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Revision and up-dating of guidelines

109. The Conference discussed the draft revised and up-dated Guidelines and Targets for International Agricultural Adjustment as submitted by the Eighty-second Session of the Council.

110. The Conference recalled that the process for revising the Guidelines for International Agricultural Adjustment had been initiated following the agreement of the Conference at its Twentieth Session that the existing Guidelines should be reviewed and revised in the light of developments since their adoption in 1975.

111. The Conference expressed support for the revised and updated Guidelines.

112. The Conference noted with appreciation the withdrawal by Argentina of its reservations made on earlier occasions with respect to the revised Guidelines 3 and 4.

113. Many countries proposed that a reference be made in Guideline 1 to the effect that the purpose is to promote a New International Economic Order.

114. The Conference adopted the following Resolution:

THE CONFERENCE,

Emphasizing the fundamental role of the food and agriculture sector in the achievement of the goals of the International Development Strategy (IDS) for the Third UN Development Decade,

Noting that the objectives of the Resolutions and the Declaration on the Eradication of Hunger and Malnutrition adopted by the World Food Conference in November 1974 remain largely unfulfilled,

Bearing in mind the relevant provisions of the Declaration and the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order of the Sixth Special Session of the UN General Assembly in May 1974,

Considering that progress in the application of the Guidelines and in the achievement of the targets of International Agricultural Adjustment would represent an essential element in the establishment of a New International Economic Order,

Recognizing the key role of agrarian reform and rural development in achieving national objectives of eradicating poverty, which include nutritional improvement, through policies for attaining growth with equity, redistribution of economic and political power and people's participation, embodied in the Declaration of Principles and Programme of Action of the WCARRD of July 1979,

Being aware of the need for agricultural trade liberalization and policy measures in the area of commodities and financing as provided for in, inter alia, the Resolutions of the Sixth Session of UNCTAD of June 1983, particularly Resolution 159 (VI), and the Declaration of the Ministerial Session of the GATT of November 1982,

Re-affirming the continued validity of the objectives of international agricultural adjustment identified in Conference Resolution 2/73, namely:

Recalling the endorsement by the Conference at its Eighteenth Session of the Guidelines for International Agricultural Adjustment,

Further recalling the agreement of the Conference at its Twentieth Session that the Guidelines for International Agricultural Adjustment should be reviewed and revised, as appropriate, in the light of developments in world agricultural production, consumption and trade, taking into account the objectives of the IDS and the relevant conclusions and recommendations reached at the WCARRD, UNCTAD. World Food Council and other relevant fora,

Being further aware that a Government Consultation held in March 1981 made progress towards agreed formulations of revised and up-dated Guidelines,

Taking note of the draft Guidelines and Targets for International Agricultural Adjustment, as formulated by consensus in a contact group of the Eighty-second Session of the Council, and the decision of Council to submit them to this present Twenty-second Session of the Conference for its consideration and adoption if it so decides,

(Adopted 22 November 1983)

Annex to Resolution 3/83

GUIDELINES AND TARGETS FOR INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL ADJUSTMENT

GUIDELINE 1

Food and agricultural production in developing countries, particularly in the least developed countries and developing countries in the other special categories where the development needs and problems are greatest, should expand during the Third UN Development Decade at an average annual rate of at least 4 percent. This rate of growth is needed to meet the nutritional needs and increasing demand of their population, to create a basis for more rapid industrialization and diversification of their economic structures, to redress growing imbalances in world production and enable developing countries to become more self-reliant in the production of basic foodstuffs. To this end, developing countries should continue to strengthen the formulation and implementation of food and agricultural development plans and food sector strategies within the framework of their national development priorities and programmes. Developed countries, while aiming in their agricultural policies at the most rational use of resources, should endeavour to take into account the special needs and interests of developing countries and the need to ensure world food security. Developed countries will make their best efforts to adjust those sectors of their agricultural and manufacturing economies which require protection against exports from developing countries, thus facilitating access to the markets of food and agricultural products. The developed countries should exert their best efforts to avoid adverse effects on the economies of the developing countries while formulating and implementing their domestic agricultural policies. All countries should aim to achieve a rational production pattern in the light of their needs and production possibilities.

