Annex II:

QUESTIONNAIRE TO MEMBER NATIONS

Preliminary Analysis based on Responses received by 27 July 1998

Appendix 1 - List of Respondents

Appendix II - Text of Questionnaire to Member Nations

I. Introduction

1. A preliminary analysis of the responses to the Strategic Framework Questionnaire (copy attached), which was sent to the whole membership of FAO on 4 June 1998, with a requested deadline of 3 July, was carried out on the basis of returns received until 27 July 1998. At that date, 76 Member Nations had replied, plus the European Union, making for a total of 77 responses (see appendix 1, list of respondents, classified by region). This is over 40 percent of the FAO membership. Most major contributor countries have replied (17) and, on a regional level, there is a noticeable predominance of the Europe and North America region (27 responses, including the European Union), thus accounting for nearly all member countries in the region. Replies received from developing countries (in total, 49 responses) were fairly evenly distributed between the regions. The response rate to the questionnaire is expected to improve over time, and responses should continue to stream in through the summer. A reminder is being sent to those countries which have not responded as yet, so that a more complete picture can be presented in due course.

2. As can be seen from Appendix 1, most countries provided a single global response but some availed themselves of the possibility left open to them in the questionnaire to respond on a sectoral basis (agriculture, fisheries, forestry, environment and nutrition). In such cases, a process was used to consolidate the response at country level, based on selecting the codes (A, B, C or D) with highest frequency in the responses given. In those (rare) cases, where frequencies evened out, the response from the Ministry of Agriculture was given a higher weight and was selected. The same process was used in the case of one country whose Ministry for Environment sent five separate sets of responses for each of its five departments.

3. Also, it is to be noted that some of the developed countries provided two answers, one from their national point of view and another which they deemed should be the one appropriate for developing countries - in every case, giving a higher vote to the "others" than for itself. Since the questionnaire analysis is predicated on the principle that it is a survey of Members' own (national) opinions, the code answer corresponding to the national point of view was entered into the database in every case.

4. The analysis followed two lines of investigation. One was based on a simple frequency count of all the responses to each question, and then further disaggregating the responses by class of respondents: divided by region and by economic groupings. The other line of investigation consisted in putting together all the written comments in direct relation to each concerned part of the questionnaire and in addressing these to the extent possible in the first draft of the Strategic Framework.

5. Finally, a check on the patterns of "sectoral" responses was carried out as there were some differences noted at country level but once added up, no significant variations between them and the global, consolidated responses emerged, thus obviating the need to carry out a separate analysis on the sectoral responses as such.

II. Main Findings

Part A of the Questionnaire: Global Goals of Member Nations

6. As can be seen from table 1 below, there was massive support for the Member Nations' Goals.

TABLE 1: GLOBAL GOALS OF MEMBER NATIONS - Regional Distribution of Responses

Global Goals
total #
Fully agrees 
%
Agrees but not as stated 
%
Disagrees
%
1. Access of all people at all times to sufficient...food.. 
Africa 
Asia & Pacific 
Europe & N. America 
L.America & Carib. 
Near East 
All Respondents
13 
15 
22 
13 
7 
70
85 
93 
73 
92 
86 
84
15 
27 
14 
16
0
2. The continued and sustainable contribution of agriculture.. 
Africa 
Asia & Pacific 
Europe & N. America 
L.America & Carib. 
Near East 
All Respondents
13 
15 
23 
13 
7 
71
77 
80 
52 
85 
86 
72
23 
20 
43 
15 
14 
27
1
3. The conservation, improvement and sustainable utilization...of natural resources.. 
Africa 
Asia & Pacific 
Europe & N. America 
L.America & Carib. 
Near East 
All Respondents
13 
15 
22 
13 
7 
70
85 
87 
86 
85 
100 
87
15 
13 
14 
15 
13
0
 
7. For each goal, however, about a dozen countries disagreed not with the substance but with the wording. Disagreement came mostly from the OECD group and is summarized as follows:

· for the first goal the general tendency was for a strengthening of the wording (i.e. "by at least 2015", "by 2015 at the latest" or "to eliminate hunger by 2015");

· for the sustainable development goal, the divergence was generally minor in terms of substance but the range of wording proposed presented a potentially difficult negotiation on the words to be finally adopted (one country manifested disagreement with the substance of this goal); and

· for the conservation goal, the comments were related to the precise wording and not to substance.

8. There was a general concern as to whether the proposed formulations adequately covered major elements of the various international conferences and that the Secretariat's editing would trigger a reopening of the debates. This puts in question the advisability of attempting to summarize the goals of Member Nations when they have already been debated at length in other fora.
 

9. A number of additional global goals were also suggested which often did not really add new goals as such, but tended to emphasize one or the other aspect of the three proposed goals, elevating them to the status of separate goals (for example, poverty eradication, capacity-building, protection of biological diversity, equitable participation of women and men etc.).
 

