Β. P. THEWE (Nepal): Mr. Chairman, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, let me join the distinguished delegates and congratulate you, Mr. Chairman, on your unanimous election to the high office from where you will be guiding the proceedings of this august conference. We are very happy to welcome two new members in our family, the Republic of Dominica and Western Samoa.
Let me also convey, through you, to this conference the best wishes of His Majesty the King of Nepal for its successful conclusion.
Mr. Chairman, we have listened with great interest to the statements made by His Holiness the Pope, His Excellency the President of Zambia and the Director-General of FAO. The Kingdom of Nepal has been one of those countries which strongly support the preservation of human rights and struggle hard for the eradication of hunger and poverty; we share the views expressed by His Excellency the President of Zambia as Zambia and Nepal are similar in so many respects and we are one of those who admire the excellent deeds of the Food and Agriculture Organization in the International sphere.
Just about four months ago I had the privilege to represent His Majesty's Government of Nepal in the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development. Committed to the agrarian reform and rural development programmes, Nepal is very keenly interested in the follow-up actions proposed by this conference. I hope our active cooperation will bear some fruit not only for the benefit of Nepal and its people but also for the Third World as a whole.
Mr. Chairman, allow me to say a few words about the food and agricultural situation in Nepal. I am pleased to report that, under the able and dynamic leadership of His Majesty King Birendra and following the partyless Panchayat system of democracy which ensures people's participation right from the grass-root level, we have been able to create a conducive environment for an all-round economic and social development of Nepal. Despite difficulties, we have achieved a degree of success in making concrete progress towards the betterment of living conditions of the Nepalese pelple. In this effort, our aim has always been to assign the highest priorities to the development of the rural sector.
Our economy is basically a rural one, no matter with what standard we choose to measure it. Over nine-tenths of our people live and work in the rural areas and a large majority of the national output is generated in this sector. For us, rural development is synonymous with national development. We are also convinced that agricultural development alone is not adequate to raise the standard of living of the rural people. We have therefore adopted a strategy of integrated rural development wherein the entire rural economy becomes vibrant and a proper use of surplus labour and land is assured for the benefit of the rural people. With agriculture as the core component in the strategy, it embraces the entire gamut of activities bearing on the development of the rural society.
Mr. Chairman, various friendly nations and multilateral organizations have been of immense help to us in boosting our efforts in the activities concerning rural development. There has been a growing emphasis on investment programmes and project formulation for investment purposes. While welcoming this trend, we feel that so far no comprehensive research and studies have been undertaken on the problems of high-altitude agriculture. In view of the Nepalese terrain and topography, high-altitude agricultural development should play a significant role in the country's development programme, but the institutional arrangements needed for the continuous and persistent efforts on the problem of high-altitude agriculture are still inadequate. For obvious reasons, Nepal is unable to make such arrangements entirely on her own. International cooperation is therefore required in establishing an international High-Altitude Agriculture Research Centre. Nepal will be pleased to offer the venue for such a centre.
The problem of ecology has also been a matter of serious concern to us. During the last three decades, at least half of the forests on the mountain slopes of the country are estimated to have been destroyed. It is also estimated that the area under forest at present is only around one tenth of the country's total area. Recurrent floods cause severe landslides in the upper parts and heavy siltage in the lower regions of the Himalayas. Soil erosion has proved to be a trouble not only to Nepal but also to her neighbours. Though we have been attempting to check this problem with the cooperation of bilateral and multilateral agencies, which we appreciate very much, we find that a great deal has yet to be done and Nepal alone is not in a position to solve this problem. We therefore urge further international cooperation.
Mr. Chairman, we abound in water, but the harnessing of this resource has been insignificant. Although the economically-exploitable hydropower potential of Nepal is estimated at about 8 000 megawatts, the total installed capacity has not even reached 100 megawatts. Potentially, we should be able to irrigate all the cultivable land but, in reality, only less than ten percent of the cultivated land has irrigation facilities. Despite her persevering attempts, Nepal has not been able to attain significant progress in this regard. It would require substantial assistance from outside to enable us to harness water resources in order to improve our economy on a sustained basis. We trust that any assistance to Nepal in this sphere will be of immense benefit not only to her, but also to those who are willing to share the benefits with us.
Our agriculture, which is the mainstay of our economy, is very much dependent on the vagaries of the weather and one bad harvest is bound to have a chain reaction which affects many to follow. This year we are facing the same problem. Owing to the bad weather, major food crops like rice, maize and millet have suffered very badly. As a result, it is estimated that the loss in the output of these crops put together will account for as high as twenty percent of the normal production. This is going to create a serious food shortage in the year ahead, specially in the remote and food deficit pockets of the country. Although we, on our part, are taking measures to reduce the magnitude of the problem by way of increasing the output of wheat and by mobilizing as much of the food grains as possible in the deficit areas, yet we feel that these measures alone will not be sufficient to meet the problem. The near-famine condition is being averted at the present time thanks to the prompt contribution of 11 000 metric tons of wheat which have just been made available through the World Food Programme under its emergency programme, for which we are very grateful; but, I am afraid, this is not quite enough in relation to our requirements, which exceed well beyond 100 000 metric tons, but I do hope we shall get enough aid from both multilateral and bilateral sources.
Mr. Chairman, in addition to the measures taken to solve the serious problem of immediate nature, we feel that the permanent threat of hunger can be avoided if concrete actions are taken to make food readily available even when nature betrays us. In this context we consider the World Food Security as a more effective and pronounced mechanism. We are of the belief that future food shortfalls can be effectively met if buffer stocks of food are maintained within the country. Nepal, therefore, firmly supports the five-point plan presented by the Director-General in this regard.
The problem of food security in Nepal has to be viewed in a slightly different way than in many other countries. There are areas in Nepal which produce surplus food but the restricted development in the infrastructure greatly hampers the mobility of food and the areas which are in deficit remain always deficient. Therefore, there is a continued need for an accelerated development of these deficit areas with a view to attaining their self-sufficiency.
In this context, we feel that there are tremendous potentialities for increasing the agricultural output provided the sectoral as well as international terms of trade are favourable to agriculture. Both national and international efforts with firm commitments are required in this direction. We, on our part, and within the limited resources available to us, are trying our best to make sure that the farmers receive incentives for increasing their output. But there is a limit beyond which they cannot go. In this respect, we had pinned high hopes that the New International Economic Order would prove not so much as a gift of semantic pleasantry for developing nations but as an action-oriented programme that would provide for the minimum needs of food, shelter and clothing. Unfortunately, the results have so far belied our hopes and we share with the Director-General the disappointment and frustration he has indicated concerning the lack of progress so far made.
Among the developing countries, Nepal is in a particularly disadvantageous position not only because it is a land-locked country but also because it has a very different terrain which puts her in a special category. Nepal is forced to pay a relatively higher cost for transporting imported inputs and her exports are equally costly, thus adversely affecting her competitiveness in the world market. In most cases, for instance, the cost of transporting fertilizers to the hilly areas of the country exceeds the price of fertilizers. We therefore hope that the aid-giving agencies keep this fact uppermost in their minds.
The technical cooperation programme of FAO has been of great help to Nepal. I hope a number of countries beset with the lack of technically-equipped manpower have a similar feeling. We therefore strongly support this programme and also urge for greater assistance than heretofore.
There is no doubt that the countries with similar development problems can fruitfully share their experiences in overcoming their common problems. In this respect, Technical and Economic Cooperation among Developing Countries can certainly be of mutual benefit. There are, however, certain difficulties, particularly in matters of finance, which impede the progress of the least developed among the developing countries; and there is, therefore, a continued need of assistance from the developed countries and international organizations to supplement our own efforts.
In spite of the progress recorded over the last decade, agricultural production in many parts of the world has not been keeping pace with the increased population. Yet I am optimistic that this assembly will arrive at conclusions that will be meaningful for the common man. I am equally confident that under your able leadership, we will have fruitful discussions not only on problems of food and hunger but also on ways and means to solve them.
A. J. J. JACKSON (Sierra Leone): Mr. Acting Chairman, fellow delegates, observers, with your permission let me congratulate the Acting Chairman for assuming this high office: congratulate the Chairman and all of the Vice-Chairmen, conference officials for the good job they have been doing.
I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Western Samoa and the Commonwealth of Dominica for their admission to this Organization. My country welcomes them very happily.
I would also like to take this opportunity to bring you greetings from my president, Dr. Siaka Stevens, the government and the people of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone is a relatively small coastal West African country sandwiched by the Republics of Guinea and Liberia and the Atlantic Ocean. It is mainly English-speaking. About 85 percent of the population estimated to be about 4. 5 millions, live in the rural area and the main activity is subsistence agriculture.
The broad policy of Government over the last decade has been to give priority to the agricultural and rural development sectors. The agricultural policy is geared towards assisting the farmers to produce the staple food crop for domestic consumption and cash crops mainly coffee and cocoa, for export purposes. Timber and fish are exploited from the natural reserves for both domestic uses and export earnings. With livestock we depend on importation from neighbouring countries to supplement our national supply.
The Government Agricultural Extension Service offers technical advisory services at no cost to the farmer while agricultural inputs, including mechanical cultivation for the production of rice, are heavily subsidised by the Government.
As a new approach to improve on existing production methods, my Government has adopted the strategy of Integrated Rural Development projects, some of the basic components of which include an improved extension service, provision of credit facilities to farmers, improved health facilities, construction of feeder roads and village wells. Three of these projects are already on-going while three others are expected to be implemented in the next few months.
It is worthwhile to note that the Food and Agriculture Organization assisted greatly in preparing the studies leading to the implementation and in identifying appropriate Financing Agencies which include the World Bank, the European Development Fund, the African Development Bank, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
The main activity of all the projects is the production of rice, the staple food of the country. There are five ecological zones from which rice is produced, these in order of decreasing yield per unit area are the Riverian Grasslands, Mangrove swamps, inland valley swamps, Rainfed Lands and the Bolilands.
The African Development Bank has provided funds for a mechanization programme for rice production in the Riverian Grasslands, while technical assistance for the same project has been provided by the Dutch Government.
To provide improved rice seeds the German Government is financing a seed multiplication project which is about to enter its second phase. The Rokupr Rice Research has developed not less than sixteen improved, high yielding varieties for the different ecological zones. Meanwhile, through the FAO Technical Co-operation Programme, the extension staff is carrying out fertilizer and varietal trials in the field.
Research in agriculture is to be enhanced by the implementations of the Adaptive Crop Research and Extension projects, funds for which have been made available by the US Aid, for which my Government is grateful.
In Forestry, Livestock and Fisheries, research is being conducted both through the extension services of the Ministries, the University and the Integrated Projects. Admittedly, however, a lot more needs to be put into these areas for appreciable results.
The Government is a Co-Financier of all the Agricultural and Rural Development Projects. About 25 percent of the development and 4 percent of the recurrent expenditures are devoted to the agricultural sector which clearly indicates Government's high agricultural priority. To develop the livestock and fisheries sector more rapidly, a new Ministry of Natural Resources has been created from the original Minstry of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Livestock development study has been undertaken to identify areas of livestock productivity and draw up a plan for the rapid development of the livestock industry. Livestock development is a major component of both the Koinadugu and Northern Area Integrated Projects. At the same time animal disease control programmes have been intensified with the result that Sierra Leone has remained comparatively free from outbreaks of animal diseases. Research is currently being conducted on the cross-breeding of the local Ndama cattle with the East African Sahewal cattle.
In the Fisheries Sector our efforts have been chanelled mainly to the collection of relevant data for management and development planning. Through the assistance of CECAF a fisheries statistical unit has been set up. Research, involving stock assessment, estimates the standing crop to be about 250 000 metric tons with a sustained yield of 130 000 metric tons.
In the area of Inland Fisheries, the concept of fish farming is gaining momentum. As a result of a pilot project, a number of farmers in the northern part of the country have incorporated fish farming in their rice fields with fingerlings supplied by the Fisheries Division. This idea is spreading out to other non-coastal areas in the country.
Sierra Leone has experienced a number of problems involved in managing and developing the fish resources in our extended territorial waters. My Delegation therefore welcomes and supports the FAO Director-General's "comprehensive programme of Assistance in the Development and Management of Fisheries in Economic Zones".
Through the assistance of FAO, Sierra Leone has started a revision of Fisheries legislations in the country to reflect the requirements for operating in the exclusive economic zones. We would support sub-regional co-operation with coastal states on the matter of shared stocks through regional activities and on the protection of territorial waters from poachers.
My Government would like to emphasize the importance of the small-scale fisheries and to impress on FAO the necessity of directing urgent attention to the problems connected with development of this sector.
We would like to support FAO initiatives for the establishment of a fish marketing and information service for the CECAF region which would facilitate inter and intra regional trade.
In the area of Forestry, our reforestation programme has not kept pace with the rate of exploitation of the forest reserves because of lack of certain logistic support from financing institutions.
A recent feasibility study on Forest Resources development by the German Firm of Atlanta Consultants identified five projects, one of which is being studied for external funding.
The Magbosi Project, has, as a component a community forestry development scheme. This village forest pilot scheme includes a small nursery for demonstration purposes and limited research with the objectives of determining species, provenance and establishment techniques for growing trees on Lophira Savannah land.
My Delegation fully supports the FAO Forestry for Community Development Programme currently being implemented and requests that the Programme be further strengthened to fulfill its objectives.
We wish, however, to lay emphasis on the Fuelwood Programmes particularly against the background of world energy crisis. Consequently, Sierra Leone has requested FAO assistance to carry out various studies on forestry for community development particularly so in the context of rural development.
