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Follow-up to the Report

107. The Conference expressed its strong wish that the interest aroused by the Director-General's report should give rise to follow-up action by both countries and by FAO.

108. Countries should make use of the study as an overall guide which policy makers and administrators could consult in the course of development and modification of their national price policies. The Conference drew attention to the useful checklist of suggestions concerning price policies contained in paragraph 329 of document C 85/19.

109. The Conference agreed with the FAO follow-up action proposed by the Director-General. The emphasis of this action would shift from global analysis to work at the country level. This would include:

The Director-General's report on price policies should be published at an early date.

110. The Conference suggested that follow-up actions be reviewed at a future meeting of the Committee on Agriculture.

Forestry: The Manifesto of Mexico (Ninth World Forestry Congress, July 1985)

111. The Conference expressed its appreciation to the people and Government of Mexico for organizing the Ninth World Forestry Congress and its satisfaction with the assistance and support provided by FAO.

112. The Conference agreed that the Manifesto of Mexico reflected the current critical situation of world forestry. It highlighted the need for urgent separate and collective action by Member Nations to safeguard the world's forest resources with a view to contributing to environmental stability, especially through the control of floods and desertification, and to socio-economic development through the production of wood for industries and energy, the provision of employment and support to agriculture.

113. The Conference noted that many governments had intensified their efforts to conserve and develop their forest resources particularly during 1985 which was declared by the FAO Council as the International Year of the Forest. The Conference considered that the "Principles and Guidelines" embodied in the Manifesto of Mexico were relevant to both developed and developing countries and provided a "Code of Conduct" for forest conservation. It invited all Member Nations to ensure, within the context of their national policies and priorities, that the far-reaching concepts and principles stated in the Manifesto of Mexico be made more widely known and given adequate attention in the formulation of forest development strategies and programmes.

114. The Conference noted that while the Manifesto of Mexico did not contain recommendations specifically addressed to FAO, it recognized and supported FAO's policies, strategies and programmes in forestry. The Conference welcomed, in particular, the support expressed by the Congress to the International Year of the Forest declared by the FAO Council, the Plan of Action on Tropical Forests adopted by the Committee on Forest Development in the Tropics and to the appeal of the Fourteenth FAO Regional Conference for Europe for more concerted national and regional efforts to decrease atmospheric pollution and to control forest fires and pests. Several members felt that the Manifesto of Mexico opened up new horizons for FAO in the forestry sector, creating a new challenge for the Organization in responding to requests by Member Nations for assistance to their own endeavours in implementing the principles and guidelines embodied in the Manifesto. In order to respond adequately to this new challenge, high priority should be accorded to forestry in FAO's Programme of Work and Budget in the future.

115. Most members supported the proposal made by Austria and endorsed by the World Forestry Congress that a World Fund be created for the development and conservation of forest resources. A small number questioned the establishment of such a Fund and stated their reservations. Many members, while supporting the principle underlying the creation of such a Fund, considered that this proposal needed more detailed analysis and study before action could be taken thereon-. It was suggested that an appropriate forum for further discussion on this subject would be the next session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO).

116. The Conference noted the offer of the delegate of Austria to host the Tenth World Forestry Congress in 1990 and of the delegate of the Federal Republic of Germany to host a subsequent Congress.

117. Considering the aforementioned positions, the Conference adopted the following Resolution:

THE CONFERENCE,

Reaffirming the importance of the Ninth World Forestry Congress, held in Mexico in July 1985, which constitutes a significant effort of the international community in the development, promotion and rational and equitable use of renewable natural resources,

Recalling resolution 2/86 of the FAO Council which declared 1985 the International Year of the Forest, and drew attention to the fact that the destruction of forests has become one of humanity's greatest problems and that the conservation and rational use of the world's forest resources has become imperative,

Recognizing the value of the Mexico Manifesto as a fundamental document summarizing the importance of forests today, both in protecting the environment and as a contribution to development,

Noting with satisfaction that FAO's current programmes In the forestry sector accord fully with the letter and spirit of the Mexico Manifesto,

(Adopted 27 November 1985)

118. The Conference reviewed progress in International Agricultural Adjustment on the basis of the Director-General's Fifth Progress Report. It noted that this was the first report prepared on the basis of the revised guidelines approved by the Twenty-second Session of the Conference and that it paid particular attention to developments in agricultural protectionism following the relevant request of the Eighty-fourth Session of the Council.

