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NUTRITION

OFFICERS

Chairman
M.J.L. Dols (Netherlands)

Vice-Chairman
L.G. Rajwade (India)

Rapporteur
M.R. Barakat (United Arab Republic)

Part I. Survey of the work of the Division

INTRODUCTION

1. The Committee noted that the Nutrition Division's program of work had continued along the lines approved by the Eleventh Session of the Conference and had been directed toward assisting the governments of developing countries in improving the levels of living of their peoples through practical programs designed to:

The program had been based on recommendations of the Conference and the regional conferences as well as on requests from governments and it had been implemented through the Regular Program and practical programs made possible by the Freedom from Hunger Campaign (FFHC), the Expanded Program of Technical Assistance (EPTA) and the United Nations Special Fund (UNSF) and through field activities conducted jointly with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Bureau of Social Affairs (UNBSA).

2. The Committee noted with approval the importance given to the application of nutritional principles in the formulation of the Organization's over-all program for 1964-65. The Division's part in this over-all program as presented to the Committee was welcomed. It was considered that the scope of the over-all program proposed for 1964-65 would require all the additional staff, both professional and secretarial, requested for its efficient implementation, bearing in mind the considerations set out in paragraph 8 below.

3. The Committee approved the major expansion of the Regular Program as outlined by the Director-General for the developing countries, in particular the emphasis placed upon the development of protein production and use, and upon the better use of food crops through improved methods of storage, processing, preservation, packaging, distribution and marketing. The need to assist governments to establish services which would promote production and use of nutritionally valuable foods at the community and family levels in both rural and urbanized populations was stressed, and the importance of nutrition and home economics education in this respect was recognized. The close interdivisional, interdepartmental and interagency co-operation needed to achieve these objectives was approved.

4. The development and expansion of practical field programs, including those conducted in association with other international agencies, FFHC and food industries, were considered to be essential for achieving the Organization's objectives. Of particular importance were the projects being developed under FFHC, which were increasing in number and scope, and those being developed in conjunction with the United Nations Special Fund. Nevertheless Regular Program activities, and particularly the work of the Food Consumption and Planning Branch, were recognized as basic to the development of FAO's field programs in the developing regions of the world. A reasonable balance should be struck between Regular Program and field activities.

5. The Committee recalled that the Eleventh Session of the Conference emphasized the need for several more staff members, both at Headquarters and in the field during 1964-65 " if the work was not to suffer." The new posts included in the Program of Work and Budget 1964-65 comprised three nutrition officers for the Applied Nutrition Branch at Headquarters, three home economics officers, two at Headquarters and one in the Near East Regional Office; and four food technologists, two at Headquarters and one each in the Near East Regional Office and the subregional office in India. The Committee recognized the need for these additional posts if the Regular Program and practical field programs, including FFHC, UNSF and joint FAO/UNICEF projects, were to develop satisfactorily.

6. When considering these additional posts, the Committee expressed the view that adequate administrative and clerical support should be provided to ensure the most effective use of this staff.

7. It was noted with approval that all jointly conducted FAO/UNICEF programs were directed toward improving levels of living of the vulnerable groups of populations in developing countries. In particular, the close association of the two organizations, in conjunction with WHO, in the development and promotion of processed protein-rich foods and in nutrition and home economics and training and education, was considered to be of primary importance. The Committee further noted with approval that future policy in these joint programs would be directed more toward support for long-term permanent training of professional and auxiliary personnel in nutrition and home economics associated with practical field training, rather than to the ad hoc training included in the current applied nutrition projects.

8. While recognizing the need for the proposed increase in staff at Headquarters and in the regions, in particular to support joint FAO/UNICEF programs, the Committee noted that the means whereby this staff, and also field project personnel, could be funded would no doubt be further examined in Commission II. Any such examination should not have the effect of reducing the Division's ability to implement its over-all program.