A report on a recent study on wild life conservation and potential in Sierra Leone funded by the British Council indicates great potential for economic exploitation with significant effects on tourism while, at the same time, preserving certain wild life species threatened with extinction. We welcome any assistance in this field both from FAO and any other funding agency.
Mr. Chairman, in the fifties, Sierra Leone exported rice. Between the sixties and mid-seventies, we were nearly self-sufficient in this commodity. From 1970 to 1978 our annual average importation figure was 25 000 metric tons. Up to the end of October this year, we had imported about 90 000 metric tons of rice.
This large importation stemmed from the poor harvests of the previous three years 1976-1978. The vagaries and vicissitudes of the weather in 1978 accounted for not less than 25 percent decrease in the annual production which is estimated to be about 300 000 metric tons of milled rice.
The repercussions of such a colossal importation on all sectors of the economy need not be over-emphasized. However, this exercise virtually wiped out all the country's limited foreign exchange. The net result is that foreign exchange is hard to come by even to import the essential basic items. At the same time the IMF imposes severe restrictions, not only on loan facilities, but Government expenditure. The lack of concession makes it impossible to strengthen the man-power requirements of the growth sector of the economy.
That there should be shortage of the staple commodity at a time when a number of Integrated Projects are being implemented relative to the period without such projects in the country calls for concern. The most immediate query is the project formulation which we have come to realize has been narrow, both in scope and area of coverage.
It must, of course, be pointed out that presently there are more farmers in non-project areas than in project areas. It is, therefore, the wish of Government to extend integrated projects to cover the whole country with the hope that both agricultural and rural developments will be achieved.
The relative high cost of employing expatriates at international rates makes it imperative to keep the number to the minimum possible. This may be achieved by locally regionalising projects so that the expertise knowledge of internationally recruited project management staff can be used in more than one project area than at present, and by making use of local staff appropriately trained to perform project management functions. My Delegation would, therefore, recommend the strengthening of the FAO so as to provide appropriate training facilities both nationally and internationally. In this way, more of the repayable loans given the Third World countries could be expended to reach the target rural population. The proposition of providing project management through the technical assistance is an area which if properly explored may do more justice to the most seriously affected countries like mine.
In the area of providing consultants through the Technical Co-operation Programme, my country feels very much indebted to the FAO, and ODA,the World Bank, etc. My Delegation would recommend however, that the services of local experts be supplemented with those of fewer expatriate personnel because we are convinced that, not only is the short duration of visiting consultants inadequate to obtain enough data from which important and crucial inferences or deductions can be made, but the challenge given to qualified local personnel could serve as an inspiration to make such personnel more nationally conscious. We, in Sierra Leone, are prepared to make use of the services of the staff members of the University, private and public sectors. We are happy to note that the Director-General is thinking in a similar direction.
Mr. Chairman, if I may be allowed to make reference to President Kaunda's McDougall Address given to the Twentieth FAO Conference, in the African tradition particularly, it is not honourable to depend on somebody else for one's food. This is likely to be true in other traditions.
Thus, while the idea of depending on food supplies from developed countries for food security should be encouraged as a short-term measure my Delegation would wish to float the idea of agencies in collaboration with Member Governments undertaking "food production for food security" in Third World Countries. To emphasize the point, we are advocating for Regional or National food security to be achieved by co-ordinated production in those Third World Countries where the potential for food production is high.
This method of achieving food security would seem to us to be more secure than the dependence on the finished product from developed countries. It will accelerate the rate of transfer of appropriate technology, expedite rural development and help to alleviate the problems of unemployment which is chronic with most of the least developed and most seriously affected countries.
Another point in favour of this approach, also, is the fact that industrialized countries are gradually approaching the limit of their increased food production potential, both in terms of space and in maximisation of the yield (it is not impossible, however, that in not too distant future an agriculturally fertile planet may be discovered!).
My country has a lot of agricultural potential waiting to be harnessed. Only about 10 percent of the arable land is under cultivation annually. Given the necessary financial and agricultural inputs Sierra Leone could contribute to the World Food problem by producing more than the demand of the population.
Mr. Chairman, whereas many countries talk about the landless poor in Sierra Leone we talk of the "landed poor" because land belongs generally to the rural population. The problem is the lack of accessible capital for the farmers to develop their lands.
In this connection, however, the Central Bank is currently working on proposals to set up an agricultural credit and a rural development bank. We look forward to FAO's assistance in achieving the establishment of this vital prerequisite to rural development.
The problems of distribution, storage and marketing were clearly highlighted this year when the Sierra Leone public had to depend on imported rice. We are happy to note that FAO can assist in this area.
Never in the history of my country had there been such an agricultural awareness and motivation among the people, as it has been caused by the last rice crisis. What we now need is the financial support as the Government has wasted no time in launching a national "Crash Programme" for rice production. National, provincial, district and chiefdom committees made up of farmers, administrators and politicians have already been identified. The plan is to urge everybody including civil servants and politicians to undertake farming as a duty to the nation. Mr. Chairman, as I said before, all is set for the plunge but the financial support is needed to translate our plans into practice.
It is the considered opinion of my Delegation that the FAO has been doing a good job and could do more if the Organization's budget and plan of work are given full support. It is not unlikely that the numerous demands on the organization may not be met adequately from the proposed Budget. However, we would appeal to all Donor Governments to contribute generously to the FAO who in turn would help our needy countries to solve our food problems.
We would like to assure industrialised countries that we do consider ourselves as the final arbiters of our own destiny. All we ask for is the support to translate all our plans into reality. Most of our countries are now aware of the fact that we cannot always depend on others for solution of our problems and hence are prepared to accept the challenge.
Mr. Chairman, at this stage, the Sierra Leone Delegation would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude and appreciation to all those Governments and agencies that are contributing to our development objectives. We do hope that they will continue to give this aid, not only through International Agencies, but bilaterally so that our rate of growth can exceed the world-wide inflationary rate.
L. B. BRATHWAITE (Barbados): Mr. Chairman, Mr. Deputy Director-General, delegates, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. I would first like to congratulate you, Mr. Chairman, and the elected officials of this Conference, on your well deserved election. I have no doubt that your contributions to this Conference will bring it to a most successful conclusion. Secondly, I would like to welcome into the FAO, the new member states of Samoa and the Commonwealth of Dominica. I am sure that our new members will, within a short time, become very conversant with the activities of FAO and play a practical role in helping the Organization to achieve its objectives.
Mr. Deputy Director-General, I would like to congratulate you and FAO for the prompt response you have made in giving relief to our sister territory the Commonwealth of Dominica, which was recently ravaged by Hurricane David; and for your swift response to Barbados' request for assistance to halt and eradicate an outbreak of sugarcane smut desease which seriously threatened our sugarcane crop for the first time in our history.
Initiatives of this nature confirm in our minds that FAO, under your dynamic leadership, is beginning to become more flexible in its action and more prompt, effective and positive in attempting to solve some of the food problems of developing countries.
My delegation notes with satisfaction the action-oriented strategy presented in the Programme and Budget Document C 79/3. It seeks to channel FAO into providing services more readily to developing countries and my delegation endorses the proposals contained in the document. Another matter in the programme to which my delegation wishes to advert, and again with satisfaction, is that you are laying greater emphasis on a policy of decentralization and the establishment of a wider network of country offices with a greater degree of autonomy.
My country has had a short experience in sharing in the network of FAO's representation but we can attest to the benefits and tremendous potential which this administrative outreach programme has for several developing countries like mine.
This year has been a year of extreme difficulties for most developing countries. Some national economies have been crushed without respite by economic pressures created by inflation and the constantly increasing costs of energy and related matters. In the Caribbean region, no effort has been spared to reorganize various economic strategies to alleviate the burden and problems of these economic pressures. But the problems were deepened not only by an unfortunate visitation of natural disasters, but also by a severe outbreak of African swine fever and the relentless spread of plant deseases. With this kind of scenario in the Caribbean in general, Mr. Chairman, it is incumbent on us to give full support to FAO's efforts for research programmes to assist developing members of the Organization.
It is heartening to record the very ready response of the Food and Agriculture Organization in providing emergency aid to those many areas of the world which have been plundered by man-made and natural disasters alike. This is doubtlessly a credit to the working of the Technical Cooperation Programme. It is my hope that this programme will attract increasing support as it will bring substantial benefits through its effective use in appropiate member countries.
Mr. Chairman, World Food Security is a matter of national and international responsibility. It is a matter that nations must look squarely in the eye and commit themselves to it. The Barbados Government has been actively pursuing a programme of increased food legume production on a scale appropriate to a country with limited land resources. More specifically, my Government is currently studying the Final Report of the Expert Consultation on Food Legume Production for the Caribbean and Central America. A FAO report states that the countries of the Caribbean and Central America have a deficit in legume production amounting to some twenty-five thousand metric tons; a deficit if now satisfied from extra-regional sources would create a further foreign exchange drain. This foreign exchange loss can meaningfully be reduced if appropriate technologies are mobilized to produce this grain within the region.
In the matter of food security, developing countries and newly emerging nations need to be optimistic: and this must be so, notwithstanding limited land resources and inadequate technologies which adversely affect their developmental efforts. I consider we must set as a prime goal the achievement of a measure of self-sufficiency and this through a pragmatic and optimal use of our available resorces, both material and human in particular.
In this regard, Barbados and other Caribbean nations, in the spirit of Technical Cooperation among developing countries, have established a Caribbean Food Corporation for the purpose of exploiting the agricultural resources of the Caribbean for the production of food on a regional basis. Our combined efforts and cooperation are geared towards reducing food deficiencies and to establish food security in our region. I would like to encourage aid donor countries and the international financial institutions to provide more tangible support to our efforts. I am aware of the efforts of FAO in providing a team of experts to conduct feasibility studies for the several food production projects conceived by our local experts.
Mr. Chairman, one of the major developmental strategies of the Government of Barbados is a commitment to increasing the level of food production through agricultural diversification; and as part of Government's thrust towards improving the quality of life of its rural people, it has instituted, in cooperation with the Inter-American Development Bank, an Integrated Rural Development Project which seeks:
- to increase the real income and employment opportunities for tenant families on the plantation.
This project also seeks:
- to increase the domestic food supply, enhance living standards and develop efficiently managed small and medium-sized holdings.
Mr. Chairman, the Director-General has in his report mentioned the production forecast for rice which shows that production levels are 2 percent lower than last year's yield. The report also noted that while wheat and grain cereal production had increased in some of the developed countries, the imports
of these commodities into the developing countries have been considerably increased. However, Mr. Chairman, some industrial countries have had to purchase wheat and other grain in the grain markets of the world.
This increase in trade in grain between industrialized countries has resulted in an increased price for grain on all markets; an increase in price which must be borne by the developing importing countries of the world. What we are, therefore, experiencing as a result of these trading transactions in grain between industrialized countries and the developing countries, is the ultimate transfer of capital from developing and poorer countries to the developed and industrialized countries. It would seem, Mr. Chairman, that even the little that is left to the developing countries, that also shall be taken away. We foresee, therefore, in this situation of increasing food imports together with increasing food prices for these imported commodities, that eventually the developing countries like my own, which have so far been able to resist and escape the full misery of hunger, will, by the double burden of high food and oil prices, be dragged into the mire of economic stagnation and into the squalor of hunger and chronic malnutrition. The Barbados delegation holds the view that considerable effort should be made by the developed exporting countries to establish, under the direction of FAO, some mechanism for food security, which focusses its attention not only at those countries which now require food aid, but equally at these countries that have just been able to escape the need for emergency food aid but which face the potential danger of hunger and malnutrition.
My country has, with the assistance of the World Food Programme, instituted a programme to provide one meal for young children in schools. We need this assistance to continue so that the most vulnerable group within our society can be prevented from slipping into a condition of malnutrition. My delegation, therefore, expresses the hope that the targets set for food aid both in grain and in cash contribution will be realized and exceeded.
Mr. Chairman, developing States are aware that increasing urbanization throughout the world requires a profound restructuring of marketing practices and an expansion of trade. The problem of inflation and the fear of recession have been the excuse used by some countries for reducing both their bilateral and multilateral assistance to developing countries. This fear of recession and inflation has resulted in the creation of barriers to the further expansion of trade and the reduction of accessible markets for developing countries. We acknowledge that the modest gains made in the increased production of food in the developing countries is nullified by the unchecked rapid growth in our population. Under these conditions, there can be no locally generated surpluses; there can be no food security; there can be no accumulation of capital or national savings for the future economic development of our countries.
The Barbados delegation is keenly aware that most developing countries lack the adquate infrastructure necessary for increasing food production-facilities for the storage and preservation of foods-facilities for the effective transportation and handling between the farm gate and the consumer. We recognize that to provide this infrastructure requires the transfer of capital; also that the operation and maintenance of the infrastructure require a transfer of technology from the developed to the developing countries. Some of the Third World countries are becoming frustrated by the pace at which) this transfer of technology is taking place; others are disillusioned by the type of technology that is being transferred; and many others are becoming suspicious that the transfer of technology is just a programme for developing countries to support the manufacturing capabilities of the highly industrialized countries. My country has not yet reached that point of despair.
My delegation wishes to make the observation that when Third World countries require support and assistance for developing technology and equipment appropriate to their needs, those developed countries who are able to help them soon forget about the potential of the technology to increase the productivity of the farmer and the effect that increased productivity will have on the economy of the country. Instead, these overseas technologists bring into focus the questions of the international manufacture and marketing of the technology and the subsequent sales of various components and rates of return on investment.