GUIDELINE 2

The total flow of financial and other resources to the agriculture and food sector in developing countries should be greatly increased, especially for expansion and diversification of production. Substantial increases in agricultural research, national, regional and international should be paralleled by special efforts to increase efficiency in the use of resources and to improve existing technologies. The international community should support measures to provide agricultural inputs, especially fertilizer, improved seeds and supplies of pesticides, and efforts to prevent post-harvest losses. Special attention should be given to development of agricultural extension at the level of the people concerned. The required action lies both with developed and with developing countries.

GUIDELINE 3

Developing countries should give priority in accordance with their national plans to the adaptation of institutional frameworks and farming structures which would allow wider and more equitable access by the vast majority of rural masses, including the landless peasants and small farmers, to:

and to provide appropriate price policy and other incentives for expanded production and optimum use of inputs of available and suitable technology.

GUIDELINE 4

National policies for agricultural and rural development should encourage full and effective participation of rural people in decision-making, implementation and evaluation of the process of agrarian reform and rural development through promotion of rural organizations, including rural workers' associations and cooperatives, and through strengthening of local government. Especially in those countries where female status is not recognized as equal to that of men, full integration of women in rural development on an equal basis should be encouraged by:

Governments should consider priority action to mobilize the energies of youth for a variety of developmental activities.

GUIDELINE 5

All countries should establish integrated food production and nutrition policies. Within the framework of national development strategies, countries should set operational goals for the improvement of food consumption patterns for all socio-economic groups and for the gradual elimination of malnutrition. Where feasible and appropriate, nutritional considerations should be incorporated into the design, planning, implementation and evaluation of development projects.

GUIDELINE 6

Developing countries should endeavour to implement special economic and social measures to achieve a fair and equitable distribution of income. Where appropriate, such measures may include food subsidies or income supplementation so as to expand food consumption of low-income consumers and to improve nutritional levels of undernourished segments of the population, especially vulnerable groups. Better utilization of food will require greater efforts to reduce food losses at all levels and to improve storage, processing, transport, marketing and quality of food. Developing countries should promote greater national and collective self-reliance in food through increasing production and consumption of locally and regionally available foods.

GUIDELINE 7

All countries, particularly developed countries, should display the necessary political will by refraining to the maximum extent possible from imposing any new tariff or non-tariff barriers to the imports of agricultural and agro-based products, particularly those from developing countries, and they should progressively improve access to international markets in order to underpin a dynamic upward trend in trade volumes in these products as well as greater product diversification. Importing countries should avoid arbitrary disruption of emerging trade opportunities and of existing trade. Exporting countries should restrain to the maximum extent possible the use of export subsidies and similar measures which might hamper trade, particularly of developing countries.

GUIDELINE 8

All countries should make the fullest possible efforts and adopt appropriate measures to ensure greater stability of world markets for agricultural products at prices remunerative to producers and fair to consumers, where appropriate through the use of international commodity agreements. In this respect, the international community should take measures to ensure importing countries, particularly low-income countries, access to supplies of food on reasonable terms, particularly in times of world food shortages.

GUIDELINE 9

Developing countries should promote and expand trade in food and agricultural commodities as well as economic and technical cooperation amongst themselves in accordance with the relevant decisions taken by those countries in the Arusha Programme for Collective Self-Reliance and Framework for Negotiations, adopted by the Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the Group of 77 of February 1979, and at other international fore. The international community will provide appropriate support and assistance to the efforts of the developing countries.

GUIDELINE 10

Urgent measures should be taken to establish effective world food security. All countries should participate in the achievement of world food security and to the extent of their abilities share in maintaining adequate world cereal stocks which on a global basis have been estimated at approximately 17 to 18 percent of annual world consumption. Concerted efforts should be made to conclude a new international grains agreement aimed at contributing to the stabilization of markets and improved food security and at evolving an internationally coordinated system of nationally-held food reserves. As an interim measure, early steps should be taken by countries to implement on a voluntary basis the Plan of Action on World Food Security of FAO. The International Monetary Fund should continue to provide, within the context of its compensatory financing facility, additional balance of payments support for meeting rises in cereal import bills of member countries. The target of 500 000 tons of cereals for the International Emergency Food Reserve should be realized immediately. All countries, particularly those which are not yet contributing to it, should make or increase their contribution to the Reserve. The Reserve should be maintained at 500 000 tons. Early consideration should be given to proposals for strengthening the Reserve so as to meet future emergency needs. Countries should avoid measures which could affect the capacity of developing countries to cover their essential needs for grains and lead to deterioration of human consumption in times of production shortfalls. General agreement to avoid such action in times of food crisis would be a powerful reinforcement of world food security. At times of acute and large-scale food shortages, countries should consider measures as outlined in the FAO Agenda for Consultation and Possible Action to deal with Acute and Large-scale Food Shortages.