Part B of the Questionnaire: Goals-related Areas of Work for FAO

10. As shown in Table 2 below, a clear majority of countries have attached a high or very high degree of priority to all the goals-related areas of work identified for FAO. The work areas are ranked according to the percentage level of positive responses and shown in descending order of priority:

11. Basically only one sub-area -1.2 (ii) : "regular assessments and analyses of trends in food security, agriculture, fisheries, forestry, natural resources and scientific knowledge (ii) For your country"- was rated at a much lower level of priority. The reason, as confirmed by the comments, appears to be that a number of countries perceived this work area to be a national prerogative and responsibility. Also, it is noteworthy that these were mostly countries belonging to the Europe & North America region, with only a few countries from other regions expressing the same opinion.

TABLE 2: GOALS RELATED AREAS OF WORK FOR FAO: Level of priority
 
Area of work for FAO: 
(abbreviated headings)
Respondents who have rated the Level of Priority as Highest or High
 
number
% of total 
responses
1.2 Regular assessments of trends (i) Globally
76
100
1.3 A central place for Food Security on the international agenda
75
100
4.1 Improved management of natural resources
76
99
4.2 Supporting the adoption of policies based on the recognition of costs and benefits
75
99
5.2 Encouraging governments to target disadvantaged groups
74
97
5.3 Assistance in disaster-related emergencies
73
97
1.1 Provision of a global set of data
73
97
2.1 Agreement on and monitoring international standards
74
96
2.2 Adoption of national policies to meet accepted standards
74
96
3.1 Sectoral policy advice and assistance
72
96
5.1 Policies supporting more equitable access by all to natural resources
72
96
3.2 Facilitating the adoption of sustainable packages
72
95
1.2 Regular assessments of trends (ii) For your country
66
89
 
12. With regard to the importance attached by Member Nations to the role of FAO as a supplier of services in the various goal-related areas, the ratings were generally positive, particularly in the areas of data collection and assessment (area no. 1) and securing agreement on and monitoring international standards (area no.2). Results are shown below in a descending order of priority:

TABLE 3: GOALS RELATED AREAS OF WORK FOR FAO: FAO's Role as a Provider of Services
 
Area of work for FAO 
(abbreviated headings)
Respondents who have rated FAO's role as Central or Major
 
number
% of total 
response
1.2 Regular assessments of trends (i) Globally
76
100
1.1 Provision of a global set of data
74
98
1.3 A central place for Food Security on the international agenda
73
96
2.1 Agreement on and monitoring international standards
72
94
5.3 Assistance in disaster-related emergencies
66
88
3.1 Sectoral Policy Advice and assistance 
65
87
4.2 Supporting the adoption of policies based on the recognition of costs and benefits
64
84
4.1 Improved management of natural resources
63
82
5.2 Encouraging governments to target disadvantaged groups
62
82
5.1 Policies supporting more equitable access by all to natural resources
59
79
3.2 Facilitating the adoption of sustainable packages
59
78
2.2 Adoption of national policies to meet accepted standards
56
74
1.2 Regular assessments of trends (ii) For your country
43
58
 
13. An analysis of the regional and economic patterns of negative responses in the lowest ranked of the six areas above was carried out to attempt to "explain" the relatively less favourable rate achieved in these areas. The results of the analysis, based on the number of respondents which rated FAO's role as "minor" or "little", is shown below:

TABLE 4: Analysis of FAO's Role as a Provider of Services - Selected Goals-related Work Areas

Areas of work for FAO
Respondents who have rated FAO's role as "minor" or "little" 
(number)
 
    All respondents
Economic
Regional
   
OECD
non-OECD
    Europe & N.America
    Africa
    Asia & Pacific
    L.America & Carib
    N.Africa & N. East
5.2
13
8
5
8
2
1
2
0
4.1
14
10
4
9
0
1
3
1
5.1
16
12
4
9
0
3
2
2
3.2
17
14
3
13
1
2
1
0
2.2
20
11
9
11
2
1
5
1
1.2 (ii)
31
23
8
20
1
4
4
2
 
14. Clearly the negative ratings are largely due to the group of developed countries, and in most cases are easily explained by the fact that they naturally see no role for FAO providing services to their respective countries in areas of work for which they have the necessary capacity and which are deemed to be a function of national sovereignty (or, in some cases, delegated to the European Union). Some developing countries have joined this point of view, particularly in Asia and Latin America, where they felt they have already developed sufficient national capacity to deal with the matters unaided. All other countries, who directly benefit from FAO assistance, have tended to reply positively. The result, to some extent, was predictable and is in line with what developed countries themselves expected when they consistently gave a higher rating to work areas "as seen from developing countries' point of view".