My country has for about 100 years been making contributions into the research and technology of sugar production. We have always shared our technology and research information with any country which asks for it. We have, in the past five years, with the assistance of one of our industrialized northern neighbours, been involved in developing a new process for the manufacture of sugar and fibre to be used for building construction from the sugar cane. This development programme requires further assistance not only from our present cooperator, but also from other industrialized countries which have the necessary engineering capabilities.
Mr. Chairman, I have only mentioned this new technology to illustrate that the answer to the agricultural problems of developing countries does not always lie in purchasing the presently available technology off the shelves of the large manufacturers, but rather in research and development into completely new systems-new systems for the use of Solar Energy for drying, cooling and storage of food, technology
to ensure the greater efficiency in the use of bio-fuels such as wood and charcoal for the preparation of foods, also new systems for the production of alternative sources of energy. In order to bring the price of energy to a level acceptable to even the most remote villager, systems must be developed that link natural elements and bio-systems of the environment to the production of food and the generation of energy for the benefit of all mankind, systems, Mr. Chairman, which, when deployed, do not automatically place developing countries or poor persons at any disadvantage whatsoever. However, we cannot begin to develop the systems without the full support of the highly industrialized and developed countries. FAO must assist in identifying these problems and must act as a catalyst in getting early and urgent action in all these areas.
Mr. Chairman, on the subject of Fisheries, and in particular to the Development of Fisheries in Exclusive Economic Zones, I consider that the development of a vibrant fishing industry will ultimately lead to:
(a) increased employment;
(b) substantial saving in foreign exchange for Barbados which now imports more than one-half its quantum of fish consumed;
(c) an increase in the supply of vital protein which is an urgent imperative to improve the nutritional standard among the young and economically depressed countries.
Let me recall that from 1965 to 1972, the United Nations Development Programme in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization, mounted a pre-investment survey of the fisheries resources of the Caribbean region and a related marketing demonstration programme with headquarters in Barbados. This project identified the need to expand the fishing industries of the participating Caribbean countries. Let me recall also that the Assistant Director-General of FAO's Fisheries Department, in presenting a programme on new fisheries development, expressed the view that by the year 2000 the demand for fish could well doubled with more than three-quarters of the increase coming from developing nations. I do not think that Barbados could be regarded as being over-ambitious if we try to prepare our country to meet the projected local demand for fish as forecasted by the FAO expert.
Mr. Chairman, my country has always sought the cooperation of some of our neighbours in exploiting the fishery resources of the Caribbean and the contiguous Guyana Fishing Banks. Our experience has been that our neighbouring states, whose economic plight is no better than our own, have offered and shown frank willingness to cooperate on this matter of fisheries. It is well known that the exploitation of the resources of the sea, be it for mineral or organic rosources, requires high capital investment and systems with a high degree of sophistication. This implies the need for well-trained personnel supported by highly skilled technicians and crews.
Caribbean countries have for some time now established a fisheries training institute. Barbados has always endeavoured to cooperate with our neighbours in exploiting the fish resources of our area. In this particular aspect of agriculture, the developing countries have a considerably long journey to travel towards self-sufficiency in fish production. Only through the full and active cooperation of all countries concerned can our hope of successfully waging war on the scourges of hunger and malnutrition be fulfilled.
L. DJILIANOV (Bulgaria)(translation from Bulgarian): Mister Chairman, Distinguished Delegates and Observers, Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me, at the beginning of my speech, to join the delegates preceding at this tribune in order to congratulate the Chairman of the present Conference, on the occasion of his election to this highly responsible post and to wish him great success in the implementation of thus assigned responsible tasks.
Allow me, as well, to congratulate the representatives of the independent countries Samoa and Dominica on the acceptance of these countries as members of the Organization for Food and Agriculture.
Mr. Chairman, the twentieth Conference of FAO is being carried out only four months after a certain significant event that has attracted the attention of world public to the key problems of agricultural development-the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Agricultural Development.
At this Conference, with the active participation of representatives from 145 countries and especially from the developing ones, were unanimously approved Declaration of Principles and Action Programme outlining the basic element of the general policy and strategy, that the Government of developing countries should adopt and put into practice, using entirely the human and natural resources and the realization of decisive progress in the agricultural production and the general economic development and for the improvement of material prosperity of the many million population in these countries.
In the resolution adopted by the World Conference a special emphasis is laid upon the great responsibility and the leading role of FAO for coordination of the shares and measures taken by a number of specialized organizations and international financial institutions for the realization of this policy. With an active participation in the preparation and carring out of the Conference on Agrarian Reform, with the preparation of vast data for the present Conference and with the activity for implementation of the programme for work and budget of the Organization, the Director-General and the Secretariat of FAO prove in practice a high sense of responsibility governing all their actions.
Concerning the agriculture and the world food situation, our delegation cannot fail to express satisfaction with the general improvement in world food production for the expired period of two years and with the achievement of a satisfactory level of world stock reserves, although the contribution of the developing countries to this betterment is inessential and far below the expectations. In this line we share the concern of Director-General Mr. Saouma, caused by the slow pace of increase of grainstock production and formation of stock reserves in the developing countries, which are at present strongly vulnerable to food shortages caused by crop failures due to unfavourable climatic conditions and natural disasters.
Our delegation recognizes as justified the concern about the closed unsuccessful negotiations for conclusion of a new International Grainstock Arrangement, which would ensure a greater stability in the world market of this stock and in supplying of the most economically embarrassed developing countries with products of vital necessity for the subsistence of their population.
Under the existing insecurity of supplying these countries with grain stocks and the absence of necessary condition for obtaining regional and national food autonomy, it is evident that there exists an absolute necessity to undertake timely and energetic measures to counteract any possible crisis in grainstock supplying and subsistence of population in the developing countries most likely to be endangered.
Recognizing the fact we consider necessary and well-timed the Plan of Action on World Food Security submitted to discussion at the Conference by the Director General. The most essential elements of this Plan, in our opinion, are the obligations of the respective countries to assign an exclusive priority within the general policy to the implementation of the plans and programmes for foodgrain security and the undertaking of decisive measures designed to achieve a speedy national or regional autonomy, relying mainly on their own resources as well as the most efficient utilization of the assistance provided by international aid and financial organizations.
Under the unfavourable situation for grainstock production in the developing countries an outside aid is undoubtedly necessary, but the basic function of this aid is to act as a catalyst accelerating the adoption of national plans and the activities for prompt overcoming of the existing disproportion between the needs of food and its production and distribution.
Setting these principles as a basis of the agricultural policy in Bulgaria, parallel with the carring out of the agrarian reform and the confirmation of the cooperative system in the '950-ies resulted in doubling and stabilizing of the yearly average yield of graincrops, in creating a solid basis for supplying the population and with a wast possibility to alter substantially the structure of agricultural crops. On account of reduced area under wheat crop were extended the areas under fodder and technical crops, vegetables and perennial plants, creating in this way preconditions for accelerated development of stock-breeding farming, increase of the animal production and thereby a qualitative betterment in the food ration of population and country. Here we should like to note that the limited cultivation area in cur country and the already exhausted possibilities for extension of land under crops do not allow the enlargement of graincrop production for export or for alimentary aid.
However, we should note that the help we are rendering to some developing countries, within the possibility of our country, under bilateral economic, scientific and technical collaboration is directed basically at a better utilization of local resources in order to increase the graincrop production and to improve the supplying of the population, which is corresponding to the general principles of the discussed Plan of Action on Food Security.
In this line we carry out as well a bilateral collaboration with some seaboard developing countries in the field of keeping and exploiting of the bio-resources in the 200-miles exclusive economic zone. For this reason our delegation highly esteems and supports the submitted for discussion at the Conference Comprehensive Programme of FAO in this field. We consider that coordinating the collaboration between the seaside developing countries and those, practising deep-sea fishery in the exclusive economic zone of these countries, the FAO activities should be directed at the extension of fishery in order to meet the needs of fish and fish products in these countries and to overcome the noted standstill and even a certain fall off in world draught latest years as a result of extension of the jurisdiction of seaside countries over the 200-miles economic zone.
Our delegation is particularly satisfied with the timely response and the businesslike approach of FAO management in connection with all contacts for activities coordination in the United Nations Organization and its specialized agencies, directed at improvement of the conditions of life, at material and spiritual progress of the large population in the countries of the Third World, the predominant part of which earn their living by cultivating the land and livestock breeding.
We back up the efficiency and the praticai approach of FAO Director General in the implementation of the United Nations Organization resolutions in support of the movements for national independence, against racial discrimination and apartheid, the vast programme and projects being realized in the developing countries in protection of the mothers and especially of the children in connection with the declared 1979 for an International Year of the Child.
Mr. Chairman, I should like, at the end of my speech, to express our delegation's agreement and support of the principal tendencies in FAO activities, stated at the offered Action Programme for the period of 1980-1981. We express our satisfaction with the firmly carried out course of directing the programme and the activities of the Organization towards active and concrete aiding the developing countries, particularly those in most difficult economic situation.
In accordance with it, we acclaim the persistent offorts exerted by FAO Director General in order to mobilize every possible outward budgetary source for financing the programmes and the projects for extension of agricultural production, for entire utilization of the available natural and labour resources in the developing countries and for ensuring a speedy advance in their economical development. These efforts and the profound enquiries into the prospects for development of these countries till the 2 000, as well as the tasks for aiding and coordination of this development, will be, in our opinion, a considerable contribution on the part of our Organization to the preparation of the Extraordinary Session of the United Nations General Assembly in the spring of 1980 and the new International Development Strategy.
E. RODRIGUEZ LLOMPART (Cuba): Sr. Presidente, Sres. delegados, en primer lugar felicito al Sr. Presidente y al resto de los integrantes de la Mesa por su elección para dirigir nuestros trabajos. También deseamos dejar constancia de nuestro reconocimiento al Sr. Saouma, Director de la FAO, y al personal bajo su Dirección por la valiosa documentación que han puesto a nuestra disposición, la que sin duda facilita el desarrollo de los debates.
Hace dos años tuvimos la oportunidad de participar en el 19a Conferencia de la FAO. El panorama económico mundial, y en particular la situación de la agricultura y la alimentación, presentaban en aquella ocasión una situación nada halagadora. Es deplorable que al reunirnos aquí nuevamente ese panorama, lejos de haber mejorado, presente matices más sombríos. El sistema económico mundial internacional vigente continúa siendo profundamente injusto y absolutamente incompatible con el desarrollo de nuestros países. La actitud empecinada e intransigente de los principales países capitalistas desarrollados no ha permitido avances en lo que constituye una aspiración justa de los países subdesarrollados: la reestructuración a fondo del sistema económico imperante y el establecimiento de un nuevo orden económico internacional.
Fl examen de los documentos presentados por la Secretaría y el análisis hecho por el Dr. Saouma en el informe ofrecido al comienzo de esta Conferencia avalan esta afirmación; al analizar la situación mundial de la agricultura y de la alimentación en 1979 y sus perspectivas, salta a la vista como un índice acusador la existencia de más de cuatrocientos millones de hombres y mujeres hambrientos en el mundo de hoy; esto significa que las esperanzas que se habían depositado en el progreso de tan importante sector como es el de la alimentación y la agricultura se han visto totalmente frustradas al cabo de dos decenios en los que las Naciones Unidas habían previsto y alentado metas realmente modestas, cuyo logro constituía apenas un paliativo a la dramática situación de centenares de millones de personas en el mundo.
Se acepta hoy como un hecho incontrovertible que la producción agrícola y alimentaria de los países en desarrollo no han alcanzado el modesto crecimiento del 4% que se planteo en este decenio para mitigar al menos los problemas más acuciantes y alcanzar niveles reducidos de consumo. Las perspectivas, además, siguen mostrándose poco esperanzadoras para el mundo en desarrollo y en particular para los países menos desarrollados.
En lo referente al comercio de productos agrícolas, lejos de observarse resultados positivos se incrementan las medidas proteccionistas de los países desarrollados de economía de mercado; el intercambio desigual se agrava y hace cada vez más angustiosa la situación de nuestros países cuyos ingresos de exportación disminuyen ostensiblemente mientras crecen desmesuradamente los precios de los productos que importamos, entre ellos los insumos agrícolas tales como fertilizantes, pesticidas y otros. Los precios de las maquinarias y equipos se han triplicado y las importaciones de alimentos con destino a los países subdesarrollados crecen en proporciones alarmantes, al punto que, según los datos de la FAO, más que se duplican porcentualmente en relación con el decenio anterior,
Ese es, señor Presidente, el panorama que enfrentamos al celebrar esta Conferencia, panorama que no es nuevo ni es la primera vez que se expone. A pesar de las conferencias mundiales que se han celebrado, a pesar de los pronunciamientos para buscar soluciones viables hacia modestos crecimientos en la agricultura y la alimentación para los países en desarrollo, la realidad muestra que no hay avances, que las perspectivas no son prometedoras y que a menos que se tomen decisiones concretas y de trascendencia, y que éstas se ejecuten, la profunda brecha que separa a nuestros países de los países desarrollados continuará ensanchándose hasta límites insostenibles.
Frente a este cuadro nada halagador apreciamos y respaldamos, Señor Presidente, la actuación de la FAO que contribuye a buscar soluciones a estos graves problemas de la alimentación y la agricultura. Respaldamos la política de descentralización de su Director General, Dr. Saouma, saludamos los resultados positivos del Programa de Cooperación Técnica, apoyamos la solicitud para otorgar mayores recursos a los planes de prevención en la pérdida de alimentos y respaldamos sus esfuerzos para lograr resultados positivos en un aspecto tan importante como lo es la seguridad alimentaria mundial.
