P. ELMANOWSKY (France): M. le President, n'ayant pas encore eu l'occasion d'intervenir dans le débat de cette Commission, je voudrais tout d'abord vous feliciter pour cette election a cette Présidence dont nous nous réouissons tout particulierement compte tenu des liens entre nos deux pays. Mes felicitations vont egalement à nos deux vice-presidents, M. Stuyck et M. le representant de Grenade qui, cer-tainement, vous seconderont utilement si le besoin s'en fait sentir. Je veux remercier egalement le Secretariat et le Dr. Islam pour les documents prepares et 1"expose que celui-ci nous a présente si clairement.
Pourtant, ce n'est pas certainement une critique mais sans doute est-ce du a une tres longue participa tion aux reunions Internationales, ou bien peut-etre parce que cet expose avec quelques dixiemes de pourcentages en plus ou en moins, avec quelques millions de dollars en plus ou en moins dans la serie de chiffres qui constituent les donnees de la situation mondiale de 1"alimentation et de l’agriculture, m'ont conduit a ressentir un sentiment de repetition, de deja lu ou entendu, mais, évidemment, ayant participe au Comité de la securite alimentaire au printemps, au Conseil en juin, au Comite des produits en septembre et enfin encore au Conseil il y a quelques jours, nous avons eu pratiquement les me‚mes donnees. Aussi, mon expose ne s'attachera pas a commenter ces donnees chiffrées qui ne sont en realite pas contestables, Elles traduisent la faiblesse des progres de la production alimentaire et agricole, bien que 1 "annee 1981 sera sur certains points meilleure que 1980. Elles traduisent le ralentissement de la croissance du commerce international des produits agricoles, 1"absence de progres majeurs dans la lutte contre la sous-alimentation et la malnutrition, la stagnation et meme le fléchissement en prix constants de l'aide au developpement, enfin la dependance croissante de nombre de pays en developpement a l'egard des importations cerealieres.
De tels resultats ne peuvent que nous conduire les uns et les autres, et non pas seulement les seuls pays en developpement, a manifester notre deception et a deplorer cette situation surtout si nous nous referons aux espoirs mis en 1974 dans la Conference mondiale de 1"alimentation, puis dans les successi-ves strategies des Nations Unies pour le developpement qui devaient sTappliquer aux decennies passees.
Nous constatons, par ailleurs, que de nombreuses questions evoquees dans le document C 81/2 et dans son additif relevent par ailleurs d'autres points de l'ordre du jour de notre Commission: par exemple les problémes relatifs a la secutite alimentaire, la Reserve internationale d'urgence, et autres telles les négociations dans d"autres enceintes internationales, ou les faits nouveaux dans le systéme des Nations Unies relévent de la Commission III.
Je me bornerai done ici à vous faire part de quelques idees, de quelques remarques de la delegation francaise quant aux moyens de pallier les insuffisances et les défauts constates en matiére acricole et alimentaire a la situation qui est sous nos yeux et, la ou cela est possible, d’ameliorer encore les progrés deja realises.
L'un des points oú les resultats sont en general les plus decevants concerne a la fois l’ instability des cours ou des prix des produits de base agricole ou alimentaire et la deterioration des termes de l'echange pour nombre de pays en developpement mais aussi de pays developpes. Cette instability des cours a toujours ete un des principaux soucis de la France et vous ne serez pas surpris que,par la voix du gouvernement et celle du President de la Republique, la France, dis-je, entende relancer et promouvoir de nouvelles actions en faveur de 1"organisation des marches. Grace a la conclusion d"accords inters nationaux de produits solidement charpentes et structures comportant, chaque fois que cela est possible et realisable, des dispositifs de prix des stockstsoit internationaux, tel qufon le constate pour le cacao, soit nationaux, mais coordonnes internationalement ainsi qu'il a ete propose pour les cereales. Je sais que certains peuvent dire en nous entendant qu'il est plus facile de proposer de telles formules que d'y participer reellement. Je ne craindrai pas face à de tellesremarques d'aborder un sujet brúlant, celui du sucre qui releve de la competence certes communautaire mais, sans empieter sur les prerogatives de la Communaute pour definir la politique sucriere dans notre groupe de pays, je voudrais rappeler quelques vérités de base incontestables.
La France est le premier producteur de sucre de la Communaute et depuis fort longtemps puisque cela remonte meme avant 1914 lorsqu'on en etait aux premiers balbutiements de l’organisation des marches. Il y a eu a cette epoque, vers 1910, des premiers essais d'organisation avec une premiere convention dont la France faisait partie. Puis nous avons eu la periode entre les deux premieres guerres mondiales avec le Plan Chadbourne et déjà la France y etait participante. Exportatrice avant la seconde guerre mondiale, nous le sommes redevenus rapidement apres la guerre, alors que d'autres pays, qui n'avaient pas de telles antériorités, développaient considérablement leur production.
Quand en 1977 on a negocie l’Accord actuellement en vigueur, la Conference a refuse de prendre en consideration les propositions qui avaient ete formulees par la Communaute et, se plier a ce qu'on nous proposait, aurait conduit a ruiner de nombreux producteurs agricoles francais et & contrecarrer une production indispensable a l'economie francaise.
Place devant une telle alternative, aucun pays producteur de sucre n'aurait pu participer a un tel accord. La Commission de la Communaute a expose précédemment au Comite des produits puis au Conseil la nouvelle organisation de la production et du marche du sucre dans la CEE. Je n'insisterai pas. Depuis, tout rece-mment, le Conseil de la Communaute a accepte l'ouverture de nouvelles conversations exploratoires avec l’Organisation internationale du sucre. Je n'en dirai pas plus, mais une chose est certaine, c'est que le succes de telles conversations dependra fondamentalement de la reconnaissance de la vocation sucriere de la France et de nos droits.
Excusez cette digression un peu longue sur le sucre. mais elle etait necessaire.
J'en reviens à l’organisation des marches en general. Celle-ci ne serait pas en elle-meme suffisante si on ne tenait pas compte, au-dela de la stabilisation des cours, de la prise en compte de l'evolution des couts reels de production et si on ne prevoyait pas de proteger les producteurs contre les insuffisances qui peuvent etre constatees et peuvent peser sur les recettes d'exportation. A cet egard, je ne saurais mieux faire que de vous rappeler les propositions formulees par la France en septernbre dernier lors de le. Conference sur les pays les moins avances et reprises tout recemment voici quelques jours d'une maniere trés claire dans l'Appel de Paris formule lors de la reunion de la Conference franco-africaine groupant 33 pays et dont je vous cite des extraits: "Les 33 pays représentes a la Conference de Paris rappellent une fois de plus l’importance majeure de la régularisation des cours des matieres premieres. Faute de securite et de previsibilites dans la fixation de prix, les pays du Tiers Monde sont empeches de planifier leur avenir. Les chefs d'Etat et de delegation reunis a Paris estiment indispensable et urgent de denon-cer cette situation et de chercher une amelioration dans toutes les voies possibles;
Premierement, la stabilisation des cours doit etre obtenue au niveau mondial par la conclusion d'un nombre suffisant d'accords internationaux de produits. C'est dans cette perspective qu'il faut pour-suivre l’effort entrepris dans le cadre de la CNUCED et donner ainsi la pleine efficacite au Fonds commun des matieres premieres".
Entre parentheses, je signale a ce sujet que le Fonds commun dont nous esperons tous qu'il fonction-nera bientot, est cependant, pour sa mise en route, conditionne par la signature et la ratification du texte. Or, a ce jour, 60 pays seulement, je crois, ont signe et il faut 92 ou 93 ratifications pour qu'il puisse entrer en vigueur. Parmi les pays developpes, je crois que nombre d'entre eux ont deja signe et que les procedures de ratification sont en route, mais dans la marge se situant entre 60 et 92, la plus grande partie des signatures et ratifications encore attendues ne peut provenir que des pays en developpement eux memes. Alors, je m'adresse a eux pour leur dire: accelerez les procedures!
J'en reviens maintenant a ce que dit cet Appel de Paris: "au-fdela de la stabilisation des cours, il faut parvenir a la prise en compte de l'evolution des couts reels de production comme cela est deja le cas pour certains produits dans certains pays industrialises". Et on ajoute: "les producteurs doivent etre proteges contre les consequences des al£as climatiques et autres qui pesent lourdement sur les recettes d'exportation. Le STABEX, mecanisme de stabilisation des cours des produits agricoles, mis en oeuvre par la Communaute dans le cadre de la Convention de Lome", vise a’ donner une telle assurance. Il est souhaitable que d'autres pays industrialists s'engagent dans la meme voie". C'est un appel aussi que nous lan^ons pour cette generalisation de formule en ce qui concerne les cottts. Le texte est tres long, je ne vous en donnerai pas la lecture intSgrale, mais je crois qu'il serait bon de s'y rgferer.
Il est un autre point que j'aimerais aborder maintenant, c'est celui du commerce ou plus exactement celui de la liberte" des ^changes et de la lutte contre le protectionnisme. Encore un sujet brulant, mais pas seulement pour les pays qui sont regulierement critiques, c'est-a-dire les pays developpe's a gconomie liber ale, il l'est pour tous, pays en developpement et pays developpe's a gconomie centralement planif ige.
En effet, tous ou presque tous, nous sommes plus ou moins exportateurs de produits agricoles et chaque fois que nous rencontrons des difficultés pour vendre des produits nous crions au protectionnisme. La France comme l'Australie ou Cuba, les Etats-Unis comme l'Inde ou le Bresil et ainsi de suite. Nous nfexportons certes pas tous les memes produits, mais chacun d'entre nous est considere comme protection-niste et vice et versa. Mon propos nf'st done pas de justifier nos propres politiques d'importation ou d'exportation, cela a dejà eu lieu maintes fois ici, au GATT, a la CNUCED, a L'OCDE, dans les instances compétentes, dans celles qui l'etaient moins et meme dans celles qui ne l'etaient pas du tout.
Mais, puisque le conseil de notre Organisation a décidé de demander au secretariat de poursuivre régu-lierement, dans le cadre du comite des produits, l’etude sur le protectionnismé, je me permets de sug-gerer que celle-ci porte egalement -ne croyez pas que je veuille faire de la provocation-sur le protec tionnisme des pays en developpement. Je n'ignore pas que la partie IV du GATT donne a ces pays en matiere tarifaire des droits, e'estvraimentle cas de le dire, en matiere de droits de douane, qui vont bien au-delà de ce que les pays developpes peuvent se permettre.