119. The Conference noted that the growth of food and agricultural production in the developing countries as a whole during the period 1980-84 came close to meeting the objective of four percent a year as set out in Guideline 1. This development reflected mainly the gains achieved in some large developing countries, while in many other low-income countries production growth continued to lag behind population. The Conference welcomed the tendency of many developing countries to evaluate their policies towards agriculture, including their pricing policies, with a view to enhancing the effectiveness of these policies as incentives to production.

120. The Conference expressed concern that financial resources allocated to agricultural investment in the developing countries, including the share of agriculture in total public expenditure, continued to be inadequate in relation to the size of the sector and in relation to the urgency of the need to increase the production growth rate. It noted, however, that the share of agriculture in total investment and the level of public expenditure allocations to agriculture in developing countries as a group had been maintained in recent years despite the prevalence of worldwide recession and rising indebtedness.

121. The Conference stressed the importance of adequate supply of inputs to farmers in developing countries to ensure the needed improvement in agricultural productivity. In this respect it noted with concern the slowdown in the expansion of area under cultivation and irrigation as well as in fertilizer consumption. It called for the reversal of these trends and for increased attention to be devoted to the supply of improved seeds. It urged the international community to provide increased assistance in these fields to the developing countries.

122. The Conference noted with satisfaction the continued effort of many governments in pursuit of the objectives of the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development. In general, greater attention was being paid to improving the position of the small farmers and landless peasants and to enhancing participation of rural people, including women and youth, in the development process.

123. The Conference stressed the need to ensure that agricultural inputs and services reached small farmers. It recognized the need for applied research with the effective participation of small farmers and extension workers while ensuring the implementation of appropriate technologies in agricultural production systems. It took note of the progress achieved in this context and stressed the need to adopt extension systems which enable small farmers to adopt technology with better performance.

124. While recognizing the progress made in involving people in development through their own organizations, the Conference considered that this was an area where greater efforts were necessary. It noted with concern that women had not benefited equally with men from agrarian reform programmes in some countries, while they also suffered from lack of adequate access to inputs and services. The Conference felt that special efforts were needed to deal with the problem of the rising rates of unemployment among rural youth.

125. The Conference noted with satisfaction that an increasing number of developing countries had requested FAO's assistance in establishing integrated food and nutrition policies aimed at the rehabilitation of the production of basic foodstuffs and the improvement of the nutrition situation In deprived areas. It stressed the need for more efforts to establish operational goals for the improvement of food consumption levels of specific target groups.

126. The Conference recognized the need for equitable distribution of income to improve the levels of living and nutrition of low-income consumers. It noted that progress in this area depended, among other things, upon improvements in food production, but while some developing countries had made progress in this area, the situation in others, particularly in Africa, had on the whole deteriorated.

127. The Conference noted with satisfaction the increasing awareness of and action taken by Member Governments towards prevention of food losses, through improving processing, handling and marketing of food and ensuring their quality and safety through strengthening food quality control measures.

128. The Conference stressed the need to encourage the production and consumption of traditional local foods.

129. The Conference agreed that protectionism, including restrictions on market access, and the use of export subsidies and other similar practices in agricultural trade had remained persistent, widespread and strong in recent years. It also agreed that resort to such measures was affecting the orderly development of international markets in agricultural and agro-based products and discouraged low-cost producers from exploiting their comparative advantage.

