Contents -

INFORMATION, PUBLICATIONS, LEGISLATION RESEARCH AND LIBRARY

OFFICERS

Chairman
Yohannes Habtu (Ethiopia)

Vice-Chairman
A.L. Best (Canada)

Rapporteur
J. de Vayssière (France)

Department of Public Relations and Legal Affairs

INTRODUCTION

1. Before starting its work, the Committee wished to pay tribute to Mr. Veillet-Lavallée for the work he had performed as Head of the Department of Public Relations and Legal Affairs. It welcomed Dr. Glesinger, congratulated him on his appointment and expressed its warmest wishes for the task that lay ahead of him.

PUBLIC INFORMATION. PART I

2. The Committee had before it the report of the Council at its Thirty-Ninth Session, when it examined the work and current policy of the Public Information Service.

3. The Committee heard statements by the Assistant-Director-General in charge of the Department of Public Relations and Legal Affairs and the Director of the Public Information Service which gave an account of the main achievements and developments to date.

4. During the 1962-63 biennium FAO increased its audiovisual activities and took its first steps in the field of television. On the recommendation of the United Nations Visual Information Board and within the framework of the Freedom from Hunger Campaign (FFHC), FAO had assisted the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) of Canada in the production of a television film entitled The Secret Hunger which was now being distributed by CBC in many countries in a variety of languages. Advice had also been given on the production of four other television films in support of FFHC and FAO's work and on a documentary in color produced by a worldwide industrial company, which deal with the magnitude of the world food problem.

5. Another new initiative had been the sending out of reportage missions to gather material on field projects. These missions, seven in all, had proved most useful and had helped to replenish the photo library and so to meet the many requests for photographs of FAO's field activities. Many of the photographs obtained were reproduced by well known magazines with large circulations.

6. In addition, these missions had come back with eyewitness account articles, film footage for television and other illustrated material for picture stories, photo-sets and filmstrips which found ready acceptance especially by national FFHC committees and nongovernmental organizations.

7. It had been necessary to give special support to the Freedom from Hunger Campaign during the biennium and this had been made possible through the provision of funds under Chapter VIII of the FAO Budget and the Central Campaign Trust Fund. In particular, three major events in the history of FAO had placed a heavy responsibility on the Information staff. They were the Special Assembly in Rome on Man's Right to Freedom from Hunger when live TV and radio programs were broadcast from FAO for the first time; the Freedom from Hunger Week which called for a special effort in supplying items of basic material to national FFHC committees, and the World Food Congress in Washington for which many articles and newspaper supplements were published, based on special material including photographs provided by FAO. In each case considerable negotiations with the newspapers, magazines and other media had preceded these events.

8. There was an increase of information activities by radio, particularly toward new outlets in Africa and Latin America. Exchanges of some 200 prints of films between member countries were arranged and exhibits were prepared in connection with the special issues of stamps by many countries commemorating the Freedom from Hunger Week and the World Food Congress, the Fifth International Food Congress in New York (September 1962), and the World Food Congress (June 1963). There was increasing evidence of the growing utilization of FAO press releases, particularly by economic journals and in the economic and financial columns of newspapers.

9. The Committee stressed that information activities should be determined by priorities selected in accordance with the general policies and objectives governing the work of FAO. These were to improve efficiency in the production and distribution of all agricultural products, to raise the levels of nutrition and the standards of living of rural populations and to accelerate general and rural development. In order to speed up the attainment of these objectives in the developing nations the planning of development policies, programs and projects had been recognized as being indispensable. Consequently field operations had become the most important province of FAO activities. It was therefore the essential responsibility of the FAO Public Information Service to provide such field operations with the strongest support. This should be done by:

10. Against the general background of this approach, the Committee started its discussion of the program of work for 1964-65. The Director-General had proposed the creation of four professional posts and other activities at an additional expenditure of $187,500 per annum, of which $75,000 were for the proposed program in the field of Agricultural Information Services. The discussion was focused on the following main points:

Agricultural Information Services

11. The Committee had before it the Report of the Thirty-Ninth Session of the Council and was provided with additional information by the Director-General concerning the development of a program for helping governments to set up and improve agricultural information services, as recommended by the Eleventh Session of the Conference and 1962 regional conferences.