GUIDELINE 11

Food aid is a transitional development tool. Current targets for food aid should be fully met by the entire international community. Every effort should be made both to enlist new contributors and to increase the commitments of existing ones, given that the estimated future aid requirements in grain may substantially exceed the current 10 million ton target. Consideration should be given to its upward revision, taking into account the estimated requirements of 17 to 18.5 million tons of cereals, which provide a useful indicator of the overall requirements of food aid by 1985. This estimate should be reviewed periodically. While considering annual requirements of food aid by 1985, estimates of 300 000 tons of dairy products and 350 000 tons of vegetable oil, which also provide useful indicators of annual requirements, should be taken into account. Countries supplying these products as aid should keep up their efforts and other countries in a position to do so should contribute or consider contributing towards meeting requirements. Food aid should be provided essentially on a grant basis to assist recipient countries in their effort to develop their agriculture and also in cases of emergencies and thus to help meet food needs of poor and vulnerable groups. Donor countries should consider channelling a higher proportion of food aid through the World Food Programme and other multilateral institutions. Forward planning should be improved and there should be better integration with financial aid and other forms of development assistance, and more triangular transactions.

GUIDELINE 12

In support of measures in the developing countries to increase substantially investment in agriculture, external assistance from both bilateral and multilateral sources of financing must be substantially increased so as to make possible early realization of the estimated annual requirements (in 1975 prices) of US$ 8.3 billion with US$ 6.5 billion on concessional terms, keeping in mind FAO's Secretariat estimates that external assistance requirements will increase to between US$11-12.5 billion (in 1975 prices) by 1990. More concessional assistance, both bilateral and multilateral, should be concentrated on low-income countries, and donors should commit adequate funds for local costs and should meet requests wherever possible for financial participation in recurrent costs of the implementation of development projects in the agricultural sector.

115. The Conference discussed this item on the basis of the results of a FAO study providing the first detailed crop-specific assessment of the population-supporting potentials of lands in the developing world, in comparison with their present (1975) and projected populations (2000). The study concluded that production Potentials to ensure food security exist in developing countries on an overall, but not always on a country by country basis. It noted that this study was carried out in collaboration with the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), with the support of the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA). The Conference commended the close cooperation between FAO, UNFPA and IIASA on the study of this vital issue.

116. The Conference expressed its appreciation for the timeliness of the study which could be presented to the 1984 International Conference on Population. It emphasized the importance of population and family planning in efforts to achieve a better balance between food demands and agricultural land resources.

117. The Conference agreed that the study was a most useful stimulus for regional and national planning of land use and agricultural development, which could contribute to the timely formulation of population policies and overall development strategies. It considered that while being an approximation, the study had broken important new ground through its innovative approach and methodology. The Conference noted that the study provided important links with other Conference items on International Agricultural Adjustment and World Food Security.

118. Some members expressed doubts as to whether large areas of forested land or other resource inputs would become available for food production as readily as had been assumed and that the study might therefore have generated optimistic estimates of food production potential.

119. It was suggested that the study should be improved by extension of the country coverage to include China and developed countries and by using alternative long-term population projections.

120. The Conference recommended that in order to cover issues on a country basis the analyses should also study alternative land uses, wider range of crops, protective and productive use of forest, and fisheries.

121. The Conference considered that the study would benefit from an assessment of potential irrigation capacity, from a more detailed and flexible definition of input levels, and a more in-depth treatment of environmental aspects. It also emphasized the importance of international issues such as trade, aid and transfer of technology. It further stressed that assessments of productive capabilities of land and water resources needed to be complemented by analyses of financial resources available for inputs and investments.

122. The Conference recommended that further work should concentrate on analyses at the country level with active participation of the countries concerned. This required the collection of more detailed and reliable data and information, specifically on land and water resources. This work should then be related to issues under WCARRD, such as equity, access to land and inputs, with special consideration for small farmers, the role of women, the building of necessary and appropriate institutions and delivery systems, provision of facilities for research and extension, development of human resources, and incentives to farmers.

123. The Conference also recommended that FAO continue to cooperate closely with UN and other concerned agencies and that the study be updated in due course in order to incorporate new information, and the suggestions made by the Conference to improve the study including those referring to all socio-economic factors which affect population growth and some of which were mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

124. The Conference noted that the "Progress Report on WCARRD Programme of Action" had been prepared as called for by the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (1979) and in accordance with the decision made by the Twenty-first Session of the FAO Conference for initiating the four years' cycle of reporting.