130. The Conference stressed that protectionist measures, particularly those of certain developed countries, had had adverse effects on incomes and rural employment and generally on social and economic development and had also eroded the balance-of-payments position of exporters of agricultural commodities, particularly the developing countries and low-cost producing countries. It stressed that such measures had generally compounded the problems arising from low export prices in international markets, and had thus limited the ability of many developing countries to service their external debts. It also emphasized that the worsening trends in protectionism in agriculture could, if allowed to continue, precipitate an agricultural trade war in which the major losers would be the low-cost exporting countries, especially developing countries as well as global food security. However, Member countries of the European Communities stressed that the EEC was by far the world's largest importer of agricultural products (20 percent of world trade). Some members noted that the EEC is an area of high consumption and that most of its agricultural imports were tropical products, commodities which the Community largely did not produce itself, and agricultural raw materials. The spokesman of the EEC, speaking on behalf of member countries, stated that developing countries were the largest suppliers to the Community,' their share having risen by more than 5 percent in recent years and accounting for about 30 percent of their agricultural exports.

131. Some members stressed that it was essential to offer agricultural producers stable and incentive prices, taking into account the need to maintain fair income relationships between agricultural and non-agricultural sectors of their economies which would make it possible to ensure domestic food security. Some other members stressed that in pursuing national food and agricultural policies, full account should also be taken of the need to avoid harmful consequences to the food security of other countries.

132. The Conference agreed that all efforts should be made by the inter national community to persuade countries to put an end to protectionist measures including restrictions on market access export subsidies and similar practices which affected international markets. Most members expressed the view that agricultural trade liberalization would be essential for a more efficient allocation of resources in all countries. Some members expressed the view that complete liberalization of agricultural trade would benefit the economically stronger countries: accordingly, the organization of markets was required, in parallel with efforts to achieve freer trade, in order to achieve a fair distribution of the benefits from trade expansion. On the other hand, it was noted that in some countries positive measures had been taken in order to facilitate access of imports of some agricultural products.

133. The Conference noted with satisfaction the efforts of the GATT Committee on Trade in Agriculture, which had examined the current state of agricultural trade and related policies with a view to drawing up recommendations for achieving greater liberalization of agricultural trade. The Conference expressed the hope that the GATT Committee would conclude its work programme with definite and widely accepted recommendations which would clear the way for successful negotiations on liberalizing agricultural trade including elimination of subsidies and improving access to markets in the new round. The Conference further expressed the hope that the preliminary steps being taken in GATT toward new multilateral trade negotiations would be successful and agreed that, during the proposed new round of negotiations, the effective participation of developing countries should be ensured.

134. Some members stressed that negotiations on agricultural protection should take fully into account the special characteristics of agriculture. They also considered that the full range of measures applied should be taken into account in assessments of levels of protection applied by various countries, so as to ensure fair comparisons. In this connection, they referred to the complexities involved in making such assessments and drew attention to differences between the FAO Secretariat calculations of producer subsidy equivalents of support measures, and those made by the OECD Secretariat. Some members expressed doubts about the usefulness of this method for international comparisons of protection levels in view of its exclusion of such characteristics as size of farms and degree of national self-sufficiency. Other members, while supporting the use of such indicative measures of protection, felt greater attention should be devoted to differentiating between those policies which adversely affected international trade and those policies which did not. In reply to requests of these members for further information about the support measures taken into account In the FAO estimates, the Secretariat indicated the main items included in FAO estimates and informed the Conference that the detailed background information could be provided to interested delegations.

135. The Conference expressed concern that, whereas one of the objectives of Guideline 8 was to ensure greater stability of world markets for agricultural products, the first half of the 1980s had been characterized by sharp reductions in prices on international markets, combined with strong price instability of many commodities. Moreover, this uncertainty had been increased by monetary instability.

