Appendixes

Appendix A - Agenda
Appendix B - List of participants
Appendix C - List of documents
Appendix D - Accra declaration on a sound environment for sustainable development in Africa
Appendix E - Speech by his excellency, flight lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings chairman of the provisional national defence council (PNDC)
Appendix F - Statement by the director-general
Appendix G - Vote of thanks

Appendix A - Agenda

I. INTRODUCTORY ITEMS

1. Inaugural Ceremony
2. Election of the Chairman, Vice-Chairmen and Appointment of the Rapporteur
3. Adoption of the Agenda and Timetable

II. STATEMENTS

4. Statement by the Director-General
5. Country Statements and General Debate on the Food and Agriculture Situation in the Region
6. Report on FAO Activities in the Region 1990-91

III. SELECTED ISSUES OF AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

7. Implementation of the Programme of Action of the WCARRD

8. Sustainable Agriculture and Environment

9. Representation of the Region in the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)

10. Update on ICN Preparations

IV. CONCLUDING ITEMS

11. Any other Business
12. Date and Place of the Eighteenth Regional Conference for Africa
13. Adoption of the Conference Report
14. Closure of the Conference

Appendix B - List of participants

ANNEXE B - LISTE DES PARTICIPANTS

OFFICERS OF THE CONFERENCE
BUREAU DE LA CONFERENCE

Chairman Président	Ibrahim ADAM (Ghana)
Vice-Chairmen Vice-Présidents	Louis NDUWIMANA (Burundi) Themba N. MASUKA (Swaziland)
Rapporteur	Aasefa YILALA (Ethiopia)
Independent Chairman of the Council Président indépendant du Conseil	Antoine SAINTRAINT

MEMBER NATIONS IN THE REGION
ETATS MEMBRES DE LA REGION

ALGERIA - ALGERIE

Délégué

Ahmed BOUAKANE
Ministère de l'agriculture
Alger

Suppléants

Abdelkader BRAHIMI
Ambassadeur
Ambassade d'Algérie
Accra

Sadok MATALLAH
Directeur de l'Organisation et de la production agricole
Ministère de l'agriculture
Alger

ANGOLA

Délégué

Benjamin Alvarault CASTELLO
Vice-Ministre de l'agriculture
Luanda

Suppléants

João Batista MAWETE
Ambassadeur et Représentant permanent auprès de la FAO
Rome

Kiala Kia MATEVA
Chef de Département de la coopération et des relations internationales
Ministère de l'agriculture
Luanda

Pedro Augustinho KANGA
Conseiller
Représentant permanent adjoint auprès de la FAO
Rome

BENIN

Délégué

Mama ADAMOU-N'DIAYE
Ministre du développement rural et de l'action coopérative
Cotonou

Suppléants

Imorou SALE
Directeur de l'agriculture
Ministère du développement rural et de l'action coopérative
Cotonou

André D. GANMANVO
Directeur de l'analyse, de la prévision et de la synthèse
Ministère du développement rural
Cotonou

BOTSWANA

Delegate

Kebatlamang MORAKE
Minister of Agriculture
Gaborone

Alternates

Thomas Madubeng TAUKOBONG
Deputy Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Agriculture
Gaborone

Atamelang Anthony MOKGARE
Principal Agricultural Economist
Ministry of Agriculture
Gaborone

BURKINA FASO

Délégué

Jean-Paul SAWADOGO
Ministre de l'agriculture et des ressources animales
Ouagadougou

Suppléants

Bruno M. ZIDOUEMBA
Ambassadeur et Représentant permanent auprès de la FAO
Rome

Ousmane TONTOROGOBO
Correspondant national du CILSS
Responsable du Plan céréalier
Ministère de l'agriculture et des ressources animales
Ouagadougou

Alfred SAWADOGO
Nutritionniste
Ministère de l'agriculture et des ressources animales
Ouagadougou

Jospeh ZONGO
Ministère de l'environnement et du tourisme
Ouagadougou

BURUNDI

Délégué

Louis NDUWIMANA
Ministre de l'aménagement, du tourisme et de l'environnement
Bujumbura

Suppléants

Louis BIRIZANYE
Ambassadeur
Ambassade de la République du Burundi
Rome

Vital BARANYITONDEYE
Directeur général de la vulgarisation
Ministère de l'agriculture et de l'élevage
Bujumbura

CAMEROON - CAMEROUN

Délégué

Daway ROUI
Secrétaire d'Etat à l'agriculture
Ministère de l'agriculture
Yaoundé

Suppléants

Daniel-Emile DANG MEKOULA
Secrétaire permanent du Comité de gestion FAO/PAM
Ministère de l'agriculture
Yaoundé

Kameni Roger FOTEU
Chef, Service des études et statistiques forestières
Coordonnateur du PAFT/Cameroun
Ministère de l'environnement et des forêts
Yaoundé

Thomas YANGA
Deuxième Conseiller
Représentant permanent suppléant auprès de la FAO
Rome

Benjamin NAMI
Directeur d'agriculture
Ministère de l'agriculture
Yaoundé

CAPE VERDE - CAP-VERT

Délégué

José Antonio P. MONTEIRO
Secrétaire d'Etat de l'agriculture
Ministère des pêches, de l'agriculture et de l'animation rurale
Praia

Suppléants

Aguinaldo LISBOA RAMOS
Représentant permanent auprès de la FAO
Rome

Mme Adelaïde RIBEIRO
Technicien supérieur
Ministère des pêches, de l'agriculture et de l'animation rurale
Praia

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - REPUBLIQUE CENTRAFRICAINE

Délégué

Casimir AMAKPIO
Ministre du développement rural
Ministère du développement rural
Bangui

Suppléant

Moïse DENISSIO
Coordonnateur
Ministère du développement rural
Bangui

CHAD - TCHAD

Délégué

Bichara CHERIF DAOUSSA
Directeur général
Ministère de l'agriculture
N'Djamena

COMOROS - COMORES

CONGO

Délégué

Michel MOMBOULI
Chargé d'affaires, a.i.
Ambassade de la République du Congo
Rome

COTE D'IVOIRE

Délégué

Kouassi Lambert KONAN
Ministre de l'agriculture et des ressources animales
Abidjan

Suppléants

Kouassi Martin YAO
Directeur général de l'agriculture
Abidjan

Bernard NZORE
Directeur de la programmation
Ministère de l'agriculture et des ressources animales
Abidjan

Koffi Germain N'DRI
Ministère de l'agriculture
Abidjan

Daniel Yoman KONAN
Conseiller
Représentant permanent adjoint auprès de la FAO
Rome

Eugène Mathias EBEQUOI
Premier Secrétaire
Ambassade de la République de Côte d'Ivoire
Accra

Koyeman TOBOKOUE
Chargé d'affaires
Ambassade de la République de Côte d'Ivoire
Accra

EQUATORIAL GUINEA - GUINEE EQUATORIALE

ETHIOPIA - ETHIOPIE

Delegate

Awetahegne ALEMAYEHU
Vice-Minister for Agriculture
Ministry of Agriculture, Environmental Protection and Development
Addis Ababa

