CHAIRMAN: We have three resolutions in front of us, the first is contained in Document C 81/LIM/29, the World Food Day, moved by Hungary. We shall then move on to the resolution on resources for food production, agriculture and development contained in document C 81/LIM/31 and then we shall take the resolution on the Establishment of an International Plant Germplasm Bank of Agricultural Interest under the Custody of FAO, moved by the delegation of Mexico and as contained in document C 81/LIM/29.
I now open the debate and I would first draw the attention of delegates to the Arabic text which contains two typing errors. These correspond to the bracketed portion of the first line of preambular paragraph 3 and the first line of operative paragraph 2 in the English version.
The debate is open on the resolution on the World Food Day. I take it that the subject as presented in the draft resolution has been well presented by the delegate of Hungary, there was only support for the resolution.
Y. KUROKOCHI (Japan): My delegation does not have very much to say on the resolution as presented here, it is almost wholeheartedly in favour of the resolution. As for the little note at the foot of the page, “The Resolutions Committee suggests that this paragraph be moved up to become the second preambular paragraph”, my delegation is also in favour of this suggestion by the Resolutions Committee.
As for Japan, we very actively participated in this world-wide attempt of the World Food Day and we have found our attempt a resounding success.
Mme. E. LINER MAMMONE (Italie): Qu’il me soit permis de remercier le délégué de la Hongrie d’avoir déposé le projet de résolution dont nous sommes saisis. Mon gouvernement, depuis le sommet d’Ottawa, a indiqué soit dans les enceintes intemationales soit dans les enceintes nationales quelle priorité il attribue à la lutte contre la faim dans le monde. La célébration de la Journée mondiale de l’alimentation représente sans aucun doute un instrument très utile en vue d’augmenter la sensibilité de l’opinion publique envers ce problème angoissant qui menace des centaines de millions d’êtres humains.
Avec grande satisfaction, nous avons enregistré la réponse très positive que les Etats Membres de la FAO ont donnée à l’occasion de la première Journée de l’alimentation à laquelle mon pays a également participé avec une adhésion totale.
Cela dit, Monsieur le Président, j’apporte notre appui total à la résolution et j’ajoute que nous préférons le projet de texte qui contient les modifications proposées par le Comité des résolutions.
Sra. A. CAVERO MONCANUT (España): Mi delegación apoya plenamente la resolución sobre el Día Mundial de la Alimentación. También queremos decir que preferimos las modificaciones, al igual que Italia, del texto que se presenta en esta resolución.
E. MAZURKIEWICS (Poland): My delegation also supports very strongly the resolution of the Hungarian delegation on World Food Day. I think it will be very good if our Commission takes this resolution.
Ms. I. L. PERTTUNEN (Finland): Regarding paragraph 4 of the resolution, I am speaking on behalf of the Nordic countries and we would like to make a minor correction to the last paragraph since we are willing to support the additional reference to extra-budgetary resources only when it is absolutely necessary. Therefore we would like to see this paragraph as follows:
“4. Requests the Director-General to take all necessary measures within approved budgetary resources and on a voluntary basis to assist Member Governments....” and so on and leave out at the end after the last brackets the part “supported by extra-budgetary resources”. In other words, we would like to leave the resolution as it is and we support it.
CHAIRMAN: Where does the last bit come in, “supported by extra-budgetary resources”?
Ms. I. L. PERTTUNEN (Finland): We leave out after the last brackets the five words “supported by extra-budgetary resources”, and instead we add at the beginning after “within approved budgetary resources”, “and on a voluntary basis to assist Member Governments.....”
M. TRKULJA (Yugoslavia): We just want to place on record our agreement with the text of the resolution, including the small editorial correction suggested by the Resolutions Committee.
On the point proposed by our Finnish colleagues on behalf of the Nordic countries, I see the point but I do not think it reads very well as suggested now. I think we are aware that in the Regular Programme there has been a very small, very modest amount perceived for such purposes just to assist Member Governments in a very general way indeed and any other assistance, as we all know, should be provided on the basis of extra-budgetary voluntary contributions.
So we think that paragraph 4 as it stands now reflects faithfully what was suggested, that means using in a very general way the very little money that is provided in the Regular Programme and then on a voluntray basis through FAO assisting Member Countries. Again, we all know that a very modest amount is involved. So we would prefer paragraph 4 to stay as it is now.
Ms. I. L. PERTTUNEN (Finland): I have had a very good suggestion from the FAO Secretariat. It sounds better if instead of “on a voluntary basis” we say “within approved budgetary resources and voluntary contributions to assist Member Governments”. Does that sound better?
CHAIRMAN: And as you have suggested we leave out the last one?
Ms. I. L. PERTTUNEN (Finland): Exactly.
Ms. C. McASKIE (Canada): I wonder if we could find a way out of this dilemma, by combining the two proposals and adding the Nordic amendment at the end so that it would read: “supported by voluntary extra-budgetary contributions for World Food Day activities.”
CHAIRMAN: That means the word “resources” would be substituted by “contributions”.
Ms. C. McASKIE (Canada): With the adjective “voluntary” added, “supported by voluntary extra-budgetary contributions”.
V. BEAUGE (Argentina): Cuando solicité el uso de la palabra, quería referirme a otro tema, y posteriormente salió la cuestión que estamos ahora considerando. No sé si usted me autoriza a hablar de otro párrafo, o de lo contrario, esperaría hasta que se resuelva esta situación.
CHAIRMAN: If the Argentinian delegate could make all his contributions it would be welcome.
V. BEAUGE (Argentina): En el párrafo 3, en el texto en español, en la tercera línea se usa la expresión: “promover la participación de las masas rurales etc....”. En español y en distintos países es también distinta la significación de la expresión: “masas rurales”. En algunos de ellos, puede incluso adquirir hasta cierto carácter peyorativo. Por eso, nosotros preferiríamos que esta expresión: “masas rurales” fuese reemplazada por la expresión màs universal y general de: “población rural”. Es decir, diría “promover la participación de la población rural etc.,..”.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you, delegate of Argentina. Is that proposal acceptable to the Spanish-speaking delegates and the Spanish text of the resolution?
Sra. A. CAVERO MONCANUT (España): Me parece muy oportuna la propuesta del delegado de Argentina.
O. LUCO ECHEVERRIA (Chile): Mi delegación también apoya la propuesta hecha por el señor delegado de Argentina.
A. JUAN MARCOS ISSA (México): Nos parece muy oportuna la observación hecha por el delegado de Argentina y por lo tanto la apoyamos.
Mile M. MUSSO (France): Je voudrais m’exprimer également sur la proposition argentine. Je voudrais qu’en français aussi on mette:... participation des “populations” rurales. Le terme est effectivement meilleur en français comme en espagnol.
