E. J. STONYER (New Zealand): On behalf of my delegation I would like, to congratulate the Chairman on his appointment and also the Director-General of this Organization on his re-appointment. May I also warmly welcome the new members of FAO and in particular our good friends from the South Pacific, the Kingdom of Tonga.
We meet at a time when the prospects for food and agriculture are confused and uncertain. All countries are suffering the painful symptoms of world-wide recession. The importance of agriculture in our economies varies, but farmers are struggling to cope with rapidly escalating costs while facing uncertain markets and prices for the goods they produce. In countries such as New Zealand, where agriculture is the foundation of the economy, these trends too are a cause for serious concern.
The Director-General's report on the state of Food and Agriculture highlights the problems developing countries face in their efforts to increase their food production. A further burden many bear is the rising cost of food imports. This burden is made less tolerable because the volume of their exports has remained static. Solving these problems is not the task of the developing countries alone. The growth of international food and agriculture production - the development of systems to ensure that increased production is made available on world markets at prices consumers can afford, will in the long term benefit us all.
This Conference will discuss some of the impediments to the growth of production and the fair and efficient distribution of food to provide impetus for future action. The Conference will consider progress in implementing the plan of action to strengthen world food security; progress in international agricultural adjustment;and energy in agriculture. It will also consider the FAO programme, of work and budget for the next biennium, and the organization's medium term objectives.
New Zealand supports the plan of action on world food security. However, although largely dependent on the production and export of primary products to earn foreign exchange, New Zealand is not able to contribute actively to the food grain programme. Our production of food grains is barely sufficient to meet our own domestic needs. The major thrust of our bilateral aid programme is in the area of assistance to agriculture and rural development. Expanding food production in developing countries must surely be one of the most effective solutions to the problem of world security. New Zealand agriculturalists will continue to assist in those areas where our knowledge and experience may be useful to the country concerned.
In the medium- to long-term, improved food security for developing countries is highly dependent on the freeing of international, trade in agricultural products and the adoption of a more positive approach to agricultural adjustment policies in some developed countries. During recent years New Zealand has observed a growing contradiction between the acknowledgement of the need for greater world food security and the simultaneous strengthening of access restrictions to agricultural trade. The maintenance and, in some cases, the development of high cost, high-price agricultural industries has been encouraged. In times of economic uncertainty such policies are positively harmful.
The expansion of domestic production which this new protectionism has encouraged has brought the accumulation of large surpluses, The disposal of excessive stocks is a serious threat to the stability and growth of legitimate trade in agricultural products. Many countries which seek economic growth through the exploitation of their comparative advantage as agricultural producers are thus threatened. The situation constitutes a wasteful use of international resources. Investment and production are being discouraged in the very countries which have the capacity to develop efficient agricultural industries. This cannot continue unchecked.
Of the other issues to be discussed at this Conference it is gratifying to note that delegates will have an opportunity to evaluate the progress made on the expansion and improvement of research in developing countries when the Organization's medium-term objectives are being considered.
It is the New Zealand view that the importance of research cannot be over-emphasised. At the same time there needs to be a clear understanding of the nature of research objectives and as well a scale of priorities. In this context New Zealand experience during the past 50 years may well have some relevance, not because research development in New Zealand provides a model for other countries or that New Zealand's scale of research priorities would be appropriate, but the way research has evolved in New Zealand provides some pointers to ways of meeting the needs of other economies which also rely on agriculture for their development.
New Zealand agriculture now provides an illustration of how growth can be sparked off by the diffusion of scientific ideas amongst those farmers with the skill and the motivation to make use of them. The grassland revolution was not dependent upon large capital investment;it was a change brought about by fresh attitudes of mind and a willingness to accept the fact that traditional European concepts needed to be modified in the light of experience in the "new world".
It must now be stressed that the first advance in the field of animal production has not been due to research workers alone. The individual farmer has played the major part in identifying problems and in monitoring the work to find a suitable solution. He has also adapted techniques to meet specific needs and adopted ideas developed outside the agricultural research field.
The spread of the knowledge of scientific techniques can be as important in agricultural progress as their discovery. In New Zealand the linkages between research and extension work have always been very close. The extension worker can always help to identify problems which need a more intensive research effort and can have an important role in helping to evaluate the results of field research.
Links between institutions supplying credit and research and extension workers are also important. There is acceptance that the most effective use of farm credit is secured when there is cooperation between the financier, and the farmer's technical and business advisers. Such co-operation helps to improve standards of management and makes possible greater output at minimum cost.
New Zealandtherefore welcomes FAO's medium term objectives in support of agricultural research in developing countries. We should however emphasise that agricultural research efforts in any country must be based on indigenous resources, where exploitation will lead to increased well-being for the people of that country. The advantage of agricultural research can only be realised if farmers are free to exploit their natural advantages as producers and traders on unrestricted world markets.
I should like to conclude with a few comments on the budget for the 1982/83 biennium.
We believe there is an international responsibility to spend funds collected for assistance purposes in a wise and efficient manner. We see this as a corollary to national budgets which are also under considerable strain at the present time. We also see it as a corollary to the concerns expressed at Ottawa, Melbourne and Cancun.
In all our individual countries and in international organizations in particular, there is a need to streamline, raise efficiency, and increase productivity. We see this approach as particularly appropriate to the present circumstances that we face.
New Zealand has the strongest desire to see the work of FAO grow in those areas of activity where the social and economic ' pay-offs' are greatest. This approach clearly requires an ordering of priorities within the organization, and the consequent selection of new and better projects to replace those phased out. We know some progress has been made on these matters and we would like to see the evaluation and monitoring programmes enhanced still further. This is very much a collective responsibility among developed and developing countries and the Secretariat all working closely together.
I sense that lines are being drawn at this conference on budget issues. It will require considerable diplomatic effort in the halls of this Conference if some middle ground is to be found. A failure of mutual confidence can only serve to undermine the long term future of this organization and adversely affect the assistance which is critically required by the under-priviledged nations of this world.
A. NTEZIRYAYO (Rwanda): Monsieur le Président, permettez-moi de joindre ma voix à celles des orateurs qui m'ont précédé pour vous adresser, en mon nom propre et au nom de ma délégation, les sincères félicitations pour la compétence avec laquelle vous assurez la présidence de nos travaux. C'est également avec une grande joie que nous saluons l'entrée dans l'Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture de nouveaux Etats Membres. La célébration d'admission de nouveaux membres témoigne, nous en sommes convaincus, de l'efficacité du role que joue l'Organisation dans
l'effort de toute la communauté internationale, dans la recherche des solutions pour la lutte contre le fléau qui menace le monde rural des pays en développement, à savoir celui de la faim et de la malnutrition.
Il y a quelque deux ans, la Conférence de notre Organisation tenait dans ces mêmes enceintes sa vingtième session au cours de laquelle plusieurs et importantes recommandations furent formulées, et ceci pour le renforcement des dispositions prises antérieurement en matière d'alimentation, d'agriculture et de nutrition, particulièrement dans les pays en développement, surtout les plus gravement touchés et les moins avancés.
Cependant, Monsieur le Président, la Conférence de notre Organisation en est à sa vingt et unième session; le Conseil mondial de l'alimentation a tenu au mois de mai dernier sa septième session ministérielle en Yougoslavie, etc. Dans toutes ces rencontres internationales, on parle des problèmes alimentaires, on y formule des recommandations, des stratégies et que sais-je encore. Les sessions se suivent et se ressemblent fort étrangement, les paroles, recommandations et autres résolutions étant les mêmes au fil des sessions. C'est donc dire, Monsieur le Président, que les résultats que nous devions attendre de nos débats ne se concrétisent pas encore. Jusqu'à quand attendrons-nous alors que la communauté internationale est depuis longtemps sensibilisée? Ma délégation estime quant à elle qu'il faut dépasser le stade des paroles creuses. Que les pays développés et ceux en développement mieux nantis, ainsi que les institutions et organismes internationaux ou régionaux de financement, aillent au-delà de leurs nombreuses promesses éloquentes par la concrétisation et la mise en pratique des recommandations déjà formulées non seulement par l'Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture et le Conseil mondial de l'alimentation, mais aussi celles de nombreux autres forums traitant des problèmes relatifs à l'alimentation, à l'agriculture et à la nutrition. Comme ma délégation l'a toujours souligné, nous pensons et recommandons à nouveau que, pour sortir vainqueur de cette guerre que représentent la lutte contre la faim et la malnutrition dans le monde, toute la commu-communauté internationale prenne entièrement ses responsabilités dans un grand mouvement d'ensemble, moyen unique d'établir un nouvel ordre économique international plus juste et plus équitable pour tous.
Monsieur le Président, comme ma délégation a eu l'occasion de le souligner lors des dernières sessions de notre Organisation, le secteur alimentaire et agricole de mon pays, le Rwanda, est tel que la production agricole ne couvre qu'environ 70 pour cent des besoins de base. Compte tenu de cet état de choses, mon pays a clairement défini une stratégie nationale alimentaire ayant pour objectif à moyen terme l'autosuffisance alimentaire en tous points pour toute la population rwandaise. Cette stratégie, définie dans le Deuxième Plan quinquennal de développement économique, social et culturel 1977-81, sera encore poursuivie pour la période quinquennale 1982-86 en ces termes:
- Augmentation et diversification des productions vivrières pour atteindre l'autosuffisance alimentaire de toute la population rwandaise et dégager un surplus commercialisable;
- Fourniture aux agriculteurs des moyens de production (fertilisants organiques et minéraux, crédit agricole, outillage agricole, semences sélectionnées,matériels végétal et animal, etc. );
- Assainissement et renforcement des moyens de commercialisation et de stockage des produits vivriers et animaux;
- Mise en place des cadres agricoles et vétérinaires en nombre et qualité adéquats.
Afin de mettre à exécution cette stratégie alimentaire, mon pays, avec l'aide des pays amis et des organismes internationaux, a élaboré des projets de développement rural intégré et des projets agropastoraux spécifiques dont ceux opérationnels à la fin de cette année couvriront tous le pays vers la fin de cette année. Tous ces divers projets visent l'intensification agricole, la récupération de toutes les terres agricoles encore disponibles, notamment celles des marais, la protection et la conservation des sols ainsi que leur amélioration, le développement de l'élevage par l'amélioration des races locales et l'augmentation des possibilités de leur alimentation, l'empoissonnement des lacs et l'augmentation du nombre des étangs piscicoles en milieu rural, l'amélioration des circuits de commercialisation des produits vivriers et animaux, ainsi que le renforcement des structures de la vulgarisation agricole et de la recherche agronomique orientée vers l'utilisation plus systématique des résultats de recherche par les agriculteurs et les éleveurs. Cependant, bien que nous reconnaissons l'importance des projets du type "développement rural intégré", ma délégation pense qu'il faut assurer un suivi et une évaluation réguliers de façon à saisir progressivement leur impact sur l'augmentation de la production agricole et alimentaire en général.
Plus que dans d'autres pays africains, le Rwanda connaît actuellement une forte poussée démographique. Ainsi, le taux de croissance démographique actuel de 3,1 pour cent est largement supérieur à celui de la croissance de la production alimentaire.
S'agissant de la densité démographique, celle-ci est d'environ 200 habitants au Km2 par rapport à la superficie totale de 26. 338 Km2 et de 360 habitants au Km2 par rapport à la superficie des terres cultivables qui représente 55 pour cent de la superficie totale du pays.
Ce facteur de poussée démographiqueliée à une faible croissance économique du pays, notamment en matière d'industrie à haute intensité de main-d'oeuvre, fait que plus de 90 pour cent de la population vivent dans les campagnes rurales. Ceci entraîne, d'une part, une forte diminution de la superficie moyenne des exploitations agricoles d'une grandeur actuelle d'environ un hectare et, d'autre part, une forte diminution de la fertilité des sols suite à l'utilisation de méthodes culturales fort peu améliorées.
Il a été reconnu que l'autonomie nationale et collective est indispensable pour atteindre l'auto-suffisance alimentaire, pour cette raison le Rwanda participe activement aux organisations régionales telles que la CEPGL (Communauté économique des pays des grands lacs) et l'OBK (Organisation du bassin de l'Akagera), dont l'importance dans le domaine du développement agricole des Etats Membres est certaine. La communauté économique des pays des grands lacs vient de créer une Banque de développement qui participera à la promotion des activités agricoles et alimentaires, tandis que dans le cadre de l'OBK les Etats Membres oeuvrent au renforcement de la politique commune en matière de sécurité alimentaire. Plusieurs projets de développement agricole des pays membres de ces organisations ont été programmés, et nous souhaiterions que les efforts soient soutenus par la communauté internationale, dont vous êtes, Messieurs les délégués, les illustres représentants.
S'agissant de la création des stocks nationaux alimentaires, il y a lieu de signaler que d'ici à la fin 1981, le Rwanda disposera d'une capacité de stockage d'environ 20 000 tonnes. En plus de ce volet, le Rwanda compte mettre en place un stock national de réserve alimentaire d'urgence dont les frais de premier établissement et de fonds de roulement s'élèvent à environ six millions de dollars E. -U.
Le Rwanda ne sera développé que par la somme des efforts de ses propres fils et filles, nous dit le Mouvement révolutionnaire national pour le développement, mais ces efforts doivent être soutenus et encouragés par la communauté internationale afin que nos objectifs d'autosuffisance alimentaire soient atteints. Aussi,comptons-nous sur votre contribution à l'effort de développement de la nation rwandaise entreprisil y a fort longemps déjà.
Depuis la crise alimentaire des années 1973-74, la situation mondiale au début de cette troisième décennie des Nations Unies est d'une précarité alarmante, et la communauté internationale n'est guère mieux préparée en actions et moyens pour pallier une nouvelle crise alimentaire. Aussi, au moment où nous sommes réunis ici dans cette salle pour les travaux de la vingt et unième session de la conférence de notre Organisation, plusieurs centaines de millions d'êtres humains, appartenant pour la plupart aux pays en développement, souffrent d'une façon alarmante d'une faim et d'une malnutrition devenues pour eux permanentes depuis plusieurs décennies, et c'est avec raison qu'ils attendent encore une fois avec patience le message de force et d'espérance pour leur avenir menacé, message qui émanera de nos débats.
Comme tout le monde le sait, l'objectif de l'aide alimentaire de 10 millions de tonnes de céréales, fixé par la Conférence mondiale de l'alimentation en 1974, n'est toujours pas atteint. Les négociations sur la nouvelle convention pour le commerce du blé au sein du Conseil international du blé restent toujours suspendues sans aucun espoir dans l'immédiat dereprise. L'objectif annuel de 500 000 tonnes de céréales de la réserve alimentaire internationale d'urgence n'est toujours pas atteint. Au lieu que cette aide soit réellement multilatérale, elle ne représente qu'une mosaïque instable d'intérêts et d'arrangements bilatéraux hautement politisés. La localisation des stocks céréaliers mondiaux reste toujours le monopole d'une seule et même région géographique.
Le montant de l'aide à l'investissement dans la production alimentaire des pays en développement, pris au niveau tant bilatéral que multilatéral, reste largement en-dessous de 0,7 pour cent du PNB des pays développés.
Les procedures du protectionnisme du monde développé envers les produits primaires des pays en développement ne cessent d'entraver les échanges commerciaux entre ces deux groupes. La chute progressive des cours mondiaux des produits agricoles, notamment du café, en provenance des pays en développement, entraîne un déséquilibre monétaire presque généralisé de ces mêmes pays, surtout ceux à bas revenus, si bien que ces derniers manquent des fonds propres pour investir dans leur secteur la "production η alimentaire et agricole. Les aléas climatiques, sécheresse, innondations, cyclones, etc. ne cessent de frapper dangereusement plusieurs régions du monde, surtout en Afrique où se trouve plus de la moitié des pays les plus pauvres et où actuellement plus de 26 pays ont atteint un seuil critique en besoins alimentaires. Les guerres, résultat de la course aux armements, se multiplient sans cesse, entraînant ainsi des multitudes de réfugiés et d'affamés. A tous ces facteurs, s'ajoute simultanément la
croissance démographique; dans le tiers monde, la population a augmenté de 15 pour cent au cours des sept dernières années alors que le taux de croissance de la production alimentaire et agricole y est inférieur à 4 pour cent.
Monsieur le Président, la part des dépenses militaires de la part de nombreux pays développés, et même en développement, s'accroît d'une façon démesurée au détriment de l'accroissement de l'aide au dévelop pement de la production alimentaire et agricole pour les pays en développement surtout ceux moins avancés et à déficit alimentaire. Permettez-moi à ce niveau de vous rappeler la phrase historique de Monsieur le Secrétaire général des Nations Unies. Monsieur Kurt Waldheim, devant le 17èmp Sommet de 1 Organisation de l'Unité africaine: "Il y a dans le monde d'aujourd'hui plus d'explosifs que de vivres mesurés en livres par habitant. Les dépenses militaires absorbent un million de dollars par minute. Elles drainent donc des ressources qui dépassent de loin celles dont on aurait besoin pour lutter contre la maladie et atténuer la famine". Il ne fait aucun doute que la sécurité internationale doit se baser avant tout sur une sécurité alimentaire réelle et stable. Aussi, il faut accroître l'aide internationale tant bilatérale que multilatérale en faveur du développement, de la production alimentaire et agricole dans les pays en développement, de façon à permettre à ces derniers, en plus de leur effort financier propre, d'atteindre une autosuffisance alimentaire en qualité et en quantité adéquates. Cette aide, tout en respectant la planification propre de chaque pays bénéficiaire, ainsi que les conditions locales relatives à la spécification des cultures et aux habitudes alimentaires de la population, devra servir en outre à la création et à l'amélioration des infrastructures de stockage, et au renforcement des structures locales de réduction des pertes des produits vivriers avant et aprèsrécolte. Dans le même ordre d'idées, tout en recommandant l'accroissement de l'aide alimentaire tendant à dépasser le niveau de 10 millions de tonnes de céréales par an, ma délégation pense que cette aide ne devrait pas revêtir un caractère politique, décourager et déstabiliser les systèmes de production, de fixation des prix et de consommation des produits alimentaires chez les bénéficiaires. Elle doit revêtir davantage un caractère multilatéral et apporter des stimulants économiques et sociaux dans le milieu rural pour en accroître la production alimentaire et agricole et en assurer un équilibre alimentaire plus judicieux. Toute forme ou source d'aide, quelle qu'elle soit, qui engendre ou renforce la dépendance alimentaire dans les pays en développement, ne représente pas une véritable aide et devrait être abandonnée.
Ma délégation, ainsi sans doute que beaucoup d'autres, voudrait qu'à ce tournant de l'histoire la communauté internationale,surtout le monde développé, accorde plus de priorité au programme de travail et budget de notre Organisation afin de lui permettre d'être plus fonctionnelle en vue de répondre progressivement aux aspirations de tous ceux pour lesquels elle a été créée, en s'attachant plus spécialement aux activités ci-après:
- Aider les pays en développement à améliorer leurs systèmes de production alimentaire en vue d'atteindre leur autosuffisance alimentaire par l'acquisition des facteurs de production grace à des moyens raisonnables et stables;
- Mise en valeur des ressources génétiques animales en vue du développement de l'élevage dans tous ses aspects et à tout niveau;
- Aider les pays en développement à mieux planifier le développement de leur secteur alimentaire (agricole, pastoral, pêche) et à mettre en application des techniques et méthodes appropriées en vue de mettre au point ces stratégies alimentaires stables et réalistes;
- Aider les pays en développement à organiser des programmes nationaux de recherche agronomique appliquée;
- Aider les pays en développement à mettre au point un réseau d'institutions et de services ruraux viables, notamment ceux de crédit agricole, de commercialisation des produits agricoles et animaux, et de vulgarisation agricole;
- Aider les pays en développement à intégrer les aspects nutritionnels dans les plans et projets nutritionnels et dans les projets de développement agricole et rural, et à procéder à leur évaluation;
- Fournir une assistance accrue au développement des forêts, élément de lutte contre l'érosion et de régulation du régime des eaux pour la protection et l'augmentation du couvert végétal et de l'augmen tation de la faune sauvage;
- Aider les pays en développement á développer des programmes agro-sylvo-pastoraux;
- Procéder régulièrement au rassemblement, à l'analyse et à la publication rapide des statistiques et autres informations utiles en matière d'alimentation et d'agriculture devant servir à tout moment de miroir de la situation de la sécurité alimentaire mondiale à toute la communauté internationale.
Toutes ces activités, non exhaustives par ailleurs, nécessitent des moyens financiers et humains considérables. Elles exigent en outre la présence de l' Organisation dans chaque pays membre. Tenant compte de ces activités prises dans leur ensemble, la délégation rwandaise appuie sans réserve le programme de travail pour le biennium 1982-83 ainsi que le budget y relatif de 416 316 000 dollars E.-U.
Toutefois, nous tenons à souligner que, même si nous approuvons le budget tel qu'il est proposé, nous reconnaissons qu'en termes réels son augmentation par raDDort au biennium 1980-1981 (271 660 000 dollars E. -U. ) n'est pas significative alors que bien d'autres considérations ont évolué.
Aussi, il est très important de souligner à ce niveau que l'idée de croissance zéro du budget de l'Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture devrait être abandonnée par ceux qui brandissent encore sa bannière. A ceux-là, la délégation rwandaise voudrait lancer un appel pour qu'ils se rallient au désir de la majorité des membres de notre Organisation pour approuver le niveau de budget 1982-83 tel que proposé, surtout qu'il ne représente qu'un minimum acceptable. Il y a une étonnante contradiction de la part des pays développés quand ils appuient le programme de travail alors qu'ils refusent de lui donner un budget conséquent pour sa réalisation; il nous paraît superflu de signaler à ce niveau que le modeste niveau du budget proposé pour 1982-83 rentre plus dans l'ordre dicté par les pays développés qu'il ne satisfait ceux en développement, pourtant majoritaires dans l'Organisation.