Alternates

Leulseged ASFAW
Head of Planning and Programming Department
Ministry of Agriculture, Environmental Protection and Development
Addis Ababa

Assefa YILALA
Counsellor
Alternate Permanent Representative to FAO
Rome

GABON

Délégué

Max Mebale OBAME
Secrétaire d'Etat auprès du Ministre de l'agriculture, de l'élevage et du développement rural
Libreville

Suppléants

Eugène MIAME-OBAME
Secrétaire général permanent de la Commission nationale de la FAO
Libreville

Charles MBOUROU
Secrétaire principal du Comité agriculture de la Commission de la FAO
Libreville

GAMBIA - GAMBIE

Delegate

Omar A. JALLOW
Minister for Agriculture
Banjul

Alternate

Yaya JALLOW
Permanent Secretary Ministry of Agriculture
Banjul

GHANA

Delegates

Ibrahim ADAM
Secretary for Agriculture
Ministry of Agriculture
Accra

Dr A. M. LARYEA
Deputy Secretary for Agriculture
Accra

Alternates

John ABU
PNDC Secretary for Agriculture (Western Region)
Ministry of Agriculture

George ODARTEY
Ambassador and Permanent Representative to FAO
Rome

Victor ATSU-AHEDOR
Deputy Secretary for Agriculture (Volta Region)
Ho

Advisers

Francis OFORI
Director, Crop Services Department
Ministry of Agriculture
Accra

Marquaye ARMAH
Director, Fisheries Department
Ministry of Agriculture
Accra

Hilda TAMAKLOE
Regional Director of Agriculture (Western Region)
Sekondi

Joseph R. TURKSON
Minister Counsellor
Alternate Permanent Representative to FAO
Rome

Anna BARNES
University of Ghana
Legon

Kenneth K. TACHIE
Ministry of Agriculture
Accra

GUINEA - GUINEE

Délégué

Almamy Abdoulaye TRAORE
Ambassadeur, Représentant permanent auprès de la FAO
Rome

Suppléants

Lamine SOUMAH
Directeur du Bureau de stratégie et développement
Ministère de l'agriculture et des ressources animales
Conakry

Ansoumane SAGNO
Chef, Section Organismes spécialisés des Nations Unies
Ministère des affaires étrangères et de la coopération
Conakry

GUINEA-BISSAU - GUINEE-BISSAU

KENYA

LESOTHO

Delegate

J.L. DINGISWAYO
Minister for Agriculture, Cooperatives and Marketing
Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperatives and Marketing
Maseru

Alternates

Reid L. NTOKOANE
Principal Secretary
Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperatives and Marketing
Maseru

T.J. RAMOTSOARI
Director of Marketing
Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperatives and Marketing
Maseru

Bonang Lebohang THOAHLANE
Counsellor
Alternate Permanent Representative to FAO
Rome

LIBERIA

LIBYA - LIBYE

MADAGASCAR

MALAWI

Delegate

Francis KANGAUDE
Deputy Minister of Agriculture
Lilongwe

Alternates

Garbett THYANGATHYANGA
Controller of Agricultural Services
Ministry of Agriculture
Lilongwe

Wiseman BELO
Deputy Chief Forestry Officer
Ministry of Forestry and Natural Resources
Lilongwe

MALI

Délégué

Seydou Idrissa TRAORE
Ministre du développement rural et de l'environnement
Bamako

Suppléants

Mory COULIBALY
Conseiller technique
Ministère du développement rural et de l'environnement
Bamako

Alpha TANDIA
Conseiller
Ministère des relations extérieures
Bamako

MAURITANIA - MAURITANIE

Délégué

Cheikh Bouya DIEH
Ministère du développement rural et environnement
Nouakchott

MAURITIUS - MAURICE

Delegate

Murlidas DULLOO
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Resources
Port Louis

Alternate

Grish Gunraz GUNESH
Principal Assistant Secretary
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Resources
Port Louis

MOROCCO - MAROC

Délégué

Ahmed ALAOUI
Secrétaire général du Ministre de l'agriculture et de la réforme agraire
Rabat

Suppléant

Abdesselem ARIFI
Représentant permanent suppléant auprès de la FAO
Rome

MOZAMBIQUE

Delegate

Alexandre José ZANDAMELA
Minister for Agriculture
Maputo

Alternate

José PACHECO
National Director
Ministry of Agriculture
Maputo

NAMIBIA - NAMIBIE

Delegate

Kaire MBUENDE
Deputy Minister
Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development
Windhoek

Alternate

Vaino Povanhu SHIVUTE
Deputy Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development
Windhoek

NIGER

Délégué

Malam Boukar ABBA
Ministre de l'agriculture et de l'élevage
Niamey

Suppléant

Tassiou AMINOU
Directeur de l'agriculture
Ministère de l'agriculture et de l'élevage
Niamey

NIGERIA

Delegate

Alhaji Abubakar H. HASHIDU
Minister for Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Development
Abuja

Alternates

Alhaji M. MAI JIR
Director
Department of Planning, Research and Statistics
Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Development
Abuja

Hamisu M. IBRAHIM
Director
Department of Irrigation and Drainage
Federal Ministry of Agricultural, Water Resources and Rural Development
Abuja

Jalal A. ARABI
Personal Assistant to the Minister
Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Development
Abuja

Shaiko ANANDE-KUR
Director
Department of Agricultural Land Resources and Rural Development
Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Development
Abuja

Baba FADA
Deputy Director
Department of Agricultural Development
Ministry of Agriculture Water Resources and Rural Development
Abuja

Filibus BATURE
Minister
Permanent Representative to FAO
Rome

Lateef Abiudun OYEDE
First Secretary
Nigerian High Commission
Accra

RWANDA

Délégué

Frédéric NZAMURAMBAHO
Ministre de l'agriculture et de l'élevage
Kigali

Suppléant

Michel BAKUZAKUNDI
Ministre de l'agriculture et de l'élevage
Kigali

SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE - SAO TOME-ET-PRINCIPE

SENEGAL

Délégué

Cheickh Hamidou KANE
Ministre délégué auprès du Ministre du développement rural et de l'hydraulique
Dakar

Suppléants

Jacques DIOUF
Ambassadeur
Mission permanente aux Nations Unies
New York

Baba DIOUM
Conseiller
Ministère du développement rural et de l'hydraulique
Dakar

Ale NDIAYE
Conseiller technique
Présidence de la République
Dakar

Amadou Moustapha KAMARA
Directeur de l'agriculture
Ministère du développement rural et de l'hydraulique
Dakar

SEYCHELLES

SIERRA LEONE

Delegate

Major Abdul KARIM
Secretary of State for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery
Freetown

Alternates

Lamina FEIKA
Chief Agriculturist
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Freetown

Thomas M. KARGBO
Deputy Secretary (Projects)
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Freetown

SUDAN - SOUDAN

SWAZILAND

Delegate

Themba N. MASUKU
Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives
Mbabane