12. Budgetary implications had excluded the initiation of a long-term program before 1964 and the Conference in 1961 had recommended a short-term program for 1962-63 which the Director-General had been able partly to implement with sponsorship provided by the New Zealand and Australian FFHC Committees. A consultant was recruited and thanks to the generous support from Australia and New Zealand a Farm Broadcasting Seminar was held in Cairo for the benefit of countries of the Near East region and a similar seminar would be held in New Delhi early in 1964 for countries of the Far East region.

13. The Committee was informed that the Near East Farm Broadcasting Seminar had been attended by 26 participants from 12 countries. They received an intensive five-week course in the techniques of farm radio, including practical instruction in the composition and production of farm programs interviewing farmers in the field market reporting, weather reporting, etc., from experienced specialists from the region, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the U.S.A. Follow-up action to the Seminar had also been started through the granting of fellowships to its participants to enable them to undertake further training outside the region.

14. Preparations were now at an advanced stage for the Far East Broadcasting Seminar which would be conducted on similar lines to the Cairo Seminar; and it was hoped that participants from all the Member Nations of the Far East region would attend it.

15. In considering the proposed program of work for the coming biennium, the Committee was informed that, as requested by the Conference at its Eleventh Session, the Director-General had drawn the attention of Member Governments to the importance of adequate agricultural information services and of the fact that FAO's assistance could be made available to them if they so desired, and that the Director-General had also drawn attention to the Council's request made at its Thirty-Ninth Session that advantage be taken of the Expanded Program of Technical Assistance (EPTA) facilities by the inclusion of appropriate requests for advice and assistance on the organization of such services in submissions to the Technical Assistance Board.

16. The following points were stressed:

17. The proposed Regular Program of Work for 1964-65 allowed for two regional seminars. The question was raised as to their geographical situation and it was explained that one of them, which could be bilingual might be held in Africa, and the other, monolingual, in Latin America.

18. Two national seminars were also proposed for 1964-65 in countries which requested them. They would be for the nationals of these countries but participants from neighboring countries might be invited with concurrence of the host countries though FAO would not be able to pay them travel and per diem. It was suggested that the national seminars might be allotted to the Near East and Far East regions.

19. The Committee expressed the hope that Member Governments would supplement activities thus to be undertaken by FAO in its Regular Program with follow-up action of their own to train specialists in agricultural information. In this respect, the Committee noted with pleasure that some national administrations had already taken follow-up action on the Farm Broadcasting Seminar sponsored by the New Zealand FFHC Committee and held in Cairo in March 1963. In addition, the Committee hoped that other national FFHC committees might follow the initiative of the New Zealand and Australian FFHC Committees in sponsoring seminars and training centers in the techniques of agricultural information.

20. Attention was drawn to the Council's proposal that FAO should undertake studies of existing agricultural information services. The publication of such studies in suitable form, including a description of some of the more developed agricultural systems, would be most helpful to developing countries planning to set up or improve their agricultural information service. The Committee noted that under the auspices of the European Commission on Agriculture, a survey had recently been carried out and that the results concerning 19 countries of the European region were available in the European Commission on Agriculture Study No. 1.

21. The Committee emphasized the importance of conducting and completing preliminary studies in line with Council recommendations to ascertain the actual needs of individual Member Nations in relation to existing conditions. The need to take the regional or national environment into account in the planning of seminars and training courses was also stressed.

22. In view of these considerations and of the fact that this was a new exploratory program, it was proposed that only one national and one regional seminar be conducted in 1964-65. The Committee, however, felt that experience gained from the Cairo Seminar and the one being planned for New Delhi in early 1964 would make it possible to carry out the two national and two regional seminars as proposed.

23. The Committee recommended the adoption by Commission II of the following text:

The Conference had before it the Report of the Thirty-Ninth Session of the Council and the Report of the Technical Committee on Information and Publications (C63/ IN/9) concerning the development of a program for helping governments to set up and improve agricultural information services, as recommended at its Eleventh Session and supported by regional conferences in 1962. The Director-General in his Program of Work and Budget had also rightly drawn the attention of governments to the importance of adequate agricultural information services and to the assistance that FAO could make available if desired, as well as to the Council's request that advantage be taken of (EPTA) facilities for the inclusion of requests for advice and assistance on the organization of such services in submissions to the Technical Assistance Board. Efficient national agricultural information services are a necessary means of promoting accelerated increase in agricultural production and food consumption and particular attention should be given to the training of information specialists in the fields of press radio, television and other visual means in order to bring knowledge of improved agricultural techniques to the rural populations. Budgetary implications had excluded the initiation of a long-term program on the development of agricultural information services before 1964, and the Conference in 1961 had recommended a short-term program for 1962-63. However, the Conference noted with satisfaction that the Director-General had found it possible to implement the rural broadcasting aspect of the program with the sponsorship of the New Zealand and Australian FFHC Committees. A consultant was recruited and thanks to the generous support from Australia and New Zealand a Farm Broadcasting Seminar was held in Cairo for the countries of the Near East region and a similar seminar for the countries of the Far East region would be held in New Delhi early in 1964. The Conference was pleased to learn of the success of the Cairo Seminar and of follow-up action in the form of fellowships for the participants.