15. A complete picture of the regional distribution of responses to the goals related work areas is presented in Table 5 below.
 

TABLE 5: GOALS-RELATED AREAS OF WORK FOR FAO
Regional Distribution of Responses
 
  LEVEL OF PRIORITY FAO ROLE
    % Responses   % Responses
  Total # Highest High Reduced Least Total # Central Major Minor Little
INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENT
                   
1.1 Provision of a global set of data                    
Africa 15 67 27 7 0 15 80 20 0 0
Asia & Pacific 15 73 20 7 0 15 67 27 7 0
Europe & N. America 26 85 15 0 0 26 85 15 0 0
L. America & Caribbean 13 54 46 0 0 13 77 23 0 0
Near East 6 67 33 0 0 6 83 0 17 0
All countries 75 72 25 3 0 75 79 19 3 0
                     
1.2 Regular assessments of trends (i) Globally                    
Africa 15 60 40 0 0 15 93 7 0 0
Asia & Pacific 15 67 33 0 0 15 80 20 0 0
Europe & N. America 26 81 19 0 0 26 81 19 0 0
L. America & Caribbean 13 85 15 0 0 13 92 8 0 0
Near East 7 57 43 0 0 7 100 0 0 0
All countries 76 72 28 0 0 76 87 13 0 0
                     
1.2 Regular assessments of trends (ii) For your country                    
Africa 15 73 20 7 0 15 33 60 7 0
Asia & Pacific 15 60 33 0 7 15 33 40 13 13
Europe & N. America 25 64 16 12 8 26 4 19 27 50
L. America & Caribbean 13 69 23 8 0 13 31 38 23 8
Near East 6 83 17 0 0 5 40 20 40 0
All countries 74 68 22 7 4 74 23 35 20 22
1.3 A central place for food security on the international agenda                     
Africa 15 53 47 0 0 15 80 20 0 0
Asia & Pacific 15 53 47 0 0 15 60 40 0 0
Europe & N. America 26 42 58 0 0 26 50 42 4 4
L. America & Caribbean 13 62 38 0 0 13 85 8 8 0
Near East 6 83 17 0 0 6 100 0 0 0
All countries 75 53 47 0 0 75 68 28 3 1
                     
POLICY AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS
                   
2.1 Agreement on and monitoring international standards                    
Africa 15 60 40 0 0 15 60 33 7 0
Asia & Pacific 15 53 47 0 0 15 60 40 0 0
Europe & N. America 27 78 19 4 0 27 70 26 4 0
L. America & Caribbean 13 77 8 15 0 13 54 23 23 0
Near East 7 57 43 0 0 7 71 29 0 0
All countries 77 68 29 4 0 77 64 30 6 0
                     
2.2 Adoption of national policies to meet accepted standards                    
Africa 15 67 27 7 0 15 27 60 13 0
Asia & Pacific 15 53 40 7 0 15 20 73 7 0
Europe & N. America 27 52 44 4 0 27 11 48 37 4
L. America & Caribbean 13 69 31 0 0 13 31 31 31 8
Near East 7 71 29 0 0 6 17 67 17 0
All countries 77 60 36 4 0 76 20 54 24 3
                     
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY DEVELOPMENT                    
3.1 Sectoral policy advice and assistance                    
Africa 15 73 27 0 0 15 40 53 7 0
Asia & Pacific 14 57 43 0 0 14 36 57 7 0
Europe & N. America 27 56 33 11 0 27 33 37 19 11
L. America & Caribbean 13 62 38 0 0 13 54 46 0 0
Near East 6 100 0 0 0 6 50 50 0 0
All countries 75 64 32 4 0 75 40 47 9 4
                     
3.2 Facilitating the adoption of sustainable packages                    
Africa 15 60 40 0 0 15 33 60 7 0
Asia & Pacific 15 53 40 7 0 15 27 60 13 0
Europe & N. America 27 30 63 7 0 27 15 37 33 15
L. America & Caribbean 13 69 23 8 0 13 62 31 8 0
Near East 6 50 50 0 0 6 50 50 0 0
All countries 76 49 46 5 0 76 32 46 17 5
                     
SUSTAINABLE UTILIZATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES                    
4.1 Improved management of natural resources                    
Africa 15 93 7 0 0 15 53 47 0 0
Asia & Pacific 15 60 40 0 0 15 47 47 7 0
Europe & N. America 27 56 44 0 0 27 22 44 30 4
L. America & Caribbean 13 69 23 8 0 13 38 38 23 0
Near East 7 100 0 0 0 7 43 43 14 0
All countries 77 70 29 1 0 77 38 44 17 1
4.2 Supporting the adoption of policies based on the recognition of costs and benefits                    
Africa 15 67 33 0 0 15 27 73 0 0
Asia & Pacific 15 47 47 7 0 15 40 47 13 0
Europe & N. America 27 41 59 0 0 27 19 59 15 7
L. America & Caribbean 13 62 38 0 0 13 38 38 23 0
Near East 6 67 33 0 0 6 50 33 17 0
All countries 76 53 46 1 0 76 30 54 13 3
                     