Monsieur le Président, puis-je me permettre de rappeler à cette auguste assemblée à savoir qu'"au moment où nous sommes réunis dans cette salle, des milliers d'êtres humains mal nourris et affamés attendent le message d'espérance qui sortira de nos débats". Aussi de cette vingt et unième'session de la Conférence de notre Organisation, devraient sortir des habitudes prises par certaines assemblées internationales où chaque délégation vient exposer sa philosophie, ses propres petits problèmes sans que, un seul instant, des solutions concrètes aux problèmes et difficultés communs soient trouvées.
Ma délégation reste cependant convaincue que le dialogue instauré entre les pays oéveloppés et les pays en développement a été pour beaucoup l'occasion de comprendre qu'il était temps d'en finir avec l'iniquité des systèmes actuels et d'organiser le changement afin d'instaurer le plus tot possible un nouvel ordre économique international plus juste et plus équitable.
Il faudrait, selon les débats de la rencontre Nord-Sud qui viennent d'avoir lieu à Cancun au mois d'octobre dernier, mettre au point d'abord, ensuite en application, un plan semblable au Plan Marshall pour réaliser une véritable révolution verte dans les pays en développement.
C'est dans cet esprit que ma délégation est venue participer aux travaux de la vingt et unième session de la Conférence de notre Organisation pour apporter son entière contribution.
Je voudrais, Monsieur le Président, avant de terminer, saisir cette occasion pour adresser tout d'abord en mon nom propre et ensuite au nom de tout le peuple rwandais réuni au sein du Mouvement révolutionnaire national pour le développement, notre sincère reconnaissance au Directeur général de l'Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture, M. Edouard Saouma, pour les grands efforts qu'il ne cesse de déployer en vue de la lutte contre la faim et la malnutrition dans le monde. Sa réélection à l'unanimité à la Direction générale de notre Organisation témoigne de la confiance que la Communauté internationale tout entière a en lui. Nous sommes convaincus que, pendant son prochain mandat, les résultats déjà acquis dans le domaine de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture seront davantage consolidés.
F. VREDEN (Suriname): Mr. Chairman, Distinguished fellow-delegates and Observers, ladies and gentlemen, may I commence, on behalf of the Government and the People of the Republic of Suriname, whom I have the honour to represent, to congratulate Mr. Jorge Ruben Aguado on his nomination as Chairman of the present Conference. May I also, like many others before me, congratulate Bhutan, Equatorial Guinea, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tonga and Zimbabwe with their admission as members to this United Nations body par excellence, the FAO. And last but not least, allow me to congratulate Dr. Edouard Saouma most heartily with his nomination for a second term as Director-General of FAO. Dr. Saouma has demonstrated during his first term in office his efficient and dynamic system of work, combined with a clear vision on the exact needs of the developing countries and a clear eye for the immense problems encountered in developing agricultural structures, aimed at fighting hunger and malnutrition.
The need, or must I say, the urgency for adequate food production in developing countries is there. More than 600 million people live in absolute poverty. Life expectancy is 56 years, against 72 years in the industrialized countries. One in ten infants in developing countries dies in the first year of his life, in the industrialized nations one in fifty. Seventy per cent of the world's population lives in 140 developing countries i but they share only 20 per cent of the world's wealth. Literacy
rate is about 50 per cent in developing countries, against over 90 per cent in industrialized countries. Per Capita Gross National Product amounts to about 6 500 dollars in industrialized nations, versus less than 600 dollars in developing countries.
This situation strongly calls for serious consideration and urgent action by all responsible countries. On the basis of this and many more compelling economic as well as moral reasons, the industrialized nations should not ignore the mounting despair prevalent in all developing countries.
The Cancun Summit, attended by 22 leaders, concluded that it was urgent to eradicate hunger by the year 2000. Therefore ample and effective steps have to be taken. These actions are primarily the responsibility of the developing nations themselves, including my own country Suriname, assisted by the industrialized nations.
Permit me, Mr. Chairman, to address myself for a second to the developing nations. The late United States •President John F. Kennedy, stated some 20 years ago in particular "There exists in the 1960's an historic opportunity for a major economic assistance effort by the free industrialized nations to move more than half the people of the less developed nations into self-sustained economic growth, while the rest move substantially closer to the day when they too will no longer have to depend on outside assistance''. I have the feeling that the developed nations have insufficiently understood these true words in 1961, since as of today relatively little has been accomplished in this respect.
Suriname became a memba: of FAO on its Independence Day, November 25, 1975. More than four years of experience with a political system preaching self-reliance without implementing it, preaching participation of the people without effecting it, and above all stimulating growth without any attention to real development, resulted in a necessary and highly successful intervention by the Military Forces on 25 February, 1980. The legitimate authority of the Revolution today, being the Military Forces and the Policy Centre, introduced its new policy. This new policy, adopted by the Suriname Government has been based on the principle that a fundamental condition to durably eradicate poverty, hunger and malnutrition can exclusively be attained by an adequate political system as condition sine, qua non for a socio-economic system, aimed at eliminating the conditions that generate poverty, unemployment and hunger.
Today, after a period of only one and a half years, since February 25th, 1980, the change in government has already shown improved conditions for the majority of the Suriname people. Moreover, the conditions from which the mismanagement in the past could emerge were eliminated and replaced by a new development policy based on active and increased participation of the people at all levels. With regard to this new development policy it was found necessary that existing profitable investment options in forestry, agriculture and fisheries be utilized more intensively and be realized more significantly and consistently than had been shown to be possible to date.
As a consequence of this principle, the basic objectives of our agricultural policy, derived from the national development objectives, are: increase of food production for the local market supply; increase of earnings from agricultural exports; increase of income, combined with a better distribution; regional distribution of agricultural activities; generation and qualitative improvement of employment.
These objectives have to result in an increased contribution of agriculture towards the Gross Domestic Product. Agriculture contributed 10 percent towards the G. D. P. and 15 percent to the total working force in the year 1979.
While it is true that we implement agricultural development with a view to the eradication of hunger and malnutrition, it is also true that we must be careful and rational to preserve the land as a renewable resource. Development of the agricultural sector has to be based on an adequate, balanced and effective combination of the factors of land, labour and capital.
The basic principle that land is an economic factor and-as a consequence - must, as an integral part, contribute to the increase of our national prosperity, recently resulted in a new land-reform policy, based upon the following principles: first, land, given to nationals, must be cultivated according to the destination given to it by the State; second, the State continues to be the exclusive owner of State land, with the right of lease or long lease to he who cultivates it. No property titles will be given on State-owned land; third, in order to prevent speculation with land transactions, any transfer of land must take place in accordance with the law.
With the view of arriving at full time employment of 2000 man-hours per year and incomes comparable with those of other sectors, optimal holdings for the different crops are computed. Lab-to-land research, training programmes at all levels and extension services to increase productivity and reduce post-harvest losses are instruments applied in order to raise the status of the farmers in my country.
Institutional infrastructure includes measures for the organization of farmers in cooperatives engaged in production, processing, local and export marketing. Priority is given to cooperative organizations and not to private exporters when export licences are supplied. Supervised credit facilities are supplied by the Agricultural Bank at lower rates of interest and longer payback periods, as compared with commercial banks. Guaranteed prices and subsidies are other instruments to arrive at a sound, actively producing category of farmers.
As regards the fisheries subsector, the annual production of fish by the artisanal fishing fleet has been stagnant at about the level of 3 000 tonnes a year. Based on the results of a joint fisheries project between Suriname and the Federal Republic of Germany, funds for the implementation of a modernization programme for the artisanal fishing fleet will be committed. The existing type of vessel will be replaced by a more seaworthy vessel, outfitted with inboard engines and more efficient fishing gear. The expectations are an increase in production of about 30 percent in the coming three years. Since the marine resources justify this, an expansion of the artisanal fishing fleet will be effected, bringing the total fish production of the artisanal fleet to about 9 000 tonnes. Infrastructural facilities in the three landing areas, as well as fish processing facilities, will bring my country to the position of being self-sufficient in both fresh and processed fish. The investment costs for implementation of these programmes and projects are estimated at about 17 million U. S. dollars.
The utilization of the shrimp bycatch was a subject for the FAO technical consultations, held in Georgetown, Guyana, late last month. Although there is no clear insight regarding the catch rates and the species composition of the bycatch in the economic zone of my country, measures will be implemented on short notice to force the shrimp fleet operating off Suriname to land all the bycatch,aiming at the manufacturing of products for human consumption and animal feed.
Mention has been made time and again about the need for a regional approach to cope with the problem of food production in developing countries. In this view my country is extremely unhappy to learn that the Western Atlantic Fisheries Development Project is forced to terminate on 31 December 1981, due to lack of funds. I may urgently request you to convey my country's great concern to the Director-General and request his willingness to look after ways to prevent the termination of WECAF.
Against the background of fast-vanishing forest resources elsewhere in the humid tropics, the vast forest estate of my country seems unthreatened. This is a very exceptional circumstance, since the forests of Suriname belong to the extremely vast complex and species-rich forest ecosystems of the Amazon basin, one of the last - until recently virtually untouched - tropical forest reserves of the world. As my fellow delegate of Japan stated so correctly on this same floor: ''Forest resources are not formed overnight''. I could add to this ''And this is particularly true for tropical forest resources. '' Although there is an ever-increasing need to be extremely careful in respect of these forests, it will be clear that a rational exploitation on the basis of a sustainable production is a necessity, since world demands for wood, wood products and wood-based forms of energy increase every year.
As my country has a low population density, there is, especially in the more remote areas, virtually no pressure on the forest on the part of the agricultural occupiers. This circumstance, as well as pedological considerations,makes it obvious that large areas of land can be set aside for forestry purposes - partly to accomplish the tangible productive perspectives, partly also to fulfill its necessary ecological and social functions.
This is a very unique situation, giving my country potentially the opportunity to play an important role in the international trade in tropical wood, a raw material that is becoming increasingly scarcer.
Suriname recognizes the forest's important role for soil conservation and water supply, as well as the unique possibilities which the tropical rain forests offer for scientific research in many fields and tourism. My country has underlined this with the establishing of reserves, national parks and specially protected areas over a substantial part of its territory.
Many years of colonial rule - however - left our economy in such a state that - as far as forestry is concerned - we are forced to accomplish on very short term, a powerful, sustainable boost in the production of wood and dérivâtes, with the aim to realize the most important present-day development objectives, such as the removal of the economic dependence on foreign countries, the increase of income for particularly the poorest of the country, the diversification of production-output, the increase of employment opportunities and the spreading of economic activities to more regions of the country.
We hope also that from our forest-estate a constant source of bio-energy can be developed. Favorable results have been achieved with charcoal-production especially in the preparation of cleared land preceding the converting of forests to agriculture.
Furthermore attention will be given to the possibility of producing fossil-fuel substituting substances from biomass, which for Suriname, as a country with only small proven oil-reserves, is a matter of paramount intereest.
The achievement of the production targets in my country requires an expansion of 7 500 hectares of land for crops and pastures and a rehabilitation of an existing area of 35 000 hectares. When productive, this will reduce the import bill for foodstuffs and feed quite substantially in 1986 to about 40 percent of the present level. For rice in 1986 an export of 260 000 tons is envisaged. These actions will require immense inputs from our people, and I am convinced that all are prepared to fully contribute to the realization of this development.
Let us bear in mind an old saying that "each development of a nation is a constant battle between its own history and its future". Let us hope there will be no losers in the battle, but only winners: the poor, the jobless, the landless and the hungry, who are the creators of both their history and their future.
Mr. Chairman, in view of what I have stated, the FAO programme for 1982 and 1983 is fully supported by my delegation. I have no doubt that all that has already been stated and as yet will be stated by the delegates attending this Conference will receive serious attention for further elaboration by FAO.
M. KAMITATU (Zaire): Monsieur le Président,je ne voudrais pas nuire à votre modestie en associant ma voix, au nom du Conseil Exécutif de la République du Zaïre, en mon nom personnel et en celui de la délégation qui m'accompagne, pour vous exprimer nos chaleureuses félicitations pour votre brillante élection au poste de Président de cette Conférence.
J'associe vos collaborateurs du Bureau à cet hommage, et je suis convaincu que vos eminentes qualités sont un gage précieux pour la réussite des travaux de cette session de notre Conférence.
Monsieur le Président, Monsieur le Directeur Général, Distingués Délégués, Mesdames et Messieurs, comme vous le remarquez, j'ai tenu à diriger personnellement la Délégation de mon pays, d'une part, pour démontrer l'importance que le Zaïre attache aux problèmes de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation, et d'autre part, pour bien marquer la place que mon pays réserve à notre Organisation, en tant que Forum pour débattre des problèmes d'alimentation, surtout dans les pays du tiers monde.
Je saisirai, par conséquent, cette occasion pour parler brièvement de la Stratégie de développement agricole et alimentaire de mon pays, étant convaincu que d'autres ont déjà eu l'occasion de développer les considérations générales qui touchent aux problèmes de l'alimentation et de la faim dans le monde.
Depuis plusieurs années déjà, l'agriculture a été déclarée dans mon pays, par la voix même du Président de la République : "Priorité des Priorités".
En vue de répondre à l'exigence posée par cet engagement, le Conseil Exécutif du Zaïre a adopté une Stratégie de Développement agricole et alimentaire, dont il entend assurer la réalisation au cours de la période 1982-1984. L'objectif de cette Stratégie, est la reconquête, à tout prix, de notre autosuffisance alimentaire. A cet effet, une place toute particulière est consacrée aux cultures vivrières.
Le Gouvernement de mon pays s'est engagé à consacrer à cette stratégie, des ressources humaines, techniques et financières, propres, dans la plus large mesure possible.
Il a également sollicité et obtenu le concours d'un nombre important de partenaires, à titre bilatéral ou multilatéral, pour la réalisation des objectifs définis par cette stratégie agricole.
Mon propos d'aujourd'hui consiste à indiquer les points forts et les contraintes de cette stratégie de développement.
I. D'abord les points forts
Nous pensons au Zaïre, s'agissant des cultures vivrières, que le développement de l'agriculture devrait se réaliser dans un milieu rural reconditionné.
Plus que jamais en effet, il paraît nécessaire de ne pas tenter de résoudre les problèmes de production agricole, de commercialisation, de conservation, en un mot les problèmes de l'alimentation, en dehors des données socio-économiques de chaque peuple.
Vingt ans d'expérience ont démontré les limites, les faiblesses, et les maigres résultats de l'approche des solutions des problèmes, fondée uniquement sur une analyse en termes techniques.
En me référant à l'exemple de mon pays, il apparaît clairement que les causes techniques ne suffisent
pas à expliquer la baisse ou même la chute de la production vivrière d'une part, et le recul des cultures perennes d'autre part.
Il est indéniable que la véritable cause est une cause socio-économique, qui a levé, à la campagne, les contraintes sociales qui en avaient fait, dans un passé encore récent, une campagne vérouillée.
- 'accession du pays à l'Indépendance a ouvert les frontières, d'une zone à l'autre du Territoire national, frontières qui étaient naguère fermées.
- la suppression des travaux imposés a libéré un grand nombre de jeunes qui ont accouru vers les villes-miroirs, qui ne peuvent pas leur offrir l'emploi par lequel ils avaient été attirés.
- l'apparition à la campagne même, d'activités plus lucratives que les activités agricoles, ont fini par créer un phénomène d'abandon du travail agricole.
Aucune mesure exclusivement technique ne peut compenser de telles pertes des ressources socio-économiques et humaines d'un pays.
Le remède consiste à donner une solution globale, qui résolve l'ensemble des problèmes socio-économiques, qui stimule la motivation des paysans, et favorise de ce fait, le recours à la technique la plus appropriée du milieu social considéré.
C'est le recours à cette stratégie globale que j'ai désigné sous le concept de développement rural intégré dans un milieu rural reconditionné.
Il nous apparaît avec évidence, au Zaïre, que sans volonté politique de recréer des conditions socio-économiques appropriées pour le milieu rural, tout effort de relance de la production est voué d'avance à un échec certain.
C'est pourquoi, nous pensons qu'il est nécessaire de redynamiser le concept du développement rural intégré, cadre idéal pour la relance d'activités agricoles en milieu paysan.
II. Les contraintes en milieu rural :
Pour parvenir à cette relance, il faut s'attaquer aux contraintes qui constituent la faiblesse du milieu rural lui-même.
Trois directions semblent présenter des problèmes les plus difficiles à résoudre :
D'abord la garantie du prix rémunérateur au paysan :
On ne peut pas passer sous silence, l'évolution récente des organismes internationaux, qui, dans leur littérature économique, s'accordent à reconnaître enfin que le règlement du prix rémunérateur aux paysans producteurs est un facteur d'incitation à la production agricole.
Toutefois, comme chacun le sait, l'application d'une telle politique ne peut réussir qu'en situation de concurrence normale.
Là où n'existent pas de conditions de concurrence loyale, pis encore, là où s'installe le monopole de commercialisation des produits agricoles, il semble aléatoire de s'attendre au paiement des prix rémunérateurs aux paysans producteurs.
C'est pourquoi, mon pays estime que, lorsque les conditions de concurrence ne sont pas réunies, l'Etat a le devoir d'imposer un prix minimum qu'il considère comme étant la rétribution normale des producteurs.
Au-dessus de ce prix minimum, toutes les transactions sont totalement libres entre l'offre et la demande. C'est là le sens des dernières décisions que mon pays a été amené à prendre.
Un autre facteur nécessaire pour favoriser la concurrence, est l'obligation qui incombe aux Pouvoirs Publics, d'assurer l'aménagement et l'entretien des infrastructures rurales (routes, ponts, bacs, installations de santé, etc. . ) sur l'ensemble du Territoire national, et particulièrement en milieu rural.
Contrairement à la tendance, malheureusement trop développée auprès d'un grand nombre de techniciens et experts, je voudrais réaffirmer avec force, que sans apporter des solutions appropriées aux problèmes d'infrastructure rurale, la croissance de la production agricole se trouve largement compromise.
Ce deuxième facteur constitue, à mes yeux, l'un des volets les plus importants du développement rural reconditionné, car, c'est par lui, et par lui seul que le pays peut offrir des structures d'accueil attrayantes, qui permettent à la population d'améliorer son sort, mais également de se stabiliser dans les zones de production rurales.
Assistance technique aux paysans et assistance financière :
Vingt ans d'expérience nous ont également démontré, qu'aucun expert étranger n'est capable d'apporter une assistance technique valable directement au paysan en milieu rural.
Pendant deux décennies, nous avons multiplié le recours à des experts de toutes catégories. Nous devons reconnaître que les résultats n'ont pas été, et de loin, à la mesure de nos espoirs. C'est pourquoi, nous pensons, et nous sommes convaincus au Zaïre, que l'organisation de l'assistance technique auprès des paysans, en matière de vulgarisation, en matière de distribution et d'utilisation d'intrants, en apprentissage des nouvelles méthodes culturales, relève de l'assistance technique des seuls nationaux de chaque pays.
Ces nationaux, compte tenu de leur identité socio-économique avec les paysans, sont plus aptes à appréhender, à assimiler, et à interpréter l'attente des paysans, leurs frères.
Ce recours aux techniciens nationaux n'exclut nullement, bien au contraire, un certain niveau d'assistance en experts de haute qualification, affectés à des tâches de coordination, de planification, de conception, et du controle du suivi.
Replacée dans cette perspective, l'assistance dont les pays du Tiers monde ont besoin, se limite au niveau des experts, à des équipes fortement réduites et de haute performance, et, au niveau du terrain, elle devrait consister à fournir essentiellement des moyens logistiques au profit des techniciens nationaux.
Monsieur le Président, Monsieur le Directeur Général, Distingués Délégués, Mesdames et Messieurs, à plusieurs reprises, il nous a été donné de constater que nos relations de coopération avec des organismes internationaux en matière d'agriculture risquaient d'évoluer comme dans un cercle vicieux.
Il est important de réaffirmer quele recours à une assistance financière est souvent motivé par les difficultés de nos balances de paiement. Ces difficultés sont telles, parfois, qu'il a paru difficile ou impossible de doter les techniciens nationaux des moyens logistiques et des encouragements qui leur permettraient de réussir pleinement leur mission d'encadrement des paysans.
Pour compenser le manque de devises, nous sommes souvent obligés de rechercher des ressources financières à l'extérieur, en vue de doter, non seulement les experts internationaux mais également des techniciens nationaux, des moyens logistiques adéquats.
Je souhaite vivement que notre Conférence se penche très sérieusement sur cet aspect de l'assistance qui conditionne, sans aucun doute, tout programme de développement agricole, en donnant une nouvelle impulsion et un nouveau partage de responsabilités, en matière d'assistance technique et financière.
Monsieur le Président, Monsieur le Directeur Général, Distingués Délégués, Mesdames et Messieurs, touchant toujours le problème de l'assistance technique, je voudrais indiquer, au nom de mon Gouvernement, que nous pensons que la période des missions continuelles, d'études agricoles dans le Tiers monde doit être considérée comme terminée.
Nous pensons qu'après vingt années d'enquêtes, de missions d'études et d'analyses, les organismes internationaux sont en possession d'un maximum de données techniques fondamentales qui conditionnent notre développement.
L'important maintenant est de passer au stade de l'exécution des programmes et des projets dans une stratégie de type sectoriel ou de type global, qui englobe l'ensemble des problèmes socio-économiques et techniques du milieu rural. Il ne s'agit plus de compter en termes de nombre de missions réalisées, mais d'actions concrètes réalisées pour sauver de la faim des millions d'êtres humains qui nous font confiance aux uns et aux autres.