The Conference approved the two regional seminars and the two national seminars proposed under the Regular Program for 1964-65. It hoped that governments would support the FAO action by taking advantage of these seminars and by making arrangements of their own for training specialists in agricultural information. It also expressed the hope that other national FFHC committees would follow the Australian and New Zealand initiative by sponsoring similar seminars and training centers. In this connection the Conference noted with satisfaction that some national administrations had already taken follow-up action on the Cairo Seminar.

It was requested that FAO should, taking into account the survey already carried out by the European Commission on Agriculture in 19 countries of the European region, undertake and publish studies of agricultural information services, particularly with a view to assisting developing countries to plan or improve their own services. It also emphasized the importance of conducting preliminary studies to ascertain the needs of individual Member Nations in relation to existing conditions and of taking regional and national environment into account in planning seminars or training centers.

In conclusion the Conference decided that high priority should be given to helping Member Governments to strengthen their agricultural information services and approved the proposed program of work put forward by the Council for the implementation of the request made by the Conference at its Eleventh Session.

Public Relations and Distribution Unit

24. The program of work for 1964-65 contained a proposal for the setting up of such a unit with the recruitment of one additional P-2 officer. Some delegates had some doubts about the proposal. However, the Committee recognized the need to improve distribution of FAO information material, especially in countries where national FAO committees had not yet been fully organized, it being understood that advantage would be taken of any mailing lists available in different regions. In addition, the proposed unit would organize the many group and individual visits now being received at FAO Headquarters, so that they would be profitable both to the Organization and visitors.

Regional activities

25. The Director-General had proposed to strengthen activities in the developing regions by the appointment, with the concurrence of governments and national FAO committees, of local correspondents to translate and adapt, at a reasonable fee, if necessary, FAO material in order to reach a wider public than it did at present on account of language and other barriers. The duties of such correspondents in developing countries would be both to disseminate information and to gather material on field projects and technical assistance activities. Some delegates questioned the need for such an arrangement and asked whether United Nations Information Centres, national FAO and FFHC committees could not be entrusted with these tasks, or whether an appeal would be made to the goodwill of others in a position to participate. In this respect, the Committee noted with satisfaction that the German Government had offered to appoint correspondents at no cost to FAO. Other members thought that one of the alternatives mentioned above had so far matched the needs, particularly in the developing countries. A majority of the Committee supported the proposal and expressed the wish that Member Governments supplement and follow up the activities of FAO in this respect. The Committee also stressed the importance of close contact between FAO and other international bodies in the field of information.

26. The upgrading of the Information Officer in the Subregional Office at New Delhi was questioned. However, this proposal appeared necessary on account of the enormous size of the region serviced by that Office (India, Ceylon, Nepal), by the urgency of the problems and by the special characteristics of the administrative structure of the countries in the region.

27. The continued usefulness of the Special Information Liaison Officer at United Nations Headquarters was questioned. It was explained that the need for FAO to follow closely the United Nations action in the economic and social field was growing continuously, especially in connection with conferences and meetings held at United Nations Headquarters and with the centralization in New York of planning for EPTA and the United Nations Special Fund. It was also explained that this Information Liaison Officer at United Nations Headquarters could take advantage of the presence of the large corps of journalists and correspondents accredited at the United Nations.

Films

28. The Committee recognized the growing importance of films, particularly in connection with the rapid spread of television. Nevertheless, it was stressed that it would not be possible or desirable for FAO to undertake a program of film making. It was explained that this was not intended but that FAO would stimulate producers to make films about FAO problems and feed them with facts, briefing and suggestions while confining its own production to the obtaining of film footage by reportage teams. This footage, together with still photos, would be distributed to TV networks. The Committee requested the setting up of a film library to enable FAO not only to become a collecting and distributing center for the exchange of agricultural films for the mutual benefit of member but also to provide for the reproduction of films and for their control and maintenance, within existing budgetary limitations. It was suggested that a film catalogue would facilitate such an exchange.