NGA-MA MAPELA (Zaïre): Je vous avais demandé la parole bien avant cette bataille des amendements. Je voulais simplement dire que notre délégation appuie le projet de résolution tel qu’il a été proposé par le Comité des résolutions.
Un amendement propose que l’on fasse référence à des contributions volontaires. A partir du moment où l’on parle de ressources extrabudgétaires nous sommes tout de même rassurés, puisqu’on ne va pas puiser dans le budget ordinaire. Mais si l’on insiste, nous n’avons pas de mal à accepter cette précision pour dire: ressources dues aux contributions volontaires.
MS. I.L. PERTTUNEN (Finland): Regarding paragraph 4 again, the amendment made by Canada is acceptable by the Nordic countries as well.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you, delegate of Finland. Let me take the operative paragraph 4 and make it clear now. We would follow the compromise that came out of the proposals from the delegates of Finland and Canada, and the only amendment to the text in operative paragraph 4 would relate to the second line from the bottom, and would read now “supported by voluntary extra-budgetary contributions”, and then the text continues to read as it is. I see agreement to that. I also take it that those parts of the resolution that have been placed in brackets, indicating that in the Resolutions Committee apparently there were different views, has also been accepted by now.
I see no further comments on the resolution on the World Food Day. I take it that we can include the text of the draft resolution, as we have it now, in our draft report, that will be in front of the Commission tomorrow. I see no objections to that procedure.
A.E. GUROFF (United States of America): First of all I would just like to indicate that my delegation is having considerable difficulty with the procedural situation which has evolved, whereby on the first day of the third week of the Conference we find that we are suddenly confronted with trying to react in very short order two Resolutions which we find to be at the heart of the job of this Conference, and we would urge the Secretariat for the next Conference to look very carefully at how the resolutions might be handled, so that these were available to governments early in the Conference, so that they might consult their capitals, if necessary, and certainly consult their delegations, which we have barely had time to do, in order to conduct this very important business.
In the matter of the resolution that is on hand, I do no see any alternative but try to deal with it here in a large group, which may basically turn into an unwieldly drafting committee. But the United States has a number of suggestions regarding the resolution, that I will lay on the table at this point for consideration.
Working through it paragraph by paragraph, where we talk about, in the fourth line, “noting further the priority...”
CHAIRMAN: Distinguished delegate, where exactly? In the operative part, or in the preambular part of the resolution?
A.E. GUROFF (United States of America): I am sorry, Mr. Chairman, this is the preambular part beginning, “Noting further the priority assigned to food and agricultural development”, we would delete the words beginning “the conclusions and recommendations on food and agricultural development of”, and add the word “Ottawa comma”, before “Melbourne”.
Then three paragraphs further down, “Recognizing the current economic difficulties”, we would change the word “but considering that” to “and considering that”, and change the words “far outweighed” to “intensified”.
Then again three paragraphs below that, the last section of the preambular part, “Reiterating its”, add the word “general” before “approval”, and then put a period after the words “implement these”. The sentence would end with, “and the need to implement these” “period”.
Then in the numbered paragraphs, paragraph number 3, we would delete the words “can only be achieved through fuller” and insert the word “requires” so the sentence would read, “Affirms that greater self-reliance requires international co-operation “comma” including not only economic and technical co-operation between developing countries but also”, and delete the word, “increased”, and then the rest of the sentence reads the same. The rest of the paragraph reads the same.
Paragraph 4 would read, “Strongly urges Member Nations to take” here is the change “necessary steps toward the replenishment of” delete the words “the concessionary resources for food and agricultural development of the multilateral financing institutions”. We would then put a period - I guess a semicolon, and delete the rest of the paragraph.
One more change, in paragraph 5, we would suggest it read the same down through the words “fight against hunger and malnutrition”, and then end the paragraph there with a semi-colon.
Those are our suggestions, Mr. Chairman. Thank you very much.
CHAIRMAN: Can I get your very last point that referred to operative paragraph 5. I understood you wanted to delete as from the second line and from the word “fight”.
A.E. GUROFF (United States of America): No, Mr. Chairman. The deletion would be after the words “hunger and malnutrition”. After “malnutrition” there would be a semi-colon, and delete the rest of the paragraph.
CHAIRMAN: Delete the rest of the paragraph. Well, distinguished delegate of the United States, I was informed that that resolution would be coming up on Friday afternoon, and I mentioned this in the Commission, and I understand that the Resolutions Committee was very active in speeding it up, but it was not possible to do it earlier.
J.L.F. BUIST (United Kingdom): I do not know whether Resolutions Committee speeded this up or not but it reached my Delegation roughly 10 minutes ago, which does not exactly seem to give us much chance to examine it closely. In supporting the various changes which have been proposed by the United States to make this resolution generally acceptable, I would reiterate that we have a certain overlap with other decisions which the Conference has already been taking. For instance, there is a reference to the replenishment of IFAD, when we have already, as I understood it, agreed a resolution in Commission I on that subject. There are separate decisions which have to be taken about the level of resources we provided in the budget. My general impression, looking at this text rather quickly, is that it does not reflect the sense of the discussions, at least in this Commission, as that has been set out in the draft report which, of course, still has to be adopted by this Commission but which was produced by the drafting group in its extensive labours last week. Those labours did not end until quite late on Friday night, in any case, and I seem to recall that quite a number of points were raised and resolved then between the members of the drafting group which are directly relevant to the text of this resolution and that this resolution does not square with the terms of the report which we still have to consider. There is therefore a procedural problem as well as a problem of substance in dealing with this at this moment.
H. WETZEL (Germany, Federal Republic of) (Original language German): My delegation, too, has been rather surprised by this type of procedure. I must admit that I have not yet been able to read this draft resolution through even once, and, given the fact that many other draft resolutions have been put forward at an early stage and could be discussed quite sufficiently in the Commission, I think it is rather strange that the resolution which is of the most importance should have been submitted in this way, so quickly and at such a late hour, and therefore has to be discussed and adopted quickly here. I would therefore ask the Secretariat to consider whether we could not find some procedural possibility in order to postpone consideration of this draft at the moment and to meet at a later stage - perhaps this afternoon - in order to be able to discuss it. I think everyone will understand that there are many of us who first have to seek instructions from our Cabinets, and I do not think we should prevent them from doing that. Therefore, I would not wish to speak either to the resolution itself or tho the amendments put forward by the American Delegate. I would reserve my position and would ask to speak later on this resolution.
M. TRKULJA (Yugoslavia): I do not think there is anything unusual with this type of resolution. Since Yugoslavia is one of the co-sponsors of the resolution, I would only say that it is just a follow-up of Resolution 6/79 which was approved in a similar way by the last Conference. But, to remove any procedural problems that may quite justifiably be raised, I would also suggest that we postpone the debate on the resolution until, let us say, the early afternoon, in order to make it possible for delegations to study the whole matter and, if necessary, to seek further instructions from their capitals, though I do not think there is any thing new in the resolution. The resolution covers only things which have been debated in this Commission.