La République du Zaïre s'est engagée à tenter une série d'expériences sectorielles, qui, si elles réussissaient, conduiraient à l'organisation du développement rural intégré de notre agriculture dans un milieu rural reconditionné. Elle retrouverait ainsi son authenticité de développement.
Monsieur le Président, Monsieur le Directeur Général, Distingués Délégués, Mesdames et Messieurs, je m'en voudrais de ne pas féliciter de façon particulière, Monsieur le Directeur Général Edouard Saouma, pour sa réélection à la tête de notre Organisation.
Ma Délégation tient à lui renouveler son appui pour la façon dont il dirige notre Organisation. Je suis convaincu qu'il lui permettra d'atteindre, au cours de son nouveau mandat, de nouvelles performances.
Bien que le point de vue de ma Délégation, au sujet de différents points inscrits à notre ordre du jour, vous sera communiqué lors des débats, au niveau des commissions, je voudrais simplement dire que ma Délégation s'associe aux autres orateurs qui ont pris la parole avant moi pour appuyer le programme de travail et budget de la FAO pour le prochain exercice biennal.
Nous pensons qu'en appuyant ce programme de travail et budget, nous avons été conséquents avec nousmêmes, car c'est là le principal outil qui doit permettre au Directeur Général de diriger efficacement l'Organisation.
Ma délégation fait également sienne la déclaration qui a été faite par la Délégation de la République soeur de Zambie, en sa qualité de Président du Groupe des 77 de la FAO.
Je souhaite plein succès à nos travaux, pour le plus grand bien-être des populations de notre monde, particulièrement des populations les plus deshéritées du Tiers monde, avec une attention toute particulière que je sollicite de votre Conférence pour les populations éprouvées d'Afrique.
C. V LOPEZ (Ecuador): Señor Presidente, señores delegados, señoras y señores, al Señor Ministro de Agricultura de la República Argentina la felicitación de mi Gobierno por la elección para presidir esta Asamblea. Mi Gobierno se une a la felicitación al Doctor Edouard Saouma por su reelección como Director General de la FAO.
Algunos criterios generales sobre la problemática de la producción y de la alimentación. A pesar de los grandes esfuerzos realizados en materia de desarrollo agropecuario y alimentación, se ve con desaliento la radicalización creciente de algunos problemas fundamentales en este ultimo decenio.
Este planteamiento, sobre el deterioro progresivo de tales situaciones, se comprueba a través de innumerables indicadores, muchos de los cuales han sido ya enumerados en esta Conferencia. Voy a referirme a ciertos aspectos relacionados con esta problemática, cuya reflexión nos permitirá formular algunas conclusiones.
Quienes nos preocupamos por la producción de alimentos, solemos enfrentarnos a ciertas situaciones ante las cuales las respuestas dadas por la tecnología agropecuaria o económica, resultan poco satisfactorias respecto a la solución de dichos problemas.
Muchos de los actuales enfoques sobre la producción de alimentos en el mundo, enfatizan en grado extremo la necesidad de crear nuevas tecnologías, de incrementar la acumulación de capital, de perfeccionar los mercados y otros aspectos de tipo tecnológico o económico vinculados a la producción. Sin restar importancia a estos enfoques, estimo que la explicación de los principales problemas que se relacionan con la deficiencia alimentaria mundial, no radican en estos factores técnico-económicos. En efecto, la sociedad contemporánea ha demostrado que es capaz de generar nuevas tecnologías y los países han dado múltiples pruebas de que, cuando se proponen, son capaces de movilizar masivamente sus acciones en pos de una meta común. La dificultad estriba en identificar con claridad cuál es la esencia misma de los problemas y las limitaciones para la solución de los mismos.
Uno de los grandes mitos actuales es el que sostiene que la escasez de alimentos es la causa de la situación de hambre y desnutrición que amenaza al mundo. Es necesario destacar definitivamente esta perspectiva, pues el hambre y la desnutrición no están exclusivamente relacionados con la escasez relativa de alimentos, sino especialmente con el nivel general de ingresos y la distribución de los mismos dentro de una sociedad determinada. El mundo es capaz de producir y produce los alimentos que necesita; el problema está en que más de 1 000 millones de seres humanos no tienen los recursos económicos necesarios para adquirirlos.
Un alto porcentaje de africanos, un alto porcentaje de asiáticos, y quizá un igual porcentaje de latinoamericanos, consumen una ración diaria inferior a 2 200 calorías debido a que no pueden adquirir los alimentos necesarios según los requerimientos nutricionales.
Hay que tener en cuenta que, a nivel mundial, apenas si se trabaja efectivamente menos del 50 por ciento de la tierra cultivable. Muchas veces a este recurso se le da otro tipo de valor, considerándosele como una inversión o un elemento de prestigio social y se le deja improductivo. La concentración de la tierra en pocas manos, la carencia de mecánicos que propicien que la tierra sea utilizada en la producción de alimentos que las comunidades nacionales requieren, la inadecuada conceptualización de las llamadas ventajas cooperativas, hacen que un mismo país sufra, por una parte, déficit alimentario y, por otra parte, realice cultivos de productos sofisticados para la sociedad de consumo.
Por otro lado, los productos agrícolas para exportación enfrentan en los mercados internacionales barreras proteccionistas y regulaciones impuestas por los países desarrollados que impiden un normal comportamiento en el mercado de los mismos. Los términos de intercambio de los productos agropecuarios en relación a los productos manufacturados e insumos agrícolas han sufrido un deterioro progresivo que afecta a los primeros; por último, hay que resaltar la necesidad de los países en desarrollo de producir alimentos para asegurar un nivel apropiado de abastecimiento interno.
No es justo que al final del siglo veinte la economía mundial funcione en base a que una parte de la humanidad genere productos agropecuarios cada vez más baratos y la otra parte sea la que genere insumos y componentes industriales cada vez más costosos en términos relativos y absolutos.
El deterioro progresivo de los términos de intercambio y la imposición de reglas de juego en los mercados internacionales por parte de quienes controlan dichos mercados, que claramente afectan a los intereses de los países en vías de desarrollo, son aspectos altamente significativos que invitan a reflexionar sobre las decisiones de qué producir dentro de nuestros países.
Es muy difícil que los países en desarrollo puedan lograr economías sanas e independientes si no se introducen correcciones radicales en los procedimientos adoptados, tanto en lo que se refiere a los términos de intercambio, como al manejo de los mercados de los productos básicos.
Otro elemento digno de destacarse es el énfasis que se ha dado al desarrollo de una agricultura moderna, en contrapunto con lo que se ha dado en llamar la agricultura tradicional.
Lo que se llama "agricultura moderna" implica necesariamente una fuerte concentración de recursos y factores, especialmente tierra, capital y tecnología, y supone además, por regla general, el uso de factores productivos altamente desplazados de mano de obra.
Difícilmente esta tendencia es compatible con los requerimientos de las comunidades nacionales en cuanto a generación de empleo, justicia social, producción de alimentos y distribución de ingresos y distribución espacial armónica de población.
No es nuestro interés oponernos a lo moderno. Lo que propugnamos es que la modernización se realice considerando las características y funcionamiento de nuestras economías campesinas, ya que éstas en muchos casos, con muy pocos recursos productivos, son las que generan un sesenta por ciento, o más, de los productos de consumo directo que nuestros países requieren. Una modernización que incremente la dependencia externa, que refuerce los modelos de desarrollo urbano industrial y que no garantice niveles aceptables de bienestar para las poblaciones rurales, simplemente no la deseamos, pues consideramos que no es la forma de sustentar nuestro desarrollo.
Por fin, queremos enfatizar que la tecnología requerida para el desarrollo debe ser conservadora de los recursos renovables, no generadora de dependencia externa, y debe estar sustentada en fuentes energéticas al alcance de los países. La tecnología en sí es neutra, pero el contexto donde ella se aplica debe ser tomado en cuenta como elemento fundamental para determinar su grado de uso y su eficiencia. Creemos que es inaceptable que mientras se destinan ingentes recursos a la investigación para incrementar la producción de cultivos energéticos o de materias primas industriales, no se atienda con el mismo énfasis el campo de la producción de alimentos básicos para la nutrición de nuestros pueblos a través de las tecnologías apropiadas.
Los desajustes señalados son productos de modelos de desarrollo que en forma creciente han ido exacerbando las desigualdades entre los países industrializados y los que se encuentran en vías de desarrollo, agudizando la situación que prevalecía en la peor etapa del colonialismo clásico: millones de seres humanos mueren anualmente en el mundo por falta de una adecuada alimentación; la tercera parte de la producción de grano es consumida por el ganado de los países desarrollados; el 25 por ciento de las tierras productivas de los países pobres se destina a producir materias primas para uso de los países ricos; los gastos militares en el mundo superan los 500 mil millones de dólares anuales; sin embargo, para resolver la asistencia exterior destinada a la producción de alimentos los países y organismos internacionales no han podido alcanzar la cifra de 12 mil millones de dólares.
En suma, los modelos por los cuales se ha regido el desarrollo anivel mundial no han dado importancia en forma adecuada al ser humano como sujeto del desarrollo, asignándole, las más de las veces, simplemente un papel de tipo económico, ya sea como generador de trabajo o como consumidor, sin tomar en cuenta que el ser humano como tal requiere que se le considere en una dimensión múltiple en donde no entren en contradiciön el trabajo, el ingreso, el bienestar y el desarrollo real de la persona humana.
El hecho cierto de que nuestra sociedad contemporánea haya elevado a categoría de dogma el proceso de "tener" y ha dejado de lado, en el análisis del problema del desarrollo, los valores de "pertenecer" y de "ser" que nacen de las necesidades del hombre ha deformado la vision actual del desarrollo y excluye la posibilidad de dar un cambio sustantivo a dicho análisis que permita introducir conceptos como "solidaridad", "cooperación" y "participación".
Dentro de este escenario, plagado de contradicciones y fuertemente determinado por modelos de desarrollo no humanistas se desenvuelve el quehacer de los países y de los organismos internacionales que ellos conforman, resultando así su accionar fuertemente influenciado por estas situaciones.
La muerte silenciosa de los subalimentados del mundo es la expresión más real y trágica de la carencia de justicia que presenta el actual orden economico internacional.
El desarrollo de sofisticadas tecnologías, muchas veces con el respaldo de diferentes organismos internacionales, para la producción de materias primas de origen agrícola, genera absurdos y contradicciones que en nada ayuda al desarrollo de un sistema internacional más justo. Al respecto, permítanme un paréntesis para exponer algo que me ha movido a escándalo. Me refiero a la nueva tendencia que parece impactará en el sector rural en las próximas décadas. Frente a la gran crisis mundial en la que el petróleo ha jugado un papel importante, se plantea ya la tesis de los cultivos energéticos. Esto es, cultivar la tierra, dedicar nuestros recursos naturales, nuestro capital y nuestra población a cultivar productos que nos permitan extraer alcoholes para que éstos sirvan como combustible. Producir nuevamente en forma barata un insumo para satisfacer las necesidades de las clases medias y altas de la sociedad de consumo. Esto significará no sólo que las clase; marginadas rurales tengan una mayor dependencia de las economías de las clases medias y altas urbanas, sino que además se disminuirá la capacidad de producción de alimentos. Se dice que para reemplazar el petróleo que transporta uno de los supertanqueros que existen en la actualidad se requiere cultivar tantas hectáreas que dedicadas a producir alimentos podrían aplacar el hambre de 20 millones de habitantes.
No cabe duda que la situación del mundo contemporáneo es preocupante. Es urgente y necesario que los países y los organismos internacionales consideren debidamente la posibilidad de cambiar sus perspectivas de análisis para ser claros sobre tantos mitos que se han interiorizado en los conceptos del desarrollo, haciendo creer al mundo que la pobreza del sur nada tiene que ver con la riqueza del norte; que el desarrollo es sólo un problema de orden técnico, libre empresa y competencia; o que el subdesarrollo es producto de falta de voluntad, incapacidad, improvisación y despilfarro de recursos. Es urgente que se enfrente la dura realidad de la dependencia, de la presencia de los grandes intereses transnacionales, del sometimiento de más de tres cuartas partes de la humanidad a los intereses de una sociedad de consumo.
Es preciso que esta Conferencia reafirme y recomiende llevar a la práctica los acuerdos contenidos en: La estrategia internacional del desarrollo, formulada por las Naciones Unidas, para el tercer decenio. El informe de la Comisión Brandt.
La resolución 6/79 del vigésimo período de sesiones de la Conferencia de la FAO. El Plan de Acción para la Seguridad Alimentaria Mundial.
Además, con el objeto de contribuir a solucionar los problemas actuales nos permitimos sugerir las siguientes medidas de acción y planteamientos generales.
Los proyectos que se ejecuten en las zonas rurales deben responder a una concepción de desarrollo de naturaleza integral.
La participación protagónica de los beneficiarios y la organización campesina deben considerarse necesarias para obtener no sólo el crecimiento económico sino un auténtico desarrollo social.
A más de los programas y proyectos de la FAO, que por cierto cuentan con el respaldo de mi Gobierno, es de primordial importancia que los países y los organismos internacionales presten seria atención a la demanda de intelectuales y conductores religiosos del mundo contemporáneo, que claman por establecer sistemas socio-económicos más justos y más humanos. Debemos convencernos de una vez que el análisis que se hace a través de los consabidos indicadores comunes de tipo econometrista y tecnocráticos constituye un obstáculo en la planificación del cambio social que necesitan nuestros pueblos.
Señor Presidente, estimados miembros de esta 21a Conferencia de la FAO: para terminar esta intervención, a nombre del Gobierno del Ecuador, deseo expresar nuestra convicción de que este tipo de eventos tienen el riesgo de reproducir, con palabras nuevas, planteamientos antiguos y, por lo mismo, ser poco favorables para avanzar en la reflexión y análisis de los problemas que se enfocan. La realidad de nuestros países
exige que los foros internacionales propicien diálogos francos y valientes sin temor a los grandes intereses de los grupos nacionales o internacionales, acaparadores egoístas del poder en beneficio propio. Solo así, la acción de estos organismos, su asesoramiento y pensamiento serán beneficiosos para resolver el único problema que en definitiva enfrenta la humanidad: el problema de la justicia social. De lo contrario, nuestras palabras y reuniones serán estériles y acrecentarán únicamente el marasmo de la demagogia académica.
A. F. J. JACKSON (Sierra Leone):Sierra Leone is classified amongst the most seriously affected countries of the world. Like most Third World Countries, we have been confronted over the years with problems of agricultural development and food production to the extent that we have had to import our staple food, rice, to make up for the deficit in local production.
Before 1978, our food production averaged between five and ten percent of our consumption needs. Over the last three years, this figure has increased to the startling level of twenty percent, with the possibility of a further increase unless an all-out war is waged against the trend. The irony is that this deterioration in our food situation has coincided with an increased government investment in agriculture and agro-based industries. While it has been necessary to take a critical look at our agricultural development strategy, it is obvious that the negative trend in the food situation, necessitating greater food imports, began with abnormal weather fluctuations in 1978. Considering the fact that nearly 65 percent of Sierra Leone's total rice production is carried out in the rainfed upland areas in subsistence farming patterns, the consequences of an early or a more prolonged rainfall have proved disastrous.
As a matter of policy, my government emphasizes swamp rice farming; nothwithstanding its social and economic setbacks. The main thrust of our agricultural development programme has continued to be the integrated rural development approach, with swamp rice farming as the focal point. For us to evaluate the socio-economic impact of projects on the local community, we have established the need for baseline studies which inadvertently were omitted in earlier projects.
We have found an urgent need to introduce an appropriate form of irrigation and drainage programme in addition to establishing a division of Land and Water Resources Development within the Ministry if our agriculture is to be less susceptible to weather fluctuations. By this strategy, we hope to reduce the dependence of rice production on the rainfed pattern of farming.
Notwithstanding the significant local efforts to improve food production in the country within severe limitations in terms of finance and manpower, substantial bilateral and multilateral assistance will continue to be necessary if meaningful results are to be realized. In this connection, my delegation wishes to acknowledge the support and cooperation of the FAO, IFAD, the World Bank, ADB and the EEC We are also grateful for the support received from individual donor countries like the United States of America, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Netherlands, China, Britain, the USSR. , France and the Koreas. I wish to add with gratitude, that the FAO in particular, has played and continues to play a prominent role in project identification and preparation for the agricultural sector of my country.
My delegation at this point appeals to all donor countries to continue to courageously and generously support the programme of the FAO.
With the rapid decline in the earnings from mineral resources, mainly diamonds, we have no alternative but to give topmost priority to agriculture and rural development which receives about 25 percent of our development budget. Also, in order to make maximum use of our scare resources, a comprehensive institutional and structural reorganization is underway, part of which has been the convening of a donor conference by the Government early this year to study the modalities of coordination of assistance programmes in the agricultural sector in the country.
While we recognize price incentives to induce increased food production, the lack of sustainable social security systems comparable to those of developed countries will certainly pose serious economic and social if not political problems with regard to policies on subsidies especially for most staple food commodities in developing countries.
We believe that a closer study of the concept of price incentives and subsidies as a strategy to increased food production should be more closely studied.
The present upward trend in pre- and post-harvest losses of basic food crops has highlighted the need for effective crop protection and storage programmes. In this regard measures are now underway to strengthen the Crop Protection and Pest Control Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry by
expanding its staff and technical capacity. Aware particularly of the rapid increase in the prices of petrol, and petrol-based fuels, my Government has intensified its forestry programme by assisting local communities to grow their own forests for fuel wood.
As part of the drive to achieve self-sufficiency in food, studies have been carried out with the aim of rationalizing and developing the livestock and fisheries sector of agriculture . Accordingly, an FAO assisted fisheries development project in exclusive economic zones is already in progress. Under the scheme, the artisanal fisheries sector has been given a boost through a bilateral project with an integrated approach geared to the needs of the community. Similarly, livestock development projects with emphasis on the multiplication and improved status of the indigenous trypano-tolerant N'dama cattle breed and small ruminants have been identified and prepared for funding either as entity projects or as components of the integrated development approach.
One major limiting factor in the implementation of the on-going projects, as well as those already prepared, is the local financial contribution, which as a matter of criterion averages around 15 percent of total project costs. In the light of the I. M. F imposed limitations on borrowing and expenditure, our rural development and food production targets have reached a crisis point that calls for a more sympathetic and realistic appraisal from the point of view of external assistance. General cost over-runs resulting from global inflation, high importations of expensive farm inputs, including the escalating cost of fuel, have exceeded the annual local budgetary allocations to agriculture. While considering that each case must be viewed in the light of the prevailing economic social and political circumstances in the respective affected countries, there certainly is a need to re-examine the socio-economic conditions in African countries as the priccj for export raw-materials and finished industrialized products are not determined by these countries, and in any case are seldom to their advantage.
Global food shortage, hunger and malnutrition should remind industrialized nations that there is no moral justification to protect the well-fed against the hungry.
However, the world economic situation has made developing countries increasingly aware of the need to be self-reliant at national regional and sub-regional levels. The political will already exists; all that is needed, is a good start with adequate bilateral and multilateral support so that we can introduce positive co-efficients into our production targets. In view of this, my delegation fully supports the programme of work and budget proposed by the Director-General for the 1982-83 biennium.
Finally, my delegation wishes to reaffirm its faith in the role of the FAO and the courageous leadership of Dr. Edouard Saouma, the Director-General. Permit me to recall that it was at the OAU Conference held in Sierra Leone in July 1980, that African Heads of State and Governments unanimously endorsed the candidature of Dr. Saouma. It is fitting therefore that on his re-election for another term, I should take this opportunity to convey the compliments and congratulations of President Dr. Siaka Stevens, on behalf of the Government and People of Sierra Leone.
With your permission,Mr. Chairman, before I take my seat I would like in my capacity as Chairman of the Governing Council of the Centre for Integrated Development in Africa to appeal to fellow ministers and Heads of African Delegations to expedite the ratification of the agreement establishing a centre in Arusha, Tanzania. We are now in the process of appointing a director of the Centre, a process that will be completed before the end of this biennium.
May I also congratulate the Chairman and members of the group on their able leadership during this Conference.
H. J. KRISTENSEN (Denmark): My Minister had planned to be here today but political difficulties in Parliament have unfortunately kept him in Copenhagen and he has asked me to read his statement.
First of all, Mr. Chairman, I would like to congratulate you and the whole bureau on your election. Secondly I would like to congratulate the Director-General on his re-election. May I also wish the new members of the Organization welcome.
Our deliberations during this conference are based on the very comprehensive and thought-provoking set of documentation presented by the Director-General. I would like to express my appreciation of this, and of the inspiring presentation of the complicated problems we are facing, contained in the Director-General's opening statement.
The problems are indeed complicated. It is undertstandable that a pessimistic undertone is prevalent in the state of food and agriculture situation of today.
The reasons for this pessimism are due both to man-made and to natural calamities.
I am not going to repeat what is in the documentation. The purpose of a conference like this - where people responsible for the world's food and agricultural policies are meeting - cannot be to describe the situation. We must, as responsible politicians, establish a policy which can improve the situation.
In my opinion two aspects are needed to be borne in mind when attempting to arrive at political solutions :
Firstly, the alarming food situation in the world has been brought about by different causes in individual countries and regions. In some cases the difficulties are of a temporary nature, due to either sudden bad weather situations or due to natural or man-made emergency situations. In other cases the alarming situation is of a more permanent nature, caused by an inbalance between increasing demand for food together with stagnating or even decreasing food production.
