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III. Introduction


A. Fifteenth McDougall memorial lecture
B. Presentation of the B.R. Sen Awards for 1986 and 1987
C. Presentation of the A.H. Boerma Award 1986-1987
D. Tribute to president Seyni Kountché of Niger
E. Retirement of Mr Declan J. Walton
F. Retirement of Mr Paul Savary
G. In memoriam


A. Fifteenth McDougall memorial lecture

1. The fifteenth in the series of lectures at regular Conference sessions in memory of Frank Lidgett McDougall, a founding father of the Organization, was delivered by Professor Jean Mayer, President of Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, United States of America.

B. Presentation of the B.R. Sen Awards for 1986 and 1987

2. The awards, which honour the name of Mr B.R. Sen, Director-General of FAO from 1956 to 1967, are conferred annually. They are given to the field officer who has made the most outstanding contribution towards the development of the country or countries to which he or she has been assigned.

3. The Award for 1986 was presented to Mr Wilhelmus J. Scheffers, a citizen of the Netherlands, in recognition of his contribution to the development of small-scale fisheries on Lake Kivu in Rwanda. It was due to his professional competence and enthusiasm that the production of a fishery activity that barely sustained itself a few years ago had increased to the point where it now fed thousands and had created employment and food opportunities in the area.

4. The Government of Rwanda, in endorsing the choice of Mr Scheffers for a Sen Award, had confirmed the success of his efforts.

5. The Sen Award for 1987 was presented to Mr Renato Carucci, a citizen of Italy, for his contribution to integrated rural development in Niger. It was through his technical ability that a project financed by Italy, jointly executed by the Government of Niger and FAO, and based in Keita - a remote region threatened by desertification - had reclaimed thousands of hectares of land. Through his competence and personal qualities he had helped to mobilize the participation of men and women at all levels in numerous complementary activities, to organize producers' groups, to establish an agricultural credit system, and set up a basic infrastructure through the construction of village stores and classrooms and the building of wells and of rural roads.

6. The Government of Niger, in endorsing the selection of Mr Carucci for a Sen Award, had recognized that his contribution had been decisive for the success of the project.

C. Presentation of the A.H. Boerma Award 1986-1987

7. The A.H. Boerma Award is presented biennially to a journalist or journalists whose work has helped to focus public attention on important aspects of the world food problem and thereby contributed towards increasing public support for measures leading to its solution. On this, the fifthe occasion, the Award for 1986-1987 was shared by two journalists, namely Mr Hiroyuki Ishi writing for Asahi Shimbun, Japan's leading daily, and by Mr Victor Bracamonte of Peru writing for Lima's daily newspaper El Comercio.

8. The Awards were presented to Mr Ishi for his coverage, over a period of more than twenty years, of problems of food and agriculture and for his recent series of articles on the African food crisis. He had thus helped to create an awareness in Japan of the need for urgent assistance to the continent of Africa. Mr Bracamonte received the Award for his many articles on the importance of growing local crops which had helped to create greater awareness of the need for smaller farmers to grow and market local goods, thus increasing food production and rural incomes.

D. Tribute to president Seyni Kountché of Niger

9. The Conference observed a minute of silence in memory of His Excellency Seyni Kountché, President of the Republic of Niger, who had died on 10 November 1987. A Condolence Book was opened for signature during the Conference.

E. Retirement of Mr Declan J. Walton

10. In tribute to the Deputy Director-General, who would retire during 1988, the Conference adopted the following Resolution by acclamation:

Resolution 1/87

RETIREMENT OF MR DECLAN J. WALTON

THE CONFERENCE,

Noting that Mr Declan J. Walton will shortly retire from the Organization after two years of service as Deputy Director-General,

Mindful of his earlier services to the Organization as Chef de Cabinet, Director, Office for Inter-Agency Affairs and as Officer-in-Charge, Economic and Social Policy Department,

Recognizing his long and exceptionally outstanding services and unfailing dedication to the aims of the Organization,

Express to Mr Declan J. Walton its thanks and deep appreciation of the distinguished contribution he has made to the work of FAO, and conveys to him its warm wishes for a continued active life, good health and happiness.

(Adopted 27 November 1987)

F. Retirement of Mr Paul Savary

11. The Conference was informed that its Secretary General, Mr Paul Savary, would be retiring at the end of 1987, and decided to place on record its sincerest thanks and appreciation for his work in ensuring the effective organization of the Conference and Council. furthermore, the Conference paid tribute to the great personal contribution which Mr Savary had made to FAO during more than thirty years of service, most recently as Assistant Director-General ad interim, Department of General Affairs and Information.

G. In memoriam

12. The Conference observed one minute of silence in memory of those staff members who had died in the service of the Organization since the Conference last met.


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