Reportage missions

29. The program of work for 1964-65 envisaged further use of the device of reportage missions which the Committee was informed had proved its value in 1962-63 in gathering fresh material, particularly illustrated material, on FAO field activities. It was suggested that the help of national information bodies should be used, where it was available.

Assistant to Director

30. The Committee was informed that the rapidly expanding workload made it increasingly difficult for the Director to give sufficient attention to the information work in the regions and he could do so only if relieved by an assistant of many of his daily responsibilities. Moreover, the creation of this post was in line with the general pattern established throughout the other FAO Divisions.

Program trends

31. The Committee reviewed the probable needs and trends in the field of FAO information beyond the ensuing biennium. In this respect, reference was made to some excellent illustrated periodicals issued by several of the specialized agencies. The Committee expressed the hope that FAO would explore the possibility of following their example and undertaking the publication of its own magazine. The purpose of such a magazine would be to keep FAO before those important sectors of opinion which were in a position to promote agricultural development and activities designed to achieve freedom from hunger and want.

32. In reply to questions regarding the cost of such an FAO magazine, the Committee was informed that some preliminary inquiries had already been made which revealed that arrangements with a consortium of publishers might be possible under which each member of such a group would undertake to publish and finance the publication in a given language. FAO's expenses would thus be reduced and consist mainly in the cost of collection of material, preparation of texts, editorial planning and supervision. The Committee therefore recommended that, if budgetary provisions permitted, a study should be started and contracts made to enable FAO to undertake such a publication in 1966-67.

33. The Committee added that it was also important to keep governments and national FAO committees informed of the development and orientation of FAO's activities as well as of the results obtained. The Committee noted with interest the Secretariat's intention of exploring the possibility of issuing a periodic information bulletin containing news and facts about FAO's over-all activities.

34. The Committee expressed its hope that it would be possible for FAO to produce a publication on the lines of Everyman's United Nations which would be useful to government departments as well as to technical experts for guidance in their relations with the Organization.

35. The Committee also recommended that the continued publication of technical reviews, newsletters and bulletins of a technical nature should be reviewed and co-ordinated with due regard to these new information activities as suggested in the paragraphs above, and hoped that FAO technical and general publications would be properly streamlined.

36. The Committee stressed that not enough use was being made of the enormous amount of technical knowledge being amassed in FAO, particularly through technical assistance reports, Special Fund missions, country surveys, etc. There was an urgent need to make these more widely available to Member Governments, interested technicians and the public. It was agreed that a step in the right direction might be through the extension of FAO library coverage.

PART II

37. The Committee expressed its satisfaction with the work of the Public Information Service during 1962-63 and approved the program of work for the forthcoming biennium. However, several delegations emphasized that they would be unable to support all of the increases envisaged in that Program of work.

38. The Committee recognized the need to set up a public relations and distribution unit and to strengthen the regional information activities on condition that:

39. The Committee recommended the establishment of a film library to promote the exchange of films of agricultural interest among member countries. The Committee noted with satisfaction the offer made by certain delegations to supply FAO with copies of agricultural films free of charge.

40. The Committee supported the principle of the publication of a high-class FAO magazine directed to the educated public all over the world. Part III of this report includes a draft resolution for submission to the Conference.

41. In order to keep governments and national FAO Committees currently informed of the development and orientation of FAO's activities and of the results achieved, the Committee recommended that the possibility should be investigated of issuing a periodic information bulletin containing news and facts about FAO's over-all activities.

42. The Committee recommended a general streamlining of both technical and general FAO publications through proper planning and co-ordination with a view to achieving the maximum diffusion of appropriate facts and information among all sectors of public opinion and interested technicians at minimum cost.

43. The Committee stressed the need for making more extensive use of the vast amount of technical information collected by FAO. It was deemed highly desirable to make it widely available in a suitable form to member countries and technicians, if possible in conjunction with Library plans for the establishment of a Documentation Center.

PART III

44. The Committee, convinced of the desirability for FAO of publishing a high-class magazine, submitted the following draft resolution for the approval of the present session of the Conference. The attention of the Conference was drawn to the fact that, if approved, an additional financial allocation should be made of $30,000 for the preparatory studies and for the production of a dummy, in time for decision by the 1965 Conference.