Non M. le President, ce que je souhaiterais e'est que pour ameliorer le commerce mondial, lui donner une sorte de second souffle, on recherche comment le commerce entre pays en developpement pourrait s'accroitre et permettre ainsi aux resolutions adoptees par les Nations Unies en vue de favoriser la cooperation économique et commerciale entre pays en developpement, d'etre suivies d'effet. Ne serait-il pas possible au risque d'etre traites de conseilleurs intéressés, d'envisager que les pays en developpement eux-memes mettent au point un systéme de preferences généralisées a leur benefice reciproque et dont notre dele gation souhaiterait qu'il soit aussi large que celui que la Communaute economique europeenne accorde aux pays en developpement ?
Une premiére formule de ce genre, si mes souvenirs sont bons, doit remonter a 1964 ou 1965; un accord de preference fut alors conclu entre quelques pays; il y avait, l'Inde, l'Egypte, la Yougoslavie, l’Indonesie et quelques autres encore. Depuis lors, je n'ai pas suivi l'evolution de cet accord qui futaccepte en 1967 et incorporé dans les dispositions du GATT ou plus exactement qui recut la benediction du GATT malgre les critiques au nom de la loi de la clause de la nation la plus favorisée, mais je n'ai pas l’impression que des progrés notables ont ete accomplis.
Il y a eu aussi, il y a aussi par exemple en Amerique latine, une sorte de marche commun des Caraibes, il y a eu aussi entre les pays de la zone Andine une formule tendant a creer une sorte de communaute commerciale. Mais ces efforts, il serait bon, et je crois d'ailleurs que la CNUCED s'en preoccupe actuellément, des les etendre dans un ensemble groupant tous les pays en developpement pour commercer entre eux et facilitier les echanges entre eux.
Enfin, et cette derniere observation touche a la fois au commerce et a l’accroissement de la production vivriére dans les pays en developpement; actuellement, dans certains de nos pays developpes, on assiste a des campagnes menees en faveur du developpement, del'aide au tiers monde et de la lutte contre la faim dans le monde. C'est dans cet esprit que fut projeté a l'Unesco, lors de la celebration le 16 octobre, de la premiére Journee mondiale de l’alimentation, un film fort bien realise et qui etait patronné et produit par une organisation non gouvernementale particulierement preoccupee des pays en developpement de la lutte contre la faim et de la malnutrition dans le monde. On y voyait des cargos decharger par cales entiéres des farines de manioc, des tourteaux de soja pour la nourriture des pores et des bovins. Puis immédiatement apres apparaissaient sur l'ecran des consommateurs de pays developpes rassemblés autour d'un barbecue géant, devorant a pleines dents tranches de pore ou de boeuf, cuisses de poulet, la graisse ruisselait sur leur visage, et le commentaire s'accompagnait d'images suggestives sur les effets de la famine, car tout de suite après on montrait des malheureux gosses affames,eton adressait aux consommateurs de nos pays "repus" pour préciser que ces importations de tourteaux ou de farine de manioc ou de soja provenaient soit d'Amerique du Sud, soit de pays d'Asie et qu'elles se realisaient au profit des animaux mais au detriment des populations locales, entrainant la mort de nombreux enfants.
Là, parce que la culture du soja en Amerique du Sud, plus rentable pour le pays en lui procurant des devises, se substituait a celle des haricots, base de l’alimentation traditionnelle des populations de ces regions,et on ajoutait "chaque tonne de manioc sortie diminue les possibilites de consommation des producteurs locaux". Le film continuait: on voyait arriver des viandes de l’Amerique latine, bananes et fruits d'Afrique ou d'Amerique, des legumes produits hors saison, tels que les petits pois, les melons, les courgettes, et toujours on laissait entendre que ces produits manquaient cruellement aux populations des pays exportateurs.
Les producteurs de ce film etaient plein de bonnes intentions, mais bavardant avec eux apres la projec tion, je leur demandai s'ils avaient jamais assiste à des reunions internationales, comme celle a laquelle nous participons, et s'ils avaient connaissance des demandes des pays en developpement et des critiques qu'ils elevent contre l’insuffisance des importations desdits produits. Je vous fais grace de la réponse et vous l'imaginez. Mais alors M. Le President en fonction de ce fait precis, témoignant
d'un etat d'esprit qui va se développant dans nos pays développés avec, je le répéte, les meilleures intentions du monde, nous nous trouvons devant le dilemme suivant: devons-nous ouvrir plus largement nos frontieres et etre considérés comme des pillards du tiers monde et même etre culpabilises pour avoir accru la faim dans le monde, ou au contraire, devons-nous acheter moins mais alors être consi dérés comme de vilains protectionnistes responsables de la chute des recettes des exportations et, de céfait, contribuantà freiner le développement des pays du tiers monde ?
A ce stade, je ne peux pas formuler une reponse, peut-être M. le President pouvez-vous le faire.
T. A. HAMMER (United States): We have read the Secretariat's report on the world food and agriculture situation contained in the State of Food and Agriculture, 1981. With some allowances for differences in detail, we are in general agreement with the supply estimates made.
We are heartened by the forecast increase in world supplies and stocks of cereals in 1981-82. At the same time, we know that some countries continue to experience great difficulties and the margin of security for many others is still small. These conditions reinforce our belief that food-short countries need to redouble efforts to achieve higher yields and greater production. And they need to give high priority to developing national stock policies that enhance their own food security.
The Secretariat has placed the supply situation this year in a larger historical perspective, thus ensuring that we do not draw conclusions from single year data. We need to take the longer look to know where we are going and what progress we are making. From such assessments, FAO may help national govern ments identify strategic choices in the policies and resource allocations for improving their food situation.
The substantial gains in world food production over the past two decades that the Secretariat reports are encouraging because they show our efforts can produce results. We applaud the 4. 1 percent increase in food production during 1980 by the developing market economy countries. But we-and particularly those countries where food production has lagged-cannot be complacent.
The Secretariat draws our attention to the unrelenting pressure of population growth, the tapering off of the rate of increase in world food production, and the severe nutritional problems faced by individual countries and population groups. We should heed this warning and redouble our efforts to improve food production and distribution.
We share the emphasis expressed by many speakers on the importance of increasing production in the developing countries and their maintaining reserve stocks as essential elements of food security. These should be first of all national priorities. Ample grain stocks in the United States help assure supplies for nations to meet shortfalls or to build their reserves. The need for implementation of national stock policies and the programmes is immediate and should not be delayed by discussions on a Wheat Trade Convention or other international grains reserve schemes.
United States' agricultural exports-both commercial and assistance in nature-are expected to reach approximately $45 billion in 1981, up ten percent over 1980. Imports may reach about $171/2 billion, about $12 billion of which will come from the developing countries. These facts underline the large stake we have in a liberal and open agricultural trading system. We have emphasized our determination to strive for more liberal trade and the reduction of protectionism, which should be the goal of all countries.
Almost every speaker recognized the need for increasing production, particularly by low-income developing countries. Many also stressed the importance of the proper technical and resource inputs. In this context, we believe that price and other economic incentives are important in spurring production and we are pleased to note the importance attached to such incentives mentioned by several other delegates.
The Secretariat's more detailed analysis of the situation among least developed countries and of nutritional levels among different groups helps pinpoint where needs are greatest. National food sector strategies, mentioned by several speakers, are a means for linking production with consumption in specific countries to overcome malnutrition.
I would now like to turn to the food and agriculture situation in the United States. We have again achieved record or near-record harvests of food grains, feed grains, and soybeans. Our carry-over stocks will be ample for each commodity to fully meet commercial requirements and concessional food aid commitments. Our most recent estimates, that is October, indicate the total US grain output should reach 326 million tons, nearly 22 percent above the 1980-81 output. Total grain stocks are expected to reach 76 million tons, up 28 percent from last year's carry-over level.
The US wheat crop is expected to reach nearly 75 million tons, a record output. We expect somewhat higher exports, but our carry-over stock of almost 27 million tons is about the same as last year's stock.
US rice production is up sharply from last year's level, which was hurt by drought. Production of almost 6 million tons in 1981-82 will result in larger carry-over stocks-rising to 1. 8 million tons.
Production of coarse grains is forecast at 245 million tons, up 3 percent from last year and a new record. Despite larger exports, we expect stocks to approach 48 million tons. Much of this will go into the farmer-held reserve.
The US soybean crop will also rise; 57 million tons are estimated. With increased exports anticipated over last year, carry-over stocks are expected to reach 11 million tons.
In conclusion let me observe that as we examine world production and stocks of grains, we should note that in much of the world the food situation has significantly improved over the past twenty years, and improvements have taken place despite a certain continuing rapid population increase, as reported by the Secretariat. These gains should give us encouragement to continue our individual and cooperative efforts. Let us push on with new hope that the scourge of hunger and malnutrition will indeed be over come .
Let me end by congratulating you, Mr. Chairman, on your election to the Chair of this important body.
E. DANHOUNSI (Benin):Au nom de ma delegation, je voudrais d'abord vous feliciter ainsi que les deux vice-presidents suite a votre election pour diriger les travaux de notre Commission. Je voudrais aussi remercier M. Islam pour son expose liminaire qui a fait ressortir les lignes de force, les faiblesses et les tendances de l’alimentation et de l’agriculture au cours de la période biennale nui s'acheve.
Le Directeur general, lors de sa declaration, est alle au fond du probleme lorsqu'il a dit, je cite: "La societe planetaire est une illusion. Pour le reste, notre monde ignore toujours cette veritable solidarite, cette coherence des politiques et des institutions qui seules pourraient donner vie a cet ideal. En realite, les engagements internationaux demeurent toujours subordonnés aux inéréts nationaux. Les clivages politiques s'accentuent, les disparites economiques s'aggravent; l’oracle du prophéte est renverse: avec les socs on forge des glaives".
Le dialogue Nord-Sud pietine et les perspectives de negociations commerciales multilaterales ne sont guere bonnes. Cette situation est imputable à un manque de volonte politique de la part des pays deve loppes qui ont opte délibérément de negliger l’agriculture et de se preoccuper davantage de leur poten-tiel en armement. Mais les pays en developpement continueront de rappeler aux pays developpés leur role fondamental dans le redressement de la situation catastrophique actuelle de l’agriculture dont ils endossent l'entiere responsabilite. Apres avoir developpe a outrance certaines cultures d'exportation dans nos Etats, ces pays les empêchent de trouver des debouches surs ou elles sont achetées à des prix dérisoires, a tel point qu'a l'heure actuelle certains produits industriels nous restent sur les bras.
