W.A.F. GRABISCH (Germany, Federal Republic of): The position of my delegation concerning the agenda item before us has been covered largely by the Representative of the European Economic Community. I can therefore be brief and limit myself to a few remarks.
Firstly, the broad concept to world food security set out in the Director-General's Report with the decisive element in it, namely, the increase of food production in developing countries, is in line with my Government's policy paper for its cooperation with developing countries. Agriculture and rural development is given therein highest priority.
Secondly, more attention should, in our view, be given to non-cereal food croops in an effort to strengthen food security. The delegate of Kenya yesterday referred to tubers, roots and pulses.
Thirdly, in view of the broad and detailed concept of food security, it is not surprising that the Committee on Food Security could not lend its support to quite a number of concrete operational and organizational proposals, either because quite contrary positions were held, or because there was not sufficient time to discuss the problems in detail. Taking into account this state of affairs, my delegation finds itself in agreement with paragraph 90 of the report, document CL 83/10, before us, in which the Secretariat is asked, when preparing the documents for the next session of the
Committee on World Food Security, to concentrate more on such areas and proposals for which a consensus seems to be possible in the near future - a point which was yesterday particularly stressed also by the delegate of Norway.
Fourthly and finally, I should like to ask again for an as early as possible dispatch of the documents for the Ninth Session of the Committee on World Food Security because prior to the discussion of the integrated concept for an improvement of food security and the proposals contained in, a thorough examination and coordination within my country's Government, as well as with other EEC Member States, will be necessary.
H.F. NAJEB (Iraq) (original language Arabic): This document CL 83/10 is practically a report from the CFS that has been submitted to us for adoption. I would be very pleased if the Chairman of the CFS had submitted this report to us, notwithstanding, of course, the excellent introduction made by Prof. Islam. The reason for this is that this is a report of the Committee even at this stage of its discussions. I think we need to use the same procedure for all committees which are within the Council's ambit. Therefore I believe a follow-up committee should be set up for each Council Committee. This follow-up committee would consist of members of the Council and of the FAO's Secretariat, so that it can follow up the execution of decisions taken by the Committee and adopted by the Council. This would be done at the organizations or at Member Countries of the organizations.
This is a proposal I would like to make. Hoping that this Council would support it, since it makes Member Countries share the responsibilities of following up the decisions they take.
Turning now to the Report itself, we would like to make the following comments: as regards the IEFR, the commitments are 365,000 tons for 1983 and 177,000 tons for 1984. The number of donor countries has dropped from 20 in 1980 to 18 in 1982. We believe that this is not a very good result and we trust that things will improve in the future. Second, as regards food-aid needs, the Organization has evaluated these as above 20 million tons of cereals for 1985 of which 3 million for emergency situations. However, the Committee has not agreed to increase the level of the food aid fixed at 10 million tons in 1974. Even though the Committee considered this target as a good indicator, we would like to see more positive results in this field.
Third, the resources of the World Food Programme: the Committee on Food Aid has suggested a target of $1,350 million. This is 10 percent lower than the Executive Director suggested. However, we are quite pleased with this result and we hope that it will be put into effect so that the WFP can maintain its activities.
Fourth, as regards the Director-General's new proposals on world food security we believe that the CFS has taken on board its responsibilities here as regards this broadened concept of food security which has been muted by the Director-General. The idea is that developing countries and needy countries should be taken into account as regards providing substance for their populations. The three objectives are made very clear and explicit in the proposal: sufficient food production, Stability of supply and access to stocks. We believe that this could be a good foundation for a steady and strong system of food security. The Committee reached consensus on the measures to be taken at national and regional levels, and this can be considered, inter alia, as a clear indication of the international community's support for the excellent proposals made by the Director-General. As for the measures to be taken at a global and international level, it is natural that they be influenced by the narrow interests of certain countries. The same thing happened for the action plan proposed for food security. It would be appropriate for us to stress before this Council the need for FAO to continue working on the details of these proposals so as they be clear to all parties concerned and in all fora so as to secure the continuity of dialogue and discussions in order to reach a common understanding. This should go parallel to the strengthening of the CFS.
Regarding the countries of the Middle East, we are all very aware of the need for food security and we realize that production has to be stepped up. This has been reflected in all our development plans in the region and these countries realize what importance is attached to such a programme for their very survival. We need to have the necessary infrastructure in the countries which need it. We believe that this is vital for agricultural development, for improving health and for improving living standards. Ten percent to 20 percent of development budget is earmarked to this sector and 20 percent to 30 percent is needed for agriculture specifically so that you can see that up to 50 percent of the total of the budget allocations needs to be considered for agriculture. In Iraq we allocate to the agriculture and irrigation sectors the lion's share of our development plan. This is done by giving emphasis to training, health, education and transport because those are the necessary supports that agriculture needs. But as we said yesterday, the climatic conditions are very difficult in this area. The political situation forced the region to be on the defensive: to defend our land, our homes and our children, so large amounts of money were diverted from buying food supplies for our people, to buying defensive equipment to defend our land and our lives.
To conclude, we would like to state before the Council that we very much support the review done by the Organization regarding the 30 studies and the short- and long-term objectives which should be given priority in the African countries. We believe that we need to increase food production before the year 2000 so that our brethren in Africa can satisfy their requirements. We realize that we have to work to a given goal and our African brothers must also work towards that end. This is going to require a lot of aid and investment so that the necessary infrastructure can be put in place. There is also a danger which does not only affect Africa but all those who are producers of raw materials. This, of course, is not directly linked to food security but there is an indirect link, there is a scientific imbalance between these countries and developed countries. Developed countries are able to find industrial substitutes for the goods produced by developing countries, particularly for their commodities. There are technological developments and there are substitutes which are competing with the products of developing countries. We do not really know how to respond to this. All we can do is to reaffirm what has been said by a number of developed countries' statesmen themselves: what is in the interest of the developing countries is also, in the long term, in the interest of the developed countries.
G.J. BOXALL (New Zealand): Council members have been asked to consider three matters arising from the report of the Committee on World Food Security as presented to us in document CL 83/10. These are; assessment of the world food security situation and adequacy of stock; the Director-General's report on world food security and the consideration of the constraints on food production in low-income food-deficit countries of Africa and measures to overcome them.
The Eighth Session of the CFS was held just two months ago. The assessment made then of the world food security situation has not changed. Delegations have already given this matter good coverage in discussion under the previous item. We shall not comment further.
The Director-General's report to the CFS is an important document. Our delegation recognizes it as a constructive attempt in opening up international dialogue on the important matter of food security. Its presentation in April was indeed timely. The New Zealand delegation appreciates the need for a dependable system of world food security with effective economic prescriptions which would safeguard the interests of both developing and developed countries alike. Testimony to the importance of food security and the interest which the Director-General's paper invoked is the fact that the vast majority of delegates at the open CFS session participated in this item.
It is not our intention in this debate at Council to delve into the intricacies of the Director-General^ report. The report of the Committee on World Food Security is an accurate summary of the discussions that take place and the directions given to the Director-General for follow-up action are clear. We would merely like briefly to comment on some basic issues. Like many delegations there is much in the Director-General's report that we can agree with and we did agree with. Certainly the broader concept of food security we are happy to accept and we are happy to share in the endorsement of the Director-General's proposed measures at the national level. We also welcome the trade aspects which came out of the report as identified in para 64 of CL 83/10.
The Director-General raised many issues and he himself recognized that some of his proposals were of a preliminary nature and by definition for long-term consideration and possible implementation. It is in the areas where consensus was achieved, or likely to be achieved in the near future, that the New Zealand delegation considered emphasis should be placed and efforts intensified. The other proposals on which there was no consensus, or where consensus did not appear possible in the near future, are matters for further elaboration, examination and long-term consideration and we look forward to further reports by the Director-General on these matters. It may be useful to continue a dialogue informally with the Secretariat to enable the member countries to explain their constraints outside the formal Committee proceedings. In this way it may be possible to develop greater understanding of the issues involved.
In concluding our comments on the Director-General ' s report we would like to endorse the call made by others for cooperation among the various agencies involved in this vital question and in this regard we support the Director-General's approach as outlined in para 164 of document CFS 83/4.
The third matter Council members are asked to examine is the consideration of constraints of food production in low-income food-deficit countries of Africa and methods to overcome them. The New Zealand delegation recognizes the precarious food problem faced by these countries. We are hopeful that an international economic recovery will also help to reduce these tendencies towards increased agricultural protectionism with the result that a real increase in world trade will help reverse the disturbing development in the terms of trade in many developing countries.
We of course support FAO's designation of Africa as a priority area, given the major urgent problems faced by the region. We look forward to the Director-General's second Report which in particular will focus on how to overcome, where practicable, the physical constraints surrounding the development of adequate security faced by many countries in the African region.
Y.A. HAMDI (fcgypt)(original language Arabic): I would first on behalf of my delegation thank Professor Nurul Islam for his introduction to this document. My delegation has already taken part in the 8th Session of the Committee on World Food Security and at that time we made various comments and adopted the report. I would like to recall some of the comments that we made at that time on certain specific parts of the report.
In the third section of the document, which reviews the implementation of the Plan of Action on World Food Security, my delegation would like to congratulate the organization on the efforts made in the setting up of a regional Committee for Asia and the Indian Ocean for food security, in this way helping to consolidate the efforts at collective self-reliance that are made in these areas and strengthening food security in general. My delegation would be very interested in having a similar office established for the Near East region. We would also very much like to support all efforts that have been made to strengthen food security in the Sahelian region, in southern Africa and Latin America.
We would also like to go along with the conclusions of the experts of the Group of 77 who met in regard to the questions of food security and their inclusion in national and regional plans.
The fourth section of the document deals with the Director-General's report on world food security, and here allow me to say that my delegation especially appreciates the efforts made by the Director-General in the preparation of his report. This is a very exhaustive and complete report which identifies the problems related to food security at national, regional and international levels.
We would also support the new concept on food security and we would support the proposals which have been made at national, regional and international levels, which are the 3 basic pillars of world food security.
My delegation would also support the activities for implementation of the Plan of Action on World Food Security as well as any efforts at strengthening the national and regional plans and programmes so that food security can actually be achieved through these activities.
My delegation would also like to subscribe to the idea of the establishment of an international fund for world food security but we would suggest that a more detailed study should be carried out on this matter, particularly in regard to the relations between this new fund with the existing funds.
My delegation would also like to support everything that has been said in regard to the strengthening of the role of the Committee on World Food Security, because its role is of utmost importance in this area and it is really a leader in all activities in this field. We also feel that some of the proposals made should be gone into in further detail and I think it would be useful to have a more extensive and thorough dialogue on these principles within the Committee on World Food Security.
The fifth part of the document deals with the factors which limit production in the low-income food-deficit countries of Africa. My delegation would like to thank the Secretariat for its review of the studies that covers over thirty countries in Africa and we would like to support all activities which are being carried out in regard to the elimination of barriers to food production in Africa and we also would support the priorities which can be found in paragraph 111 of the document - training, research, delivery systems, institutional development etc. We would also be very interested in seeing the follow-up report which is going to be prepared by the Director-General for the next session.
The sixth part of the document deals with increasing the flow of resources for food security programmes. My delegation feels that all projects dealing with food security are of the utmost importance but we would hope that the implementation of the food security assistance scheme projects could be more rapid and we would like to take this opportunity to thank the countries participating in these projects and appeal to them to continue and increase their support for these projects.
Ms. J.S. WALLACE (United States of America): The topic of world food security is foremost in the minds of all of us. We believe that the Report of the Committee on World Food Security as contained in document CL 83/10 generally reflects the various views expressed in the Committee. In our view the revised concept of food security must be interpreted in a broad institutional context which cuts across the activities and responsibilities of all international agencies concerned with food and with food security problems. Because of the importance that all Member Nations attach to this topic it is essential to avoid duplication of our efforts in other international fora and that we encourage greater harmony and cooperation between those organizations engaged in this important humanitarian endeavour.
Other speakers, particularly those from Africa, have recognized that the ultimate responsibility for achieving an adequate availability of foodstuffs rests with each national government. It is essential therefore that all governments work towards greater self-reliance and devote a larger share of their national resources to food and agricultural development. In this context we encourage all countries to make greater use of the immense resources of the private sector, particularly in financing activities with the various international development agencies. This will not only increase the level of resources available for investment but also provide the technology needed to modernize farm production methods and food processing and marketing systems. While we believe that national food reserve policies and programmes are essential elements to food security the success of these policies and programmes requires a fundamental commitment, a determined political will, on the part of each government.
As stated in the Committee's Report, effective national food security programmes and strategies require clear-cut objectives and pursuit of appropriate policies in addition to adequate resources to implement these policies and achieve these objectives. Thus we urge greater attention to be given to the identification and articulation of national policies which will provide adequate economic incentives, such as credit and marketing systems to farmers, especially the small landholders, in order to induce them to increase their food production.
The United States continues to support the Lagos Plan of Action, because we believe it will help African nations forge their own paths towards greater self-reliance and a higher standard of living for their people.