On behalf of the sponsors, I must also say that we, of course, also wanted to hear the whole debate on the various aspects of the regular programme and field programmes before we decided to submit the resolution. The resolution was submitted on Thursday of last week but unfortunately, becauce of processing difficulties, the resolution’s Committee was only able to look at the draft on Friday
morning Here again, I think you are fully aware that the processing usually takes an enormous time. Unfortunately the French version had to be reprinted this morning and so all the other versions were held up because of the typing error. However, to remove any procedural problem, I would also suggest that we postpone discussion of the resolution until this afternoon.
Mile M. MUSSO (France): Je voudrais joindre ma voix à celle des délégués qui ont parlé précédemment et essentiellement appuyer les observations des délégués du Royaume-Uni et de l’Allemagne fédérale. Nous pensons nous aussi que c’est une résolution importante qui touche au fond du problème, et j’ai à peine eu le temps de la lire moi aussi. Je ne pense pas que nous puissions discuter valablement avant cet après-midi et je ne penserais pas être en mesure d’avoir les instructions avant même au moins demain, car effectivement nous aussi avons des observations à faire sur divers paragraphes. Je ne m’étendrai pas sur les changements que nous souhaiterions, mais il est certain qu’aux paragraphes 5 et 6 par exemple nous aurions aussi des modifications à apporter. Donc je pense qu’il faudrait avoir le temps d’étudier cette résolution importante et de ne pas la faire passer devant notre Commission avant demain.
LE PRESIDENT: Je remercie le délégué de la France. Je voudrais ajouter immédiatement qu’il ne sera pas possible de différer le débat sur cette résolution jusqu’à démain, car demain nous avons devant nous le rapport quéil faut approuver, qu’il faut rapporter, et il faut terminer la discussion, le débat sur les trois résolutions aujourd’hui, même si les délégués semblent prêts à prolonger le débat ce soir.
Y. KUROKOCHI (Japan): My delegation tried its very best to go through this resolution. We tried to understand the purposes and also the context, just as the Resolutions Committee tried its best to organize. As some other delegates have already indicated, the draft resolution only came out this morning, although this was dated the 20th, Friday of last week. Since my delegation has not had time to seek instructions from its home office, we are trying to be a little more restrictive in understanding and accepting the resolution.
My delegation is quite aware of the thrust of paragraphs 4 and 5 in the operative part, and yet, as I said earlier, because of the lack of instructions, my delegation is tempted to agree to the amendments as proposed by the delegate of the United States of America. With all due respect to the very hectic work that must have been done by the Resolutions Committee, my delegation is, as of this moment, strongly inclined towards the suggestions of the American delegate.
J. ROWAN (Ireland): I should like to join with the delegates who seek to have a postponement for some time on this matter because it is vital that delegations, especially those of limited numbers like mine, should have an opportunity to discuss it. We have just not had time, Sir, so could you please do something in this regard.
T. SEYOUM (Ethiopia): My delegation does not see anything new about the procedure at all, neither does it see the need for postponing our discussion at this stage. My delegation also feels the draft resolution tabled before us to be extremely important and would like to give it its full support as it stands.
K. CHOUERI (Liban) (langue originale arabe): Puisque le Liban est un des auteurs ou co-auteurs de ce projet de résolution, j’appuie la proposition du délégué de la Yougoslavie.
CHAIRMAN: I now appeal to all delegates to debate this resolution in a spirit of total understanding of the matter involved. I would appeal to you that we should do it in a democratic manner as it is practised and I would hence suggest that we take the proposals as spelled out by most of the speakers and move the debate to this afternoon. We could, with your support, take on straight away the draft resolution on the germ bank moved by Mexico so that we should not lose any time. Is this acceptable to you?
J.L.F. BUIST (United Kingdom): It seems to me that, from the interventions of several other delegations who feel the need to consult capitals on this text which is of great importance, it would not be possible for us profitably to discuss this resolution this afternoon. My own delegation is in a position to do so but we have to have regard to those who cannot. I suggest, therefore, that we might be able to take this in the light of the report of the Commission which, of course, does cover to some extent the same ground and which we shall have to deal with, I think, also. That might mean, of course, that we would have rather a lot of work tomorrow, but we, for our part, are ready to engage upon it.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you. I repeat that I would not find it possible to carry the debate on to tomorrow, but I am quite prepared to debate the whole night through until the start of tomorrow morning’s session at 9.30. Is this acceptable to the delegate of the United Kingdom?
J.L.F. BUIST (United Kingdom): I said that we were ready to talk about this resolution now but that I had noted that several delegations were not. If they themselves are content, of course, I have no objection either.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you, but I understood that all delegates who have spoken so far were just for an afternoon debate. That is what I understood and as I see no further reaction to that statement of mine, I take it that that is the case.
I will now state our present position. I take it that we will delay the debate on the draft resolution on the resources for food production and agricultural development to this afternoon. Those delegates who may not yet find themselves in a position to speak out clearly on that draft text can ask for the floor at a later time this afternoon.
A.E. GUROFF (United States of America): Just to clarify so that it is fully understood what the United States will be able to do this afternoon when we re-open discussion, what we have proposed basically deletes from the text all those areas where we might need to consult our own government. Clearly, if we get into areas that require consultation time differences will preclude any possibility of our doing that during the course of the debate of this afternoon. I just wanted it understood that what we have proposed defines the limits that we can go to without requiring consultation and referral to our own capital this afternoon.
Ms C. McASKIE (Canada): I should like to endorse the remarks of my colleague from the United States because we share the same time zones. We are quite happy to discuss the question this afternoon, and, in fact, there may be some advantages in doing so, but we would need to state now that, depending on how the discussion goes this afternoon, we may need to refer back to Ottawa if necessary after the discussion.
M. TRKULJA (Yugoslavia): Speaking procedurally, as I have already indicated we see absolutely nothing new in this resolution. In this resolution we generalize, I would even say highly generalize, the things that were fully discussed in the Commission and in the Plenary. We do not, therefore, see any real need for world-wide consultation with capitals, on the ground principally that things are more than clear and that there is absolutely nothing new. In the course of debate we could give you cross-references to the various texts that we agreed, either here or elsewhere. It should be quite clear then, Mr. Chairman, that most, if not all, governments are already agreed on similar wordings, let alone the substance. I really cannot see any procedural difficulty with regard to starting to debate the resolution this afternoon.
CHAIRMAN: I should like to point out to delegates that we can debate that draft resolution this afternoon but that is not the end of it. It is not even the end tomorrow when we have the draft report of Commission II in front of us. It will come to the Plenary which will sit, at the earliest, on Wednesday afternoon. This, I think, takes care of the concern expressed by the delegates of the United States and Canada about the time lag in communications. If this is the case, you may well find the opportunity of communicating exhaustingly and exhaustively with your offices at home.