Respaldamos en fin, señor Presidente, la acertada actuación de esta Organización en búsqueda de soluciones para detener o mitigar el hambre y la muerte a que están amenazados millones de seres humanos. En ese sentido no podemos dejar de expresar nuestra profunda repulsa al contrasentido que significa la presencia en FAO de los representantes de la camarilla de Pol Pot que sólo podría hablar de destrucción y muerte alevosa. Millones de seres fueron exterminados por Pol Pot, con el respaldo de sus más cercanos padrinos y colaboradores, representantes de la traición y el imperialismo. Repugna tener que respirar el mismo aire que esos representantes del exterminio y la demencia. Reiteramos aquí, Señores Delegados, nuestro pleno apoyo a los verdaderos representantes del heroico pueblo kampucheano, a la Kampuchea Popular.
Señor Presidente, nuestro país tuvo el alto honor hace apenas dos meses de ser la sede de la VI Cumbre del Movimiento de Países no Alineados. Los Jefes de Estado o de Gobierno de 95 países en desarrollo se dieron cita en La Habana para examinar el panorama mundial, y prestaron especial atención a los problemas económicos que nos agobian. El Presidente del Movimiento, comandante Fidel Castro, Presidente del Consejo de Estado y del Consejo de Ministros de nuestro país, presentó las conclusiones de este importante evento en la histórica sesión de la Asamblea Central de las Naciones Unidas, que tuvo efecto el pasado día 12 de octubre. La comunidad internacional recibió con muestras de respeto y comprensión la detallada exposición que allí se hizo de los problemas fundamentales que debemos afrontar.
La exposición hecha por el Comandante Fidel Castro en la ONU, como Presidente del Movimiento, constituye un Programa de acción a tomar, que de ser adoptado, contribuiría a dar un verdadero vuelco a la desesperada situación económica internacional y propiciaría que de las palabras y pronunciamientos, se pase al campo de la acción concreta, a los hechos.
Ante el evidente fracaso y frustración de las medidas hasta ahora anunciadas y aparentemente aceptadas, pero no aplicadas, se impone que la comunidad internacional se empeñe de conjunto en la solución de estos problemas. De ellos, uno de los más acuciantes, es el de la situación agrícola y alimentaria en el mundo.
Como se ha dicho, crecen los hambrientos en el mundo, los progresos de la producción alimentaria y agrícola de los países subdesarrollados son totalmente insuficientes, el futuro, bajo las condiciones actuales, ofrece perspectivas sombrías; las necesidades de ayuda oficial exterior para el desarrollo agrícola están muy distantes de ser cubiertas y los compromisos de ayuda disminuyen, en lugar de aumentar. Los ingresos por exportaciones de los países en desarrollo continúan siendo insuficientes e inestables, crece el intercambio desigual, se intensifica en algunos países capitalistas el uso de subsidios internos a determinados productos cuya exportación interesa a los países subdesarrollados. Se estancan o muestran avances insignificantes las negociaciones económicas internacionales. En resumen, las perspectivas son de que el retraso se perpetúe, a menos que se tomen medidas efectivas para que cambien radicalmente las injustas relaciones económicas internacionales que hoy prevalecen, para beneficio de unos pocos países poderosos y explotadores.
Los países subdesarrollados conocen bien que sus problemas no dependen sólo de la solución o mejoría de los aspectos externos que afectan sus economías. Están conscientes de que es necesario efectuar los necesarios cambios estructurales internos, de índole económica y social, para eliminar la vulnerabilidad actual de sus economías y lograr la incorporación real y efectiva de los pueblos al proceso de desarrollo, convirtiéndose en los principales protagonistas de ese proceso. Los países subdesarrollados conocen bien que tienen que depender, en la tremenda tarea que afrontan para salir del sub-desarrollo, en primer lugar, de sus propias decisiones y esfuerzos.
No obstante, aun bajo el supuesto de que se logre el que se subsanen muchos de los males provenientes del injusto sistema económico internacional imperante y que se tomen medidas de orden interno para alcanzar un sistema socialmente justo, sería imprescindible un elemento sin el cual los objetivos a alcanzar no podrían ser logrados: nos referimos al financiamiento.
El problema radica en que no puede hablarse de un proceso de desarrollo aislado para la alimentación y la agricultura. Un desarrollo adecuado en este sector requiere de esfuerzos en la industrialización y lo que es más importante, requiere esfuerzos en aquellos sectores que prestan una atención directa al hombre, destinatario y protagonista principal del proceso. 0 sea, que debe aspirarse a un desarrollo integral, autosostenido, que permita el avance simultáneo en todos los campos del quehacer social y económico.
Es por ello que al hablar de financiamiento, nos referimos al que resulta necesario para el conjunto de la economía, Financiamiento para la agricultura y la alimentación, la industrialización, la infraestructura, la educación, la salud pública, la cultura. Ningún esfuerzo aislado podría lograr una respuesta satisfactoria en el logro del bienestar humano a que se aspira.
No puede ser ésta una responsabilidad de unos pocos. Tal como expresara el Comandante Fidel Castro en su exposición en las Naciones Unidas: "Más de una vez se ha dicho que nosotros hemos sido forzados al subdesarrollo por la colonización y la neocolonización imperialista. La tarea de ayudarnos a salir del subdesarrollo es, pues, en primer término, una obligación histórica y moral de aquellos que se beneficiaron con el saqueo de nuestras riquezas y las explotación de nuestros hombres y mujeres durante siglos, pero es, a la vez, tarea de la humanidad en su conjunto. "
Todos los países de la comunidad internacional tienen un papel que jugar en este gran esfuerzo. Los países socialistas partiendo de la naturaleza de su sistema social, en el cual la solidaridad internacionalista es una premisa; los países en desarrollo productores de petróleo, como un deber de solidaridad hacia el resto de sus países hermanos subdesarrollados, y los países en vías de desarrollo entre sí, en la medida de sus posibilidades, que siempre existen. Se trata de lograr no sólo ayuda financiera, sino también mediante suministro de tecnología, plantas, equipos y otros bienes materiales, y en asistencia técnica prestada por personal capacitado. Un esfuerzo de esta envergadura sólo puede ser acometido mancomunadamente, bajo las premisas de la solidaridad. No puede constituir un negocio ningún tipo de ayuda, tal como hoy desafortunadamente ocurre en la mayoría de los casos. El beneficiario de este gran esfuerzo lo sería también la comunidad en su conjunto.
Específicamente, en el sector de la agricultura y la alimentación según los datos aún preliminares de los estudios que se han realizado, para aumentar la producción de alimentos y eliminar la desnutrición en los centenares de millones de personas que hoy la sufren, la superficie total de la tierra cultivada en los países en desarrollo tendría que alcanzar en los próximos diez años un aumento de unos 76 millones de hectáreas, y las tierras de regadío en más de 10 millones. Habría que rehabilitar obras de riego para atender unos 45 millones de hectáreas. Se requerirían anualmente no menos de 8 ó 9 mil millones de dólares, para alcanzar un ritmo de crecimiento del 3,5 al 4 por ciento, aún insuficiente.
Estos objetivos y metas deben ser considerados para ser incluidos en la Estrategia Internacional del Desarrollo de la próxima década. De no hacerse un esfuerzo real encaminado a su logro, enfrentaremos en los próximos decenios un fracaso de magnitudes y consecuencias incalculables.
Sin la solución de los graves problemas económicos de la humanidad, no habrá paz. Una justa demanda de los países en desarrollo es que una gran parte de los cuantiosos recursos humanos y materiales que hoy se destinan a una carrera armamentista improductiva, derrochadora y peligrosa para la humanidad, se destinen al desarrollo económico y social.
Un mundo en distensión, con un clima de paz, sin amenazas y coacciones, sin el uso de la fuerza de las armas para imponer soluciones que cada uno de los pueblos debe decidir soberanamente, permitiría que los esfuerzos por el desarrollo tuvieran resultados positivos y beneficiosos para toda la comunidad de naciones.
La lógica de este razonamiento es elemental, puesto que la alternativa de no adoptar esa política, sería de resultados catastróficos para todos.
Lejos de adoptar ese camino hoy vemos cómo ciertas naciones poderosas insisten en aumentar sus armamentos nucleares, cómo no dan respuesta positiva a propuestas concretas de disminución de tropas y armamentos. Vemos cómo en zonas de las llamadas "Conflictivas" en el mundo, se aumenta el patrullaje marítimo y la amenaza de invasiones y agresiones. En nuestra propia región del Caribe, pese a la masiva repulsa de Gobiernos y pueblos, los Estados Unidos de Norteamérica se empeñan en crear crisis artificiales y desarrollar acciones provocadoras encaminadas a intimidar a países que, como el nuestro, jamás serán humillados ni vencidos. Ejemplo de ello es el fracaso del inmoral y criminal bloqueo económico al que hemos sido sometidos durante 20 años.
Permítame, señor Presidente, para concluir, citar algunas de las palabras finales pronunciadas por el Comandante Fidel Castro en su mencionada comparecencia ante la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas:
"Es por ello que pedimos en nombre de los países en vías de desarrollo y abogamos por la causa de nuestros países. Pero no es una dádiva lo que estamos reclamando. Si no encontramos soluciones adecuadas, todos seremos víctimas de la catástrofe ·"
"Se habla con frecuencia de los derechos humanos, pero hay que hablar también de los derechos de la humanidad. ¿Por qué unos pueblos han de andar descalzos para que otros viajen en lujosos automóviles? ¿Por qué unos han de vivir 35 años para que otros vivan 70? ¿Por qué unos han de ser míseramente pobres para que otros sean exageradamente ricos ?"
"Unos países poseen abundantes recursos, otros no poseen nada. ¿Cuál es el destino de éstos? ¿Morirse de hambre? ¿Ser eternamente pobres? ¿Para qué sirve entonces la civilización? ¿Para qué sirve la conciencia del hombre? ¿Para qué sirven las Naciones Unidas? ¿Para qué sirve el mundo? No se puede hablar de paz en nombre de las decenas de millones de seres humanos que mueran cada año de hambre o enfermedades curables en todo el mundo. No se puede hablar de paz en nombre de 900 millones de analfabetos. "
"La explotación de los países pobres por los países ricos debe cesar. Sé que en muchos países pobres hay también explotadores y explotados. Me dirijo a las naciones ricas para que contribuyan. Me dirijo a los países pobres para que distribuyan
"Basta ya de palabras. Hacen falta hechos. Basta ya de abstracciones, hace falta acciones concretas. Basta ya de hablar de un nuevo orden económico internacional especulativo que nadie entiende; hay que hablar de un orden real y objetivo que todos comprendan. "
"Digamos adiós a las armas y consagrémonos civilizadamente a los problemas más agobiantes de nuestra era. Esa es la responsabilidad y el deber más sagrado de todos los estadistas del mundo. Esa es, además, la premisa indispensable de la supervivencia humana. "
Muchas gracias.
O. AWOTESU (Nigeria): Mr. Chairman, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen: On behalf of my delegation I wish to join others in congratulating the Chairman and the three Deputy Chairmen of this Conference on their well deserved election. The task ahead of you is indeed an onerous one. Your capacity and ability to face the task has been visibly demonstrated since you occupied that chair nearly a week ago today. I can assure you that we of the Nigerian delegation will do all we can to cooperate, with the bureau to ensure the success of the Conference.
May I begin welcoming into this Organization the newly Independent States of Western Samoa and The Commonwealth of Dominica. It is our ardent hope that in not too distant future the remaining dependencies will take their rightful seats in this Organisation.
I am particularly happy to be here in Rome for this Twentieth Conference of the FAO. As you are, no doubt, aware there has recently been a change of Government in my country from a military to a democratically elected Government after 13 long years of military rule. Although, I took over the duties of the Minister of Agriculture less than one month ago, I have followed with keen interest the activities of this great Organization. It is significant therefore, that my first overseas assignment is to participate in the deliberations of an Organization that has the world-wide responsibility for the eradication of hunger and malnutrition.
Last year my country imported over one million tons of-grains representing about 10 percent of grain production in Nigeria. To us this is a major food crisis for a country which until the present decade was self sufficient in food supply. As expected the food demand and supply imbalance has resulted in a significant increase in food prices which is evidenced by a sharp upward movement in the consumer price index. This situation exists despite the tremendous effort and enormous investment which my country has made in the last few years to boost agricultural production in the country.
This state of affairs is untenable particularly for a country like Nigeria which has at its disposal considerable land and human resources which judiciously harnessed can double present production and achieve self-sufficiency. We believe that a country that can not feed itself can not guarantee its security. It is the aim and policy of my Government, therefore, to increase substantially the level of investment in agriculture, carry out appropriate policy revisions in order to bring about a rapid change in agricultural production. Agriculture is the first priority of my Government.
Mr. Chairman, the challenges facing agricultural production in all food deficit countries are enormous. The growing expectations and impatience of the poor and the malnourished sharpen these challenges and increase the demand for urgent concerted international action.
In his address to this Conference, the Director-General had expressed his disappointment over the lack of progress with the New International Economic Order. None of the targets which have been agreed to, namely, food aid, fertilizer supply, official development assistance to agriculture, has been met. In other words, the International Community is yet to accept the eradication of hunger and malnutrition as clearly the problem of humanity as a whole. His Excellency President Kaunda, in his address to this august body, said the same thing in a more succinct language. No dramatic changes in the food situation can be brought about until the international community accepts the enormous challenges implied in the New International Economic Order. What is called for has been repeated many times before: a major relaxation of the trade barriers for agriculture, particularly, as they limit opportunities open to exporters of agricultural products from developing countries and a substantial increase in the assistance given to agriculture of developing countries.
May I now comment briefly on the work before this Conference. We shall during this Conference review as in the past, the state of food and agriculture in the world during the past biennium and consider the outlook for the next biennium. The Director-General's Programme of Work and Budget for the next biennium will also be discussed.