136. Concern was widely expressed that international commodity agreements had been under great stress. Many members drew attention to the need to revitalize such agreements and to negotiate new international commodity agreements with economic provisions, particularly on agricultural products of trade interest to developing countries. Some other members stated that reliance should be placed on the free play of market forces in order to ensure greater stability of international markets, rather than on commodity agreements which, according to them, ran the risk of distorting market signals.

137. It was regretted that it had not yet been possible to bring the Agreement on the Common Fund for Commodities, negotiated in 1980, into effect. In this connection, countries which had not yet ratified it, were called upon to do so and at the same time an appeal was made to a major producing and exporting country to reconsider its decision not to ratify the Agreement on the Common Fund.

138. The Conference noted that progress had been achieved in economic and technical cooperation among developing countries but concluded that much more was needed. The main obstacles to future progress in agricultural trade were, inter alia and depending on the country, inadequate export supplies, trade barriers, subsidized exports of developed countries and difficulties in the area of transport, communications and finance. Cooperation in the area of agricultural inputs included joint ventures in the production and procurement of fertilizer and in exports of agricultural machinery and implements from the more industrially advanced developing countries.

139. The Conference generally endorsed the assessment of progress in the establishment of effective world food security. It agreed that measures taken toward this objective had been significant in some areas but limited in others. The Conference noted with satisfaction that many countries had adopted national stock policies in line with, or had pursued stock policies consistent with, the International Undertaking and the Plan of Action on World Food Security. A few members expressed the view that document C 85/21 had overemphasized the role of stocks in world food security and had not paid sufficient attention to other desirable measures for ensuring access to food supplies and stability of markets.

140. The Conference, while regretting that circumstances had necessitated large increases in emergency food aid in recent years, noted with appreciation the response of donors to these emergencies, which had inter alia resulted in the minimum annual target of the International Emergency Food Reserve (IEFR) being met for four years since the inception of the Reserve.

141. The Conference, stressing the crucial importance of timeliness in responding to food emergency situations, endorsed the request of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) that the proposal, put forward by the Director-General at the CFS, for the prepositioning of food stocks in advance of possible emergencies in disaster-prone areas or in other strategic locations,' be developed further, taking into account donors' experience in this respect.

142. With regard to Guideline 11 on food aid, the Conference noted with satisfaction that cereal food aid shipments in 1984/85 surpassed, for the first time, the minimum annual target recommended by the World Food Conference in 1974. The Conference also noted, however, that food aid still fell well below the 17 - 18.5 million ton level referred to in Guideline 11 as a useful indicator of the overall requirements of food aid by 1985. A few members did not consider it necessary to revise the 10 million target for food aid recommended by the World Food Conference in 1974.

143. The Conference commended the CFS for the detailed consideration it had given to the contribution of food aid to food security at its most recent session, and endorsed its conclusions on this subject. Many members emphasized that instead of disposing of commodity surpluses on world markets with the aid of subsidies, such surpluses generated by the high support policies of certain developed countries, should be channelled so as to promote rural economic development in low-income developing countries. The Conference noted with satisfaction the efforts already being made by the Global Information and Early Warning System to alert donors on food surpluses arising in developing countries from time to time so as to promote triangular transactions, and encouraged the Secretariat to develop further these activities.

144. The Conference expressed its concern that the level of external assistance to agriculture achieved in recent years was still far below the target of US$8300 million at 1975 prices, originally set for the period 1975-80, and that the share of concessional commitments in this assistance had been declining. The reduced availability of assistance and the hardening of its terms contributed to the difficulties faced by developing countries in financing their development programmes and in ensuring the required increase of flows of resources to agriculture as recommended by the guidelines of the International Agricultural Adjustment.

145. The Conference commended the Director-General for convening in 1984 the FAO World Conference on Fisheries Management and Development at a crucial time in the evolution of world fisheries. Recent developments included the establishment of exclusive economic zones, the levelling off in world fish catches, the widening gap between the supply of and demand for food fish, and the rapidly rising costs of fish harvesting, processing and marketing.