125. While recognizing the complex subject of the report and limitation of available data, the Conference commended the FAO Secretariat for having prepared a comprehensive document containing an in-depth review and analysis of progress made in agrarian reform and rural development; relating such progress to changes in the incidence of rural poverty; indicating the gap in data and highlighting areas for further action by countries and by FAO in collaboration with other United Nations organizations. The Conference appreciated the findings of the report and considered its analytical frame as a sound base for future reporting on progress made.

126. The Conference expressed satisfaction at the initial steps taken so far by countries in evolving a methodological base and the introduction of statistical mechanisms. It urged Member Nations to monitor progress on a continuing basis as well as to develop indicators adequate to their needs and to improve their analytical capacity required for this task. The Conference urged that FAO, in collaboration with other UN organizations, continue to assist countries, on request, in this important field and in the preparation of guiding principles for setting the poverty line. The Conference considered that these continued efforts were essential for the preparation of the next progress report to the 1987 FAO Conference.

127. The Conference noted with concern the slow progress relating to access to land and that during the post-WCARRD period only five countries had introduced significant policy changes relating to land distribution in favour of the rural poor. It recognized that the pattern of agricultural growth in some countries adversely affected the landless, women and marginal farmers and that land settlement programmes continued to be prominent in many countries but benefited only a small proportion of the rural poor. The Conference urged countries to consider action for improving access to land and income-earning opportunities in view of the increasing number of landless labourers and tenants whose situation was aggravated by the increasing scarcity of agricultural land.

128. Recognizing the vital role played by women in agricultural production, the Conference noted with satisfaction the emphasis being placed on women as agriculturalists. It urged that more action be taken to assist rural women with their responsibilities for production, as was recommended in COAG (Committee on Agriculture). It stressed the need for rural women to have direct access to land, training, credit, marketing services and other income-earning activities, and called for periodic reports on progress in these areas to be discussed at regional conferences and included in the reporting on progress made to the 1987 FAO Conference. The Conference re-affirmed the importance of training women and called upon countries to encourage women to study agriculture and to participate in extension training programmes. The involvement of women's NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) in planning and training was encouraged. The Conference also recommended that steps be taken to involve women in policy formulation and in all stages of project development.

129. The Conference stressed the importance of increasing agricultural production as an essential base for alleviating rural poverty. For this purpose, it emphasized the provision of education, extension and training for rural people, men and women, to enable them to adopt technologies appropriate to small farmers who constitute the majority of agricultural producers. The Conference noted with satisfaction that many countries have made some progress in orienting their programmes on agricultural extension to the needs of small farmers as well as in expanding training programmes for farmers' leaders. It called upon countries and FAO for greater efforts to develop appropriate technology suited to the needs and capabilities of small farmers.

130. With regard to the need for increasing production to achieve greater self-reliance in food and improve the nutritional requirements, the Conference expressed the need for institutional changes in agricultural credit and marketing to serve the rural poor. It stressed that increased provision of institutional credit should be supplemented by effective arrangements amongst the small farmers and landless, to enable them not only to have easy access to such institutional credit but also to ensure that such credit is effectively used. It noted that improvement of marketing services and establishment of marketing information systems enabled the small farmers to receive higher prices and enhanced their productive incentives.

131. In respect of the commitment of resources to agricultural and rural development, the Conference regretted that progress had been slow and that in some countries there was a decline in real terms. The Conference urged developing Member Nations to increase the share of agricultural and rural development in the allocation of national development expenditure. It called upon donor countries and international financing institutions to expand expenditure for agricultural and rural development, to direct the resources for the benefit of the rural poor and urged them to arrest the recent decline in their development assistance to rural development. Some delegates cautioned against according absolute priority to agriculture in development assistance programmes considering that efficiency in the use of scarce resources formed the basis for the achievement of self-reliance.

132. The Conference recognized that while some progress had been made towards agrarian reform and rural development, the incidence of absolute poverty and risk of food inadequacy are still very high, even in many countries with high rates of economic growth. Substantial progress in the reduction in rural poverty, therefore, would be difficult to achieve within a politically acceptable time period, especially in low-income countries, if resources for promoting growth are not accompanied by development policies specially targeted towards the rural poor. The Conference stressed the need for special efforts in Africa to redirect resources and manpower to agriculture as well as to arrest the rapid urbanization at the expense of the rural economy. The Conference urged Member Nations to consider these policy implications and to include in their monitoring systems and in their reporting to the 1987 FAO, Conference progress achieved and specific action taken to identify the socio-economic groups of the rural poor and to fix quantifiable time-bound targets to be achieved.