Alternates

Patrick K. LUKHELE
Director of Agriculture
Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives
Mbabane

Ms Chazile MAGONGO
Agricultural Economist
Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives
Mbabane

TANZANIA - TANZANIE

TOGO

Délégué

N'Koley KOFFI ABOTCHI
Ministre du développement rural
Lomé

Suppléants

Abékoué Marius DENKE
Directeur de l'élevage et des pêches
Ministère du développement rural
Lomé

Ekoué ASSIONGBON
Directeur général du développement rural
Lomé

Fousseni ADAM
Directeur national de la recherche agronomique
Ministère du développement rural
Lomé

Kangni Mawule AKAKPO
Directeur des productions forestières
Ministère du développement rural
Lomé

TUNISIA - TUNISIE

Délégué

Amor BEN ROMDHANE
Ministre plénipotentiaire
Représentant permanent auprès de la FAO
Rome

UGANDA - OUGANDA

ZAIRE - ZAIRE

ZAMBIA - ZAMBIE

Delegate

Russell MULELE
Director of Agriculture
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries
Lusaka

Adviser

Josias P. LUNGU
First Secretary
Alternate Permanent Representative to FAO
Rome

ZIMBABWE

OBSERVERS FROM MEMBER NATIONS NOT IN THE REGION
OBSERVATEURS DES PAYS MEMBRES QUI NE SONT PAS DE LA REGION

AUSTRALIA - AUSTRALIE

Oliver CORDELL
High Commissioner for Ghana
Lagos

EGYPT - EGYPTE

Youssef Ali Mahmoud HAMDI
Alternate Permanent Representative to FAO
Rome

FRANCE

Jean-Jacques COURTANT
Adjoint au Sous-Directeur du développement rural
Ministère de la coopération et du développement
Paris

NETHERLANDS - PAYS-BAS

Cornelius B. HOUTMAN
Head, General Policy and Multilateral Affairs Division
Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries
The Hague

SWITZERLAND - SUISSE

Rudolf DE POURTALES
Représentant permanent auprès de la FAO
Rome

UNITED STATES - ETATS-UNIS

E. Wayne DENNEY
International Relations Adviser
International Organizations Division
Office of International Cooperation and Development
Department of Agriculture
Washington, D.C.

Joseph B. GOODWIN
Director
Agency for International Development
Embassy of the United States of America
Accra

HOLY SEE - SAINT-SIEGE

Most Rev. Abraham KATTUMANA
Apostolic Pro-Nuncio
Accra

John Winston AYIVOR
Project Coordinator
Catholic Diocese
Accra

AFRICAN LIBERATION MOVEMENTS
MOUVEMENTS AFRICAINS DE LIBERATION

AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
CONGRES NATIONAL AFRICAIN

Ms Bongiwe NJOBE
Department of Economic Planning
Land Affairs Section
Johannesburg

PAN AFRICANIST CONGRESS OF AZANIA - CONGRES PANAFRICAIN D'AZANI

Monezi GCILISHE
Director
Department of Economic Affrais
Dar-es-Salaam

REPRESENTATIVES OF UNITED NATIONS AND SPECIALIZED AGENCIES
REPRESENTANTS DES NATIONS UNIES ET INSTITUTIONS SPECIALISEES

UNITED NATIONS - NATIONS UNIES

E.P. PALLANGYO
Chief, Policy and Planning Section
Joint ECA/FAO Agriculture Division
Addis Ababa

B. MESSIN
Chief Technical Adviser
ILO/UNDP Project
Accra

UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP) - PROGRAMME DES NATIONS UNIES POUR LE DEVELOPPEMENT (PNUD)

Solomon S.O. AKPATA
Resident Representative
Accra

Fitzgerald FRANCIS
Principal Economist
Accra

Andrews TAYLOR
Assistant Resident Representative
Accra

Ms Claudette WALKER
Assistant Resident Representative
Accra

UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME (UNEP) - PROGRAMME DES NATIONS UNIES POUR L'ENVIRONNEMENT (PNUE)

Maria da Graça DE AMORIN
Director, Regional Office for Africa
Nairobi

James KAMARA
Programme Officer
Nairobi

UNITED NATIONS POPULATION FUND (UNFPA) - FONDS DE POPULATION DES NATIONS UNIES (FNUAP)

Ian HOWIE
Country Director
Accra

UNITED NATIONS INFORMATION CENTRE (UNIC) - CENTRE D'INFORMATION DES NATIONS UNIES (CINU)

Polyakov VLADIMIR
Director
Accra

OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR)
HAUT COMMISSAIRE DES NATIONS UNIES POUR LES REFUGIES (HCR)

Fridolin TEPE-MENSAH
Counsellor
Accra

WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME (WFP)
PROGRAMME ALIMENTAIRE MONDIAL (PAM)

Ms Catherine BERTINI
Executive Director
Rome

Tesema NEGASH
Director of Operations/Ghana
Accra

UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL. SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION (Unesco)
ORGANISATION DES NATIONS UNIES POUR L'EDUCATION, LA SCIENCE ET LA CULTURE (Unesco)

Elizabeth WANGARI
Regional Advisor
Environmental and Ecological Sciences
Dakar

WORLD BANK - BANQUE MONDIALE

Chandrashekhar RANADE
Senior Agricultural Economist
Resident Mission
Accra

INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF)
FONDS MONETAIRE INTERNATIONAL (FMI)

Iqbal ZAIDI
Resident Representative
Accra

INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT (IFAD)
FONDS INTERNATIONAL DE DEVELOPPEMENT AGRICOLE (FIDA)

Y. BOUARFA
Chief, Africa Division
Rome

UNITED NATIONS INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION (UNIDO)
ORGANISATION DES NATIONS UNIES POUR LE DEVELOPPEMENT INDUSTRIEL (ONUDI)

David TOMMY
Representative in Nigeria
Lagos

OBSERVERS FROM INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
OBSERVATEURS D'ORGANISATIONS INTERGOUVERNEMENTALES

AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (ADB)
BANQUE AFRICAINE DE DEVELOPPEMENT (BAD)

Emmanuel K. N. MPANDE
Agricultural Economist
Abidjan

AFRICAN OIL PALM DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (AFOPDA)
ASSOCIATION AFRICAINE POUR LE DEVELOPPEMENT DU PALMIER A HUILE (AADPH)

Nama Boniface BRITTO
Président
Ministère de l'agriculture
Abidjan

Baudelaire HOUSINOU SOUROU
Secrétaire exécutif
Abidjan

Clovis Pierre BONNY
Ministère de l'agriculture
Abidjan

AFRO-ASIAN RURAL RECONSTRUCTION ORGANIZATION (AARRO)
ORGANISATION AFRO-ASIATIQUE POUR LA RECONSTRUCTION RURALE (OASRR)

Ahmed KHALIL
Secretary General
New Delhi

ARAB BANK FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICA (BADEA)
BANQUE ARABE POUR LE DEVELOPPEMENT ECONOMIQUE EN AFRIQUE (BADLA)