9. In accordance with the policy approved in 1959 and 1961, the arrangements proposed for joint expert committees in 1964-65 were agreed.

10. The Committee noted with great interest the importance placed by the World Food Program (WFP), upon close co-operation with the Nutrition Division in developing its policies in regard to surplus food utilization. It welcomed WFP's provision of a post for a nutrition officer in the Office of the Director of the Nutrition Division for liaison between the Division, the Technical Department and WFP, and the travel funds made available for this officer to assist in the development and implementation of jointly conducted FAO/WFP projects.

FOOD CONSUMPTION AND PLANNING

11. The Committee noted that considerable progress had been made in carrying out the activities in this basic field especially in the specific directions approved by the Eleventh Session of the Conference, and recommended additional emphasis during the ensuing biennium on assisting governments in:

Food consumption

12. The Committee noted with approval the numerous activities undertaken jointly with the Statistics Division in implementing the program recommended in Conference Resolution No. 34/59, although it had regrettably not been possible to convene the two regional meetings planned for Latin America and Asia and Far East because of inadequate response from the governments invited to participate in them.

13. The Committee approved the proposed program for the 1964-65 biennium and emphasized the importance of direct assistance to governments at their request in organizing comprehensive food consumption surveys.

Food composition

14. The work accomplished in food composition during the current biennium was considered satisfactory.

15. The Committee generally agreed with the proposed program but, in the light of the recent discussions of the FAO/ WHO Expert Group on Protein Requirements (Geneva, October 1963), it recognized that much more research was needed in different countries before provisional tables in amino-acid content and protein values of foods could be revised and published. The Committee also agreed that there was an urgent need for satisfactory tables on the composition of African foods as suggested by the ECA/FAO African Technical Meeting on Food Consumption Surveys held in July 1963. The Committee was glad to learn that both these activities could be pursued effectively during the ensuing biennium mainly with the assistance of national and international agencies interested in the subjects and within the FAO resources available for this work.

Nutritional requirements

16. The Committee commended the progress made jointly with WHO in the assessment of nutritional requirements and recognized the fundamental value of the work done in relation to calories, protein and calcium. The recent emphasis on the need to take fully into account the variations in the requirements as well as the intakes of different sections and individuals within the populations under study was considered particularly noteworthy.

17. The proposed program was approved and it was suggested that the agenda for a proposed ad hoc group on Vitamin A requirements should include consideration of Vitamin A values of foods. The Committee noted that the scope of this group could be usefully extended to cover a few other important vitamins provided this could be covered by the resources available for the activity.

Nutrition in food policy and agricultural planning

18. The Committee noted with approval the recent emphasis on the essential role of nutrition in the formulation of national policies and plans related to food and agricultural development in accordance with Conference Resolution No. 12/57 on nutrition and food policy. It was recognized, however, that much more needed to be done in this direction before the progress achieved could be considered satisfactory.

19. The Committee, therefore, recommended that extra emphasis should be given during the ensuing biennium to the nutritional aspects of the work being done throughout the Organization in agricultural development planning. The proposed program was approved and the importance of including nutrition specialists in the FAO teams sent to advise governments on agricultural development was particularly underlined. The Committee also recognized the essential importance of working in close co-operation with other FAO Divisions and with other international organizations concerned with this general field.

Applied nutrition

20. The Committee noted the important contribution of the Applied Nutrition Branch to the program for the development of protein production and use as well as to the strengthening of the joint FAO/UNICEF activities. It also took note of the growing number of technical conferences and seminars held and emphasized the importance of assuring adequate attention to Regular Program activities. At the same time, it was recognized that the continued expansion of field projects placed a heavy burden on existing Headquarters and regional staff.

Development of protein production and use

21. The Committee noted the urgent need for increased production and consumption of protein-rich foods and supported the work proposed. The co-ordination of the work with private industry and other agencies was welcomed.

22. A special effort should be made, the Committee felt to facilitate the transition from free distribution to commercial marketing and sales, in order to ensure better coverage and stability for the program.