My delegation commends the Director-General for a very well articulated programme. We welcome and support the Director-General's Five-Point Plan of Action which is aimed at ensuring food security, particularly, in the low-income food deficit countries. We note the overwhelming support the plan has already been given by various bodies and we commend it to this Conference for approval.
Similarly, we support the prominent role given in the Director-General's plan of work to Special Action Programmes like the FAÓ. Seed Improvement and Development Scheme, Prevention of Food losses, Food Security Assistance Scheme, Dairy Development Scheme and Training Programme and the International Fertilizer Scheme. All these schemes take the FAO to where the action is and makes its presence felt directly in all food deficit countries. They also have a multiplier effect because as experience has shown whenever and wherever the FAO has shown the way, countries which have benefited from the programmes have been able to expand and build upon what has been done. In this connection, I would like to thank all countries which have made voluntary contributions to provide the extra-budgetary funds required to keep the programmes going. We look forward to their continued support.
My delegation lends full support to the work being done by the FAO Investment Centre. To identify and prepare bankable projects has always presented great difficulty to developing countries. It is, therefore, gratifying to note that the projects formulated by the Centre in the past fourteen years amounted to $13 billion and nearly half of this amount was approved in the last biennium.
We support the recommendation contained in the 'Jakarta Declaration' issued by the Eighth World Forestry Congress held in Indonesia. My Government places great emphasis on Forestry development and will do all in its power to implement certain aspects of the recommendations which require the attention of my Government.
We welcome the FAO Programme of Assistance for the development and management of fisheries in the new Exclusive Economic Zones. Like most countries, Nigeria has extended her national jurisdiction to cover the 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zones. While the new ocean regime has created increased opportunities for coastal states of developing countries to exercise control over the fisheries resources in the extended zones, it has also presented new challenges and some problems.
The magnitude of investment and level of technical expertise required for the exploration and exploitation of the new resources are such that the active co-operation of the developed countries becomes inevitable. The pledge by the Government of Norway to allocate substantial funds for the FAO and Exclusive Economic Zones programme is therefore a most welcome gesture and we would like to appeal to other Member Nations of the Organization to contribute generously to the Fund which is being set up for this purpose.
Because of the far reaching effects of the new regime on World fisheries and its possible contributions to the new international economic order, it is the view of my delegation that this Conference should come up with definite and strong resolution to back up the Director-General's Programme of assistance for fisheries development in the Exclusive Economic Zones.
We also commend the work being done on African Animal Trypanosomiasis. This deadly disease of animals must be eradicated if the livestock potential in tropical Africa is to be fully traced. We will appeal, however, for cooperation among adjacent states in implementing this programme in complete success is to be achieved. Our experience in Nigeria is not a happy one because areas where we have succeeded in eradicating tse-tse fly become quickly reinfested because our neighbours do not have similar programmes.
We have found the FAO Country Office in Lagos very useful in our contact with the FAO. It has been able to assist in the expansion and maintenance of FAO field programmes in the Country. We, therefore, urge the Director-General to strengthen the capacity of these Country offices so that they can increase their support to national efforts.
May I now briefly, comment on the level of the budget. This has always been a thorny issue at previous conferences. Admittedly, we can not blame Member Governments who insist on little or no increase over the previous biennium's budget-our Treasuries give us a tough time before approving any increase in our budgets. Our view is, however, that if we want the Director-General to execute to our satisfaction the good programmes which has been put before us, we must give him the tools. And the tool he needs here is money. We note that the real programme increase is only 2. 6 percent per annum. Other increases had been due to inflation and currency instability. We therefore, do not consider a level or budget of U. S. 271. 66 million too high for this Organization considering the great work it has to do. We, therefore, wholeheartedly support the level of the budget and we appeal to all Member Governments to support it too.
I would like to end this address by echoing the appeal made by His Excellency, President Kaunda of Zambia. If the hungry and the malnourished must feed today and not tomorrow, a much greater international action is called for immediately. The International Community must demonstrate the greater sensitivity to the plight of millions around the globe who are afflicted by the indignity of poverty and hunger. Unless the world responds quickly to the worsening situation, not only will millions continue to live under the shadow of hunger and malnutrition but world security may indeed be in serious danger.
A. K. HLOPHE (Swaziland): Mr. Chairman, Mr. Director-General, distinguished delegates, I am pleased and honoured to join with those who have gone before me in congratulating you, Mr. Chairman, on your election to this high post and I am confident that under your enlightened tutelage and leadership this Conference will come to a successful and rewarding conclusion.
We in Swaziland are deeply concerned about the future of agricultural development, especially the production of food crops with which to feed our growing population; we are indeed concerned with our high rates of population growth which, like the African continent as a whole, is increasingly outpacing our production of food crops. We are also concerned that the distribution of our increased growth of production in all sectors be on a more equitable basis so that all social and economic strata in our small Kingdom of slightly more than half a million souls are able to benefit. I ask you Mr. Chairman and fellow delegates, isn't this the real challenge facing all of us? Can any of us come up with a higher priority that should be discussed at this Conference? I dare say that we cannot.
I reviewed with considerable interest the document C 79/24, Agriculture: Toward 2000 which is to serve as FAO's contribution to the development of the New Development Strategy for the 1930's to be adopted by the Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly in 1980. It is an excellently prepared document in the best tradition of FAO; and its authors are to be highly commended.
Of special interest to us in this document were the alternative scenarious, including both the projections of current trend and the normative, or preferable, forecasts as these relate to anticipated demand the year 2000 and beyond for the various groupings of countries and geographical regions. The authors have clearly indicated what will be the outcome, or what will be the situation in the year 2000 if we follow alternative courses of action.
It would appear Mr. Chairman, that the authors of the document thought of almost everything in their projections that must be made a part of national policy in order that the projected forecasts be realized, including population and income growth, anticipated demand for farm inputs as well as consumables and what have you, in order to meet the requirements of the alternative growth patterns. However, not included was the most important ingredient of all-and for this they cannot be blamed. After all, they have led us to water, but they cannot force us to drink.
Of course, Mr. Chairman, we cannot be satisfied with but a continuation of existing trends for our future growth; it is all too obvious that, especially during the last two decades euphemistically referred to as Development Decades, that we have lost the battle; the gaps have widened between the haves and the have-nots both at home and when comparing our third world developing economies with those of the developed world. Indeed, the past cannot serve as the basis for either optimism or for our projections into the future, because, quite frankly, if we do so then the development strategy for the next decade will inevitably share the same fate as the last two.
The ingredient that the authors of Agriculture: Toward 2000 overlooked, and without which we have no chance whatsoever of achieving our normative goals no matter how modest they be, is, for lack of a better term, the political will to do now what we must, so that our projections will be realized. Indeed, it cannot be overstressed that what our countries will look like 20 or more years hence depends on what we are doing today and less on what we try to do tomorrow. And, need I add, what we do today is a fairly accurate measure of the degree of dedication and commitment of our respective governments, to the needs of our children and those generations yet to be born; indeed, it is nothing less than an indication of our love for our countries. It is up to us here and now, and what we do today about tomorrow, that will determine whether or not we be judged by the next generation as wise or foolish, good or bad husbandmen of the sacred patrimony entrusted to us.
As we all know, plans, although good on paper are not enough by themselves; it is follow-up by action that counts-indeed, the best of plans without an action programme are nul and void.
Mr. Chairman, as you probably are aware, the Kingdom of Swaziland is the second smallest country in Africa with 17. 3 thousand square kilometers and a population of about 560,000 of which approximately 80 percent live in the rural areas. With regard to our geographical location on the continent, our situation is far from the most enviable.
Because of its diversity, Swaziland is indeed a microcosm of its larger sister nations having all the problems they find themselves with. We too have an uncomfortable legacy from our colonial past with all that implies-nowhere is this more so than in the agricultural, or rural, sector. Indeed, we find ourselves with large capital intensive estate farms, or plantations, on title deed land, existing alongside small farms on Swazi Nation Land. Thus, as you might well expect, the vast bulk of our rural population have been hardly affected by, let alone benefited from, progress taking place either on the capital intensive agricultural enterprises or elsewhere in the economy. Thus, with a reduction in infant mortality and resulting population growth now approaching 3. 3 percent, we find ourselves in the unenviable situation in which three times as many people are coming on to the labour market each year as can be absorbed.
Life in the rural areas for the traditional Swazi producing subsistence crops has been less than ideal and as might be expected there has been a growing stream of migration from the rural to urban areas to the extent that our urban areas have been growing at a rate approaching 10 percent, thus signifying a rapid and dangerous depopulation of our rural areas. Thus, our country has the problem of dealing with our expanding urban populations for whom there are no adequate employment opportunities-we are all acquainted with the resultant social costs of such a phenomenon to which Swaziland is no exception.
Partly as a result of the migration from rural areas mentioned above, the country found itself with an additional disadvantage in that our production of basic foodstuffs was declining to such an extent that with each passing day we were less able to feed ourselves, thus forcing us to become dependent upon imports with the consequent loss of our precious foreign exchange.
Thus, Mr. Chairman, it would seem that our nation was beginning to demonstrate a lop-sided pattern of development, if development is the proper word, at the expense of our rural areas and its population-indeed, if allowed to run what appeared to be its natural course or trend the whole fabric of our society would have become undone.
In an attempt to turn back this trend and develop a more balanced economy, His Majesty's Government embarked on a Rural Development Area Programme shortly after independence. Although starting on a relatively modest scale in which we were feeling our way, it has since gained momentum to the extent that as a result of the stage of the programme currently being carried out, approximately 60 percent of all Swazi Nation land and a like percentage of the population will be directly affected.
Swaziland's programme of rural development has as its primary objective, and this is clearly spelled out in our national development plans, the enhancement of rural well-being-in short, it has been designed to introduce some urban type amenities into our rural areas and thus close the widening gap between the two. We want to make our rural areas more attractive socially, culturally and economically; a place one would not be anxious to try and escape from but rather where it will be pleasant and rewarding to live and raise a family.
Thus we recognise that promoting increased agricultural production is but one,albeit an important, element of rural development. Consequently, in addition to a planned programme of stepped-up extension and improving the availability of such basic inputs and services such as a ready supply of insecticides, fertilizers, irrigation, credit, marketing and the introduction of soil and water conservation and controlled grazing practices, in order to utilize our land resources more efficiently and improve the quality of our national herd, we are also attempting to make a profound contribution to the introduction and upgrading of basic social services and urban type amenities.
In the fourteen individual rural development areas, primary and secondary schools are either now operational or will be so in the foreseeable future. As determined by the people living in the areas in their role as participants and decision-makers there is an on-going programme of resettlement of heretofore scattered dwellings into more compact settlements for the dual purpose of rationalizing land use, thus freeing the best lands for more intensive agriculture, while simultaneously making it feasible to install systems of potable water, electricity and other amenities. Health services are also being made available throughout the rural development areas and all the areas will be serviced by a network of all weather roads. While presently concentrating on but 60 percent of all Swazi Nation land, the goal of Government is to eventually bring all such land into the programme.
Mr. Chairman, it is yet too early to make a definitive evaluation of the merits and demerits of our programme. However, based on preliminary evidence it is quite obvious that the programme is exercising a positive impact and slowly but surely achieving its planned objectives. Not only has agricultural production started to increase but there is some evidence indicating that the rural exodus referred to earlier has begun to decline. Of course we have made mistakes, but to the extent possible we have attempted to learn from our mistakes to the benefit of the programme.
Mr. Chairman, we in Swaziland do not claim to have found a panacea for rural development that can be universally applied because we are fully aware that each country must find its own way in accordance with its customs, needs and aspirations. However, we are confident that we are on the right trail as far as our country is concerned. Furthermore, and this I wish to highlight, our pattern of rural develpment has been firmly based within the context of Swazi custom and tradition. As His Majesty King Sobbuza II has repeatedly stressed, we should indeed eschew those traditions that serve no useful purpose but instead frustrate development while embracing those that do exercise a positive role and help unify our society.
Thus, to return to my opening remarks, Mr. Chairman, we are quite cognizant of the fact that what the future will look in our agricultural and rural areas depends much more on what we do now rather than tomorrow. We in Swaziland are doing what we can to ensure that our plans are not mere pies in the sky but instead action programmes designed to guide us to that better society which is such an important part of all our aspirations.
In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, I would be remiss if I did not mention the most significant role FAO has carried out to assist us in implementing our programme. Through you, Mr. Chairman, I wish to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our Director-General, Dr. Edouard Saouma, for the timely and beneficial assistance we have been receiving through the Technical Assistance Programme-assistance ranging from providing us with an authority on international water law to a programme leading to a cottage-industry for the processing of guava juice. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine what FAO would be like without that programme; I can think of no other organization, bi-lateral or multi-lateral, that could provide the quality and quantity of such services so promptly and adequately as our FAO. The people and Government of Swaziland wish to convey their sincere gratitude and wishes for the continued progress of the Organization under the enlightened leadership of our Director-General.
I would not have done duty if I did not congratulate our two brethren who have been accepted as my Members of this important Organization. I am referring to the two brother countries, the Commonwealth of Dominica and Western Samoa, Thank you.
A. SRIBHIBHADI (Thailand): Mr. Chairman, Deputy Director-General of FAO, Excellencies, Distinguished delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, the Thai Delegation joins fellow member countries in extending to you, Mr. Chairman, and to the Deputy Chairmen, our warmest congratulations on your elections to the high offices of this important Conference. We also wish to welcome the new members of our family, namely the Commonwealth of Dominica and the Independent State of Western Samoa, and sincerely hope that their membership will be of mutual benefits to both their respective countries as well as to this Organization.