Denmark is, of course, prepared to assist in emergency situations. In this connection it is, however, important to underline that the prime aim of this Organization and its member countries should be to prevent hunger and malnutrition becoming permanent features anywhere in the world.
The second aspect, which must be born in mind, is that the global recession has had serious consequences on the economy. Both generally and in the agricultural sector - also in the industrialized countries with increasing numbers of jobless persons and an alarming number of economic catastrophies in the agricultural sector.
The result is that during the economic recession there are unfortunately fewer resources available than would be the case in economically good periods. It is therefore today even more important that only tasks of high priority will be tackled. It is also necessary that tasks are undertaken by such organizations which are best equipped to do so.
This takes me to the role of FAO. FAO is the United Nations' Organization for Food and Agriculture and as such the organization with the best possibilities to assist in planning and implementation of agricultural development projects.
The FAO Investment Centre plays a central role in the planning of development projects in this sector. There is a constant need for capital to invest in such projects. I would like to see, however, that more available resources for development of agriculture bechannelled through FAO, both from other international organizations and from member countries or from groups of member countries.
Increased contributions to UNDP through a more even burden sharing between donor countries could prevent that UNDP resources available for execution by FAO would decrease. I appreciate that the Director-General has taken the initiative to discuss the co-operation with his colleague in UNDP and that the two organizations have sent a joint letter to their field representatives concerning this co-operation. We are looking forward to results from this initiative. It would be an important result if the two organizations could bring about an increased priority to agricultural development in national development plans.
The question of world food security has been discussed at many meetings since the last FAO conference. However, the many words have not resulted in sufficient practical improvements. In my opinion FAO has carried out good work in this field and I would like to see that FAO continues to play a very active role in achieving world food security.
As a practical example of the improved utilization of available resources I would like to point to the World Food Programme. The Danish government finds the work carried out by the World Food Programme excellent, and I am convinced that it would lead to a better utilization of food aid if this to a greater extent was channeled through the World Food Programme. It would also be of importance to the programme if increasing quantities of grain from the Food Aid Convention would be made available to the World Food Programme. In this connection it is worth underlining that in addition to food the programme also is in need of cash. In this way it is also possible for member nations not in a position to offer food, to contribute to the World Food Programme with cash.
I am pleased to confirm that my government is supporting the Secretariats proposal to establish the World Food Programme's pledging target for 1983-84 at 1 200 million dollars.
Denmark is among the major donors to the World Food Programme. We are prepared to increase our contribution still further. However, the new pledging target can only be reached, if new donors will join. I therefore appeal to countries with a possibility of contributing in one form or another to join as donors to the World Food Programme.
In connection with the World Food Programme I must revert to my previous mention of the relations between emergency situations and food deficit situations of a more lasting nature.
We have experienced unfortunate,man-made emergency situations in Asia and Africa. It has been necessary that also the World Food Programme has assisted in such situations. However, in my opinion an undesirable trend has developed, and the Programme is utilizing resources for emergency situations which should have been made available for development projects. Emergency assistance should have come in the form of extra-budgetary resources through the International Emergency Food Reserve. However, I note with satisfaction that this year the target for the reserve of 500 000 tons of grain annually will be reached. In this connection I am pleased to inform you that my government is supporting the proposal for pledging conferences every two years in order to assure an increasing and more stabilized contribution to the International Emergency Food Reserve.
The agricultural sector should produce food enough to satisfy a growing world population. The main aim of FAO is to assist in achieving this goal. This is fully supported by my government. At the same time increased employment must be brought about, both in the agricultural and in other economic sectors, in order to improve the purchasing power, since this would enable people to buy food rather than receiving aid. FAO is assisting this development through development projects and also through the World Food Programme.
The follow-up to the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development is another activity in FAO's programme of work to which my government is attaching high priority. We are placing importance on the aspects included in the conference document concerning national strategies, people's participation, and integration of women in the development process. Some years have now passed since the conference, and we would have liked to see even greater progress and more concrete proposals in this field. I ask myself, if the conclusions reached at the conference have had enough influence on the work carried out in FAO's different departments.
The problem of scarce resources becomes very evident, also when talking about energy. The problems concerning energy were recently the subject of a separate conference in Nairobi. FAO will in cooperation with other specialized agencies and financial institutions have an important role to play in the energy sector during the follow-up to this conference. The document prepared for this conference analyses the situation in the agricultural sector and proposes different possibilities for a better utilization of resources.
I take it that the action programme and the report from the Nairobi conference are being studied by all departments in FAO and will be taken into consideration in FAO's programmes. I would, however, be concerned if proposals for new activities in the form of energy programmes would require new financing; if necessary, it should be at the expense of other activities.
The need for improved utilization of available resources is a point which I would also like to repeat in respect of FAO's budget in general. FAO has a large number of on-going activities, and it will be necessary to exercise caution in order that activities will not be spread over too many areas. In the present resource situation it will increasingly be necessary to place priority on some programmes and to concentrate on the most important. I have earlier pointed to some areas which we think should have the highest priority, and others which necessarily will have to receive a lower priority.
Denmark would like to give credit to the Director-General's efforts in concentrating priorities on some programmes and in utilizing available resources in a manner so as to avoid a large increase in administration. In one area, however, it has been proposed to bring about a considerable expansion of personnel, that is in the area of FAO Representatives. This we could accept, if at the same time a decentralization of responsibility to the field level would take place,I note, however, with concern that this attempt has not been accompanied by a reduction in the allocation to Regional Offices. It is also a question whether it is not necessary to scale down or to stop work on some technical or economic programmes which are not directly concerned with development work.
FAO should concentrate even more towards becoming an action-oriented organization. As examples of this I can mention FAO's seed development programme, which in my opinion should have a high priority together
with FAO's work in the field of nutrition. On the other hand I as a representative of a European country would like to raise the question whether activities in Europe could not be further scaled down for the benefit of inputs in Africa, Asia, and Latin America? The Danish delegation will take up these aspects during the work in the Commissions.
Mr. Chairman, the problems concerning available resources is re-appearing when each individual member nation considers how best to contribute to the improvement of the food and agricultural situation in the world.
In some cases I think that the international organizations are better suited to administer development support than individual donor countries. This is for example the case with food aid where the World Food Programme is carrying out excellent work. In other cases the individual donor countries could have a better background to work on a bilateral basis.
Obviously governments in developing countries have a particular responsibility. It is important that the development is taking place in such areas where specific natural advantages are present. If this principle is not followed, the risk of disturbing traditional currents of trade may result, and the optimal utilization of resources is therefore not achieved.
With respect to Denmark I ask myself how we can best contribute on the basis of our experience. Denmark is now an industrialized country. However, we have an important agricultural sector, which has gone through a far-reaching adjustment process;this has continued also in the last few years. We are producing far more food than we need.
It is natural for Denmark to contribute substantially to the World Food Programme. I can add that we have continuously been increasing this contribution. Together with Danish industry and the World Food Programme we have in this connection been working on the development of a new meat product of high nutritional value, which will enable us to increase our deliveries to the programme within the same amount of funds.
The adjustment process which the Danish agricultural sector has been through has given us an experience and a technological knowledge, which we believe developing countries could benefit from. Also Danish commercial firms have increasingly made use of this know-how in developing countries. I hope that this experience can be further utilized. We are ready to continue our participation in international development work in connection with well-defined development projects.
With this promise, Mr. Chairman, I conclude in wishing the Director-General and his staff all the best in their future work.
M. J. PEREIRA SILVA (Cap-Vert): Monsieur le Président, Monsieur le Directeur général, Honorables Délégués, Mesdames, Messieurs, qu'il me soit permis de vous féliciter, Monsieur le Président, de votre brillante élection à la Présidence de la vingt et unième session de la Conférence de la FAO.
J'aimerais également adresser mes chaleureuses félicitations à M. Edouard Saouma brillamment réélu au poste de Directeur général de notre Organisation. La personnalité du Dr. Saouma, son dévouement militant à la lutte contre la faim et la malnutrition dans le monde sont trop connus et appréciés pour que je m'y attarde.
Pourtant, il me semble que cette vingt et unième session de la Conférence a donné une brillante preuve d'attachement aux objectifs de notre organisation en choisissant, à l'unanimité presque, M. Saouma pour le poste vital de Directeur général.
Aux nouveaux Etats Membres, j'adresse aussi toutes nos félicitations. Je souhaite ardemment que ceux qui luttent encore pour leur indépendance nationale puissent se joindre à nous dans les plus brefs délais.
Monsieur le Président, la République du Cap Vert est un petit pays. Ses problèmes sont bien connus ; ils sont décrits aussi bien dans les rapports officiels de notre Gouvernement que dans ceux des institutions des Nations Unies et des Organismes d'aide bilatérale.
Depuis l'indépendance en 1975, le Cap Vert cherche à se doter des moyens d'atteindre un minimum de sécurité alimentaire, dans un contexte extrêmement difficile. Notre pays, en effet, n'a pas été gâté par la nature ; les précipitations sont insuffisantes et irrégulières. Nous souffrons en outre de graves problèmes sociologiques et des lourdes conséquences de l'héritage colonial.
Pendant nos cinq premières années d' indépendance, la population cap-verdienne s'est attachée avec acharnement à protéger et à restaurer les sols, à utiliser le moindre litre d'eau.
Des programmes ambitieux ont été exécutés ou sont en voie d'exécution, qu'il s'agisse de défense et de restauration des sols, de prospection hydrologique et de mise en valeur des eaux souterraines,- de reboisement, d'amélioration des cultures sèches, ou d'extension des périmètres irrigués, etc.
Nous sommes partis de zéro, et pendant 5 ans, nous avons dû nous contenter de lutter pour survivre. Nous passons maintenant à une nouvelle phase plus constructive, avec de grands programmes de production agricole intensive et d'irrigation, d'élevage intensif, mais aussi et en même temps de formation, de vulgarisation, de crédit, et nous étudions une politique de prix propreá encourager les producteurs. De plus, étant donné les graves problèmes que pose l'augmentation constante du prix des combustibles fossiles, nous nous occupons activement de valoriser les sources d'énergie renouvelables.
Comme l'a dit un des orateurs qui m'ont précédé à cette tribune, les problèmes de la production agricole sont en fin de compte les problèmes des hommes qui font produire la terre.
Au Cap-Vert, il est urgent de transformer les modes de faire valoir qui dominent actuellement dans l'agriculture. L'objectif est d'augmenter la production et la productivité dans l'agriculture, d'affranchir ceux qui travaillent la terre des relations archaïques auxquelles ils sont encore soumis et d'améliorer la situation économique et culturelle des paysans.
Voilà l'objectif de réforme agraire qu'on se propose de réaliser au Cap Vert si l'avant-projet de loi actuellement en discussion depuis 2 mois est approuvé.
Nos débats se déroulent à un moment où la situation alimentaire mondiale n'est guère satisfaisante. Malgré des progrès sensibles, elle est préoccupante dans la plupart des pays dits sous-développés ; elle est même catastrophique dans beaucoup d'entre eux.
En effet, au moment où s'ouvre la troisième décennie des Nations Unies pour le développement, on ne peut que constater l'échec des solutions tentées depuis vingt ans pour vaincre la faim et la malnutrition dans le monde.
Tous les pays victimes de ce fléau qu'est la faim ont été examinés par d'éminents spécialistes. Les causes du mal sont diagnostiquées, on a défini les remèdes appropriés, on a essayé d'obtenir les moyens nécessaires pour la guérison. On a même réuni une partie importante de ce qu'il fallait. Force nous est de constater néanmoins que la situation ne fait que se dégrader.
Pourquoi cela ? Parce que certains s'obstinent à nier l'évidence. La vraie cause de l'échec est que toutes les stratégies sont conçues et appliquées dans un contexte d'inégalité et de domination, dans un contexte où l'égoîsme a plus de force que la solidarité, dans un contexte où le plus fort impose ses conditions au plus faible, et cela aussi bien au niveau national que dans les rapports entre les pays et nations.
Dans la Conférence des Nations Unies sur les pays les moins avancés qui s'est tenue à Paris du 1 au 14 septembre dernier, Son Excellence Aristide Pereira, Président de la République du Cap Vert, parlant au nom des 21 pays africains déclarait:
"En dépit de la nature spécifique des problèmes que les PMA ont à résoudre et de la nécessité de trouver des solutions qui leur soient adéquates, il n'est pas moins évident que la solution définitive du problème du développement des PMA, tout en dépendant de l'effort national, réside fondamentalement dans le démantèlement de toutes les structures de domination politique et économique, et dans la création d'un climat international de paix, d'harmonie et de respect mutuel, dans lequel la volonté d'atteindre une solution globale de la crise économique internationale et des disparités existantes entre les nations et les hommes devra prévaloir sur toute autre considération".
Voilà pourquoi mon Pays attache la plus grande importance aux efforts pour l'établissement d'un nouvel ordre international, un nouvel ordre économique, social et politique qui soit plus juste que l'ordre actuel. Nous pensons que les débats qui se déroulent ici ne peuvent pas être séparés de ce contexte des négociations globales si nécessaires et si attendues.
Monsieur le Président, le Cap Vert fait partie du groupe de pays qui ne pourront pas se passer de l'aide alimentaire durant les années à venir, en dépit des efforts nationaux en cours ; les causes de cet état de choses étaient bien connues.
Cette année encore le pays connaît une situation extrêmement grave, à cause de la perte quasi totale des récoltes de maïs et de haricots, base de l'alimentation nationale.
Le Cap-Vert a bénéficié d'une aide considérable depuis son indépendance il y a 6 ans ; grâce à cette aide, le pays a pu non seulement survivre mais aussi jeter les bases d'une économie capable de répondre aux aspirations de son peuple.
Tout indique que le pays continue à bénéficier d'un important capital de confiance et d'estime auprès des pays donateurs.
Néanmoins, comment ne pas exprimer notre préoccupation devant la diminution de l'aide en général, et particulièrement de l'aide alimentaire ? Et surtout, comment ne pas exprimer notre désaccord devant la façon dont les problèmes soulevés par l'aide alimentaire sont parfois présentés ?
On parle beaucoup des méfaits de l'aide alimentaire. Mais cette aide est inspirée par une nécessité objective ; s'il y a un problème, c'est à cause de la façon dont elle est utilisée. A cet égard, il ne faut pas mettre sur un même plan les erreurs commises par certains bénéficiaires et les responsabilités de certains donateurs. Dans cet esprit, il faut mettre au grand jour les contraintes imposées de l'extérieur.
C'est là une préoccupation à laquelle les pays réunis au sein du Comité Interétats de Lutte contre la Sécheresse dans le Sahel, parmi lesquels se trouve la République du Cap Vert, donnent beaucoup d'importance. C'est pourquoi les sahéliens se sont réunis ces jours-ci à Dakar avec les donateurs sous les auspices du Club du Sahel et du CILSS précisément pour examiner tous les aspects de la problématique de l'aide alimentaire.
Monsieur le Président, la République du Cap Vert, pays insulaire, dont l'agriculture est soumise à des contraintes climatiques énormes, voit dans la mer non seulement une source d'aliments protéiques pour sa population, mais aussi la solution d'une partie très importante de ses problèmes économiques. L'adoption d'une convention sur le droit de la mer est pour nous une nécessité impérieuse et urgente.
En ce qui concerne plus spécifiquement l'exploitation judicieuse des ressources halieutiques de nos zones économiques exclusives, les propositions du Directeur général correspondent à nos propres voeux, et nous les appuyons énergiquement.
Monsieur le Président, au moment où se déroulent nos débats ici, il y a en Afrique-, en plus de ceux qui ont perdu leurs récoltes à cause des calamités naturelles, des millions d'hommes, de femmes et d'enfants qui ne peuvent manger à leur faim, parce qu'on ne leur permet pas de,produire de quoi se nourrir. Ce sont des réfugiés, expulsés de leurs terres, en général par des interventions plus ou moins ouvertes d'armées étrangères.
Je voudrais citer ici un exemple : c'est l'Angola, ce pays martyr, qui depuis 6 ans est empêché de se remettre au travail, surtout dans l'agriculture, par la pression militaire constante du régime raciste de l'Afrique du Sud, appuyée ou du moins accueillie avec compréhension par certaines puissances .
Il faut que les ingérences de tout ordre, génératrices de conflits locaux, cessent, pour qu'une partie importante des populations du continent africain puisse enfin s'adonner en paix au travail, et produire de quoi se nourrir sans avoir besoin d'aide.
Contrairement à ce qu'affirment certains spécialistes des questions africaines, autodétermination et indépendance des pays africains sont des conditions indispensables pour que l'Afrique puisse résoudre ses problèmes alimentaires.
Monsieur le Président, un des résultats le plus important de nos débats sera bien sûr l'approbation d'un programme qui permette de réaliser les objectifs de notre Organisation pour les deux années à venir.
La proposition de programme qui nous a été soumise par le Directeur général, M. Edouard Saouma, est en accord parfait avec les orientations qu'il a reçues des organes directeurs de la FAO ; elle représente le minimum pour faire face à la grave situation qui prévaut en matière agricole et alimentaire dans le monde. Nous appuyons le programme présenté par le Directeur général. Il est évident qu'il faudra voter un budget pour l'exécution d'un tel programme.
Le débat sur le niveau du budget qui nous est proposé doit être placé dans son contexte politique.
Les réserves émises par certaines délégations ne résistent pas à l'analyse. En effet, on ne peut pas ignorer le caractère catastrophique de la situation alimentaire d'un certain nombre de pays. On a déjà indiqué que ces difficultés ne résultent pas seulement de problèmes internes mais aussi et
surtout de la crise économique mondiale. La solution ne peut se trouver que dans un contexte de solidarité internationale, voire de responsabilité collective. La FAO nous donne le cadre institutionnel idéal dans lequel cette solidarité doit se concrétiser.
Il ne serait d'ailleurs pas logique que, quelques jours après Cancun, ces mêmes pays, qui ont déclaré alors que le combat contre les causes de la faim est l'unique moyen de supprimer définitivement ce fléau refusent à la FAO le minimum de moyens pour qu'elle puisse contribuer efficacement à la réalisation de ces nobles objectifs.
Après Cancun, Monsieur le Président, le vote du budget de la FAO pour la période 1982/83 a la valeur d\me profession de foi.
Pour terminer, Monsieur le Président, permettez-moi, en ma qualité de Ministre Coordinateur du CILSS, de dire quelques mots du Sahel : la sécheresse qui s'est abattue sur le pays du Sahel, depuis bientôt 11 ans, n'a pas desserré son étreinte. Le programme de première génération du CILSS pour l'autosuffisance alimentaire et la lutte contre la désertification, dont le financement a été estimé en 1978 à 3,8 millions de dollars US, n'a été réalisé qu'à moitié.
L'aide alimentaire d'urgence décroit d'année en année. De 57 % des besoins en 1978, elle est tombée à 40 % en 1979, puis à 19 % en 1980. Le déficit céréalier de l'année 1980-81, chiffré à 800 000 tonnes, n'a été satisfait qu'à 40 %, grace aux efforts conjugués de nos partenaires internationaux et des pays islamiques.
Les pays du CILSS profitent de cette session de la FAO pour lancer un appel à la solidarité internationale. Nous avons besoin d'elle pour financer nos projets de développement, pour constituer des stocks nationaux et régionaux de sécurité, et pour parer aux crises alimentaires.
Au nom des pays du CILSS, j'exprime toute notre reconnaissance au Directeur général de la FAO, . Monsieur Edouard Saouma, qui n'a cessé d'être un Ambassadeur inlassable pour notre cause.
Claude Batault, Vice President of the Plenary took the Chair.
Claude Batault, Vice-Président de la présidence assume la présidence.
Occupa la presidencia, Claude Batault, Vicepresidente de la Plenaria.
Le PRESIDENT : Je vais maintenant donner la parole à mon collègue le vice-président M. E. L. Senanayake, Ministre de l'Agriculture, du Développement et de la Recherche de Sri Lanka, qui prend la place dans la liste des orateurs les Maldives qui ne désirent pas intervenir.
E. L. SENANAYAKE (Sri Lanka): Let me first congratulate the Chairman on his election as Chairman of the 21st Conference of FAO. I should also like to congratulate the Director General on his re-election for a further period of six years. I should also like to thank my brother ministers from the Asian block who nominated me for the post of Vice Chairman.
This is the third FAO Conference that I have attended since 1977. In July 1977 the United National Party under the leadership of the present president, His Excellency J. R. Jayawardene, came into power with an overwhelming majority. Our of an electorate of 168, the United National Party won 143. I repeat this incident for one reason: to show you that in the very recent past, during the early 70's and the mid 70's our country went through very severe shortages of food. The weekly ration, that was originally two measures of rice, was reduced by the former government to half a measure. They introduced very stringent restrictions. Two measures of rice could not be transported from one village to another. The queues to purchase bread were miles long. Because it was uncontrollable, the government of the day issued bread cards for people to come and buy a loaf of bread. A week before May Day of 1976, my President, the leader of my party, announced that he was going to get 10 000 people to carry two measures of rice from all parts of the island to Colombo, the capital city, where the May Day celebrations were held, to defy the ban. The government immediately published a gazette notice revoking the limitation they had imposed. It is against this background that the general elections of 1977 were held. I do not think that in any democratic country so many electorates have been won by one party: 143 out of 168.
In his campaign the leader of my party, the present President gave a promise that he would feed the nation and that he would abolish queues. He promised the people 8 lbs. of grain per week. To keep his word, when he entrusted the portfolio of Agriculture to me, he told me: You must, within the lifetime of this Parliament, that goes on until 1983, make Sri Lanka self-sufficient in her staple food, which is rice.