Establishment of nutrition services

23. Welcoming the growing trend toward strengthening national nutrition services in member countries, the Committee emphasized the importance of adapting such services to local needs and problems, as well as to local administrative patterns. It was also suggested that efforts be made to integrate these services with broader aspects of national economic planning.

Large-scale feeding and catering

24. The Committee noted that FAO was receiving an increasing number of requests from Member Governments for assistance in the development of school feeding programs. Every effort should be made to ensure that the community as a whole participated as extensively as possible in such programs.

25. It was also noted that countries were becoming increasingly concerned with schemes for large-scale feeding of workers. The Committee welcomed the activities carried out in this connection and stressed the need for developing training facilities for personnel to supervise and operate such feeding establishments.

Training in nutrition

26. The Committee noted the importance of setting up permanent facilities for training in nutrition in developing countries and appreciated the efforts being made to initiate such facilities in Africa and Latin America. Efforts should be continued to establish similar facilities in other regions. At the same time the Committee thought there was still a need for ad hoc training courses and seminars in nutrition, especially at the intermediate and lower levels.

27. The Committee noted with satisfaction the efforts being made to integrate nutrition studies into ad hoc seminars and training courses for non-nutritionists, and considered that this work should be continued and strengthened. Interest was expressed in the possibility of developing schemes for the more extensive field training and subsequent utilization of qualified junior personnel in international assignments.

Education in nutrition

28. The Committee observed that the current increase in applied nutrition programs was likely to continue during the ensuing biennium and recognized the importance of nutrition education as part of these practical activities. The Committee considered that more attention might be paid to demonstration areas and field training facilities, possibly on a regional basis, in association with permanent training facilities. However, it was recognized that Member Governments continued to request assistance for national applied nutrition projects, and that due regard must be paid to such requests.

29. It was noted that applied nutrition projects were conducted jointly with UNICEF and WHO, and that the preparation of plans and the supervision of such projects added to the workload at Headquarters and in regional offices.

30. The Committee believed that mass communications media should be increasingly and more effectively used for nutrition education in both developed and developing countries. The proposed research in this field in conjunction with Unesco and WHO was approved.

Studies of cultural and socio-economic conditions

31. The Committee recognized the need for an adequate knowledge of cultural factors and socio-economic conditions to promote sound planning for all nutrition programs, and endorsed the plans to stimulate co-ordinated research in this field.

Development and application of planning and evaluation procedures

32. The Committee noted with particular interest the fact that a joint FAO/WHO study on evaluation methods and techniques was under way in relation to applied nutrition programs.

FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

33. The Committee noted that the major purpose of the work in this field is to improve the use of foods by reducing storage losses through processing and preservation. It noted that the Branch would also deal with various related aspects, such as packaging, which have a direct influence on the marketing possibilities of processed foods; and that particular emphasis would be placed on work connected with protein-rich foods and improved traditional food-preservation procedures. Because of their nature many of these activities were being carried out in co-operation with other United Nations agencies, particularly WHO and UNICEF.

Traditional food preservation methods and low-coy foods of high nutritive value

34. The Committee noted the Organization's increased activity for the improvement of traditional food processing methods and the extent to which the work was being assisted by the establishment of a specific post for the purpose by the Conference at its Eleventh Session. Activities would be directed toward the assessment of the relationship between costs and nutritive value of many of these foods. The Committee noted that simple and small-scale processing methods were particularly in need of technical assistance since, in contrast to the large-scale food manufactures, the small-scale operators usually could not afford extensive technical equipment and trained personnel.

Protein-rich foods

35. The Committee approved the increased emphasis that the Director-General wished to place on the economical production of protein-rich foods of all sorts and the specific emphasis on greater utilization of currently unused protein resources. It also noted the intensive collaboration both current and as proposed for 1964-65, with UNICEF and WHO, as well as the current efforts and future plans for increasing cooperation with governments and commercial concerns for the production of cheap protein-rich foods in the developing countries. The Committee proposed that a survey of the success of past efforts at introducing and marketing high-protein foods be submitted to it in 1965.