My government's commitments to development in sub-Sahara Africa, where food needs are greatest, is underscored by the fact that we propose to provide a total of $766 million to support the economic development in fiscal year 1984. In addition we are requesting authority to provide $204 million in food assistance through the Public Law 480 Programme. This magnitude of assistance is unprecedented in that continent and when combined with the resources of other donor nations and international agencies such as the African Development Bank, in which we also participate, this should go a considerable distance towards meeting the priority agricultural and other development requirements of this important region.
We strongly agree with the choices of priorities made by the African governments themselves which will help improve the prospects for increased food production, particularly of indigenous products such as tubers and legumes.
The United States Agency for International Development is also giving equally high priority to training, agricultural research, institutional development and the creation of effective delivery systems in programmes in Africa. One particular activity which we believe should be given greater emphasis and which would substantially increase the amount of available food is in reducing pre-and post-harvest food losses.
We are working closely with the FAO and other Member Governments in the Sahel region in the design and implementation of the second phase of a major programme in this important area. These and other similar initiatives would substantially alleviate the problems in food-deficit countries as well as ensure a greater degree of national self-reliance.
In conclusion, the United States remains committed to work with this Organization and its Members to achieve food security wherever there is a strong commitment to succeed. I wish to reassure you that we will continue to maintain adequate food reserve stocks and remain a reliable supplier in response to global demand for our farm products. We look forward to continuing our joint efforts to solve the problems which afflict so many poor people in the areas of the world.
Ms. M.C. WENNER (United Kingdom): The last session in April of the Committee on World Food Security proved to be a particularly important one, firstly, because the presentation of the Director-General's report gave the Committee a good deal of food for thought, and secondly, because it began to address in a more positive form the very real problems facing the low-income food-deficit countries in Africa.
As we stated at the first meeting of CFS, we are grateful to the Director-General for preparing a comprehensive and thought-provoking review. He has put forward a great number of proposals, and as he has said himself, the report is ambitious in scope. We therefore fully support the Director-General's own suggestion that we approach the details of the report in a cautious and pragmatic manner. As many delegations here have already observed, the new concept of food security received widespread support. This formalizes the practical situation at present, as observed by China, and is a valuable start in the process of revising our ideas.
Equally, it has been stated that real food security lies in the promotion of food production at the national level. We heartily agree. Action at the regional and sub-regional level can also be valuable if sensibly and sensitively directed.
As has been noted, the Committee has some difficulty in agreeing on suitable action at the international level, and we look forward to the continuation of the debate on this matter at future sessions of the CFS.
While we believe that the present system for dealing with global foods security needs rationalization, we must repeat our doubts about a number of the Director-General's proposals, particularly on a new fund and a compact which would in our view duplicate work already being done by, for example, the development banks, the World Food Council and the World Food Programme. However, deeper consideration can be given to these proposals once they have been elaborated in more detail. Similarly, more attention should be devoted to the role of FAO whose field resources could undoubtedly be harnessed to advantage in the development of national food strategies. We had understood that it was not the intention of the CFS meeting to look into the question of institutional implications. However, it was probably inevitable that they should have been looked into, and they were, in considerable detail. We must therefore reiterate our point of view now. A review of this kind does impinge on the area of competence of other bodies, in particular the International Wheat Council, the WFP and the WFC. We agree that the CFS can look at these questions, and we certainly raised no objections when the Director-General's report was under discussion. However, decisions affecting the mandates of other institutions will have to be taken by their own governing bodies. Like Norway, we regret that valuable time must be spent on fruitless debate on this kind of matter drawing attention away from the vital and substantive issues of food security. The report of the CFS meeting had a long and difficult birth. We were not actually members of the Drafting Committee but we did receive reports. We do now, however, have a baby which needs careful nurturing. While we recommend that the Council adopt the child, we do not think it would be right to accelerate its development beyond the natural course of events. If we do that, we may foster deformity and have brought a child into the world to no good purpose.
Turning now to the report on Constraints on Food Production in Low-Income Food-Deficit Countries in Africa, we are particularly pleased to see the welcome given to this by the Committee on World Food Security. The African countries have themselves taken the lead in proposing practical follow-up action, and we wholeheartedly support this initiative. We hope that the CFS will continue to keep this vital issue in the forefront of its work at future sessions, and we look forward to seeing practical proposals for action in the future, as promised in paragraph 112 of the CFS report.
S. ABOUJAOUDE (Liban) (langue originale arabe): Je vous remercie,M. le Président,pour m'avoir donné l'occasion de prendre la parole sur un point tellement important, à savoir la sécurité alimentaire mondiale, question qui préoccupe mon gouvernement, le Gouvernement du Liban, qui a toujours participé aux actions visant à résoudre les problèmes auxquels fait face l'homme où qu'il se trouve.
Ce thème est considéré par la FAO comme l'une de ses tâches primordiales, et il est lié étroitement à son message, à savoir l'eradication de la faim et de la malnutrition dans le monde: Je dis ceci et j'ai encore à l'esprit les prises de position du Directeur général de la FAO face à ce problème et les différentes instances où il a tiré la sonnette d'alarme devant la crise alimentaire et l'impossibilité de faire face aux catastrophes naturelles et humaines, surtout en ces moments où l'aide alimentaire est de plus en plus nécessaire. Le Directeur général a, à plus d'une reprise, et dans les réunions aussi bien de la FAO que d'autres forums, attiré l'attention sur ce problème et sur la nécessité de le résoudre d'une façon objective et rapide. Il n'a ménage aucun effort, en ce sens jusqu'au moment où il a élaboré son rapport qu'il a soumis au Comité de la sécurité alimentaire au cours de sa huitième session, rapport figurant dans le document CL 83/10.
Le rapport du Directeur général a passé à nouveau en revue la notion élargie de sécurité alimentaire et ses composantes et, dans un cadre d'organisation globale, il a proposé de nouvelles approches pour résoudre la sécurité alimentaire qui va de pair avec l'engagement pris par la communauté internationale pour l'eradication de la faim et de la malnutrition dans le monde pour la fin de ce siècle.
Le Directeur général a donc proposé une notion élargie de la sécurité alimentaire visant à mettre en oeuvre toutes les mesures pratiques et économiques pour que les populations du monde entier puissent satisfaire à tout moment leurs besoins alimentaires. La nouvelle notion qu'il propose pour résoudre ce problème nécessite l'élaboration de toutes approches nécessaires dans ce sens. Donc une fois que des efforts conjoints sont consentis dans ce sens nous arriverons à un système de sécurité alimentaire mondiale globale.
Donc, les propositions de la FAO doivent s'orienter vers trois objectifs principaux, à savoir: une production suffisante des produits alimentaires, une meilleure commercialisation et une meilleure distribution de la production alimentaire.
Ma délégation appuie pleinement cette notion élargie de sécurité alimentaire proposée par le Directeur général, surtout que la plupart des activités à entreprendre seront centrées principalement dans les pays à faible production alimentaire, et donc pays à bas revenu et à déficit alimentaire. Ma délégation appuie pleinement cette nouvelle approche de sécurité alimentaire et estime que la sécurité alimentaire est une question mondiale globale qui touche les intérêts de tous les pays, qu'ils soient riches ou pauvres. Cette vue découle d'un proverbe qui dit: "si ton voisin est à l'aise tu le seras aussi et vice-versa". Il faut également voir ce problème comme étant un fléau qui découle des politiques adoptées dans le domaine du développement, de la production et de la commercialisation.
Le fait que le Comité de la sécurité alimentaire mondiale ait adopté par consensus cette notion élargie de sécurité alimentaire est une base suffisante pour que le Conseil non seulement adopte cette nouvelle notion mais également pour qu'il recommande à toutes les instances s'occupant de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture de prendre cette nouvelle notion comme base de leurs activités dans ce domaine.
Ma délégation, donc, partage pleinement le point de vue du Comité de la sécurité alimentaire, à savoir que tous les efforts consentis dans ce domaine au niveau national sont primordiaux pour apporter une solution à la sécurité alimentaire, surtout dans les pays à bas revenu et à déficit alimentaire.
Ma délégation partage également le point de vue estimant que c'est à ces pays d'élaborer des programmes de développement nationaux fondés sur des objectifs clairs et précis, et les politiques nécessaires à atteindre ces objectifs.
Ma délégation partage entièrement le point de vue du Comité de la sécurité alimentaire, à savoir que ces mêmes pays ont besoin d'une aide financière, bilatérale ou multilatérale, pour mettre en oeuvre ces programmes. Néanmoins nous voulons à ce propos mettre l'accent sur le conseil découlant de la discussion de ce thème par le Comité de la sécurité alimentaire à savoir que ces programmes nationaux peuvent être planifiés en collaboration avec la FAO, qui doit s'acquitter de sa tâche; essayer de fournir l'aide nécessaire à ces pays et en coordonner l'utilisation.
D'autre part le Comité de la sécurité alimentaire mondiale a réitéré son appui aux lignes d'orientation adoptées précédemment et proposées par le Secrétariat de la FAO, relatives aux activités dans ce domaine au plan régional. Il a considéré que c'est là un cadre approprié de travail. Ainsi les propositions du Directeur général au plan national et régional ont bénéficié de l'appui du Comité de la sécurité alimentaire. Il ne reste plus au Conseil qu'à attirer l'attention sur l'importance capitale de ces propositions et à adopter les recommandations du Comité.
Permettez-moi, M. le Président, de remercier les membres du Comité de la sécurité alimentaire pour le consensus auquel ils ont abouti relatif au role de chef de file de la FAO dans la consolidation de la sécurité alimentaire dans le monde.
Nous voulons également appuyer le point suivant à savoir que c'est le Comité de la sécurité alimentaire qui est l'instance appropriée pour assumer la responsabilité de la sécurité alimentaire dans le cadre de la notion élargie proposée par le Directeur général. Donc nous proposons que le Conseil élabore des propositions permettant au Comité de la sécurité alimentaire de jouer un rôle primordial et que le mandat de ce Comité soit élargi puisque ce serait là l'organe spécialisé qui s'occuperait de la sécurité alimentaire dans le monde.
Enfin, je suis heureux d'appuyer le résultat des discussions qui ont eu lieu au sein de la huitième session du Comité de la sécurité alimentaire mondiale, surtout concernant les facteurs limitant la production alimentaire dans les pays d'Afrique et également la priorité accordée â la formation, à la recherche et au développement des entreprises. Le Conseil devrait donc appuyer la proposition du CSA relative à un deuxième rapport qui serait élaboré par le Directeur général sur le suivi de cette question et qui déterminerait les priorités dans ce domaine.
V. ISARANKURA (Thailand): Thailand also sends congratulations to the 8th session of the Committee on World Food Security.
However, on this occasion my delegation would like to reiterate our position regarding the work of this Committee. First we fully agree with the new concept on world food security as agreed by the Committee and as shown in paragraph 43 of this report. Secondly we also support that the Committee on World Food Security is the most appopriate body to assume the main responsibility in dealing with food security in cooperation with other bodies. Thirdly we accept that there is a need to strengthen the Committee on World Food Security within its existing mandate, especially its role to promote regional and subregional cooperation in food security matters, since we believe that we cannot solve food security problems at the country level unless we can do it at the regional level first.
J. R. LOPEZ PORTILLO (México): Estamos muy complacidos, señor Presidente, por la magnífica exposición que llevo a cabo el Sr. Islam, así como por la calidad del informe del Comité de Seguridad Alimentaria Mundial. Es el concepto y estrategia de la seguridad alimentaria propuesto por el Director General un paso transcendental que promueve un renovado multilateralismo y un enfoque global de las relaciones económicas internacionales lo que obliga a fortalecer al sistema de las Naciones Unidas, y aumentar su coordinación y eficacia. Sin embargo, nos preocupa que la inercia de las circunstancias y el peso de los intereses de los poderosos hagan de estos esfuerzos lo que ocurría con la tela de Penèlope: "lo que tejía de día, de noche destejía".
El desorden económico internacional amenaza con destruir la tela de todo progreso. Pronto, si las cosas no cambian , los países en desarrollo dejarán de serlo; es decir, serán sólo países sin desarrollo. La recuperación económica de las naciones del Sur depende casi exclusivamente de la reactivación económica de los países desarrollados y, fundamentalmente, de la supervisión de situaciones de grave desequilibrio e inequidad en materia monetaria, financiera, comercial, etc.
Las soluciones o acuerdos propuestos recientemente, si así se les puede llamar, como los Williamsburg, lo son exclusivamente de y para los países desarrollados. Las negociaciones globales no han avanzado, y los intereses de los poderosos se siguen imponiendo a los argumentos de los países débiles. En este contexto, la concepción y la estrategia de seguridad alimentaria deberá abrirse paso con los esfuerzos decididos de la mayoría de los países del mundo.
México reafirma su apoyo a dicha concepción y estrategia, como lo proponía el Documento CFS/83/4 en sus capítulos 1, 2 y 3, así como el fortalecimiento del Comité de Seguridad Alimentaria. Observamos, sin embargo, que el concepto debería incluir además un mayor acento en la producción nacional de alimentos; el que los cereales no sean el foco de interés principal o exclusivo, sino que se incluyan con la misma importancia alimentos básicos tales como leguminosas, raíces, tubérculos, productos del mar y otros que conforman las dietas principales de pueblos de países en desarrollo. También la necesidad de controlar u orientar los intereses privados y extranacionales, involucrados de manera muy importante en la producción y distribución de alimentos.
