CHAIRMAN: I now invite Mr. West, Assistant Director-General, to open the discussion.
E. M. WEST (Director (ADG), Office of Programme, Budget and Evaluation): In your discussion on the Programme of Work and Budget and in your discussions for the"last day or two, you have been considering the here and the now. In Commission I this afternoon they are about to begin their discussion of "Agriculture: Toward 2000", so we fall in the middle of the two, and I have a feeling that perhaps in a sense what will be said there is more interesting, more important than the Medium-Term Objectives. However, I certainly do not wish to discourage you from taking an interest in the subject or discussing the item.
This is the sixth time that the Conference has considered a document on Medium-Term Objectives. The first one was submitted ten years ago, and since then we have had a series of experiments. However, for the last three conferences we have been working on the same basic model, progressively refining it in order to be able to produce something which could be used by the Conference as the context in broader terms of the Programme of Work and Budget which is produced on a biennial basis.
So the format and content of this document are based on your previous decisions and on the approval of the Council for the outline of the document you see. The document employs the same framework of major programmes and programmes as employed in the Programme of Work and Budget and in the Review of the Regular Programme. This facilitates their combined use, particularly as they view the Organization's activities from different points in time.
As I have already said, this document, the Programme of Work and Budget, the major documents for COAG, COFO, COFI and the Review of the Regular Programme have been produced by the same team of people throughout the house using an integrated approach. So I think we now have a coherent view within the house of our objectives as well as our programmes.
I mentioned the major COFO, COFI, COAG documents. These include documents on the long-term implications in those areas, and they, tieup with the provisional study, "Agriculture:Toward 2000", which is being discussed in the other room.
However, this integration of approach does involve an unavoidable element of overlap in content, and as I said in the debate on previous items, it may be as difficult for you as it was for us to avoid repeating ourselves in the discussion.
This problem will be reviewed by the Programme and Finance Committees and by the Council in 1980, so I do not think it would be necessary or desirable to go into the question of format further here, and I hope that as a result we can have a discussion on substance.
As to the substance, you will not see anything in the document which is radically new or different. This is not surprising because we have already reviewed these objectives in the various committees. They are covered also in the Programme of Work and Budget and in any case the solutions to the problems of food and agricultural development cannot be attained immediately. They require a sustained effort over a period of years and it is only exceptionally that one can detect a radical change in objectives.
On the other hand it is extremely important that in considering our current activities and those planned for the next biennium, we should not lose sight of the medium and longer-term strategies and policy which should be guiding them.
The Director-General, with your support, has dedicated all the resources at his command to assist the developing countries. to increase food production, reduce malnutrition and engage in programmes of agrarian reform and rural development for the particular benefit of the less advantaged segments of the population.
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That does not change but it does require constant revision and constant adjustment, often adjustment to the particular requirements of individual countries. Whatever general prescriptions you might put forward here we all understand, you understand and we understand, that they have to be applied to the circumstances of each country according to the requirements of that country.
I should mention whilst we are discussing the medium-term objectives that we are continuing to work with other agencies to ensure that our plans are mutually harmonious and can achieve maximum joint benefit. In this connexion the Advisory Committee on Coordination headed by the Secretary-General has concluded, we think wisely, that joint UN system activities should be approached through cooperative action where specifically identifiable needs exist in manageable areas. For instance, there is an obvious need and potential for mutually beneficial and supportive joint activity in rural development.
With FAO as the lead agency, the ACC Task Force is currently engaged in preparing a cross organizational program analysis. That is a long word to cover a fairly straightforward tabular analysis of what each agency is doing in identifiable areas of rural development. This analysis should lead to stronger joint agency activities in the field of rural development. This kind of approach will be tried in other areas where, as I have said, it appears on a selective basis that joint activities are not only desirable and feasible, but manageable.
One word about an important part aboutof medium-term objectives document. We have for the first time attempted, at your request, to show relative priorities for the technical and economic programmes. This ranking of priorities should be treated with caution. The rankings are, of necessity, only indicative and approximate and they are not related to any absolute level of resources, because the conference has found, and confirmed more than once, that such attempts at identifying the optimum level of resources over the medium term is either impractical or undesirable. Furthermore, there is no scale by which the distance between each of these rankings can be measured. So the fact that one is below the other can in one instance mean a gap on a scale of one hundred, let us say, of ten points, but in another case in the same programme it might be a gap of ninety points, so there is no way we can identify that gap, and there is no meaning in attempting to do so. This is particularly true because these priorities are normally supportive of each other. One of them will not work unless you have the other priority, and they are not exclusive. You cannot do one without the other. In this connexion, Mr Chairman, there are one or two points on this as well as on other matters concerning the medium-term objectives in the report of the Programme and Finance Committees and of the Council which I am sure delegates have read, because I'm sure they are very helpful to the Secretariat as well as to the delegates.
In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, I would like to emphasize two points: the first one is fairly obvious to all of us but it can bear a great deal of repetition, namely that with all the things that we can and should say, the development of food and agriculture is of overwhelming but primary importance in the overall development effort of Member Nations. The second is the need for intensive effort, particularly at the field level, so that we do not discuss objectives in an abstract way but we are ready and able-and when I say "We" I mean Member Nations and the Organization and bilateral and other financing institutions to translate them into effective programmes at the country level, backed up by adequate resources for technical cooperation and investment follow-up.
In the Secretariat, we are constantly trying to strengthen our efforts and our impact in this direction, and that is the main spirit in which we have tried to formulate this document for your consideration.
M. A. OROZCO DEZA (México): La Delegación de Mexico quisiera expresar algunos comentarios respecto de este tema, por considerarlo de gran importancia para concebir los objetivos y políticas que moderarán las actividades futuras de nuestra Organización.
No existe lugar a dudas que entre los problemas económicos y sociales de naturaleza estructural que más íntimamente afectan a todos los países subdesarrollados está el relativo a la alimentación de sus pueblos. Para lograr este objetivo pensamos que es fundamental romper con el modelo tradicional cuya ineficiencia ha sido comprobada, por lo que es imprescindible incorporar nuevos objetivos que orienten acciones que trasciendan para lograr cuanto antes la erradicación del hambre y la desnutrición de la tierra.
Es sentir de la Delegación de México que en esta materia casi todo se ha dicho y sólo modestos logros se han podido materializar. La existencia de innumerables foros ha propiciado que se creen instituciones fundadas en una serie de buenos propósitos; pero una evaluación global, reflejo de un hecho contundente como el que más de 500 millones de seres humanos del tercer mundo se encuentran desposeídos del más elemental alimento, es el indicador de que los objetivos y los buenos propósitos que se fijaron no se han cumplido cabalmente. Corremos, en consecuencia, el riesgo de fijarnos una larga lista de objetivos y criterios que no se logren por la persistente actitud de una minoría al orientar sus acciones y creatividad al desarrollo del armamentismo y otros fines menos importantes.
En el pasado Consejo de FAO nuestra Delegación expresó que no podemos pasar por alto que al mismo tiempo que crece el número de hambrientos, la humanidad gasta en un año cerca de 400 billones de dolares en armamento, es decir cerca de 3000 veces más de lo que se proporciona a duras penas a la FAO o de 1300 veces más que el FIDA, con el agravante de que lo destinado al bienestar crece más lentamente que lo producido para la destrucción.
Remarcamos pues que esta generación quedará seriamente comprometida si como huella histórica deja registrado que al tiempo que permitió que el número de hambrientos llegase a prácticamente mil millones de seres humanos, logró que el mundo dispusiera de mayor potencial bélico que de alimentos.
Creemos que al menos la cabal consecución del nuevo orden económico internacional, en el que la FAO tiene compromiso y papel singulares, no puede lograrse si se perpetúa la falsificación de la realidad y de mantenerse como orientaciones aquellas que no corresponde a beneficiar a las mayorías; de aquí que debemos insistir en fijar prioridades en beneficio de los países subdesarrollados.
Debido al número y calidad de documentos que apoyan las observaciones vertidas en el Documento C 79/9, entre los que sobresalen los de "La agricultura hacia el año 2000" y los de los Comités de Finanzas y de Programas, vemos reflejados y trazados los objetivos a los que como mínimo debiéramos comprometernos.
Estimamos, sin embargo, que la FAO debe orientar sus esfuerzos y capacidades para contribuir, intelectual y técnicamente, a una realidad que en la actualidad exige también el análisis y aplicación de otros aspectos como los de reforma agraria y desarrollo de formas asociativas, democráticas y autónomas, de productores y consumidores, así como el empleo de tecnologías adecuadas. Pensamos también que la FAO puede y debe contribuir a estudiar y difundir la manera en que los más importantes renglones de la agricultura de la mayoría de los países periféricos están sujetos a un profundo proceso de desnacionalización.
Sería importante precisar cuánto se expatria a través de la estructura transnacional, y también el impacto de las políticas proteccionistas de los países desarrollados y las economías de los países subdesarrollados.
Ante todo este panorama, la FAO enfrenta una gran responsabilidad. En consecuencia, debe redoblar esfuerzos para propiciar que las comunidades internacionales, dentro de esquemas de cooperación y respeto a la soberanía de los países pobres, se aboque cuanto antes a la solución de la problemática aquí enunciada. Debemos pues, proceder con imaginación y voluntad para encontar las fórmulas adecuadas en el presente para un futuro inmediato más justo, en beneficio de todos a quienes representamos aquí, es decir, nuestros pueblos.
P. BURI (Italy):The Italian delegation would like to express its satisfaction on the new formulation which has been given to the Report on the Medium-term targets. In compliance with the "desiderata" expressed at the 19th Session of the Conference we have now before us a document which is easy to read, concise, but full on considerably interesting information and of great help for better understanding of the working programme and budget of the Organization for the next two years.
Whilst expressing their congratulations, the Italian delegation would like to put forward two suggestions. At para 2. 21 of the Report is mentioned the need for increasing some traditional crops, first among which are cereals. The Italian delegation feels that also pulses should be added among these crops insofar as they constitute an important source of vegetable protein for human consumption, and represent at the same time a staple food for many of the emerging countries in which pulses are part of the traditional daily diet.
The Italian delegation would also like to suggest to add in para 2. 63 with regard to information and analysis on food, the contribution that agricultural meteorology, integrated with satellites - among the most efficient information and alarm systems - may provide to the knowledge of the situation of crops during annual agricultural campaigns.
R. W. WOOTTON (United Kingdom): The document is, indeed, closely in line with the instructions of the previous councils and conferences, and does give a useful and concise summary of FAO's long-term and medium-term policy. We consider that the sections on long-term goals have been well assimilated into the examination of medium-term objectives, and we agree in general with the assessment of the world situation given in the document.