United Nations Special Fund projects

36. The Committee noted the new trend toward expanding the work in food technology through United Nations Special Fund (UNSF) projects for the establishment in member countries of food science or technology centers. Four of these projects (Brazil, Chile, Ghana and Poland) had been approved and over a dozen additional projects are at various stages of preparation. Through their educational aspects these projects would also contribute to the training of specialists in this field. Financed jointly by the recipient country and the Special Fund, they add both to the depth and to the continuity of food technology activities. The Committee approved of the Division's program in this field.

Preservation of food by radiation

37. It was noted that research and development work in some member countries had resulted in the clearance for use of several irradiated foods, the safety of which had been extensively investigated. While this new method of preservation would be suitable for only a limited number of foods, it might eventually become an important process in the storage and preservation of food in developing countries. The Branch's work, conducted in co-operation with the Atomic Energy Branch, the International Atomic Energy Agency and other organizations, was now mostly confined to participation in meetings but might become more direct and practical when member countries request assistance in this field.

Food additives

38. The Second FAO/WHO Conference on Food Additives (June 1963) reviewed the work carried out jointly by FAO and WHO under their food additives program and suggested that the program should continue along the same lines in the future. The Committee noted the extension of the program to include certain substances unintentionally introduced to human food, and the definition of the role of the Joint FAO/ WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives as a technical advisory body to the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

Food control and legislation and food standards

39. The Committee noted with satisfaction the work carried out by the Division in part with the co-operation of the Legislation Research Branch, and its active participation in the FAO/WHO Food Standards Program. An officer had been assigned as technical advisor to that Program. It was suggested that for the 1964-65 biennium the cost of this post be included in the Regular Program by transfer of funds in trust. The Committee felt, however, that, starting with the 1966-67 biennium, the entire Food Standards Program should be integrated into the Regular Program.

Food technology training

40. The Committee agreed that more extensive food technology training would be needed to establish and extend food preservation and processing in many member countries. The Committee noted with approval the long-range plan for a number of food technology seminars followed by training centers in all regions except Europe and North America. Such projects should concentrate on training in practical food technology and in providing training in products control food analysis, food plant management and other operational aspects of food technology. The Committee noted with satisfaction that an international Food Technology Training Center was soon to be established in Mysore, India, with the support of the Canadian FFHC Committee.

41. An important part of the work on food technology training would be the publication of textbooks for use in the developing countries on packaging, dehydration and drying refrigeration and cold storage, and preservation by fermentation. Two such publications, one arising from a meeting on packaging and one from a meeting on refrigeration and cold storage, would be produced in the 1964-65 biennium.

Food science and technology abstracts

42. The Committee noted that abstracting services in food science and technology were of importance for both developed and developing countries. It agreed that current efforts of various national and multinational groups in this field should be followed and assessed: FAO's role should be determined after such assessment had been made.

Unconventional foods

43. Although FAO was not currently involved in any activities concerned with the production of food, particularly proteins, by unconventional methods, more direct participation in this work would be desirable, if these foods became of practical importance. The Committee noted that recent developments in protein production from leaves through culturing Chlorella, growing micro-organisms on petroleum products and from other sources would require FAO's continuing attention in order to determine whether and when such processes become suitable for large-scale and economical production of food.

Home economics

44. The Committee noted the considerable progress made in assisting governments with the establishment of home economics services and training facilities. Emphasis should continue to be given to the following activities during the ensuing biennium:

The development of protein production and use

45. The Committee recognized the potential contribution to the development of protein production and use through educational programs to improve domestic production, preservation, storage and consumption of protein foods, and approved proposals for expanding such activities.