RURAL POVERTY AND FOOD INSECURITY
                   
5.1 Policies supporting more equitable access by all to natural resources                    
Africa 15 73 27 0 0 15 40 60 0 0
Asia & Pacific 15 60 33 7 0 15 27 53 20 0
Europe & N. America 26 77 19 4 0 26 23 42 27 8
L. America & Caribbean 13 62 31 8 0 13 23 62 15 0
Near East 6 50 50 0 0 6 17 50 33 0
All countries 75 68 28 4 0 75 27 52 19 3
                     
5.2 Encouraging governments to target disadvantaged groups                    
Africa 15 73 27 0 0 15 47 40 13 0
Asia & Pacific 15 53 40 7 0 15 47 47 7 0
Europe & N. America 26 69 27 4 0 26 23 46 27 4
L. America & Caribbean 13 77 23 0 0 13 54 31 15 0
Near East 7 100 0 0 0 7 43 57 0 0
All countries 76 71 26 3 0 76 39 43 16 1
                     
5.3 Assistance in disaster-related emergencies                    
Africa 15 80 13 7 0 15 87 13 0 0
Asia & Pacific 15 60 40 0 0 15 47 53 0 0
Europe & N. America 25 56 40 4 0 25 32 40 16 12
L. America & Caribbean 13 69 31 0 0 13 46 38 15 0
Near East 7 71 29 0 0 7 86 14 0 0
All countries 75 65 32 3 0 75 53 35 8 4


 

APPENDIX 1: LIST OF RESPONDENTS - CLASSIFIED BY REGION

Region Country Global Response Sectoral Responses Date received 
1998
Africa 

total: 15

Botswana 
Burkina Faso 
Cape Verde 
Chad 
Comoros 
Côte d'Ivoire 
Gambia 
Guinea 
Liberia 
Mozambique 
Rwanda 
South Africa 
Tanzania 
Tunisia 
Zimbabwe
1 
 

1 
1 
1 
 
 

1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1

2 
2 
 
 

2 
4 
2 
 
 
 
 

2

03/07 
03/07 
26/06 
12/06 
20/06 
25/06 
25/06 
29/06 
29/06 
03/07 
25/06 
23/06 
22/06 
30/06 
07/07
Asia & Pacific 

total: 15

Australia 
Bangladesh 
Cambodia 
China 
Indonesia 
Japan 
Korea, Rep.of 
Laos 
Myanmar 
New Zealand 
Pakistan 
Samoa 
Sri Lanka 
Thailand 
Tonga
1 
1 

1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
 

1 
1 

1 
1

2 
 
 
 
 

2 
3 
 

3

02/07 
30/06 
25/06 
30/06 
02/07 
24/07 
02/07 
03/07 
23/06 
26/06 
01/07 
03/07 
01/07 
24/06 
08/07
Europe & North America 

total: 27

Armenia 
Austria 
Belgium 
Bosnia & Herz 
Bulgaria 
Canada 
Cyprus 
Denmark 
EC 
Finland 
France 
Germany 
Greece 
Iceland 
Ireland 
Israel 
Italy 
Netherlands 
Norway 
Portugal 
Romania 
Spain 
Sweden 
Switzerland 
Turkey 
United Kingdom 
USA
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 

1 
1

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

2

14/07 
29/06 
03/07 
01/07 
02/07 
03/07 
30/06 
09/07 
27/07 
30/06 
03/07 
06/07 
26/06 
04/06 
08/07 
30/06 
24/06 
03/07 
06/07 
30/06 
24/06 
08/07 
03/07 
03/07 
18/06 
29/06 
02/07
Latin America & Caribbean 

total: 13

Bolivia 
Brazil 
Chile 
Colombia 
Guatemala 
Guyana 
Honduras 
Jamaica 
Mexico 
Nicaragua 
Peru 
Suriname 
Uruguay
1 

1 

1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
 

1

2 

2 
 
 
 
 
 

3 
2

30/06 
02/07 
07/07 
06/07 
23/06 
03/07 
25/06 
29/06 
03/07 
01/07 
01/07 
30/06 
10/07
Near East 

total: 7

Iran 
Lebanon 
Libya 
Oman 
Qatar 
Syria 
Yemen
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1
3 22/06 
24/06 
25/06 
01/06 
25/06 
22/06 
28/06

Appendix II - Text of Questionnaire to Member Nations