The United Kingdom delegation has the following comments on specific chapters, and we offer them in the spirit of Mr. West's very helpful introduction.
Chapter II, Agriculture: On paragraph 2. 28 which is concerned with certain priority areas, there is continuing support within the United Kingdom for the development of the Global Information and Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture.
On paragraph 2. 59 concerned with food and agricultural information and analysis, we accept in principle FAO's goal of improved food and agriculture information and analysis and we expect that the improvements are to come mainly in statistics from developing countries.
The general line in paragraph 2. 60 is acceptable, but we consider national statistical offices cannot be expected to agree to fully to harmonized statistics if this means additional resources to maintain one set of statistics for national purposes and another for FAO needs. The United Kingdom is already working towards harmonization of major statistical series in regular meetings, but we consider it is unlikely that full harmonization can be achieved by 1985. Similarly, we consider there should be no major commitment for additional statistical tasks for FAO's purposes.
Chapter III, Fisheries: we agree with the long-term policies for fisheries both as regards weightings and priority, and of course the medium-term objectives have been looked at by the recent meeting of COFI, I would like to mention here though that we consider that inadequate detail was given in the papers for that Committee on the programme of work and the actual expenditure of the extra funds required under the new long-term strategy.
Chapter IV, Forestry: while we are in general agreement with the content of this section, the delegation has three points.
On paragraph 4. 8, concerned with medium-term objectives, we feel that as this paragraph is worded it could be implied that there is unlikely to be any shortage of forest products. The total land area under closed forests is, however, being depleted at an alarming rate, and the reduction of this rate can only be achieved by changes in agricultural practice.
Paragraph 4. 14:the idea of a United Nations fund associated with the UNCTAD integrated commodity programme for tropical timber is, in our view, initially attractive, but there must be some doubt as to whether it would work because of the variable need's'for the product and the demand for it. Overall demand has cyclical fluctuations linked with the general economic situation of developing countries.
Paragraph 4. 9: we do not quite agree with the priority ranking here, but suggest for consideration that it might be changed so that in Group 1, item (b), Conservation and Arid Zone Forestry, and (c), Tree Improvement and Plantations, are in fact ranked before (a) which is concerned with investment in forest industries; while under Group 3, item (c), Production, Distribution and use of Fuelwood, would appear to be the one meriting highest priority.
Chapter V, Environment:the inclusion of the objectives in paragraph 5. 1 is both welcomed and supported.
Finally, Chapter VI, Development Support Programmes: The general line of this chapter is accepted, but we consider more practical emphasis should be placed on the need to improve the extension services in developing countries as well as giving research support to other national research programmes in order to ensure that the benefits of FAO support get to the farming sector at grass roots level. Efforts must also be made to ensure basic management for farmers through training programmes at a level which could make use of the proposed objectives outlined in the paper.
Ms. J. SZANTO (Hungary): Medium-Term Objectives is one of the issues at our conference which calls for great attention. In this paper the objectives where priorities are concentrated are lucidly outlined, well constructed and comprehensive. Therefore, my delegation would like to thank the Secretariat for its excellent work and Mr. West for his work and his brilliant introduction.
My delegation is in full agreement with the Director-General's foreword. I quote:"There has scarcely been a previous time in FAO's history when there has been as full a consensus as there is now between Member Nations on the relevance of FAO's strategies, priorities and action to the needs of the world food situation. "
My delegation supports FAO's medium-term objectives as a whole. Among the priorities, however, I should like to comment on only one of them.
Apart from the technical objectives, which we also support, I believe rural development should be stressed with an increasing emphasis. Many countries have not yet been able to develop workable strategies which could meet their specific problems or rural poverty. Therefore, they themselves should find the right and tailormade approaches in building up their national institutions and in promoting their economic and social programmes, as well as realizing the development of their food and agriculture.
With this recognition, my country, in close cooperation with FAO, has initiated with success a long-term series of projects. Within its framework rural, medium-level specialists from a number of African countries, are being trained in the management and organization of production-orientated cooperatives, with due attention to their special national rural conditions.
Two of the so-called tailor-made training projects have already been successfully accomplished. We are looking forward to welcoming the representatives of some more developing countries in this respect.
Finally, I should like to say that Hungary supports FAO's medium-term objectives, and propose this for adoption by the Conference.
D. SMITH (United States Of America):I commend the Secretariat on the quality of the Medium-Term Objective document. It presents in a concise manner the priority areas for FAO's attention during the next biennium. The MTO's are well selected and we believe their achievement will contribute considerably to improving local food production and consumption.
Although circumstances will certainly require a reordering of some priorities, and the introduction of new ones, as the 1980/81 biennium unfolds, my government believes this document will serve as a useful tool for evaluating the progress and achievements of individual programmes.
In our review of the document, the United States encountered some errors which concerned so-called targets for food aid and development assistance. These were noted by the United States delegate to the Programme Committee, and we expect that the Secretariat has corrected the documentation accordingly.
Although the United States is generally supportive of the proposed MTO's we have identified a few areas which we believe deserve greater FAO emphasis and which may require some reorientation of the proposed medium-term objectives.
First, FAO Programmes should reflect a deliberate shift to assisting the low income food deficit countries. As much of FAO'S own analytical work has demonstrated, the most urgent need for improving food production and consumption is in the poorest countries. Some of the priority areas listed in the MTO document should be recast so that their major thrust is assisting the poorest countries in the various agricultural production and nutrition programmes.
Second, the United States is pleased with the proposed increases in the nutrition programme. We have long believed that concerns for food consumption and nutrition improvement should be an integral part of any country's development plans. However, I note that the first priority objective in the nutrition area is collection and assessment of data. While this is worth while and in some cases a prerequisite for
nutritionintervention programmes it should not, we believe, be considered a top priority, in meeting the problem of nutrition.
The United States proposes that FAO adopt and follow a more comprehensive approach to nutrition than was recently recommended by the World Food Council to inter alia " link food consumption and nutrition measures with food production efforts and increase efforts in implementing food subsidy and distribution programmes. "
Third in linewith the more comprehensive approach suggested for nutrition, the United States believes the problem of rural employment needs additional emphasis. In many countries the landless rural poor are those which suffer the most from hunger and malnutrition due to inadequate purchasing power. Rural employment is mentioned in the rural development section, but the United States believes that the FAO should adopt a more active stance in promoting projects that generate additional rural employment.
FAO's follow-up activities to the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development should provide numerous opportunities for broadening the Organization's efforts in this field.
Fourth, in reference to WCARRD, the United States notes that the chapter of the Programme of Action devoted to integration of women in rural development advocates the establishment of special recruitment and training schemes to increase the number of women in the training and extension programmes of development agencies at all levels, including professional fields from which women have been traditionally excluded.
The United States also notes that resolution 10/75 passed by the Eighteenth FAO Conference requested the Director-General to assure the integration of women in all FAO programmes and projects and invited all member states of the United Nations and its Specialized Agencies to support measures ensuring that women share in the benefits of development in the rural sector.
However, according to the MTO document, the integration of women in rural development programmes will not receive priority attention over the next 5 years.
We hope this is an oversight. The US believes FAO should increase the level of participation ! of women in formulating and administering FAO's development activities as well as the number of programmes that benefit women in the rural sector.
Fifth, the recent session of the World Food Council stressed the use of national food sector strategies "in the context of national development programmes, to raise food issues to the highest policy levels and assure a more coordinated approach to all aspects of food production, distribution, nutrition and national food security". Although the MTO document was prepared prior to the WFC meeting the US believes FAO should make as one of its priority MTOs assistance in cooperation with the World Bank's efforts for formulation and implementation of national food sector strategies.
Sixth, the US is very pleased to note the 1981 session of the Committee on Agriculture will feature soil and water conservation on its agenda.
The problem of crop land degradation and losses through erosion, improper cultivation methods and salinity is one which affects all countries and has serious implications for future food production. We commend the FAO for selecting soil and water conservation as one of its MTOs and we hope that as a result of the 1981 COAG, FAO will focus increasing attention on the area of resource management.
Seventh, despite FAO's responsibility within the UN system as the major action organization for food and agriculture matters, the US believes the MTO document should more positively and concretely reflect FAO's plan to coordinate and collaborate with other multilateral and bilateral development assistance agencies. We welcome the statement by Mr. West that this kind of coordination is taking place among UN system agencies. We are all aware of the limited resources available for development assistance and the need to maximize their effectiveness.
Finally, the US is encouraged by the increasingly developmental orientation of FAO's action programme. However, there are some objectives FAO should strive for which would benefit the whole spectrum of member governments. In particular, the FAO should continue to emphasize work with the Codex Alimentarius Commission and the collection and dissemination of statistical data particularly in the area of commodities. One information gap that FAO could help close is the level of investment in agricultural sectors of developing countries. Reporting should cover all sources of investment, domestic, private and official, as well as external resources made available to agriculture.
Τ· BEN SOUDA KORACHI (Maroc): Le document C 79/9 trace les lignes directrices d'une politique de développement afin d'atteindre à moyen terme les principaux objectifs tracée pour les productions agricoles dans les pays en voie de développement. Je dois avouer que nous sommes impressionnés par l'effort demandé à ces pays, qui doivent oeuvrer en vue d'atteindre des taux de croissance très élevés (5 pour cent par an pour les productions animales, à titre d'exemple).
Bans le cadre de cette politique, ent été parfaitement cernées les principales activités devant revetir un caractère prioritaire et qui touchent divers secteurs. Nous profitons de cette occasion pour présenter nos félicitations à notre Organisation pour cet excellent document. Un point cependant semble n'avoir pas été abordé concernant l'approvisionnement même de l'agriculteur en différents inputs. En effet, il faut se rappeler que l'agriculteur est souvent loin des centres urbains et donc loin d'avoir accès à certaines fournitures et services. Aussi vous suggérerai-je de faire figurer parmi les points prioritaires l'étude et l'aide à l'implantation, à travers la campagne, d'un réseau de distribution ou de vente de facteurs de production, semences, engrais, petits matériels, produits de traitement, etc. , et des ateliers de réparation de gros et petits matériels agricoles qui font parfois gravement défaut.
Une deuxième observation concerne les objectifs de production des viandes. On pense, en effet, que le secteur avicole atteindra 8 millions de tonnes en 1985, soit plus de 7 pour cent par an. C'est à notre avis un objectif possible, car l'aviculture - et les divers rapports l'ont déjà évoqué - prend une place de plus en plus importante dans l'alimentation carnée des pays en développement. Toutefois, ce développement risquerait de se heurter, comme c'est déjà le cas pour certains pays, à un facteur limitant que constituerait le manque de maïs qui est, comme vous le savez, un élément déterminant pour ce secteur.