146. The Conference was informed that in 1984 the world catch had reached a record of 82.5 million tons but that the expected catch in 1985 might not reach that level. The high catches of 1984, therefore, did not invalidate the conclusion of the World Fisheries Conference that the fish production from traditional marine sources had stabilized and that further improvement could only be achieved through better management, expansion of inland fisheries and aquaculture, the increased use of by-catches and reduction of post-harvest losses.

147. The Conference noted with appreciation the remarkable consensus achieved at the World Fisheries Conference in endorsing the Strategy for Fisheries Management and Development, in approving five associated Programmes of Action for a period of five years, and in adopting a number of resolutions concerning specific aspects of fisheries management and development.

148. Most members underlined the important role the fisheries sector was playing in their countries' national economies as a source of income and employment, of foreign exchange earnings and of food. In many countries, including some landlocked ones, fish and fishery products provided the principal contribution to animal protein supplies.

149. The Conference noted with satisfaction the vigorous steps taken by governments and FAO to implement the Strategy for Fisheries Management and Development. Several countries had already benefited from the principles and guidelines contained in the Strategy in formulating their own fishery policies. Reference was also made to the organization of various expert consultations and regional workshops on fisheries management and development, including such aspects as development planning, fishing vessel marking, joint ventures, monitoring, control and surveillance.

150. The Conference also noted with satisfaction that the Government of Spain had convened in September 1985 a Ministerial Conference on Fisheries in La Toja, where delegations had confirmed that the Strategy was an effective guide for the proper planning of fisheries and related industries.

151. Within the context of that part of the Strategy concerning international trade in fish and fishery products, the Conference welcomed the establishment of the Sub-Committee on Fish Trade under the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) and noted that preparations had started to hold its first session in October 1986. The Sub-Committee would serve as a forum for consultations on technical and economic aspects of international trade in fish and fishery products. It was hoped that its work would help to identify opportunities for fishery commodity development, to improve the quality of fish products and to increase the participation of developing countries in international fish trade.

152. The Conference agreed that periodic progress reports on the implementation of the Strategy should be submitted as of 1987 to COFI and the FAO governing bodies. These should be based on the analysis and consolidation of data to be submitted by Member Nations and be supplemented by special in-depth studies. It further agreed that a simple and flexible format for national reports be designed by the Secretariat, bearing in mind that these should not place too heavy a burden upon national administrations. The Conference was informed that a request for information would be sent to countries and to organizations concerned with fisheries in early 1986.

153. With regard to the implementation of the Programmes of Action, the Conference noted with satisfaction that the annual indicative target figure of US$15 million for funds channelled through FAO for the execution of specific activities under these Programmes in 1985 had been exceeded. It expressed its appreciation to Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United States of America, UNDP and EEC for their contributions and to Canada, China, France, Norway, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth Secretariat for their assistance in kind. It also gratefully noted the new offers of assistance made by the delegations of Czechoslovakia and the USSR.

154. The Conference observed that imbalances still remained in the distribution of the funds between geographic areas and between the different Programmes of Action. It welcomed the efforts made by FAO to reduce these imbalances through a series of consultations with UNDP on fisheries programmes for the next cycle starting in 1987 and with EEC which was in the process of identifying and formulating projects to be funded under the Lomé III Convention. It encouraged FAO to continue these efforts and urged donor countries and agencies to help fill gaps in project funding wherever possible.

155. The Conference agreed that FAO prepare periodic reports on the implementation of the various Programmes of Action. These reports should include information not only on the funds channelled through FAO and on the assistance in kind provided to FAO, but also on the development activities related to the Programmes of Action which were undertaken outside the framework of FAO by individual countries and organizations. The first progress report should be submitted to the Seventeenth Session of the COFI and subsequently to the FAO governing bodies.