In 1975 the total crop in the whole island was 55 million bushels of paddy. In 1980 we were able to increase it to 105 million bushels, almost doubling the crop of 1975. This could not have been done unless we had had a new approach to agriculture. We found that the bureaucracy that worked the Agricultural Department and Agriculture Ministry were satisfied with collecting statistics. There was no push in their work. Therefore I went before the Cabinet and obtained permission to appoint 4 500 cultivation officers to look after the 4 500 headmen's divisions into which our island is divided. The cultivation officer meets the farmer at the grassroots level. He helps the farmer to get all his inputs. To enable us to give the farmer all his requirements under one umbrella, I built 600 agrarian service centres, about 3 centres per electorate. Under this one roof the farmer can obtain his bank loan, his seed material, his fertilizer, his agricultural crop insurance and his tractor power.
This enabled our farmers to keep to a cultivation programme. This helped us to properly distribute our water. Today, under the new agrarian reform law, we control the issue of water in the irrigated area. In the mountains in the centre of our country, we have plentiful rainfall. In a certain area the annual rainfall is over 260 inches. All this rain that falls in the mountains flows down to the lowland areas where, thanks to our ancient kings, hundreds of thousands of tanks have been built to store this water that flows down from the mountains. This water is carried through channels onto the lowlands where the rainfall is not so much as in the higher lands.
These cultivation officers who are attached to the agrarian service centres look after 400 farm families. This limiting of the number of farm families that they have to service has enabled us to give the farmers a very efficient service,, which has made possible the doubling of the paddy crop in a short period of three years.
In 1965 to 1968 over a thousand million bushels of rice was imported into the country. When we took over the country in 1977, the previous government had ordered 775 000 tonnes of rice. In 1981 we ordered only 80 000 tonnes of rice. I hope that in 1982 we shall not have to order a single tonne of rice because we shall be self-sufficient.
To enable us to help the farmer my government subsidizes fertilizers up to an amount of 1 000 rupees. Fertilizers use for the cultivation of rice is subsidized to 50%. We also give a guaranteed price to the farmer so that he will not be exploited by the middle man, the trader, by an institution known as the Paddy Marketing Board that pays 57 rupees and 50 cents guaranteed price for a bushel of paddy.
We also have rice distribution centres. Of course this does not prevent the trader paying a bigger price and buying it. We will not interfere with the price of paddy rice. During the last season some of our farmers got 80 rupees for a bushel of rice. As Minister of Agriculture I was very happy. At the same time as a politician we have to think of the consumer. If we have 3 000 farmers we have. 14 000 consumers, so we have to keep the consumer also happy. To enable the consumer to have a kilogram of rice at a reasonable price we have several mills controlled by the Paddy Marketing Board that mills the paddy and sells it to the consumer at 5 rupees and 65 cents per kilogram.
The other constraint that we have is sugar. Up to 1978 we were producing only 25 percent of our total requirement of sugar. We are now importing up to 75 percent, nearly 300 000 tons of sugar is being imported but my Government has with the support of the public and private sector started large sugar manufacturing plantations and factories that will mean by the end of 1983 we will be 75 percent self-sufficient in our sugar requirements.
We have also had another very interesting breakthrough. As a result of the Second World War when rice was very scarce the British Government of the time imported large quantities of wheat flour from Australia so the children born after the 19401 s have got used to eating bread, they have become bread eaters and for over 25 centuries, we were rice eaters. Most of the young children become bread eaters, so bread is an important item of food in my country. After 3 years of experimentation we have successfully grown wheat in our country and from this year wheat cultivation will be undertaken in a large way, and comparing the returns the yield per acre, we compare very favourably with the yield per acre obtained. All these years, honourable delegates, other than the food production agriculture, the tree crop agriculture was a mono-crop; if they planted a tea it was only tea, if it was coconut it was only coconut; if it was rubber it was only rubber. My President discussed with me a few months after we came into power and he told me that on his coconut estate that he owned the 70 trees of coconut occupied only 25 percent of the land. Seventy-five percent of the land was idle. So he suggested to me that we should go in for diversification of our agriculture. I must mention with gratitude the World Bank took up this project very seriously and they have funded us in a very big way to diversify our agriculture and today all the coconut estates are being underplanted with cocoa, coffee, rubber, pepper, nutmegs, cloves. Not only will the yield of our country be increased, as the land holdings are limited to 50 Acres per person even a two acre plot of land can give a decent income from the land. The Government gives subsidies for planting these new crops. We give up to 300 rupees an acre to plant any of these spices I have mentioned. We have noticed that the gross earnings of the country have started to increase
in a very big way. Therefore I do not share this pessimistic attitude that the world is going to be short of food. Rather it is left to each country to put- their foot forward, their shoulders to the plough and try to become self sufficient. It is very good to talk of self sufficiency but some of the countries do not make an effort; they do not want to change the pattern of their agriculture. I think we should at some stage change the pattern, the old traditional pattern of our agriculture and try to bring maximum use of the land.
H, MOSAWKER (Syria)(original language Arabic): Mr. President, Mr. Director-General, Excellencies, Distinguished Heads of Delegations, Members of Delegations, Ladies and Gentlemen I am happy to extend to you my sincere congratulations on your election to President of the Session and to wish you every success in your lofty mission. I should like to take this opportunity to welcome Bhutan, Equatorial Guinea, Saint Vincent, Grenadines, Tonga and Zimbabwe who have joined us in this Organization, and the independence of these countries is the inevitable outcome of the struggle of their people, the best example of which is the long bitter struggle sustained by the loyal people of Zimbabwe against the racist colonial regime; the confirmation of their right to self determination and independence.
I would also like to extend my congratulations to Dr. Edouard Saouma on his re-election as Director-General of this Organization for six more years. This is an expression of our pride in the person who is from our own region and who is being re-elected. This is the best proof of the appreciation that everybody bears for him. You have proved, Mr. Director-General, that you are deserving of this victory because you have shown a great deal of skill in the conduct of the affairs of this Organization to which you have given a new direction which is totally yours. You have given it a new strategy which has given it a new drive and a new dimension.
This new direction you have laid down for the Organization has made your name synonymous with the world-wide fight against hunger and malnutrition in the struggle for the happiness and prosperity of peoples in the four corners of the world. The Government and people of the Syrian Arab Republic renew their pledge to support and assist you now and in the future as we have done in the past.
Mr. President, we are fully aware of the actions taken by the Organization and we are happy to state that we have always noted an identity of views in the way in which to achieve the common targets of strengthening food and agricultural output. Everybody knows of the pressures that are brought to bear and the instigation and aggression in our part of the world perpetrated by our enemy with a view to eroding ourwillpowerand our determination to free our usurpedland and to restitute full rights to the people of Palestine,which leads us to the allocation of a substantial part of our resources and budget for defence. Despite all these burdens the People's Party and the Progressive National Front and Government of Syria has been able, under the leadership of the Secretary-General of the Socialist Arab Baath Party, and is enabled, as I say, to strike abalance between the development processes and Syria's role on the Arab battlefield. My country is proud that the proposed programme and budget which applies to the majority of developing countries in response to our achievements in global developments and to our agricultural development in particular, for despite our achievements we still aspire to meet the needs of our peoples which are on the increase, because of a rise in population and a rise also in the standard of living. Our fifth five-year plan gives priority Lo the agricultural sector and to rural development pursuant to the resolutions of the 7th National Conference of the Socialist Arab Baath Party which was held late in 1979. This Conference earmarked 17 200 000 Syrian Pounds for the agricultural sector. With regard to the five-year plan I cannot but voice my thanks and appreciation to the Organization and the staff working at this Organization for the precious technical aid they have supplied us with.
Mr. President,the Syrian Arab Republic is one of the countries of the Arab World and a member of the International Community, and toward the end of the 20th century we cannot but look at things from this outlook. We are affected by what is going on around us, hence we attach great importance to the documents of this Organization and of this Conference, especially as regards world food security and the international economic order and the long-term and medium-term targets that are discussed and will be discussed here. My delegation shares the Director-General's concern about the world food situation and supports the efforts to mobilize additional resources and to establish sufficient international grain reserves, as well as the many steps taken in order to improve food security at the various levels for the positive results obtained so far are slight and modest, and by the turn of the century human suffering is expected to worsen and difficulties are expected to deteriorate. This is the reason why we call for a solid and trustworthy mechanism of world food security and for the achievement of the targets of the World Food Programme.
My delegation knows very well that the problem in its entirety is not merely one of food production. We should add to it the problem of export earnings of developing countries and the increasing import prices of necessary supplies. It has led to a widening deficit in the balance of payments of these
countries and to their incurring more debts in the default of payment. We are also fully aware of something that is much discussed in conferences; that is to say that relations between the north and the south which stem from an international economic order which is not balanced and which is injust. We feel increasingly that it is impossible to secure peace and welfare for the north at the expense of the south. The Cancun Summit has come up with results which do not go beyond mere statements. However, we would like to stress the need to take measures in order to set up an international food programme which will in this decade and the coming decade achieve world food security. We have to set up a mechanism in order to implement world food security, which should increase the emergency food reserve for grain and other commodities.
Mr. President, I would like to mention now the. Technical Assistance Programme commending the efficacy shown by the Organization in this field and stressing that we should raise the allocations in the budget to this end. I shall not go into the various appropriations in the budget; I leave this to the specialists. However, I would like to stress in principle the need to increase these resources. In this respect I would like to emphasize again that decentralization has given the FAO a mobility which has given member states an increased sense of the. importance of this Organization and an increased cooperation between member states and the FAO. The setting up of new offices of the Organization in various regions has also led to more contact especially as concerns the sectors set up in Syria.
Mr. President,my delegation considers the programme of cooperation between the Organization and the near Eastern Countries a live example of the cooperation that should prevail. We would like to ask the donor countries to continue their support for this sort of programme because action in rural reform is or should be a continuous one. It cannot be limited to a period of time.
Please allow me to mention one last point relating to the budget of the Organization. I do not approve of the zero growth rate that some countries have called for because this renders it impossible for the Organization to play the role that befalls it. If we want the Organization to achieve the targets and to conduct and fulfil the message we have given it, then we should give it enough scope to work. Some countries, through the statements of their representative, for example on the budget, confirm that some of the donor countries and some of the rich countries' attitudes do not herald any good for the future. We should like to join all those who ask for an increase in the budget, asking the industrialized countries to approve such an increase in order to save millions of people from poverty and want, because it is only in this manner that we will be able to achieve truly the noble ideas that everybody is discussing and talking about, but which we are always unable to fulfil because of limited resources.
Thank you kindly for listening Mr. President.
E. L. Senanayake, Vice-President of the Plenary took the Chair.
E. L. Senanavake. Vice-President de la présidence assume la présidence,
Occupa la presidencia, E. L. Senanavake. Vicepresidente de la Plenaria.
M. DA GRAÇA MACHUNGO (Mozambique)(Langue originale:Portugais):Nous voudrions que nos premiers mots soient pour nous réjouir de la réélection de M. le Docteur Edouard Saouma au poste de Directeur général de notre organisation. Votre réélection, Monsieur le Directeur général, pour ce nouveau mandat est la reconnaissance de vos hautes qualités et de votre engagement personnel dans la recherche de solutions justes aux problèmes de la faim dans lesquels se débat encore l'humanité.
Nous constatons la bonne orientation prise par la FAO au travers du programme de travail et de budget que Monsieur le Directeur général a proposé. Ma délégation veut exprimer son accord et son appui au programme de travail et au budget que vous avez proposés. Ce qui signifie notre désaccord à la proposition du "Groupe de Genève" qui est en faveur de l'élaboration d'un budget croissance zéro.
Nous saluons l'élection de votre Excellence Monsieur Rubén Aguado, Ministre de l'agriculture et de l'élevage à la présidence de cette Conférence, et nous sommes sûrs que nos travaux connaîtront les meilleurs succès sous votre direction.
Notre délégation se réjouit de l'admission, dans cette organisation, du Bhoutan, de la Guinée equato riale, de Saint-Vincent-et-Grenadines.
Permettez-nous, Monsieur le Président, de saluer spécialement la République du Zimbabwe, pays frère d'Afrique australe ainsi que son peuple qui, à travers une lutte héroïque contre le régime minoritaire et rebelle de la colonie britannique de la Rhodésie du sud, a conquis son indépendance. Voila pourquoi c'est avec joie que nous avons le plaisir d'accueillir la république du Zimbabwe au sein de notre organisation.
Monsieur le Président, Messieurs les délégués, la République du Mozambique participe à cette Conférence dans un esprit de collaboration. Nous désirons en effet contribuer, avec notre modeste expérience, à la solution des problèmes alimentaires dans lesquels se débattent aujourd'hui les pays en développement, problèmes qui ont atteint des proportions véritablement inquiétantes.
Dans notre pays, nous avons défini cette décade: "la Décade de la victoire sur le sous-développement".
La stratégie et la tactique de ce combat ont été définies dans le premier Plan et récemment adoptées par notre Assemblée. Il s'agit d'un Plan à dix ans.
Pour nous, l'élimination du sous-développement signifie en finir avec le problème de la faim, de la malnutrition, de la maladie et de 1!analphabétisme. Pour nous, cela veut dire l'édification d'une économie développée et indépendante, ce qui implique inévitablement la mécanisation de l'agriculture et la création d'une industrie lourde qui permettra l'accroissement de notre productivité et de notre production agricole. Ce choix n'est pas un choix intellectuel, n'est pas un choix théorique. C'est le résultat de notre expérience qui nous a appris que la juste solution des problèmes économiques et sociaux est strictement liée à la nature de la classe au pouvoir.
Sous la domination coloniale portugaise, le peuple mozambicain a été soumis à des lois discriminatoires et racistes qui légitimaient l'impunité du vol de la terre, le semi-escalavage des travailleurs mozambicains et le pillage de nos richesses. La majorité de notre peuple dépouillé de sa terre, a été réduit àlasimple réserve d'une force de travail à la merci des grands propriétaires latifundiaires qui l'utilisait pour un salaire minimum aux cultures destinées à l'exportation.
Après la défaite du colonialisme portugais et la proclamation de la République populaire de Mozambique, la terre a été récupérée. Elle appartient désormais au peuple qui l'utilise à son profit, et c'est ainsi que, sur la base de l'expérience accumulée dans les zones libérées pendant la lutte armée pour la libération nationale, et de l'expérience des autres pays socialistes, nous avons vérifié que le seul chemin possible pour arriver à un développement rural rapide pour en finir avec le sous-développement, les déséquilibres entre les villes et les campagnes et pour bâtir une société de bien-être et de progrès pour notre peuple, était d'envisager une socialisation de la campagne qui se développe en deux vecteurs principaux :
La propriété agricole de l'Etat d'une part et la priorité coopérative d'autre part. L'expérience que nous avons réalisée au cours des six années de notre indépendance nous a prouvé que notre choix politique était juste.
Au cours de ces six années, la production organisée, dont le secteur de l'Etat est déjà dominant, a augmenté à un taux moyen annuel d'environ 20 pour cent. Notre gouvernement a pris des mesures concrètes pour appuyer les colonies agricoles familiales grâce à des activités de promotion visant à assurer la commercialisation des excédents de la production agricole, tout en permettant la création des coopératives agricoles.
C'est dans les coopératives agricoles que les paysans organisés peuvent bénéficier des techniques modernes agricoles qui leur sont fournies par l'Etat à travers ses entreprises qui fournissent des machines agricoles, ainsi que toute l'assistance technique et les crédits dont ils peuvent avoir besoin.
Aujourd'hui, ces coopératives contribuent déjà dans une mesure importante à certaines cultures pour la satisfaction du marché urbain.
Nous avons encore un long chemin à parcourir dans ce domaine, mais si nous considérons le retard misérable qui nous a été légué par le colonialisme, nous pouvons affirmer que les résultats, que nous avons atteints pendant cette courte période de notre indépendance, sont encourageants et démontrent de manière concrète la justesse des choix effectués.
Aujourd'hui, neuf pour cent de la population rurale vit dans des villages communaux qui ont pour base économique des coopératives où l'on applique des techniques agricoles modernes déjà expérimentées dans les entreprises de l'Etat. Les paysans, stimulés par les résultats atteints, se mobilisent de plus en plus nombreux pour créer des coopératives et pour construire des villages communaux.
Il nous manque encore les ressources matérielles et financières mais, en tout cas,ces lacunes sont également un encouragement à redoubler d'efforts afin de créer l'accumulation nécessaire au développement de notre pays.
Pour garantir un développement global de la société et de l'économie, nous avons un plan prospectif et des plans courants qui prévoient la création d'une base industrielle assurant une croissance
constante de notre agriculture. La construction d'une industrie lourde pour la production de biens tels que les engrais, les moteurs et l'équipement nécessaire à l'irrigation, les tracteurs, les camions, le ciment ayant pour base l'utilisation de nos ressources naturelles, n'est ni un luxe, ni une utopie; bien au contraire il s'agit d'une nécessité impérieuse du point de vue du développement économique de pays qui, comme le nôtre, doivent encore importer des pays industrialisés ces produits dans des conditions d'inégalité éclatantes.
C'est en édifiant une industrie lourde dans le cadre d'une juste division internationale du travail, que nous conquerrons notre véritable indépendance économique. Nous ne voulons pas continuer à être les éternels producteurs de matières premières et d'éternels importateurs de produits industrialisés et alimentaires, ce qui, dans les conditions actuelles qui régissent l'économie internationale, revient à être des reproducteurs de misère. Ce que nous voulons, c'est une industrialisation capable de donner une impulsion à la mécanisation et à l'emploi des produits chimiques en agriculture et à la tranformation de nos produits agricoles.
Pour la réalisation de ces objectifs, notre pays attribue une importance toute particulière à la formation des cadres et à la recherche scientifique. Le colonialisme portugais nous a laissés avec plus de 80 pour cent d'analphabètes; il ne nous a pas laissé de cadres.
Aujourd'hui, c'est avec un juste orgueil que nous sommes en mesure de dire qu'un grand pourcentage de nos enfants et de nos jeunes ont accès à l'enseignement. Il en va de même pour les travailleurs des deux sexes de différents âges qui participent à des cours d'alphabétisation et de scolarisation dans les usines, les entreprises agricoles d'Etat, les coopératives et les écoles urbaines et rurales. Actuellement, nous avons déjà formé plus de techniciens agricoles au niveau supérieur, moyen et de base, que pendant toute l'histoire de l'occupation coloniale de notre pays.
La recherche agronomique, conçue par le colonialisme, n'a servi que les intérêts de la bourgeoisie coloniale.
Aujourd'hui, avec l'aide de pays amis, nous avons lancé des programmes de recherche scientifique appliquée au service des paysans, afin de donner tout le poids nécessaire à l'amélioration des méthodes de travail et à l'augmentation de la productivité et de la production.
Les centres de recherche qui seront installés dans les zones rurales ne seront plus des musées où les fonctionnaires coloniaux faisaient leurs expériences sans se préoccuper des nécessités réelles de notre peuple et des exigences mêmes de l'économie agricole coloniale.
Nos centres qui travaillent avec les paysans, et pour les paysans, contribueront à démystifier la science et permettront d'en promouvoir la vulgarisation. Ces centres qui travaillent avec les paysans et pour les paysans les formeront par leur exemple et permettront de liquider en même temps, au jour le jour, le fatalisme et l'obscurantisme dont notre peuple est encore prisonnier.
La République populaire du Mozambique considère que si nous voulons rompre définitivement avec le cercle vicieux de la misère, il faut que tous les pays en développement ensemble coordonnent leurs efforts en vue de l'établissement d'un nouvel ordre économique international plus éauitable et plus juste.
Notre Conférence se déroule à un moment où la situation politique internationale est caractérisée par une recrudescence de la tension dans le monde, par une intensification de la course aux armements et par la détérioration des relations économiques internationales.
La politique belliciste de l'impérialisme constitue un grand obstacle à la solution des problèmes qui sont au centre de nos débats ici dans cette Conférence. Cette politique fait en effet un grand obstacle à l'instauration d'un nouvel ordre social caractérisé par la justice et l'égalité, où serait possible un développement économique, social et culturel harmonieux, caractérisé par la paix et par la liberté.
Parallèlement à la recrudescence de la tension en Europe, nous constatons que dans notre continent, et en particulier en Afrique australe, l'impérialisme utilise ses sorces dans la région.
c'est-à-dire l'Afrique du sud, pour attaquer la République populaire de Mozambique, l'Angola, le Lesotho, le Botswana,' la Zambie et le Zimbabwe.
Nous avons lutté pendant dix ans contre le colonialisme portugais pour conquérir la liberté et pour édifier notre pays dans la paix et la prospérité. Mais nous n'avons jamais connu la paix nécessaire qui nous aurait permis de nous consacrer totalement à la reconstruction de notre pays.
Hier, on nous attaquait sous prétexte de nous empêcher de donner notre appui internationaliste au peuple héroïque du Zimbabwe. Aujourd'hui que le peuple du Zimbabwe est devenu indépendant, nous continuons à subir des attaques des racistes d'Afrique du sud, appuyés par les impérialistes. Mais
aujourd'hui, le masque tombe et les véritables intentions de l'impérialisme sont claires: il s'agit d'empêcher le progrès de la révolution socialiste dans notre pays; il s'agit d'empêcher le progrès social que le peuple mozambicain est en train de construire; il s'agit d'empêcher l'existence en Afrique australe de pays véritablement indépendants, développés et prospères.
Le peuple mozambicain aime la paix et la liberté. Voici pourquoi il est prêt à accepter les sacrifices nécessaires qui lui permettront de défendre et de préserver son indépendance durement conquise pour édifier la paix et le progrès social pour tout le peuple et pour les générations à venir.
