 1 752 666
Vanya Walker-Leigh
Consultante FMED
Economiste Agricole - Gibraltar
P.O. Box 486, Gibraltar
Tel: 350 70 597
Fax: 350 79 887
| April 1996 | Appendix 3 |
13-17 November 1996 - Rome, Italy
Statement of the
Representative of the Non-Governmental Organizations
Excellencies
Delegates of Governments of
The Near East and North African Region
It pleases me to convey to your exteemed gathering the expressions of appreciation and consideration of the Non-governmental Organizations in the Near East and Mediterranean Basin which met in Rabat during the period 24 to 25 March 1996, in a consultative forum to consider, on the invitation of the forthcoming World Food Summit Secretariat, the documentation for the Summit scheduled to convene next November.
Participants in the forum lauded the positive initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in consulting the NGOs, and would wish that Governments lend their support to this initiative.
The world is threatened by hunger, and there were more than 800 million people undernourished by 1992, a great number of them living in the Near East and North Africa region. Projections point to further increases in the number of the under-nourished worldwide.
Considering that poverty and hunger are basically interlinked, recognizing the significance of food security to sustainable economic and social development, and its ensuring deep effect in strengthening regional and international peace and stability, appreciating the role of FAO in the fight against hunger and malnutrition, emphasizing the involvement of the NGOs in dealing with the problems of food insecurity and seeking the proper solutions for them, the Forum deliberations focused on two documents: "Food Security situation and Issues in the Near East" and Policy Statement and Plan of Action. Specialized working groups were formed for in-depth discussions of aims and proposed measures, and a review of food security situation under three topics:
I. Production, supply, trade and consumption;
II. Natural and human resources and their impact on sustainable development, and
III. Regional integration and institutional issues.
Discussions led to the proposal of some amendments in the aforementioned documents, including:
(i) emphasis on ensuring the interests of countries where rivers originate, cross their territories or flow;
(ii) call upon Arab Governments to seek to abolish tariff and non-tariff barriers on inter-country trade with the aim of creating an Arab free trade zone;
(iii) focus on the role of farmer organizations, and call upon governments to institutionalize this role in the field of agricultural and developmental policies in the light of the declaration of the International Association of Agricultural Producers;
(iv) emphasise the important role of NGOs in rural development and food security, and maximise their effectiveness through their participation in public policy making, and accord them the necessary support;
(v) rehabilitate and develop capabilities of rural population groups, especially women, young and small farmers;
(vi) strengthen national capabilities, and increase funding for agricultural research;
(vii) emphasise the importance of appropriate production incentives for farmers, in particular profitable prices that reflect the free market mechanism;
(viii) relieve farmers from all forms of direct and indirect taxes and burdens;
(ix) promote the development of rural, food and agro-industries to provide employment and curtail migration.
Accordingly, the Regional Consultative Forum for Non-governmental Organizations in the Near East and North Africa, recommend adoption - as a base - of the Plan of Action presented in document NERC/96/3 and analysis given in document NERC/96/4, with due consideration of the amendments and recommendations made by the consultative forum.
The Non-governmental organizations value greatly the initiative of the Director General of FAO in convening the World Food Summit, and appreciate the importance of the preparatory regional conferences as well as the initiative to involve the civil community at the highest level in this Summit as an affirmation of the commitment of Governments to eliminate world hunger and malnutrition.
The Consultative Forum appeals from this podium, to all international institutions, Governments, organizations, private sector, universities and researchers to spare no efforts in working towards the achievement of world food security. We wish your conference every success in its work.