Je pose simplement la question, Monsieur le Président; y-a-t-il concordance entre les objectifs viande et les objectifs céréaliers et prenez-vous en considération, dans l’estimation de l'ensemble des besoins céréaliers, la consommation animale ? Je dois ajouter que je n'ai pas lu le document "Agriculture: Horizon 2000", peut-être qu'une réponse à ma question s'y trouve, veuillez m'en excuser d'avance.
K. M. KHUDHEIR (Iraq) (interpretation from Arabic): My delegation supports the statement which has been made by the, delegate of Mexico bearing upon the importance of finding solutions to all problems so that we can in fact fulfil the medium- and long-term objectives worked out by FAO. Document C 79/9 which we have to hand is extremely complete and to our mind describes the MTOs extremely well. We support the priorities given in the document particularly the objectives counselling rural development. We would like these objectives to be implemented as quickly as possible to improve the standard of living of the people in our countryside area, the village dweller, so that the village populations can describe themselves as a component and driving force in the NIEO.
P. HALIMI (France): Je voudrais tout d'abord faire un rappel historique sur l'accueil réservé dans le passé au document soumis à notre examen.
La dix-neuvième session de la Conférence générale de l’ΌΑΑ était saisie d'un document de même nature qui était considéré par de nombreuses délégations comme faisant double emploi avec le Programme de travail et budget parce qu'il renonçait à quantifier les ressources nécessaires à l'exécution des programmes au cours des bienniums ultérieurs. Notre délégation, d'accord avec d'autres, s'était ralliée à la proposition du Comité du programme qui concluait pour l'avenir à la suppression de ce document et à l'inclusion au Programme de travail et budget soumis à la Conférence d'indications sur les situations à moyen terme.
La majorité des délégations s'étant cependant prononcée pour le maintien d'un point distinct de l'ordre du jour, le document avait cependant été largement critiqué comme n'énonçant pas de priorités entre les différentes activités. Ce fut donc l'occasion pour les différentes délégations d'indiquer les domaines prioritaires à leurs yeux et, de cette large énumération par les différentes délégations, ne s'était bien évidemment dégagée aucune priorité communément acceptée.
Eh effet, le rapport de la Conférence dit notamment "la Conférence estime que l'examen du rôle, des objectifs et des priorités de la FAO, qui figurent dans le document sur les objectifs à moyen terme, devrait être étudié conjointement avec d'autres documents essentiels, en particulier le Programme de travail et budget pour 1978/79, l'examen des programmes de terrain et le SOFA. On est convenu de manière générale qu'il faudrait renforcer le document sur les objectifs à moven terme en cherchant à obtenir des comités techniques du Conseil des précisions sur l'ordre de priorité probable des diverses activités au cours des quatre à six années à venir. Ces renseignements, a--t-on estimé, aideraient les Etats Membres à se faire, à partir d'un seul document, une meilleure idée des activités envisagées par la FAO. "
Le Comité du programme, quant à lui, indique dans son rapport, paragraphe 2 239, qu'il "subsiste des doubles emplois superflus avec les sections du programme et budget qui concernent les perspectives à moyen terme"·
Ma délégation se rallie à la proposition faite au paragraphe 2 241 demandant à autoriser le Comité du Programme d'examiner en détail l'ensemble de la question et adresser au Conseil des recommandations à sa session de novembre 1980. Il est en effet indispensable d'examiner les mesures qui pourraient être prises pour rationaliser les documents qui se rattachent étroitement au Programme de travail et budget.
S'agissant du document lui-même et des propositions qui y sont faites, je ne voudrais pas, Monsieur le Président, rappeler les programmes et sous-programmes que mon pays considère comme prioritaires; j'ai eu l'occasion de le faire dans mes précédentes interventions et je m'arrêterai à deux activités citées au paragraphe 8. 15 du document.
Programmes d'action spéciaux au Sahel: Les activités menées dans la région soudano-sahélienne pour lutter contre la sécheresse et la désertification ont toujours bénéficié du plein appui de mon gouvernement. L'élargissement des compétences géographiques et des fonctions du bureau des Nations Unies pour le Sahel, qui devient une entreprise commune PNUD-PNUE, va lui permettre de s'attacher à la lutte contre la désertification. Nous espérons que ce bureau accordera, comme par le passé, une attention soutenue à la coopération avec le Comité inter-Etats de luttecontre la sécheresse au Sahel, qui a tenu récemment sa troisième Conférence, en liaison avec le Club du Sahel.
Quelle est dans cette région la contribution apportée par mon pays au développement agricole ? M. Yriart y faisait allusion ce matin. Plus de 350 experts dans le domaine de l'agriculture, de l'élevage, des forêts, du génie rural, sont mis à la disposition des pays de la compétence du Ministère de la coopération. Nombre d'entre eux exercent des activités dans le cadre d'opérations faisant l'objet de co-financement où interviennent différentes sources financières bilatérales et multilatérales parmi lesquelles, dans de nombreux cas, figure l’ΌΑΑ. Il en est ainsi notamment pour les travaux intéressant des bassins lacustres et fluviaux de la région Afrique, intéressant plusieurs groupements d'Etats.
Pour l'année 1978, les crédits suivants ont été attribués dans les pays de la compétence du Ministère de la coopération:
250 millions de francs consacrés à la recherche fondamentale et appliquée,
100 millions de francs à l'assistance technique,
près de 200 millions de francs de subventions à des opérations d'investissement.
Nous nous efforcerons de poursuivre cet effort dans le moyen terme en concertation avec les pays bénéficiaires.
Il est intéressant de noter que, sur les investissements de l'aide bilatérale française dirigés vers les pays sahéliens, les fonds affectés au développement rural ont crû de 55, 7 pour cent en 1977 à 66, 8 pour cent en 1979· C'est dire l'importance que nous attachons au développement rural dans ces pays dont la majorité appartient au groupe des moins développés.
La seconde activité sur laquelle je voudrais centrer mon intervention est la lutte contre le criquet pèlerin. Nous fèlicitons bien vivement le Directeur général des activités de l'OAA en matière de lutte contre le criquet pèlerin. L'action menée au siège par une équipe dynamique permet la mise en oeuvre de ressources de diverses origines, sans oublier l'aide de la CEE.
Depuis 1977, nous avons vu se développer avec une réelle inquiétude une nouvelle invasion de ce ravageur. La menace d'une destruction massive des récoltes de nombreux pays d'Afrique et d'Asie par ce redoutable ennemi des cultures risquait fort de mettre en péril les acquis d'un développement agricole en plein essor.
Mon pays, qui au cours des années a participé activement à l'étude des fléaux acridiens et à la mise au point des méthodes de prévention contre le retour de ces catastrophes, a apporté une contribution importante au programme de lutte proposé et coordonné par la FAO. Mon pays a participé aux différentes réunions qui ont contribué à la mise au point des mesures à prendre pour éliminer la menace acridienne et pour coordonner l'exécution des travaux. La France, pour sa part, a fourni des moyens de lutte divers, des avions, des pilotes et des mécaniciens, afin de renforcer d'une façon substantielle le potentiel de lutte de l'Organisation antiacridienne pour l'Ouest africain.
Grâce aux mesures prises, les essaims du criquet pèlerin ont été éliminés et nous en sommes revenus à la situation de rémission d'avant 1977.
Nous désirons féliciter la FAO pour la façon dont elle a abordé ce problème particulièrement grave, pour la parfaite coordination des efforts qu'elle a assurée et pour la vigueur avec laquelle elle a poursuivi son effort jusqu'au remarquable succès que nous enregistrons aujourd'hui.
Nous souhaitons que les moyens de telles interventions soient maintenus, car le danger d'un retour d'une invasion ne peut à priori être exclu. Tout doit être fait pour atteindre cet objectif.
En conclusion, la délégation française estime que ce document ne devrait plus faire l'objet d'un examen séparé, mais être sinon fondu avec le Programme de travail et budget, du moins examiné en même temps que le Programme de travail et budget.
W. KISAMBA-MUGERWA (Uganda):My delegation has critically studies the document C 79/9, Medium Term Obejctives and we would like to commend the Secretariat on producing a good document. We generally agree with the objectives as identified.
The Medium Term Objectives are clearly reflected in the FAO Field and Regular Programmes that have just been under discussion, and therefore, make a suitable bridge between the biennial programme of Work and Budget and the focus on Agriculture Toward the Year 2000.
The points which we raise on this item are merely for emphasis.
We realize that FAO deals with a wide spectrum of food and agricultural activities all over the world. Its objectives and priorities therefore, tend to be of a general nature. Realizing regional diversity in the level of development, social and cultural background, my delegation wishes to suggest that in future identification and discussion of objectives, and particularly priorities and programmes at regional and sub-regional levels should be encouraged and intensified. We are sure this will be in line with FAO policy of decentralization and a grass root approach towards food and agricultural planning.
On the question of food, Mr. Chairman, the Regional Conference for Africa last year focussed such attention on a food plan for Africa and adopted a strong worded resolution requesting the FAO to assist member countries to draw up their food policies and plans. To my delegation this proposal deserves the highest priority since Africa continues to be a food problem area. Planning without policy is futile. A bad policy leads to a poor plan. We would have liked to see specific programmes reflected in the medium term objectives.
Another area of major concern where we would like to see FAO emphasis, concerns farm inputs production. We are aware that these inputs are taken care of by industrial sectors. However, since industrial sectors are negligible in most poor developing countries and the costs of their importation is prohibitive to their use, there is a case for FAO to break the tradition by initiating and supporting programmes for input production in these countries. Industries for such inputs as animal drugs, fishing nets, insecticides, handhoes, fertilizers, can be started either in individual countries or for groups of countries.
Mr. Chairman, my delegation is aware and appreciates the efficiency with which FAO tackles the recurrent disasters of droughts, floods, pest and disease outbreaks and others. However, my delegation is concerned that whereas these have become more or less annual disasters, we have not formulated Medium Term or even long term plans for combating them. It is our view that it is high time FAO formulated specific plans for dealing with these catastrophes instead of merely waiting for them in order to take action.
This delegation does not wish to take prolonged time on Medium Term Objectives because the Secretariat has obviously done a good job and we agree with their views. We should, however, like to conclude our intervention by pointing out that most developing countries have resources whose potential has not been fully assessed and for which this Organization has the capacity and capability to assist. These include land use evaluations, assessment of irrigation potential and capability, fishery resources and potential, and drawing up plans for their proper utilization and exploitation.
F. KESMIR (Turkey): The document Medium Term Objectives, detailing FAO's activities for the coming years has been carefully examined by the Turkish delegation.
This document contains all FAO's objectives in a single format and enables a clearer observation of the situation reflected in the Programme of Work and Budget. It also contains a realistic assessment of the situation and a new definition of the objectives.