THE CONFERENCE

Considering the increasing importance of the tasks which FAO must undertake, not only in the technological field but also in the economic and social fields,

Considering particularly the fundamental importance of agriculture in newly developing countries, and also the need to pay attention to economic and social factors in any efforts to develop agriculture,

Considering that the study and focusing of these problems will be of interest to influential and responsible circles in industrialized countries and elsewhere, and that these circles would thus be willing to give considerable support to the work of FAO,

Agreeing with the conclusion of the Council, at its Thirty-Ninth Session, that these circles are insufficiently informed about FAO, and

Recalling the wish expressed by some delegates of the Council that the Organization should be able to publish a high-class periodical which would attract attention to its work in political, scientific and business circles,

Requests the Director-General to undertake the necessary preparatory studies and consultations in order to prepare a plan for the periodic publication of an FAO magazine, first for consideration by the Program Committee and subsequently by the Council prior to the next session of the Conference.

PUBLICATIONS. PART I

45. The Committee examined the work accomplished in 1962-63 and the plan of work for 1964-65 of the Publications Service, the function of which is to assist in programing and to edit, translate, manufacture and distribute all FAO publications and documents in the three official languages. The Director of the Publications Service summarized the accomplishments in 1962-63 and the proposed plan of work for 1964-65 and the future.

46. The discussion centered on the problems encountered and to be expected in attaining the objectives of timeliness quality in three languages equally, and broad dissemination of FAO information through documents and publications.

Timeliness

47. The Committee noted that authors of documents and publications must be expected to contribute to advancing timeliness by concise writing and adherence to timely deadlines.

48. The Committee was informed that within the Publications Service there were two critical limiting factors in the timely issuance of documents and publications: overdemand on FAO's internal printing facilities and overdemand on translation capacity. Both occurred not only as to total volume, but especially as to requirements within short peak overload periods.

49. To meet the difficulty of overload on internal printing facilities, a program of re-equipment and modernization phased over three biennia had been put under way in 1960-61 and was programed to continue in 1964-65. In four years an increase in output of 75 to 100 percent had been achieved but even so, it was not always possible to produce every document at the time it was wanted.

50. The Committee approved the measures envisaged in the plan of work for 1964-65, within more ample space in Building C. It would then become possible to add equipment for which there was at present no room, in order to keep up with the flow of work without adding to the current normal staff. Provision for this was made in Chapter v of the Budget. The plan included the installation of more rapid equipment for making offset masters, the most modern presses for short-run, urgent work, and one larger press for printing multipage forms. The Committee heard with satisfaction that modernization reduces unit costs of documentation in materials labor, storage and mailing.

51. The Committee was informed that to the extent of their requirements for internal printing, the extra-program activities, such as the United Nations Special Fund and World Food Program, supplement the staff and materials provided for these printing operations from Regular Program funds.

52. The Committee agreed that the problem of maintaining timely issuance of large quantities of translated documentation, often with short deadline periods, remained difficult and likely to continue to be serious for some time. As a result of greatly increased demand for translations during the last few years by international end rational organizations and other bodies, there was a general shortage of competent translators, and consequently considerable delays in recruitment. An example was the fact that in 1962, FAO was able to fill only 139 out of 180 authorized man/months of strength in French translation. The shortfall equalled about one million words of translation. This and similar shortfalls would be almost made good by the end of 1963, by the less efficient means of short-term temporary employment, but in the meantime completion of documents had been retarded.

53. The Committee noted that it was, on the whole, more difficult to find competent short-term termporary translators, than to recruit permanent staff, and that in order to handle the excess of demand over capacity, greatly increased use had been made of outside contract translation.

54. The Committee saw that closely connected with the problems of timeliness is that of quality in translation. Constant pressure and haste to meet close deadlines are inimical to quality even when the work is in the hands of the most conscientious and experienced translators. In work done by even the best available contracting free-lancers, usually distant from Headquarters reference resources, there is always the risk of error, or at least imperfections, resulting from lack of familiarity with FAO subject matter and terminology, lack of experience, or of time and care. All such work should be reviewed by well-qualified permanent revisers, but this had usually not been possible because of the excess of urgent demand over capacity, particularly capacity at the reviser level in the Translation Sections.

55. The Committee approved the proposal to improve the translation situation as far as now feasible by increasing from two to four the number of personnel assigned full time to revision in French and Spanish, and by adding three French and two Spanish translators to present authorized strength.