Mohamed ABU-SAMRA
Chief, Legal Division
Khartoum

INTERSTATE SCHOOL FOR SUPERIOR TECHNICAL TRAINING IN HYDRAULIC AND RURAL EQUIPMENT
ECOLE INTER-ETATS DES TECHNICIENS SUPERIEURS DE L'HYDRAULIQUE ET DE L'EQUIPEMENT RURAL

Bernard CAVAILLE
Directeur général
Ouagadougou

M. Jerôme DJEGUI
Directeur des études et de la recherche
Ouagadougou

INTERNATIONAL OFFICE OF EPIZOOTICS
OFFICE INTERNATIONAL DES EPIZOOTIES

Josiah K. TAYLOR
Acting Director
Animal Health and Production Department
Ministry of Agriculture
Accra

ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY (OAU)
ORGANISATION DE L'UNITE AFRICAINE (OUA)

Idris M. NUR
Head of Natural Resources Division
Addis Ababa

PREFERENTIAL TRADE AREA FOR EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICAN STATES
ZONE D'ECHANGES PREFERENTIELLE POUR L'AFRIQUE ORIENTALE ET AUSTRALE

Joel O. ONG'IRO
Director of Agriculture Division
Lusaka

WEST AFRICA RICE DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (WARDA)
ASSOCIATION POUR LE DEVELOPPEMENT DE LA RIZICULTURE EN AFRIQUE DE L'OUEST (ADRAO)

Sitapha DIATTA
Soil Scientist
Bouaké

WORLD UNION OF CATHOLIC WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS
UNION MONDIALE DES ORGANISATIONS FEMININES CATHOLIQUES

Mrs Florence E. DOVLO
President
National Council of Catholic
Accra

WORLD FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS (WFTU)
FEDERATION SYNDICALE MONDIALE (FSM)

Djibril DIOP
Secrétaire général de l'Union des travailleurs du Sénégal
Dakar

OBSERVERS FROM NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
OBSERVATEURS DES ORGANISATIONS NON GOUVERNEMENTALES

CENTRE FOR INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA (CIRDAFRICA)
CENTRE DE DEVELOPPEMENT RURAL INTEGRE POUR L'AFRIQUE (CDRIA)

Abdelmoneim ELSHEIKH
Director
Tanzania

Alphonse GOMBE
Head of Training & Education
Tanzania

INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF FREE TRADE UNIONS
CONFEDERATION INTERNATIONALE DES SYNDICATS LIBRES

Harry DANZERL
Director
Brussels

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVE ALLIANCE (ICA)
ALLIANCE COOPERATIVE INTERNATIONALE (ACI)

Vincent LUBASI
Regional Director
Regional Office for East, Central and Southern Africa
Moshi

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION FOR HOME ECONOMICS (IFHE)
FEDERATION INTERNATIONALE POUR L'ECONOMIE FAMILIALE (FIEP)

Mme Florence DOVLO
Former Vice-President
Paris

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF PLANTATION. AGRICULTURAL AND ALLIED WORKERS
FEDERATION INTERNATIONALE DES TRAVAILLEURS DES PLANTATIONS, DE L'AGRICULTURE ET DES SECTEURS CONNEXES

Harry DANZERL
Vice-President
Accra

INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NUTRITIONAL SCIENCES
UNION INTERNATIONALE DES SCIENCES DE LA NUTRITION

R. ORRACA-TETTEH
University of Ghana
Nutrition and Food Science Department
Accra

ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN TRADE UNION UNITY
ORGANISATION DE L'UNITE SYNDICALE AFRICAINE

Br Augustin MUJYAMBERE
Treasurer General
Accra

WORLD FEDERATION OF DEMOCRATIC YOUTH
FEDERATION MONDIALE DE LA JEUNESSE DEMOCRATIQUE

Philip Sinbad ABEKA
Acting Regional Coordinator for the Council
Accra

CONFERENCE SECRETARIAT
SECRETARIAT DE LA CONFERENCE

M. OKAI	Conference Secretary
W.Q.B. WEST	Conference Affairs Officer
A. FAYOSSEWO	Reports Officer
P. FOUDA-ONAMBELE	Information Officer

FAO STAFF
FONCTIONNAIRES DE LA FAO

Edouard SAOUMA	Director-General
R.T. N'DAW	Assistant Director-General, Regional Representative for Africa, RAFR
H. DE HAEN	Assistant Director-General, AG
J. LUPIEN	Director, ESN
J. TCHICAYA	Chief, Regional Bureau for Africa, DDFA
M. DTAVI	Senior Officer, (Production Structure), ESHL
S.B. TSCHIRLEY	Environment Programme Officer, ACRE

Appendix C - List of documents

ARC/92/1	Provisional Annotated Agenda
ARC/92/2	Report on FAO Activities in the Region 1990-91
ARC/92/2-Sup. 1	FAO Medium-Term Plan 1994-99 - Regional Dimensions
ARC/92/3	Implementation of the Programme of Action of the WCARRD
ARC/92/4	Sustainable Agriculture and Environment
ARC/92/5	Representation of the Region on the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)
INF Series
ARC/92/INF/1	Information Note
ARC/92/INF/2	Provisional Timetable
ARC/92/INF/3	Provisional List of Documents
ARC/92/INF/4	Preparation for the International Conference on Nutrition (ICN) - Progress Report
ARC/92/INF/5	Action Taken on the Main Recommendations of the Sixteenth Regional Conference
ARC/92/INF/6	Director-General's Statement
ARC/92/INF/7	Fourth International Technical Conference for the Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources

Appendix D - Accra declaration on a sound environment for sustainable development in Africa

We, African Ministers of Agriculture, Rural Development and Natural Resources, gathered in Accra, Republic of Ghana, from 20 to 24 July 1992 for the Seventeenth FAO Regional Conference for Africa,

- conscious of the responsibility vested in us by our Heads of State and our peoples to ensure sufficient agricultural, forestry and fishery production to meet the needs of our ever-growing populations, without compromising the production capacity of the resource base;

- considering the specific situation of the African continent where people are overexploiting and degrading two vital natural resources - the soil and plant cover - while other available natural resources remain under - or poorly-exploited - water, energy, certain minerals, animal and human resources;

- endorsing the conclusions and recommendations of the Harare Declaration on the food crisis in Africa; of the study "African Agriculture, the Next 25 Years"; of the FAO/Netherlands Conference on Sustainable Agriculture and the Environment; and Development recently held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil);

- convinced that the sustainable development of agriculture needs to be viewed from a holistic perspective that integrates economic, ecological and social approaches and takes into account gender-based roles;

- convinced of the effectiveness of FAO's Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) and of coordinated actions and contributions, as in the case of the eradication of the New World Screwworm in Africa;

- recognizing the contribution already made by FAO and by the international community and international organizations, particularly through special programmes for Africa;

- concerned about the worsening food and nutrition situation, further aggravated by natural disasters (drought, desertification and pest infestation), the external debt burden, unfavourable terms of trade and unrelenting population growth;

Solemnly affirm our determination to implement the recommendations and conclusions of this Declaration and thus ensure sustainable growth and development.