Mr. Chairman, during these past two years since the 19th Session of the FAO Conference in November 1977, Thailand's role as a food production and member country of this august Organization has not been uneventful or without concrete achievements. I wish to place on record here at the outset, FAO's award of the Ceres Medal earlier this year to Her Majesty the Queen of Thailand, as a token of tribute to her royal contributions to the well-being of the Thai people with her personal involvement in social and charitable organizations, ín education in country villages and particularly in the encouragement of traditional handicrafts. We had the opportunity of welcoming the Director-General who personnally made a special trip to preside over the memorable occasion. The entire nation rejoiced at this most distinguished honour which FAO bestowed upon our gracious and dedicated Queen.
On the national front, 1979 is rather unique in that the Royal Thai Government has designated it as the beginning of the Year of the Farmers Programme, with the aim of raising the standard of living of the farmers and closing the income gap between farming and non-farming sector, In order to generate greater momentum toward attainment of the goals, General Kriengsak Chomanan, the Prime Minister, has personally assumed the responsibility of the Agriculture and Cooperatives port-folio, a move never before undertaken by his predecessors. Needless to say that as a result, every effort for national development is reasserted and directed toward uplifting the rural living standard as well as increasing agricultural output. Programmes are strengthened and given specific targets, both long and medìum-term, designed so as to rearticulate our country's role as an agriculturally predominant nation. Mr. Chairman, these aforementioned moves reflect the strong political will and commitment on the part of the Royal Thai Government in bringing about agrarian reform with a view to achieving the full integration of rural areas into national economics and social development, in line with the Plan of Action adopted by the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development.
However, the main challenge facing Thailand at the moment is by and large similar to those facing the rest of the world, namely the oil price increases and world inflationary pressures, which are beyond our control. But it lies within our power to effectively overcome those pressures. Measures therefore have been taken to secure oil supplies as well as to reduce or at least maintain current levels of consumption. And yet, despite these economic difficulties, Thailand has an average growth rate of 7. 6 percent over the past three years which is above the International Development Strategy target of 4 percent. In 1977, our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) originated from agriculture grew at the rate of 12 percent which was higher than the target rate envisaged in our Fourth Five-Year National Economic and Social Development Plan, covering the period of 1977-1981. This was due to the rapid expansion of some products, such as paddy, cassava and rubber, as well as higher prices of many products and favourable weather conditions. Other major factors attributed to this high growth rate include more intensive farming in irrigated areas and crop diversification, development and expansion of domestic and export markets, and also the provision of incentives to farmers through pricing policies. But ironically enough, the country continues to face the problem of low income of farmers and income disparities, unemployment and deterioration of natural resources.
The 1979-1980 crop year began with favourable climatic conditions which led to the prediction that it is going to be another promising "Year of the Farmers". The production of rice which is the most economical crop of Thailand was expected to be not less than 16. 0 million metric tons of paddy. Those of other crops namely maize, cotton, soybean, peanut and mungbean were all expected to produce the same outcome, while cassava, kenaf and sugarcane would yield slightly less.
Another major obstacle to our national drive toward better rural living is the unexpected deluge of refugees that has been inundating Thailand during the past 18 months, first via South China Sea and recently over-land across the Kampuchean border. I am sure the world is fully aware of the more-than-rightful share of the responsibility which Thailand has had to shoulder in connection with the presence and plight of these unfortunate victims of political differences. But the influx of all forms of assistance from developed countries, the United Nations and related agencies, institutions and numerous other sources, which pours into our country to help relieve this haunting human agony, has given the Royal Thai Government sufficient encouragement to take a new turn by granting temporary asylum to the Kampuchean refugees.
In the field of fisheries development, Thailand is expected to face a loss of between 20-25 percent of traditional fishing grounds due to the extended jurisdiction claimed by most coastal states over the 200-mile exclusive economic zone. Coupled with a prevailing shortage of fuel for fishing vessels, it means that marine landings in Thailand could be reduced by as much as 600 000 tons. The Thai delegation wishes to submit a special request for assistance from FAO for developing countries who are adversely affected by this new ocean regime, especially those coastal states lacking the expertise and means to develop their newly acquired marine resources. We wish to try FAO taking the initiative in encouraging more joint ventures among coastal states concerned. In this connection, Thailand is willing to share its experiences and acquired technology which proves suitable in its traditional fishing grounds with other countries under the concept of TCDC which we fully advocate.
In addition, Mr. Chairman, The Thai delegation wishes to urge that FAO continue to place strong emphasis on the development of aquaculture as well as coastal and inland fisheries which in our perception, bear significant importance in terms of providing livelihood and income for small-scale fishermen as well as compensating the loss caused by the new ocean regime.
Mr. Chairman, where it concerns food security, our ASEAN brothers have already informed this Conference of the initial deposit of 50 000 tons of rice toward food reserves for our region. This amount, which constitutes 10 percent of the annual target for the International Emergency Food reserve set by the World food Conference 5 years ago, could be taken as a basis for determining its optimal size as well as the coverage of other strategic food items in the future. It is hoped that at the Second Meeting of ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture to be hosted by Thailand next February, realistic measures to implement our reserves programme will be considered. By then we should be able to estimate the type of assistance required for this purpose. At the moment, Thailand can already envisage help in the form of storage facilities.
Mr. Chairman, the Inter-Country Consultation on the Follow-up to the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development held recently in Bangkok is highly essential in terms of translating the agreed principles from the forum of the World Conference into the real and practical course of prompt action. In this respect, we would like to extend our appreciation to the Director-General for his initiatives and also to accord due credit to the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific for organizing it.
Also, my delegation wishes to add that the Royal Thai Government appreciates the decision of the World Food Programme to increase the emergency operating funds to US$ 55 million and would like to strongly support the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programme for setting the pledging target for 1981-82 concerning voluntary contributions toward the World Food Programme up to US$ 1 000 million. To comply with the objectives, the Royal Thai Government has resolved that for this same period, contributions from Thailand shall represent an increase of 20 percent. A great deal of assistance in connection with the Indochina refugees has also been received from the World Food Programme for which we are truly grateful. During the years 1977 and 1978, a total of about 10 000 metric tons of rice alone had been bought from Thailand under the Programme, not to mention other food commodities.
Mr. Chairman, it has been forecast that developing countries may need to import as much as 169 million tons of wheat and coarse grains in 1979-80. The amount is more than double of that imported during 1977. With this outlook in mind, the FAO budget for 1980-81 as proposed by the Director-General seems extremely humble. His efforts to save at the Headquarters so as to spend more on the field activities are indeed admirable. We wish him every success and hereby pledge our strong support for the Programme of Work, and in particular the Special Action Programmes, and the Five-Point Plan of Action which is considered as a basic component of the New International Economic Order. Thank you.
H. AL SAKIT (Jordan) (interpretation from Arabic): In the name of Allah the Compassionate, the Merciful, I should like to extend to you, Mr. Chairman, our warmest congratulations on this unanimous trust, upon your election to the Chair of this Conference. I wish every success to our Conference in formulating strategies and plans which stand at the level of the challenges which we face in the near future. Our delegation is fully confident in the ability of the delegates gathered here who represent all the countries of the world, in adopting appropriate decisions, especially in the light of the studies and documents prepared by the Director-General, Dr. Edouard Saouma, and the FAO Secretariat; documents which shed light on the reality of problems and point to the broad lines of their solution.
Distinguished delegates, it is truly deplorable that hunger persists in our world in an age when man invades the universe, reaches and treads on the moon, when spaceships plough their way towards distant planets. It is also regrettable that the gap between developed and developing countries widens while science and technology progress. It is unfortunate that masses of people do not receive the minimum levels of food and that differences increase between surplus and deficit countries. This strange state
of affairs which prevails in the world today and the even more abnormal situation which will come about tomorrow if present trands continue, places humanity before inhuman options and consequences such as: people will die of hunger or will live in misery and disease; or that social equilibrium will be disturbed and there will be chaos and strikes; civil wars, limited and wide-scale,will be characterized by hatred rather than love, suspicion instead of trust.
Our duty, my brothers, is to avert these dangers and in this our Organization bears an important responsibility. The current situation requires of us even more concentrated efforts and more positive participation and a sense of responsibility. The importance of your role is rendered even greater by the fact that food is the corner stone of human life and is the basis of man's happiness and prosperity, of his freedom and of the need to secure social justice, social and technical progress. I therefore wish to reaffirm the important matters related to security. The starting point in fruitful work in facing this food situation is the conviction that the human family is one and united and that the stronger and richer brother is ready to help the weaker and poorer brother. Assistance should focus on creating circumstances which foster genuine agricultural development and self-sufficiency, so that assistance should not lead to fatalism and idleness. This should not, of course, affect necessary assistance in cases of emergency, pest outbreaks and droughts, because such assistance is for the purpose of relief and rehabilitation. We must concentrate on the importance of agriculture in development plans in the Third World, and these should obtain higher priorities. We should focus on rural development and developing the life of the rural populations as well as protecting the environment, including conservation of land, water, plants and animals, and maintaining the balance between the city and village, and developing deserts and national range land.
Our delegation appreciates FAO's efforts in extending immediate assistance in the field of the various plans which have been formulated to tackle existing and future problems. We would like to stress the following points:
1. We support the recommendations and resolutions of the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development, and we should increase our contribution towards realizing these resolutions.
2. Increasing voluntary contributions in cash and kind to the World Food Programme in the coming two years.
3. We must increase voluntary contributions to the Technical Cooperation Programme.
4. We should support the International Fertilizer Scheme which was an effective instrument in providing fertilizers to certain countries; and countries who are able to do so should increase their contributions and allow the Director-General flexible scope for manoeuvre.
5. We should accept in principle the Programme of Work and Budget of the Organization for the biennium 1980-81.
6. We should support the Five-point World Food Security Plan proposed by the Director-General.
In addition to these observations, I wish to present to you a brief review of the state of food and agriculture in my country, the Hachemite Kingdom of Jordan. Jordan, as you all know, is a small, non-oil-producing country in the Near-East. Its natural resources are limited, water scarce and rainfall low. Its area is 9 million hectares of which only 0. 5 percent is irrigated; arable land is only 6 percent of the total, with almost total dependence on precipitation amounting to 200 to 600 millimetres per 'annum. In an average year with sufficient rainfall Jordan produces less than one-third of its wheat requirement. Drought can hit it for a number of consecutive years, as was the case in the last five years. This year is indeed the worst for output and covered but a mere 4 percent of consumption. In this regard we wish to thank FAO and the World Food Programme for their immediate assistance which was sent to us this year.
In spite of such harsh economic and climatological circumstances, we go on exerting efforts to develop agriculture in a bid to attain self-sufficiency in food production. We extend credit to farmers and encourage the constitution of agricultural cooperatives that help secure product inputs, loans and marketing facilities for their produce. In the Jordan valley we have large-scale projects under way and hope to do as much in other regions of our country.
Distinguished delegates, there is a matter of cardinal importance I wish to put to you. This relates to the livelihood, security and rights of part of our Palestinian people in the occupied West bank since 1967. A member State of the United Nations, Israel, pursues the occupation and seizure of the people's land and sets up colonies to draw in immigrants from outside the region. Israeli military
authorities do not recognize the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 which prohibits the transfer of nationals by an occupying power to occupied territories. Hence, the establishments of settlements is illegal and flouts all international agreements and fundamental human rights.
The British "Financial Times" newspaper in its edition of 29th October 1979, through its correspondant David Lennon from Tel Aviv, states that 38 percent of the total area of the West Bank is now affected by the moves of the occupation authorities.
Distinguished Delegates, the unfounded claim by Israeli authorities that expropriation of land is for security purposes has lost every pretence after their own Supreme Court only a few weeks ago ruled that the Aloon Murah settlement close to Arab Nabluz must be dismantled. Israeli aggression also involved the boring of deep wells whose water was moved to other areas, leaving the area around old wells dry and its ground water depleted. This occurred in the region of El Auja, Bardalah and Eil El Baidha. The seizure by Israel of West Bank lands has prevented thousands of Arab Palestinian families from tilling their farms.
This led to an exodus of families to the East Bank of Jordan, thus adding yet another food burden.
We must not forget that those Arabs who remain on their land are deprived of any form of agricultural growth, regular cooperative services or marketing facilities. They languish under stiff taxes, high prices, exorbitant cost of inputs and galloping inflation. These practices violate basic human rights. They lead to further impoverishment, to hatred and violence. They call for condemnation by one and all.
We do not raise this point in order to impose politics in a different field. If this were our intention we would have much to say about disrespect of United Nations resolutions, and unjust occupation practices, human rights violation, but we do submit this question to you in this forum of food and food security and agricultural development, for how can farmers whose country is occupied, whose sons are dispersed and unsettled, whose land is threatened by seizure at any moment, or exposed to ejection, deportation, arrest and torture all the time? How can such farmers, in the absence of stability, pursue any meaningful occupations? I hope each of you can put yourself in their place and ponder their plight and to let his conscience rule.
A final point I wish to submit to your august gathering, the Regional Office of the Near East in Cairo is no longer able to render its services to most of the member countries. This is an item which figures on your agenda. We hope that you will adopt a resolution authorizing the Director-General to transfer this office to another location so that it can go on serving all member countries.
In conclusion, our delegation wishes you all success in rising to the challenges posed by the world food and agricultural situation and hopes that cooperation between member countries will become even more solid so that hunger and malnutrition may be banished from this earth. History must not register any failure and default on our part.