Looking around, I take it that we can now move on to the debate on the next draft resolution.
A. JUAN MARCOS ISSA (México): Como indicaba, todos sabemos que los recursos genéticos vegetales constituyen elementos indispensables para el mejoramiento de las plantas cultivadas. Asimismo creemos que su importancia en el futuro será aún mayor y estratégica si tenemos en cuenta la evidente necesidad de aumentar constantemente la productividad en la agricultura, donde los recursos genéticos constituyen una de las materias primas en este proceso.
Sabemos también, señor Presidente, que estos recursos están expuestos al peligro de erosión, pérdida y, por lo tanto, la posibilidad de no ser renovables y, por ello mismo, disponer en cantidades limitadas de estos recursos. Por estas razones pensamos que los recursos genéticos constituyen un elemento muy importante dentro del esquema de la seguridad alimentaria mundial.
Estos recursos, señor Presidente, por razones ecológicas se encuentran dispersos principalmente en los países en desarrollo. Como lo señalase la primera Ministro de la India, señora Indira Ghandi en esta Conferencia, dichos recursos pertenencen a la humanidad. Conscientes de ello creemos que duplicados estos recursos deben conservarse, administrarse y controlarse por una organización en la que se encuentren representados todos los países que así lo deseen. Ello permitiría garantizar el libre acceso de estos recursos a todos los pueblos sin ataduras ni presiones de ninguna especie. La creación de un Banco Internacional de Fitogermoplasma de interés agrícola corresponde, creemos, por su naturaleza y propósito, a la Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Agricultura y la Alimentación; más aún sabemos que la mayoría de nuestros países en desarrollo no tienen posibilidades para establecer, por limitaciones técnicas y financieras, bancos de fitogermoplasma a nivel local, razón aún mayor por la que creemos se refuerza la idea de establecer un banco internacional custodiado por la FAO.
En base a todas estas consideraciones, se le está solicitando en este proyecto de resolución al Sr. Director General prepare un proyecto para establecer un banco internacional de semillas ortodoxas de interés agrícola dependiente de la FAO, donde se depositen duplicados de estos valiosos recursos considerando los aspectos institucionales, los costos de capitales que se requiere, así como las posibles fuentes de finaneiamiento. Se toma en cuenta en el proyecto de resolución de los trabajos que de esta materia ha venido elaborando la FAO en colaboración con el Consejo Internacional de Recursos Fitogenéticos. Evidentemente todas estas acciones complementarán los trabajos del Banco propuesto. Convencidos también de la necesidad de un acuerdo internacional que asegure la conservación, mantenimiento e intercambio de recursos genéticos de interés agrícola que se encuentran depositados actualmente en los Bancos de Germoplasma de diversos países, el proyecto de resolución solicita, asimismo, al Director General que examine y prepare un proyecto de acuerdo internacional para tales fines. Igualmente, se le solicita al Director General presente los estudios mencionados al Comité de Agricultura para que sean considerados en su séptimo período de sesiones en 1982 con miras a que sean sometidas a través del Consejo al 22° período de sesiones de la Conferencia.
Los recursos genéticos son fundamentales para la alimentación de hoy y del mañana, su libre acceso a todos los pueblos constituyen un principio que cae dentro de la seguridad alimentaria mundial. Hagamos un reconocimiento a la acción multilateral y al espíritu que rige a todos los países miembros de esta Institución, FAO, procurándole a este organismo de un instrumento vital y necesario para el buen desarrollo de todos los pueblos y de su agricultura.
CHAIRMAN: I would like to indicate that prior to that debate during the last week I had occasion to meet twice with the Mexican Delegation and to get a very good insight of the thinking of the Mexican Delegation and also on procedure and methods. I note with interest that since then new procedural considerations have been evolved that may lead up to the handling and debate of that subject in other organs of the Organization.
I also had the opportunity of having been contacted by other delegates on that subject which is of great importance, enormous importance, for agriculture in the future in the whole world, and as there had been opinions and views expressed sometimes indicating the need for a comprehensive background presentation, I thought it would be very helpful for that debate if the Assistant Director-General of the Agriculture Department, Professor Bommer, gave us the benefit of a statement on that subject.
D.F.R. BOMMER (Assistant Director-General, Agriculture Department): The draft resolutions have certainly attracted a very important problem which needs very careful consideration, actually referring to the various collections of the world on plant genetic resources, important for present and future plant breeding. It contains actually two elements; one is a technical one which is the establishment of a world gene bank under the custody of FAO, and the other one is related to an international agreement which covers generally the conservation and exchange of plant genetic resources. Certainly the study of the feasibility of these two elements needs a very careful consideration of the complexity of the matter, a complexity which is two fold. It is a technical complexity and it is a political complexity at the same time.
On the technical complexity I want to give you only some indications. The programme of FAO to which the resolution refers, I repeat, has made considerable efforts over the years to identify the existence of these resources to stimulate collection and to make sure that various institutions in the world have various collections, and some are even identified as keeping the global collection of a specific crop. Just to mention at the moment, the three major crops are maize, wheat and rice. We have between 40 and over 50 institutions all over the world having major collections. This is for the already collected material. I think that the distinguished delegate for Mexico referred to the major origin, and the important availability of our major crops is in specific geographical regions; most of them or all of them located in developing countries. Further efforts have to be made to collect this material, certainly to register it and document it and later on to test this material. It needs a considerable world wide effort to do that.
Now to draw the application of this material together to this international gene bank under the custody of FAO - I assume it would be in Rome in one location - needs first of all a suitable technical set up; a technical set up which has to be explored as to the type of set up it should be, but usually if such very valuable material is being maintained as for instance in the International Agriculture Research Institute, this has to be safe against earthquakes, it has to be safe against fire, it has to be safe against any other interferences because if this material is lost it is lost forever. At the same time it has been custom so far in all these efforts to store this material only in one location, because something can happen in spite of all the satefty measures, so there must be at least one duplicate in another place. The present policy is even to go for triplicates, because there is always a danger that something is being lost and if this material which now may still be present is being collected and registered so far, is once lost, then it is lost forever. So it is a considerable involvement and such that the gene bank at the same time needs certainly specific procedural handling which means it needs staff, a very qualified professional staff, channel service staff, it needs the necessary equipment for the testing of the viability of the seeds; of the sealing of this material which is being stored, for maintenance by specific temperatures, usually rather deep low temperatures, minus 20 or minus 30 degrees; it needs the respective involvement for shipping, and what is more important it needs an arrangement that if any specific sample becomes multiplied again, multiplied so that it maintains its original character so that there is another set. So you see there are considerable costs involved. I think the Conference must be clear on that, and certainly the feasibility study must address itself to the costs being involved, and you are certainly clear that no provision has been made so far in FAO’s budget for this purpose.