We solemnly appeal for the mobilization, before it is too late, of all the Continent's internal resources at all levels (local, provincial, national, sub-regional, regional) so that AFRICA CAN EVENTUALLY FEED ITS PEOPLE WITHOUT CONTINUING TO DESTROY ITS LAND BASE and to suffer important loss of human life.

We are convinced that the individual and collective achievement of this COMMON PRIORITY OBJECTIVE calls for an effective commitment on the part of our people and our governments, and therefore the implementation of the sound decisions included in the Lagos Plan of Action in 1980, particularly the allocation of significant national budgetary resources to agriculture and the orientation of a substantial share of internal and external investment the promotion of sustainable, viable and socially-acceptable agriculture.

In this long-term quest for survival development, we undertake to initiate actions with our own forces, in the knowledge that we can count on the moral and material support of the peoples and governments of countries that are our friends, and of the international organizations.

To this end, we are appealing to FAO and the donor community to mobilize new and additional resources to bolster our national efforts, particularly in the following areas:

a. the conservation and protection of natural resources for sustainable development, notably through a revision of agrarian legislation and land tenure and production structures to awaken the people's concern for soil conservation and rehabilitation;

b. food security, notably through the implementation of the African recommendations at the International Conference on Nutrition, and through the launching of new special programmes and funds for Africa;

c. the effective participation of rural communities, and particularly women and the young, in decisions relating to investment, producer price policies, agricultural input prices etc.;

d. the development of a sub-regional and regional approach to issues that transcend national boundaries or that permit significant economies of scale, in particular the harnessing of the water and energy resources of the numerous transnational river basins, the production of inputs and the management of post-harvest activities including agricultural commodity processing, storage and marketing;

e. the development of technologies (the manufacture of implements, irrigation equipment and materials, etc.) adapted to the situation and needs of African farmers and to environmental protection;

f. national capacity building;

g. intra-regional cooperation, particularly in communications, infrastructure, trade and agricultural fairs.

We, therefore, adopt this ACCRA DECLARATION ON A SOUND ENVIRONMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA, in the sincere belief that its objective will be achieved by our Governments and our Peoples, with the full support of FAO and of the whole international community.

Appendix E - Speech by his excellency, flight lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings chairman of the provisional national defence council (PNDC)

Mr Chairman,
Colleague Members of the PNDC,
PNDC Secretaries of State,
Director-General of the World Food Programme,
FAO Regional Representative for Africa,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates and Participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the people and Government of Ghana, and on my own behalf, I wish to take this opportunity to extend to you a hearty and warm welcome to Ghana.

As you may have observed, the rains are with us during this period, and you can easily imagine the hopes and anxieties of our people, especially our hardworking farmers who have laboured from season to season to keep everyone's body and soul together.

Understandably, those of us who reap the greatest benefit from their labours often take the bounty we enjoy for granted, hardly recognizing the fact that some of our neighbours and perhaps even our own brothers and sisters in disadvantaged circumstances have to contend with another reality - the viciousness of hunger.

In 1983, under the ravages of drought and bushfires, Ghanaians were rudely reminded of the pain and indignity, as well as the dehumanizing effects of food shortage. The average Ghanaian knows what the concept of food security means from experience, and it is not surprising that the people readily and selflessly extended a hand of compassion to their brothers from some neighbouring countries who were also confronted with drought at a time when our situation could hardly be said to have stabilized.

Your Excellencies, in evoking these memories, my only wish is to underscore in no uncertain terms that the food crisis in Africa constitutes yet another serious blight on modern civilization. The persistence of hunger in the world amidst overeflowing granaries is more than a mere paradox.

The food crisis is a mirror of the world's conscience, and the worst indictment against those who wallow in abundance, literally choking under the weight of overconsumption, while their undernourished fellows scramble for crumbs to sustain skeletal frames hanging on borrowed time and groaning under the weight of a life that may have become too burdensome to be worth living.

Food is so basic a need, that one can say it is the ultimate measure of the human condition, of man's capacity for love and compassion, in one instance, and of man's inhumanity to man, at another level.

Given our own experience in the recent past, this Conference is, therefore, of particular significance to us in Ghana, as I believe it is for all who have known and are committed to the elimination of the evil of hunger from the world.

Besides, in spite of the fact that Ghana is the host of the Africa Regional Office of the Food and Agriculture Organization, this is the first time in the thirty-five years of cordial and mutually-productive collaboration between FAO and our country that we have been privileged to host the continental Conference.

Even though approximately seventy percent of our people are engaged in agriculture, most of them are simple illiterate folk who, unfortunately, are not in a position to directly appreciate the in-depth discussions and profound expositions which will emanate from this Conference Hall. Sad as it may be, it is my hope that some way would be found to bring the rich knowledge of this Conference to the doorstep of these simple and honourable folk whose labours continue to ensure our survival.

Coming also, as it does, after the recent UN Conference on the Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro, that is, the "Earth Summit 1992", it is significant that this Seventeenth FAO Regional Conference has chosen the theme, "Sustainable Agriculture and the Environment."

Once again, it is necessary to remind ourselves of the need not to restrict ourselves merely to stating fine ideals and prescribing solutions that seek only to address the symptoms of problems, rather than the fundamental issues at hand.

In spite of the massive awareness created by the "Earth Summit" of the critical state of the environment, the hopes generated there were soon dashed by its failure to meaningfully address the problem of reconciling environmental preservation with the legitimate concerns of the poor countries that are racing against time to realize and sustain modest economic goals, against great odds, with the meagre resources at their disposal.

No one will quarrel with the ideal of alleviating hunger, malnutrition, poverty and disease without destroying mankind's common heritage and source of sustenance - the environment.

It is fitting that future generations should not be deprived of the opportunity to live their lives on an earth capable of sustaining and enhancing their well-being. Perhaps if certain misconceived policies of the past had been identified for what they were, our generation would not be in its present predicament.

Soil erosion and desertification, deforestation, declining rainfall, bushfires, crop failure, over-grazing, hunger, malnutrition and, finally, death are all the consequences of man's legitimate pursuit of a means of livelihood and must be recognized as such. In fact, there is no shortage of knowledge and statistics on the causes and effects of environmental degradation.

Nonetheless, those who claim to be so concerned about the state of our environment now cannot be taken seriously unless they demonstrate through deeds, not mere words, that they are also really interested in addressing the issues related to the economic well-being of all mankind, and especially those of the deprived segments.

Can we honestly assert that the international economic system as it stands now seriously favours the preservation of the environment? Did the concerns addressed by the recent G7 meeting in Munich demonstrate an unimpeachable commitment by the rich and powerful nations for the elimination of the fundamental causes of environmental degradation or its arrest?

While we certainly welcome the relief promised to the world's twenty poorest countries, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, that are indebted to the tune of approximately US$ 25.6 billion, we cannot say that this gesture presages a new era for the management of the international financial system which is responsible for a substantial portion of those debts in the first place.