Con relación a la estrategia, destacamos la necesidad de aumentar sostenidamente la producción interna de los países en desarrollo, como condición para lograr la seguridad alimentaria mundial. Se debería considerar más el papel de naciones de desarrollo intermedio y otras con grandes potencialidades agrícolas; la alimentación en general para que se logren excedentes alimenticios que se pudieran orientar a fortalecer el intercambio Sur/Sur.
Enfatizamos que el propósito de esta sugerencia es buscar una colaboración que permita la reactivación económica y la mayor estabilidad de los mercados de los países en desarrollo.
Insistimos en poner más énfasis a la necesidad de regular el mercado alimentario y evitar las negativas implicaciones de dejar todo al libre juego de las fuerzas del mercado.
Reiteramos qtie México no está de acuerdo con el principio de las ventajas comparativas en el contexto de un orden económico internacional que no es justo ni es eficiente. El recurso de importar alimentos debe condicionarse a una política de producción alimentaria nacional, tomando en cuenta la inestabilidad del mercado alimentario mundial y el posible uso de los alimentos como instrumento de presión política. El autoabastecimierito alimentario debe y puede ser un objetivo vital y alcanzable para muchos países del mundo en desarrollo. Sin embargo, estamos convencidos de que los Gobiernos y las Naciones del Sur, no podremos avanzar en forma aislada y sin políticas de reactivación económica, global y nacional que permitan asegurar una demanda real y efectiva de alimentos y la elevación del ingreso real. Esa es la única manera de romper el ciclo vicioso del hambre.
El esfuerzo de seguridad alimentaria nacional debe garantizar la adecuada alimentación que cubran los requerimientos nutricionales (calóricos y proteicos), de toda la población que bien podrían expresarse en un grupo o canastas de alimentos que consideren los hábitos alimenticios de la población y la diversidad regional y que se traduzcan en metas de consumo que rijan a su vez a las de producción.
La seguridad alimentaria nacional debe basarse fundamentalmente en la capacidad de producción interna y en su fortalecimiento para lograr prioritariamente que la población de menores ingresos eleve su capacidad adquisitiva y tenga acceso a una adecuada nutrición.
Esa política deberá combinarse con una educación nutricional para enfrentar los nocivos patrones de consumo de los alimentos chatarra, y rescatar aquellos alimentos tradicionales, nutritivos que son productos de siglos de evolución adaptativos de la comunidad a sus requerimientos alimenticios según su actividad y medio ambiente.
El logro de la seguridad alimentaria nacional de la mayor parte de los países del mundo es un prerre-quisito para lograr la seguridad alimentaria mundial estable y creciente.
A nivel regional deberá enfatizarse la idea de complementar actividades alimentarias a partir de criterios de equidad en el usufructo de dichas actividades. Priorizar aquéllas que tiendan al fortalecimiento de la producción en la región y la consecuente formación de reservas con esa producción.
Reiteramos que la FAO debe seguir apoyando con el máximo entusiasmo iniciativas como CASAR dentro del SELA, porque representan los pilares para el logro de la seguridad alimentaria de la región latinoamericana.
A nivel mundial, el énfasis debe ponerse en liberar a los países de la creciente dependencia alimentaria pensando en la reivindicación de la producción interna de todos y cada uno de los países del mundo. Los países en desarrollo no hemos agotado nuestras potencialidades productivas.
Finalmente, señor Presidente, queremos insistir en que los países africanos merecen todo nuestro apoyo, un mayor apoyo, por ser éstos los que más necesidades y carencias tienen. Respaldamos plenamente las propuestas que al respecto se han considerado en el Informe y se han manejado en este Consejo.
H. CARANDANG (Philippines): First of all, Mr. Chairman, we would like to say that we are happy to see you chairing this Council session again with great ability and a profound grasp for the issues being deliberated upon. We would also like to congratulate the three Vice-Chairman on their election.
At this stage of the debate we can afford to be brief and to the point. The Philippine delegation endorses the report as approved by the Committee on World Food Security. We endorse the broad
concept on world food security that was unanimously approved by the CFS. We likewise strongly endorse the measures to improve world food security at the national and the regional levels. We also support the appropriate measures at the international level recommended by the Director-General in his report, as we do, not only in the CFS and in this Council but elsewhere where these are being taken up.
We would also like to reiterate our support for a gradual strengthening of the activities of the Committee on World Food Security under its present terms of reference in line with the recommendations of the Director General in his opening speech to this Council, while respecting the responsibilities of other bodies. Mr. Chairman, we believe this is indeed possible with goodwill and understanding on the part of all.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, the Philippines delegation would like to stress the need for a better and adequate cooperation among the UN bodies dealing with food security. Mr. Chairman, the very acceptance of the wider concept of world food security means, among other things, that the number of institutions involved with world food security has also increased. It means that all institutions concerned with - and I quote from paragraph 60 of the Director-General's report - "the factors that have a bearing on the capacity of the countries and of people to produce or purchase food" have acquired key roles to play in the action needed to ensure world food security; that is all institutions involved with food production, distribution, consumption, trade, as well as employment and resource flows have now important roles to play in improving of food security.
Since no organization is or can become big enough to handle effectively all these aspects of food security, there is a greater need - more than ever before - for a better and adequate coordination among institutions involved in food security. We believe no efforts should be spared to achieve such coordination in order to help realize the goal desired by all of us of an adequate, and lasting food security for all peoples and nations, particularly developing countries.
Señora E. HERAZO DE VITI (Panamá): La delegación de Panamá le concedió la justa dimension e importancia al redente pasado período de sesiones del Comité de Seguridad Alimentaria Mundial de abril pasado; y esta importancia estuvo plenamente justificada por el trascendental tema tratado en este 8° período de sesiones, como lo fue el informe del Director General sobre la reconsideración de los conceptos y métodos de la seguridad alimentaria mundial, así como otros temas abordados, tales como el de la evaluación de la situación de la seguridad alimentaria mundial y el de la suficiencia de las existencias, lo mismo que el referente a las dificultades para el aumento de la producción alimentaria en los países africanos de bajos ingresos y con déficits de alimentos.
Sobre el determinado aspecto de la evaluación constante y oportuna de la situación de la seguridad alimentaria mundial estamos de acuerdo con lo señalado por el CSA en el sentido de que se mantenga una actitud de permanente vigilancia por parte de este Consejo sobre la situación de la seguridad alimentaria mundial.
Esta delegación reitera su apoyo al nuevo concepto revisado y ampliado de la seguridad alimentaria mundial contenido en el informe del Director General sobre la seguridad alimentaria mundial que mereció la principal atención del pasado período de sesiones y está de acuerdo con todas aquellas medidas que efectivamente fortalezcan el CSA como las detalladas en los párrafos 148 y 149 del mencionado informe del Director General.
Importante a nuestro juicio es la creación de un fondo especial para la seguridad alimentaria mundial, como pidió la Conferencia Regional de la FAO para América Latina; la adopción de un fondo así debe conllevar la creación de un programa de acción ágil y actualizado para hacer frente a los problemas de la seguridad alimentaria mundial.
Aceptamos que la acción a nivel nacional es indispensable para mejorar la seguridad alimentaria y que frente a la insuficiencia de los países para alcanzar niveles autosuficientes completos en alimentos básicos es necesario alcanzar la misma mediante un aumento de los ingresos por exportaciones que les permitirá pagar sus importaciones de alimentos.
En cuanto a las medidas que se tomen a nivel nacional es necesario tener muy en cuenta la importancia de las medidas aceptadas que están enunciadas en la declaración de principios y programas de acción de la Conferencia Mundial sobre Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural celebrada en esta sede en julio de 1979.
Por lo que concierne a las medidas a nivel regional y subregional en materia de seguridad alimentaria hay creciente conciencia, así como el deseo de materializar acciones pese a los innumerables y variados problemas que se presentan por parte de nuestros países, como lo ha demostrado en este caso la reciente creación del Comité de Acción sobre Seguridad Alimentaria regional en el marco del Sistema Económico Latinoamericano, el SELA, y nosotros esperamos y confiamos en la valiosa cooperación y apoyo que la FAO brindará a estas acciones que tienden a la solución de los problemas complejos de carácter regional, subregional y de áreas.
Apoyamos lo acordado por el Comité de Seguridad Alimentaria en su pasada reunión sobre el logro de un comercio de explotación libre y en crecimiento como aspecto importante para establecer la seguridad alimentaria mundial, actuando preferentemente tanto en esta Organización como en otras que examinan cuestiones comerciales, como la UNCTAD y el GATT; y a este respecto cabe subrayar lo expresado por el Director General en su declaración inicial en el sentido de que la interdependencia no es producto de la fantasía de un grupo de presión idealista que propugna la ayuda, sino una realidad que va en interés de todos.
Esta delegación se manifestó en el último período de reunión del CSA y se manifiesta en este Consejo de la FAO en el sentido de que quede claramente establecido que las numerosas propuestas del completo informe del Director General deben alcanzarse gradualmente y por etapas por lo que cabe al estudio en profundidad de las mismas, tanto en el Comité de Seguridad Alimentaria como en este órgano, sin que este estudio se dilate por lustros; es por esto que esperamos el próximo informe del Director General para el nuevo período de sesiones del CSA con la esperanza de que iniciemos acuerdos concretos sobre la seguridad alimentaria mundial.
Y para terminar, Señor Presidente, la delegación de Panamá cree oportuno, en el debate de este tema, destacar y reconocer el liderazgo mundial positivo que la búsqueda de soluciones para el logro de una seguridad alimentaria estable ha tenido y tiene el Director General de la FAO, el Doctor Saouma, a quien reconocemos sus denodados esfuerzos en esta acusada lucha contra el hambre y la malnutrición, no defraudándonos en la confianza que los Estados Miembros hemos depositado en él y le exhortamos, e igualmente le ofrecemos todo nuestro apoyo para que continúe por este camino.
M. BENNIS (Maroc): Monsieur le Président, je voudrais d'abord me joindre à ceux qui m'ont précédé pour féliciter le Prof. Islam de son introduction concise et précise du rapport relatif aux travaux du dernier Comité de la sécurité alimentaire mondiale.
Mon pays, comme il l'a souligné au cours de ses interventions au niveau du Comité, soutient le Directeur général pour les efforts inlassables qu'il déploie pour mettre en place un système de sécurité alimentaire mondiale efficace et tenant compte de tous les aspects de la sécurité alimentaire.
Mon pays est en effet très inquiet de l'inégalité d'accès aux disponibilités alimentaires existantes, dont le niveau est cependant susceptible de faire face à toute la demande potentielle partout dans le monde. Cette situation montre clairement qu'il ne suffit pas de produire, mais encore faut-il permettre à tous, notamment aux populations des pays en développement, d'acquérir les denrées dont ils ont besoin.
A ce propos, permettez-moi, Monsieur le Président, de réitérer avec insistance mon appel pour que les pays développés cessent de multiplier le nombre de barrières entravant le développement des exportations agricoles des pays en développement, sachant que les recettes, que ces exportations génèrent, couvrent une quote-part importante et parfois prédominante des importations des pays concernés.
Mon pays apporte un appui total à l'idée d'encourager la production de toutes les denrées alimentaires susceptibles d'aider à l'amélioration de l'alimentation et de la nutrition dans les pays en développement, car cette action est de nature à permettre une meilleure exportation des potentialités qu'offrent les différents écosystèmes de production alimentaire à travers le monde.
Monsieur le Président, il est évident que nous sommes tous d'accord que la question de la sécurité alimentaire est complexe. Aussi devons-nous appuyer sans réserve toute action visant à assurer une étroite collaboration et une plus grande coordination des activités de tous les organismes internationaux, régionaux et nationaux qui s'occupent de l'alimentation, en marquant cependant la prédominance de la FAO dans ce domaine.
Nous sommes convaincus que la FAO ne ménage pas ses efforts pour apporter toute l'assistance aux pays qui en ont besoin. Mais nous voudrions demander, à cette occasion, que notre Organisation renforce ses moyens d'intervention pour drainer l'aide alimentaire dans de bonnes conditions. Mais à nous tous incombe la responsabilité de lui fournir les moyens suffisants.
Monsieur le Président, mon pays appuie par ailleurs l'orientation selon laquelle les pays en développement doivent constituer des réserves alimentaires. Mais il faudra, pour que cela puisse être fait, qu'un renforcement de l'aide dans ce domaine soit réalisé, aussi bien pour financer les équipements à installer que les stocks à gérer.
En définitive, ma délégation estime que la question de la sécurité alimentaire est un problème qui incombe à l'humanité entière, et non à tel ou tel Etat à déficit alimentaire, à l'exclusion de tel ou tel Etat gros producteur ou gros stockeur. Aussi la solidarité internationale s'impose-t-elle d'office par la morale humanitaire sans qu'il soit nécessaire de réitérer les sollicitations en faveur des populations défavorisées. Puissions-nous donc faire appel à la conscience de l'homme pour l'homme.