Nous nous trouvons sans moyen d'importer le complement dfaliments indispensables a nos peuples et la malnutrition gagne du terrain. Nous n'avons plus les moyens financiers necessaires d'importer des produits tels que les engrais, pesticides, produits veterinaires, etc. L'expansion des zones économiques exclusives n'est qu'un leurre si nos pays n'ont pas les moyens de les mettre en valeur. Nous pensons que c'est à une vaste strategie des pays developpes pour continuer d'exploiter inpunément nos ressources naturelles pour déstabiliser nos economies et nos regimes politiques. Nous, pays en developpement,aspirons fondamentalement à la liberty, a la dignite, a la paix et au progr^s social. L'analyse de la situation de l’alimentation et de l’agriculture telle qu'elle ressort des documents C 81/2 et C 81/2-Supp. l est, de l'avis de ma delégation, la seule approche tendant a indiquer les voies et les moyens pour en sortir.
H. HAMMAD (Jordan)(original language Arabic):It is a great pleasure for me to congratulate you on your election to the Chairmanship of this important Commission and to congratulate the members of the Secretariat. I am fully confident that thanks to your ability and your experience the work of this Commission will be steered effectively andthat we shall succeed in adopting resolutions and recommendations which will be beneficial to all. I would also like to seize this opportunity to express my thanks to Mr. Islam for the excellent exposée he gave us on the documents before us. The problem of food is not only a current problem, it was the problem yesterday and will remain our problem in the future. To overcome it we have to take specific and determined steps. All the countries of the world
have to take specific and determined steps. All the countries of the world have to cooperate amongst themselves to achieve this noble aim. We are fully confident that the role that this Organization can undertake in this specific endeavour will be the corner stone and the stepping stone for such a form of cooperation. However this aim and target shall remain a ain hope unless countries can overcome their specific needs and egoistic requirements. And this leads me to say that any food shortage or catastrophe that may occur in any country of the world could contaminate the other countries of the world because the interests of individual nations have now become inter-related and inter-linked especially in a world where distances have become ever increasingly shorter. The simple small-scale 'farmer' possesses the main wealth of any country, i. e. water and land. This farmer is not opposed to development-he is all for it-especially if he is provided with all the means and implements that will increase his output. For this reason we find it essential for us to establish an effective inter national fund to support those smaller farmers who represent the majority of the inhabitants of this world. This fund should be financed by industrialized and oil-exporting countries. The fund's purposes should be to provide those small farmers with all the necessary production inputs to increase their agricultural production as this is the guarantee of food security in all the countries of the world. As was indicated in the document most developing countries suffer from a shortage of skilled cadres who are well trained and able to transfer the results reached in research centres to the field and as you may well know scientific research is useless and all efforts and funds expended in such an activity are to no avail unless the simple farmer in the field is familiarised with them. Therefore FAO should help to establish effective regional training centres and should also increase the number of colloquia symposia it organizes. We should also remember that the establishment of data banks of agricultural information in every country would help us speed up the process of development. Therefore we hope that this organization will establish a study which would contain the ways and means of setting up such a data bank and circulate it amongst member countries. I would also like to remind you that we need to apply indigenous technology as well as appropriate modern technology. Scientists in our countries should attempt to sift through modern technology to apply the most appropriate as such a technology would then be more suited to the environment in which it is being applied. My country's Government has realized that the improvements in the food problem we have achieved are limited and depend on success in agricultural production despite the harsh conditions prevailing. However, present agricultural production does not meet our increased needs of food. This requires us to import more than one and a half times our food requirements. What increased the severity of the problem in Jordan was that towards the end of the 1940s ' the number of inhabitants increased twofold when we opened our arms wide to receive and give hospitality to our brothers who were expelled from their homes. Since that day this tragedy has recurred daily in front of the eyes of the world, and the United Nations which represents the conscience of this world has been unable to impose a fair settlement which would restore these refugees rights. This failure has allowed the invader to pursue his policy and to expel even greater numbers of Arab and Palestinian citizens from their land. They have thus joined the ranks of refugees who had preceded them and Jordan had to host even greater numbers of refugees and to feed more hungry mouths. This of course in turn led to a deterioration of the food problem in my country to a very serious point. Despite all this, Jordan has succeeded during the last five-year plan in achieving annual production increases amounting to about 7 percent and we do hope that we shall be able to main tain this . e during our present five-year plan. This increase in production was due to a vertical and horizontal expansion in agriculture. We have increased the area of irrigated land, undertaken the boring of wells and the building of dams. We have developed irrigation systems and applied trickle irrigation on a larger scale. We have also intensified agricultural production from this form of protected agriculture. Jordan has achieved self-sufficiency in poultry and in the production of eggs. Rain-fed and dry-land agriculture receive substantial support from the Jordanian Government and received with help from FAO the special projects for the cultivation of olive trees. Here I would like to thank the Organization for the very precious support provided to Jordan and we would like to thank the World Food Programme for the support it has provided too, and hoping that this support will be forthcoming in future. The very existence of a hungry child in this world where there is a surplus of food production and where there is an ability to feed him, should be treated as premeditated murder and the violation of the dignity of the human being. The very sight of a tearful, hungry child will be a curse that will pursue all those who have failed to feed and to succour him. Distinguished dele gates, allow me at the end of my statement to remind you that all the countries of the world are listening to the deliberations of this meeting so we must see to it that our discussions rise to the level of the expectations and hopes of the nations of the world. We feel duty bound here to mention a proverb in my country which says that words are of no use unless they are beneficial to humanity. Therefore, I hope that the recommendations and decisions of this Commission will be beneficial to all member countries.
ESHETU DEBABU (Ethiopia): In Ethiopia we have been used to talking about revolution in the last few years. While attending this Conference I have felt three revolutions are necessary. The first is that the pattern of discussion of international issues, be they issues of agriculture, issues of rural develop ment, issues of education, or any other issue for that matter, at international fora, especially in
FAO, must be changed. I am sorry to say it but it is boring to hear about 150 countries speaking through 150 mouths using 150 terms to say more or less the same thing repeatedly, I do realize there is some use in many countries coming together to discuss common problems and seek solutions. That is quite desirable. But there must be found a method by which ideas once expressed by one delegate are not repeated by others unless for purposes of negation or supplementation. I do understand it is not easy to be original but it is not difficult to be non-repetitive either. The problem partly lies in the fact that this is an inter-governmental organization where statements are official and governments generally tend to be defensive and conservative. They evade real issues and tend to be boisterous. Many do not want to admit failures, in other words they do not lend themselves to objective scientific examination. In these conditions it will not be easy to identify real problems and suggest lasting solutions but some how there should be found an outlet from this way of exchanging ideas at international fora.
The second revolution I envisage is more fundamental, that is there must be some revolution both intellectually and physically in the relationship between the rural areas and urban centres of the developing countries. While the largest populations in the rural countries of the world toil in the fields year in and year out to produce food, urban dwellers, especially the bureaucratic and merchant classes, devise various mechanisms by which they suck the produce of the rural toilers.
The urban spots of developing countries are centres of business and government that contain social groupings which contribute little to production but stunt the efforts of the small farmers by exploiting them. Particular attention should be drawn to the expansion of governmental apparatuses, that is to say, the growing bureaucratic setup where the elite of the ruling classes are gathering only to vegetate on the little surpluses of the working masses. In the developing countries, the productive resources are underdeveloped and the surplus obtained from them is very little. Unfortunately, even that little surplus is spent not on productive or reproductive assets but on the consumption of the few urban conglomerates. And this is basically what erodes constantly and increasing by, the development of rural areas. And this exploitation of the social relationship should be considered as a factor inhibiting efforts towards food self-sufficiency and agricultural development.
Mr. Chairman, the problem of Food and Agriculture in the developing countries is not caused by natural disasters and wars alone. It is more fundamentally the exploitive nature of the social relationship that work through over decades and centuries, to render the small producer vulnerable. to natural disasters.
Thirdly, the rural producers of the developing countries have not been exploited by the local ruling classes only; they are also exploited through the big international mechanisms, especially the market mechanism. I do not think one need elaborate on this, because already much has been said about agricul tural relations at the international level.
I have focussed on these issues partly because I did not want to repeat ideas expressed by other dele gates, which generally I support, and partly because we feel that the real problem of food production and agricultural development in the developing countries actually arises out of the alliance of local and international exploiters against the small farmers.
D. NOEL (Grenada): First of all, Mr. Chairman, let me congratulate you on being appointed to chair this most important Commission. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank the member countries for doing my country the honour of appointing it to be a Vice-Chairman of this Commission.
As most of you will know, Grenada can be described as a small island economy, with a land area of 133 square miles and a population of just over 100,000, hence we find ourselves with an agriculture which is export-oriented. Because of the small size of our domestic market, any form of production has to depend in a large measure on markets abroad. Agriculture is the main economy of our country and over the years we have been traditional suppliers to European markets of our traditional export crops, namely, cocoa, nutmegs and bananas, but we have a great dependence on imported sources of food supply. In countries such as ours, the economy depends to a large extent on improved terms of trade.
Although some developed countries might suggest that any demand for grain must be backed up by the ability to pay for grain, the ability to pay for grain to a large extent depends on the improved terms of trade, because in our countries, especially in a small island economy like ours, our only resources are our fertile soils and our people and we find that over the years we have been producers of raw materials, primary products, and that most of those primary products are processed into finish ed products and we even find that we have been reimporting some of them as finished products.
I feel that we would like FAO and possibly other organizations to assist us in impressing upon many of the developed countries with which we trade that they should provide greater access to markets and im proved terms of trade. I would like to give an example. I use cocoa as an example. Over the past ten years we have exported approximately $100 million worth of cocoa. That cocoa, when in its final processed form, we found to be worth $1,000 million. The difference between the $100 million which we received and the $1,000 million can be looked upon as the extent to which the wealth of our country has been exploited. That $900 million has gone to provide jobs for people in developed countries -improved roads, improved educational standards, improved nutritional standards. We feel that with improved terms of trade, if we can move greater industrialization back towards the developing countries where salaries and wages are much lower, so that we do not have to import too much inflation, without even increasing production, countries like ours would gain much more development, there would be much more development coming to our countries, because we would be able to provide more jobs-because we do have a high level of enemployment-and keep some of the money through "value added" in our country.
