Contents
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200. The Conference agreed that the Program of Work for 1962-63 was well balanced in relation to needs of member countries and to past guidelines established by different Conferences, and stressed the importance of maintaining an over-all balance.
201. The Conference approved the establishment of a fourth technical branch in the Forestry Division to deal with " Forest industries and utilization," and hoped that it would increase the efficiency of the Division.
202. Of the main lines of activity to receive special emphasis, the Conference agreed that education and training had first importance. The following are other lines that were to be given high priority: forest inventories; land use (including shifting cultivation, watershed management and grazing in forest and other open land); development of forest industries (pulp and paper, sawmilling, plywood manufacture and other industries); logging; quick-growing tree species; and silviculture (including research on savanna forestry).
Forestry education and training
203. Education and training are the basic means of helping to narrow the gap between developed and developing countries. In the pursuit of education and training activities the Conference wished the following guidelines to be borne in mind:
2. Higher university training should be available in countries that have extensive forest resources or at regional centers for groups of countries where separate university-type facilities are not warranted.
3. Postgraduate and specialized training may generally best be obtained in long established centers abroad.
4. Fellowships for training abroad are the immediate solution for the shortage of teachers.
5. Provision of training facilities and programs should be related to manpower requirements for actual development needs and plans.
204. In the light of these considerations, the Conference recognized that there was still a strong case for regional facilities in certain areas and recommended that the Near East Forest Rangers' School should continue to be supported by FAO and strengthened through EPTA, and that means should be found to establish a center for French-speaking trainees from Africa.
205. The Conference recommended that in planning education and training facilities, personnel requirements of both forestry and forest industries should be taken into account. It noted with approval the work of the Latin-American Advisory Group on Education and Research (GACIFAL) and recommended that FAO seek assistance from EPTA to establish as quickly as possible a similar group for Africa as well as for the Far East.
206. The Conference emphasized that education in forest economics and in development planning should be greatly expanded in existing and new centers everywhere.
Development planning
207. The Conference was concerned at the inadequate attention given to problems of planning the medium and long-term development of forestry and forest industries, especially the aspects of organization and methodology. It noted with satisfaction, however, the active participation of FAO in the forestry aspects of the Mediterranean Development Project and of the special Africa Survey. It hoped that similar attention would be given to forestry problems in the new Alliance for Progress program in Latin America. In connection with the latter, it recommended the appointment through EPTA of a regional adviser on the forestry aspects of colonization and agrarian reform programs in Latin America as well as the expansion of the work of the Latin-American Advisory Group on Pulp and Paper to cover the whole sphere of both forestry and forest industry development.
208. Recognizing the importance of regional seminars on development planning, the Conference welcomed the co-operation of FAO in such seminars, particularly the one that Yugoslavia had proposed to organize on forest industry development and another planned by the Federal Republic of Germany for Latin-American countries.
209. The Conference noted with satisfaction the Organization's collaboration with the regional economic commissions of the United Nations on the cycle of studies of timber resources and requirements and recommended that these studies should be completed before 1965 to enable the Sixth World Forestry Congress to undertake the first comprehensive review of the present and potential role of forest resources in the promotion of human welfare.
Forest inventories
210. The Conference recognized the successful efforts of FAO to place at the disposal of member countries new techniques developed for increasing the precision and lowering the cost of forest inventories, and expressed the hope that it would be possible with EPTA funds to organize regional training centers on forest inventory methods for Latin America and Africa.
Land use
211. The Conference attached great importance to the proper integration of forestry into land-use patterns and considered that the welcome trends evident in Europe, with regard to collaboration in agricultural and forestry interests should be extended to other regions.
212. The Conference called attention to the importance of the economic aspects of watershed management and wished to see the early publication of the manual on watershed management principles already prepared. The importance of the proposed training center on watershed management for the Near East region was emphasized.
Quick-growing tree species
213. The Conference stressed that the use of quick-growing tree species is one of the most promising practices for increasing supplies of wood. Planting programs must, however, be linked directly to plans for economic development and prospective markets, or to local needs. Timely research should, furthermore, be carried out on species and wood quality to be sure that what is grown can be used for the purposes for which it is required.
214. The Conference was apprised of invitations from several governments to hold some of the proposed forestry conferences in their countries and it expressed the hope that the Director-General would take such offers into account in deciding on the venues.