56. The Committee heard that in proportion to their requirements, the extra-program activities such as the World Food Program and United Nations Special Fund supplement the translation staff by financing nonpermanent appointments.

57. The Committee was informed that the pressure of conflicting claims for urgency had necessitated the adoption of a formal system of time priorities to guide the order of taking up work on jobs for the various operations in the Service. It was explained that this is based on the self-evident principle that papers for meetings in progress must be handled before those for a future meeting, and the latter before a publication the appearance of which has no necessarily fixed date. The Committee agreed that so long as all demands cannot be met at once, this system is sound and should be maintained, at the same time regretting that the progress of any important item should have to be retarded.

Quality

58. The Committee noted with satisfaction that the modern printing presses and other equipment installed in the FAO printing shop had also made it possible to produce documents which were more attractive in appearance, less bulky and easier to rend. The improved presentation of cover and better typographical layout in both internally and externally produced publications was welcomed.

59. The Committee approved the measures taken to maintain and improve quality not only in translated work, but also in original texts. These include: (a) the issue to authors of guides to consistent usage in the details of writing, including bibliographies, the preparation of manuscripts, the elements of printing technique and proofreading and the work of copy editors; (b) the detailed comments on draft manuscripts with suggestions for their improvement which were provided to technical authors by the Publications Service; (c) the submission of draft manuscripts to national FAO committees for scrutiny and comment.

Distribution

60. The Committee was gratified to learn that the sales of publications continued to rise and approved the proposal to add a Distribution Officer to the Distribution and Sales Section, in order to better organize all distribution, with emphasis on reaching a still wider public through sales, which it was considered could be further increased. While recognizing that the primary objective of FAO's publishing is to convey information to Member Governments for the use of their services, rather than to achieve sales income, the Committee felt that all prudent measures should be taken to restrain unpaid distribution to efficient channels, thus stimulating the necessary widening of sales outlets to serve the general public.

Future trends

61. While understanding that Document c 63/58, Distribution of FAO publications to governments has been referred to Commission III for action, the Committee felt it appropriate to study this report of the results of an inquiry requested by the Eleventh Session of the Conference into the distribution to and the use of FAO publications by Member Governments.

62. The Committee considered that all suitable measures should be taken, not only by FAO but within their countries by Member Governments, to achieve a more extensive knowledge of FAO publications. The Committee felt that maximum collaboration should be continued with national FAO committees.

63. The Committee was gratified to learn that it was intended to give special attention in future to promoting more widespread knowledge of FAO and its publications. Measures would be sought to increase the interest of agents in expanding the sales of FAO publications and to develop other methods for raising their circulation and improving their use.

PART II

64. The Committee commended the work of the Publications Service in 1962-63 and paid a warm tribute to Mr. Duncan Wall, the Director of the Service, who would be retiring before the next session of the Conference, for the outstanding work he had done.

65. The Committee approved the plan of work for 1964-65, including the strengthening of the translating and distributing units and the further expansion of modernizating and mechanization especially in the Composition and Internal Printing Units and the Distribution and Sales Section.

66. The Committee stressed that adequate documentation is indispensable to the Organization's work through meetings and reports, and that FAO's publications are a necessary means of carrying on its programs, in many cases being the end result of a program or project. The publications especially are a chief means of reflecting the problems, programs and progress of FAO to wide circles of technicians, leaders and the general public.

67. The Committee requested that the closest attention be given to timeliness, optimum quality in the three official languages equally, and the most effective distribution. The Committee noted that to achieve these in the processes for which it is responsible is the principal aim of the Publications Service.

68. The Committee reiterated the recommendation of the Eleventh Session of the Conference that every effort should be made by the secretariat, and also by official bodies of the Organization, to prepare all documents and publications in the most concise form, in the interests of greater timeliness, economy, and greater usefulness to readers.

69. The Committee emphasized the importance of focusing the publishing effort as a matter of priority on high quality publications connected with FAO's key activities, technical economic and social. The excellence of such publications should permit print runs sufficient to ensure a wider circulation.

70. The Committee recommended that Member Governments should carefully review their internal distribution of FAO documents and publications and the use made of them. In this connection, the Committee drew attention to the fact that the use of the quota of publications need not be restricted to ministries, and emphasized the usefulness of providing them to libraries, universities, research institutes and important scientific, economic and legislative bodies.