We do not necessarily want to have full concessions, and everything, but we want at least to have im proved terms of trade. I am certain that great development strides could be made then with countries like ours. So we would like particularly the industrialized countries to reduce their levels of pro tectionism, particularly for our agro-industrial products. At the moment, many of our agroindustrial products are debarred from being traded, or are limited in their ability to be traded, in the industrial markets. We therefore make an appeal for a contribution towards improving the pattern of trade, to provide less stringent measures and make trading much easier for developing countries like ours.
We from the Caribbean area find ourselves located in the midst of the hurricanes which pass through the area, and over the last two years we have been subject to severe battering by hurricanes. One area in which we have great difficulty is that although after one year, particularly with bananas, we are able to recover the production levels that we had prior to the hurricane, a great amount of income is lost by the farmers, because 90 percent of our agriculture is our crops being grown by the small farmers, so whenever we have disasters like hurricanes and volcanic eruptions there is a great loss in income and earnings by the farmers which therefore affects the level of their nutritional intake.
We would like to see FAO and other organizations be. in a position to respond more readily to assist countries like ours in overcoming natural disasters, by responding at levels which would assist in bringing our production and productivity back to levels which can make our economy buoyant in a short time.
We support FAO in its efforts to ensure that the resources of land and water are being used to the maximum. In our country we find that the land resources are grossly under-utilized. We find that, whilst we have drought problems, still quite a lot of iver waters are going into the sea. What we are trying to do is to ensure that we can harness that water so that it can be utilized to increase productivity, because whilst we have very fertile soil our productivity is very limited because of drought a. the lack of water. These are areas in which we might get the support of FAO. Already we have received some measure of support from FAO and we hope that the programme and budget of the Direct or-General will be supported so that it can bring as much assistance as possible to developing countries.
We also wish to state that we support and welcome the establishment of a centre for rural development and agrarian reform in the Latin American area. We feel it is time that people do not look at land as a status symbol, as a means of security, but rather as a means of production. We hope that the establishment of this centre will greatly assist us in focussing attention on maximizing the use of land.
I wish to commend the FAO staff on the preparation of this very comprehensive document on the food situation in the world. It has indeed painted a gloomy picture and, I feel, faced us with a commitment-all of us here, all countries, developed and developing. We can make tremendous strides towards brightening the future of the world food situation.
A. HAMZA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) (original language Arabic): In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful, thank you.
Since I am taking the floor for the first time on behalf of Saudi Arabia in this commission, the dele gation of my country would like to take the opportunity of congratulating you, Sir, on your election as Chairman of the commission.
Many of the delegates before me have already dealt in detail with the documents concerning the state of food and agriculture in the world. This situation is not really very encouraging. The document shows that the period 1980-81 will be one of the most difficult periods, so I will be brief and deal only with what we do in the Kingdom to increase agricultural production within the means of our production
capacity. My country, because of its ecological conditions, which are quite difficult, suffers from the lack of water and also of agricultural crops, and in spite of the fact that the Kingdom can import most of its needs in food-and we do so-we realize that the import policy will not solve the prob lems of food and agriculture in the country, since our production now meets only 40 percent of the needs of our country. We have therefore focused on giving high priority to the agricultural sector in our development plans in order to increase the cultivated land and also the productivity per agri cultural unit. We have worked in different directions, carrying out final studies in order to define the priorities and detailed studies in the fields of agriculture and fish resources, and improved training in agriculture at the academic and field levels. We cooperate with the Gulf countries and the United Nations, in order to study the fish resources in the Gulf and in order to safeguard and to develop these resources; in cooperation with the Gulf countries and the Arab Peninsula, we are study ing the means to develop agriculture and to improve the agricultural production in quality and quant ity; we cooperate with the international organizations, to support the projects of agricultural development and implement these projects, thus supporting the private sector financially through ex tending agricultural credits to productive projects, and providing financial encouragement to produce the basic foodstuffs and to increase the production of livestock; to improve the rural areas by pro viding means of communication and building schools and hospitals in those areas; arable land is being distributed to farmers who are willing to exploit these lands; we encourage the private sector to set up silos and storage capacities in the different areas of the kingdom. And in this respect I would like to say that the Kingdom has come a long way towards establishing self-sufficiency in this field and in the field of basic food products.
The Kingdom is aware of its role in strengthening cooperation and in improving the food situation in the world and, in accordance with that policy, is aiming at making all efforts possible in order to alleviate the suffering of developing peoples-particularly in times of crisis. The Kingdom supports many of the local and international development funds including the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the World Food Programme, and other funds.
We in the Kingdom realize the scope of food shortages, particularly in the poor areas, and we do our best to provide assistance to these countries. But we hope that all efforts of all countries will be Reused on freeing the world from hunger.
Md. IRSHADULA HAQ (Bangladesh):Mr. Chairman, we congratulate you, and through you the three Vice-Chairmen of this commission on your election to chair these deliberations here. Our heartiest thanks are also due to the FAO Secretariat in general, and Professor Islam in particular, for laying bare the stark realities of the current status of world food and agriculture.
The problems on the food front have been clearly identified and well-stated. Many distinguished dele gates have also ably presented them here. We do not need to reiterate them over again.
The traumatic experiences of the world food crisis of 1973-74 that overtook Bangladesh also still haunts us. Since then the intractable problems of food, humankind's most basic need, have been de liberated in most international/regional fora. Strategies have been developed and launched to build up a dependable system of world food security to overcome any food crises; to establish and stabilize international food prices; to substantially raise food-aid targets and to set up an international emergency food reserve. But still the world food security system remains a distant dream and a global deficit appears to be closing in on us. Food production has been failing to match the increase in population in many countries. At least 22 countries, as has been reported, are suffering from chronic food shortages. Food aid commitments are still to reach the target fixed. Contributions to inter national emergency food reserve remains much below the replenishment target. Most developing count ries are facing chronic balance of payment problems due to deteriorating agricultural terms of trade and resultant falling purchasing power from agricultural export earnings due to dampening demand for, and weakening prices of, agricultural produce; to sharp rises in import price of fossil fuel, fertilizer, farm equipment, freight charges, etc. ; the vicious circle of poverty and malnutrition as a result still persists amongst the poorest strata of the population.
The problems are well known and their solutions also are not far to seek. What is required is the will and determined efforts to deal with and overcome them, but our efforts must be directed to match the well-publicized goal of FAO, i. e. to help ensure humanity 's freedom from poverty and malnutrition.
Keeping in view this overriding goal of facing poverty and malnutrition, we propose a few actions to add to the catalogue of suggestions already made by the distinguished delegates.
Actions are required at three levels: at the level of the developed countries-bilateral and multi lateral donor agencies; at a level between the developing countries and also within the developing countries. At the level of donors, we would suggest that: FAO's 5-point plan of action be implemented; national stock targets be fixed; food aid be increased to reach the targets; aid to developing count ries be provided to establish food reserve.
Brilliant anaylsis of food and agricultural situation and growing awareness through international fora will still leave alleviation of poverty and malnutrition a far cry, unless investments matching the size and complexity of the problem are mounted.
Developed countries are faced with recession, inflation and unemployment, no doubt. But they must be made to understand that increasing volume of assistance to, and gradual liberalization of imports from developing countries will help to expand their economies, create increasing purchasing power and thus additional effective consumer demand for their marketable surpluses, and thereby help them ward off recession, arrest inflation and generate extra employment.
We suggest FAO undertakes specific studies in this regard to bring home to the respective developed countries the long-term benefits of mutual aid and two-way trade.
We also suggest that in their efforts to promote global food production, they should study management of food consumption also. Excessive dependence on a few cereals, especially in developing countries, makes them vulnerable to fluctuations in cereal production and availability. Efforts should be made to diversify food habits, to alternative and newer and non-cereal sources of calories and protein, say, vegetables, sea-food etc. We suggest FAO may also undertake studies for the production and popular ization of newer sources of non-cereal food.
I would now suggest what mutual help and cooperation can be between the developing countries themselves: their dependence on developed countries will not solve our problem. There should be increasing co operation in food and agriculture production and trade between the developing countries: regional cooperation in exchange of information, technical know-how, input management, joint-ventures etc. need be explored; expansion of agricultural trade between these countries need be explored; agri-deficit oil rich countries may cooperate and finance programmes for agricultural produce-fruits, vegetables, meat-in, and import them from, the selected developing countries. We suggest that FAO may also undertake exploratory studies to identify such areas of cooperation between developing countries.
We now switch to what can be done by the developing countries themselves-after all, in order to face the basic needs of food, they must stand on their own feet. They must take intra-country measures to face the stiuation. True, an accelerated increase in production is the immediate answer to food problems. But it is not the only answer. Self-sufficiency or even surplus in food production may not enable us to realize freedom from poverty and malnutrition. There can be widespread starvation and malnutrition in a country importing food. Parallel to production, distribution must also be given the same, if not more, emphasis.
If our goal is honestly to alleviate malnutrition, we must create conditions to ensure that every grain of incremental production reaches the hungry. In this regard, we would very briefly suggest a few points:(i) Conditions must be created to help food to be produced by those who need to be fed-and it has been found in our experience that the small and marginal farmers are the most efficient and most intensive farmers, making the best use of available resources at their command. Assitance directed towards that will bring more results than we normally achieve from alternative sources,(ii) We suggest that agro-based and agro-related activities must also be generated, so that the landless and the rural poor can be assisted towards the generating of income, employment and purchasing power. In this connexion we would also like to sumbit that our call for increased productivity, however justified because of the global deficit in food, will not help us overcome the curse of malnutrition and poverty, unless we create purchasing power which can be placed in the hands of those who need this power and those who are really poor.
We would like to stress the role of institutions for production and employment generation and optimum utilization of available resources for productions. The overriding national goal in developing countries is to improve the quality of the life of people and that can be achieved in two ways:
Firstly, by accelerating production through maximum possible use of resources and simultaneously by creating productive employment for the rural poor. Production can be accelerated in the short term by improving bilogical and chemical practices and supply of complementary inputs.
Secondly, employment generation can be made possible by pridying two persistent gaps amongst the rural poor. One is capital and the other is skill gap. The capital gap can be overcome by giving them credit on favourable terms. The sill gap can be overcome by giving them necessary training.
If we want to increase production and generate employment, we need the support of institutions, and in this case the institutions and organizations of the people, because whether it is for irrigation or whether it is to increase production or to afford the opportunity for market, training to the rural poor or for the provision of credit to the remote corners of the villages, group action is indispensable because the bureaucratic mechanism in developing countries cannot outreach its hands to the householder living in the remotest corners of the villages. In order to provide adequate access for the rural people, it is necessary that they should be formed into groups.