Nous ne saurions terminer sans saluer tous les pays amis et toutes les organisations internationales qui appuient nos efforts de reconstruction nationale, soit en apportant une aide alimentaire pour faire face à la situation de carence alimentaire que nous connaissons provoquée par des calamités naturelles dont nous sommes fréquemment les victimes, soit en nous apportant une aide matérielle à la réalisation de nos projets de développement agricole.
Dans ce contexte, il faut souligner la participation de plus en plus large du PAM qui aide notre pays. Et nous sommes heureux de remercier le Directeur exécutif intérimaire du Programme alimentaire mondial pour la grande compréhension dont il a fait preuve à notre égard, en définissant des programmes appropriés aux conditions concrètes de notre pays et aux objectifs généraux de nos plans de développement.
Nous avons la responsabilité historique de rechercher des solutions concrètes et pratiques au problème de la faim dans lequel se débat encore l'humanité d'aujourd'hui. Il n'est pas trop de répéter encore une fois qu'il n'y aurapas de solution effective sans un nouveau climat de paix et s'il n'est pas possible de réaliser les objectifs du nouvel ordre économique international.
C'est avec satisfaction que nous pouvons constater que s'élève au sein des grandes puissances et du monde occidental la voix de la France qui, en la personne de son Président, M. Mitterrand, a présenté des propositions constructives pour l'établissement d'une coopération juste entre les nations.
Nous devons lutter pour empêcher la détérioration des relations économiques internationales et la recrudescence de la tension dans le monde, la course aux armements, et pour empêche. l'aggravation des problèmes structurels qui touchent les économies des pays en voie de développement eü en particulier la production alimentaire avec les conséquences dramatiques que nous connaissons. Je vous remercie; la lutte continue ¡
M. ZIDAR (Original Language - Serbo-Croat)(Yugoslavia): Allow me, Mr. Chairman, to express my warmest congratulations to you and the other officers of the Conference on your election. I am also very glad to convey the best wishes of my Government to Mr. Edouard Saouma on the occasion of his re-election. We highly appreciate what he has done in the course of the last six years, and we are confident that he will continue to perform his task with the same commitment: and success in his second term of office. I want to assure him that my country will continue to support him in his endeavours, as it has done in the past.
At this juncture, there are many grounds for concern. World-wide inflation, coupled with recession, high unemployment, rising monetary instability, marked protectionist tendencies, a crisis situation in international economic cooperation, a continuing arms race - these are only some of the aspects of a global crisis. Of course, the developing oil-importing countries are most severly affected, particularly the least developed ones. Their difficulties are epitomized in the dramatic rise in their debt servicing costs. In our opinion these are facts that must not be overlooked in any consideration of the present world food situation.
I am afraid that today there are more reasons for concern regarding the future world food situation than there were two years ago. We need only recall the deep concern that prevailed not many months ago over the serious threat of a global food crisis. We have been living with this danger for almost a whole decade and I am afraid that it may well become more acute, and that the consequences of a potential crisis might be even more serious than in the past. Ï am thinking primarily of cereals, and of the unfavourable trends which have been apparent in this vital sector of the world economy for some time now. In addition we have to recall again that in spite of the consensus reached in 1974 the international community has failed to establish a commendable world food security system. Moreover, this aim seems to be less attainable today than ever before, while it is an established fact that the level of food security of the developing countries is constantly decreasing and that they are growing increasingly dependent on grain imports. In fact, their imports have trebled in the last ten yeare or so, reaching some 100 million tons.
Unfortunately, the failure to establish a commendable food security system is not the only unfulfilled commitment of those that were agreed at the World Food Conference. Following some encouraging initial
results, international economic cooperation, both generally, and more particularly in this vital sphere, went into a clear crisis as from 1977. Moreover, even those modest early results appear to be now seriously jeopardized. The documents prepared for the Conference reveal many unpalatable truths: a decline in official development aid to agriculture; a drop of food assistance from the already low level of recent years; a clear tendency towards bilateralism: no worthwhile progress in the international trade negotiations on agricultural commodities, etc. I would particularly stress the financial crisis involving all international institutions funded by voluntary contributions. I have in mind primarily UNDP, WFP, IFAD, IDA, IEFR, the "soft funds" of the regional development banks, and so on. In view of these facts, I think that the food output growth of 3. 2 percent accomplished by the developing countries in the last decade cannot be considered a failure. On the contrary, this demonstrates that the majority of developing countries have succeeded in reversing unfavourable food production trends, in spite of a serious deterioration of external conditions. As we all know, however, a considerable number of countries have been unable to increase food production per capita, due to a variety of external and internal reasons. This is the case of Africa, for example, where food output per capita has been declining for 15 years now.
Mr. Chairman, I believe that the recent summit at Cancun is an important step in overcoming the crisis in international economic cooperation. I do hope that the international community will soon be in a position to negotiate many pressing problems of the present and the future, in an open and effective manner, and that in these negotiations food and agriculture will be given the prominence which they must have. In this connexion, I do not think that there can be any doubt that FAO is the most competent UN agency to assist in the preparations for these negotiations and to provide necessary Secretariat services.
With your permission, Mr. Chairman, I should now like to dwell briefly on the activities of our Organization. In the view of my Government, the FAO policy adopted in 1976 has been pursued effectively and resolutely. We have been witnessing, and welcoming, an increasingly decisive orientation of FAO towards supporting the developing countries more directly and efficiently in th ;ir efforts to increase production, eliminate food losses and improve the distribution of food. This has bean achieved by means ot an ongoing process of decentralization of all activities and greater harmonization between regular and field programmes. My delegation has supported, and will continue to support, closer cooperation with the national institutions of the developing countries, so as to advance their mutual cooperation and promote scientific research in these institutions. The Technical Cooperation Programme, the completion of the network of FAO representatives in member countries, further promotion of cooperation with regional and sub-regional institutions, a more vital FAO role in the investment sphere, these are FAO activities which my country wholeheartedly supports. I have to reiterate the view of my Government, that FAO must at the same time remain the key world centre for information, reference, and analytical review, and the main international forum for all essential food and agriculture issues. Briefly, Mr. Chairman, we share the view that considerable progress has been achieved over the past six years.
I don't think I am wrong in saying that there is now an unprecedented degree of unanimity on the overall thrust of the proposed Programme of Work, which reflects the consistent pursuit of policy orientations unanimously agreed in 1976. Our views on these issues are already well known, and I need therefore only reaffirm my delegation's support of the proposed programme.
Agreement to the proposed budget level comes somewhat less easily, since we are all unfortunately only too familiar with budgetary problems. In this connection, I feel I ought to point out that my country is faced at the present time with exceptional economic difficulties, which stem basically from an unfavourable balance of payments. We have taken emergency measures to restore the balance, and this has meant introducing tight control in all spheres, particularly in budgetary expenditures. Thus, a country such as Yugoslavia is not and cannot be indifferent to the budgets of international organizations. Nevertheless, in view of FAO's accomplishments in the last few years, and of the high priority which is rightly being assigned to food, both nationally and internationally, and taking into account the merits of the proposed programme for the next biennium, we find that the budget deserves the full support of my delegation.
Mr. Chairman, our support for the budget is also motivated by our concern over extra-budgetary resources available to FAO for the forthcoming biennium and beyond. The primary concern here relates to the bleak prospects for UNDP-funded activities, and to the declining share of agriculture in UNDP resources. I shall not go into details, but I think it is worth stressing the need to do our best to implement the recently adopted UNDP five-year programme. I believe that the Conference should urge all donor countries to financially assist the special action programmes and to increase the level of such assistance where it already exists.
We support the proposed World Food Programme which has fully proven its efficacy and we must not allow ourselves to fall short of the target again. The International Emergency Food Reserve is a closely
related issue, since its minimum negotiated target has not been reached in spite of the increase in emergency needs. We still think that IEFR funding should be settled by a binding international arrangement and we hope that the Conference will endeavour to move in that direction.
Mr. Chairman, World Food Day was recently celebrated all over the world for the first time. It was an opportunity for world opinion to reflect upon the most tragic phenomenom of our time the fact that almost half a billion human beings are the victims of acute and persistent hunger. The international community has proclaimed time and again its determination to eradicate hunger from the face of the Earth. But the gap between this declared aim and action leading to its achievement is widening. The recent summit at Cancun again stressed that hunger should be eradicated as soon as possible. In the long run, hunger cannot be mitigated by palliative measures, such as aid and more equitable distribution. It can only be definitely eradicated by positive economic and agricultural development. It is the primary responsibility of the developing countries and, above all, of the industrialized countries, to establish an international economic order that will be such as to allow the successful development of the developing countries and the narrowing of the wide gap between developing and developed parts of the world. Yugoslavia is determined to participate in all earnest in these international commitments. In this context, we are sparing no efforts both to promote the growth of our own food production, and to expand cooperation between developing countries and Yugoslavia. I must stress that the acceleration of agricultural output growth is one of our absolute priorities in the current five-year plan and that we are currently elaborating policy measures which shall ensure a substantial rise of agricultural output. In addition, Yugoslavia has recently increased her cooperation with developing countries by establishing an institutional framework and alloting funds for this purpose. This will enable us to offer an even more comprehensive and efficient support to developing countries. This orientation shall be pursued regardless of the economic difficulties we are faced with. We are confident chat in this policy we shall be supported by FAO since it serves the interests of the countries we cooperate with and assist.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, may I greet the distinguished representatives of Bhutan, Equatorial Guinea, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Tonga and Zimbabwe, which have joined us at this Conference .
N. WONGWAN (Thailand), Mr. Chairman, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen:On behalf of the Thai delegation, I would like to associate Thailand with the nations whose delegates have already congratulated you, Mr. Chairman, on your election to the high office of the 21st Session of the FAO Conference. I am confident that with your Excellency's able guidance our deliberations will be fruitful. I wish also to congratulate the three elected Vice-Chairmen. Furthermore we wish to take this opportunity to wholeheartedly congratulate the Director-General, Dr. Edouard Saouma, cn his successful re-election.
My delegation extends a warm welcome to the new members of our organization, namely Bhutan, Equatorial Guinea, Saint Vincent and the Granadines, Tonga and Zimbabwe; we look forward to working closely with our new member nations.
Mr. Chairman, Thailand is among the six countries of the world that have a net surplus of food. Despite Thailand's good record as an exporter of food and feed grains, crop yields remain below world averages. Although, poverty in Thailand has been reduced significantly over the past decade, about one quarter of our population continue to exist below the poverty level. This problem is a major concern of the Fifth-Five Year National Economic and Social Development Plan commencing from 1982. The growth rate goal for agricultural production is 4. 5 percent per percent, compared with the present population growth rate of under 2 percent.
Today we are meeting during one of the most difficult periods since World War II with a world recession, high interest rates, continuing inflation, increasing unemployment, fluctuating exchange rates, increasing balance of payment deficits and debt burden in developing countries, as well as an uncertain food supply situation.
Thailand suffers from most of these economic afflictions as do most countries represented here today. However, we expect to continue to export large quantities of food and other farm products despite of decreasing world commodity prices and increasing costs of agricultural inputs, fossil fuels and manufactured goods. In the past Thailand could pay its oil import bill with the returns from rice exports but now the returns from our six leading agricultural exports are required. Fortunately, our natural gas reserves are now on line which will expectedly enable us to reduce our energy imports by up to 40 percent.
We are most concerned right now with depressed world market prices which are restricting the growth of our agricultural production and exports and the income of our farmers. The main reason is the growth of trade barriers and protection of agricultural production by developed countries. Thailand concurs
with the concept of free trade and self-help, and we are prepared to compete but we should be entitled to compete on an equal basis.
We are looking forward to action by the developed nations rather than rhetoric in regard to removing present constraints to trade. The removal of trade barriers would do more to relieve the hunger of the world and raise the level of living than all the foreign aid presently extended. We are asking the developed nations to back up their promises with positive steps so as to benefit all mankind.
Mr. Chairman, an important agenda item is the approval of the Programme of Work and the 1982-83 budget. After consideration, Thailand is in agreement with the Director-General as stated at the 79th Session of the Council that the outlook for the world's economy is not bright, that there are increasing economic tensions and pressures, and that these are adversely affecting the developing countries, particularly the low income ones, as well as the developed nations. Thailand concurs with the Council that the world situation requires that all governments reinforce support for food and agriculture development through the FAO and other international organizations. The FAO in particular should work harder to help countries meet the needs of the hungry and undernourished people of the world by placing emphasis on critical problems. Thailand is pleased with the planned programmes of work, strategies and policies as presented. We agree that the proposed budget level is suitable and reasonable to carry out the various useful programmes, however we see the need to raise the level of the Special Reserve Account to five percent of the effective working budget and to increase working capital fund from $6. 5 million to $13. 25 million.
Regarding world food security, Thailand agrees with the Council that overall progress towards world food security has been minimal. The world food situation remains precarious and has become worse in some regions. There are many difficulties in building up food reserves including insufficient production, inadequate storage and handling facilities in addition to other financial and technical constraints. We hope that the recently inaugurated Food Facility of the IMF will contribute to stabilization of food supplies in the poorer countries.
As a founding member of the Association of South East Asia Nation (ASEAN) which pioneered the establishment of a regional scheme, we are proud of this achievement. Under this scheme, an Emergency Rice Reserve of 50,000 metric tons has been created and I would like to inform the Conference that we have already formulated procedures for the release of rice from this Reserve in time of emergency and for its replenishment. Now ASEAN is at the time of 'wait and see' as to how our scheme will work.
Thailand also endorses the concept of economic cooperation among developing countries as set forth in the Caracas Plan of Action on ECDC, particularly In the field of food and agriculture where a number of cooperative actions were proposed for further following-up and implementation. Nevertheless, Thailand welcomes the outcome of the Cancun Summit in which food and agricultural issues were brought into consideration. We hope that, these vital issues will be taken up so as to bring about appropriate solutions an a global level.
As regards the International Development Strategy (IDS) for the Third Development Decade, Thailand has adopted a new national food program and strategy in the latest Five Year Plan (1,982-86) which includes reducing the income gap between urban and rural citizens as well as further reduction in the level of poverty which is mostly a rural problem. In recent years, through crop diversification, higher relative farm gate prices, increased research, extension, and infrastructure, the incidence of poverty has been significantly reduced, and the income gap narrowed slightly. As a food exporting country, we plan to produce food and other farm products over the next five years at a rate double the rate of population growth. Thus we hope to continue to be one of the major contributors to the world food supply, and to the alleviation of hunger in the rest of the developing countries. This has been accomplished through both national and international food programs. However, Thailand's economy will permit only limited concessional contributions to this effort. We believe that developed countries should purchase more of the food to be contributed to international food aid programs rather than to heavily subsidize domestic food production. We ask that the developed nations review their policies giving consideration to the adverse impact on exporting developing countries of dumping rice or other commodities in the world market.
Mr. Chairman, my delegation attaches importance to the FAO policy of decentralization, aiming at administrative efficiency and economy. In this regard we are convinced that the Regional Offices of FAO have so far effectively served as linkages between member states in the region concerned and FAO Headquarters. The Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific at Bangkok is an exemplary unit of FAO which not only provides efficient and cost-effective services at short notice to Member Countries , but is also the focal point in the region for FAO activities. We therefore support the strengthening of the regional offices in line with the decentralization policy of FAO.
Considering Thailand's continuing positive role in world food matters, particularly within the FAO framework and those of related international organizations, it is imperative that Thailand should continue to be closely associated with the FAO and its activities. Therefore, Thailand is actively seeking re-election to the FAO Council and the CFA for which we hope to get your support.
CHAIRMAN: I have received a request from our Chairman asking me to obtain permission of this Conference to publish the address given by his Holiness the Pope John Paul II this morning as a Conference Document. I hope I have your approval?
I was so decided
II en est ainsi decide
Así se acuerda
G. LOUISON (Grenada): Mr. Chairman, the Grenada delegation brings warmest greetings to you, all fellow delegates and our hard working internationalist Director-General Dr. Edouard Saouma.
It is more than courtesy for us to congratulate the new Members of the FAO especially St. Vincent and the Grenadines our closest neighbour. St. Vincent represents another example of the continuing eradication of colonialism in the Caribbean and will add to the growing voice of our region in international affairs.
This Twenty-first Session of the FAO Conference contains issues on which no one can be silent. The large number of fundamental matters facing and underlying the present frightening world food and agricultural situation make this debate a major international event. What is more, reality has shown that it is impossible to divorce Food and Agriculture from the overall struggle for a New International Order.
Two development decades, thirty-six years of FAO programming, world food security, in short the sum total of decades of bitter experience show that solving world developmental problems means overcoming old archaic structures and ideas. Grenada is therefore specially pleased, as one of the smallest nations in this forum, to join with the representatives here of the overwhelming majority of mankind in calling for that change.
As a small island State, food and agriculture represent the very life blood of my country. 95 percent of our exports are agricultural products, over 40 percent of our foreign exchange is earned from agriculture; agriculture is by far our largest employer of labour, and it provides the only local raw material base for any industrial or agro-industrial development in my country.
More than 60 percent of Grenada's population are either peasants, agricultural workers or children from one of these two strata: agriculture is therefore an integral part of daily life of the Grenadian people and historically they have seen nothing but poverty for their tremendous hard work on the land.
Three hundred years of Colonialism made sure that we never produced our own food. Our production was harnessed to grow spices and beverages for export while we imported the food we needed to eat.
When the colonialists left, my country experienced a period of brutal dictatorship under the neocolonialist dictator Gairy. This repressive regime destroyed the entire social, political and economic fabric of our society. The period of the Seventies saw the total abandonment of our agriculture. Grenada was a land of hunger, malnutrition, unemployment, poverty and idle land. We even faced at our time the possibility of losing our membership of this august body because the dictatorship refused to pay its contribution to FAO.
Our glorious Revolution of March 13th 1979 wiped out that era of hopelessness once and for all. In two and a half years the Peoples Revolutionary Government, the agricultural workers and peasants have launched a massive programme of agricultural reconstruction which is already blossoming. Crop diversification schemes, the building of agricultural feeder roads, the granting of Agricultural Credits, new extension services and additional machinery and implements are concrete areas that have already reached farmers. Under a new scheme Grenadian youth are now establishing cooperatives throughout our island.
For the first time in our history a programme has started to produce our own food. Equally important an Agricultural School has been re-established and agriculture is now a subject taught in our regular schools. A Food and Nutrition Council has also been established. Today I am pleased to say that Grenada's food strategy programme is making progress. Grenada was among those countries which gave national prominence to, and held a successful, World Food Day.
In spite of these efforts our agriculture still faces deep problems. The international Market situation and the deep recession in the Western industrialised countries have wrecked our foreign exchange earnings. When I left Grenada last week there were 7 million pounds of nutmegs in storage. This represents one full year's production for which there is no market, Cocoa, our largest foreign exchange earner faces
similar problems. World prices fell by 55 percent in the last two years. Only last week the buffer stock mechanism set up under the new International Cocoa Agreement for price adjustments was virtually blown away by the recession tornado.
Our economies and our agriculture are so open and so dependent on the Markets of the Metropol that as we say in Grenada when the economies of the industrialised countries sneeze, our economies catch the cold. Now that these economies have the cold we are threatened with fatal pneumonia.
I spend this time on agriculture because, for small island disadvantaged states like ours, food and agriculture are inseparably linked. Our agriculture is the main means to provide the capital resources for effective food strategy.
Small island states suffer major difficulties that put them in a special category in the world.
The objective problems of such States include small size, a very limited resource base, extreme economic dependence, material deprivation, lack of skills and poor training facilities.
These problems, we know, FAO has made great effort to help solve. These problems have however become so urgent that they now require global action if we must solve the food problem of small poor states.
Only a few days ago I saw a caption in one of the so called reputable and responsible media commenting and reporting on this Conference. It said FAO IN TROUBLE. The story spoke of a Malthusien Syndrome running through this most critical discussion. It further said that most of FAO trouble was brought about by FAO itself as a result of various questionable practices.
Unfortunately when we listen to the arguments of some who are against the Programme of Work and Budget for 1982-83 biennium, one can easily get the feeling that such so called lofty media take their cue from those who put up all kinds of arguments against the budget. It is the zero growth concept that would lead us to doomsday; not the exposure and fight against world hunger and poverty.
What have we been hearing about the budget? Tighten your belt, reorder priorities, the zero growth exponents preach. But how can a farmer with no fertilizer tighten his belt? What change of priority can the 500 million starving in the world make? Isn't their priority food first, second, third and last? What belt can a country with agriculture as its foreign exchange earner tighten when for succeeding years the prices of its crops continue to fall while manufactured goods rise at astronomical rates.
There is absolutely nothing alarmist about FAO's analysis of the present world food situation. What FAO has shown are the facts of the hard, cold reality of the state of the world in food and agriculture. The ways being proposed by the Director-General to tackle this crisis are sound and require the budget to perform this major task. That is why we give our full support to the Programme of Work and Budget.
Grenada shares the views of many delegations and those as expressed by the Chairman of the Group of 77 that the third world must see real progress in global negotiations in the immediate future. We must see measures for more equitable trade; financial flows and financial transfers from developed to developing world; and a total revamping of the world monetary system.
The situation will not permit us to wait while a leisurely pace is adopted. It is in this regard that we believe more should have come out of the Cancun summit and that future discussion must match the urgency of the world situation.
I wish to place before this forum four proposals placed by the Grenada delegation before the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Melbourne. These proposals are of great importance to the food and agriculture situation of small poor states and vital for their survival. They include:
Implementation of a scheme whereby agricultural products, especially cereals, dairy products and meat are provided to small poor states at concessional prices payable in local currencies. Such an arrangement should be an immediate action programme for four to five years while small poor states develop their food production capabilities.