These are a few of the technical issues I wanted to draw your attention to. The other issue is the question of the international agreement in which certainly we need in this world an agreement that what is being collected and being held specifically with international effort, that there is a responsibility to maintain it; and the second point is to have some responsibility to exchange it internationally. I only want to draw attention at this point that there are a number of countries growing specifically important industrial crops, that they have restrictions on exchanging such material, and most of those
countries are developing countries. So I think we must clearly tackle this problem as well. The question is on which scope the gene bank will concentrate: only on major food crops? Should industrial crops become involved? The isolation refers to orthodox seed which means too safe to be stored, so it excludes crops which are vegetarially propagated, but you remember that some major food crops are vegetarially propagated like potatoes and other root crops, so I think all this needs exploration before something of a meaningful proposal can be discussed in the respective organs of FAO, and finally brought to the attention of the FAO Conference.
J.L., TAMAYO- RIGAIL (Ecuador): En nombre de la Delegación del Ecuador, como también en representación de los 30 países del Grupo Latinoamericano, quiero presentar una efusiva felicitación a la distinguida Delegación de México por el magnífico Proyecto de Resolución sobre la creación de un Banco Internacional de Fito-Germoplasma, bajo la custodia de la FAO.
La delegación del Ecuador considera que el establecimiento de este Banco, a cargo de la FAO, constituiría una de las más concretas y positivas ratificaciones del papel que le corresponde a nuestra Organización, en cuanto organismo internacional creado para fomentar, estimular y garantizar la producción de alimentos.
Los recursos genéticos vegetales constituyen elementos indispensables para el mejoramiento genético de las plantas cultivadas. Su importancia en el futuro será aún mayor, si tenemos en cuenta la evidente necesidad de aumentar constantemente la productividad agrícola.
Los recursos fitogenéticos, como sabemos, están expuestos al peligro de erosián o pérdida y tal riesgo puede convertirlos en no renovables y, por ende, limitados.
De concretarse, como estoy seguro que sucederá, la feliz iniciativa que contiene el documento mexicano, ello daría forma precisa a una aspiración que es compartida por todos los países, particularmente aquellos en desarrollo, empeñados en que la Comunidad Internacional disponga de sistemas cada vez mejores y más racionales para una justa distribución de los recursos alimenticios.
El establecimiento, en 1974, del Consejo Internacional de Recursos Fitogenéticos fue un primer paso importante para iniciar una colaboración internacional coherente que sirva a la necesidad de conservar e intercambiar los recursos fitogenéticos. El Proyecto de Resolución toma en cuenta, precisamente, los trabajos que ha venido eleborando la FAO, trabajos que complementarán y servirán a los del Banco que se propone.
La Delegación del Ecuador cree indispensable que la FAO asuma plena y directamente la responsabilidad sobre la custodia de los elementos portadores de germoplasma y evitar que tan importantes recursos puedan convertirse en eventuales instrumentos de presión de cualquier género.
Los problemas cada vez más graves que enfrenta la humanidad en cuanto a disponibilidades de bienes alimenticios y su adecuada distribución obligan a que organismos como la FAO consideren de manera permanente todas las posibilidades y alternativas para asegurar al futuro, al menos los medios de subsistencia. Dentro de este marco, cree la Delegación del Ecuador que la importancia de los recursos fitogenéticos de interés agrícola bien puede ya equipararse a la de los bienes que constituyen patrimonio común de la humanidad. La señora Primera Ministro de la India, Indira Ghandi, lo manifestó clara y directamente cuando dijo que tales recursos “pertenecen a la humanidad”.
Es un hecho, señor Presidente, que los recursos fitogenéticos se encuentran dispersos especialmente en los países en desarrollo. Si la FAO, por medio del Banco propuesto, consigue colectar y almacenar los duplicados, se garantizaría el libre acceso de todos los países a tales recursos.
Es sabido que en la actualidad existen algunos bancos de germoplasma localizados en determinados países desarrollados, cuyas disponibilidades técnicas y financieras les permiten mantenerlos. El acceso a los recursos allí concentrados, sin embargo, es limitado y, por ello, es impostergable que se implemente un Acuerdo Internacional que considere, junto con la creación del Banco de Germoplasma bajo custodia de la FAO, las medidas orientadas a asegurar, conservar e intercambiar los recursos fitogenéticos de interés agrícola que hoy se encuentran depositados en diversos centros. Por eso, el Proyecto de Resolución solicita también al Director General que prepare un proyecto de Acuerdo de esa naturaleza.
Creo necesario aclarar, de todas maneras, que el Acuerdo por sí mismo no tendría la efectividad deseada si no está consolidado, por decirlo así, con el establecimiento del Banco, el cual constituirá el instrumento necesario para llevar a la práctica los propósitos y objetivos del Acuerdo.
El Proyecto de Resolución presentado por México solicita al Director General que prepare los elementos necesarios para establecer un Banco Internacional de semillas ortodoxas de interés agrícola dependiente de la FAO, en donde se depositen duplicados de tan valiosos recursos, considerando los aspectos institucionales y los costos que se requieren, así como las posibles fuentes de finaneiamiento que bien pueden ser, por ejemplo, aportaciones de los propios países en desarrollo, a cuyo interés serviría principalmente el Banco propuesto.
Señor Presidente: el Grupo Latinoamericano de la FAO, actualmente presidido por el Delegado del Ecuador, tuvo la oportunidad de recibir amplia información acerca del proyecto de México. El Grupo acogió con entusiasmo la iniciativa y, en forma unánime, comprometió su apoyo a la misma por considerar, entre otras cosas, que está en interés de los países en desarrollo el salvaguardar y asegurar los recursos fitogenéticos de importancia agrícola para que se los ponga a disposición de la Comunidad Internacional y, a través de mecanismos adecuados, sirvan a las necesidades de los países sin condiciones ni reservas.
Me complazco ser el portavoz del Grupo Latinoamericano para expresar, señor Presidente, el decidido apoyo del Grupo al Proyecto de Resolución presentado por Mexico para la creación del Banco de Germoplasma. Los recursos fitogenéticos son fundamentales para la alimentación de hoy y de mañana, y el libre acceso a ellos constituye un aspecto esencial para la Seguridad Alimentaria Mundial. Si proveemos a la Organización de un instrumento vital como lo es este Banco, estaremos consolidando el valor de la acción multilateral en la lucha contra el hambre.
S.V. HAGEN (Norway): On behalf of the Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden I would like to express our position on the proposed resolution. The preservation of natural genetic variation in crop plants and related species is of great importance to present and future plant breeding programmes. There are, however, also other ways of obtaining genetic variability.
Different methods exist for inducing mutations. We can make interspecific crosses and cell fusions may become important for the creation of new genetic variations. There have already been substantial collections of plant germplasm and these collections are placed in gene banks around the world. Most of this material is available to most countries upon request.