Unless the problems retarding the development of the poor countries are addressed with the seriousness they deserve by the international community, we cannot claim to be truly committed to the promotion of a safe and sound environment.

Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, the world's population now stands at about 5 billion, of which two-thirds are in the less-developed world. Ghana has a fast growing population of 15 million. Already, we are witnessing a rapid exploitation of land and forest resources in a bid to alleviate poverty and find food for the growing population.

Illicit felling of trees and farming activities have had a devastating effect on one of our dams - on the Barekese Dam, near Kumasi in the Ashati Region. Reports have it that after 242 farms had sprung up within the dam's catchment area of 4 400 hectares, water production capacity had been reduced from 48 million gallons to the present daily output of 12 million gallons. And again, the water level has dropped from 55 feet to its present depth of 50 feet.

In a nutshell, illegal farming and associated activities around the Barekese Dam have resulted in serious evaporation problems and subsequent reduction of the water level.

Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, this is only one example of a growing trend involving other sectors of the economy, apart from agriculture.

One could perhaps have justified or rationalized away this reckless encroachment on reserve land, if the produce made a visible impact on the accumulation of food reserves for the country. Unfortunately, most of our farmers engage in subsistence farming and their output is often marginal in real economic terms.

In other words, the price we have to pay in terms of environmental degradation merely to scrape food from the soil is too high. And we may definitely have to pay a higher price if the present trend in population growth continues, without any fundamental changes in our agricultural system.

Clearly, Ladies and Gentlemen, food production and distribution is no longer a national affair. To regard it as such is to lose the global perspective on the question of environment, particularly as it relates to agriculture.

Mr Chairman, for sometime now, a debate has been raging about what policies and strategies could best transform our traditional agricultural practices into a modern system based on technology that is appropriate for sustainable agriculture in a sound environment.

I am quite certain that we are all familiar with this debate and the issues at stake, which essentially boil down to the need to adapt and, where necessary, build upon the skills and implements used by our traditional farmers, thereby increasing their competence to acceptable standards commensurate with the challenges of modern agriculture.

Obviously, this goal can only be achieved through outlays of substantial amounts of resources for the required research services. Here, too, the vicious cycle of poverty has reared its ugly head and we painfully have to first wait for the benevolence of the rich North to show interest in these programmes, and then to make some resources available for their pursuit.

I must acknowledge the generosity of FAO and a few developed countries in this respect, though we are yet to make any substantial breakthroughs.

The issue of appropriate technology for sustainable agriculture in a sound environment also brings into focus the need for developing effective storage facilities. It is a fact that when the rains are favourable, we tend to have surpluses in the production of food. During such times, prices drop to uneconomic levels while food is allowed to go waste. The irony is that within a few months our people have to pay extremely high prices for the same products, simply because we do not have any effective means of storing the surplus products from the peak season.

The problem is common to all the poor countries and contributes to our unability to achieve real security in the production and distribution of food. In Ghana, about 45-60 percent of food products used to go to waste each year, until we improved our road and distribution networks and opened new markets for some products. The problem, however, still largely persists.

If developing countries had good storage facilities, then we could also alleviate hunger by absorbing surplus food produce from the rich North that, we know, sometimes have to contend with their perennial problem of over-production by destroying excess produce, to keep among other reasons, prices at stable levels. To them, perhaps it is all a simple matter of economics, but to the starving millions of Africa it amounts to a shocking violation of mans's moral sensibilities. We in Africa, despite our .poverty, share our meals with visitors even if they are strangers. We do not ask . them to wait elsewhere until we finish our meals.

Food aid predicated upon disaster must give way to food aid predicated upon an honest recognition that we are all members of one family with a common stake in the destiny of our environment.

It is only such recognition of our common heritage that will give meaning and substance to the protestations of those who claim to be committed to the promotion of the democratic ideal throughout the world, in defence of human rights.

Democracy, Ladies and Gentlemen, originates from the need to recognize and defend the interest of the vulnerable in society and to alleviate their vulnerability so that they can function as equal members of society. Promoting the citizen's right to vote and elect some kind of government (usually composed of men who invariably do not share in the citizen's condition of vulnerability), while ignoring the conditions that reinforce his vulnerability in society, is, to say the least, fraudulent.

Mr Director-General, I wish to take this opportunity to urge distinguished delegates not to lose sight of the vital linkages between the various issues connected with the theme chosen for this Conference. While isolating some of the distressing symptoms of the wider ills affecting African nations permits in-depth analysis and specific solutions, one invariably comes face to face with the same structural and resource limitations when it comes to effecting the prescribed solutions.

We have seen it in the Health Forum held in Accra last December, and it is already evident that the far-reaching decisions embodied in Agenda 21 of the "Earth Summit" of June 1992 can only be implemented if the international financial arrangements necessary for giving practical effect to those decisions are critically examined and responsibly shared.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish to take this opportunity to assure you, distinguished delegates, that we in Ghana have been observing with satisfaction the remarkable and equivocal stand of the FAO on issues which we in the developing countries consider fundamental to our survival.

Through its continuous confrontation with natural and other forms of disaster, the FAO has come to acquire a distinct conscience appreciating the fact that the need to protect and uplift the lives of the hungry and poor is the most critical question of our time.

We must not relent in our efforts to make the rich North conscious of the precarious condition of the overwhelming majority of humanity. It is only when they show a readiness to fulfill this moral obligation that conferences like this will make the desired impact. Nothing short of that preparedness will bring us out of our predicament.

Distinguished Delegates, as worthy ambassadors of the nations of our continent, I trust that your deliberations in Accra will bring to the fore the need to approach our problems from a common perspective, while strengthening our resolve to work together.

I also hope you will find the facilities placed at your disposal satisfactory, and that you will certainly not find our proverbial hospitality wanting.

I wish you fruitful deliberations and hope you will carry away with you happy memories of this Conference in Ghana.

Thank you very much.

Appendix F - Statement by the director-general

Mr Chairman,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Introduction

I should like to begin by paying homage to the city and country that are today hosting the Seventeenth FAO Regional Conference for Africa. That this important African meeting is being held right here in Accra is to my mind both a symbol and an omen, for this city was the cradle of our Africa Region. In 1958, when Ghana was one of the few countries of this continent to have gained independence - a striking example to all those with similar ambitions - it was in this very place that the meeting establishing FAO's Africa Region was held. And it was as a logical consequence of this event that our Regional Office came to be established here. Accra has thus been for more than thirty years the hub of concerted and unstinting efforts by FAO and its Member Nations to further agricultural and rural development in Africa and the advancement of its people. As I greet the eminent dignitaries attending this African Agricultural Summit, I wish to express our sincere thanks to the Government of Ghana, to the Ghanaian people and to the city of Accra for the wonderful welcome that they have extended to us.

New reasons for hope

As I look back to your last Regional Conference in 1990, I can see new reasons for hope. There is no doubt that Africa is on the move. The whole continent is being swept by a powerful tide of ideas and aspirations that has triggered a genuine move towards democracy, even though it is still tenuous and constantly under threat of disruption. The changing political situation in South Africa will undoubtedly have important consequences and should result in positive economic repercussions.