We have rich experiences in Bangladesh of having cooperatives playing a significant role both for production and employment generation. Our humble submission is that FAO as an international organization engaged in increasing food production and rural development should recognize this aspect of the role of institution in both production and employment generation.
N. DIMITRIU (Roumanie): Prenant pour la premiere fois la parole dans le cadre de notre commission, veuil-lez me permettre de vous feliciter pour le mandat qu'on vous a confie et de vous assurer de I'entier appui de ma delegation en ce qui concerne le succes de ses travaux. Je felicite a. la fois le professeur Islam pour son brillant expose au sujet de la situation mondiale de 11 alimentation et de 11 agriculture et le secretariat qui a mis a. notre disposition des materiaux interessants rediges avec competence.
La Roumanie prete une attention particuliere a. la Conference actuelle appelee a. debattre et a adopter des mesures en vue de resoudre quelques-uns des problemes les plus importants de l'epoque contemporaine, tels que l’eradication du sous-developpement et l’edification d'un nouvel ordre economique interna tional, ainsi que des relations nouvelles basees sur l’egalite et l'equite des Etats.
D'apres ce qu'il ressort du document C 81/11, la production mondiale de ble et des cereales secondaires est en augmentation cette annee par rapport a l’annee derniere, ce qui entraine une diminution des im portations et fait que la situation alimentaire est quelque peu plus favorable dans certains pays en developpement. Malgre cela, nous retenons qu'il sera necessaire de prendre des mesures par la suite, en vue de l’augmentation substantielle de la production agricole, ceci en particulier dans les pays en developpement, ce qui constitue les premices essentielles pour la solution definitive des problemes de l’alimentation, de l’elimination de la faim et de la malnutrition.
La delegation roumaine constate que le facteur determinant dans la realisation de cet olijectif est're presents par les efforts propres des pays en developpement, mais elle retient en meme temps qu'un role et une contribution particuliere a la solution de ce probleme doivent revenir a la cooperation inter nationale, a I'aide que les pays developpes et les organisations internationales doivent accorder pour soutenir les efforts faits par les pays en developpement pour le developpement de leur agriculture.
En ce sens, la delegation roumaine propose que sous l'egide de la FAO, en collaboration avec d'autres organisations internationales specialisees, soit elabore un programme special pour la periode allant jusqu'en 2 000 pour le developpement de l’agriculture dans les pays en developpement.
La delegation roumaine propose d'inclure egalement dans le projet d'un tel programme les recommandations adoptees lors de la Conference mondiale pour la reforme agraire et le developpement rural du Conseil mondial de l’alimentation, de meme que lors des reunions de Pyongyang, de Paris etc. , ce programme de-vant faire partie integrante de la nouvelle strategie du developpement pour la troisieme decennie de l’Organisation des Nations Unies.
Ainsi que nous l'avons deja souligne a l’occasion d'autres reunions, en vue de satisfaire les besoins de consommation d'une serie de pays en developpement, l’agriculture doit participer et s'integrer lar-gement aux actions entreprises dans le cadre du nouvel ordre economique international qui est destine a creer pour les pays en developpement la possibility de mieux mettre en valeur leurs propres ressour-ces et de participer a l’echange mondial des valeurs materielles.
La Roumanie, elle-meme entrainee dans une revolution agraire, en tant que pays socialiste en develop pement, considere l’agriculture comme un des secteurs de base de l'economie nationale qui conditionne le progres economique et social general de notre societe. Sur cette base, la Roumanie se propose de realiser une nouvelle revolution agraire en ce qui concerne la production, la productivity du travail, le niveau technique, le developpement economique, l'activite sociale generale de nos villages.
En partant de l’experience propre, nous considerons que chaque pays en developpement doit accorder une attention particuliere au developpement de l’agriculture dans le cadre du processus du developpement economique et social, ceci ayant un role important en vue d'assurer un developpement harmonieux de l’ensemble de l'economie pour la consolidation de leur independance nationale.
La dlegation roumaine saisit cette occasion pour reaffirmer sa position deja exprimee a de nombreuses autres sessions, a savoir que la solution du probleme alimentaire mondial doit constituer un objectif central des efforts visant a l’instauration dfun nouvel ordre economique international. Dans ce but, on doit prendre des mesures fermes pour l’accroissement substantiel et pour la diversification de la pro duction agro-alimentaire dans les pays en developpement, cfest la la condition essentielle de l’assuran ce a long terme de la securite alimentaire mondiale.
En ce qui concerne l'importance particuliere du commerce international des produits agro-alimentaires, la delegation roumaine souligne la necessite des mesures a prendre pour sa plus large liberalisation pour la diminution substantielle des obstacles tarifaires et non tarifaires qui affectent surtout les expor-tations des pays en developpement.
Pour notre part, nous agirons toujours dans la voie du developpement de la cooperation econo mique, technique et scientifique au sein des pays en developpement, avec les autres pays membres de la FAO, pour la mise en pratique de tous les programmes orientes vers l’accroissement de la production agro-alimentaire dans le monde.
J. PUERTA ROMERO (Espafña): Gracias sefior Presidente. Por ser esta la primera intervencion de la dele gacion espanola, deseo expresarle mi felicitacion por su nombramiento para presidir esta Comision, felicitacion que hago extensiva a los dos Vicepresidentes y tambien a la Secretaria por la preparacion de los documentos 81/2 y su suplemento.
Voy a ser breve en mi exposicion. Soy consciente del gran numero de delegados que aun tienen que hacer uso de la palabra, y por ello voy a reducir mi intervencion a comentar las formas en que mi pais parti-cipa, en la medida de sus posibilidades y en solidariedad con la Comunidad Internacional, en los pro-gramas de ayuda alimentaria y de ayuda al desarrollo. Estamos convencidos de la necesidad de lograr elevadas tasas de autoabastecimiento en los paises que de forma practicamente permanente padecen situa-ciones de carencia de alimentos. Pensamos que para conseguirlo es necesaria la cooperacion al desarro llo, pero en tanto no se alcance esa meta, la contribucion a la ayuda alimentaria nos parece un instru-mento imprescindible.
Permitame, sefior Presidente, que haga una corta intruduccion respecto a la situacion de la agricultura en mi pais durante la campana presente. La sequia ha sido el fantasma que durante meses viene padecien-do Espafia durante 1981 y ha tenido como consecuencia una disminucion sustancial de nuestras cosechas. La reduccion global de la cosecha de cereales de invierno en 1981 ha sido nada menos que del 40 por ciento respecto a la cosecha de trigo y de un 45 por ciento respecto a la cosecha de cebada. Por eso, Espafia, que habitualmente recurre al mercado internacional para la adquisicion de cereales secundarios, tendra que incrementar en la presente campana sus compras para equilibrar la demanda ante nuestras cortas cosechas de cereales de invierno, especialmente para pienso. La situacion en cuanto a nuestros abastecimiencos de trigo no presenta tanta gravedad como en el caso de la cebada, dadas nuestras capa-cidades habituales de almacenamiento de este cereal, que nos permiten mantener unas adecuadas reservas estrategicas. Estas diversidades climatologicas, sefior Presidente, creo que nos permiten comprender mejor la situacion de los paises que en amplias regiones del mundo se encuentran mas afectadas por parecidas incidencias. Por eso mi pais se adhirio por primera vez al Convenio de Ayuda Alimentaria en 1980, con una aportacion de 20 000 toneladas m£tricas de cereales, que fueron distribuidas a paises de Africa que figuraban en las recomendaciones que el Director General de la FAO hizo en el verano de 1980. En 1981, a pesar de la situacion adversa que he comentado anteriormente, mi pais ha reiterado el compromiso de 20 000 toneladas para la Ayuda Alimentaria y ha incluido 10 000 toneladas de trigo suple-mentarias, como ayuda, durante 1982, para los paises menos adelantados.
Otra forma, sefior Presidente, de participar en la ayuda a paises en desarrollo ha sido la adhesion de Espafia para 1980 y anos sucesivos para la reserva alimentaria internacional de emergencia, con una contribucion anual de 10 000 toneladas metricas de cereales. Y en el capitulo de Acciones para el Desarrollo, ha continuado asimismo en 1981 nuestra aportacion de 400 000 dolares en el bienio 80/81 para el Programa Mundial de Alimentos.
Con todo esto quiero expresar que mi pais desea estar presente, a traves de estas contribuciones a los programas de ayuda alimentaria, en la tenaz lucha en la que se han comprometido los paises asis-tentes a la Conferencia General en 1979, cuando adoptaron la Resolucion 1/79, instituyendo el Dia Mundial de la Alimentacion.
Suprimir la desnutricion, el hambre y la pobreza ha de ser el objetivo que requiere una participacion activa en los programas de desarrollo, que son largos y costosos. Mientras tanto, debemos estar prepa-rados para abordar programas a corto y largo plazo de ayudas alimentarias y de reservas de emergencias para casos urgentes e imprescindibles, programas que deberan ser cada dia mãs puntuales, si somos capaces entre todos de hacerlos funcionar de manera solidaria y adecuadamente.
N. E. MUMBA (Zambia): The Zambia delegation joins the other delegations that have spoken in congratula ting you, Mr. Chairman, upon your election as Chairman of Commission I. We also wish to congratulate the two Vice-Chairmen. I am sure that under your guidance our meeting will achieve remarkable results.
The issue before us is the state of food and agriculture in the world. The state of food and agriculture has been explained very well in the documents C 81/2 and C 81/2-Sup. l. For this reason I wish to congratulate the Secretariat for work well done. These documents show that the food outlook is not very good. The reason why it appears that it is not as bad as shown is that for many countries the 1980/81 season was a good one. In Zambia, for example, our yield of maze increased by 200 percent. This is an indication that the weather was particularly good. But I believe that we should still continue to ensure that we produce more food and stabilize production. In my opinion the attention of FAO must be drawn to two things.
We feel that more effort must be made on programmes that assist developing countries to strengthen their food production programmes. It is these programmes which will ensure stability in food production and food supply. Many of our countries are dependent upon the weather to produce this food.
We feel that the second chapter to which FAO must address itself is to pay more attention to irrigation programmes in developing countries, especially for small-scale farmers. We believe that the future of food lies in stabilizing production in areas of high demand.
Many who have spoken before me have told us that most of the surplus food is in a few countries and this causes lots of logistics problems when the food is urgently required in some other part of the world.