My delegation has only a few comments to make on this subject. First, in the Chapter related to natural resources, it is mentioned that there is need for rendering small farmers market oriented by creating suitable farm systems. It is also stated that small farmers development will take place among the activities to be carried out.
According to our experience from the situation of small farmers in Turkey, we believe that their problems cannot be solved by merely making the best use of their small plots of land. The improvements of the present situation of small farmers, and giving them the same production, processing, preservation and marketing facilities with the large farm holders necessitates the implementation of integrated programmes. We are also of the opinion that it would be beneficial if the objectives concerning small farmers development are transferred to the section or Rural Development.
We do not believe that the nutrition problem of the World population can be solved by nourishing this population by cereals alone. We believe that fish and sea products to be produced by the developing countries, which have now extended economic zones as a result of the new Ocean's Regime will contribute greatly to ensuring a balanced nutrition for these countries' populations.
We note that FAO's Medium Term Objectives concerning fisheries have been prepared with this understanding. Such developing countries should be given the means to market these products internally as well as internationally. In this respect FAO could make great contributions to the wide activities to be started by these countries. Besides their objectives regarding the support to cooperation at regional level may bring very positive results.
FAO should also continue its relations in the future with the Financial Organization to ensure that they provide more resources for agricultural investments in meeting the external assistance required if we want to reach the target of four percent annual agricultural production increase.
FAO should also endeavour to increase its facilities to the highest possible level during the preparation, implementation and follow-up of investment projects. We believe that FAO should also consider in its Medium Term Objectives the provision of assistance to large private and public investments in developing countries to be financed from these countries' own resources.
To conclude we would like to express our wish to see the following regional medium term objectives included in addition to already existing ones. To provide services required for agro-industrialization of the developing countries in the European region. To enable these countries to become more competitive in world markets by helping them to produce commodities in conformity with valid international standards. To continue programmes dealing with the problems of less favoured areas of the developing countries.
KONG CAN-DONG (China) (interpretation from Chinese): Having heard Mr. West's detailed explanation, ana some delegates' interventions, we also wish to make a few comments on the subject under consideration. The document prepared by the Secretariat proceeding from the long-term objectives of the increasing food production in developing countries, ensuring a more equitable distribution of income and reducing the gaps between poor and rich countries proposed eleven areas of priority for FAO in Medium Term Objectives for agriculture. Most of these have been raised and discussed with emphasis at various relevant meetings of the Organization. The Chinese delegation holds no different views on this question, but just wish to stress the following points. First, in the document para. 2. 9 calls for assisting the developing countries to develop, adapt and put into wider use appropriate technology which needs the local aids and is consistent with their resource endowment. We regard this as of great importance.
As everybody knows, most of the developing countries are short of funds and agricultural inputs. Under these circumstances in accordance with the specific economic, social and natural conditions of the developing countries, if assistance is provided so that they can introduce and apply the appropriate technology that defrays less funds, but contributes to considerably higher yields, that will certainly help a lot towards the developing of agricultural production in the developing countries. For example, the use of suitable improved seeds is effective in increasing yields, hence assistance in the breeding and selection of improved seeds suited to local conditions and in the training of related technical personnel, would prove to be practicable and effective. This holds true too in other fields such as land evaluation, soil survey and plant protection.
Much rewarding work has been done in the past by FAO in providing technical services, the training of technical personnel and the organization of special studies. We are of the opinion that such work should be further strengthened in the future.
To develop agricultural and food production as planned takes necessary investments. In recent years FAO has paid considerable attention to the promotion of investment. We hold that this is essential to mobilize effectively both internal and external investments for agricultural and rural development in the developing countries.
The investment in the unfavourable position of the developing countries in the international trade of farm produce has been one of the important problems receiving attention in various international fora in the past few years. Paragraph 2. 9 of Doc. C 79/9 incorporates continued support for the integrated programme of commodities as one of the priorities in the medium-term objectives of the Organization. We deem this as most appropriate. Moreover, if this Organization continues to provide analysis of various factors hindering the developing countries in the international trade of farm produce and puts "forward practical solutions for consideration and negotiation by the parties concerned, it would certainly be conducive to the healthy development of international trade in farm produce.
C. THOMSEN (Denmark): I would like to make the following statement on behalf of all the Nordic countries.
The Nordic countries continue to attach great importance to the formulation and clarification of medium-term objectives for the activities of the Organization. It is primarly through the discussion of and suggestions for modification of trends in the medium-term that Member Governments have an apportunity to influence the future Programme of Work in the right direction.
As stated in the document before us, C 79/9, this exercise also has the important function of establishing a bridge between the long term perspectives resulting from the study on "Agriculture Toward 2000" and the biennial Programme of Work and Budget.
In our view the document before us does indeed provide a useful basis for our considerations, and we would like to pay tribute to the almost heroic efforts which have been made to accommodate the demands of the various governing bodies. The task is certainly not an easy one, quite apart from the problem of integrating the results of this with the other elements of the programming procedure without unduly overlapping and without repetition.
We very rauch welcome the uniform framework which has now been adopted for the medium term objectives, as well as for the Review of the Regular Programme and the Programme of Work and Budget. This obviously facilitates the study and comparative analysis of these documents, and it also facilitates theorganization of the presentation, if this is found desirable.
In this connexion, it seems appropriate to emphasise the value of considering for each sub-section of the Programme, the objectives together with the past achievements and the proposed activities. This sector approach is of particular interest from the point of view of obtaining the contributions from the technical committees and facilitating their input.
At the same time, it is important to maintain an overview of the total picture and the interrelationship between the different parts of the objectives and the proposed activities. We therefore support the need for a general introduction to this approach by sectors.
We would also like to express our appreciation of the efforts made to arrive at some kind- of relative priorities within the major programmes, as has been set out in pages 2 to 9 of the document.
We very much support this attempt and would like to see it maintained, and, if possible extended to include all sectors of the total programme. We are aware of the difficulties, but believe that the exercise involved can have very beneficial effects by way of sharpening the focus of the activities of the Organization.
When we look at the preliminary results of the study on "Agriculture Toward 2000", one of the most important conclusions for the long term goals would appear to be that it is not enough to increase agricultural production. Improved nutrition depends also on the progress made towards a more equitable income distribution and agriculture must provide employment to a large part of the expected increase in the labour force in developing countries.
These conclusions should lead to increased emphasis in the medium-term objectives on rural development and the socio-economic technological development. In our view, it is not just a question of a particular sub-programme on rural development, but the linkages and inter-relationships implied in rural develooment should influence all parts of the FAO programme. This also applies to the mechanisms for implementation as they have been set out in paragraph 2. 10.
I should now like to make just a few comments on priority areas in selected sub-sectors, but they will be limited to part II of the document on agriculture. As far as natural resources, crops and livestock are concerned, we are in agreement with the relative priorities indicated for the activities of FAO.
Under "Research Support" on page 10, we consider that applications of isotope research deserve a lower priority in the activities of FAO. We would also like to suggest that for the next exercise additional efforts should be made to arrive at a statement of relative priorities under the programmes of information and anlysis and policy.
Again, we appreciate the difficulties involved, some of which have been set out in the document, but we still think that it should be possible to make further progress in that direction.
Finally, we would like to reiterate our strong support for the continued setting of relative priorities for the activities of the Organization. Such an exercise will be of increasing importance in a period when the restraints on resources are likely to become more and more important to international organiza-zations as well as to national governments.
We would also like again to emphasise the implications of rural development to the activities of the FAO and the challenge which we believe they represent to the managerial capacity of the Organization. Whether the presentation of the mediumterm objectives should continue to take the form of a separate document is perhaps worth considering, as has been suggested. Our main concern would be that the elements of the document are maintained somewhere in the documents before the Conference. We would, like, however, to emphasise that we find it important that the technical committees should continue to have an opportunity to discuss the medium term objectives within their areas of competence This will be even more important in so far as it is our view that these committees should be asked to look at the relevant parts of the study on "Agriculture Toward 2000".
C. 0. KELLER SARMIENTO (Argentina): Queremos antes que nada felicitar a la Secretaría por este excelente documento C 79/9. Coincidimos plenamente con la forma y la sustancia de su contenido y nos congratulamos de esta su sexta edición. Agradecemos al Dr. West la introducción que nos ha hecho de este tema y creemos que es extremadamente útil para encuadradar debidamente nuestro debate y fijarlo en el temario que está a nuestra consideración.
En particular, mi delegación desea destacar lo que acaba de expresar el doctor West, en el sentido de que los planes y prioridades, incluso tal como están previstos, deben adaptarse a las políticas y condiciones de cada país. No existen unas soluciones globales y hay soluciones por países. Nos es difícil, a estas alturas del debate, no caer en la atractiva tentación de hacer comentarios generales en torno a la filosofía general de este problema. Tampoco podríamos ni tendríamos tiempo para profundizar en torno a estas importantes cuestiones, que constituyen desde hace muchos años el objetivo de las acciones de nuestros países en muchas áreas internacionales y que merecen también toda la atención de la comunidad internacional. Necesitaríamos más tiempo y un marco de referencia más amplio para hacerlo con precision y con la atención que el tema merece.
Coincidimos también con el doctor West en la necesidad de incrementar las actividades interagenciales. Hay que evitar duplicaciones y coordinar las tareas que se efectúen en el ámbito internacional. Con respecto al programa en sí, pensamos que tal vez sea oportuno incluir en algún mometo el tema "objetivos a plazo medio, alguna referencia a la cooperación técnica entre países en desarrollo en materia de agricultura y alimentación".
En el punto b) "objetivos a plazo medio", inciso 1, "recursos naturales", destacamos la necesidad de una mayor acción de la FAO en el inciso 2. 13, para evaluar y detectar las posibilidades de aprovechamiento de tierras en las principales zonas agrícolas, y por ello coincidimos con las prioridades señaladas en el párrafo 2. 18.
Con respecto a la ganadería, contenida en el punto 3, estamos de acuerdo con las prioridades establecidas, pero, no obstante ello, quisiéramos que se agregara en 2. 37, capítulo de "sanidad animal", la lucha contra la aftosa. Este es un tema de radical importancia para muchos países, y de la eficacia con que se encare y del esfuerzo que se puede dedicar a través de la FAO para combatir sus efectos, pueden derivarse excelentes condiciones para las posibilidades de reacción de muchos mercados ganaderos.
El capítulo 4, página 10 del texto español, "apoyo a la investigación", tiene una importancia crucial, y nos gustaría una mayor precisión e intensidad en el párrafo 2. 45.
En el capítulo 5"desarrollo rural" creemos necesario destacar la enseñanza, extensión y capacitación como cuestiones prioritarias que debieran tener mayor énfasis por parte de la FAO.