Forest protection
215. The Conference hoped it would prove possible to organize a study tour on forest fire prevention and control techniques similar to that conducted in the U.S.A. in 1951. It referred the matter to the North American Forestry Commission and its forest fire control working party.
216. The Conference welcomed as most useful a proposal emanating from the thirteenth Congress of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations that FAO should organize an international symposium on the control of tree diseases. Such a project should be included in the 1964-65 program, but there would be great advantage in bringing it forward to 1963, if this could be done without displacing any other approved project.
Forest industries development
217. The Conference approved the holding of a world consultation on plywood and panel products and looked forward to an appropriate publication of the results.
218. Considering it important that suitable markets and uses be found for small-size wood, the Conference suggested strengthening the effort devoted to rural industries and the training of craftsmen and artisans with funds from external sources, such as the Special Fund and the Freedom from Hunger Campaign, which might consider requests sympathetically.
Logging
219. The Conference endorsed the measures for the extension of the improved techniques of logging to developing regions and welcomed the collaboration of ILO in this endeavor. In particular, it stressed the importance of logging of watershed (catchment) areas in such a way as to avoid erosion and adverse effects on water supplies and of the economic removal of small-sized timber from plantations, in order to permit early returns.
220. The Conference endorsed the proposal to organize, with the use of EPTA resources and jointly with ILO during 1962-63, courses on forest working techniques and other types of forest operations such as planting methods in each developing region.
Silviculture
221. The Conference stressed the value of study tours for spreading knowledge of silvicultural techniques. It welcomed the assurance that FAO would give savanna forestry the priority recommended by the African Forestry Commission.
Wood technology
222. The Conference approved the proposal to hold the Fifth FAO Conference on Wood Technology in 1963.
223. The Conference took note of the reports of the African Forestry Commission and the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission and endorsed the recommendation that the Teak Subcommission should be transformed into a joint body of the two commissions. It also commended to the attention of the Director-General and of member countries the several recommendations of the European, Latin-American and North American Forestry Commissions.
224. The Conference formally took note of the reports of the First Session of the Governing Council of the independent Latin-American Forest Research and Training Institute (together with the comments of the Second Session of the Latin-American Forestry Commission (LACF) concerning a research committee), and of the First and Second Sessions of the Governing Body of the Near East Forest Rangers' School.
225. The Conference wished to place on record its great appreciation and admiration for the manner in which the Fifth World Forestry Congress had been organized at Seattle in 1960 and requested the Director-General to convey such appreciation to the Government of the United States of America.
226. The Conference recommended that early in 1962 the Director-General should approach all members of FAO and of the United Nations inviting formal offers from countries prepared to organize and issue invitations to the Sixth World Forestry Congress. The replies received should be considered by the FAO Council at its 1962 Session and it should decide which offer to accept.
Future programs and program trend
227. The Conference recommended that the program of work for 1964-65 should maintain the same balance as the 1962-63 program, with no major shift in emphasis. Priority should be given to education and training, quick-growing tree species, resource surveys and appraisal, watershed (catchment area) management, development planning for forestry and forest industries, pulp and paper development and utilization of presently unmarketable hard woods in tropical regions.
Introduction
Direction and balance of program
Fisheries biology
Fisheries technology
Fisheries economics
Regional activities
228. The Conference noted that the world's fisheries production had nearly doubled in the last decade to about 38 million tons and might well rise still more steeply to a total of 70 million tons by 1970, taking both inland and marine resources into account. The rate of fishery development was, however, uneven as between the developed and the developing countries, though progress was rapid in both. In the developed countries, new techniques constantly create crises in the distribution and marketing of certain abundantly produced fishery products and consequently called for better marketing techniques. The developing countries stood in great need of advice, guidance and services in harvesting, processing and marketing this primary renewable resource, and they logically looked to FAO for such assistance.
229. Against this background, the Conference reviewed the work of FAO on fishery development, a complicated procedure involving co-ordination of biological, oceanographic, technological and economic programs.
Direction and balance of program
230. The Conference noted with approval that the proposed 1962-63 program on fisheries established a good and desirable balance between the biological, technological and economic programs, which should be preserved.
231. The Conference commented favorably on the worldwide fisheries meetings convened by the Organization, but suggested that they should, in future, be scheduled only as necessary to meet the needs for enquiry into the new advances in technical and scientific development. It also suggested that regional meetings be held in preparation for such world-wide meetings.
232. The Conference approved the proposal to create a Technical Intelligence and Reports Section by suitable readjustments in the Division and with no budgetary increase.