46. The Committee recognized the scope that national home economics programs must have if they are to be effective in training and assisting rural women in all aspects of farm and family life and home-making. The importance of corresponding programs for women living in urban areas was stressed. The emphasis being given to assisting governments to coordinate their programs for raising levels of family living was approved.

Ad hoc Advisory Committee for Africa

47. The Committee approved the convening of an Ad hoc Advisory Committee for Africa. This might be the forerunner of similar committees to advise on the Division's home economics programs in other regions. It was recognized that the standing advisory group proposed by the Technical Committee on Nutrition at the Eleventh Session of the Conference to advise on the over-all home economics program had not yet been convened.

Assistance to the European Commission on Agriculture in the development of a long-term program In home economics for Europe

48. The Committee gave general approval to assisting European countries in developing a long-term program in home economics, and agreed to the appointment of a consultant to review past activities. A meeting of home economists from different European countries would be convened in 1964 to institute this program, which would replace the work previously undertaken by the Subcommission on Extension and Vocational Training in Agriculture, Home Economics and Rural Youth. It was noted that this Subcommission had been dissolved by the Thirteenth Session of the European Commission on Agriculture in May 1963.

49. The Committee noted the emphasis being placed on housing during the Development Decade and approved the increased activities in education and training for householders.

50. It also noted the expanding interest being shown in projects for the advancement of women and recognized that close co-operation with other United Nations agencies was necessary.

Mothercraft homecraft programs

51. The Committee noted with approval the increase in FAO/UNICEF/UNBSA mothercraft/homecraft field programs and recognized the need for additional staff to continue their development and supervision.

Part II. Conclusions

PAST ACTIVITIES

52. The Committee approved the work done by the Division in 1962-63 through the Regular Program, (EPTA) and the held activities in association with other agencies. It noted that increasing work in food consumption and planning and in home economics teas been achieved as recommended by the previous session of the Committee.

PROGRAM OF WORK FOR 1964-65

53. The work of the Division outlined in the Director-General's introduction to the Program of Work and Budget for 1964-65 was approved, and the Committee recognized the need for the new staff proposed. In particular the Committee welcomed the emphasis being placed upon studies in developing countries of:

The application of all these studies in field programs was favored.

54. The Committee commended the activities being carried out in programs conducted jointly with other international organizations, and suggested that these be oriented increasingly toward support for permanent training and education in the field of nutrition and home economics in the developing countries. Assistance to European countries in the development of a long-term integrated program in home economics was proposed.

TRENDS FOR THE FUTURE

55. The Committee recognized that Regular Program activities were basic to the satisfactory conduct of field programs, but pointed out that a realistic balance should be maintained between the two so that the Regular Program would not be adversely affected. It stressed the importance of the Division's future work in helping to orientate governments' policies and plans toward batter nutrition. The Committee endorsed the increasing attention given by the Division to the preparation of teaching aids, in particular textbooks and manuals for use in developing countries.

TIPOGRAFIA SQUARCI - ROMA

COUNCIL STANDING COMMITTEES

6 December 1963 - November 1965

PROGRAM COMMITTEE

Chairman
Michel Cépède (France)

Members
M. A. Cheema (Pakistan)
A. Davatchi (Iran)
J. Patiño-Navarrete (Mexico)
C. F. Pennison (United Kingdom)
R. W. Phillips (United States of America)
A. Sbihi (Morocco)

First Alternate
M. J. Dols (Netherlands)

Second Alternate
E. Saari (Finland)

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Chairman
J. C. Nagle (Ireland)

Members
Nazir Ahmed (Pakistan)
Rulon Gibb (United States of America)
A. Lochen (Norway)
L. Maire (Switzerland)

First Alternate
G. R. Kamat (India)

Second Alternate
G. Sandoval Vargas (Chile)

COMMITTEE ON COMMODITY PROBLEMS

COMMITTEE ON CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL MATTERS

OTHER COMMITTEES

INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE ON THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM

Members appointed by FAO

Members appointed by the United Nation

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