Of course, there are many things that one can say about the state of food and agriculture. Many of the countries here have already spoken and it is not my wish to repeat what they have said. I only want to add one more point, that Zambia supports the early warning system of food supply and forecasting that FAO is doing and we recommend the strengthening of this section because that assists us for planning ahead for any shortage of food.
H. HAUSER (Austria)(Original language German): First of all, Mr. Chairman, I would like to congrat ulate you on your election as Chairman of this very important Commission, and your two Vice-Chairmen. On behalf of the Austrian delegation I wish you all the very best and trust that we shall be successful in our deliberations.
I shall take the lead from you and be very brief in my remarks.
We were very interested to read this document C 81/2 and the supplement. We have all heard what Professor Islam said to us when he introduced this point on our agenda. I would like to applaud the efforts of the Secretariat on tne provision of this document which gives a good review of the state of food and agriculture in 1981.
Looking at the document as a whole, it does give rise to hope on the one hand but on the other it gives rise to certain worries. Production growth has been sluggish but it is still below requirements. The population in the world is growing and therefore the situation with regard to food is worsening. Developing countries have problems with balances of trade and balances of payments. So in a nutshell, if one looks at the negative side of this, we fear that the imbalances in this world will get worse. From the Austrian point of wiew, only a joint international programme is going to solve this problem. Of course, developing countries have to strive towards self-reliance. This has not only to be done with better seed, fertilizers and irrigation, but by prices as an inducement to farmers.
We need to act quickly in view of the world food situacion. Austria has always supported close cooperation with developing countries. We help in those areas wherewe possess special skills. We work actively within the World Food Programme and also support the International Emergency Food Reserve. Austria also provides cereales within the context of the Food Aid Convention.
I would also mention that the Austrian delegation particularly applauds the involvement of the OPEC countries in the International Emergency Food Reserve. This gives rise to hope.
Our country also works in the World Campaign against Hunger, and the recent World Food Day has sensitized public opinion to the serious food situation in the world. We believe that the Cancún north-south conference has made people realize that we are interdependent.
I should like to point out one more thing. We support the FAO early warning system because in this way very important data is provided which helps us when we are making our decisions. We believe that we could improve this activity and extend it. Austria also believes that data from the FAO could be better utilized, and here I support what was said by Professor Islam in his keynote speech.
I would also like to express the hope that through cooperation between all countries we shall be able to make a real contribution to improving the world food situation.
J. GORECKI (Poland): As I am speaking for the first time in this Commission I would like to say that our delegation joins other distinguished delegates who have already expressed their congratulations to you and their appreciation of the documents C/81/2 and C/81/2 Supp. l. We greatly appreciate the effort of the FAO Secretariat in giving us these clear and comprehensive documents as the base for our deliberation on this subject. Particularly I would like to compliment Prof. N. Islam on the very useful and clear introduction.
My comments will be addressed mainly to those paragraphs of the documents which refer to human factors in agricultural development, which I believe is one of the most important factors in the process of rural development. The continuing high rates of population growth in developing countries create major problems for their agricultural sector. Their agriculture will not only have to provide increasing quantities of food to feed the growing total population but also adjust the pattern of production to changing food habits. Despite massive rural/urban exodus agriculture will have to provide employment to a large number of people. In this situation of land shortages this can have serious implications both for production strategies as well as for the systems of ownership and management of land. This is why much more attention ought to be given to the problem of rural/urban immigration and to employment in the agricultural sector as well as other sectors. This situation requires that priority is given to the policy of rural development which in turn must be supported by a comprehensive regional, national and economic income policy. For the implementation of such a policy a set of individual measures must be taken in the field of production methods, inputs, agricultural credit, education extension, transport and marketing systems. Success will only occur if the development of the agricultural sector is integrated into the overall economic development of the whole country. An exodus of urban/rural immigration can also be observed in the process of development of my own country. Within 40 years in my own country the rural population has fallen from 80 percent to 45 percent and employment in agriculture constitutes at present about 25 percent of the professionally active population. The process of rural/ urban immigration has caused great changes in the agricultural population, both quantitative and qualitative. There are numerous publications and studies dealing with the process of immigration but it is worth stressing that most of them concern those who leave the rural area and not those who stay there. From the point of view of agricultural development, however, those who stay are more important.
If we say that the process of rural/urban immigration should be treated as generally advantageous, yet there might occur some peculiar phenomena which could be disadvantageous for agricultural development. Let me stress only two such causes. Firstly, in the face of insufficient supply of agriculture with the means of production, the fall of the labour force could not be replaced by the work of machines and tools which often lead to the extensification of production. Secondly, in the strategy of development the lack oftransfers for the development of home agriculture could cause a particular intensification of the phenc ona of negative selection, that is the better left and the worst stayed. The better means, among other things, the young, the better educated, more dynamic and active, etc. Stressing the role and the importance of the human factor in agricultural development I would like to draw more attention to this problem in our deliberation. Now I would, like to make a few remarks on the present situation in Polish agriculture. Everybody knows we have serious economic difficulties, particularly in agriculture and food production and perhaps it seems to be paradoxical but though agriculture in comparison with other sectors is so backward, the chances of its growth are believed to be the biggest. In the last year some essential changes in our agrarian policy could be observed. Two of them are most important. Firstly, recognizing the private family farm as a permanent component of a socialist economy; secondly, recognizing independent trade unions of individual farmers, recognizing the durability of the family farm means permitting this type of farm the same conditions as those the state or cooperative farms have in the field of purchasing of land and means of production, granting credits, etc.
As a result of the agreement between the government and the trade unions of farmers it was settled that the agricultural sector would be privileged and that equal economic conditions would be created for all the sectors and groups of farms. The system of management and economic and financial conditions in the estate farms has been changed. The state farms have been given full independence and the only criterion of their activity is profit. The new system will surely cause a change in the structure of production and will improve the efficiency of farming. The prices of agricultural products have increased by about 40 percent since September 1980 thus increasing farmers' incomes by about 30 percent in comparison with 1979. This will improve the parity of incomes of people employed in agriculture in relation to other social groups. A new proposal concerning old age pensions and social benefits aiming at the gradual revaluing of those benefits in relation to the non-agricultural population is being prepared. The above mentioned changes and suggestions have already had advantages in the productive activity of farmers which can be observed in a bigger demand for land as well as in higher land prices. In the first half of this year individual farmers bought over 50,000 hectares of land from the State Land Fund. In the economic policy of our country the biggest priority is given to agriculture-in the whole national
economy-as well as the necessity of changing the productive force of a considerable part of our industry to the manufacturing of agricultural means of production. However, because of the difficult situation in industry the process is proceeding slowly and industry can meet only a part of the demand for the agricultural means of production. The above mentioned trends and changes as well as the first results are optimistic, so we are hopeful that everybody realizes that the way out of the present food crisis of my country can be neither fast nor easy.
A. DJIGMA (Haute-Volta) : . J'ai l'honneur de vous adresser les vives felicitations de la delegation vol-taique a l’occasion de votre election a la presidence de notre Commission. J'ai aussi le plaisir de formuler les remerciements de ma delegation au Secretariat pour la clarte et la concision des documents qui nous ont ete fournis.
Ainsi qu' il est ecrit dans le document C 81/2 Supplement 1, la production agricole a connu un redressement opportun en 1981 dans beaucoup de pays du globe. En Haute-Volta, par exemple, des estimations nous laissent esperer une recolte d'environ 1 270 000 tonnes de cereales, sauf accident de derniere heure. Malheureusement dans ce pays sahelien nous sommes habitues depuis un certain nombre d'annees a voir tous nos efforts de production anihiles en raison de facteurs dont nous n'avons pas malheureusement la maitri-se. Il se trouve qu'on ne peut envisager une securite alimentaire au niveau mondial tant quTil y aura des pays qui ne seront pas en mesure d'atteindre leur autosuffisance alimentaire et qui sont toujours a la merci des secours d'urgence. Il faut absolument stabiliser la production dans les zones a forte de-mande et a faible production. CTest pourquoi, parmi les aspects tant divers du probleme de la securite alimentaire mondiale, nous insisterons, en ce qui nous concerne, particulierement sur l'aide a la pro duction au niveau national.
La Haute-Volta, face aux caprices climatiques, a commence un programme visant a developper la culture irriguee. Des pays amis et des organismes internationaux nous apportent leur concours. Mais il reste enormement a faire dans ce sens et nous comptons enormement sur l'aide de la FAO et sur les organismes et pays bailleurs de fonds pour nous aider dans cette lutte.
Pour augmenter la productivity du monde paysan, il faut des equipements et des intrants. C'est en aidant les pays deficitaires a mettre sur pied des systemes de credits agricoles, a produire localement des ngrais aux moindres couts, que l'on pourra accelerer la production au niveau des petits paysans.
A propos de l’acceleration de la production, au niveau des petits paysans, on a souvent tendance a appli-quer des techniques qui, si elles peuvent donner des resultats spectaculaires, ont souvent des conse quences facl eases a long terme. Il en est ainsi de la destruction de la fertilite des sols par l’utilisa tion d'engrais chimiques et de la destruction des potentiels genetiques locaux a l’utilisation abusive de varietes exotiques. A cet egard, la recherche agricole devrait etre renforcee dans les pays pour permet-tre l’identification depaysappropries a chaque situation. La aussi on sait qu'il faut faire des investissements ards qui ne sont pas toujours a la portee de nos moyens locaux. Ces investissements sont pourtant indispensables a l’accroissement de la production et c'est pourquoi nous en appelons encore a la FAO, aux pays amis et autres organismes pour qu'ils nous aident a renforcer nos structures nationa les de recherche afin d'atteindre a l’autosuffisance alimentaire.
Voilà quelques aspects du probleme de la securite alimentaire mondiale sur lesquels nous pensions devoir insi ster.
H. MOHAMADI BATAIK (Sudan)(Original language Arabic): Mr. Chairman, I would like to join other speakers in congratulating you on your election to preside over this commission. We would like to thank the Secre tariat for the comprehensive document on the state of food and agriculture as this document has covered a great many aspects of the matter in great detail. My country's delegation wishes to express its approval of what is said in paragraph 52 of the supplement, which requires us to give priority to agriculture in the LDCs and, as the delegate of France stated this morning, as we also attach special importance to this document.