The Nordic countries support the point that all this material should be available to all countries, as expressed in the Mexican resolutions. However, the establishment of a new gene bank would require substantial investments of various kinds which means duplications of investments already made. For these reasons we cannot support the resolution in its present form. To guarantee all Member Nations access to gene banks an international agreement, if necessary in the form of a convention, should be reached. We request the Director-General to conduct a thorough study of the feasibility of FAO playing a coordinating role in the international supply of material from the existing gene banks.
Sra. A. CAVERO MONCANUT (España): Mi delegación felicita a la delegación de Mexico y al Grupo Latinoamericano y apoya esta resolución. Agradecemos al Dr. Bommer sus explicaciones, como siempre interesantes y esperamos que con el mismo éxito que ha logrado al empeñarse en tantas otras empresas de su competencia, pueda resolver viablemente en sus dos aspectos, técnico y político, todo lo necesario para la elaboración de este proyecto.
Mi delegación ya en la anterior Conferencia Regional, en su declaración, habló de la creación de un Banco de Germoplasma de la FAO por creer que estamos ante un problema de seguridad alimentaria que entra de lleno en el campo de competencia de esta Organización. También lo dijo en su declaración del presente período de sesiones, y ahora como digo, apoya esta resolución con las siguientes posibles enmiendas, que puedo pasar a citar.
En la página 4 del texto en español del documento C 81/LIM/29, pensamos que el título debería decir, en lugar de: “bajo la custodia”, debería decir: “de la FAO” o “dependiente de la FAO”. Enmiendas que proponemos para su posible aceptación. También pensamos que en la página 5, en el punto 1 en la primera línea debiera decir: “proyectos” en lugar de “elementos”. Y en la segunda línea también suprimiríamos: “bajo la custodia” para dejar simplemente “de la FAO”. En el punto 2 en la primera línea suprimiríamos “elementos” y diríamos “proyectos”. Y para terminar, en el punto 3 en la primera línea sustituiríamos “estudios” para poner “proyectos”.
R. GARCELL (Cuba): Gracias señor Presidente, gracias a la Secretaría por los interesantes aportes que nos han hecho. En el trascurso de nuestros debates, varias delegaciones han expresado sus opiniones favorables acerca de la incuestionable necesidad de constituir e instrumentar un Banco de Germoplasma. Consideramos necesario insistir en los argumentos técnicos, sociales y económicos que determinan la necesidad de su creación.
Señores delegados; la agricultura es la fuente más importante de sustento alimentario de la humanidad y lo seguirá siendo por mucho tiempo. Eminentes científicos e investigadores de todas las latitudes, y en todos los tiempos, han realizado aportes significativos al progreso del incremento de la productividad por área agrícola mediante la utilizaciòn de semillas de mejor calidad, y se requiere seguir adelante esa obra y vartebrarla institucionalmente.
El mejoramiento de la alimentación requiere del desarrollo de la agricultura, y a su vez ésta depende de la combinación exitosa de los recursos naturales y el hombre. Los recursos naturales, incluyendo tanto la tierra como las semillas. La gran extensión territorial de los países en desarrollo, en su conjunto, así como su gran diversidad agrícola determinan que, de una forma natural en los mismos hayan existido y existan grandes e importantes reservas genéticas.
Por otra parte, en muchos países se han llevado a cabo interesantes y valiosos trabajos de mejoramiento genético. Sin embargo, es necesario que los resultados de estas tareas a veces trascendentes sean apoyados y sistematizados por un organismo internacional que asegure su continuidad, y que los beneficios estén al alcance de todos los países.
Nuestra delegación, y seguramente el resto de los países miembros, considera que es una responsabilidad de todos lograr que no se pierdan ni degeneren las semillas de mayor potencialidad, e insiste en que es necesario que las mismas puedan estar al alcance de todos los pueblos, en especial de los más necesitados. No escapa a nuestro análisis que la creación del Banco de Germoplasma necesitará de un estudio previo que calcule los requerimientos financieros y materiales para su operación tecnico-operativa. Debe corresponder a la FAO dar los pasos necesarios en tal sentido, y todos estaremos satisfechos de que nuestra Conferencia pueda adoptar acuerdos en este sentido, que podrán convertirse en decisiones históricas al aprobar la resolución propuesta.
Sra. M.I. CASELLAS (Venezuela): Mi delegación quiere en esta Comisión continuar manifestando su apoyo a la idea de la creación de un Banco Internacional de Fitogermoplasma de interés agrícola dependiente de la FAO. En este sentido, apoyamos la resolución que aparece en el documento C 81/LIM/29.
J.O. ALABI (Nigeria): On behalf of my delegation, I wish to support the resolution by Mexico relating to placing world genetic resources under the custody of FAO and regulating the conditions of their use and exchange by international agreement.
We note however that the resolution is directed to plants, but we are of the view that it should also cover animals. There are several countries which are achieving genetic resources and these resources are essential for the creation of new varieties of plants and animals for food and for industrial purposes.
If we are to ensure the elimination of hunger and malnutrition, genetic resources have a great part to play. Too often, under present circumstances, it is difficult for many countries to obtain new genetic resources at reasonable prices. The right of all countries will be ensured by international legislation. No doubt there is some cost involved but we should not allow this to put us off making a beginning. Use can be made of national institutions in various countries in the world storing these genetic resources which we think need not necessarily be looked at in Rome.
Ms.C.McAskie (Canada): My delegation would like to thank the Mexican delegate for bringing this important matter to the attention of the Conference. Canada fully supports the need to maintain and to preserve the plant genetic material which is the subject of this resolution. Canada has consistently supported international efforts to coordinate the actions of existing germplasm banks, provided of course that these actions do not duplicate existing coordinating mechanisms.
It is for this reason that Canada strongly supports the work of the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources which already has a network of duplicate based collections of individual crops or groups of crops. Canada itself stores germplasm material of some collections and these stores are already paired with other countries, providing for the security against accidental loss for restricted access for other reasons. I should add that Canada has no restrictions of access on her collections.
If however the existing system is not far-reaching enough, we would ask why it is not possible to make the adjustments necessary to the existing system rather than the proposal before us which appears to recommend the establishment of an additional system. For these reasons Canada cannot support the proposal before us to create a separate bank which would be both physically and administratively complex.
In view of these comments which I must add reflect the reaction of my own headquarters in Ottawa to the first draft of the resolution, my delegation will have to place our reservation on the revised version as it now stands, if there is adequate support for its approval by this Commission, until our authorities in Ottawa have studied it.
A. E. GUROFF (United States of America): First of all my delegation would like to express its appreciation to the Mexican delegation for calling the attention of the Conference to this very important question. The U.S. has some sympathy for the utility of examining the question of an international plant germplasm bank further. We must profess to finding the basis put forward for such an initiative to be somewhat less than compelling. In addition, we find Dr. Bommer’s comments at the outset of this debate as to the intricacies and sensitivities of this subject to be particularly compelling and they suggest to us a more measured and careful approach to the problem.