233. The Conference authorized and requested the Director-General, under Article VI.2 of the Constitution to establish an Advisory Committee on Marine Resource Research, as proposed in C 61/21, subject to a revision of paragraph 10 of that document to read:
234. The Conference wished to draw special attention to the value of the bibliographic services provided by FAO in fisheries biology and its usefulness to researchers in biology and oceanography, and strongly supported expansion of this activity and the distribution of such bibliographies to Member Governments.
235. Noting with appreciation that international meetings to exchange technical information on fishery biology and discuss future lines of research had been held, the Conference subscribed to the proposals to hold similar future international meetings, for example on hake and shrimp, subject to the availability of funds, and also urged that a symposium on freshwater fish culture be held in 1964. The results of such meetings need to be distributed immediately to laboratory and other workers. Extended delays experienced in the past had been mainly due to lack of funds and personnel: in this connection, the Conference commended the increased use of new and less costly reproduction processes.
236. The Conference noted the excellent co-ordination between FAO and the older well-established research and regulatory organizations such as the International Commission for the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries (ICNAF) and the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). It recommended that, because of recent very large programs initiated by member and nonmember countries in oceanographic research, FAO should institute close working relations with the newly established Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) to ensure that the fisheries aspects of oceanography are properly integrated with the physical, chemical and other aspects. The proposed FAO Advisory Committee on Marine Resources Research might well be useful in advising IOC in this respect. The Conference noted that the Subcommittee on Oceanography of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) furnished a means, at secretarial level, of ensuring proper co-ordination in the execution of the program of the United Nations specialized agencies and that ad hoc co-operation had already been established and would be continued. The Conference recommended that the Director-General of FAO should invite working parties and expert panels of IOC to use the facilities of the Fisheries Division. The Conference further recommended that during the ensuing biennium the possibility be explored of holding a world symposium on fisheries oceanography during the 1964-65 biennium.
237. With regard to the important problem of water pollution, the Conference noted with approval the Organization's work with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) on the subject and with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on radioactive pollution of fresh and marine waters, and also the work planned on water pollution by the European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission (EIFAC). Particular attention was called to the pollution of inland and estuarine waters through the extended use of pesticides. This was considered especially critical, since it adversely affects the breeding and nursery grounds of many commercially important species of fish and shellfish. The Conference stressed the need for the Fisheries Division to take an active part in the FAO program on the use of pesticides.
238. In recognizing that the practical application of technological research was a primary activity of FAO in this field, the Conference recommended that among other things FAO should provide more assistance in fishery product development, especially in effecting improvements in the use of traditional methods. Attention also needs to be given to the use of icing techniques and other preservation methods. The Conference approved the establishment of one new post to strengthen the Fish Processing Section.
239. Noting the useful recommendations made by the International Conference on Fish in Nutrition, held in Washington in September 1961 and in which experts in the biological, technological and economic disciplines of fisheries participated, the Conference urged the Director-General to consider implementing those recommendations in future programs, if possible. Recommendations of particular importance are (a) one concerning a symposium on the role of fundamental research in the successful utilization of fishery products, (b) one for the establishment of a group of experts to evaluate the potential productivity of aquatic resources from the world oceans, and (c) another relating to the education and training of fishermen, fish handlers and processors.
240. The importance of training centers was stressed by the Conference, which called on member countries to take advantage of the opportunities afforded under EPTA in this respect.
241. The Conference noted that one of the most important results of the highly successful International Meeting on Fish Meal held in Rome in March 1961 was a group of recommendations to initiate action programs by fishery technologists and economists in co-operation with Nutrition Division for the testing and promotion of fish protein concentrates for human consumption. The Conference noted with satisfaction that the Thirty -Sixth Session of the Council had given strong approval for such action programs and urged the Director-General to proceed with them as expeditiously as possible under the Freedom from Hunger Campaign. The active participation of WHO, UNICEF, and other United Nations organizations and of industry in the testing and promotional aspects is necessary to bring together all the skills needed to conduct successful programs. There would be no Regular Budget implications.
242. The Conference commended the work on research vessel and fishing boat designs and suggested that stability criteria should take into account the conditions under which fishermen operate. It recommended that FAO continue to co-operate with the Inter-governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) in the field of safety of fishing vessels.