Establishment of an agricultural insurance scheme to meet the costs of rehabilitating agricultural production in the event of natural disasters.
Providing the FAO with greater technical capabilities and expertise to assist small poor states with identification, preparation and implementation of food production schemes,
Establishment of a fund for food production, to be used for financing purchases of agricultural inputs, fertilizers, insecticides, seeds, agricultural equipment, irrigation equipment, feeder roads construction and the provision of storage facilities.
We urge delegates to consider these suggestions and work towards their implementation by all international bodies for the benefit of small poor States.
Grenada wishes to firmly and clearly state our opposition to the am s race. The rapid escalation of the weapons of mass-destruction places a new urgency for all of us to redouble our effort and our fight for peace. We call on those who daily manufacture new ways and sprout new tactics, like limited neuclar war for the mass murder of mankind to end their madness. They are not talking on behalf of the majority of the world. The poor of the world have called for an end to food as a political weapon, for the spending of money not on armaments but on food, health care, education and to end the miseries of mankind. We do not want a world flattened by bombs. What we want is a world of abundance to ensure bread, peace and justice for all.
R. J. OLEMBO (UNEP): Mr. President, Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am greatly honoured to represent the United Nations Environment Programme and to address this 21st Session of the FAO Conference on behalf of my Executive Director, Dr. M. K. Tolba. In asking me to deliver this statement to you, Dr. Tolba greatly regrets his inability to be here at the Conference personally not only to renew his pledge for the continued cooperation and support of his Organization in thewordof this extremely important development agency of the United Nations and also to take the opportunity to express in person his personal delight that the excellent and dynamic work of his dear colleague and friend, Dr. Edouard Saouma, has been so deservedly appreciated that this Conference has re-elected him to another term of office. Over the last decade since UNEP's creation, its relations with FAO have matured and deepened, and identical perspectives and common strategies have emerged on many issues. Dr. Tolba wishes me to record his appreciation for the inspiration which Dr. Saouma' s guided leadership has given to the shaping of this close relationship, and looks forward to the further strengthening of this bond in the years ahead in the service of mankind everywhere.
Mr. President, one clear yet persistent issue coming out of the great debates of the last decade the decade of the seventies on development issues stands with the matter of interrelationships between development population-resources and environment. It has become the integrating concept for the development strategies of the eighties and within that context we feel that the final aim of development is to constantly increase the well-being of the entire population on the basis of its full participation in the development process itself and a sustained and fair distribution of its benefits,And, more, within that context we note the argument that it is neither possible to reach a break through in a quality of life nor achieve a diversified and balanced material prosperity without the establishment of a rational and dynamic man-ecosystems inter-relationships, which of course must include a rational use of the resources before him. The International Development Strategy for the Third UN Development Decade puts it even more succinctly, I quote. "there is no need to ensure an economic development process which is environmentally sustainable over the long run and which protects the ecological balance". End of quotes. Within this environmentally sound development strategy must figure our global requirements for food. The problem as has been repeated several times is not new, and its urgency has been repeated so many times in successive global forums; but the problem still remains with us, growing enough food for an increasing world population seems sometimes an intractable agenda item in the cooperative international development endeavour. The International Development Strategy calls for an expansion of agricultural production in developing countries as a whole and has set a target of about 4 percent not because this is all that ought to be done, it is because at this level of production one can ensure a minimum nutritional standard for the people and provide them a firm basis for economic and industrial growth which is so needed to underpin this development growth.
Mr. President, even though the immediate prospects for the implementation of the new development strategy now appears gloomy against a background of critical economic difficulties and tensions in international relations, the perceptions and perspective of this International Development Strategy open up vistas and avenues for important new initiatives, and there must be resolve all around not to let temporary and I repeat the wordtemporary, vicessitudes derail us from the lofty path of lifting most human beings from a life of hopelessness and mere existence, enduring hunger, sickness, homelessness, uneployment and a degraded environment.
The economic and political impediments against rapid international development are indeed formidable. They have been touched upon and I will not repeat them. When you add to these impediments the natural ecological problems, the already complicated situation becomes even more complex. For agricultural and food production, the uncertain situation is gloomier when the base upon which it is anchored is eroded. Soil degradation and other forms of loss of productive soil and water resources; deforestation; and the
menacing spread of desertification are some of the ecological processes which set back efforts to increase agricultural productivity - but despite their age-old recognition as serious impediments plaguing and militating against progress towards sustainable utilization of natural resources in general and increased agricultural production in particular, they continue to persist and seem to remain unconquered. These three are specific examples of environmental degradation and are illustrative of the notion that environmental degradation is a indeed a major cause of negative economic outlook.
During the ten years of its life UNEΡ has made efforts to assist the international community to deal with environmental degradation and to ensure that it is not an impediment to the development process itself. In these efforts common understanding of many issues and shared perspectives for their solution are beginning to emerge. I will cite just a few of these to indicate that indeed within FAO and UNEP common perspectives on some of these problems are there and we have worked, or are working, towards common solutions.
The starting point of this illustration in the search for strategies for environmentally prudent use and management on the widest possible scale of man's heritage of soils. , forest, fisheries, water supplies and other natural resources of the earth, so that development is not only promoted but managed in such a way that is sustainable. CONSERVATION is the key in this sustainable development. In this context, conservation is seen in the dynamic sense of a more diversified approach to the use and management of available and potential resources and includes their insurance against depletion or exhaustion. In fact, it also entails the spreading of those resource use rechnelogies so-called appropriate technologies, which augment those resources. These notions, some of which are not new, have for the first time been organized and collated into a coherent statement of objectives and principles which is now formally recognized as the World Conservation Strategy. This was launched in March 1980 by UNEP and IUCN incooperation with FAO and Unesco. " It lays down common perspectives which have attracted positive world-wide appeal and acceptance and have found an echo in the World Charter for Nature which the General Assembly has just adopted, calling for these principles to be enshrined in the development strategies of all nations. This wide enthusiasm for the World Conservation Strategy places an obligation upon its proponents to accelerate assistance to governments in translating these principles into positive development .
With regard to the general issues of the degradation and depletion of natural resources, it is necessary to refer to open dynamic ecosystems and to address the issues in the wider context of environmental management. In this case, your Director-General's statement in Paper C 81/9 dealing with Medium Term Objectives states the common perspective succiutly in the following words and I quote, "increased food production must not be achieved at the cost of damage to the land and water resources on which it depends" end of quotes. I quote again, "risks have to be assessed in advance" end of quotes. Over the years, UNEP has been engaged in development of a system for assessing and predicting risks to the natural resource base, and the global system which has emerged the so-called Global Environmental Monitorine Svstem (GEMS) continues to grow and mature, and from its inception in 1975, FAO has been very closely associated with it. Because land is the basic resource in agriculture and knowing how its degradation has rapidly accelerated, this problem was one of the earliest items chosen in FAO/UNEP cooperation. Methodologies have been developed, in association with Unesco, for assessing the current state of soil degradation, the current rate of such degradation, and the potential risks for future degradation. These methodologies have been applied over Africa north of the Sahara and the Near East and are now to be tested rigorously in a variety of different field conditions. The methodology in addition to aiding in the development of a global picture of the soil resources, shows great promise for assisting national land use planners in assessing the long term area specific implications of their development activities. Ultimately, governments must take steps to safeguard soil resources from further degradation by committing themselves to enlightened management and land use policies which increase the soil productivity for such lands. That there is need for such a coherent set of principles to guide global approaches to soil management and land use was recognized at the World Food Conference ill 1974, which, in Resolution VI, entrusted FAO with the responsability of establishing such principles. The result is the proposed World Soil Charter which is being presented to this Conference in document C 81/27. It has the full support of the United Nations Environment Programme. Parallel to the development of this Charter, but supportive and complementary to it is the current joint: activity of FAO and UNEP in stimulating a World Soils Policy. Following the work of a high level working group on soils which met in two sessions at FAO, guidelines are being drafted co be sent to governments to assist those, who wish to establish national soil policies specific to their environmental situations, and the two organizations are in the process of elaborating a cooperative plan of action to facilitate international response to requests for assistance to national efforts of integrated soil management.
The pressing issue of deforestation is another problem crying out for cooperative action. Deforestation itself is one of the major causes of one of the most serious exemples of environmental degradation - that is desertification. A positive response to deforestation would illustrate how the balance between population and resources can be restored by meeting increasing demands of people and mitigating
environmental pressures. In addition to joint solutions specific to desertification being sought in the context of the Consultative Group on Desertification Control, FAO and UNEP are engaged in the development of a comprehensive plan to deal with the larger issues of development in the tropical zones. Governments are involved through their designated experts. It is hoped that the adopted plan of action for tropical forests would assist countries to deal with the problem in a systematic but comprehensive way thus sistained development and social benefits from their forests. In planning such development, the results of joint monitoring activities would greatly facilitate the task. A pilot project on tropical forest monitoring in Benin, Cameroon and Togo, developed methods for routinely assessing forest cover and the extent of its change with time. The resultant ecological forest cover maps can be of considerable use to planners in, for example, planning resettlements after evacuations due to onchorcerciasis. In addition, the first assessment of the global tropical forest resource has been completed and provides the latest base-line information on the state and trends of the world's tropical forest.
Joint UNEP/FAO cooperation in marine matters illustrates another form of collaboration. Apart from the well-known and outstanding contribution of FAO to the Regional Seas Programmes of UNEP, I want tomention the Marine Mammals. Following the scientific consultation held in Bergen in 1976 to review a study of the ACMRR of FAO, FAO's Committee on Fisheries recommended that FAO, in cooperation with UNEP, should develop a Plan of Action on Marine Mammals. On the concurrence of the UNEP Governing Council, this work commenced in 1977 and its results were put before the Governing Council of UNEP and the FAO Committee on Fisheries in May 1981. These legislative bodies have recommended that these two organizations, assisted by other appropriate bodies such as Unesco, IOC, IWM and IUCN, should continue the further elaboration and implementation of the Plan. With the unprecedented opportunity for developing countries which has emerged from the results of the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Seas, this plan could assume additional dimensions, as the larger issue of the marine resources is tackled.
There are many examples I could quote, examples of collaboration in marine resources, in animal feed programme in genetic resources of plants and animal; in pest management; in range management; in biological nitrogen fixation; in food contamination monitoring and post harvest food losses, in environmental law; in training; etc. etc. I will not give any further detailed accounts aere. What I have tried to do is to indicate that indeed there is a wealth of common perspectives and common approaches which FAO and UNEP are following now. In the next few years we are trying to computerize this into what we are now calling the system-wide Medium Term Environment Programme, SWMTEP, which is to be inaugurated in 1984. It will be based on shared common perspectives and commonly agreed objectives. Progress is being made in the elaboration of SWMTEP, and FAO is playing an active and cooperative role in its development. But even with agreed and coordinated plans, there will be no guarantee of real progress in development unless there is a renewed commitment of all peoples to international cooperation with pledges of resources to sustain this development effort. Moreover, all plans and programmes would be viewed with scepticism and cynicism unless they generate real and shared benefits to all. From the environmental point of view many problems still remain on our agenda to defend and protect, to husband and nurture the life-sustaining resources of the planet. The faith to tackle new and emerging issues will sag if we fail to demonstrate real and sustained progress in solving the old ones. Food is such an old issue on which the world community must resolve to make progress, after all isn't FAO's motto Fiat Panis.
Mr. President, I thank you, and I also thank you even more so for allowing me to speak out of turn, because I am only here today, I have to be back in Nairobi tomorrow. Thank you very much.
W. R. MESWELE (Botswana): Mr. Chairman, Director-General, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen. It is with great pleasure that I take this opportunity of addressing the Twenty-first Session of the FAO Conference. Before doing so, Mr. Chairman, permit me to congratulate you on your elevation to this important and onerous task. You have, of course, already demonstrated your capacity to lead our deliberations with dignity and honor. At this juncture, Mr. Chairman, allow me to say to the Director-General heartiest congratulations on your elevation. His re-election should be seen as a mark of, and a reflection of the confidence which this august body reposes in him. It will be seen as an honor that we bestow on Lebanon, his country, and I have no doubt that Lebanon rejoices and, in fact, shines in the reflected glory of her son.
Mr. Chairman, honour and confidence which he has deserved as a result of hard work, which he has deserved as a result of other devotion to duty and dedication of one to his work. Mr. Chairman, suffice it to say only a man of his type, only a man of the type of the Director-General could have
risen to the height he now enjoys in international affairs. I am sure that we all have confidence in the fact that under his stewardship and control this august body will achieve most of its objectives, and I am sure we all wish him success.
Of the newly admitted colleagues, all we can say is that the doors of our humble Organization are thrown open to admit them and we say they are most welcome. We recognize that no one country here can live in peace unless all of us have achieved this peace. We also recognize the fact that the countries of the world are interdependent ecologically, politically, socially and economically and we are therefore glad that our friends have joined us so that this Organization will now go from strength to strength. We heartily welcome them.
This Conference will discuss among others food production, food security and issues relating to these areas. These are becoming familiar enough topics, that I am afraid we are inclined to say a lot and do very little. It is only to be hoped that this will not continue to be the trend.
The picture of the world food situation today is not much different from what it was two years ago. And once again our continent is the one most adversely affected. Although food production in Africa increased in 1980 compared to 1979, per capita food production has declined. Botswana has experienced a second consecutive year of favourable rainfall, and crop production in 1981 was up by 26% compared to 1980 and about 70% over the previous three years' average. Unfortunately, this increase can only be attributed to favourable climatic conditions and by no account to intensification of production. Tentative results from our latest population census, undertaken in September 1981, indicate that population growth rates are well over 3%. If in fact this is the actual rate of population increase; bearing in mind the annual food grain deficit of about 30%, Botswana's per capita food production is also declining. Sustained agricultural food production will only be possible through intensive food production. On the other hand, intensive farming calls for massive resource injection into agriculture. Botswana's Fifth National Development Plan places greater emphasis on the role of arable agriculture in development than has hitherto been the case. The Arable Lands Development Programme (ALDEP for short), is the main thrust of arable farming developments in the plan period. ALDEP's target group is medium size to small farmers.
Specifically ALDEP is providing subsidized loans for farm inputs and for on-farm investments. Other programmes' components are concerned with input supply and marketing, pricing policy and farm machinery supply and service. The pricing system will be set so as to induce farmers to produce more through price information and remunerative prices. Locally produced planters and ploughs are presently under testing; and to provide for repair and maintenance of such farm implements, a cadre of rural mechanics will be trained, starting early 1982.
Currently many farming communities lack inputs supply points and market outlets for their produce. Through the said programme, resources will be channelled to the Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board and the Cooperative Movement to provide these services.
Further attention will be paid to seed production, seed certification, land problems and agricultural extension. Availability of improved farm implements will not by itself alone, without intensive extension effort, ensure that farmers produce more. By the end of 1981, the output of agricultural demonstrators from the Botswana Agricultural College will be doubled, consequently staffing of most of the agricultural extension areas in the country will be possible. The quality of extension advice will be greatly improved by retraining existing agricultural extension staff. The recently established Crop Production Division has been strengthened by posting Regional Crop Officers to the districts who will closely work with agricultural demonstrators.
The Government of Botswana has already committed a substantial amount of scarce resources to ALDEP. However, domestic resources alone could never see the Programme through. It was therefore to be expected that greater reliance would be on external assistance if ALDEP was to succeed. Although the final agreement has not yet been signed, and we hope this will be done soon, the Botswana Government appreciates the positive attitude displayed by IFAD towards the funding of ALDEP since the Programme's inception. I strongly urge donor countries and other international institutions to increase their efforts in assisting the developing countries especially in the field of technical assistance, training and transfer of appropriate technology.
Mr. Chairman, if I have dwelt at length on our main effort to improve the efficiency of arable agriculture, it is basically due to the strong view held by my Government that this sector holds the key to the solution of the many problems that plague our society. The shift in emphasis, however, is not at the expense of other agricultural sectors. The livestock sector, especially the cattle
industry, continues to receive the largest share of development expenditure funds in absolute terms. Other subsectors like forestry, horticulture and fisheries, to mention some, will also continue to receive deserving attention in our development efforts.
Since our last conference, noticeable progress has been made on world food security. On our part, and also through the Southern African Development Coordinating Conference otherwise known as SADDC, a comprehensive regional programme for food security has been drawn up. Presently, Botswana, through the Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board, maintains about 6 000 metric tons of grain or about 6 percent of annual cereal consumption as strategic grains reserves. It is my Government's intension to steadily build up these grain reserves to 30 000 tons of grain annually over the rest of the plan period or the equivalent of three months' consumption of food grain. The Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board itself has grain storage capacity equal to about 50 percent of annual grain consumption.
On behalf of my delegation I would like to commend the IMF's decision to provide a compensatory financing facility to developing countries in balance of payments difficulties. It is my sincere belief that this decision was taken as a result of the difficult situation in which low-income food deficit and oil-importing countries find themselves. Which situation, needless to say, is unlikely to change for the better without a major reform of the present economic order. In this connection it is to be hoped that the recently staged Cancun Conference in Mexico will be followed by global negotiations aimed at reforming the world economic order.
In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that increased food production is dependent on increased flow of resources into agriculture, which inevitably entails increased flow of resources (bilateral or multilateral) from developed countries, oil-producing countries and international institutions to developing countries. If we are agreed that the present level of investment in agriculture of developing countries is, in general, inadequate and if we are also agreed that most of these developing countries cannot fund their own development programmes then we can only agree that external assistance must be stepped up if developing countries are to make any meaningful progress. This also means that international organisations involved with agriculture like FAO and IFAD must have the resources at their disposal in order to fulfill their responsibilities. With these remarks, my delegation would like to register its support for the Programme of Work and Budget proposed by the Director-General for the next biennium.
Τ. SUGARRAGCHA (Mongolia): (Original Language - Mongolian): Mr. Chairman, Distinguished delegates, First of all, allow me on behalf of the Mongolian delegation to congratulate you on your election to the high office of chairmanship of this Conference. We would like also to bid a warm welcome to Bhutan, Equatorial Guinea, Saint-Vincent and the Grenadines, Tongo and Zimbabwe for their admission to membership of the FAO.
I take this opportunity to congratulate on behalf of the Mongolian Government Dr. Edouard Saouma for his re-election to the post of the Director General and to wish him new successes in discharging his highly responsible duties.
It is our conviction that the current session of the FAO Conference will make a valuable contribution towards overcoming the food hardships facing the world today, towards intensifying FAO's efforts to eliminate hunger in the developing countries.
There exist in the world ample opportunities and vast resources with which it is possible to substantially increase food and agricultural production through wide application of modern science and technology.
However, instead of the development of agriculture, increase of world food supply and agricultural production and the eradication of hunger and malnutrition, the world's economic, financial and human resources, science and technology potential are being used for counter-productive purposes such as the arms race, preparation for war and nuclear holocaust by imperialist and aggressive forces.
It is no doubt, therefore, that it is through attainment of the most vital objective, namely, cessation of the arms race, and the implementation of effective and practical measures in the field of disarmament that favourable conditions should be created to resolve world dramatic food shortages and to increase food and agricultural production.
The aggravation of the food situation in the developing countries, the continuous deterioration of their foreign trade position, high inflation and depression constitute most evils brought about by the powerful forces of the neo-colonialist economic relations and the multinational corporations.
The restructuring existing international economic order, therefore, by putting an end to the unequal system based on neo-colonialist policy would greatly promote the improvement of the world is food supply and agricultural production throughout the globe. Moreover, establishment of a new international economic order would significantly contribute to the implementation of the Strategy for the Third United Nations Decade, as well as to the attainment of the aims and objectives outlined therein to develop agriculture.
The Soviet Union and other socialist countries, including Mongolia, have always supported and will continue to do support the struggle of the developing countries for their political, social and economic emancipation, for democracy and social progress.
The Mongolian People's Republic comes resolutely for strengthening the world peace and universal security. Our Government has put forward this year the proposal to conclude a convention on mutual non-aggression and non-use of force in relations among the States of Asia and the Pacific. The thrust of our proposal is aimed to eliminate the existing hotbeds of tension in Asia and to promote mutual trust, understanding and co-operation among the States of this continent.
Once Mongolia was one of the most backward countries with an under-developed agricultural sector exposed to both external and internal oppression. Those were the times when private nomadic animal husbandry dominated our agriculture.
60 years have elapsed since the victory of the people's revolution and during this historically short span of the time Mongolia has progressed from feudalism to socialism, by-passing the whole social stage of development.
Mongolia has implemented the Lenin's agrarian theory and restructured its agriculture on a socialist basis. Now, the state and the government render comprehensive economic, financial and technical assistance to the development of agriculture. All health service, education and trade in the rural areas, as well as watering of pastures and construction of irrigation systems are being executed through state capital investment.
At present, the agricultural co-operatives which mainly produce the agricultural output provide 80 percent of the country's needs in meat and provide 75 percent of its wool needs.
We have successfully developed the agriculture public sector by setting up major state farms which produce now grain, vegetables, milk and animal fodder and we have laid down a solid foundation for cultivating virgin lands and producing agricultural output by industrial method. By so doing, Mongolia has become self-sufficient in all crop farming produce.
For mechanization, electrification and chemical inputs to our agriculture we rely upon the assistance of the countries of socialist community and, primarily, that of the Soviet Union. With the economic and technical assistance of the Soviet Union we have undertaken the construction of numerous agricultural complex projects, thus satisfying our internal requirements and export needs.
As a result of the joint Mongolo-Soviet space flight this year, in which a Mongolian citizen took part, a broad range of study and experiments has been carried out aboard the spacecraft, directly applicable for practical uses in our agriculture.