En el capítulo 6, página 29, párrafo 6. 1, creemos que los objetivos señalados son adecuados, tal como aparecen expuestos en el párrafo 6 b). Tal vez, eso sí, podríamos extendernos en algunas impresiones sobre cómo incrementar la disponibilidad de recursos en el sector de las inversiones, como está contenido en el inciso a) de este párrafo.
El párrafo 7. 7 del capítulo 7 "perspectivas y prioridades regionales" se dedica a América Latina. Consideramos las propuestas hechas por la FAO, pero interpretamos que las prioridades señaladas no lo son sino en función de los recursos y no de la importancia de los problemas. Estamos seguros, y comprendemos, que la flexibilidad de la FAO encarará una acción eficaz en este terreno. En este sentido, nuestra preferencia sería enfatizar el inciso b), relativo a la expansión de la producción agrícola y ganadera mediante la utilización de tecnologías adecuadas.
Por útimo, queremos destacar el acierto del resumen contenido en la página 38 del texto español, que nos apresuramos a apoyar. Especialmente nos parece oportuno citar el punto 8. 24, donde se expresa que, si bien la mayor prioridad debe seguir asignádose a las actividades prácticas, también tiene gran importancia la protección al medio ambiente y a la investigación. Estos dos elementos constituyen, a juicio de nuestra delegación, la reserva tangible de la civilización y su capacidad para superar los graves problemas que parecen cernirse sobre nuestro planeta en un futuro cercano.
A. F. CHOUDHURY (Bangladesh):\ I must first compliment Mr. West for his very able introduction of this subject before us, that is Medium-Term Objectives.
Μr· Chairman, despite Long-term and Medium-Term Objectives, in our anxiety about the outlook of agriculture by the year 2000 A. D. what do we find today?We find that the world has a larger number of hungry and malnutritioned people. No doubt the report to the Conference cannot be said to be pessimistic, but we are pessimistic about the future. Of course we have to live on hopes for the future, but do our performance and our achievements as of today, justify our hope for tomorrow. This question I put to myself and to all the delegates present here today. Our objectives show the food rate for the world to be very substantial by the end of the century, whether we take cereals or meat or fish or anything else, so the objectives laid before this Conference will be difficult to achieve unless constraints and concentrated efforts are made financially and technologically by the Member Nations. In concrete terms this will mean much larger investment by today'smore fortunate and richer nations.
I feel myself, with the distinguished delegate of Mexico, that the time has come for the powerful nations of the world to consider if in the future they should invest much more in eradicating hunger and malnutrition from this world, rather than investing deadly and deadlier weapons.
C. PALMER (Sierre Leone): My delegation considers the document C 79/9 to be concise and integrated, touching on salient priority areas while at the same time being devoid of duplicity of programmes.
We believe, however, that greater emphasis should have boon paid to the development of the small farmer who has been relatively neglected, but at the same time who plays a very significant role in food production, particularly in developing countries. Such attention we believe will involve the integrated approach which is very closely linked with the rural development concept strongly emphasized in the majority of developing countries and international fora. Moreover the small farmer development will be the focus of attraction of the order of individual disciplines, such as listed in the various chapters of the documents. Of course, Sir, we welcome the greater emphasis on crop improvement and management, particularly on the skills of the small farmers.
We also welcome the emphasis on marketing and the programme of food and agriculture and industries, if the objective is to be achieved to provide steady outlets for poor farmers. However we would like to talk on one important aspect. We believe, Sir, that credit programmes and policies are to be geared towards the existing projects which have created programmes and clear-cut objectives, or relatively clear-cut objectives. We believe this will allow for the quantification and qualification of the assistance, whether it is short-term or long-term.
We believe also that these projects will also spread out into extended phases: FAO's assistance will spread out into extended phases of the existing projects.
We think the attachment to such an assistance to existing projects will allow for the following advantages. Assistance will be practical, adaptable and also provide adaptable designs. The assistance we believe will also have definite time phases for implementation. It will also involve local institutions at all stages, and moreover the eventual inclusion of the projects will allow for the inclusion of local institutions in the implementation process. We think also there will be very little friction in the possibility for funding.
On livestock, Sir, we agree with the list of priorities with a minor amendment. This involves giving priority to improvements to national veterinary services, not only on the training of staff but the provision of equipment as well.
On research we should like to see greater emphasis on on-going research programmes which include supporting national research institutions. That is the complement of grants for specific projects, such as the All Coordinated Trials Programme that FAO has funded in my country.
Consequently my delegation would like to see greater emphasis being placed on priority Bs that is improvement of research, extension linkages and evaluation of resources.
On fish, we welcome the FAO's medium-term objectives but we are concerned that the small scale fisherman has received very little attention. PerhapsFAO's programme for community fishery centres could have been mentioned, as we believe such a practical adaptable programme will form the breach between the present status quo of fisheries and the desired effect from the programme for the development and management of fisheries in the exclusive economic zones.
On rural development we agree with FAO's proposed programme in this centre although we have had very little information on the monitoring system of these proposals as has been indicated.
On forestry we support the approach on ballast package of activities adopted in the document. Much that we support categories I and 2, my delegation will, however, wish to lay very strong emphasis on categ category 3, because we believe the implementation of programmes in this group will fit squarely with the immediate desires and priorities of the developing countries at a time when rural development is a must.
A. F. GRABISCH(Germany, Fed Rep. of) (interpretation from German): My delegation would also like to thank the Secretariat for the presentation of document C 79/9 end for the excellent introduction we have been given by Dr. West.
The document as we see it is a good paper because it gives comprehensive information on the aims and strategies FAO will pursue in the years to come within the framework of its activities. We agree with the basic statement in the summary of this document on page 35, that the problem and thus also the objectives of FAO's work cannot - or only with difficulty - be separated into short-term, medium-term and long-term objectives.
We also share the view that for the individual objectives no firm rank list can in fact be set up. It would rather be of theoretical value. Therefore in the introduction the document states again that where possible only relative priorities should be pointed out.
Finally, the statement seems important to my delegation in the introduction on page 1 of this document that it is intended to be read in conjunction with other major Conference documents including the Review of the Regular Programme, the State of Food And Agriculture, the provisional Study on Agriculture Toward 2000 and the Programme of Work and Budget. Since the documents mentioned necessarily keep on reflecting the objectives of FAO work in detail and, as stated correctly on page 35, paragraph 8. 6, the main objectives in agriculture do not change much, if at all, over a period of 6 years, the question arises for my delegation how such a separate document entitled Medium Term Objectives is to be continued in future years.
Mr. Chairman, as a matter of principle we are in favour of continuing this document because it also facilitates coordination talks between FAO and other specialized agencies, and its position vis-a-vis these other specialized agencies in the UN system.
The drawing up of such a document also induces the Organization to a certain extent to continuously elaborate on the orientation of its future activities, and this Seems to coincide with the view expressed by the delegate from Denmark. Duplication, however, should be avoided in that context as far as possible. Not all from the technical committees COAG, COFI, CCP and other working parties need be repeated here.
On the NØTO's themselves, apart from the difficulties of delimitation and evaluation just mentioned we would like to state that they cover practically all important areas of FAO activities. I repeat the statements made in this respect are concrete, and precise. They reflect the results of the discussions in the various committees and sub-committees which have dealt with the various questions in detail. To that extent, my delegation has no comments of principle. We would merely like to mention that in the introduction to several Chapters of this document figures and targets are often used without giving the sources or showing how they have been calculated. Within the framework of such a separate presentation this seems to me to be a gap that should still be filled.
As for regional perspectives and priorities, I should merely like to state that it will no doubt be necessary to pay special attention to the regional activities and thus also to the role of regional offices.
After the decision for decentralization to country level, a new situation has arisen, with regard to the "three arms" of the Organization, as the Director-General calls them.
This may necessitate some changes in the future. We support the statements of the previous speaker from Sierra Leone on the development and promotion of small farmers.
As a summary for the evaluation and assessment of the contents of this document, seems to me very suitable the third paragraph of the foreword of the document before us where it says: "therehas scarcely been a previous time in FAO 's history when there has been as full a consensus as there is now between Member Nations on the relevance of FAO's strategies, priorities and action to the needs of the world food situation, on the ways and means employed by the Organization and on its effectiveness". This, no doubt, is a very gratifying statement.
P. MASUD (Pakistan): We have found the Medium-Term Objectives document to be concise, well presented and useful to the consideration of the Programme of Work and Budget.
We feel that generally the Medium-Term Objectives meets the needs of developing countries, particularly for development assistance in support of developing and strengthening their own capacities
On the programmes, we support the objectives in nutrition, with the particular emphasis on nutrition education, and when I talk about "nutrition education" I do not mean intensive courses leading up to PhD. s and things like that, but simply straightforward importing of instructions to mothers that they should feed their children at the proper time, keep the utensils clean, and so on.
We fully support the suggestion made by the delegate of Italy on paragraph 2. 21 and the need for increasing traditional crops. The addition of pulses would be a very useful contribution, we are sure. Incidentally, I may mention that pulses are a good source of protein and that would prove helpful in improving the nutritional status of the badly nourished. In this connection, we also suggest more concentration on oilseed.
Reference has been made to rural employment. In this connexion I would refer to the proceedings of the 37th Session of the Programme Committee which highlights the need for emphasis on rural employment in all FAO activities which would be taken up within the general follow-up to the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development. We welcome the ranking of relative priorities, but Would urge that these be treated with caution, as the rankings are only approximate and relative to other matters. We agree with the delegate of Sierra Leone regarding the role of the small farmer. Already- a lot of attention is being devoted to this subject, but we still feel it is worthwhile highlighting it once again.
On the regional perspective, we feel that if these could be included, as they already are, it would prove useful in the overall consideration of the document.
Lastly, coming to the subject of national food sector strategies, in our capacity as a member of the Programme Committee I raised the question as to exactly what was a food sector strategy. I did not get a very clear answer, but still an attempt was made. I would raise that question again: what is a food sector strategy?For instance, what could constitute a food sector strategy for the World Bank may not be so for the Asian Development Bank or for the African Development Bank, and vice versa, so first we have to determine who determines what a food sector strategy is, and after having determined that, what action do we take? There are certain countries at the moment which already have food plans. Are we to ask them to drop those food plans and to adopt the food sector strategy approach, or are they to continue with their existing efforts?
In the case of my own country, I can tell you that we have a fifth Five Year plan in which there are definite objectives backed up by definite policy measures to achieve those objectives. I think those do constitute a food sector strategy. This sounds very impressive to say that countries should adopt a ood sector strategy, but I would really like to know what it constitutes.