AMIDJONO MARTOSUWIRYO (Indonesia),:. May I thank Dr. Nurul Islam for his excellent introductory statement on the item under discussion. World food security without hesitation can be referred to as one of the most important problems to be dealt with in an international gathering. With reference to the report of the Eighth Session of the Committee on World Food Security, the Indonesian delegation, while endorsing it entirely, would like to make some comments and to underline several points which it considers of vital importance.
The Indonesian delegation endorses the broad concept of world food security which meets the present conditions, efforts and long-term objectives or ultimate goals of the entire food sector. The Government and people of Indonesia have been making strenuous efforts for many years to develop agriculture and priority is being given to the increase of food production. The results achieved in the last few years have been very encouraging indeed. In fact, the Government and the people of Indonesia are now aiming at the ultimate goal of the achievement of world food security.
As regards measures at national level, we concur with the views expressed by the Committee on World Food Security as set out in paragraphs A4 through 53 of the document. It is true that the achievement of food security at national level is the primary responsibility of the nation concerned, through the production increase. Measures at regional and local levels have to be considered as supplementary.
Referring to the Director-General's suggestion to establish world food security funds, my delegation finds that that is indeed a positive proposal. However, it must be treated with the greatest care, taking into account the present world economic recession. There are still several positive points in favour of achieving world food security and strengthening the Committee on World Food Security projected by the Secretariat which have not been fully supported by some members of the CFS. This point should be reexamined at the forthcoming session of the CFS.
In conclusion my delegation is in full agreement with paragraph 111 with the hope that the constraints on food production in Africa can soon be eliminated.
F. BREWSTER (Barbados): The Barbados delegation believes that this document CL 83/10 is one of the most important documents before the Council for consideration. This is so since the matter of world food security, a naturally complex subject, presents a continuing challenge which cannot be avoided and the FAO, we believe, is the appropriate body to make a success of the matter.
Allow me to join with previous speakers who have expressed appreciation of the diligent work that has been put into the production of this document. Special thanks no doubt are due to the Director-General for his comprehensive report both in background and outlook which provides the Committee with invaluable information and direction on the subject of world food security. It is somewhat disheartening to see the bottom line of the balance sheet at paragraph 38 which says that "Food security in the broad sense ... could hardly be said to have made substantial advances" but whatever the explanations are for this state of affairs the fact remains that the 1980s should not allow this situation to persist. We feel, therefore, very encouraged with the present development of an expanded concept of world food security as set out in paragraph 43 embracing objectives of constant physical and economic access to basic food for all people.
My delegation fully supports the three specific aims involving production of adequate food supplies, maintaining stability in their flow and securing access to these supplies by those who need them. The three-tier approach of national, regional and international efforts suggested for an improved world food security situation when effectively coordinated should ensure that food security at the national level becomes a meaningful exercise.
Specifically the Barbados delegation considers that the emphasis being placed on world food security continues to acknowledge the need for increasing national production. We believe that world food security can be improved by placing greater stress on solving national food production problems. This means that good workable plans for national food production, including storage and post harvest losses and plans to improve human nutritional levels based on local production are mandatory. We share the view that action at the regional level is a natural sequel to action at the national level and planners and implementers at both levels must therefore secure that all activities are supportive of each other with duplication and frustration eliminated or kept to the barest minimum. This is of crucial importance because the cost of maintaining both regional and national organizations comes from one national purse and it makes poor sense for the same country to pay for one service twice. In this regard our recent experience in the Caribbean with some of our sub-regional organizations who were making inadequate or no meaningful impact on the efforts of the region as a whole has led us to serious reorganization of the institution to make them sensitive to their role at mobilizing efforts at greater food production for the Caribbean region. I mention this to make the point that food security cannot be taken lightly at any level and particularly at the regional level and when systems do not work to the benefit of participants no time should be lost in correcting them.
Turning to the international level my delegation sees the need for programmes to be coordinated to deal with shortfalls in national production. International food aid is necessary as a temporary measure but in all circumstances it should support national production efforts. We feel that through market policies major food exporting countries should treat access to food as fundamental and not as a matter for political advantage.
As regards IEFR, we would like to emphasize the importance of strengthening this with measures that improve procurement and disbursement of resources. The point of a free and growing export trade in agricultural products as one of the important foundations for establishing food security has the support of my delegation. However, we wish to suggest that care has to be taken by developing countries not to allow themselves to be dropped into a policy of mono-cropping at the expense of diversification because this situation would tend to undermine the real efforts at increasing national production.
Finally my delegation supports the outline and actions designed to relieve the most severe constraints on food production in low-income food-deficit countries of Africa. We hold the view that the areas of training, research, delivery systems and institutional strengthening embrace all the vital components required for proper natural resources management and we look forward to the second report on this subject which we hope will reveal an improving picture.
D.C.W. KAMBAUWA (Malawi): Since this is our first time to intervene in these discussions we would like to start by congratulating you on your continued able Chairmanship in this Council and also by congratulating the three Vice-chairmen on their election. We also want to thank the Director-General and Professor Islam for their excellent survey of the world food situation and introduction of both those and the preceeding items on the agenda, respectively. My delegation wishes to say at the outset that we attach great importance to the question of food security and therefore have studied with keen interest the report of the Eighth Session of the Committee on World Food Security. By the same token my delegation has noted with considerable disquiet that despite overall global improvement in food production and stocks data for some regions indicate a rather stagnant, if not negative, trend. This trend is reflected in either increased aggregate food imports or in continued food shortages.
My delegation wishes to place on record that we appreciate the efforts of both bilateral and multilateral agencies aimed at narrowing the gap between food requirements and supply. The initiatives of FAO are no doubt particularly noteworthy in this regard and we would like to assure you that our country will remain responsive to any constructive recommendations aimed at stimulating increased food production. Of particular relevance to us is the substance of paragraph 111 of the document under discussion at this moment. The causes of food shortages, and hence of social instability, are of course diverse and it would probably be unfair to single out one as the major causes. In some parts of the world, such as Southern Africa, it has been noted that natural causes such as drought have had a telling impact on food production. My delegation wishes to observe nevertheless that whenever the forces of nature are favourable every attempt should be made at both the national as well as the regional level, and definitely at the national level in particular, to stimulate increased food production. It is in fact in line with this belief that my country has embarked on a number of rural development programmes, of which the FAO is no doubt fully aware, thanks to the generosity of various bilateral and multilateral donor agencies and it is no wonder that we can modestly claim having achieved self-efficiency in basic foodstuffs. My delegation therefore urges the adoption of policies conducive to increasing food production in the food-defict countries. It is definitely no longer a question that given a favourable agricultural environment small farmers will respond to calls for increased agricultural production.
One of the problems that hampers the attainment of food security, especially in some parts of Africa, is the constant outbreak of disease among livestock. Right now there is a threat of rinderpest disease in a number of African countries.
My delegation wishes to say that we have followed with keen interest the joint discussions held elsewhere aimed at checking the spread of this dangerous disease and of eradicating it. We would however say that the momentum of those discussions should not be lost, rather they should be sustained. We urge FAO and the Director-General to follow up those discussions to ensure that the decisions and recommendations made are implemented. It is only by concerted effort that we see hope of checking and eradicating this disease.
I would like to conclude by saying that we welcome the efforts of the FAO aimed at achieving global food security and we endorse the Report of the Committee on World Food Security.
A. PEREZ-MARSA HERNANDEZ (España): En primer lugar quisiera felicitar al Profesor Islam por su brillante exposición y a la Secretaría por la presentación del documento CL 83/10.
Mi delegación se reitera en la importancia del concepto ampliado de seguridad alimentaria mundial para cumplir con la situación actual y futura en este campo; adoptando, por consiguiente, las medidas necesarias en todos los niveles. Asimismo, vemos con satisfacción el amplio consenso que manifestán, en torno a este tema, las distintas delegaciones. La necesidad de políticas nacionales que tengan por finalidad el aumento de la productividad agraria es la base para la solidaridad alimentaria junto a la armonización de políticas regionales y globales. Esta armonización de políticas es necesaria para que cada país pueda ir saliendo de la crisis en el marco de la cooperación internacional.
Mi delegación desea que la FAO llegue a concretar en medidas todas las dimensiones que se exponen en los conceptos que estamos comentando, así como la idea de un programa de acción para la seguridad alimentaria. Es evidente que entre las medidas destinadas a aliviar las dificultades más graves de la producción alimentaria en Africa ocupa un lugar prioritario la capacitación. Los recursos humanos son escasos y, por consiguiente, deben tener la posibilidad para acceder a las tecnologías necesarias que les permita aumentar sus producciones. En la misma línea de prioridades la investigación agraria debería ser fuente de inspiración en una clara comprensión de los sistemas económicos y sociales del lugar. En fin, es necesario prestar atención a la creación de sistemas eficaces de actuación al servicio de pequeños agricultores, mujeres inclusive, teniendo en cuenta el papel primordial que desempeñan en el desarrollo agrícola.
Quiero terminar esta breve intervención con el ánimo de que al final seremos capaces de encontrar entre todos, el camino adecuado que permita resolver los problemas por los que atraviesa la humanidad en este esencial tema de la seguridad alimentaria.
A.Y. BUKHARI Saudi Arabia (Kingdom of)(original language Arabic): We recall that quite some time ago we had warned the developing countries that being dependent on others was something they should try to eliminate and rather it was best to depend on oneself, depending on one' s own population, and this we feel is the primary objective which all developing countries should try to achieve. This would be a way of building a solid basis for more extended production in their own countries and in this way to meet the basic needs of their populations. But we have seen that unfortunately our warning has not been heeded. We find that the shoulders on which we have been resting have been stooping and now they seem to be weakening.
There is no doubt in anyone's mind that the international community, the whole community, and most particularly the producing countries, have a great responsibility in giving the material and financial assistance which is necessary to the developing countries in a more effective way and on the basis of a full awareness of the situation which low-income food-deficit countries are living through. This we feel would help to establish a more generalised stability thoroughout the whole international community.
We would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute - and this is something which we have already said many times - to the role which has been played by international institutions. Their work is of the utmost importance, especially in regard to all the measures which need to be taken and implemented to help these self-same countries, those with low income and food deficits, so as to solve these very serious problems that they are faced with in regard to the establishment of food security.
Here we are referring to the advice and guidance which has been given by these international organizations, and their effective support to these countries in elaborating their agricultural policies, even on the basis of in-depth and very complete studies of agricultural plans and programmes aimed at the increase of production and productivity. We feel that this should not be just an intermediate remedy or a temporary solution to the problem whose results would not be as far-reaching as we would wish, to then find that the problem comes up once again.
We all know that to establish food security in those countries where it is lacking is not an easy task, but we feel that this is not impossible. Or course we realise that this is a very complex problem, there are political and social aspects which are all very closely linked one to another, and we realise that quite often it is on the basis of agricultural policies that we can or cannot achieve true food security. Therefore it is up to each individual country to be aware of its own problems and make all the necessary efforts to solve these problems in a very honest and straightforward fashion so as to make it possible for those countries who are not able to do so alone to receive the necessary assistance for achieving food security. We must realise that food security is a very dangerous problem, and this is something which affects all mankind and which without doubt influences and has an effect on the vital interests of all countries.
His Excellency the Director-General of FAO has recently undertaken an objective and in-depth analysis of the very notion of world food security in developing countries and he has based his analysis on the existing situation and on very carefully thought-out elements as well as a clear concept of what world food security should be.
The Director-General has presented his report to us and it has been studied in depth by the Committee on World Food Security. Though we ourselves are not members of this Committee we are nonetheless aware of how serious the problem is and how much the low-income food-deficit countries are suffering. So we have given our support, to all the basic elements which can be found in the Director-General's report, particularly in regard to the measures aimed at the implementation of the new extended concept of world food security - I repeat, all measures at the national, regional and global levels.
We had then asked that the door remain open for a further and a more in-depth discussion of this report. We hoped that this door would not be closed. We feel that the report which has been presented to us by the Director-General is the key to this door. It is the key which will make it possible for us to achieve a true awareness of this problem, and we feel that the international community will have to know how best to make use of this key and to open this door and to establish a true and secure basis for world food security where it does not already exist.
So, we appeal to the Council to adopt a Resolution which would approve the Director-General's report so that both the Council and the Committee on World Food Security will be able to continue to study the contents of the Director-General's report in order that we can achieve the goal established by this report.
We would like to give our most complete support to the content of document CL 83/10 and particularly paragraphs 44, 48, 49 and 51 which we feel are the basic foundation for all activities in the developing world. I repeat: paragraphs 44, 48, 49 and 51, those paragraphs which deal with measures at the national level.
Now, if we look at the measures which are suggested at the regional level, we would like to give our full support once again to the paragraphs of the Director-General's report which deal with the regional level.
In regard to the measures at the global level, I would like to reiterate that my delegation gives its total support to all activities aimed at strengthening and consolidating the existing activities of low-income food-deficit countries so that they are able to establish a solid base of food security.
Lastly, we would like to support the contents of paragraphs 72 and 73 of the document which were adopted by the Committee on World Food Security at its Eighth Session. I think that the ideas included here are really self-evident, and this is something which the FAO has already carried out. We realize that if the road before us is full of obstacles, it may be difficult to follow it. Therefore, we must try to support this organization and all international organizations so that they may fulfill the aspirations of the low-income food-deficit countries.