243. It also noted the usefulness of handbooks and bibliographies issued, the work done in the training of fishermen, and the studies conducted on improved fishing gear. It approved the holding of an International Fishing Gear Congress in 1963 and recommended that special attention be given by the Organization to the general problem of coastal facilities as they relate to the establishment and improvement of fish harbors.
244. The Conference took note of the very wide range of subjects covered in this field, and approved the creation of two new sections to replace the former Fishery Institutions and Services Section. This, it was hoped, would enable the Organization to cope better with the demands of member countries for advice and assistance on matters relating to fishery institutions and enterprises and to fishery administration and services.
245. The Conference approved the holding of a world meeting on fishery administration in the 1964-65 biennium and asked the Director-General to undertake preparatory work for it in the ensuing biennium. The Conference also recommended that a series of regional meetings be held prior to convening the world meeting.
246. The Conference recommended strengthening the work on institutions and enterprises. In many developing countries fishery co-operatives constitute a principal means of fishery development for the individual fishermen. However, the Conference noted that efforts should also be directed toward the encouragement of other means e.g. by bringing together interested investors and fish producers and processors in need of financial assistance.
247. The Conference noted that, while fishery development - now proceeding at a rapid pace must be based on sound biological and technological programs, it also depended, in the final analysis, on economic factors which needed greater attention than they had received in the past.
248. The ultimate objective of all fishery development is to make available fishery products in acceptable form to all consumers at prices that the consumer can afford and at the same time enable fishery enterprises to operate economically. The Conference urged both FAO and member countries to co-ordinate the economic, technological and biological aspects of fishery development. This applies equally to developed and developing countries.
249. The Conference recommended that more attention be given to providing bibliographic and other reference materials (for example, handbooks, lists of wholesale markets, etc.) in the economics field, where such services are almost nonexistent.
250. Stress was also laid on the need for supplying member countries with detailed statistics, especially on price, consumption, and production trends, and on fishery commodities which may assume critical importance from time to time. Among these are fish meal, fish oil, shrimp and tuna.
251. The work accomplished by the Regional Fisheries Officers in Europe, in the Near East, Africa, the Far East and Latin America and of the Regional Fisheries Councils and Commissions was reviewed. The assistance given to various governments was highly appreciated.
252. Attention was also drawn to the Regional Fisheries Commission for Western Africa and the contemplated Regional Fisheries Advisory Commission for the Southwest Atlantic.
Food consumption and planning
Food science and technology
Applied nutrition
Home economics
Staff
Additional items of work
Long-term outlook
253. The Conference reviewed the nutrition program in relation to needs and on a functional basis. It noted with satisfaction the progress made in implementing commitments and the approach adopted in developing a program for 1962-63.
254. The Conference noted with approval that the basic activities in this field were being continued on the established lines of (a) collection and appraisal of data on levels and patterns of food consumption in relation to nutritional needs and (b) development of national policies and plans to raise levels of nutrition, and that the progress made would be still further accelerated. The meetings on nutrition in food policy and planning held in Asia and the Far East and in other regions and the inclusion of nutrition in FAO surveys, particularly in Africa, were recognized as essential steps in making people aware of the importance of nutrition in national food policies. The Conference stressed the need for further research on the essential needs in calories and nutrients of various sections of population, living and working under different conditions. The Conference recommended that nutritional considerations should be taken fully into account in all activities related to agricultural and economic planning. It also emphasized the importance of ensuring that nutritional considerations should be taken into account in surplus utilization and that necessary financial provision should be made for this purpose from the funds available for surplus utilization.
255. While approving the current and proposed activities of the Organization under the broad heads of (a) preservation of food both by modern and traditional methods, (b) the development of protein-rich foods, and (c) food additives, the Conference noted certain new and potentially important trends of development: practical projects developed under the United Nations Special Fund in the application of food science and technology; development of protein-rich foods; and food standards.
256. The Conference noted with satisfaction the formation of the FAO/UNICEF/ WHO Protein Advisory Group to co-ordinate work on the development and consumption of protein-rich foods. It also noted that the staff resources were insufficient to accelerate the expansion of the protein-rich foods program.
257. The Conference approved the plans to continue activities in training in food technology through regional centers. It also welcomed the development of the FAO/ WHO program on food additives.
Codex Alimentarius
258. The Joint FAO/ WHO Program on Food Standards aims at simplifying and integrating food standards work now carried on by many international organizations and at providing an effective mechanism for obtaining government acceptances of these standards, together with their publication in a Codex Alimentarius.