We deem that foreign aid falls far below the expectations of developing countries, especially where the financing of food and agricultural projects is concerned. Furthermore, a large share of this aid has no immediate impact on increasing production. Many of the financing institutions do not finance basic infra structure organizations or the agricultural credit institutions required for an integrated agricultural development within the framework of rural development in its larger sense. They in fact opt for financing intensive agricultural projects or those with an immediate reward although, intermediate medium-term sys tems are more beneficial. We therefore deem it necessary that we should seek to strike a balance between production and the projects aimed at achieving an economic benefit as well as improving production. We should seek to improve food production and to help development, and concentrate more specifically on the most backward farmers and those most seriously affected.
Food production in many developing countries is a traditional activity. This sector involves the small-scale farmers and those undertaking pastoral activities. Theyarecenturiesoldactivities and are undertaken without any inputs to speak of. These farmers are not involved in the marketing of other agricultural input activities, yet half of the food crop produced in Sudan comes from traditional farming activities. The whole of our sesame production is cultivated in this way, as well as our crops of groundnuts. Similarty Vertical extension of agriculture, especially in those areas which are situated at greater distance from the traditional source of water is also affected. We therefore have to help to improve these areas output and to improve pastoral activities also.
The increase in the area of arable land depends on taking into account the factors of land and water and their improvement. We also have to take into account the need for vertical expansion through adequate inputs of services, although this depends on a lesser share of benefits reverting to producers in some places.
Unfavourable terms of trade, which are not beneficial to producers of developing countries such as Sudan, have led to a continuous exodus from the agricultural sector, more specifically among the young in rural areas. They have turned to the towns and to other countries for employment in more beneficial or financialy rewarding sectors. This has led to a serious deterioration in food production and to an increase in the population, and food consumption in cities. This drop referred to in paragraph 78 of the supplementary document, as well as the drop in the prices of cotton, and vegetable oils has increased our concern about the negative impact of fluctuations in food and agricultural production. These could also exacerbate the problems of the rural exodus and of high dependence on the amelioration of agricultural production.
Finally, my country's delegation supports the proposal made by Jordan to establish a special international fund for small-scale farmers.
T. ONUL (Turkey): First I would like to congratulate you, Mr. Chairman, and the Vice-Chairmen, on your election and then to go on to my statement.
It is well known that the increase in food production cannot keep pace with the population increase in the developing countries, resulting in an ever increasing food deficit. We think that while striving to increase food production every measure has to be taken to control population growth in the developing countries which are determined for action. In this regard, FAO can originate publicity and support the birth control programmes in these and other countries of the world.
While doing so, support for the national programmes being implemented in the developing countries with the purpose of increasing crop production per unit area must be continued. Special emphasis must be given not only to wheat or rice but also to the native crops, like millets, cassava, yam, etc. The In ternational Crop Research Institute around the world should be supported in their programmes of crop improvement and for increasing the nutritional quality of these widely consumed native crops in the de veloping countries.
Another way we think will help in increasingfood, production is the better use of the already available agricultural land. The amount of land under fallow could be either reduced or completely abandoned in some areas. In the dry land areas, food legumes such as lentils might take their place in the fallow-cereals rotation system. In the irrigated areas, early maturing corn, sunflower, soya bean, rice and/or sorghum varieties could be planted after cereals, permitting the harvest of two crops per year. At this point we have to stress the importance of crop improvement programmes for early maturity, increased yield and more stable disease resistance.
The fourth point we want to bring to your attention is the storage of food. The production of cereals,which are the staple food in most developing countries, fluctuates from year to year depending on the natural factors. In the years when there is a surplus of cereal production, these countries are not equipped with the proper facilities to store the excess crops; therefore it is of prime importance to increase the storage capacity of such countries, not only for the purpose of fulfilling their own needs but for figh ting hunger in the region. We are volunteering to serve as a centre for the implementation of a regional cereal storage programme for the Middle East. The role of FAO in this proposed scheme could be to encou rage the organization and support for the establishment of regional cereal stocks throughout the world.
The final point is that not much has been accomplished at the international level in reforestation, affo restation activities, protection of forests from fires, insects and diseases and the more efficient use of existing resources. The depletion of forest resources is a problem not only of the developing coun tries but for the developed countries as well. FAO should therefore consider the preparation of a forest management action programme. A cooperative network programme on forest management could be initiated by FAO, similar to other cooperative network programmes enabling the initial step for worldwide cooperation to begin.
In summary, population control, the support of the International Crop Research Centres to increase pro ductivity, better land use, the establishment of regional cereal stocks and the improvement of coopera tion in forest management are a few measures which we think are of major importance in the improvement of the status of food and agriculture in the world.
R. ROSE (Canada): Mr. Chairman, before beginning my remarks, allow me to say how pleased I was to note your election as Chairman of this important commission. You and your Vice-Chairmen are indeed deserving of our congratulations. The unanimous confidence expressed by the Conference in affirming your choice indicates that we will indeed be able to work together to complete the work of this Conference.
I also want to congratulate the Secretariat on the timely and comprehensive documents which they have prepared and also Professor Islam on his introductory remarks.
We are of course pleased to note the increasing trends in world food production reported in these docu ments and the increased margin of food safety which this larger production provides. Canada shares the importance which the international community attaches to global food problems and welcomes the enhanced priority being accorded by a number of developing countries to their agricultural sector. The Ottawa Summit gave high priority to this sector, as indeed did the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Melbourne. In CancÚn the participants agreed on a certain number of priorities: first, they agreed chat hunger must be eradicated; secondly, they called for a sustained internal effort on the part of deve loping countries to obtain greater self-reliance in food production, notably by means of national food strategies covering the entire cycle of food production, productivity, distribution and consumption and comprising adquate price incentives to farmers; and, finally, they agreed that food aid is to be recog nized as a temporary tool and not to be used as a permanent replacement for internal production. With these points I believe we can all concur.
During the current year, wheat production in Canada has increased by 27 percent to a record crop of 24 million tons. This was partly in response to advice to farmers, offered by the Government of Canada, to increase their acreage in view of the lower global food grain stock and in recognition of Canada's place in the world food security system. Farmers were also encouraged by the existing market prices last Spring. Despite a bad start, we were blessed with good growing conditions as the season progres sed. Wheat exports this crop year are expected to be higher, in the vicinity of 17. 5 million tons, and Canada will of course meet its commercial and food aid obligations. Year-end stocks will increase, providing additional food security.
Canada has also had a marked increased of 17 percent in coarse grain production during the current year, resulting in total production of 26. 5 million tons. All of this extra grain production will not be exported and stocks will increase by approximately 50 percent.
I have already noted that Canadian farmers increased their plantings of wheat this past Spring, partially in response to one level of world market prices which they considered adequate to cover the costs involved in wheat production. Canada is becoming increasingly concerned about the recent weakening of world grain prices and the adverse effects this could have for future production. The Canadian grain farmer, like many around the world, is already in a price squeeze, caused by increasing input costs and high interest rates. The consequences of this cost-price squeeze are serious since, while not wishing to belabour the point, a fair return to producers is one essential key to increased food produc tion.
The document before us on the state of food and agriculture goes on to examine the state of world food security. Canada will be fully addressing this important topic under Agenda Item 6. 2. We only could wish to repeat here, as our Minister of Agriculture has said many times, that national food security and self-reliance is the key to world food security.
Turning to the longer term aspects of agricultural assistance: Canada remains convinced that increased local production in food deficit regions will be the solution to food security problems. The backbone of such an approach must be a coordinated national food sector strategy, encompassing both an appropriate investment strategy and incentives for agricultural producers.
As mentioned yesterday by my Minister of Agriculture, the Canadian Government intends to make food and agriculture the most important priority for our international development programme in the 1980s. The proportion of Canadian development assistance devoted to the food and agriculture sector will rise from the present level of 30% of our assistance to a level of approximately 45%.
The document before us highlights trade in agricultural products. We have a number of problems with the lack of disaggregation in the statistics themselves. The developing countries include in their number some countries which are industrialising at a rapid rate, countries which are members of OPEC, countries with rich resourcebases already engaged in commodity exports, as well as those low income food deficit countries which are deserving of the focus of our concern. Surely it is misleading to treat the statistics from the developing countries as a group. The important agricultural exporters deserve treatment which is separate from the oil exporting countries or those with an expanding export trade in manufactured goods or in resource commodities.
We also feel that agricultural trade should not be looked at in isolation from total trade. We note from a recent GATT study that the share of agriculture in the total world trade sector has declined to 15% in 1980 as against 21 in 1973. This represents a reordering of trade values, with fuels taking over the position formerly occupied by agriculture.
Looking ahead in this decade, we shall all need to adjust to changing conditions in world trade. The developing countries will register the most growth in food demand as a result of higher population, increasing urbanisation, and greater purchasing power which will result from their economic progress. Part of this increased demand for food will be met within the country, but imports will have an important role. The question then arises as to how these imports will be financed. In most cases we cannot look for a balancing of agricultural imports against agricultural exports. Rather, many countries will rely less on exported food and other commodities and more on export of manufactures and also services-in particular, tourism, for which many developing countries are uniquely suited. In other words, developing countries will move towards food self-reliance rather than food self-sufficiency. The GATT NTN was an important milestone towards the liberalisation of trade generally, particularly with regard to the codes covering non-tariff issues and the conditions of trade.
The liberalisation of trade is a continuing process and there are now plans in GATT for a new trade programme for the 1980s to be launched at a ministerial meeting under GATT auspices next November. The elements of the trade agenda for the 1980s contained problems such as barriers to trade in agriculture and fisheries and the special problems of the developing countries. We recognise that successive GATT initiatives have not been successful in meeting the problems of agricultural trade. As an agricultural exporter, we are very aware of non-tariff barriers affecting such trade. These obstacles stem from the domestic policies which in turn are based on internal political economic and social considerations. Such problems do not lend themselves to ready solutions, but we are trying to come to grips with these issues both in GATT and OECD.
Given the difficulty of negotiating price and other economic provisions, Canada supports commodity councils and such groups or inter-governmental groups as consultative fora for improving market information, analysing problems, and seeking joint solutions.
Turning to the other sectors under review, we share the concern expressed in the document that fisheries outputappears to be stagnating. This is particularly significant in view of the importance of fish as a protein food in the developing countries, where the catch has actually declined. We in Canada also have problems in the fisheries sector, both with a decline in certain species and in marketing.
The focal point of our attention at this conference is how to expedite fisheries development in the third world. Canada is providing assistance in the sector in our bilateral programmes. Just recently, at the Melbourne Summit, our Prime Minister announced our intention to set up and finance in Canada an international -centre for ocean development. FAO has a vital role in fisheries development, to help the developing countries to exploit the marine resources in their exclusive economic zones, to build up their managerial capability and to introduce appropriate technology.