As envisaged in the 5 year "Guidelines for the development of national economy and culture for 1981-1985" the capital investment in agriculture will surpass that of the previous five-year period by over 30 percent and the average annual volume of agricultural production will rise by 22 to 26 percent. For the new five-year period we plan to take substantial measures as to water pastures, to construct irrigation systems, cultivate virgin lands, protect the soil from wind erosion and minimize losses in agriculture.
Mr. Chairman, the Mongolian delegation highly appreciates the activities of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, its technical assistance programmes and projects to increase agricultural production. We fully agree with the efforts and endeavours undertaken by the Director-General for a more differentiated and better utilization of available resources.
To this effect by and large we take a positive approach to the Programme of Work and Budget for 1982-1983. However, we consider that austerity in administrative expenditures, the paring down of unnecessary spending and other related measures should help restructuring the Organization in the increase of the technical assistance programmes, step up the decentralization at country level and expand the field operational programmes.
Finally, we consider it important that FAO should further promote in an active manner socio-economic transformations in the developing countries, and in particular in the least developed amongst these countries. This is the priority task which has been undertaken by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
D. D. K. CHIPHWANYA (Malawi): Mr. Chairman, Mr. Deputy Director-General, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am priviliged, indeed highly honoured, to stand in for our Minister of Agriculture who is, above all, our Head of State and Government, His Excellency the Life President Ngwazi Dr. H. Kamuzu Banda.
The Malawi delegation would like to associate itself with many delegations that have spoken before in congratulating you, Mr. Chairman, on your election to the chairmanship of the current session of the FAO Conference. We also congratulate Dr. Saouma on his re-election to the position of Director-General of our Organization for the next six-year term of office.
In addition, we would like to welcome the five new members that have just joined this Organization, namely, Bhutan, Equatorial Guinea, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tonga and Zimbabwe. Their decision to join this Organization is a clear manifestation of the importance which the world community attaches to the activities of FAO. We look forward to their full participation in the work of this Organization.
Mr. Chairman, we are meeting at a time when the world food situation is deteriorating fast, particularly so in many countries of the Africa Region. The future looks dim unless timely and positive action is taken by all of us to change this unacceptable situation. While it is true that efforts have been made by developing countries to produce sufficient food to meet internal requirements through increased and and intensified extension service, the increased use of improved varieties and improved storage facilities together with the provision of price incentives, I think that we need to step up these efforts so that we produce enough to ensure availability of food to our peoples at all times. This ideal situation can be achieved if we all genuinely attach greater importance to agriculture in general and to food production in particular.
The problem, however, is that even if we all get committed to the idea of accelerated food production, there are many problems which the developing world has to contend with. The main obstacle is that our economies are such that we cannot generate enough resources internally to finance projects geared to increased food production. It is for this reason that the industrialised nations and international organizations should consider increasing their assistance in this direction.
Mr. Chairman, admittedly, the industrialized nations and international organizations have made a positive contribution to the development of the third world, and we are grateful to them for what they have done and continue to do. Nevertheless, we should request them to increase their assistance particularly in the agricultural sector which is critical to the development of the economies of most of our countries. Practically in all developing countries the majority of the people live in rural areas where they are engaged in farming activities, and yet they experience many problems which militate against their expectations. It is, therefore, extremely essential that the rural people are provided with adequate incentives to produce more.
Mr. Chairman, for a farmer to produce more crops or to raise more livestock there must be a price incentive which acts as a reward for his efforts. The trend, however, is that even if he is offered a good price locally, the costs of the essential inputs are constantly going up, particularly such inputs as fertilizers and chemicals which are in most cases imported from industrialized countries. This is clearly an area in which the industrialized countries can help by keeping the prices of agricultural inputs at reasonable levels so that the farmer in the developing countries can be truly induced to produce more.
Mr. Chairman, increased agricultural production in itself does not mean much unless the produce which is surplus to internal requirements can be sold at good prices at international markets. The general trend today is that prices offered at international markets for primary products are declining - a situation which is acting as a disincentive to the farmers' efforts to produce more. In this respect, when we talk of international markets we are essentially inferring to markets in industrialized countries.
In addition to the problem of declining prices for primary products, the developing countries face yet another major obstacle. Industrialized countries tend to excessively protect their commodities against those from the developing countries, thereby denying the latter the chance of earning the much needed foreign exchange with which to pay for essential agricultural inputs. If we in the third world cannot readily dispose of our primary products at these international markets, how do we acquire foreign exchange to pay for these agricultural inputs which are essential for increased food and agricultural production?
The industrialized countries must open their doors more widely so that primary products from developing nations can find more markets in those countries. In this way, the industrialized countries will be helping us to help ourselves.
In Malawi our Government is fully committed to the rapid development of the agricultural sector. Since we do not have mineral resources, and as over 90% of the people live in rural areas, a high proportion of pur investment programme is geared to increased food and agricultural production. Let me take this opportunity on behalf of my Government to thank all donor governments and international organizations including FAO for the assistance which they have rendered and continue to render in the development of our agricultural sector.
At this juncture, Mr. Chairman, let me make some brief remarks on the Programme of Work and Budget for the two-year period 1982-83 contained in the Conference document C 81/3. My delegation would like to congratulate the Secretariat on the work that went into this particular document and all other documents which they produced for the Conference. I would like to appeal to them to continue with this excellent work.
Mr. Chairman, the proposed Budget of approximately $368 million takes into account the programme of work which our Organization plans to carry out during the 1982-83 biennium. With this amount of money we hope FAO will continue to provide the much needed services to developing countries as it has done hitherto. Mr. Chairman, my delegation would, therefore, wish to associate itself with other delegations that have supported the Programme of Work and the related Budget submitted by the Director-General.
In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, I strongly believe that with concerted efforts the world community is capable of eliminating hunger and malnutrition. It all depends on the will and determination of the third world countries to do so. The industrialized countries, too, have an important role to play in the struggle to eliminate hunger and malnutrition. They should consider stepping up their aid through grant and soft loan finance. They should open doors more widely so that produce from developing countries can gain access to international markets where better prices are offered. The prices of agricultural inputs must be stabilized so that farmers can realize some profit on their produce. In this way farmers can be induced to produce more and the world community can be assured of food availability at all times.
Thank you.M. OULD AMAR (Mauritanie) : M. le Président, M. le Directeur-général, MM. les Délégués, Mesdames et Messieurs.
Je voudrais tout d'abord vous adresser M. le Président, mes plus vives félicitations pour votre élection à la présidence de notre assemblée. Vos eminentes qualités personnelles, votre longue expérience du terrain et des problèmes du tiers monde sont des gages de succès de notre conférence.
Je voudrais aussi exprimer la satisfaction de ma délégation de voir le Dr. Edouard Saouma reconduit pour six ans au poste de Directeur général de la FAO, fonction qu'il a déjà occupée pendant les six dernières années et dont il s'estacquitté avec compétence et dévouement.
Je félicite les Etats nouvellement admis au sein de notre organisation. Je suis persuadé qu'ils y joueront un role actif et positif.
Monsieur le Président, l'ouverture de la 21e session de l'Assemblée générale de l'Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture intervient dans un contexte difficile, en ce qui concerne plus particulièrement les domaines du développement agricole et de l'alimentation.
Lorsque je prenais part, pour la première fois, à la conférence générale de la FAO, il y a quelque 15 ans, je nourrissais l'espoir, avec mes collègues des pays en développement, que les deux décennies à venir allaient enregistrerdesprogrès décisifs sur la voie de l'avènement d'une société plus
humaine, plus fraternelle et plus solidaire, d'où seraient bannis la faim, la malnutrition et leurs cortèges de maladies et d'avilissement pour des centaines de millions d'hommes, de femmes et d'enfants à travers le monde.
Force est de constater aujourd'hui, en regardant les statistiques de la faim et de la malnutrition,que les progrès attendus n'ont pas été atteints; les problèmes de la faim, de la malnutrition et du sous-développement d'une façon plus générale demeurent posés avec plus d'acuité. La faim n'a jamais été aussi présente, aussi dure et révoltante qu'elle ne l'est en ce moment. L'on comprend aisément l'amertume et la déception de tous ceux qui souffrent de la faim et qui entendent vanter les exploits de telle navette spatiale ou des raffinements d'une nouvelle bombe de destruction.
La population touchée par la faim est en nette augmentation; l'économie mondiale s'installe peu à peu dans la récession, engendrant l'inquiétude et la montée de périls dont il est difficile encore d'apprécier l'ampleur et la gravité. De plus, il ne semble pas qu'il existe aujourd'hui une volonté politique internationale décidée à attaquer de front les graves problèmes de l'heure.
Aucun des objectifs fixés lors des conférences internationales n'a été atteint.
L'aide céréalière est en régression par rapport à son niveau de 1975/76. La réserve alimentaire internationale d'urgence n'a pas atteint la cote, pourtant modeste, des 500 000 tonnes fixées initialemment. L'aide extérieure publique à l'agriculture a diminué de 5 à 6 pour cent en 1980. Les prix des produits agricoles d'exportation des pays sous-développés ont diminué. Ils ne couvrent plus que les deux tiers de leurs besoins d'importation.
En définitive la situation s'aggrave et les perspectives de solution s'éloignent.
On ne peut qu'être inquiets devant un tel tableau, inquiétude justifiée par l'absence de réactions appropriées des pays membres de la FAO, spécialement ceux qui disposent de ressources financières et techniques susceptibles d'apporter l'aide dont les autres ont un urgent besoin.
Il est maintenant établi que les mesures inspirées des thérapeutiques économiques classiques, prises à l'échelle des Etats, ne résoudront pas à elles seules la crise. Elles n'ont pas réussi à résorber le chômage ni à stimuler de façon durable la relance économique. La solution sera donc globale ou ne sera pas. L' interdépendance du sort des nations est un fait qui ne peut plus être ignore dans la recherche des solutions aux problèmes qui nous préoccupent.
Dans ces conditions, la sagesse, la nécessité imposent une approche internationale coordonnée, concertée, de ces mêmes problèmes. Ma délégation estime que la formule de coopération instituée entre la CEE et les ACP constitue un exemple encourageant qui peut être amélioré et qui peut servir de modèle à d'autres pays.
L'examen des principes et de la méthodologie de cette nouvelle approche de coopération ne doit plus être rejeté ou différé, car le temps perdu aggrave la situation.
Nous considérons que tant que les trois quarts de l'humanité restent à l'écart des progrès de la science et de la technologie, tant que des centaines de millions d'êtres humains restent condamnés à la faim et à des souffrances atroces, l'économie mondiale sera en régression, la paix restera menacée, et les valeurs spirituelles et morales en déclin ne suffiront plus à contenir la haine, la violence et le désordre.
Notre devoir est d'oeuvrer à la sensibilisation de nos opinions publiques sur cette nouvelle conception de la coopération, en expliquant son intérêt pour tous les pays, qu'ils soint riches ou pauvres.
Nous devons aussi sensibiliser nos opinions publiques nationales dans les pays sous-développés sur l'urgence et l'intérêt d'un effort interne accru en faveur du développement rural.
En application des résolutions et recommandations pertinentes de la FAO, le Gouvernement Mauritanien a déclaré prioritaire le secteur rural. Ce dernier reçoit une part de plus en plus importante des ressources financières du pays. Mon Gouvernement a entrepris la mise en oeuvre d'un programme important de mise en valeur des terres agricoles, par la combinaison d'une politique de réalisations de grands aménagements hydroagricoles et de: réalisation de petits périmètres irrigués villageois. La construction de digues de retenue d'eau est programmée dans les régions où l'eau de ruissellement était perdue pour l'agriculture par le passé.
Ces différentes actions sont menées avec le concours actif des collectivités bénéficiaires groupées en coopératives ou en groupements précoopératifs. Les collectivités publiques décentralisées apportent également leurs concours en complément de l'aide de l'Etat.
La vulgarisation de techniques agricoles améliorées est assurée par des cadres spécialement formés pour cette tâche. Il s'agit pour l'essentiel de la distribution de semences sélectionnées, de leur traitement, de l'introduction de la culture attelée et de la production de récoltes. L'action de ces cadres est relayée sur le terrain par des paysans pilotes qui ont subi une initiation à des techniques simples de gestion des cooperatives.
L'idée centrale est d'associer les communautés rurales à la definition de leurs priorités et à la mise en oeuvre des projets.
Dans le domaine de l'élevage, des mesures ont été prises pour assurer l'immunisation du cheptel contre les grandes maladies contagieuses, comme la peste bovine, la péripneumonie contagieuse, le charbon, la première de ces maladies inspirant encore de graves inquiétudes en Afrique de l'ouest et du centre. Les éleveurs mauritaniens sont exonérés d'impôts afin de les aider à reconstituer leur cheptel gravement décimé par la sécheresse qu'a connue le Sahel pendant une dizaine d'années consécutives. La pluviométrie dans les pays du Sahel, dont la Mauritanie, n'est pas encore revenue à la normale. Et de ce fait, ces pays ont encore besoin d'aide pour leur développement et leur alimentation.
Pour lutter contre l'avancée du désert, consécutive à la sécheresse, la Mauritanie à édicté une réglementation sévère destinée à la protection de la faune et de la flore.
En matière de pêche maritime, la Mauritanie dispose de ressources importantes. L'application de sa nouvelle politique de pêche, définie depuis deux ans, se heurte à des difficultés à cause du refus de certains pays développés de s'y conformer. Cette politique vise à protéger les zones de reproduction des espèces existantes de long de nos côtes; elle vise à imposer un maillage qui évite la capture des espèces immatures.
Enfin le Gouvernement a créé cette année une caisse de crédit agricole destinée au financement des actions de production menées par des agriculteurs et des éleveurs.
Pour encourager ces derniers dans leurs efforts de production des prix incitateurs sont fixés chaque année.
Le ramassage et la commercialisation des surplus agricoles au niveau des paysans sont assurés par un organisme créé spécialement à cet effet.
La Mauritanie coopère utilement avec d'autres pays africains au sein d'organisations régionales comme l'OMVS, le CILSS, la CEAO, la CDEAO.
Mon Gouvernement entreprend donc un ensemble d'actions de développement et d'encouragement à la production, en faveur des agriculteurs et des éleveurs mauritaniens. Mais ses ressources ne lui permettent pas de réaliser tout le programme qu'il s'était assigné, dans les délais voulus.
C'est pourquoi, il reste attaché à la coopération internationale; et c'est pourquoi aussi, il appuie le programme de travail et le budget proposés par le Directeur général de la FAO, pour les années 1982-83 dans l'optique d'une nouvelle conception des rapports internationaux qui prend en considération les intérêts et les besoins de tous les pays membres.
Ma délégation estime qu'il s'agit là de la seule solution pour sortir notre civilisation de l'impasse dangereuse où elle s'engage.
La FAO doit recevoir les moyens indispensables à son action. Les lui refuser équivaut à priver de nombreux pays de l'assistance qui leur est nécessaire pour leur permettre de poursuivre les efforts internes qu'ils ont entrepris.
Ma délégation estime qu'il s'agit là de la seule solution raisonnable pour notre Conférence.
Ε. ΒARANDANDIKANYA (Burundi): Permettez-moi tout d'abord d'adresser mes félicitations à vous-même, M. le Président, pour votre élection à la présidence de la présente Conférence et pour la manière impeccable dont vous dirigez ces travaux.
Je voudrais également féliciter le Dr. Saouma pour sa réélection plébiscitaire, peu surprenante par ailleurs, quand on connaît le dévouement et la compétence dont il a fait preuve dans la direction de notre Organisation. Nul doute que le nouveau mandat de six ans va constituer un succès eu égard à son expérience et à sa détermination, pour autant que les Etats Membres de cette Organisation lui accordent l'assistance morale et financière dont il aura besoin pour mener à bien la tâche que nous lui confions.
Mes salutations et mes félicitations s'adressent également aux nouveaux Etats Membres qui viennent de faire leur entrée et agrandissent notre Organisation. Je n'ai aucun doute que leur vitalité sera d'un concours précieux dans la résolution des problèmes que doit affronter la communauté internationale dans son effort de lutte contre la faim et la misère des populations rurales.
Notre responsabilité est immense envers les millions d'affamés qui peuplent le monde: nous avons la charge très lourde de soulager leur misère par les décisions que nous aurons prises, tant au sein de cette assemblée que dans nos pays respectifs.
Lorsque nous rentrerons chez nous, nous aurons le devoir de mettre tout en oeuvre pour que les measures prises soient mises en pratique et de nous assurer qu'elles atteignent l'objectif principal que s'est fixé notre Organisation, à savoir l'augmentation du niveau alimentaire de la population mondiale.
Pour que les décisions prises soient efficaces, un soutien inconditionnel doit être donné au programme que nous aurons approuvé pour les prochaines années. Cela veut dire que nous devons donner les moyens humains et matériels nécessaires à son exécution.
En cette époque où le spectre de la faim rend incertain l'avenir, où la peur de catastrophes a saisi une grande partie de la planète, une solidarité des plus riches envers les plus pauvres s'avère indispensable pour surmonter les épreuves quotidiennes, momentanées, je l'espère, auxquelles sont soumises les populations des pays les moins développés.
Je voudrais ici m'associer au cri d'alarme et aux recommandations émis lors des dernières conférences organisées par les Nations Unies en faveur des pays les plus pauvres. J'ose espérer que ces mêmes préoccupations sont partagées par les représentants des pays les plus nantis qui ont les moyens d'aider les plus défavorisés pour qu'ils puissent connaître de meilleures conditions de vie.
Si l'assistance internationale est nécessaire pour l'augmentation de la production agricole, elle ne peut être qu'un complément aux efforts de développement de chaque pays.
Je voudrais donc évoquer dans la suite de mon exposé les efforts déployés par les gouvernements de la Deuxième République du Burundi, dirigée par S. E. le Colonel Jean-Baptiste Bagala, et par le peuple burundais pour atteindre la satisfaction de ses besoins alimentaires et pour le développement du monde rural.
L'agriculture burundaise est soumise à diverses contraintes dont les plus importantes sont la force densité démographique, la rareté des terres cultivables, l'insuffisance des moyens de production et des infrastructures d'appui.
Le Burundi connaît une densité exceptionnelle pour un pays agricole de plus de . 150 habitants au kilomètre carré dont plus de 90 pour cent vivent de l'agriculture. Son taux de croissance annuel de 2,2 pour cent donnera une population supplémentaire de un million d'habitants d'ici 1990.
Cela veut dire que nous aurons un million de nouvelles bouches à nourrir, et que notre agriculture doit produire de nouvelles ressources à cette fin.
Face a ces données démographiques, les superficies cultivables estimées à 1,350 000 hectares sont exploitées à plus de 90 pour cent.
La pression démographique sur les terres cultivées a provoqué une réduction de la taille moyenne de l'exploitation familiale et une diminution de la productivité.
Les moyens de production existants ne sont pas suffisants pour intensifier la production agricole: L'utilisation des engrais et de semences sélectionnées ainsi que la fourniture de produits phytosanitaires restent limitées par manque de moyens financiers pour les acquérir ou les produire. La recherche agricole, quoique très active, est également peu développée et les services d'encadrement voient diminuer leur efficacité par manque de moyens de travail et à cause des effectifs insuffisants.
Tous ces facteurs ont fait que la production actuelle est à peine suffisante pour assurer l'alimentation qualitativement acceptable de notre population. Cette situation préoccupe depuis longtemps le Gouvernement de mon pays qui a mobilisé toute la population et tous les organes administratifs et du Parti en vue de l'augmentation des produits agricoles. En 1976, il proclamait l'agriculture priorité des priorités et toutes les forces nationales étaient orientées vers son développement. Un programme triennal de redressement national allant de 1977 à 1979 était élaboré. Il avait pour axes principaux l'achèvement rapide des projets en cours et l'élaboration d'un nouveau programme de production vivrière alors que les actions jusqu'alors programmées ne portaient que sur les cultures d'exportation, erreur héritée du passé comme beaucoup de pays représentés ici.
Pour atteindre l'objectif d'autosuffisance, des programmes spécifiques étaient lancés; pour donner au producteur des variétés plus performantes et un programme de multiplication et de diffusion des semences sélectionnées, produites par notre Institut de recherche, a démarré. Nous comptons actuellement un centre semencier dans le tiers des communes du Burundi.
Le Programme engrais, lancé avec le concours de la FAO, a été élargi.
Ce Programme de démonstration et de diffusion d'engrais touche actuellement une grande partie du territoire national. Pour que ces deux Programmes puissent donner les résultats escomptés, un service de protection des plantes a été mis en place. A côté de ces actions générales, des projets spécifiques et régionaux, portant sur le développement des cultures du riz, du blé, du palmier à huile, du sucre et de l'arachide, ont été élaborés et sont pour la plupart en début d'exécution, en vue d'équilibrer la ration alimentaire caractérisée par un excès de glucides, une carence de matières grasses et une absence de protéines d'origine animale.
Des efforts ont été également menés dans le domaine de la formation d'agents d'encadrement et pour rendre plus efficace le travail de notre Institut de recherche.
La combinaison de tous ces facteurs nous donne déjà des résultats encourageants puisque la production agricole, tant vivrière que d'exportation, a augmenté de 25 pour cent dans les trois dernières années.
Ces résultats ont été possibles grâce aussi à l'assistance des pays amis et des organisations internationales; et nous espérons que leur aide va augmenter.
Nous avons plus particulièrement apprécié le soutien obtenu par la FAO et nous voudrions demander à cette assemblée d'approuver son programme et le budget y afférent pour la période 1982-83, afin qu'elle puisse continuer sa noble tâche de guide dans la lutte que l'humanité mène contre le triste spectre de la faim et de la malnutrition.
The meeting rose at 19. 45 hours
La séance est levée à 19 h 45
Se levanta la sesión a las 19. 45 horas