156. The Conference expressed its satisfaction with the steps already taken or envisaged by FAO in response to the six special Resolutions adopted by the World Fisheries Conference. With respect to the implementation of the Resolution regarding the Role of the Fisherman, the Conference welcomed the Director-General's decision to select 'fishermen and fishing communities' as one of the themes for World Food Day 1986. This would also give an opportunity to emphasize the role of women in the fisheries sector.

157. The Conference considered that the Programme of Work and Budget in fisheries for 1986-87 fully reflected the needs and priorities identified by the World Fisheries Conference. It noted with appreciation the priority being attached to the promotion of effective management and appropriate utilization of fishery resources. It stressed that the rational management of these resources would make an important contribution to national economic, social and nutritional goals, and to world food security.

158. The Conference strongly endorsed the emphasis being given to technical assistance and advice on fisheries development policies and planning. As key elements in development and management, these were seen as a means of promoting self-reliance by Member Nations in the optimal use of their own fisheries. In this connection, several members highlighted the need for providing technical, economic and legal advice to developing countries wishing to enter into joint ventures and other arrangements.

159. The Conference underlined the special role of inland fisheries and of aquaculture in providing fish as food for rural populations. It called attention to the priority that countries were giving to aquaculture because of the increasing deficit between fish demand and supply. Full support was therefore given to the importance being assigned to inland fisheries and aquaculture in the fisheries programme of FAO.

160. The paramount importance of training in all fisheries disciplines was emphasized and seen as a precondition for achieving self-reliance at all levels. In spite of the number of existing programmes, the Conference emphasized the need for further training, in particular of extension and other field workers. In this context, it expressed its gratitude for the offers of cooperation in fisheries education and training needs by India, the Republic of Korea and Uganda.

161. The Conference stressed the importance of international and regional cooperation in the development and management of fishery resources. It considered that the network of FAO regional fishery bodies was well constituted to secure such cooperation and that the Organization should give high priority to providing technical support to these bodies in order to ensure that they would continue to play a leading role in the conservation and management of fisheries. It also recognized the active role played by FAO and its regional fishery bodies and programmes in the promotion of economic cooperation among developing countries (ECDC) and technical cooperation among developing countries (TCDC). In this context, the Conference expressed its appreciation to Nigeria for its offer to supply outposted personnel in support of the Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic. At the same time, the Conference emphasized that FAO should strengthen its cooperation with fishery bodies established outside its framework, especially the South Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency, the Latin American Organization for Fishery Development and the Permanent Commission for South Pacific.

162. In conclusion, the Conference welcomed the report of the FAO Conference on Fisheries Management and Development and expressed its full support for the measures taken or planned to implement the Strategy and the Programmes of Action.

163. The Conference adopted the following Resolution:

THE CONFERENCE,

Recalling its Resolution 4/79 supporting the proposal to hold an FAO Conference on Fisheries Management and Development,

Having considered the Report of the World Conference on Fisheries Management and Development, held in Rome from 27 June to 6 July 1984,

Aware that fish is an important part of daily diets in many countries and provides nearly one-quarter of the world's supply of animal protein and that in many countries fisheries are important sources of employment, income and foreign exchange,

Convinced that by optimum use of the resources at present being exploited, through improved production, management and conservation and reduced wastage, and by greater production from under-used or unexploited marine species and aquaculture, fisheries can increase their contribution to national economic, social and nutritional goals, and to world food security,

Recognizing that the new regime of the oceans has created opportunities to promote the sustained development and rational management of the world's marine fish resources and that the role of inland water fisheries and aquaculture can also be further enhanced, both as sources of food and within the overall context of rural development,

Noting with appreciation Resolution 39/225 of the General Assembly of the United Nations endorsing the Strategy for Fisheries Management and Development and the associated Programmes of Action adopted by the World Fisheries Conference, and inviting FAO in collaboration with the organs, organizations and bodies concerned within the United Nations system, to continue to play its important role in assisting states in their efforts toward the improved management and development of fishery resources,

(Adopted 27 November 1985)

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