Finally, I would like to say that the proposal for the establishment of an independent emergency reserve for refugees is an idea which should be carefully studied by the Council.
M. FRANCISCI DI BASCHI (Italie): Permettez-moi, puisque je prends la parole pour la première fois dans cette session du Conseil et aussi dans ma nouvelle tâche de Représentant permanent de l'Italie auprès de l'Organisation, de rendre hommage aux eminentes qualités du Conseil et de lui souhaiter un plein succès dans ses travaux.
Je voudrais aussi féliciter nos vice-présidents qui ont été nommés ainsi que les membres du Comité de rédaction.
Avant d'attaquer le point spécifique qui nous occupe aujourd'hui, je voudrais aussi dire au Directeur général combien j'ai été impressionné par son introduction sur la situation alimentaire mondiale. Cette déclaration passionnée, mais aussi réaliste et très objective, nous l'avons beaucoup appréciée.
J'en viens maintenant au point de l'ordre du jour qui nous occupe et qui nous a été présenté d'une façon excellente, concise et très claire par le Prof. Islam. Les autorités italiennes ont considéré attentivement le rapport du CSA. Nous sommes préoccupés par la situation très difficile dans laquelle continuent de se trouver les pays à faible revenu et à déficit alimentaire. Le Gouvernement italien partage sans réserve les considérations du paragraphe 40 du document CL 83/10, à savoir que l'accroissement de la production locale dans les pays à faible revenu et à déficit alimentaire représente une nécessité fondamentale, je dirais stratégique; sans doute l'aide alimentaire directe jouera un rôle important dans la situation actuelle et même dans un proche avenir parce qu'il s'agit de résoudre des problèmes très difficiles, mais ce rôle quand même devrait être conçu comme temporaire, à caractère exceptionnel.
Quant aux paragraphes du rapport qui traitent du plan d'action pour la sécurité alimentaire mondiale, je ne peux que manifester notre appréciation et notre accord pour les initiatives adoptées au niveau régional par un certain nombre de pays dans le but de réaliser collectivement la sécurité alimentaire.
Je voudrais aussi analyser très brièvement les paragraphes 30 à 90 du document CL 83/10 qui se réfèrent au rapport du Directeur général sur la sécurité alimentaire mondiale. Je vais aussi saisir cette occasion pour dire combien nous avons apprécié ce rapport du Directeur général qui a permis au Comité de développer un travail très utile et très documenté. L'Italie partage sans réserve l'analyse développée dans ces paragraphes sur la situation alimentaire mondiale. En effet, nous sommes convaincus de la nécessité d'accomplir un effort soutenu dans trois directions : développement de la production locale ou régionale; stabilité des ressources et des marchés, garanties d'accès aux denrées de base.
Au sujet des initiatives spécifiques proposées au niveau international, nous sommes favorables à l'élargissement des ressources financières de la Réserve internationale d'urgence. Nous sommes aussi prêts à participer aux négociations sur la Convention pour l'aide alimentaire sans que ces négociations soient nécessairement liées à celles pour un nouvel accord international sur le blé.
Pour conclure, je voudrais manifester la préoccupation de mon pays au regard de la situation alimentaire dans les pays africains à bas revenu qui continue à nouveau à se détériorer. Je désire souligner à ce sujet que l'Italie, à la suite de négociations au plus haut niveau avec les représentants du Comité inter-Etats de la lutte contre la sécheresse dans le Sahel, est en train d'accorder une contribution remarquable au développement de la région. Je voudrais aussi rappeler, dans le contexte des paragraphes 114 et 98 du rapport du Comité de la sécurité alimentaire mondiale, la participation de l'Italie au programme d'assistance à la sécurité alimentaire et au programme pour la réduction des pertes des produits agricoles avant et après récolte en Afrique.
F.RIBADENEIRA (Ecuador) : En esta nuestra primera intervention deseamos expresar a usted Señor Presidente la más calurosa felicitación de la Delegación del Ecuador, así como a los tres señores Vicepresidentes y al Dr. Islam por su valiosa introducción.
La Delegación del Ecuador, Señor Presidente, ha seguido con especial interés este tema, pues considera que la Comunidad Internacional enfrenta en las actuales circunstancias una enorme responsabilidad ante el hambre que aniquila día a día a grandes sectores de los países en desarrollo y en una contradicción malévola ante el dispendio de grandes recursos en otros campos improductivos. Las tensiones originadas por la escasez de alimentos exige a los países económicamente más poderosos su solidaridad en la búsqueda colectiva de la seguridad alimentaria mundial.
Una estrategia a nivel internacional debe considerar tanto la escasez de alimentos como el desarrollo del agro, que tome en cuenta la producción y la productividad agrícola y la promoción campesina, estrato de la población en la que incide con mayor fuerza el hambre y la malnutrición.
Se debe eliminar este mal y promover un incremento sustancial de la producción agropecuaria en el Tercer Mundo, principalmente en países con gran déficit y aquéllos cuyas condiciones naturales les permiten ventajas comparativas por ofrecer mayor potencial para ampliar su producción y sus exportaciones.
Sin embargo, el uso eficiente de los recursos nacionales tanto humanos como naturales, impone la presencia de la cooperación internacional, tanto en materia financiera y de asistencia técnica, así como de alguna estabilización dinámica de precios internacionales y de un acceso seguro a los mercados para los productos de los países en desarrollo y mejorar así la contribución del comercio en la solución de los problemas alimentarios.
Los países en desarrollo como el mío, comprometidos con los postulados del Plan de Acción sobre Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural, impulsan sus esfuerzos para la solución de los problemas alimentarios. Mi Gobierno creó la Secretaría de Desarrollo Rural Integral enmarcada en la filosofía humanista que sitúa al ser humano como el fin de toda organización económica, social, política y cultural de la sociedad.
Mi Delegación insiste en que como complemento de los esfuerzos nacionales para solucionar los problemas alimentarios, la cooperación internacional debe ser integral en sus acciones a través de financiamiento, de la ayuda alimentaria, la transferencia de tecnologías y una política comercial que responda a los compromisos asumidos en la Declaración de Tokio.
Por ello, Señor Director General de la FAO, compartimos su reciente pronunciamiento en el sexto periodo de sesiones de la Conferencia de las Naciones Unidas sobre Comercio y Desarrollo, en el sentido de que el objetivo final de la seguridad alimentaria mundial es que todos los seres humanos en todo momento tengan acceso material y económico a los alimentos básicos que necesitan y que para ello la producción y el comercio son dos de los componentes fundamentales.
Mi delegación estima que el informe presentado en el VIII período de sesiones del Comité de Seguridad Alimentaria Mundial por el Señor Director General, contiene un enfoque nuevo y constructivo sobre las orientaciones destinadas a lograr ese objetivo a nivel universal, por lo que le damos nuestro mayor respaldo. Creemos que la FAO ha demostrado especial capacidad para enfrentar este problema y que es el marco más adecuado, garantizado por su valiosa experiencia, para enfrentar la situación y encontrar las mejores soluciones en beneficio de toda la humanidad.
L. FAGBOHOUN (Bénin) : La délégation du Bénin remercie tous ceux qui ont participé à l'élaboration de ce document et donne son accord aux différentes recommandations qui y sont présentées. La délégation du Bénin était présente à cette huitième session et n'a donc pas dobjections à formuler quant aux différentes propositions contenues dans le document. Elle est très sensible aux bonnes volontés qui se sont manifestées jusqu'ici et qui se manifesteront également pour aider les pays en voie de développement, particulièrement les pays africains, à sortir de la situation de déficit alimentaire à laquelle ils se trouvent confrontés.
Nous pensons, cependant qu'il est essentiel de revenir sur un point capital qui consiste à mettre l'accent sur la production nationale et, comme l'ont déjà souligné plusieurs intervenants, la délégation du Bénin pense également que c'est là que se trouve la principale solution aux problèmes qui se posent et ceci suppose qu'il faudrait faire une réévaluation des différentes actions déjà menées dans chacun de ces pays et de voir également les différents goulots d'étranglement qui bloquent la production dans ces différents pays, car il existe certainement des initiatives qui ont été déjà prises et les faibles moyens dont disposent ces pays les ont certainement handicapés.
Donc il est essentiel selon nous que la FAO joue pleinement son rôle dans ce domaine en procédant à une réévaluation en vue de déterminer les domaines dans lesquels on peut aider efficacement les pays pour augmenter leur production nationale. Ceci est d'autant plus important que lorsqu'on suit actuellement la discussion en cours sur le plan international en ce qui concerne le commerce, on se rend compte que ce n'est pas demain que les pays en voie de développement et particulièrement les pays africains, actuellement confrontés aux problèmes du déficit alimentaire,auront à bénéficier des effets positifs de cette reprise économique dont on parle dans les pays développés et quand bien même il y aurait surproduction dans ces pays développés nous pensons que les effets positifs ne se feront pas sentir immédiatement dans les pays en voie de développement.
C'est pour cela que nous insistons sur l'urgence qu'il y a à réévaluer les différentes actions déjà menées dans ces pays à déficit alimentaire en vue de les aider efficacement à augmenter la production.
La délégation béninoise pense également qu'il faudrait, au cours des prochaines réunions du Conseil, que l'on nous donne des informations sur la situation des autres éléments qui interviennent dans l'alimentation parce qu'ici on a parlé surtout des céréales et un peu de l'élevage, mais il y a aussi d'autres éléments qui interviennent dans l'alimentation et qui contribuent à l'équilibre alimentaire, par exemple, les produits de pêche et autres. Telle est la situation dans ces différents domaines. Si nous en étions informés cela pourrait nous aider à voir globalement le problème.
La délégation du Bénin pense également qu'il ne serait pas superflu que la FAO à travers ses représentations dans chacun des pays en voie de développement, et particulièrement dans les pays africains, organise des sortes de séances de sensibilisation pour motiver un peu plus les populations elles-mêmes et leur présenter la situation qui se dessine pour elles si vraiment on ne prend pas en main le développement de la production agricole. Je pense que ce serait une contribution efficace de la FAO qui facilitera son intervention dans chacun de nos pays par la suite.
La délégation du Bénin donne son plein appui aux différentes propositions contenues dans le document. Elle pense que la FAO est l'organisme le mieux placé pour jouer un rôle principal en vue de garantir la sécurité alimentaire. Une fois encore, nous renouvelons nos encouragements aux représentants de la FAO, et principalement au Directeur général, pour avoir su captiver l'assistance par le contenu de ce document qui est en quelque sorte une sonnette d'alarme.
B. N. SEQUEIRA (Angola): Mr. Chairman, first of all, since this is the first time we take the floor on a substantive issue, we wish to add our congratulations to those delegates who spoke before us to the newly elected officers. For historical reasons we are deeply pleased to see that Mr. Joao Pereira di Silva, the Minister of Rural Development of Cape Verde, is the second Vice-Chairman of this Session of the Council. Mr. Chairman, with three highly experienced members of the Council helping you, we shall easily get through this agenda and obtain the best recommendations. We listened with interest to the opening statement of the Director-General which is comprehensive and penetrating, and we fully agree with the Director-General's assertion that today's most urgent problems can be summed up in three words: armament, finance and supply. In a nutshell, the problems stemming from the mismanagement of these three areas have a negative far-reaching effect on the world, especially in the "developing" countries where they provoke acute problems in the structure of food production, supply and consumption.
Mr. Chairman, as members we took part in the 8th Session of the Committee on World Food Security. Personally we think that the major issues of that session were:
1. The Director-General's report on World Food Security
2. Constraints on food production in low-income food-deficit countries of Africa.
The Director-General's report is a far-reaching and thought-provoking document which deserves the support of my delegation because the present situation of the agricultural sector should be perceived in terms of world food security. We also agree that: "the ultimate objective of world food security is to ensure that all people, at all times, have both physical and economic access to the basic food that they need."
The Director-General has promised further elaboration on this report and we look forward to it.
Coming to the second issue, that is constraints on food production in low-income food-deficit countries of Africa, we believe that these constraints can be removed in the not-too-long future with the harmonization of the terms of trade between developing and developed countries. Countries of Africa, and for that effect all developing countries, cannot continue paying for one tractor and an ever increasing quantity of raw material.'
Mr. Chairman, we have reason to believe that given the right political will, "war and civil strife" as mentioned in paragraph 106 of document CL 83/10, could stop being constraints on food production. Therefore we request the distinguished delegates of major developed countries to take practical steps in other international fora which enhance peace everywhere, especially in southern Africa. We also wish to request the Director-General to take into consideration paragraph 106 when, as requested in paragraph 112, he will be preparing a second report on the subject under discussion for the 9th Session of the CFS.