On the African economic front the situation is by no means at a standstill, and a glimmer of light is being shed by the multilateral negotiations known as the Uruguay Round. We profoundly hope that an agreement will be to everyone's advantage and herald a change of climate in international trade relations. Nor should we overlook the willingness of certain major creditor nations to alleviate or even to cancel the debts of several African countries, nor the fact that the providers of aid - particularly the World Bank and the African Development Bank, whose efforts I commend - have increased their allocation of resources for African development, and are helping many countries to manage their economies.

In areas concerning us even more directly, there has been very positive action taken towards agrarian reform, while some notable successes have been scored in the struggle against several scourges: no major outbreak of rinderpest has been reported recently; the desert locust's seasonal upsurges are gradually being contained and brought under control; and, finally, the complete eradication of the New World screwworm appears to be well under way. It goes without saying that FAO is pleased to have been able to make an effective contribution to these achievements while, at the same time, pursuing its efforts to conserve and to restore African land, to develop technical cooperation among developing countries and to strengthen exchanges, cooperation and integration at the regional level.

Increasing difficulties

Unfortunately, these are but isolated beacons of hope in a sea of trouble and tribulation. Dark clouds have gathered over three major areas: the natural environment and population growth, the economic context, and human activity.

The state of the natural environment

Though by no means as rich as is sometimes imagined, the continent is certainly not without natural resources: minerals, oil and gas, water, land and forests, fish and countless animal and plant species. However, the development and use of these resources is still confronted with insurmountable problems such as weather, soil fragility, disease and uneven distribution of water. Many African countries seem condemned never to attain food self-sufficiency, while various events have brought about shortages even in countries that are traditionally exporters. For over two years eastern and southern Africa have been in the throes of a terrifying drought, undoubtedly the worst that the area has seen for a hundred years; while, in many other parts of Africa, rainfall has been light and erratic. Such natural disasters are a cruel affliction for agricultural production.

The population explosion

Africa is no more successful in controlling its population growth today than in the past and the region still has an annual growth rate of more than 3 percent. The consequences of this are all too clear: there is greater pressure on land resources; fallow periods are being shortened; overstocked grasslands are becoming exhausted; the forest is being eaten away by expanding croplands and increased fuelwood gathering; the ecological balance is being disrupted; soils are and water resources are drying up; yields are being reduced; incomes are falling and unemployment is rising; malnutrition and hunger are causing devastation; and the desert and poverty are taking over the countryside. The only salvation left for the peasant population - which too often proves to be an illusion - is to flee to the city or to emigrate.

Emigration

Emigration has reached such proportions that I feel I must mention it here. For historical and geographic reasons, African migrants head mainly for Europe, where their traditional knowledge and skills have little relevance and where they are thus obliged to accept the most menial, unskilled and poorly paid jobs. Because of their sheer numbers, their presence affects the lifestyles, cultures and even the religions of their host countries, while the serious unemployment problem in Europe fuels tensions. Such circumstances, unfortunately, provide a natural breeding ground for racism, which essentially feeds on misunderstanding and fear of outsiders.

The economic context

While emigrant remittances are sometimes an important source of foreign exchange, the African economy as a whole continues to depend exclusively on raw materials, despite the hopes attached to other potential sources of foreign currency, such as tourism.

Low industrialization

However, except for some remarkable successes such as that of Mauritius, the efforts made here and there to diversify and to industrialize have not achieved the expected results. We may wonder why, when countries in Asia and Latin America have managed to escape the straitjacket of an exclusively agricultural economy. They are many reasons: the weakness of excessively fragmented domestic markets; an insufficient savings capacity, burdened by huge economic and social infrastructure requirements; and the long cultural transition needed to produce a workforce capable of meticulous and repetitive industrial work, as in the case of textiles and electronics.

Trade

Africa must therefore rely principally on the export of its raw materials to further its development and to pay for its imports. The raw materials produced by the region's agricultural sector are mainly tropical commodities such as coffee, tea, cocoa, cotton and palm oil. However, demand for these goods in the developed countries is largely satisfied and shows no sign of increasing. This has led to a continuous fall in their market prices. A simple comparison of two sets of figures provides an eloquent testimony. Thus, while the volume of African exports increases by an average of approximately four percent per year, export earnings continue to fall by six percent. When developed countries have a surplus, they have the means to support production either by subsidizing their farmers or by generously purchasing mountains of cereals for which world prices are low. In Africa, however, governments are too poor to manage their surpluses and to subsidize agriculture. When their products are priced too low, they fall deeper into debt. As African farmers receive no help, they can only raise their income by producing more - using methods that, in the absence of inputs, gradually undermine the resource base. Whichever way we look at it, the future has been pledged. Surpluses continue to mount, commodities continue to depreciate and natural resources continue to diminish.

Aid is obviously not a viable solution and, today, only serves as a derisory palliative. But even if sufficient aid were provided, should Africa be made permanently dependent on handouts? This should not be your Region's vocation, nor can it be the ambition of its governors or its people. In order to progress, Africa needs to be in a position to earn enough from its labour and its trade, and this calls for the higher prices. Yet, despite the GATT negotiations, there is at present no sign of a mechanism that is likely to raise prices to remunerative levels. I have already commended the work of the World Bank and the African Development Bank, but neither of these institutions is in a position to influence prices. What is more, the continuing climate of world recession provides little hope for an early improvement.

Human activity

Structural adjustment

The people of Africa, however, have not been idle in the face of these adverse conditions. Many African governments, encouraged by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, have introduced measures to remedy the situation through structural adjustment programmes.

The aim of these programmes is, on the one hand, to reduce expenditure and demand and, on the other, to increase supply and export earnings. However, weak economies and national poverty have prevented a reversal of the course of events since 1990, and the impact on vulnerable population groups has been particularly hard, especially with regard to food security.

Two out of the three countries in sub-Saharan Africa are categorized as low-income countries, while 28 of the United Nations' 42 least-developed countries are in Africa. In terms of human distress, this means that about one-half of the population is living below the poverty threshold. The most immediate consequence is that one in three Africans in threatened by malnutrition.

International aid

Admittedly, international aid has mitigated the consequences of this situation, but the level of assistance has been modest, and good intentions are not in themselves sufficient. For example, the United Nations Conference on the Least-developed Countries, held in 1990, produced firm promises that official assistance for the development of these countries would be significantly raised but, in practice, these pledges have come to little. The delivery of food aid to its intended recipients is fraught with obstacles, while sometimes it may itself have negative consequences, such as reducing local production and shifting population preferences away from traditional to imported foods.

War and conflict

If the best-intentioned human interventions have done little to change the fate and future of Africans, what can be said of humanity's destructive actions? Alas, the push towards democracy is only too often accompanied by tensions and destabilizing domestic conflicts. Though they may not receive attention from the outside world, murderous wars nevertheless continue to tear Africa apart. While Ethiopia still smoulders, new fires are flaring up and old ones being rekindled in Somalia, the Sudan and elsewhere. To the number of direct victims of these conflicts, we must also add all those who suffer and die because agricultural production has been wiped out and harvests destroyed, and because relief operations are unable to get through.