In this connexion I should like to quote from a document which I received from New York which was presented by the Group of 77 in New York. It says it "invites the Council to examine the matter further, having due regard for the principle of full respect for the development plans and priorities of developing countries, particularly the food-deficit developing countries, to consider the advisability or otherwise of adopting food strategies within the framework of their national development programmes".
We fully support that position. The position taken by the Group of 77 in New York further goes on to say "development assistance agencies, whether national or international, should not make the preparation of a national, food strategy a condition for development assistance. " This is a point which my delegation made at the Ottawa Conference where this food sector strategy idea was proposed and considered, and we would like to repeat it once again. If this food sector strategy approach is to be made a precondition, we strongly oppose it.
M. YÖKOYAMA (Japan):The problem of food and agric'ulture which developing countries face cannot be viewed in a short-term context. It must be dealt with in the light of medium-term or long-term goals and requirements. In this sense, it is quite proper that the Secretariat has submitted Medium-Term Objectives that provides an order of broad relative priorities within major programmes.
The major task that FAO faces is undoubtedly to eliminate hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.
Thus, the Medium Term Objectives gives priority to such matters as promotion of food and agricultural production in developing countries, improvement of nutrition and rural development.
The Japanese delegation has no objection to such priorities in view of the necessity to selve the world food problem. However, we feel that we must take into consideration the fact that the resources of FAO are limited, and we need to start with such programmes as these will certainly bring about expected results.
Thus, the Japanese delegation is of the view that priority should be placed upon integrated rural development, the food and agricultural information system, the strengthening of national research capabilities of developing countries and production of grains, especially rice.
As for rural development, we think that special emphasis should be given to agrarian reform, marketing and improvement of allocation of inputs, bearing in mind the recommendations of the World Conference of Agrarian Reform and Rural Development.
Finally, I would like to say that it is the view of the Japanese delegation that more effective utilization of the Food and Agricultural Information and Analysis System is needed. We think that the system is a very useful means that helps FAO accomplish its task and role.
M. ZJALIĆ (Yugoslavia): Documento C 79/9 gives us a useful and concise summary of the Medium-Term Objectives and priority areas for FAO attention, and we should like to congratulate FAO on this excellent document which covers all the major activities of the Organization. We accept this document, also, as a bridge between the biennial Programme of Work and Budget and the study of "Agriculture: Toward 2000".
As for means and how to achieve the goals, especially the growth rate of agricultural production in the world, and in the developing countries, we think that an estimate of US $10, 000 million annually for external assistance is a minimum amount needed to help developing countries reach such a growth rate in agricultural production. In regard to this we consider that in paragraph 6. 11 the annual target of US $8. 3 billion at 1975 prices is a minimal target which should have been achieved earlier and which could remain as a target for the next period just as a minimal target.
Secondly, I would like to underline the importance of the activity in paragraph 2. 69. I would like to add that in this paragraph I could not find impact and existing protectionist trade policies and practices on the development of agricultural production in developing countries. I think this is one of the big problems and this problem should be solved if we want to achieve the goals of "Agriculture: Toward 2000" and to see fewer hungry people on this earth.
N. VIDAL HOSPITAL (España):En primer lugar quería unirme a la felicitación de muchos otros delegados al magnífico documento que nos ha presentado la Secretaría, que yo considero muy válido, y por lo tanto, renuncio a comentar muchos de los puntos que me parecen salientes e importantes para fijarme solamente en dos de ellos.
El primer punto es el punto 2. 28 en el que se hace mención a las semillas y recursos genéticos. Evidentemente se dice que la FAO deberá dedicar y organizar el estudio, conservación, documentación y utilización de recursos genéticos, en colaboración con el IBPGR, a escala nacional, regional y mundial. Evidentemente existen bancos bastantes, bancos de geoplasma a nivel nacional, e incluso regional, amparados todos ellos por leyes nacionales. Creo que estos bancos están haciendo un papel muy importante, tienen magníficas relaciones entre sí y han logrado rescatar de la desaparición un buen número de especies, y por lo tanto hacer una labor enormemente interesante. Pero nosotros echamos de menos la presencia de un banco internacional, que quizás podría estar situado en la FAO, que garantizara la utilización y disfrute indiscriminado de los aportadores en el futuro, y que se administrara mediante un reglamento especial que garantizara los derechos de todos los depositarios.
Esto en primer lugar; en segundo lugar, en el punto 2. 45 que se refiere a las prioridades, a las principales actividades que podrían ser prioritarias en cuanto al fomento de la investigación, a mí me parece que no sé si cabría en estas prioridades que son cinco, incluir una sexta, en estos momentos, que parece importante y que podría ser la del fomento de la investigación colectiva en materia de agroenergética.
R. B. RYANGA (Kenya):I should like to thank the Secretariat for producing document C 79/9 on the Medium-term Objectives, and also Mr. West for introducing this document. Any MTO must be in conformity with long-term strategy and goals in order to reach them. In our case any MTO must ensure the long-term goals of adequately feeding the white population, reducing the gap between rich and poor, between nations, between groups within nations, and individuals, and providing for the rural population. It is true there are differences between developing countries themselves, but while this is true nobody would deny the need for increased self-sufficiency in foodstuffs in developing countries or the fact that efforts will have to be local for this to be put into effect. This delegation therefore supports the long-term goals and strategies.
This delegation also supports the medium-term objectives priority as outlined in the document, including the reduction of post-harvest losses, the development of natural resources and improved use of land and water resources, improved systems to obtain high crop productivity and livestock development in agriculture and so on. This delegation supports the priorities as listed under Agriculture in the various sub-sections. While it would be invidious on our part to highlight any particular priority because what Africa needs is more of everything to bring it forward from its position behind everyone else in all fields of endeavour, we would like to highlight the application of integrated pest control methods to improve production of livestock and agriculture.
On fisheries, we support the long-term strategy, particularly the exploitation of species of fish hitherto neglected, using more of the fish catch for human consumption and ensuring further fish supplies by reducing loss and waste. We believe the implementation of these new systems will reduce fish losses, will allow stocks to rise, and make the fisheries more productive. My delegation therefore supports the medium-term programme as outlined in paragraph 3. 21.
On forestry we support the MTO as well as long-term strategy. Many of the objectives are in line with the Djakarta Declaration which received support from Commission I. With regard to intensive arid zone forestry measures we agree that cooperation with other bodies should continue. Research in the more efficient use of fuel wood as well as the promotion of better methods of the production of charcoal should be intensified.
The importance of training cannot be overemphasized, and we would like to stress the importance of additional training and are glad to note that FAO is ready to offer assistance in establishing personnel to be trained.
On the question of the environment obviously a multi-disciplinary approach is necessary in order to stop depletion of natural resources, measures should be taken each according to its capabilities. Therefore my delegation supports the paragraph 5. 1 objectives.
The proposals of development support programmes are welcome, and recipient countries should be involved in planning, implementation, modification and resolution of FAO programmes affecting them.
This delegation supports the principle MTO in investment, particularly the promotion of investment resources for agriculture and the rural sector in developing countries, especially to facilitate the flow of resources in line with the national target of US$8. 3 billion.
On regional perspectives and priorities, we support the MTO in this section and call upon FAO to strengthen activity in that region because it remains far behind in food production.
N. DIMITRIU (Roumanie):Je voudrais tout d'abord remercier le Secrétariat pour le document qu'il nous a soumis, au sujet des objectifs à moyen terme, et tout particulièrement pour la conception du document C 79/9.
En effet, Monsieur le Président, nous considérons nécessaire que les objectifs à moyen terme soient conçus en tenant dûment compte de la strattégie à long terme. Nous sommes très satisfaits de voir que c'est dans ce sens que le Secrétariat a agi.
Nous sommes d'accord, en général, avec la priorité suggérée dans le document susmentionné, et notamment à la page 3, en ce qui concerne les domaines prioritaires d'action à moyen terme.
Je voudrais mentionner quand même quelques-uns de ces domaines qui se révèlent, de l'opinion de la Délégation roumaine, d'une très grande importance. Ce sont, à notre avis, les suivants:
a) l'augmentation de la production et de la productivité dans l'agriculture, aidant les pays en voie de développement à l'organisation de l'amélioration et de la production des semences de qualité, à l'augmentation du rendement des pâturages et des prés naturels, à la sélection des animaux;
b) la mise en valeur des terres et des eaux, premièrement par des programmes d'irrigation et d'amélioration foncière;
c) le développement rural intégré à travers la mise en pratique du plan des actions adopté lors de la Conférence mondiale pour la réforme agraire et développement rural du mois de juillet dernier;
d) la pèche maritime et la pèche continentale, l'aménagement des bassins en vue de l'augmentation de la production de poissons;
e) la recherche scientifique dans le domaine agricole;
f) le développement de la coopération entre les pays en développement;
g) l'augmentation du taux des exportations agricoles des pays en voie de développement.
En disant cela, je voudrais m'arrêter très brièvement sur ce qui est des perspectives et priorités au niveau régional, à savoir le chapitre 7 du document C 79/9.
Je voudrais dire que la Délégation roumaine partage en partie seulement l'opinion exprimée au paragraphe 7. 17 de ce chapitre -qui manque d'ailleurs dans la version française du document- à savoir qu'en Europe existent encore de grandes disparités entre les pays de cette région. En effet, en Europe aussi il y a des pays en développement, et il me semble qu'en développant des activités dans la région européenne on devrait toujours tenir compte de cette réalité. Ce serait, d'ailleurs, dans l'esprit de la résolution C 77 adoptée il y a deux ans par la dix-neuvième Conférence. Egalement, nous sommes entièrement d'accord avec l'appréciation selon laquelle l'Europe offre de grandes possibilités pour aider les pays en développement d'autres régions.
E. OSSINGA (Gabon): La délégation gabonaise est parmi les nombreuses délégations qui ont apprécié plus d'une fois les efforts décisifs que le Directeur général et son équipe n'ont cessé de déployer pour améliorer les structures et le dynamisme de notre Organisation. Nous appuyons dans leur ensemble les objectifs à moyen terme préparés par le Secrétariat dans le document C 69/9 en discussion. Nous voulons néanmoins, et cela dans un souci de contribution positive faire quelques observations sur l'un des programmes qui nous est soumis: celui du développement rural. Ce programme nous paraît particulièrement intéressant, d'une part, parce que notre Organisation, dans ce domaine, est appelée maintenant à suivre d'une manière pratique les grandes lignes directrices de la Conférence mondiale sur la réforme agraire et le développement rural et, d'autre part, parce que les perspectives de notre Organisation en matière de développement rural constituent un espoir pour des millions d'hommes et de femmes résignés à la pauvreté dans les pays en développement dont nous sommes ressortissants.