Mr. Chairman, we argued earlier that "war and civil strife", being constraints to food production and the major cause of refugees in Africa, could rapidly be removed. Accordingly we requested some delegations to take practical steps which enhance Peace. However we are deeply shocked, to put it mildly, that on the one hand FAO, WFP, IFAD and other international organizations, which are striving to erradícate hunger, do not obtain sufficient funds for their humanitarian activities towards increased food production which can in a practical and visible way strengthen food security. However, on the other hand some member states which are represented in this Council, have allowed the IMF to lend a large sum of money to the most unrepresentative government on earth, that is the racist kakistocracy of South Africa which is daily engaged in destabilizing and aggressive acts against the independent states of southern Africa by destroying dams, water supply systems, cattle, crops and other economic targets so as to increase dependence on South Africa and her allies in the IMF.
G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia): La delegación de Colombia opina que la forma unanime de consenso como el Comité de Seguridad Alimentaria Mundial adopto los párrafos 30 a 90 del documento que estudiamos y la actitud de este Consejo en forma también generalmente unánime representan el mínimo reconocimiento que se podía hacer al valioso informe del Director General.
Pensamos que el Director General elaboro un documento de excepcional importancia a través del cual tuvo el valor y la decisión de referirse a numerosas cuestiones que vienen afectando la seguridad alimentaria mundial y que antes nadie había querido, o se había atrevido, a plantear. Uno de los méritos de ese informe es el de que trata de definir las respectivas responsabilidades que corresponden a los distintos organismos de las Naciones Unidas que se ocupan de la seguridad alimentaria.
Estamos agradecidos al Director General al ofrecernos esta oportunidad por que, sin duda, ese proceso desordenado viene afectando los efectos de la asistencia con perjuicio notorio para los países beneficiarios especialmente. Creemos que también los países donantes, que a veces tienen buena voluntad, y hasta voluntad política, se encuentran un poco desconcertados por esa serie de propuestas diversas que crean ilusiones en los países en desarrollo, como la propuesta de reservas, propiedad de cada uno de nuestros estados y, naturalmente, todo ello afecta a nuestros planes nacionales.
Dentro de ese orden de inquietudes debiéramos preguntarnos como es posible que representantes de los mismos gobiernos y en muchos casos nosotros, las mismas personas, hayamos atendido dos reuniones de organismos de las Naciones Unidas en cada una de las cuales se hayan discutido dos documentos sobre los mismos temas sin que en ninguno de esos documentos se hubiera hecho referencia al otro; nos referimos a los documentos sobre seguridad alimentaria y problemas africanos, y que todo ello se haya cumplido aquí, en Roma, a tres semanas de tiempo entre el final de una reunión y el principio de la otra y a 3,5 metros que es la distancia que separa la sala roja, donde se reunió el CSA, de la sala verde donde se llevo a cabo la reunión preparatoria del Consejo Mundial de la Alimentación.
No vamos a extendernos sobre este punto porque compartimos la opinión de la distinguida delegada de Noruega, quien inició este tema brillantemente, en el sentido de que no conviene perder tiempo sobre estos aspectos, sino concentrarnos en asuntos más fundamentales. Pero sobre esa falta de cooperación creo yo que este informe del CSA nos ofrece justamente la oportunidad de poner fin a ese desorden.
Creo que el CSA ha producido un veredicto definitivo e inapelable que este Consejo debe apoyar y transmitir a la Conferencia. Será necesario decir en nuestro informe que el Consejo reconoce a la FAO su carácter de foco central, su rol esencial e insustituible en la consideración y en las posibles soluciones de los problemas de la seguridad alimentaria mundial. Nuestra Organización tiene 38 años de experiencia, a través de los cuales ha acumulado conocimientos valiosos y ha demostrado que efectivamente puede trabajar de manera eficaz en esa labor, por lo tanto consideramos que debe de respetarse ese carácter especializado de la FAO y no duplicarse sus actividades.
Esta afirmación no está dirigida a menoscabar la función de cualquier otro organismo porque, entre otras cosas, Colombia es miembro también de otro importante organismo de las Naciones Unidas que se ocupa de la seguridad alimentaria mundial y cuyos trabajos estamos apoyando y consideramos positivo y creemos que pueden dar resultados eficaces, pero a través de la racionalización, de la definición de responsabilidades para que, por fin, el famoso mecanismo de coordinación concebido en el marco de la FAO en los términos de la Resolución XXII de la Conferencia Mundial de la Alimentación pueda re~ presentar el mayor apoyo político, la promoción de mayor y constante asistencia financiera y técnica para esa labor de seguridad alimentaria mundial en un contexto organizado, serio, y razonable.
Si estoy en lo cierto al afirmar que a través del debate celebrado aquí todos estamos de acuerdo en que es necesario establecer esa cooperación, una recomendación a la Conferencia en el sentido en que lo acabamos de plantear y que corresponde a la opinion del CSA, sin duda contribuirá a que en adelante se trabaje mejor y en más adecuada cooperación.
Una de las conclusiones del informe del CSA sin duda ha sido el apoyo a las medidas a nivel nacional; sobre la función de nuestros propios países, en esas labores a nivel nacional no quisiéramos ser polémicos a estas alturas de nuestros debates, aunque después de que ayer tarde nuestro distinguido colega y amigo el Embajador de Cuba se refirió a las actitudes de algunas delegaciones; otras distinguidas representaciones, a las cuales nosotros respetamos y admiramos, han insistido en un concepto que nosotros no podemos aceptar, que rechazamos con toda firmeza porque es inaceptable y es injusto afirmar que nosotros, los países en desarrollo, somos los culpables del estado en que nos encontramos actualmente. Es fácil para aquellos representantes de países que tienen todos los medios y todos los recursos lavarse las manos como Pilatos y pretender que nosotros somos masoquistas, convencidos, y estamos felices de encontrarnos en el subdesarrollo actual, cuando en realidad la situación es otra. Cuando se presentan, raramente, conyunturas favorables como la que tuvimos hasta el año pasado,cuando crecieron las reservas porque aumentaron las cosechas y al mismo tiempo bajaron los precios, no pudimos nosotros aprovechar esa situación porque, entre otros factores negativos, se produjo la revaluación del dólar de los Estados Unidos frente a nuestras monedas, el alza de las tasas de interés, el incremento de nuestra deuda externa y el peso del servicio de esa deuda y ahora estamos de nuevo declinando, volviendo a la etapa anterior de manera que esa situación de injusticia y de desigualdad que padecemos se prolonga al infinito.
Esta mañana oímos con atención el consejo paternal que nos dio una distinguida delegación en el sentido de que convenía recurrir a los créditos que podrían ofrecernos el sector privado. Creemos en la buena fe de ese consejo que se nos dio esta mañana, pero a lo mejor hay algún fondo de ironía en ello, señor Presidente y distinguidos colegas, porque todos conocemos cuál es esa situación de los recursos externos, cómo es de enorme la deuda exterior de nuestros países y cuánto pesa sobre nuestras economías el servicio de esa deuda.
Tampoco podemos aceptar que trate de imponerse a la FAO el incumplimiento del deber y de la responsabilidad que tiene nuestra Organización de señalarnos de manera franca, clara y precisa cuál es la situación de la agricultura y de la alimentación en el mundo. Por ello apoyamos lo que ayer tarde dijo el señor West, nuestro Director General Adjunto a nombre del Director General de la FAO, y creemos que nuestra Organización debe de seguir cumpliendo ese deber y esa obligación porque es el real y mejor servicio que presta a todos los Estados Miembros.
Habíamos dicho, señor Presidente, que no queremos ser polémicos y en realidad nuestro ánimo se ha ido tranquilizando a medida que hacemos estas manifestaciones, pero basados en la amistad y en la simpatía que nos une a los colegas que aquí han hecho las declaraciones que nos han inquietado, quisiéramos pedirles por lo menos tres cosas, señor Presidente con su venia: primera, que no insistan en que en el informe de esta reunión del Consejo aparezcan esas referencias al desorden administrativo, a la desorganización entre nuestros ministerios, a la falta de prioridad de nuestros planes de desarrollo, a la carente asignación de recursos de nuestros presupuestos. Ojalá que eso no aparezca en nuestro informe, señor Presidente.
Segunda, que esos distinguidos colegas ordenen que se cancelen de las actas esas referencias desobligantes, porque si aparecieran en esos documentos nos crearía una situación difícil a quienes aquí representamos a gobiernos soberanos y no podemos aceptar que se nos falte al respeto, que se nos insulte y que se nos coloque en esa situación injusta, que rechazamos una vez más.
Y tercera, tal vez convendría que esos distinguidos colegas que representan países tan poderosos hicieran un examen interno, profundo, sereno y reflexivo de sus actitudes y se impusieran la autope-nitencia de prometernos que en adelante van a seguirnos ofreciendo mayor asistencia, más constante y más adecuada asistencia en todos los órdenes para los países en desarrollo.
La delegación de Colombia piensa que las medidas a nivel regional fueron también adoptadas por el Comité de Seguridad Alimentaria Mundial; dentro de ese orden de ideas apoyamos lo que han dicho aquí nuestros colegas de Argentina, Brasil y México sobre la función importante del Comité de Acción de Seguridad Alimentaria Regional, CASAR, que acaba de crearse en el seno del SELA, el Sistema Económico Latinoamericano en América Latina; creemos que las medidas a nivel mundial propuestas por el Director General tienen un vasto alcance, como se afirma en el párrafo 56; debido a la solidez, a la claridad y a la profundidad de esas propuestas era apenas elemental que el CSA no pudiera evar-cuarlas en una sesión y sobre las cuales pretendemos seguir una consideración en el futuro.
Dentro de las medidas a nivel mundial la delegación de Colombia desea hacer referencia al párrafo 58 sobre la función del Consejo Internacional del Trigo. Nosotros hicimos críticas en relación a las labores del CIT, a la lentitud y a la vacilación con que ese Consejo viene considerando la posibilidad de reiniciar negociaciones para elaborar un nuevo convenio comercial con cláusulas económicas, como precios y constitución de reservas.
Afortunadamente el Director General de la FAO concibió su plan de cinco puntos de acción que ha contrarrestado esa lentitud y esa ineficiencia del Consejo Internacional del Trigo.
Quisiéramos, acaso, proponer, si los demás miembros del Consejo estuvieran de acuerdo, incluir en nuestro informe que se haga un llamado al Consejo Internacional del Trigo para que aproveche los tres años de prórroga que se han otorgado al convenio de 1971, aún en su forma inútil actual, a fin de que durante ese interregno puedan tener ocasión de reiniciar esas negociaciones.
La delegación de Colombia piensa que no podrá hablarse de seguridad alimentaria mundial basados en el solo hecho de que hay existencias mientras que esas existencias se hallen progresiva y crecientemente concentradas en unos pocos países productores y exportadores, porque la experiencia nos enseña y sabemos que no están en esas condiciones, que no estarán nunca a la verdadera disposición de aquellos países que lo necesiten. Esto se observa en el párrafo 63 del documento.
Diez años después por fin será necesario dar cumplimiento a la Resolución XVII de la Conferencia Mundial de la Alimentación. Hay ideas controvertidas sobre la conveniencia o inconveniencia, los costos mayores o menores de conservar y administrar esas reservas o de trasladarlas a las regiones que las necesitan. Para ventilar toda acción de controversia estamos muy de acuerdo en que se presente un informe detallado sobre la situación, propiedad, administración, criterios para el empleo y la reposición de reservas a fin de que el CSA pueda estudiar con mayor conocimiento toda esa situación.
La delegación de Colombia piensa que este Consejo debe apoyar el concepto fundamental de que el comercio internacional es parte integrante, inseparable, de la seguridad alimentaria. Todo el Comité, así consta en el párrafo 64, estuvo de acuerdo en que un comercio de exportación libre y en crecimiento era una de las bases importantes para establecer la seguridad alimentaria. La delegación de Colombia opina también que deben incluirse en nuestro informe todos los conceptos fundamentales que aparecen en el párrafo 64. Debemos, particularmente, pedir una vez más que se elimine toda apariencia proteccionista de todo orden y que, como lo dice el informe, también todas las decisiones políticas, en materia de agricultura, de todos los países y tengan en cuenta sus repercusiones negativas sobre los países en desarrollo.
A este respecto me preocupa también una parte de la declaración que sobre el tema 4 hizo una importante delegación al anunciar reducciones en su producción. Ojalá que los buenos principios, que según esa declaración orientaban a esa reducción, se hagan realidad y no tenga consecuencias negativas sobre la situación alimentaria mundial.
Los delegados de Colombia seguimos felices en nuestra luna de miel con los representantes de la Comunidad Económica Europea en espera de que se firme, como parece que tendrá lugar en Bogotá, capital de Colombia, dentro de poco el acuerdo entre el Grupo Andino y la Comunidad Económica Europea.
Al final del párrafo 64 aparece la solicitud que se ha dirigido a la Comunidad Económica Europea para aumentar los recursos del STABEX con el fin de incrementar el número de productos incluidos, de los 10 actuales a los 18 que aparecen en el Programa Integrado de Productos Básicos de la UNCTAD que extiende los beneficios de ese sistema a todos los países en desarrollo.
Ayer tarde, el distinguido representante de la CEE no hizo referencia al diálogo que habíamos iniciado en otras reuniones, y cuando sea posible, si fuera oportuno, nos gustaría saber cuál es la situación sobre esa propuesta en el seno de los órganos comunitarios. Sobre las implicaciones institucionales contenidas en el informe del Director General es natural que haya existido controversia por el carácter innovador, renovador y realista de la propuesta del Director General.