259. The Conference felt that these aims could best be achieved by establishing a Codex Alimentarius Commission open to all interested Member Nations of FAO and WHO, which would incorporate and take over the present European Council of the Codex Alimentarius. Such Commission would have as primary tasks the determination of priorities and the allocation of preparatory work on each standard to the best qualified outside technical body, e.g. the International Commission for Agricultural Industries (CIIA) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), specialized non-governmental organizations. Such outside technical body would submit a draft to the Commission for finalization government level, following the well-tried methods introduced by the Code of principles concerning milk and milk products.
260. The Conference believed that the present duplication of effort and publication of conflicting standards could thus be avoided, and that substantial economies in time, work and outlay would result. At the same time, the program would provide an appropriate instrument for handling the rapidly growing demands for work in this field.
261. The Conference was nonetheless aware of the difficulties involved in the establishment of international food standards and called the attention of the proposed Codex Alimentarius Commission to the need to consider the special requirements of individual regions.
262. The Conference noted that existing FAO work on food standards would gradually be integrated into the new joint program. It was understood that in so doing, care would be taken to avoid adversely affecting the methods and progress of the Code of principles concerning milk and milk products. Work on pesticide residue problems under the joint program would depend upon recommendations to be made by the special Conference on the Use of Pesticides referred to in paragraph 161 of this report.
263. The Conference adopted the following resolution:
RESOLUTION No. 12/61
Codex Alimentarius
THE CONFERENCE
Considering the rapidly growing importance of internationally accepted food standards as a means of protecting consumer and producer in all countries, whatever their stage of development, and of effectively reducing trade barriers,
Recognizing the need to simplify and integrate international food standards work so as to avoid duplication and conflicting standards and to effect economies in effort and outlay,
Desiring to achieve these aims and to harmonize the special requirements of regional markets with those of the international food trade in general, and
Conscious of the importance of the role of the World Health Organization (WHO) in all health aspects of food standards work,
Endorses the proposals, submitted by the Director-General on the request of the First FAO Regional
Conference for Europe, for a Joint FAO/WHO Program on Food Standards (C 61/53);
Decides to establish, in accordance with Article VI of the Constitution, a Codex Alimentarius Commission, whose statutes are set out in Appendix D;
Urges all interested Member Nations to contribute to the special trust fund by which, subject to review by the Twelfth Session of the Conference, the program will be financed, and to consult with the Director-General as to the amount of their contribution; and
Requests the Director-General:
(a) to draw to the attention of the Director-General of WHO the importance attached to an early endorsement by that Organization of the present proposals for a Joint FAO/ WHO Program on Food Standards,
(b) to implement the program as soon as sufficient funds have been received and, in consultation with the Director-General of WHO, to call the first, session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission if possible by June 1962.
264. Agreeing as to the strong need for developing integrated programs of nutritional improvement in the regions mostly concerned, the Conference approved the greatly increased activities of the Organization aimed at the development of education in nutrition, the training of personnel, organization of national nutrition services and the promotion of supplementary feeding programs. The Conference took note with satisfaction of the growth of new national nutrition organizations, new approaches aiming at improving nutrition at the village level through the co-ordinated efforts of different agencies working at that level, and the measures taken to assist in the production of nutrition textbooks and in school feeding programs and on the development and utilization of cheap protein-rich foods.
265. In particular, the Conference wished (a) that a prominent place be given to nutrition as well as home economics in the proposed FAO special program of agricultural education and training in Africa, (b) that the proposed joint FAO/WHO training seminar in nutrition in Asia and the Far East be undertaken, in view of the great need for improved nutrition in that region, and (c) that greater assistance be given for the development of permanent nutrition training facilities in Latin America, Africa and the Far East in pursuance of a recent joint FAO/WHO/UNICEF survey of nutrition training facilities and needs in a number of countries in those regions. Training in nutrition should occupy' an important place in the long-term program in all countries.
266. The Conference noted with satisfaction the progress made in the various fields of home economics work and education at different levels. It emphasized the importance of field programs bearing on the improvement of the rural family, community welfare, home management and nutrition, housing and child care. While endorsing the efforts being made to increase trained personnel in a number of countries, the Conference drew special attention to the opportunities for collaboration with UNICEF, the United Nations Bureau of Social Affairs and WHO in the fields of maternal and child nutrition and other aspects of family welfare. It also stressed the need for more research in various aspects of home economics and a wider exchange of findings. The Conference was of the opinion that the findings of certain studies carried out by FAO on the role of social workers and home economists should be fully utilized in developing programs in countries with a shortage of specialists in various family services.