133. The Conference requested the Director-General to consider, whenever appropriate, including in Regional Conferences, reports on progress in the implementation of the WCARRD Programme of Action.

134. The Conference recalled that the WCARRD Programme of Action emphasized the special role of people's participation in development strategies for substantial reduction of rural poverty. It called for establishment and strengthening of self-reliant and representative rural organizations so that they can effectively participate in the implementation of the WCARRD Programme of Action. It noted with satisfaction the progress made by FAO and donor countries in assisting countries, on request, to develop participatory activities at village level under the People's Participation Programme and the Freedom from Hunger Campaign, in accordance with the countries' indigenous systems and needs.

135. The Conference emphasized the important role of NGOs in the implementation of the Programme of Action and called upon countries to strengthen small farmers' cooperatives. It requested FAO to make greater use of the experts and experiences of NGOs in the implementation of the WCARRD Programme of Action. FAO should facilitate the flow of information between NGOs and donors and increase efforts to raise funds for people's participation programmes and projects. The Conference urged Member Nations to provide the basis for effective participation of the rural poor by removing the legal and institutional barriers to enable their association in organizations of their choice and to ratify and enforce the ILO (International Labour Office) Conventions Nos. 87 and 141 on Freedom of Association and the Role of Rural Workers' Organizations in Economic and Social Development.

136. The Conference recognized FAO's efforts as the lead Agency in the ACC (Administrative Committee on Coordination) Task Force on Rural Development to bring about greater interagency cooperation in rural development at global, regional and country levels. It noted with satisfaction the effectiveness of the WCARRD Follow-up Inter-agency Missions to countries, which were instrumental in the cooperation among United Nations agencies in assisting Member Nations with the implementation of the WCARRD Programme of Action. The Conference recommended the promotion of these missions and the provision of required resources to implement their recommendations. It invited other UN Agencies to coordinate their efforts with FAO in assisting Member Nations in agrarian reform and rural development.

137. The Conference adopted the following Resolution:

THE CONFERENCE,

Recalling its Resolution 7/79 on follow-up of the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (WCARRD), 1979, endorsing the World Conference Declaration of Principles and Programme of Action as adopted and requesting the Director-General to submit a report on progress achieved to the Council in November 1980 and to the Twenty-first Session of the Conference,

Noting that the Twenty-first Session of the Conference and the Council sessions of November 1980 and December 1981, have expressed to the Director-General their satisfaction at, and support of, the progress achieved in orienting the Organization's policies and technical programmes towards the objectives of the WCARRD Programme of Action,

Appreciating the first progress report on the implementation of the WCARRD Programme of Action as required in its Section I-D and the 1981 FAO Conference,

(Adopted 22 November 1983)

138. The Conference congratulated the Director-General on the success of the third observance of World Food Day which had followed the positive pattern already established by the first two observances of World Food Day in 1981 and 1982. World Food Day was heightening the awareness of all groups of people throughout the world of the nature and magnitude of the world hunger problem, and was important in mobilizing the political will necessary to address the world food situation.

139. The Conference noted with satisfaction the outstanding response of Member Nations in implementing activities to mark the observance of the third World Food Day in 1983, which were in full harmony with the objectives set out in the Conference Resolutions related to World Food Day.

140. The Conference welcomed the efforts of FAO to support World Food Day activities, as well as the broad participation of Non-Governmental Organizations in the planning and implementation of World Food Day activities, at country level.

141. The Conference requested the FAO Secretariat to begin preparations at an early date for appropriate activities commemorating World Food Day in 1985 which coincides with the fortieth anniversary of the founding of FAO.

142. The Conference adopted the following Resolution:

THE CONFERENCE,

Recalling that the Twenty-first Session of the FAO Conference strongly recommended that World Food Day efforts be intensified in future years;

Recognizing that although the world has the technical capacity to overcome hunger, this does not necessarily imply the existence of sufficient social development and political commitment;

Recognizing that the support necessary to create this commitment will only be established when the realities of global economic interdependence are more fully understood by all;

(Adopted 22 November 1983)

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