Is the future barred?

As is my custom, I have not minced my words, but I should not like you to think that I am totally given over to pessimism. To reject illusions is not the same as abandoning oneself to despair. On the contrary, my presentation is only meant to spur commitment towards strong and determined action. The road to salvation is narrow and hard, but it does exist and I would like to identify some of the landmarks along the way.

Africa's winning cards ....

First of all, Africa is not without its winning cards. I have already mentioned its natural resources, but let us not forget the richest of these - its people, with their wonderful blend of ancestral wisdom and youthful vitality. I refer to the trained professionals who are still too few, but who are determined to modernize their countries; I refer to the countless small-scale farmers, foresters and fisherfolk who are the main protagonists of development and should be the first to reap its rewards; and I refer to women, to the admirable women of Africa who are so often neglected but whose courage and silent determination to support their families and to serve their communities is a powerful reason for hope.

... and how to play them

Africa should make the most of its winning cards, but the first prerequisite for success is political commitment. Governments must understand that agriculture is the only possible springboard for progress and act accordingly, which means implementing the options that give the agricultural sector priority in policy and budgetary matters. An immense educational effort is needed to involve the whole population in this commitment; the necessary resources must be allocated for the training of experts and technicians at all levels while at the same time, a communication, information and extension campaign, with the people as its target, must be relentlessly pursued.

The sustained growth of agricultural and food production is a long and exacting task to which everyone should contribute. It is an undertaking that involves what we have called the four "i's of agricultural development: incentives, inputs, institutions and infrastructures.

Such growth must avoid irreversible damage to the resource base and must therefore be based on strategies protecting the environment. Croplands should no longer be extended at the expense of forests and marginal land but, rather, sustainable farming practices should be intensified while rigorous reforestation programmes are implemented. The increased use of the inputs that I mentioned earlier must be handled with care and judgement. The agrarian reform carried out so far must continue to play its part in this process, to which must be closely linked concerted measures to control population growth.

Africa must still do all it can to enhance its economic environment. This means a truly African economic integration, through the establishment of a solid common market that will reinforce the region's position in trade negotiations with the rest of the world and, above all, with the developing countries.

I shall not dwell on these points, as they are high on your agenda, and I have no wish to anticipate further your discussions.

Africa's Allies

As the world becomes increasingly interdependent, Africa will not be able to rise from its economic depression without becoming degraded help. But Africa is not alone; it has many allies. The successive Lomé conventions, the establishment of the ACP system (including the African, Caribbean and Pacific states), and the debt alleviation granted by certain creditors are just some examples of Africa's importance to the world in the eyes of many developed countries that are ready to give expression to their solidarity. Recently, though, enormous aid requirements have emerged in states located nearer to these same developed countries, arousing fears that the latter may withdraw from Africa to focus their attention on Eastern Europe. Through this assembly, I urgently call upon them to continue their work in Africa and to intensify it, regardless of these new needs, for we are dealing not only with the future of a continent but also with the future of the whole planet.

The international community

Africa's importance to the world is borne out by its position at the top of our international community's concerns. The whole of the United Nations system is with you and is increasingly active in its support. The General Assembly's extraordinary session on Africa is but one example of this solidarity.

In this connection, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held recently in Rio de Janeiro, was highly significant. The problems of Africa, and particularly those of its agricultural sector, were at the centre of discussions. Though the outcome did not live up to our expectation - particularly with regard to funding, scheduling, the pooling of biotechnologies and countries' rights concerning their genetic resources - the Conference succeeded in drawing world attention to the risks at stake, and governments have taken a decisive step in the right direction.

FAO's Action

FAO is proud to feature among the most fervent defenders of Africa's interests. We broke ground with our comprehensive study on the current status and future development of African agriculture. This was not a desk study artificially moulded onto the reality of Africa; rather, it was an analysis and a reflection based on the experience and participation of numerous African experts, as well as our representatives and field staff. I am convinced that this approach has been a determining factor in maintaining the study's validity.

Despite unprecedented financial problems, Africa continues to receive the lion's share of our programmes and of our budgetary and extrabudgetary resources. On this subject, I am happy to pay tribute to the devoted and capable work of our Regional Office, under the dynamic leadership of the Regional Representative, my friend and colleague Mr N'Daw.

I mentioned earlier the problems of hunger and malnutrition in Africa. As you can well imagine, these are constantly on our minds as, together with our partners in the World Health Organization, we organize the International Conference on Nutrition (ICN), to be held in Rome this December. Two regional meetings have already been held with regard to this event, and FAO has provided its full technical support for the drafting of an authoritative background document on nutrition in Africa. These works will not fail to enlighten and to guide the ICN, on which we pin great hopes.

Conclusion

Before concluding, I should like to make a plea to the community of nations to understand the African situation. We tend to see important human causes in monolithic terms, whether they be the freedom and rights of the individual or the conservation of the environment. Because of this, we automatically gauge our solidarity towards a particular country according to its conformity to our values. Yet I would humbly and earnestly request that care, flexibility and delicacy be used in such an approach to Africa. If we consider the Region's immense difficulties, we will understand how great an effort and sacrifice are needed for each small step towards democracy and human advancement and also towards the protection of natural resources. Africa will be unable to make significant progress in any area, be it physical, political or moral, if it remains bogged down in poverty. Let us therefore begin by helping it to break free.

Mr Chairman, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, as always, I have spoken to you as a friend. Africa and Africans are increasingly in my heart and on my mind. Rest assured that I shall always passionately advocate the development and advancement of this Region which is so dear to me. With this in mind, it is my sincere and brotherly hope that, under the skies of Accra, your discussions will be fruitful and lead to a brighter future.

Thank you.

Appendix G - Vote of thanks

Mr Chairman,
Honourable Ministers,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honour for me to give the vote of thanks at the closing ceremony of this august gathering to the Head of State of Ghana and Chairman of the Provisional National Defence Council, Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, for graciously agreeing to open this Conference and to the Government and People of the Republic of Ghana.

On behalf of all the Ministers and their delegations, we express our deep appreciation for the warm welcome and remarkable Ghanaian hospitality extended to us.

We also express our appreciation for the excellent facilities placed at our disposal which contributed in no small measure to the success of this very important meeting in this historic and beautiful capital, the cradle of political awareness in Africa.

We thank all the observers to this meeting who have found the time to come and enrich our deliberations. In particular, we thank the delegate from the United States of America for conveying his country's pledge to pay its arrears to the budget.

And, we take this opportunity to also congratulate the organizers of this Conference, in particular the Ghana PNDC Secretary for Agriculture and his Ministry, the Director-General of FAO, the Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa and their staff, as well as the interpreters, ushers, drivers and all those who contributed to the smooth-running of the meeting.

Thank you and a pleasant and safe journey back home.

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