71. The Committee requested that the quarterly list of FAO documentation, service of which was available to Member Governments on request, should be expanded to list publications issued, as well as main documents. This would give governments a convenient list of available publications between the issues of the biennial Catalogue of publications, and at the same time a means of checking the publications and main documents issued, against the possibility that supplies dispatched might have miscarried in transit

LEGISLATION RESEARCH. PART I

General survey

72. After hearing a statement by the Chief of the Legislation Research Branch, the Committee examined the work carried out in 1962-63.

73. The Committee stressed the value of the translation and dissemination of legislative texts and noted that these were being increasingly used by governments. It this respect it was important for the developing countries to be able to have readily available good examples of legislation dealing with food and agriculture in terms which were relevant to their level of social and economic development.

74. Several delegations stressed the usefulness of the advice and consultation facilities provided on a variety of subjects both when the Branch commented on draft legislation submitted direct by governments or through technical assistance experts and when it prepared drafts upon request.

75. The Committee drew attention to the importance of the studies in comparative law made either within a specific region or else on a worldwide scale. The Committee believed that these studies were the more important for the reason that a large number of States could benefit from them, and it drew special attention to the study on groundwater legislation in Europe.

76. The Committee then reviewed the program of work for 1964-65.

77. The Committee believed that the translation and dissemination of legislative texts should be continued. In addition to acts on agrarian reform and structures, it believed that legislation should be selected with a view as much to guiding the developing countries as to making available acts of interest to a great number of countries. It this respect it mentioned legislation on international trade and on foodstuffs. It also drew attention to the value of legislation on food standards food additives and the labeling of food products, in view of the importance of these matters for nutrition and public health.

78. The Committee stressed the increased importance of legislative consultation work and assistance to the developing countries. The Branch could well envisage the preparation of model legislation, taking into account the level of social and economic development of the countries concerned, on subjects of general importance such as agrarian structures pesticides, reafforestation, certain aspects of fisheries, foodstuffs and public market hygiene.

79. While that studies in comparative law were a very valuable instrument for countries anxious to improve their legislation, the Committee believed that such studies should deal with a limited number of particularly important subjects. Agrarian reform and agrarian structures constituted a complex problem which could suitably be studied at the regional level. Not only the juridical aspects of these subjects should be considered, but also their social, economic and political aspects. Sound legislation was an essential factor for getting agrarian reform programs under way and it was important that the Branch should give this matter its attention. The Committee also considered that the conservation of natural resources in the widest sense was becoming a highly urgent problem. FAO should play a leading role in encouraging the adoption of legislation to ensure the creation and sound management of national parks and natural reserves, the protection of fauna, and the maintenance and protection of water resources against waste and pollution. These problems were of current importance and the studies to be undertaken would be useful not only for the developing countries but also for the industrialized countries.

PART II

Major conclusions

80. The Committee expressed great satisfaction at the success with which the Branch had completed a particularly heavy program of work.

81. The Committee approved the program of work for 1964-65.

82. The Branch should continue to translate and disseminate legislative texts giving a larger place to legislation on food standards, the use of food additives and pesticides.

83. The Branch should attach increasing importance to assistance to developing countries in the preparation of legislative texts, particularly in connection with the reform of agrarian structures and subjects of general interest such as pesticides, reafforestation, certain aspects of fisheries, foodstuffs and public market hygiene.

84. With regard to studies in comparative law, the Branch should give emphasis to a limited number of particularly important subjects, as for example the conservation of natural resources in its broadest sense.

85. The Committee expressed its conviction that by following the recommendations set forth above, the Branch could continue to aid and advise Member Governments and the Technical Divisions of the Organization in an increasingly active manner.

LIBRARY. PART I

General survey

86. The Committee was informed that Dr. Breycha-Vauthier, Director of the United Nations Library, Geneva, had recently followed up the 1959 Library Survey by a further examination. In conveying the Director-General's thanks the Assistant Director-General, Department of Public Relations and Legal Affairs, recalled the Consultant's invaluable role in making the Library an efficient instrument of the Organization. Several delegations joined in expressing their appreciation.

87. The progress of the Library was noted with satisfaction. The Committee expressed considerable interest in the new List of selected articles, and found the availability of texts on microfilms especially useful. In this connection two possibilities of expansion were mentioned. A second selective index of reports and documents issued by international organizations, with the simultaneous microfilming of texts, could be made. Both of the above-mentioned lists and the related microfilms could be sent to Regional Offices. In this way pertinent documentation would be available inexpensively and expeditiously outside Headquarters.