For these reasons we would propose the following modifications to the draft resolution which might also accommodate the position expressed by Norway on behalf of the Nordic delegations and the position just expressed by my Canadian colleague. The changes would be as follows: in the title we would delete the words, “of agricultural interest under the custody of FAO”. Then in the body of the resolution in the preambular part we would delete in its entirety the fifth paragraph beginning, “Recalling further, that countries, faced with...” etc. and we would also delete the paragraph beginning, “Recalling the proposal made during the Seventy-ninth Session...”etc. Then in the numbered paragraphs we would revise paragraph 1. to read, “Requests the Director General to examine the feasibility of establishing an international bank of orthodox seeds”) and then delete the phrase “of agricultural interest under the custody of FAO...” and the remainder of paragraph 1. would read as it is in our text.
Paragraph 2 would remain the same with the substitution of the words “the feasibiltiy” for the words, “and prepare the elements”. So it would read, “Request the Director-General to examine the feasibility of a draft” etcetera. Paragraph 3 would then read, “Request the Director-General to present the studies mentioned to the IBPGR and in turn to the Committee on Agriculture for consideration at its Seventh Session in 1982” period.
M. SALAMEH (Syria) (Original language Arabic):. Concerning the resolution before us, I believe, given the interest that we have for improving seeds, and the fact that we have set up a governmental institution to distribute these improved seeds, and given the interest that we have in increased productivity, and that the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) has its seat in Aleppo, and given what has been said by the representative from the International Organization of Consumer’s Union (IOCU), and taking into consideration what was said at the first COAG meeting, 1964 and the role played by the FAO in this sector in helping IBPGR since 1974, and that this idea was launched amongst developing countries, and was only implemented in developing countries, having said all this the delegation of my country, Mr. Chairman, gives its support to the idea of creating such a bank and the conclusion of an international agreement covering the exchange of seeds placed in that bank. We believe that this would enable the FAO to defend the interests of all Member countries of the FAO and it would also concern itself with the improvement and storage of all elements which are of vital importance to our countries. This would, therefore, avoid any monopoly being exerted by large companies.
We agree with the proposals made by the Spanish delegation concerning the substitution of the word “elements” by the word “projects”.
M.S. ZEHNI (Lybia) (Original language Arabic): I would like to thank the Mexican delegation and the Ambassador of Mexico and his delegation for having raised this important question and for tabling this resolution. We are grateful for the efforts His Excellency the Ambassador of Mexico has undertaken and for the extensive consultations he pursued. I would also like to thank the Latin American Group for having supported this resolution.
The problem concerning plant/germplasm material and the need to store this material drew attention to the difficulties and dangers of losing these resources. These problems which have drawn the attention of specialists since the 1940’s, and the initiatives taken by the FAO have meant that this subject has become extremely important for the international community, and it has drawn the attention of the community to the urgency of this matter, and to its importance, it has meant that they have understood the impact of this subject. I do not intend, Mr. Chairman, to enter into the details of all the efforts which have been made in the past, but I would simply like to shed a little light, if I may say so, on the main thrusts of this problem. There was a meeting in Rome in 1961 on the subject, and an expert group was set up in 1965. There were also twc international conferences in 1967 and in 1973 at the FAO Headquarters, the results of which were an appeal to create an international framework for seed centres. FAO published a series of reports on this. Efforts undertaken led finally to certain regional projects, such as that in South-east Asia and other regions. Perhaps the most important decision, institutionally speaking, which was taken in the FAO, was that concerning the setting-up of the seed and plant germplasm unit in 1968. Also the FAO’s efforts brought about the setting-up of the International Board in collaboration with the Consultative Group which I mentioned. The Consultative Group is provided with secretariat and other services, by FAO. Although this Board has managed to do many things, and has obtained considerable success as far as the extension and the awareness of the importance of plant germplasm material and it preservation are concerned, nevertheless, because of limited resources, the nature of its membership and its very financing, it has been impossible for it, in spite of the very important role that it has played, to be a true international body, responsible to governments at international level. It is a small group which does a lot of work, but it is not really international in the sense of the understanding of international organizations such as the FAO or the United Nations. This, I think, should be taken into account. Some speakers did, in fact, mention, the IBPGR. We must also point out that other international bodies have understood the importance of the role given by the FAO to the IBPGR. For example, the United Nations Conference on Environment, which was held in Stockholm in 1972, and where I represented my country. At that conference, attention was drawn to the fact that the FAO should deal with this problem of plant genetic material. I am sure you know all this, but this was to show that FAO was the first organization to draw attention to this important problem. Its role in this field has been very positive, and the responsibility that it assumed in the past means that our organization should now have basic responsibility for any efforts undertaken in the future. Therefore, our organization should shoulder its responsibilities, given the fact that this is a subject which has come to the FAO, and is the responsibility of the FAO, which we believe is an excellent place and could certainly not be given to any other organization since no other organization has the universal international nature of the FAO,
Efforts made in the past, either by FAO or by other organizations, have been positive, but in spite of these efforts there are two problems which have remained somewhat without solution: first of all, the problem of the elaboration of an international convention which would define in a code of conduct the rights and duties of all parties, interested in the exchange, the use of plant genetic material, and governing the interests of countries concerned which have this material, and these resources available.
Another problem where not a lot of progress has been made, is the creation of an international network for plant genetic material. As far as the first problem is concerned, this refers to the need for an international agreement on the storage of plant genetic material, it has been the subject of various colloquies recently. There was the 5-Member Committee of IBPGR, which was set up five years after the inception of the IBPGR, and that Committee did make a recommendation that it is for the Board and the FAO to look into the legal framework which would enable free exchange of plant genetic material, and especially to look at questions of agricultural quarantine.
I would, therefore, give my full support to the contents of the Mexican proposal, most specifically where it stresses the need for an international agreement, or charter, and I think that FAO is certainly capable of doing this work. In fact, the question is not whether the FAO would be capable of doing this, but that the essential elements of such an agreement could be drawn up by it, so that the Secretariat can by guided by these elements vhen a draft agreement is prepared.
I think that many of us are in a position to submit prepared suggestions. The essential elements of this resolution are first of all the maintenance or the protection of the interests of developing countries, the problem of storage, and that of establishing the proper procedure.
I would very much like to have gone further than the Mexican proposal, since this limits the international agreement to the question of the setting up of the plant germplasm bank.
I personally think that this agreement should deal with all genetic problems in a general way, given the very complexities of this problem, and Mr. Bommer mentioned some of the aspects in his introductory speech.