El CSA, en particular, consideró el fortalecimiento de sus propias funciones, y queremos que ese Comité, creado por la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas, advierta a todos los miembros de Naciones Unidas que es el órgano más adecuado para ocuparse de la seguridad alimentaria mundial y que su función política debe ser reforzada como lo ha propuesto el Director General. El CSA se ocupa también de otro importante documento del Director General de la FAO, sobre las dificultades para el aumento de la producción alimentaria en los países africanos de bajos ingresos y déficit de alimentos.
La delegación de Colombia opina que el CSA, en la primera frase del párrafo 111, como dijo el distinguido Embajador de Cuba, sentó un principio que debe ser guía insustituible para la consideración y solución de los problemas en Africa. Todas las medidas destinadas a aliviar las dificultades más graves de la producción alimentaria en Africa deben basarse en las propias responsabilidades y en las prioridades que elijan los gobiernos africanos.
La delegación de Colombia apoya el llamado que se hace en el párrafo 111 para que se aumente la asistencia externa en el desarrollo agrícola a los países de bajos ingresos y con déficit de alimentos en Africa. Apoyamos plenamente las prioridades fijadas por los gobiernos africanos que aparecen particularmente en el párrafo 111 y consideramos que esas prioridades deben respetarse e implemen-tarse siempre de acuerdo con los representantes de Africa.
Señor Director General, al final del debate sobre este tema, la delegación de Colombia piensa que usted debe sentir la íntima satisfacción del deber cumplido, acompañado por la gratitud y el reconocimiento de toda la comunidad internacional. La elaboración de estos dos importantes informes sobre seguridad alimentaria y sobre los problemas africanos de que se ocupa este documento, conforman y reafirman su calidad incuestionable de un verdadero líder del desarrollo.
La delegación de Colombia desea destacar un aspecto fundamental dentro de esa decidida actuación suya, Sr. Director General, y es el de que usted, si bien en sus actividades constantes, en su trabajo infatigable, en su vocación permanente de servicio, se orienta, se guía siempre hacia el beneficio de los países en desarrollo, usted ha logrado todo eso como lo ha demostrado en el debate sobre este tema, en una forma equilibrada dentro de un espíritu de consenso que recoge igualmente el apoyo de los representantes de todos los Estados Miembros de la FAO.
A juicio de la delegación de Colombia, esa característica reafirma el prestigio y el respeto con que usted viene cumpliendo sus mas altas funciones. Digo esto, Sr. Presidente, porque, si bien algunos distinguidos miembros del Consejo han hecho observaciones marginales, en el fondo, todos hemos contribuido en apoyar sobre todo el nuevo enfoque, revisado y ampliado, con que usted se enfrenta ahora a los problemas de la seguridad alimentaria mundial. Es así como la delegación de Colombia se siente muy complacida de que este Consejo haya refrentado y apoyado las conclusiones del CSA para trasmitirlas a la Conferencia, nuestro máximo organismo, el cual, sin duda, recibirá también e igualmente ese apoyo para que siga en esa buena dirección, y nos presente un nuevo informe en el nuevo período de sesiones del Comité.
A.G. NGONGI NAMANGA (Observer for Cameroon): I have been here only a few years but I think that : this Council session is probably the most important I have witnessed since I came here. Although my experience does not go back as far as some delegations who have been coming here for two decades or more, I think this session has very many important matters to discuss. First of all in discussing this report of the Committee on World Food Security, which includes the comments of the Committee on the Director-General's report on world food security. It also includes the recommendations of that Committee on the paper on the African food situation, the constraints on Africa. It will also be discussing the reorganization of this Organization and on top of that it will be discussing the Programme of Work and Budget. So I think all of us are looking forward to a very useful session under your distinguished chairmanship and the assistance of the vice-Chairmen that have been elected to assist you.
On the document before us, my delegation participated in the last session of the Committee on World Food Security and we therefore had the opportunity to make detailed comments on the various documents which were submitted, so at this session we will be merely making comments on the document submitted to the Committee on World Food Security but I would like to say at the outset that the Director-General presented a forthright and far-reaching document which stimulated far-reaching discussions in the last session of the Committee on World Food Security and I think in the opinion of this delegation, and I think paragraph 43 is testimony to it, the Committee on World Food Security adopted the broadened concept of world food security as proposed by the Director-General. This in itself, for one session of the Committee on World Food Security, was a great achievement. Several measures which were proposed at the national level were approved by the Committee on World Food Security as specified in the document before us. Measures at the regional level were supported. At the global level there were some exchanges and difference in views but the Director-General was requested to present more detailed studies on the aspects in which he found he could reach broad agreement and I think that this Council, in endorsing this report, will be calling upon the Director-General to elaborate on these areas which he finds this Council and the Conference and members of FAO should reach agreement in order to include world food security. The Committee generally supported increasing its own role, its strength, in carrying out its activities on world food security and various options will be discussed in the forthcoming session.
The Committee on World Food Security discussed a paper on the constraints of food in Africa. I would guess that coming from Africa also, I would hold that that paper was a very well written document, very stimulating and I think it brought out the essentials that will be seen in paragraph 111, which is the embodiment, I would guess, of the debate in the Committee on that paper.
We feel that this Organization has gone a long step forward in addressing itself to the problems of Africa and it is no secret that in the last few years this Organization has done a lot in terms of reorganizing its own activities and in terms of re-shaping priorities to tackle the matters of urgent need in Africa.
The Committee calls upon the Director-General and the Secretariat to prepare a follow-up study which will elaborate on the areas identified in paragraph 111 with a view to presenting a more detailed paper in 1984 at the regional conferences and at the FAO Conference maybe in 1985. But the essential is that in this document major constraints of Africa were identified with the full participation of the African members who attended the CFS. We had the benefit of an exchange of views with other regions which have already experienced such difficulties and have made some strides in overcoming them. We are therefore looking forward to the next paper which will be presented to the CFS.
Being an Observer I do not wish to take up too much time, but I would like to associate the voice of my Observer delegation with the position raised by the Ambassador of Congo and supported by Lesotho and Angola.
In Africa we can go on speaking about world food security ad infinitum. As long as we have these continuing disturbances and external aggression which has been perpetrated by the Republic of South Africa we will not solve many of the problems. Clearly the international community has to come to bear on the conscience of South Africa to relieve the weak and suffering republics of Southern Africa, and especially the front-line states which are always being put under constant pressure. I think the external assistance given to the Republic of South Africa is greatly unjustified.
H. BENATTALLAH (Observateur pour l'Algérie): Nous n'allongerons pas le débat davantage. Qu'il nous soit simplement permis de rappeler que la délégation algérienne au cours de la huitième session du CSA a, sans équivoque, apporté son appui à l'évaluation faite dans le rapport du Directeur général de la FAO proposant un concept approfondi de la notion de sécurité alimentaire mondiale y compris son volet institutionnel. Que l'on nous concède aussi d'avancer deux observations portant sur l'opportunité et sur la portée de cette approche. La délégation algérienne estime que l'approche globalisante du rapport a enfin rejoint des préoccupations anciennes des pays en voie de développement exprimées dans d'autres instances internationales et revendiquant un développement conditionné par la restructuration des relations nord-sud; que la revendication d'une sécurité alimentaire moins aléatoire soit recentrée dans le sens de la correction d'un déséquilibre structurel selon les termes du Secrétariat de la CNUCED est parfaitement létigime et opportune car la donnée la plus constante dans la situation alimentaire mondiale actuelle est l'insécurité alimentaire, que les ressources alimentaires soient disponibles ou ne le soient pas, que la conjoncture soit favorable ou ne le soit pas.
Les oppositions, qui s'agitent contre la prise en charge des revendications des pays en voie de développement dans les négociations globales, se projettent naturellement sur la question de la sécurité alimentaire mondiale et notamment sur les deux objectifs liés aux mesures à l'échelle mondiale, c'est-à-dire la stabilité des approvisionnements et des marchés et les garanties d'accès aux approvisionnements. Ces deux objectifs heurtent sans nul doute des intérêts commerciaux agissant à l'échelle mondiale et pour lesquels, dans un contexte de fléchissement des échanges de produits vivriers et agricoles, la relance des échanges et des ressources alimentaires domine les questions de l'aide alimentaire et de l'aide à l'agriculture.
Quant à la portée de cette approche, la délégation algérienne estime qu'elle ne doit pas être atténuée ou affaiblie par des spéculations de conjoncture alors que des tendances inverses poussent au mûrissement rapide de la question. Lorsque la conjoncture actuelle a été évoquée, certaines délégations l'ont intégrée dans une perception optimiste de l'avenir qui pourrait ne pas se justifier du point de vue d'un pays en voie de développement. Peut-on interpréter en effet les résultats de Williamsburg autrement que comme la volonté de certains pays de relancer d'abord et en priorité leur économie à la suite de quoi les pays en voie de développement pourraient en attendre les effets d'entraînement. Globalement, c'est le scénario qui s'est déroulé au cours de la sixième CNUCED à Belgrade où les pays développés, à économie de marché, semblaient disposés à prendre davantage en compte les mesures de caractère commercial propres à relancer leur économie, les mesures de restructuration impliquant les problèmes monétaires ou le financement des accords de produits en attente d'être marginalisés. La délégation algérienne estime que ce type de réserves qui raccorderait le destin du concept de sécurité alimentaire à l'hypothèse ou à la relance ou à l'issue de la relance mondiale, aggraverait l'incertitude actuelle et hypothéquerait l'évolution de cette question alors que des indices plus évidents fondent les mesures préconisées à l'échelle mondiale. Il s'agit par exemple de la diminution de l'aide extérieure à l'agriculture, et le volume modeste, par rapport aux besoins des engagements d'assistance, particulièrement pour les pays à faible revenu et à déficit alimentaire, pour lesquels le niveau est tombé de 24 pour cent en 1977 à 18 pour cent en 1980/81 et probablement aussi en 1982, la baisse des engagements publics d'aide alimentaire, la baisse des engagements à des conditions de faveur, l'aide alimentaire qui se réduit sans cesse dans les importations céréalières des pays à faible revenu et à déficit alimentaire et enfin le durcissement général des conditions de l'aide. Il est plausible que d'autres indices tels que l'accumulation des stocks, leur concentration et le rapport inégal entre l'offre et la demande tendront à détériorer la situation pour les pays en voie de développement dont les besoins ne sont pas satisfaits.
La délégation algérienne estime que la volonté qui consiste à réduire le profit du concept de sécurité alimentaire mondiale, tel qu'il est proposé c'est-à-dire avec ses implications mondiales et institutionnelles, tend sur le fond à maintenir la vulnérabilité des pays en voie de développement face aux forces connues et méconnues du marché. Dans ce sens la délégation algérienne approuve l'importance qui sera désormais accordée dans l'évaluation de la situation alimentaire mondiale au rôle des transnationales dans ce secteur.
A.T. KEITA (Observateur pour la Guinée): Je ne serai pas très long car les différents délégués qui sont intervenus avant moi ont, chacun à leur manière, apprécié la qualité de cet excellent rapport que nous a présenté le Prof. N. Islam et son staff. Loin de m'en dissocier au contraire je l'approuve à plus d'un titre et estime que c'est là la justesse du choix combien rationnel et mérité qu'en a fait le Directeur général en lui confiant cet important poste.
Concernant le rapport qui nous a été présenté, ma délégation l'approuve dans ses grandes lignes et voudrait plus particulièrement renchérir sur l'alinéa relatif à la formation car c'est là pour nous la condition sine qua non de tout développement et de tout progrès. Il est certain que l'aide véritable est celle qui permet aux pays en développement de se passer de l'aide et, parmi toutes ces formes d'aide, la formation de l'homme revêt à nos yeux une importance capitale. Cela, je n'ai jamais cessé de le répéter chaque fois que l'occasion m'en a été donnée.
Les difficultés des pays en voie de développement sont dues aussi à leur incapacité relative à maîtriser la nature, ce qui se traduit par des calamités que connaît la majeure partie de l'humanité.
Aussi, ma délégation accorde son plein soutien à cet alinéa qui est d'ailleurs repris avec beaucoup de détails dans le document CL 80/9 traitant de la formation sur le tas et plus particulièrement de l'émancipation des femmes.
T.E.C. PALMER (Observer for Sierra Leone): There are one or two comments that I would like to make. I have listened to the interventions of delegations on this subject and I was a little disturbed when some delegations tried to throw some damp water on the points in the document, including particularly the assessment of the current world food situation. To us it is a situation of the good, the bad and the ugly. The good - that was the surpluses - this was reflected. The bad was the shortage. That was relating to the developing countries who were incapable of procuring the food requirements for the respective countries primarily due to the lack of foreign exchange and other economic problems. The ugly is what many delegations did not realise, or failed to bring up, and that is the reaction of the countries who are capable of creating surpluses. What would be the reaction to the present situation of surpluses, that is the medium-term situation, when policies will be adopted to arrest these surpluses and then we enter a stage of shortages and then higher prices and then we find that we have inaccessibility to food supplies? This is the crux of the matter which the Council should address itself to more cautiously. There I believe delegations should have urged the Council to put countries into a position to create surpluses of stocks or surpluses of commodities, to refrain from adopting policies which will affect in the medium term the situation of food stocks and food commodities which in the long run might affect world food security. So this is one point that we would have liked to have suggested if we were taking the floor as a member of the Council.