88. The Committee was informed that in the FAO Library list of recent accessions a subject arrangement keyed to FAO's work distribution had been introduced and the presentation made more pleasing. The decennial FAO Library selected catalogue of books had been placed on sale, previously it had been distributed to some 350 official recipients.

89. Pursuant to a recommendation of the Eleventh Session of the Conference, a study on abstracting services had been prepared and would be presented to the Council. In its final form, this document would contain an appendix of 400 national and international abstracting services in FAO's field of interest. The Committee hoped that the study would induce a cautious approach to planning new abstracts in FAO. Demands in connection with compacting and extracting type-publishing ventures in Branches were adding a heavy extra load on the Library.

90. The Committee considered that a new list of FAO depository libraries should be prepared by the Publications Service which had now executive responsibility in this matter.

91. Library resources should be mobilized for maximum exploitation. Statistics in the Consultant's last report gave an idea of the volume of use. More than 80,000 periodical issues on circulation represent an annual utilization potential of at least half a million journal articles or brief monographs. $72,000 to be spent in 1963 on purchase procurement is indicative of the pressing needs for technical literature. At least 35,000 items are added to the collection each year. These figures illustrate the central involvement of the Library in providing documentation for action programs and for new FAO publications. Library services may justly be considered the infrastructure of FAO's substantive work. In this connection, the Committee was informed that the Government of Italy had expressed its formal appreciation for the care in preserving and making available for consultation, the unique heritage of the former International Institute of Agriculture.

92. The Committee noted that the Library was an instrument in the implementation of the United Nations Special Fund and other field programs. The importance of library facilities for experts' missions was stressed. It shared the view that the Library was a briefing station for outgoing personnel, and that this practice should be made institutional, since only the Library could give basic information on the political, economic, geographic and ecological situation of a project location. The procurement of documentation was now entirely a library task and certain projects could not get off the ground until the Library had provided the necessary study and research literature. This development should be considered as a sign of the healthy expansion of library services.

93. Maximum efficiency in service, maximum exploitation of resources, and widest dissemination of information are objectives which are related to adequate staffing. In this respect the Committee noted that certain obstacles stood in the way of further development. The Library should have sufficient space at its disposal to meet its requirements and to facilitate the work of those wishing to use its services. From the Consultant's report the Committee learned that the difficulties which stand in the way of filling posts might largely originate in the current gradings. It therefore suggested that a technical comparison of professional library gradings in the United Nations and the specialized agencies be undertaken to determine whether post classifications were in line with those of other international organizations. It was also suggested that, in order to ensure the continuity of work, the Chief Librarian might employ students or other trained personnel for short-term clerical appointments.

Program trends

94. The Committee noted that the Library's information dissemination function could be broadened by the establishment of an FAO documentation center. A wealth of knowledge was now accumulating through the work of FAO and other specialized agencies engaged in related fields, but this material was not sufficiently exploited. Records containing this knowledge were not issued in conventionally published form and the center could give special attention to this type of material. In many instances the Library was already the only source for obtaining early technical assistance reports and other like documentation. In this connection, the problems of confidential matter, of possible duplication, and of greater demand as a result of better publicity were mentioned. The Committee noted that these considerations did not raise difficulties. The Library was careful not to release restricted documents, ready availability and greater demand for this type of material were developments which should be welcomed.

PART II

Major conclusions

95. The Committee, having noted the work of the Library during 1962-63, expressed its satisfaction with the important results achieved in spite of recruitment difficulties, work interruptions in vacant posts, and lack of space. The Committee was favorably impressed by the purposeful manner in which the library services were conducted.

96. The Committee approved the program of work for 1964-65 as presented in Document C 63/3.

97. The Committee having noted the conclusions of the 1959 and 1963 reports of the Consultant, recommended that these be taken into consideration.

98. The Committee felt that the Library was an important element in defining and applying FAO policy. It was essential that the services available in the Library should be made better known. Information in this respect should reach not only Member Governments but also specialists and even the leaders of the agricultural community.

99. In order to enable the Library to fulfill its proper role a resolute effort should be made to remove the obstacles which prevented the full exercising of its functions.

100. The Committee, therefore, recommended that the following measures be taken:

101. The Committee supported the initiative of making technical report literature issued by FAO and by other international organizations more effectively and readily usable, which it was planned to do in the framework of a new FAO documentation center. The Committee commended this plan, and hoped that it would be possible to study its implementation.

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