Turning to the forestry sector: No doubt all delegates are aware of the alarming rate at which deforestation is taking place in many parts of the world, and particularly in the tropical zones, with resulting desertification and erosion. This is primarily the result of shifting agriculture and the increasing demand for fuel wood.
We want to underline the statement made by Mrs. Gandhi in her address to Plenary when she said, "without trees there is no food". This puts forestry squarely in the centre of the food and agriculture problem and gives it the attention it deserves.
Canada strongly supports those land management practices which give due attention to both agriculture and forestry, and therefore sees FAO's agro-forestry programme as a high priority item.
We would also mention the efforts of the International Centre for research in Agro-Forestry with head quarters in Nairobi.
Canada recognises the need for vastly increased reafforestation programmes and has indicated, in the light of fuel demands, its support for the World Bank's energy affiliate suggested at the United Nations conference in Nairobi.
In connection with the role of fuel wood in energy supplies, Canada is active in developing techniques to replace conventional energy sources and its energy efficiency. We shall refer to these matters during our discussions on Agenda Item 8.
E. HJELMAR (Denmark): Mr. Chairman, today at an advanced stage of the second day of the meeting of Commission I, I will not only congratulate you, but I congratulate the Commission, on the election of you as Chairman of the Commission. We have been very happy with you in the chair, as an efficient leader of the meeting. Thanks also to Professor Islam for the two documents which form the basis for our discussion. We, as well as previous speakers, accept the documents as a well balanced report on the world food and agricultural situation today, towards the end of 1981. I will try to follow the advice of the Ethiopian delegate not to repeat the statements. The documents reflect correctly the differences between the different regions of the world, but in view of the statements of yesterday and today of the member countries, I think it might be useful to stress the differences as well as the similarities between the developments in the industrialized countries and the different regions and categories of developing countries.
A large number of developing countries have referred to the influence on agriculture of the economic recession, inflation and unemployment, of monetary instability as well as to the distorted terms of trade for agriculture and the balance of payment difficulties for non-oil exporting countries. These difficulties caused by the general economic environment are common difficulties for the developing countries as well as industrialised countries. As mentioned in the documents, growth of GNP in the industrialised countries is projected to be less than 1 percent in 1981.
The heading of this item of the agenda is the. state of food and agriculture, and according to our mandate this commission should be the main forum for discussions of broad policy questions concerning the state of food and agriculture. So far, most speakers have concentrated on food problems and food policies and have paid less attention to agricultural policies. It is not the same thing in all countries. Here there is an obvious difference between the developingcountries and the industrialised countries.
To take my own country, Denmark, as an example, we have no food problems in the sense that we have no hunger or no malnutrition. On the contrary, we produce food enough to nourish a population three times as large as the Danish population. But we have serious problems with an agricultural policy due to the general economic problems, with an alarming number of farmers being forced to leave their farms, and to give up at a time when we have unprecedented unemployment elsewhere. I think it useful to stress these similari' ras and these differences between the situation in the industrialised countries and the developing countries.
We suffer all of us with the consequences of the general economic recession which has caused difficulties for agriculture in many countries, and especially in countries mainly dependent on imports and exports whether these countries are industrialised countries or developing countries. Each country must accept these consequences of the man-made disaster, the general economic recession, and adapt their general economic and their agricultural policyto the circumstances.
But it is important that we all accept that we live in the same world and that the adaptation of the policies don't lead to new protective measures which harm others. Many countries have moved towards such measures and I think we have a common interest in avoiding such developments.
It is also important, and I would like to stress, that we In the industrialised countries accept that our own difficulties are minor ones compared with the problems of the least developed countries which not only have agricultural problems but also food problems and that assistance to the development of agriculture in these countries must be continued in spite of the economic problems. We for our own part accept this. The Swedish Minister of Agriculture mentioned yesterday that Denmark together with Sweden and Norway and the Netherlands use more than 0,7 per cent of our GNP for development purposes. We will continue to do so but the developing countries must also accept that the growth in GNP's is very low at the present and may be negative in some countries.
Under the present economic circumstances it is mor. important than at any time before, that aid for disposal on agricultural development should be utilized efficiently with the primary goal that food production in the developing countries rises so that they reach a higher degree of self sufficiency. The developing countries themselves will have to make the major effort to obtain this. We consider the development of regional and national food strategy for this purpose very important. The first goal must be to obtain a higher degree of food security. We are a very long way from this goal, as long as one year's bad harvest can lead to a hunger situation in a country, therefore the next item on the agenda must be considered very important.
C. de MELO (Brasil): En primer lugar, en nombre de la delegacion del Brasil, deseo felicitarle por su eleccion a la Presidencia de esta nuestra importante Comision y tambien felicitar al seňior Islam por su presentaciòn clara y concisa del documento C 81/2 y C 81/2 Sup. l.
Permitame, Sr. Presidente, mencionar aqui la frase con que empieza el parrafo y del documento C 77/2, relativa al decimonoveno periodo de sesiones de la Conferencia de la FAO en 1977: "Entre los paises en desarrollo las tendencias de la produccion a largo plazo han sido particularmente insatisfactorias en los paises menos adelantados, que son los mas afectados". Menciono tambien el primer parrafo del documento C 79/2 de la XX Conferencia de la FAO en 1979: "El estado de la agricultura y de la alimen-tacion en el mundo permanece inseguro, si no fragil en los paises en desarrollo" y hace un llamamiento al Director General, para : "tomar lo mas temprano posible acciones para hacer frente a situaciones de emergencia que puedan ocurrir". Y de este modo, sefior Presidente, si siguieramos en adelante la lectura del documento de Conferencias anteriores acerca del estado de la alimentacion y de la, agricultura, po-driamosencontrarfrases semejantes que reflejan la falta de cambios para mejorar durante los anos sucesivos, y lo que es mas grave los mejoramientos, etc. , casi siempre son atrihuidos a situaciones cli-matologicas desfavorables.
En fin, Sr. Presidente, que en la lectura de todos estos documentos encontramos siempre los mismos problemas: proteccionismo, barreras arancelarias y no arancelarias, deterioro de las relaciones de inter-cambios, erosion de los precios de productos agricolas provenientes de los paises en desarrollo, etc. , y la aplicacion de las mismas soluciones, pero permanecen los mismos malos resultados. En este afio, como dice el parrafo primero del documento C 81/2, "recesion, inflacion y desempleo, inestabilidad mone-taria, continuada de largos desequilibrios en las balanzas de pagos, se ha combinado con una situacion alimentaria y agricola incierta".
Señior Presidente, permitame discurrir brevemente acerca de los esfuerzos que el Gobierno brasilefio, en la medida de sus posibilidades, esta desarrollando como parte de su cooperacion para mitigar la dificil situacion alimentaria y agricola mundial. El Brasil tiene plena consciencia de que en primer lugar cabe a los propios paises en desarrollo la responsabilidad y la opcion de aumentar la produccion de alimentos y la productividad agricola como medios para conseguirse la autosuficiencia alimentaria y el mejoramien-to de nivel de vida de suspoblaciones. De acuerdo con este juicio, el Gobierno brasilefio atribuye prio-ridad al sector agricola en sus economia y alcanza varios objetivos, asi como el aumento de los suminis tros de alimentos, la expansion de las exportaciones de los productos agricolas y de sus excedentes, la disminucion de las importanciones de alimentos y la de combustibles. La produccion de semillas mejora-das, el desarrollo de nuevas investigaciones de cultivos y el incremento en la asistencia tgcnica, lle-vada sobre todo a los pequeňos y medianos productores, todo eso ha concurrido para que en 1981 la pro duccion brasilena de granos llegara a 54 millones de toneladas, en contra de los 49 millones de tonela das en 1979. En el corriente afio el sector agricola mantiene su lugar destacado como contribuyente en la falta de las exportaciones nacionales. Este sector serâ responsable por mis del 50% de los ingresos del pais, con mas de 12 millones de dolares.
Sin embargo, para un pais con las dimensiones y la potencialidad de Brasil, estas cifras y otros resul tados mas ya alcanzados no son suficientes, pues estamos todavia muy lejos de lo que se desea. AsI el Gobierno brasilefio trabaja con instrumentos especlficos para desarrollar otros frentes agricolas en su territorio. Uno de ellos constituye la incorporacion a medio plazo de aproximadamente un millon de hectareas de la region conocida como Los Arados, una especie de sabana localizada en el centro del pals. Esta region hasta hace poco tiempo no era aprovechada para la agricultura, debido a su suelo Scido y baja humedad relativa del aire, ademas de los prolongados peri'odos de sequia durante el afio. Los ttcnicos brasilefios ya dominan la utilizacion del suelo y un sistema de riegos debera transformar la region en grandes plantaciones de trigo, ademas de otros cultivos. La segunda zona agricola estâ en la region preamazonica, en la cual estân siendo desarrollados muchos proyectos de asentamientos, lograndose gran des exitos. En el aprovechamiento de los valles se ha comprobado que la produccion es de 6 a 7 tonela das de grano por hectârea, en cuanto que la media nacional es de poco mâs de 5 toneladas por hectârea. Esto constituye el mas grande de los proyectos agricolas y a corto plazo aumentara significativamente la produccion de alimentos en Brasil.
Por ahora nuestra nacion cuenta para sus proyectos con la confianza de ejecucion financiera internacio nal para la utilizacion de un millon de hectareas hasta 1984. Ahf esta, sefior Presidente una buena muestra del esfuerzo de Brasil para contribuir al mejoramiento de la situacion agricola mundial. Mi delegacion espera que los experimentos hechos, sobre todo en la produccion de semillas geneticamente mejoradas en el aprovechamiento de Los Arados y de los valles humedos, puedan ser utilizados por los demas paises en desarrollo, que tengan caracteristicas semejantes de clima y de suelo.
El Gobierno brasilefio tiene plena conciencia de que es imperative, la necesidad de una creciente coope-racion tecnica entre los paises en desarrollo y que el estado de la agricultura y de la alimentacion dejarã de ser analizado bajo una optica negativa en los futuros documentos de la FAO, cuando los paises desarrollados abandonaran sus practicas proteccionistas y cambiaran las pollticas sobre soluciones mas justas y equitativas en las relaciones internacionales.
The meeting rose at 12. ,45 hours.
La seance est levee a 12 h 45.
Se levanta la sesion a las 12. 45 horas.