Dans le cadre de ce programme à moyen terme, notre délégation pense qu'il serait utile d'approfondir la réflexion en matière d'étude de développement rural pour que celui-ci aboutissedes essais plus concrets.
Dans cette perspective, la FAO pourrait envisager, en complément avec l'action du Siège, des groupes de travail de réflexion externes pour ajuster son action en la matière, sous-régions par sous-régions par exemple. La dimension socio-économique de l'étude des problèmes du développement rural est, à notre avis, une donnée indispensable qui mérite d'être exploitée et développée à l'avenir. Il faudrait en effet plus que de coutume approfondir les connaissances socio-économiques du milieu rural. Face au phénomène de l'exode rural, dont l'étude à notre avis mérite une attention plus importante pour les objectifs à moyen terme de notre Organisation, il serait nécessaire, dans les pays en développement, de créer un mouvement de va et vient entre le monde rural et la ville, (notamment pour que le monde rural bénéficie du grand nombre de cerveaux concentrés dans les grandes villes) car il nous semble que le monde rural ne peut pas se développer sans échange avec l’extérieur, à partir des seuls ruraux.
Nous avons déjà, au cours de la présente session, avancé le point de vue de notre délégation quant à la nécessité qu'il y aurait pour notre Organisation de promouvoir des systèmes appropriés afin de capter et d'endiguer les effets de croissance économique nationale, notamment dans les pays en développement et de les redistribuer dans le monde rural. Mais, par expérience, nous sommes conscients de l'egoîsme et même de l'inconscience des hommes de la ville à l'égard du monde rural. C'est pourquoi il serait intéressant, de l'avis de la délégation gabonaise, que les effets de la croissance nationale soient captés en faveur du monde rural, d'une manière presque mécanique, systématique. Dans ce processus, vous vous en doutez, le module financement apparaît au premier plan.
Nous savons que des organismes financiers classiques comme le PNUD financent les projets de développement, selon une enveloppe globale par pays, et nous nous demandons dans quelle mesure, d'une façon générale, les organismes financiers mondiaux ne pourraient pas, compte tenu de l'urgence et des considérations de l'heure, imaginer un pourcentage minimum d'investissements réservés au monde rural.
Pour terminer, la délégation gabonaise souhaiterait que la FAO essaie, pour son programme à moyen terme, d'imaginer une approche moins sectaire pour le développement rural dans les pays en développement et qu'elle collabore davantage avec d'autres organismes spécialisés, tels que l'ONUDI notamment, en vue d'une action intensive destinée à développer, entre autres, un système de technologie endogène et de contribuer à adapter la technologie importée en vue du développement rationnel du monde rural.
A. HURT (Belgique): Ma délégation tient tout d'abord à remercier et à féliciter la FAO et M. West pour l'oeuvre réalisée dans le document qui nous est présenté et où se rejoignent les liens entre "l’aujourd'hui et le demain", et de l'analyse de presque tous les points qui sont passés en revue et les priorités des actions. Ceci nous donne une ligne de conduite. Mais dans cette ligne de conduite, que nous approuvons dans son ensemble, qu'il nous soit permis de revenir sur deux ou trois points que nous avons déjà eu l'occasion de citer à propos des programmes de terrain.
Tout d'abord, les mécanismes d'amorce d'un essor socio-économique sont très angoissants. Nous croyons aussi que le développement rural et la réforme agraire qui tiennent compte précisément, (et parce qu'elles en tiennent compte) de la personalité des différents pays, vont de pair avec une charte rurale nouvelle qui s'oriente vers l'emploi, et l'emploi, lui, s'oriente vers le pouvoir de vivre ou, mieux encore que "pouvoir de vivre", "pouvoir d'achat" et crée un simple mouvement allant plus irrésistiblement vers l'ouverture de l'ensemble d'une région vers le monde extérieur. Elle évite aussi l'exode vers les grands centres, en sécurisant, plus précisément, le métier rural proprement dit. En second lieu, il y a beaucoup à dire au sujet des interactions inévitables entre toutes sortes d'éléments qui doivent être pris en considération: l'agriculture, les forêts, l'élevage, l'infrastructure et l'énergie rurale, la reconquête du désert, sont des points qu'il faut choisir de subir ou de dominer et c'est bien là le rôle des programmes intégrés et leur difficulté est précisément de bien s'intégrer; non pas parce qu'on souhaite la définition d'un programme intégré, mais parce que c'est pratiquement la seule manière d'arriver à un résultat.
TAHIR BIN ABD AZIZ (Malaysia): Malaysia would like to oompliment FAO on having prepared an excellent paper for this topio of the Agenda. Document C 79/9 that we have before us is very precise and concise and its analysis is very succinct. The role and objectives are clearly spelt out for our consideration, together with the appropriate strategies. The programmes to achieve these goals and objectives are also identified for each activity area. What remains to be done to complete the paper is the need to classify these programmes on a priority basis. This is necessary because FAO does not have all the manpower and money which is required to implement the many different programmes for the Medium-Term period of six years.
Having made these general o comments on the topio under consideration, Mr. Chairman, let me now discuss the details in the documents which are relevant to Malaysia, and possibly to other developing countries. The emphasis of the Medium-Term Objectives, Mr. Chairman, is on increasing food production, particularly in the developing countries. The need to raise output is closely associated with the need to ensure an adequate supply of food for the people in the developing countries. This role is, indeed, the principal and most important role for FAO to play. However, there are many ways of producing more food, and it is imperative that food in the developing countries should be produced using the least cost method available, a method which need not necessarily be dependent on imported inputs, especially fertilizers. Within any developing country the potential for utilizing organic fertilizers is significant. Indeed, by converting wastes into organic fertilizers for growing food might possibly help in reducing the growing problem of urban and rural waste disposal.
Given the current inflationary situation and the high cost of imported fertilizers and energy, perhaps it is time to embark on finding ways and means to produce more food at the minimum cost possible. Mr. Chairman, Malaysia is convinced that should FAO embark on this endeavour, namely, to find ways and means of producing more food more cheaply. Our concern on this matter is derived from the fact that the poor must be able to buy all the food they need, and this does not mean only in terms of quantity but it must also be in terms of quality, nutritionally speaking. This can only occur if the cost of the food is within their financial capability. Consequently Malaysia would like FAO to concentrate on and give appropriate emphasis to the necessity of conducting effective studies on the economics of food production in individual developing countries in the medium-term period. More food to feed an increasing population is, of course, essential, but man does not live by food alone, he needs to be employed. But employment'per se is not enough, the employment available must be gainful employment, that is to say the employment must be able to provide an adequate income to the people involved.
Malaysia notes that in the medium-term objectives as contained in the document we have before us there is very little mention of this vitally important aspect of development. We must not forget that by his labour man is dignified and he can only appreciate his self respect if his labour is appreciated through it being gainful to him. FAO thus should focus its attention more on this employment aspect in the medium-term period.
It is sufficient that I need only say a few words about the medium-term objectives for fisheries. The Minister of Agriculture and leader of the Malaysian delegation to this Conference has already mentioned it in our country's statement and we have also spoken about it in our intervention on other items of the agenda, both here in Commission Π and in Commission I. I refer, of course, to a need for FAO not to permit the EEZ Programme for fisheries development and management to overshadow or subordinate the other fisheries programmes which Malaysia considers to be of equal importance. In fact, we would like to see more emphasis being focused on the development of agriculture and inland fisheries programmes in the medium-term period.
P. D. TANCE (Cote-d' Ivoire): Notre délégation n'aurait pas voulu prolonger les débats à une heure aussi tardive et surtout au moment ou vous apprêtiez à conolure, mais elle n'a pas pu résister au désir d'adresser ses félioitation au Secrétariat pour l'excellence des travaux du document présenté et c'est une occasion pour féliciter aussi Μ· West pour l'excellente introduction qu'il a bien voulu nous faire.
Il nous apparaît que la production de tels documents est fort utile et même nécessaire. De nombreux orateurs qui m'ont précédé ont mis l' accent sur cet aspect du problème, aussi nous allons tacher d'etre brefs en nous contentant de dire qu'au paragraphe 2·21 nous souhaiterions que ne soient pas perdues de vue les autres productions vivriéres, surtout qu'il va à l'encontre du paragraphe 8·9 qui concerne les conclusions du rapport "agriculture: Horizon 2000"·
Notre délégation voudrait aussi approuver les propositions qui nous ont été faites par le Directeur général relatives aux objectifs portant ur la nutrition.
Nous désirerions conclure en disant que toutes ces questions nous ramènent à l'inévitable problème des ressources qui a déjà été évoqué par nombre de délégations et nous voudrions simplement apporter notre appui aux exposés qui ont été faits sur le sujet en disant qu'il nous semble qu'il est réellement de l'intérêt commun de tous les Ξtats Membres que les énormes dépenses d'armement soient au moins en partie limitées pour les besoins de l'agriculture.
K. CHOUERI (Liban) (interprétation de l'arabe): A Ce stade tardif, je serai autant que possible succinct. Je tiens tout d'abord à féliciter le Secrétariat de cet excellent document qui a fait l'objet de l'admiration de plusieurs délégations et je tiens également à remercier M. West qui nous apporte toujours son assistance en nous fournissant ses explications lors de l'examen de chaque document. Je tiens à appuyer les efforts déployés par lea commissions techniques au sein de notre Organisation et qui ont apporté leur appui à ce document qui comporte une liste approximative des différentes priorités. A cet égard, permettez-moi de mettre l'accent sur le paragraphe 2·22 au sujet de l'accent mis par l'Organisation sur ses activités à moyen terme dans des domaines tels que la mécanisation agricole.
Ainsi nous réaffirmons notre appui à l'application du projet de mécanisation agricole et la formation des différents ouvriers dans ce domaine, ainsi que le choix du matériel nécessaire car la main-d'oeuvre se fait de plus en plus rare dans la plupart des pays, notamment dans certains pays du Proche-Orient.
Ainsi, le fait d'obtenir un travailleur qualifié est devenu une chose bien difficile et, si on le trouve, le salaire demandé dépasse de loin celui d'un ingénieur agricole. La situation est renversée. Ce qui me pousse à réaffirmer ce que j'ai déjà dit, à savoir que la région du Proche-Orient manque de personnel qualifié dans le cadre de l'entretien des équipements et du matériel agricole; l'ONUDI a déjà préparé une statistique selon laquelle 70 pour cent du matériel existant dans l'un des pays de la région n'avait reçu aucun entretien; ceci va également dans le sens d'un document établi par un groupe d'experts de la FAO qui indique que la chance de l'emploi d'un seul tracteur dans la région du Moyen-Orient ne dépasse pas 25 pour cent de ce qu'elle est dans différents pays de la Région. Nous trouvons que ces objectifs à moyen terme répondent aux besoins des pays en développement et une consolidation de leurs capacité; nous y trouvons également une impulsion vers une tendance pour que l'intérêt soit concentré sur différents points, tels que recommandés par le COAG.