F. MICALLEF (Malta): May I first af all congratulate you, Mr. Chairman, for your election as Chairman of the Conference. I am sure that under your Chairmanship the Conference will proceed smoothly and yield the desired results for more concrete co-operation between the members of our organization. My congratulations go also to the Vice-Chairman for their election. I must also pay tribute to the Director-General for the perfect organization of the Conference and for his continuous efforts in rendering our organization more efficient through the setting up of several programmes with a country-focus aimed mainly at direct intervention by PAD, through its regular programmes but without undue bureaucracy, adequately and timely, especially where international aid would be most required.
I would like to welcome to our Organization two new nations Samoa and Commonwealth of Dominica whose participation in FAO activities would increase the universality of FAO.
I am very happy to be here with you today to address the 20th Session of the FAO Conference. Indeed my presence here today has not been without sacrifice when one considers that this week is Budget week in my country. My presence here is yet another indication of the importance that my Government gives to the work of FAO.
When I addressed the Council last June, I drew attention to the need for FAO to shift its resources from global perspectives, which have served their purposes in the past to action-oriented regional progremmes with the participation of all countries within every region. It is in this way that programmes can be devised to ensure that development programmes are implemented in homogenous regions
aimed both at increasing the food supplies and insuring against food shortages. This we understand is the basic consideration underlying the commendable initiatives currently being undertaken by FAO on World Food Security.
The ideas put forward by my delegation at the Council meeting of last June have found an echo in the report of the Council. Indeed the Council has stressed the importance of regional activities in the field of World Pood Security. It has commended the action-oriented programmes of the Association of South East Asian Nations to establish reserves of rice in the region. The Ministerial Council of the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahelian Zone is also taking steps to initiate a regional food reserve for the Sahel.
The report of the Council submitted to this session recalls that Malta has offered its facilities for the establishment of regional food reserves for the Mediterranean. I need not stress the obvious strategic geographical position of my country nor the excellence of its harbours which permit the berthing and efficient loading and unloading of vessels which is known to you all. I wish once more to stress here that the removal of the military base from Malta has released valuable storage space which with minimal expense can be quickly converted to serve as a regional food reserve in the Mediterranean.
My Government considers that FAO should encourage and promote regional food reserves. I cannot talk on behalf of all the regions of the world except to state that co-operation on a regional basis is a basic element of a New International Economic Order. Since Malta has dismantled the foreign base it has devoted itself wholeheartedly to regional cooperation in all fields, because we are positive that co-operation is basic to understanding.
The Mediterranean region bounded as it is by barriers of mountain ranges to the North and desert expanses to the South is a compact unit which can serve as a prototype for other regions. I sincerely urge FAO to give precedence to the preparation of a draft proposal for the establishment of a regional food reserve in the Mediterranean. The implementation of such a plan would give the international community the added experience in order to set up similar programmes for other regions. The surpluses of the European North can provide the basis of stock piling for the creation of reserves to satisfy the deficiencies of the otter countries within this region.
The Mediterranean is a net food importing region-not only in cereals but also in other important food items. For this reason Malta expects a warmer response for its offer of facilities for the establishment of regional or sub-regional food reserves. Such concerted action by interested countries within the region would free the course of agricultural development from the ties which inevitably bind it, of the whims and scares of the international market for food and from disruption by natural. calamities.
My delegation will therefore be taking an active part in the deliberations on World Pood Security during the Conference. It is clear now that attempts for the oreation of a coordinated system of national food reserves have not yet given satisfactory results. Furthermore, the failure to reach an agreement, on a global basis, on the key provisions concerning the size of stocks, the range of prices and assistance to developing countries in holding stooks, for a negotiated new International Grains Agreement, points out the need of practical projects on a regional soale. Indeed it is my Government' s view that regional co-operation is the only way to close divergencies which hare recently been widened by a shift in the world supply and demand situation. I trust that this view will be embodied in the resolution to be passed by this session on the subject.
I reiterate Malta's willingness to be considered for the siting of a Mediterranean regional or sub-regional food reserve, not only to serve the needs of the region but additionally to ensure that the ideas and political will expressed in the resolution recommended to us by the Council are tested in this homogenous and compact region.
Similarly the organization of fishing today requires overall regional management to save the depletion of fish stocks through over exploitation, and pollution. This is especially true for the Mediterranean.
The Council's Committee on Fisheries followed closely the ongoing discussions in the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea and their consequences on the world's fishery industry. A great number of developing coastal countries have for the time being neither the means, nor the knowledge to exploit their fishing grounds and are seeking to conclude agreements with other countries to utilize jointly their fishing zones. Malta has concluded such an agreement with the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriah and a joint fishing fleet is being set up. But both countries lack adequate skilled manpower, equipment and vessels to fully exploit their fishing zones. For this reason, Malta fully supports the initiation of the Exclusive Economic Zones Programme and urges FAO firstly to continue to put the highest priority to this programme and secondly to consider the special
circumstances of the Mediterranean in the implementation of the programme since the provisions envisaged for the establishment of Exclusive Economic Zones are clearly hardly capable of a rational application to regions like the Mediterranean Sea.
Here again Malta offers its facilities for the setting up of a Mediterranean Pishing Training Centre run by FAO for the training of the requisite manpower at all levels. Such a centre would also serve as a unit for the collection of information, including improvement in the quality of statistics, improvement of fishery technology, marketing and processing of fish. Malta's delegate at the 13th Session of the Council's Committee on Fisheries requested assurance that FAO will develop concrete projects for the Mediterranean. I am sure that this assurance will be forthcoming.
With the application of the proposed new legal regime of the ocean, some countries with a well developed fishing tradition may lose their fishing grounds, in which case valuable resources, such as experienced manpower, equipment and vessels may be released. My Government believes that if such resources are immediately assembled by FAO for redeployment through regional fishing development units such as the one I proposed for the Mediterranean perhaps located in Malta, this would not only help developing coastal countries in exploiting the food resources of the sea but would also greatly contribute to the formulation of a New International Development Strategy and the achievement of the New International Economic Order.
May I conclude by commending the Director-General and his colleagues for the launching of a number of important special action programmes among which the Technical Co-operation Programme and the Exclusive Economic Zones Programme have a prominent place. I am of the opinion however that such programmes should complement other activities. It is understood that the special action programmes will be fully completed in due time. I have in mind, for example, activities carried out on nutritional problems. Malta has applied for FAO's assistance in the preparation of a nutritional survey of the country which might serve as a basis for our agricultural planning and the proper orientation of our food import policy.
A preliminary mission from FAO came to Malta and submitted its report, however no further action was taken. The resources of the newly established programmes of FAO should contribute for such activities to be continued and for their scope to be strengthened and extended. As I already stated in the June session of the Council, I fully agree with the programme of work of the Director-General. However, at the same time, I was and still am worried with the budget which the Director--General is asking for, since I believe it is too modest to carry out the whole volume of programmes and the pressing requests which will surely come to FAO in the ensuing biennium. I would be much happier if a consensus could be reached by this Conference to vote a higher budget and in particular to increase the funds of the TCP.
Mr. Chairman, functional co-operation on these lines would obviate many of the difficulties encountered by traditional approaches to world food problems and would enhance the chances for peace, security and freedom from want.
TONG-TRAN DAO (Viet Nam): Au nom de la délégation de la République socialiste du Viet Nam, j' adresse nos chaleureuses salutations à M. le Président, à M. le Directeur général ainsi qu'à tous les délégués ici présents.
Je souhaite à notre Conférence de brillants succès.
Tout d'abord, je me dois de féliciter chaleureusement le Directeur général et le Secrétariat pour les efforts soutenus qu'ils ont déployés dans la préparation d'une documentation riche et de grande valeur pour la Conférence.
La question dont nous nous préoccupons de prime abord est la situation mondiale du développement de l'agriculture en général, de la production alimentaire en particulier.
C'est un panorama nullement encourageant. Les progrès jusqu'ici réalisés restent toujours nettement insuffisants et le problème crucial de l'alimentation et de la nutrition demeure toujours l'un des graves problèmes du monde entier. L'instabilité n'a pas pu être maîtrisée: si en l'année 1978 on a noté une certaine augmentation sur presque tout le globe, en cette année 1979 la production mondiale est de beaucoup réduite et revient à peu près au niveau de celle de 1977· Un fait saillant qui mérite notre attention est que dans la plupart des pays en développement, surtout dans ceux les plus gravement touchés, le taux d'augmentation en produits alimentaires est insignifiant. Dans maints de ces pays, la production alimentaire reste continuellement menacée par les calamités naturelles et d'autres facteurs socio-économiques négatifs.
Dans notre République socialiste du Viet Nam, immédiatement après la réunification du pays, nous avons voulu concentrer tous nos efforts à la reconstruction du pays, liquider les séquelles de la guerre, restaurer et développer l'économie, améliorer pas à pas le niveau de vie du peuple. Nous avons accordé la première priorité au développement de l'agriculture, y compris la foresterie et la pêche. Nous avons décidé de développer une agriculture multisectorielle, mais avec la production alimentaire comme secteur de base. Nous avons mis en pratique des mesures concrètes: défricher de nouvelles terres, multiplier les récoltes pendant l'année, intensifier les cultures, développer les cultures vivrières autres que le riz; intensifier l'élevage du bétail; développer l'élevage des poissons et crustacés d'eau douce et d'eau saumâtre, la pêche cÔtière et hauturière; entreprendre le boisement et reboisement, protéger et préserver le domaine forestier contre l'exploitation abusive, contre l'incendie et la pratique de l'agriculture itinérante. . .
L'Eftat continue à accroître les investissements dans la construction des ouvrages hydrauliques agricoles, la multiplication des plantes engrais verts, la protection sanitaire des plantes et du bétail, l'équipement en machines et outils agricoles, l'extension du réseau électrique desservant les travaux agricoles.
Mais tous ces efforts ne sont pas toujours couronnés de succès. Quoique nous ayons enregistré quelques bons résultats dans l'augmentation des superficies cultivables et emblavées, des cultures vivrières (mas, manioc, pomme de terre, sorgho, etc. ), la production agricole en général, la production alimentaire en particulier, demeure bien loin de satisfaire aux besoins minimum de plus de 30 millions d'âmes.
Cela est dû à des causes multiples.
Notre agriculture demeure par essence une agriculture arriérée et de petite production. De plus, elle a été profondément endommagée par une guerre longue et dévastatrice, dont les séquelles ne peuvent être liquidées facilement du jour au lendemain: les bases matérielles et techniques trop petites avant la guerre ne sont pas encore complètement restaurées.
D'autre part, comme tout le monde sait, depuis la fin de la guerre de libération, le peuple vietnamien n'a pas joui d'un seul jour de paix. Nous avons dû faire face à une guerre d'invasion aux frontières du sud-ouest, qui devenait de plus en plus sauvage en 1977-78, obligeant plus de deux raillions de paysans de ces zones à abandonner leurs rizières et à se déplacer vers l'intérieur. Au début de cette année, nous avons été attaqués du côté nord; six provinces frontières ont été dévastées; la vie de plus de quatre millions de paysans a été bouleversée de fond en comble. Ces guerres d'agression causent de sérieuses entraves à toutes les activités de développement dans tous les domaines de la production tant agricole, forestière que halieutique. Même à l'heure actuelle, notre pays reste menacé de nouvelles invasions du nord. Cette conjoncture nous a obligés à diverger nos efforts, en dépit de notre profond espoir de les concentrer dans le labeur pacifique.
Les calamités naturelles de leur côté n'ont cessé de s'associer dans cette oeuvre dévastatrice.
Une inondation d'une ampleur inattendue dans tout le pays et particulièrement dans le delta du Mekong en 1978 a submergé et annihilé complètement plus de 700 000 hectares de riz et autres cultures vivrières, causant une perte de plus de 2 millions de tonnes d'aliments. Les typhons survenus récemment dans les mois de septembre et d'octobre au centre Viet Nam ont aussi ravagé quelques dizaines de milliers d'hectares. Les maladies et les insectes prédateurs eux aussi sont des fléaux permanents qui s'abattent sur nos oultures.
Par suite de la situation décrite plus haut, notre production agricole s'est développée très lentement et d'une manière instable. Particulièrement, la production alimentaire à plusieurs moments a été gravement réduite. La balance alimentaire compte ordinairement un déficit annuel de 2 à 3 millions de tonnes. Et ce déficit pourra durer encore pendant des années à venir. C'est la raison pour Laquelle, maigré que nous estimions absolument nécessaire la création d'une réserve alimentaire syons fixé notre politique dans cette direction, en fait nous n'avons pas encore pu la réaliser avec nos propres moyens.
La situation critique en denrées alimentaires n'affecte pas seulement le Viet Nam. Il en est de même pour d'autres pays en voie de développement. Aussi, comme beaucoup d'autres pays, nous approuvons le contenu de L'Ingagement international sur la Seourité alimentaire et accueillons l'intitiative du Plan d'action en cinq points proposé par le Directeur général. Certes, pour accomplir les tâches et atteindre les objectifs préconisés, chaque pays doit poursuivre fermement une politique d'extension de la production alimentaire avec des mesures adéquates afin de résoudre sa propre autosuffisance, et en mine temps une politique d'éoonomie dans la consommation afin de pouvoir constituer graduellement des réserves suffisantes et assurées.
Mais, du côté de la Communauté internationale, nous pensons qu'une aide adéquate et effective à ces efforts sous toutes les formes s'avère nécessaire. Cette aide ne doit pas être accompagnée de conditions politiques.