The second point is on the Director-General's report. We believe that the report should not be treated with a casual feeling of having been addressed to in the last session of the Committee on World Food Security. The Council should endorse not only the conclusions of the report wherever they appear but should highlight one or two issues which should be thoroughly dealt with in world food security sessions in the very near future.
In this connection the following points come to mind, and primarily strengthening the Committee's role in world food security, not only in technical and operational fields but also in the coordination of activities relating to food security. We believe that if this point could be stressed much more by the Council it could lend more weight to the support already given to the Director-General's report which has been discussed in document CL 83/10.
In particular on this point I invite the attention of the Council to paragraphs 86 and 87 of the document. This might assist Council members to see exactly the point I am trying to raise.
In general my delegation associates itself with many others who have requested the Council to endorse the considerations of the Committee as contained in paragraph 90 of the document.
The third and last point, and that is on the African food problem, we want to associate ourselves with the comments already raised by the delegations not only from the African region but also from other regions. We express our thanks to all these delegations. We would like this Council to endorse the conclusions of the Committee and in particular paragraphs 111 and 112 as clearly set out in the document.
N. ISLAM (Assistant Director-General, Economic and Social Policy Department): Mr. Chairman, on behalf of the Director-General, I wish to express our appreciation and deep thanks for the very constructive debate which the Council had on this subject this morning, and for the very helpful and
positive suggestions made by many distinguished delegates. We are also very glad to note that the interval since the last CFS session has not only enabled the Council to confirm its findings but also to contribute to the process of reaching consensus and to indicate possibilities of further progress in the future in this vital area of world food security.
As far as the Director-General's report on World Food Security is concerned, as the Council endorses it, the Director-General will follow up his proposals in subsequent sessions of the CFS, since many proposals as the Council recognizes, are of a preliminary nature. This would involve clarification and elaboration of several proposals contained in the report, some of which could be followed up over the medium and longer term, whereas some other consensus may appear feasible in the near future.
In the subsequent reports along these lines, the Director-General will certainly carefully take into account the comments and suggestions made in the course of the current debate. The Council endorses the revised and expanded concept of food security adopted by the Committee in paragraph 43, concentrating on three components: expansion of production and supplies, stability and availability of food and security of access. The Council reached agreement on measures required at regional and national levels, as outlined in the report. It agreed on the need for developing countries to evolve national food security programmes strategies assistance with emphasis, as emphasized this morning, on food crops, including also non-cereal crops, such as roots, tubers, pulses and edible oils, which in some countries constitute basic food staples, as well as incentives for small farmers, national preparedness for dealing with year-to-year fluctuations and direct measures for alleviation of poverty as outlined in the WCARRD Programme of Action.
While emphasis was placed on the responsibility of the developing countries to undertake appropriate policies and programmes to allocate higher priority and resources to the agricultural sector, the need for external assistance, financial and technical, was recognized as an inevitable supplement to domestic efforts.
As indicated earlier in the debate on the first item on the agenda, there are already strong trends in the developing countries in recent years for adopting not only more appropriate policies but also for increasing public expenditure on agriculture.
We have taken careful note of the various references made by the distinguished delegates for measures for regional cooperation as well as the possible establishment of regional commissions in other regions following the example of the Asian region.
Regarding measures at regional and sub-regional levels, the Council recognized their role as important in supplementing national measures. It considered that such measures be taken within the framework of the guidelines which had already been approved by the CFS at its earlier session.
We have taken note of the suggestions regarding promotion of South-South cooperation in trade. Later this year an expert consultation on trade expansion among developing countries is planned in Rome. At the regional level we have a meeting scheduled in Santiago on South-South trade relating to Latin America. It was recognized, however, by the Council that national and regional efforts are handicapped by the absence of an effective global system. External factors are often a basic cause of food insecurity. Several delegates stressed the importance of trade as a component of food security, while some others considered access as the most crucial issue.
In respect of several global measures, divergent opinions were expressed on some of them. On some others, further clarification and elaboration were sought for consideration by the Committee in its later session. Even countries which had some reservations regarding some of the global measures were prepared to consider more concrete ideas in subsequent sessions. Among the measures to be adopted by FAO, considerable interest was expressed on the Food Security Action Programme. This proposal, however, needed further elaboration and review. Many members expressed interest in proposals relating to the Food Security Fund and Compact, even though the present economic and financial situation constrained the possibility of their implementation in the immediate future. There is wide support for gradually strengthening the Committee on World Food Security with an existing mandate. The need for closer cooperation and coordination between international bodies in the field of food security was generally stressed.
As regards the review of constraints on increasing food production in low-income food-deficit countries in Africa, we noted a strong endorsement given by the delegates to follow up in the four priority areas which were proposed by the African countries themselves during the debate on the Committee on Food Security and was agreed upon by the Committee. They related to technology, resources, delivery systems and institutional development. The Director-General has already initiated action in this respect in preparation of the second report to the Committee which had focussed on some selected themes with the outline of the possible action to be considered on a future occasion.
On the whole, the positive reaction of the Council should give impetus to further work, and your report, Mr. Chairman, will be very helpful to the FAO Conference when it has its own debate later this year on this very subject.
DIRECTOR-GENERAL: Just one word, Mr. Chairman, to assure the Latin American countries that, as requested, FAO will give full support to the Action Committee on Regional Food Security which has been established under SELA. The Committee will meet very soon in Buenos Aires in July. FAO will attend the meeting. I recall also that I have decided to associate the Committee in the preparation of a paper which will review the food security situation in Latin America and which will be presented to the forthcoming FAO Regional Conference for Latin America which will also be held in Buenos Aires in 1984.
CHAIRMAN: You may recall last November during our Council meeting, the Director-General was good enough to say that he is undertaking a detailed reappraisal of approaches, concepts and programmes and that he will come to us through the CFS, the Committee on World Food Security, with a comprehensive report. We all agree, Mr. Director-General, that you have not only kept your word
that you will prepare a report that is worthy to be taken into consideration, but you have certainly stimulated an enormous amount of thought, and I hope action, in the whole area of food security. As the Director-General said in his opening remarks, what he expected was not outright acceptance or condemnation but progress step by step by consensus. I think that is how it can be done, because I was reading last night, in preparation of what I wanted to say today, the proceedings of the meeting held in 1943, the meeting convened by President Roosevelt at Hot Springs, Virginia, and, interestingly enough, it ended on June 3, 1943, when the words of the famous quotation, which is also in this building, were said, that "the goal of freedom from want of food suitable and adequate for the health and strength of all peoples can be achieved" This was adopted on June 3, 1943, and I was very impressed that many comments made by the delegates then, are similar to what many delegates have said yesterday and today. In other words, then, since the food problem is eternal, I think the sentiments and the suggestions seem to be eternal, and we have a common wavelength. It is true that we are making good progress, and I think that this particular meeting of the CFS and the report marks a significant landmark in this progress. I thought that there are three major issues involved in the CFS report: the concept of food security, the consensus on action and the coordinating machinery, and of course there is the other aspect of stepping up the pace of agricultural progress in the low-income food-deficit countries on Africa.
I think it is a good thing now that we all accept the concept. It is the systems approach proposed by the Director-General - of a total system from sowing to consumption - and a plan which will try to help in achieving the desired rates of agricultural growth, coupled with evenness of distribution and equity in terms of availability of food. I am glad at least there is this unanimity in terms of the concept.
Then we go to the consensus in terms of action programmes. Here also there is one consensus which has clearly emerged, namely about the ultimate magic wand. The magic wand which will remove hunger lies by and large with the countries concerned, with the political leadership of their country. Self-reliance and self-help have been frequently emphasized, and I believe that there are the three combinations which go to make a successful magic wand: the political will of the country, the peasants'participation, because ultimately they produce the food, and the professional skill of the people who will guide both the politicians and the peasants. These three are important ingredients of the magic wand.
I have not heard much about peasants, there were some remarks about them, but I want to remind my own colleagues from developing countries which are largely having small farms, that quite frequently in all our deliberations we forget the fact that the man who produces the food, he has to have motivation. It is easy for a developing country if it has the resources, if it has the raw materials and if it has got the money to put up a million-ton steel plant without difficulty, with the help of suitable expertise, but to produce a million-tons of food grains in many developing countries will require the participation of at least 2 million farming families. One must ask why should they participate, and therefore I think it is always important to keep them in view. I have felt that we frequently forget this fact because the peasants are slaves to the crops. We are slaves to the clock. We are clockwatchers, they are cropwatchers. There is a basic difference many times between policy makers and the peasants, and I am glad that several speakers have reiterated this crucial importance of keeping the peasant, who is the instrument of converting our food security dream into reality, always in the forefront in national programmes. We have had ample experiences in the last 20 years. I think several of our delegates have given many examples and some who have not spoken about their own countries - Indonesia I know has trebled its rice production in the last 20 years from 8 million-tons to 23 million-tons - all did this by supporting their farmers. The Philippines was a food-importing country; it is now a rice-exporting nation,, all by an integrated action plan, but it was yield-come income-guarantee schemes which helped the peasant to help the country.
I think in terms of consensus of action programmes whether bilateral, multilateral and so on, we do hope that in this forum of the Council we keep this in view. We live as the guests of the green plants and of the farmers and the fishermen who convert sunlight through plants and animals into something which we can eat. The third aspect of coordination is one which is very important and here I believe that there have been a number of views which have been expressed. My own personal
view is that we must go back to the basic principles. I think when this Council was established, on the basis of the Viscount Bruce Commission Report in 1947, when it was clearly stated that the FAO Council's main duty is ''to keep under review the state of food and agriculture in the world". We should have multiplicity of fora for discussion but there has to be some mechanism of coordination, because the dictionary meaning of coordination is organized cooperation, particularly when there are a number of units then there has to be some one single unit which is not subordinating others, but is helping to promote organized cooperation; coordination is organized cooperation. We must have a mechanism for the goal that we all desire, namely there must be interagency-coordination, intergovernmental non-governmental coordination and so on. Obviously a coordination mechanism already exists in the United Nations system, because under the chapter the FAO is in charge of food and agricultural problems, and it is my personal view that while we should encourage a large number of fora, intergovernmental and non-governmental, for discussions, I am all for ministers, particularly at the higher political level, getting together, because the more regional ministerial consultations there are, I find the number of personal friendships grow, and ultimately in life, whatever we may write on paper, it is understanding and friendship which ultimately grow into cohesive action. Hence the more fora which exist to bring top policy makers together so as to generate understanding and cooperation and friendship, the better it will be. Nevertheless when we want to go into real concrete action there has to be one coordinating mechanism which can put all pieces together and see that the various sentiments are converted into action. This is why my personal conviction is that the FAO Council assisted by the Commettee on World Food Security is an appropriate mechanism to try to assume this coordinatine character.
May I say one word about the other constraints to food production in low-income food deficit countries of Africa. I share the view expressed by several African delegates that African countries are on the march. There is a tremendous scope for progress; the untapped yield reservoir is high in many of these countries. The problems are also very many. There has been mention of various kinds - economic, social and political - but given the type of goodwill and great deal of endeavour which is now going on I do hope again that at the country level there will be a clear-cut strategy which could utilize whatever help that comes in a proper flow.
I therefore want to conclude with what Mahatma Gandhi said in my country once when talking about rural development and agriculture. Gandhi said - this was to administrators and political leaders -''Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you have seen, and ask yourself if the step you contemplate is going to be of any help to him. Will we gain anything by it? Will it help him to gain control over his own life and destiny?'' In other words, will it lead to freedom for the the hungry and starving millions? But having asked that question of the administrators, he talked about the pathways of achieving this. He identified the provision of education and employment through a marriage of brain and brawn as the pathway to freedom coupled with human dignity. In other words the villagers have brawn and energy; they put in a lot of physical labour. You have to marry brain and technology with this, and now we know that a blend of brawn brain and bank (i.e. financial resources) is essential for generating gainful employment. Those countries which are developed today are developed because of centuries of evolution in education and technology and technical skills. And after World War II the explosion of science and technology has certainly widened the capacity of different farming countries to produce more. Therefore I think the wisdom -always the old wisdom- you all know the Chinese saying which is of course present in many languages in different ways -''If you are thinking one year ahead plant seed; if you are thinking 10 years ahead plant trees; if you are thinking 100 years ahead, educate the people''- and I think that is what we need at a fora like this: to educate ourselves. It takes time to make progress, but nothing succeeds like success, and what is important is, as some delegates have expressed, the will to succeed. For the will to succeed the first requisite is self-confidence, and therefore I think self-confidence and self-reliance are the twin traits which we should promote.
I once again thank the Director-General for producing such a valuable report. This is certainly a most significant contribution for making the dream of food security into reality.
The meeting rose at 13.15 hours.
La seance est levée à 13 h 15.
Se levanta la sesión a las 13,15 horas