Nous affirmons "également que dans le domaine de la nutrition et de l'agriculture les objectifs principaux ne sont pas tout à fait différents de ceux à moyen terme et nous estimons que les paragraphes 8. 7 à 8. 12 donnent une idée tout à fait claire des perspectives, en ce qui concerne l'augmentation de la production alimentaire, le niveau des salaires et le niveau des travailleurs agricoles, et le fait de répondre aux différents besoins alimentaires.
En résumé les efforts de l'Organisation ne doivent pas être perdus dans un domaine bien précis mais ils donneront des résultats positifs pour les pays en développement. L'objectif ultime nécessite que la priorité totale soit accordée au développement des différents secteurs agricoles selon leur priorité d'une manière continue à long terme et à moyen terme également.
B. 0. M. CHIYABWE (Zambia): We appreciate the role FAO is taking in the production of high quality tree seed by increasing the number of national institutions that would take part in this genetic resource development programme. We have benefited from this programme immensely but we would wish that in future programmes the question of seed processing and storage should also be considered.
E. M. WEST (Director (ADG), Office of Programme, Budget and Evaluation): May I first say that my colleagues and I are deeply and sincerely grateful for the many kind things which have been said about this document, and I am referring not only to the staff of my own unit but to the staff of the departments and divisions who all contributed to preparing this difficult document. Because it is difficult, I am grateful that it has been so well received. In a way, that is an embarrassment because I think it is almost conclusive in deciding that we have to continue with a separate document. I say "almost conclusive" because we have to review this together with the comments that have been made about other documents. But it does seem that if a document is so well received, we should be very careful indeed before deciding to propose that we should do away with it. So we will bear that in mind.
I should also say that the Director-General will be pleased with the reception of this document, particularly as in his well-known indefatigable way he has taken a close interest in its shape and contents.
As to content, many points have been made and I will not attempt to comment on all of them because we are discussing medium-term objectives. What we have to do is to take away these comments and review them in the light of the formulation of our objectives and our planning for the next biennium. In that, I again refer to the documents we will be preparing for the main Council Committees and other meetings.
In that connexion I do take the point, that however important and comprehensive COAG, COFO and COFI may be, they are not the only bodies with which we have to concern ourselves. We must also take the contents away and link them with what is being said in the other room and eventually by the Plenary about "Agriculture: Toward 2000", so that we do not contradict ourselves, but we maintain a logical, consistent framework for what we do in the short, medium and the long term.
I will only attempt to comment on one or two points that have been raised, I will not attempt to comment at all on fisheries because that is going to be discussed as a complete subject, and again we do not want to risk confusion. I am not going to say anything about rural development because you will discuss the follow-up to the World Conference on Agrarian Reform which took place after this document was prepared.
We have in that document reviewed not just what we think about rural development but what you think about it as expressed in the World Conference and in the Programme of Action. We have also tried to look ahead and see what could be done about it, and I hope that you will find that our document on follow-up to a large extent satisfies the concern expressed here today.
I am not going to say anything about nutrition, except that the point is taken.
On women I will not initiate another long reply. I think you had a long reply yesterday, and we would have to say much the same again. I would only point out to the delegation which mentions this subject in practically every speech it makes, that the importance of women in rural development is stressed in the document. I can give the reference if necessary: it is there.
On Forestry I have a particular point to make. We do agree with the delegate who said that we should try to avoid the impression that there is an over abundant potential supply from the tropical forests. There is a serious danger of depletion of wood supplies. You will remember that the Director-General mentioned this subject of fuel wood in his opening address to the Conference. What we agree we should try to do is that we should maximize the use of utilizable yields.
As regards the link up with the UNCTAD Integrated Commodity Programme, we are committed, in fact, to cooperate there, and we are doing so.
As regards the other medium-term priorities and activities for forestry, since we prepared this document the Forestry Department has not only been through the World Conference on Agrarian Reform but also the World Forestry Congress, which has been discussed in the other room, and it has also had a meeting of COFO. So that I think our Programme of Work and Budget document, in fact, gives a better balance, a better view of our balance on fuel wood conservation and arid zone forestry, than perhaps this document does.
On the question of inputs, it is dealt with at length, but I am afraid under a number of paragraphs, so that perhaps it does not come out as clearly as the delegate who raised this would like, but it is mentioned, including distribution systems for inputs, under 2. 49 and 2. 50.
There was a reference to national food sector strategies, and to this there was a reply by the distinguished delegate of Pakistan with which I think I can say the Director-General would wholeheartedly agree.
The only other point I would make on this is that if there are countries which feel that developing countries should have such strategies, and if there are developing countries that agree with them, then the Director-General thinks the necessary extra-budgetary funds should be forthcoming for preparing those strategies, which is no small undertaking. But so far there is no sign of such funds, or very little.
One delegation which made some very constructive comments about the form of the documents also referred to the need to do better in ranking and food policy and information. I did try very hard to get this, but it was pointed out to me that without commodity statistics, in particular commodity projections you could not do other things, but there would not be much point in doing other things unless you had the commodity projections. So you are in a vicious circle and there really was not any priority between them. Nevertheless, I think we must have a further effort at seeing if at least we can overcome this problem that was seen, at least visually if not substantively. And I do take the point about the linkage of this document with the improvement of, if possiblewithout adding to, the total documentation of documentation for COAG.
The distinguished delegate of Argentina, I think it was, made some very important points, including reference to TCDC. TCDC is covered in the Review of the Field Programme, but perhaps we were not as well coordinated as we have been on other documentation, so I will attempt to try to attend to that. He, and other speakers, mentioned priority among livestock programmes, and this brings me to references to certain other programmes, crops, for example. The problem we are facing with medium-term objectives in a summarized document, and particularly when we have to rank priorities, is that there are always bound to be individual countries who will say that there is not sufficient emphasis to the problem in my country. But we are trying to produce a document which covers all countries. So it is true that if we have to rank priorities some are going to appear to be lower than the others. But I can assure those who are interested in diseases other than Trypanosomiasis, such as tick-borne diseases, foot-and-mouth and bovine pleuropneumonia, and things like that, that we are not forgetting them. Our problem is to find the resources sufficient to cope with all of them, and that applies to everything.
Resources, I am not going to talk about in view of your discussions this morning, Mr. Chairman. I think I will let it rest there.
There was one important subject mentioned, and that was the Regional Food Plan for Africa. I was glad to hear reference to that. I can assure the distinguished delegate who raised that point that we are following it up. In fact, we have been invited to make an important input to the summit meeting of African Ministers, and we are considering, together with the OAU, how we can best meet with that request.
There were various references to the question of certain targets or estimates. In that case, I will not say with whom my sympathies are, but I will simply refer you to the comments in the Programme Committee Report on that subject. I do not think there is any real misunderstanding on that now.
Energy was again mentioned, and it is mentioned in the document, but this is obviously one instance in which in our next version we are going to be paying more attention to the subject. I do recommend delegates, if they have not already done so, to read the booklet which we have put out recently on The Use of Energy in Agriculture. It is really an important publication. Some of it is fairly simple. I have found some of the charts rather low level, but on the other hand it is mixed up with some highly rarified statistical and other material about energy, and I think it is almost unique in its discussion on the subject, and it is only the beginning of our efforts in this field. So I do appreciate the encouragement which was given to us to pay more attention to this in the next document, together with certain other ideas which have been coming out of this Conference. For example the emphasis on biological methods in the future, whilst at the same time giving sufficient emphasis to the convergence of high technology in the northern countries, with the needs of developing countries which will undoubtedly call for more energy-intensive inputs. We have to have both.
One of thelater speakers mentioned the subject of employment. I can assure you it is there and it is not neglected by us, even though it may not appear in heavy black letters in the document.
Well, Mr. Chairman, I come back finally to the question of next time. First we have to consider the relationship of this document to other documents. Secondly, we have to consider how to bring this up to date. I am reminded of the story of the circus performer who jumped off the top of the Empire State Building into a bucket of water, and the applause was tremendous when he came out of the bucket of water, but his face was black as thunder. An old lady who was standing next to him said "young man, why are you looking so unhappy? Listen to the applause. " He said, "yes, but what am I going to do for an encore?" What are we going to do next time for an encore? How much of this is going to change? How will we represent the same things more or less, with one or two changes and additions here, in a way which will seem fresh to you? That is our biggest problem, but we will try and cope with it.
G. CASADEI (Observateur pour la Fédération syndicale mondiale): Mon organisation s'associe pleinement aux délégués qui l'ont précédée dans le débat sur ce point pour exprimer sa haute appréciation pour le travail réalisé par la FAO dans ses programmes de terrain et le PCT.
En effet, cette activité constitue, dans le cadre de la FAO, une des réalisations de la plus haute importance et efficacité.
A propos de cette activité, permettez-moi d'attirer votre attention sur un aspect particulier qui n'a pas encore été relevé et qui mérite pourtant, à notre avis, d'etre pris en considération tant par la FAO que par les gouvernements des pays bénéficiaires.
On a souligné, à maintes reprises, l'importance de la participation des populations rurales les plus pauvres, dont notamment les travailleurs agricoles sans terre, au développement rural et d'être invitées à coopérer par leur contribution spécifique et par l'intermédiaire de leurs organisations syndicales aux diverses initiatives ayant pour objectif le développement rural, l'accroissement de la production alimentaire et surtout et en premier lieu la lutte contre la faim et la misère.
Par ailleurs, l'application de ce principe correspond pleinement à la partie de la Convention No 141 de l'OIT concernant les organisations des travailleurs ruraux et leur rôle dans le développement économique et social.
Déjà la 18 ème session de la Conférence de la FAO en 1975 a salué l'adoption de cette convention par l'OIT, et a invité les gouvernements à la ratifier et suivre l'exemple d'une vingtaine d'Etats qui l'ont déjà fait à ce jour.
Pour terminer, nous exprimons l'espoir que lors de la prochaine évaluation des programmes de terrain et du PCT, une place convenable pourra être réservée à cet aspect du problème. 1/
CHAIRMAN: There is one further announcement, that the representative of the World Federation of Trade Unions who was not here this morning and wanted to speak, has provided a brief text to the Secretariat and this will be incorporated in the records.
That concludes our discussion on Item 14, Medium-Term Objectives.
The meeting rose at 15. 45 hours
La séance est levée a 15 h 45
Se levanta la sesion a las 15. 45 horas
1/ Texte reçu avec demande d'insertion au procès-verbal