Eh dernier lieu, le facteur le plus déterminant est la paix, une paix durable, pour que chaque pays puisse exploiter ses ressources et ses forces d'une manière radicale pour le bien du développement et de l'édification de son économie, l'amélioration du niveau de vie de son peuple. A cet effet, la Communauté internationale doit s'opposer fermement aux manoeuvres des forces réactionnaires internationales qui, en collusion avec les impérialistes, cherchent à créer la tension et fomenter des guerres d'agression.
Pour exploiter à fond toutes nos ressources naturelles, développer notre économie agricole, forestière et halieutique, nous sommes prêts à accueillir toute assistance et coopération internationales basées sur le principe d'équité, d'intérêts communs et du respect de l'indépendance et de la souveraineté de chaque partie.
Le transfert de technologie des pays développés aux pays en développement devient de jour en jour plus urgent pour servir la cause de la production agricole et alimentaire.
Partant de nos expériences personnelles, le Viet Nam ressent également l'importance de la coopération et entraide dans tous les domaines entre les pays en développement. Jusqu'ici, nous avons commencé à établir des relations dans le domaine de l'agriculture avec beaucoup de pays, surtout avec les pays proches dans la région comme l'Inde, les Philippines, la Malaisie, etc. , relations que nous ne cesseront d'accroître dans l'avenir. Nous sommes membre du CDRIAP qui commence à fonctionner.
Vis-à-vis de nos pays voisins, Kampuchea et Lao, de tous temps les peuples des trois pays ont coopéré et développé l'entraide dans la lutte pour recouvrer et défendre l'indépendance et la souveraineté de chaque pays; nous développons aussi la coopération et l'entraide dans les domaines technique et économique. Particulièrement avec le peuple kampuchéen, après qu'il ait levé le génocide de l'ancien régime qui a disloqué toute la société traditionnelle du Kampuchea, créant une grande famine qui menace des centaines de milliers de Kampuchéens, nous avons partagé avec lui le peu que nous possédons: plus de 20 000 tonnes de semences, 100 000 tonnes de denrées alimentaires. Et, dans l'état actuel où son personnel scientifique et technique a été exterminé presque complètement par l'ancien régime, nos services agricoles ont envoyé des spécialistes en hydraulique agricole, en agriculture, élevage…pour porter aide au peuple kampuchéen dans l'effort inouï qu'il est en train de déployer pour le redressement de sa patrie et la stabilisation graduelle de sa vie matérielle et culturelle.
Nous sommes très heureux de constater que l'Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture n'a cessé ces derniers temps de multiplier ses activités pour le bien du développement de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, en particulier dans les pays en développement. Le Directeur général, M. Edouard Saouma, a fait preuve d'heureuses initiatives pour rendre de plus en plus effectives les activités de l'Organisation. Nous approuvons le projet de programme et budget présenté à la Conférence. Nous estimons que le niveau du budget proposé représente le minimum nécessaire pour faire face aux besoins des activités de notre Organisation. Nous félicitons le Directeur général d'avoir déployé des efforts pour pratiquer une stricte économie dans les dépenses purement administratives, en vue d'augmenter les dépenses pour l'assistance technique et les programmes de terrain, de formation. Nous espérons que cette orientation juste sera continuée dans l'avenir.
Quant aux programmes de coopération technique, de prévention des pertes agricoles, programmes que nous estimons très importants pour les pays en voie de développement, nous regrettons que le budget qui leur est réservé reste trop maigre. Nous pensons qu'il est nécessaire de leur attribuer encore plus de ressources pour être à même de financer plus de projets pilotes suivant les objectifs déjà décrits. Nous pensons aussi qu'il est nécessaire de réserver une part importante des finances pour l'approvisionnement en équipement et matériels techniques dans le cadre des projets. Cela contribuera à renforcer les bases matérielles et techniques des institutions scientifiques, techniques des pays en développement, les rendant plus capables de résoudre eux-mêmes la plupart des tâches qui leur incombent.
Nous sommes également d'accord pour le renforcement du programme des engrais; ces dernières années, ce programme a eu des contributions effectives dans la conjoncture où les pays en développement ont eu des difficultés dans l'approvisionnement en engrais chimique.
Nous appuyons l'heureuse initiative de la délégation hongroise suggérant à la Conférence d'instituer une journée mondiale de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture.
La République socialiste du Viet Nam accueille et apprécie hautement l'assistance positive et efficace que la FAO et le PAM lui ont apportée dans le cadre des projets pilotes du programme de coopération technique, de prévention des pertes après récolte et d'aide alimentaire d'urgence et au développement. Nous exprimons ici nos vifs remerciements au Directeur général, au Directeur exécutif ainsi qu'à tous leurs collègues à la FAO et au PAM. De notre côté, nous ferons tout notre possible pour renforcer la coopération avec eux pour rendre leur aide beaucoup plus efficace dans notre pays.
S. SALIA (Haute-Volta): La délégation de la Haute-Volta se félicite une fois de plus de participer à la Conférence de la FAO où se décident, au plus haut niveau, les plans et programmes relatifs à la promotion du développement rural. C'est également à ce sommet que se tiennent, d'une façon effective, les débats conduisant à l'évolution du développement de l'agriculture des pays en voie de développement qui attendent de cette organisation internationale le maximum d'efficacité et surtout de rapidité dans ses interventions.
La République de Haute-Volta salue en cette Organisation son dynamisme et se réjouit de voir à sa tête un élement conscient, responsable, qui transcende les "petites choses" pour tenir haut le flambeau du développement agricole auquel aspirent les pays les plus démunis et les moins favorisés de la terre.
Nous en voulons pour preuve l'expression humaine qu'il a donnée à tous les programmes de la FAO depuis son accession à la tête de cette organisation. M. Edouard Saouma et son équipe ont conçu un certain nombre de programmes qui touchent directement aux problèmes qu'affrontent nos pays.
Notre propos est, beaucoup moins qu'une déclaration, un hommage public que ma délégation, au nom du Chef de l'Etat voltaïque et de son gouvernement, est venue rendre à cette Organisation qui n'a cessé de se montrer présente à ses côtés chaque fois qu'elle se trouvait dans des moments difficiles.
En effet, le problème n° 1 qui occupe la pensée de tous les dirigeants des pays du tiers monde est la crainte du lendemain et, surtout, d'un lendemain que personne ne voudrait être trop long parce que sans pain.
C'est pourquoi, le programme en cinq points qui traite de la sécurité alimentaire constitue, à nos yeux, la solution d'un problème qui se pose journellement à nous sahéliens et qui nous donne la sensation d'être suivis, aidés et entourés dans le malheur.
La Haute-Volta a envisagé, déjà depuis quelques années, le problème de la sécurité alimentaire, au point de mettre en place une structure que nous appelons Office national des céréales (OFNACER). Cet office est chargé de résoudre les difficultés créées par l'instabilité des prix et la mise en défense du pouvoir d'achat des plus pauvres. Cette action entreprise depuis 1972 a vu se développer ses objectifs grâce à l'aide que la FAO nous a accordée par les différentes missions des trois dernières années.
L'OFNACER n'est plus à présent, un simple organisme de stabilisation des prix à la production et à la consommation. Il embrasse plusieurs autres activiés, allant de la production à. la sécurité alimentaire de toute la nation, par l'organisation d'une structure de réserves alimentaires susceptible d'assurer une distribution rapide et efficace de produits vivriers dans les parties les plus reoulées du pays qui, éventuellement, peuvent être frappées de catastrophes imprévisibles.
C'est également grâce à la FAO et à ses démarches incessantes qu'il nous a été donné en ce moment précisément de mettre en place un programme national qui ressemble à celui conçu au niveau international pour répondre aux exigences du moment: obtention de crédits, programme d'utilisation appropriée de fonds alloués, mise à la disposition d'experts avisés, rapidité dans l'action, autant d'attributs que nous sommes en train de constater à l'heure actuelle dans le renforcement de la structure nationale ci-dessus mentionnée, grâce à l'intervention de l'Organisation.
Les craintes des lendemains difficiles commencent à s'estomper grâce à l'étude de faisabilité récemment mise au point par la Division de la sécurité alimentaire de la FAO pour les pays de la sous-région ouest-africaine où s'inscrivent géographiquement ceux du Sahel. Nous sommes assurés que les résultats ne se feront pas attendre, étant entendu que les éléments envisagés sont de nature à retenir l'attention des esprits les plus difficiles et les sources de financement les plus exigeantes.
La sécurité régionale devrait donc être garantie par la mise en place d'une structure qui permettra, à l'instar de celle mise en place dans le Sud-Est asiatique, de débloquer des produits vivriers au bénéfice des populations qui en auront besoin et ceci en un temps record et au moindre coût.
Notre préoccupation dominante reste cependant la promotion de la production nationale de produits vivriers. Et c'est dans ce domaine que l'intervention de l'Organisation sera la plus importante, étant entendu qu'elle est consentie dans la dignité et dans le respect de nous-mêmes.
Il y a plus de dix années que la Haute-Volta mène une expérience originale d'encadrement et de restructuration du secteur rural avec la mise en place des organismes régionaux de développement (ORD). Le bilan en cours de ces ORD montre beaucoup de défauts dans l'organisation, des lacunes dans la gestion. C'est avec insistance que nous demandons par conséquent à l'Organisation, après qu'elle nous ait apporté sa contribution dans la définition d'une stratégie du développement agricole pour la période 1978/90, de nous aider à apporter une solution dans l'organisation de ces ORD afin qu'ils puissent, mieux que par le passé, contribuer plus efficacement dans la promotion de la production agricole. Une équipe interdisciplinaire de l'Organisation pourrait se joindre aux cadres nationaux qui réfléchissent présentement sur le type d'organisation à préconiser pour les ORD.
Nous savons que cette organisation que nous avons créée n'est pas une institution de financement. Elle est technique et ne peut intervenir valablement et avec la rapidité que nous souhaitons tous si son action ou intervention est seulement soutenue par des crédits disponibles.
Là nous devons relever un manque, une insuffisance et, par conséquent, une incapacité.
Cette insuffisance observée par le Directeur général lui-même, M. Edouard Saouma, qui de par sa profession et son expérience de terrain connaît et comprend l'anxiété du paysan qui voit s'annoncer la saison sans avoir les semences qu'il faut pour semer ou qui constate, impuissant, par manque de moyens, la destruction du fruit de ses efforts par des insectes et des maladies de toutes sortes, qui pleure ses désespoirs face à tous déboires, a jugé nécessaire d'y apporter un remède.
Nous voulons citer ici le Programme de coopération technique qui est venu à notre secours à plus d'un titre, à savoir:
la recherche de sites appropriés pour l'implantation de puits villageois;
la formation de cadres chargés de programmes alimentaires des collectivités;
l'étude de la vocation des sols;
la reconnaissance de marchés pour une meilleure commercialisation de la volaille;
la formation et l'équipement de petits pêcheurs;
et j'en passe, qui constituent les preuves de l'efficacité d'un tel programme.
Hélas! Nous voudrions l'utiliser davantage, vu que nos besoins sont si nombreux et nos moyens si ténus; mais nous sommes limités par les dimensions restreintes de cet instrument efficace au point qu'on se pose la question de savoir pourquoi une telle méthode de travail ne devrait pas être encouragées si ceux-là qui ont la vocation d'assister le tiers monde dans ses efforts de développement veulent effectivement que les pays de cette partie du monde ne soient pas dans la situation où. ils se trouvent présentement.
Ma délégation voudrait également insister sur le programme de lutte contre les insectes et notamment les sauteriaux qui constituent pour les Sahéliens une sorte d'épée de Damoclès.
Vous n'êtes pas sans savoir que la saison agricole peut être excellente, que les efforts du paysan peuvent avoir été consentis à temps et à bon escient, mais qu'il peut se retrouver facilement sinistré à la suite de l'attaque des criquets ou de sauteriaux qui menacent de destruction nos récoltes. Il faut saluer certes les dispositions qui sont prises au niveau de l'Organisation pour arrêter les foyers de développement de ces insectes. Cependant, l'effort de l'Organisation devra aussi porter plus intensément sur le soutien aux organisations interafricaines comme l'OCLALAV.
Un fait marquant a aussi retenu notre attention dans la nouvelle politique instituée par la FAO, c'est la décentralisation. Ce programme, qui est l'un des éléments principaux de la nouvelle philosophie, ne peut effectivement échapper à personne.
Le bureau de la représentation de la FAO en Haute-Volta est un relai essentiel qui nous permet de maintenir les contacts les plus étroits avec les divisions techniques de l'Organisation.
Le panorama général des programmes en cours, en partant des plus importants déjà élaborés et rendus fonctionnels jusqu'à ceux-là qui sont en cours de préparation, nous a été présenté dans ses détails. Voilà pourquoi nous comprenons mieux aujourd'hui la valeur que revêt pour nous cette Organisation à travers le processus de décentralisation. Cependant, il est souhaitable que ce bureau soit renforcé, afin d'augmenter son efficacité.
C'est sur cette note que nous redisons aux responsables de cette Organisation que le peuple voltaïque, son gouvernement et le Président de la République, s'estiment satisfaits du travail qu'elle a réalisé jusqu'ici, de la célérité avec laquelle elle le fait et du sérieux qu'elle y met.
Nous lui demandons en conséquence de continuer dans le même sens, au cours du prochain biennium et dans les années à venir.
Il est donc certainement souhaitable que l'équipe qui a forgé la structure actuelle dont l'objectif est d'atteindre les faibles, les plus pauvres, pour les guider sur le chemin du développement, dans la dignité, continue de nous sacrifier un peu plus de leur existence propre pour amener cette oeuvre à un point de non-retour tant sur le plan physique que sur le plan spirituel et moral.
The meeting rose at 13. 00 hours.
La séance est levée à 13 heures.
Se levanta la sesión a las 13. 00 horas.