267. Recognizing the steadily increasing nutrition work of the Organization, both at headquarters and in the field, the Conference approved the proposed six additional professional posts in the 1962-63 budget. The new posts would barely permit the Nutrition Division to carry out its functions efficiently and should the expansion of activities continue at the current rate, several more staff members would be needed even during 1964-65 if the work was not to suffer.
268. The Conference recommended that the following additional programs be undertaken to the extent indicated against each:
Regional food and nutrition commissions
269. The Director-General should proceed to set up, in conformity with the relevant rules and procedure, a regional food and nutrition commission as recommended by the FAO/WHO/CCTA Fourth Inter-African Conference on Nutrition held at Douala (Cameroun) to co-ordinate all aspects of work on nutrition in Africa including the promotion of training and research. The FAO Regional Office in Accra, strengthened by two additional staff members included in the 1962-63 budget should find it possible to service the Commission in co operation with the WHO Regional Office. Additional assistance, if any, would be a logical demand on the regional EPTA program and should be examined in the 1963-64 biennium. The Conference supported in principle the establishment of similar commissions in other regions where the need for such commissions is recognized by the governments concerned and the necessary funds can be obtained.
RESOLUTION No. 13/61
Establishment of regional food and nutrition commission for
Africa
THE CONFERENCE
Considering the importance of nutrition in economic and social development plans and the need for finding solutions to nutritional problems at national and regional levels,
Recognizing the mutual benefit to countries from a regular exchange of information gained from research in applied nutrition programs now in operation in many countries, and
Reaffirming the need for concerted and co-ordinated action within the region,
Approves in principle the creation of regional food and nutrition commissions, at the request of the governments concerned; and in particular,
Having examined the recommendation of the Fourth Inter-African Food and Nutrition Conference regarding the establishment of such a commission in Africa, and
Recognizing that the said commission would be serviced by FAO staff members to be stationed in Africa and in co-operation with the WHO Regional Office, and that any additional assistance would be a logical demand on the regional Expanded Program of Technical Assistance in the 1963-64 biennium,
Requests the Director-General to set up, in conformity with the relevant rules and procedure, a regional food and nutrition commission for Africa, in co-operation with the World Health Organization and the Commission for Technical Co-operation in Africa, and in consultation with the governments in the region.
Dissemination of information
270. The Conference recommended that the steadily accumulating wealth of information amassed in the Nutrition Division should be brought to the notice of interested workers through the Member Governments, national FAO committees and national nutritional organizations, by the issue of a periodical annotated list of the available publications and reports. The Conference hoped that, despite the heavy workload, an attempt would be made to give effect to this recommendation during the coming biennium.
Home economics advisory group
271. The Conference recommended that a standing advisory group on long-term program planning and development in home economics be established and that it be convened during the ensuing biennium within the resources of the Division; otherwise steps should be taken to convene it in the 1964-65 biennium.
272. The Conference agreed that in developing the future program of work the following considerations should have special emphasis:
1. the role of nutrition in economic development and
planning;
2. the importance of training and education; and
3. increasing liaison with other organizations and within
FAO.
273. The Conference expressed its appreciation of both the volume of work and the consistently high professional standard maintained throughout the Economics Department.
274. The Conference noted the extent of the regular program of work and the additional work proposed. It also offered some guidance on the general direction of the work to be undertaken in future years. The Conference stressed the importance of strengthening the work in the developing countries and especially in the African region. It emphasized the need to train local experts and to improve the collection, preparation and dissemination of basic data, particularly in the developing countries. The Conference noted with approval the assurance given by the Director-General that the scope for increasing this work by making savings in some of the other work of the Department would be examined. Some possible realignment of the work was suggested in order to release resources for the needed additional work indicated above. Some delegations thought that there might be some overlapping between the three Divisions of the Department. It was noted, however, that the Director-General would do his utmost to avoid all such duplication.
275. The Conference urged FAO to encourage Member Governments to assume more responsibility for the analysis of their internal commodity, economic and statistical problems in agriculture, wherever possible, either directly or through the use of appropriate technical assistance experts, in order to reduce some of the load on the Department.
276. The Conference's comments on the current work, the proposed program of work and the future trends are set out below on a divisional basis.
Contents
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