The second problem, concerning the establishment of an international network of plant genetic material, was one of the aims of the first meeting which was held on this subject where we thought of setting up a network of international centres which would distribute in a logical manner throughout those regions plant genetic material. But there was a general recognition that this could not be done, either because of the impossibility of doing it or because the necessary effort was not made. I believe that there are many specialists among us today who could perhaps explain why this aim could not be implemented.
The first thing we must realize is that there is a chain of plant genetic banks, either at a national or regional level. There are even, perhaps, banks or international centres, as we call them. But I do not think any of these institutions could really be defined as being an International institution in the true sense of the word. This is the missing link in the chain: there is not really a true international network of centres for plant genetic material which we could consider to be a common heritage of mankind and which could be managed according to the standards of the international community. Certainly there are important banks but they have not reached a stage whereby we could qualify them as international.
Therefore, I think that the Mexican draft has well understood this and taken into account this problem.
In expressing my opinion, I would say that, when we call for the setting-up of an international plant germplasm bank, this does not mean that it should be organically linked to the FAO. It should not necessarily be in the same building nor should it be one single bank in one single place: it could be formed of a series of banks. The essential idea in the Mexican proposal, to which I would give my support, is that whatever the idea, it should receive our support, whether it is a bank or a series of centres, it should nevertheless be under the responsibility of the United Nations: that is, that that organization should be responsibile to the Member States of the United Nations because, if we leave matters as they are at the moment, without an agreement, without a true international plant genetic bank, then this will mean that the previous situation will simply continue and the results will be very harmful.
I apologize for being rather lengthy, but I quite agree with what has been said: that is, that the problem is not an easy one since there are many complexities and it is a very sensitive point. There are administrative, financial and legal problems involved. Nevertheless, I would launch an appeal to everyone here that we should not consider those problems as insurmountable. We should ask our Organization to study this problem and give it all freedom to do so. Afterwards we can look at the problems involved. I think that if we say as of now that this is a financial or administrative problem of a very complicated nature, then perhaps we should be led off on another line and to further studies and we shall have made no progress at all.
Mile M. MUSSO (France): La délégation française voudrait tout d’abord remercier la délégation mexicaine de s’être penchée sur cette question vitale. Nous pensons en effet que la question des matériels phytogénétiques est extrêmement importante et qu’il est nécessaire pour l’avenir de les préserver.
Effectivement, les conditions d’accès aux ressources phytogénétiques sauvages, ainsi qu’aux hybrides servant de base aux obtentions nouvelles pourraient certainement être améliorées. Mais il existe déjà dans le monde de nombreuses banques de gènes auxquelles ont accès de plein droit les pays en développement. On peut citer ainsi plusieurs centres internationaux de recherche agricole, comme le CIMIT pour le blé et le maïs, et l’IRI pour le riz.
Les dépenses qu’entraîne la gestion de telles banques de gènes doivent donc nous inciter à la prudence avant d’en accepter une nouvelle à créer dans le cadre de l’OAA. Il convient en outre de se souvenir que l’UPOV, l’Union pour la protection des obtentions végétales protège déjà un certain nombre d’obtentions végétales.
Nous remercions M. Bommer de ses très importantes explications et nous partageons les préoccupations qu’il a exprimées. C’est pourquoi, nous ne pouvons malheureusement appuyer la résolution telle qu’elle nous a été présentée.
Nous pensons que la résolution devrait se borner à affirmer la nécessité de stocker ce matériel phytogénétique dans tout conservatoire présentant les garanties scientifiques voulues et juridiquement accessibles à tous les pays. L’OAA se doit de veiller aux intérêts de la Communauté internationale, mais nous ne pensons pas qu’elle ait obligatoirement vocation à assurer elle-même la gestion physique des ressources en cause. Aussi, préférerions nous que la résolution mentionne que c’est le rôle de l’OAA de veiller à ce que les ressources phytogénétiques soient conservées dans des endroits présentant les garanties scientifiques voulues et juridiquement accessibles à tous les pays, mais sans aller audelà.
C’est pourquoi le mandat donné au Directeur général devrait se limiter à la présentation au Comité de d’agriculture, au COAG et au GSRAI, aux inventaires des banques de gènes existantes, aux évaluations, aux lacunes, aux problèmes juridiques et aux améliorations souhaitables. En effet, seul un inventaire complet des banques existantes et une évaluation des besoins des pays en développement peut permettre de choisir une solution appropriée.
Nous ne pensons pas qu’il doit être automatique qu’une Banque internationale soit créée en raison du coût extrêmement élevé d’une telle banque, comme l’a dit M. Bommer.
De plus, après une étude sérieuse du problème, il pourrait être décidé qu’il est totalement satisfaisant et réaliste d’améliorer les procédures actuelles des institutions existantes, sans créer une nouvelle banque qui serait très complexe et très onéreuse.
Nous souhaitons donc que la résolution se limite à demander au Directeur général d’étudier le problème, d’étudier les données existantes et l’amelioration possible. Toutefois, si le principe d’une nouvelle banque devait quand même être adopté, nous pensons que son fonctionnement ne pourrait être établi que sur une base exclusivement volontaire, notamment en ce qui concerne le dépôt de matériel. En outre, la délégation française ne saurait préjuger l’attitude ultérieure de notre pays en faveur de ce projet de banque.
G. IJIGU (Ethiopia): My delegation congratulates the delegation of Mexico for an excellent draft resolution. The delegation of Socialist Ethiopia has the duty and pleasure of supporting the theory and aim which is so clearly and correctly embodied in the draft resolution tabled by Mexico.
For our part, we have a rather well established genetic bank which we are determined to advance, both in terms of quality and quantity. We call for the strongest possible support for the idea of establishing a gene bank of international content under the aegis of FAO. We would stress the importance of seeing that FAO becomes the custodian so that genetic resources may be used for all humanity rather than as political tools, and so on, by a few.
I will be brief. We intend to come back to this highly important subject should opposition to the adoption of the draft resolution as presented by Mexico dictate a further debate.
We think monopolies should not be allowed to enter the arena of genetic resources of those of our countries who do not yet have gene banks.
J. GAZZO (Perú): Felicito muy sinceramente al hermano país de México que ha presentado un excelente proyecto fruto de su larga experiencia en el sector agrícola y de la capacidad de sus hombres. Sin embargo, quiero recalcar que ya ha habido varias reuniones en las cuales se ha tocado este punto. Yo recuerdo que debía asistir a una de ellas, del 6 al 10 de abril que hubo aquí en Roma y vino el Doctor Alexander Grobman. En esa Conferencia, el Doctor Alexander Grobman, con el grupo de México y con los latinoamericanos, ya tuvieron un proyecto, el cual, cuando ha sido publicado no aparece en los anales ni en ningún lado, parece que fue tamizado o quizás se ausentó a la hora final, pero este proyecto no aparece.
Posteriormente, a raíz del entusiasmo que generó esta reunión en Roma, del 28 al 30 de abril de 1961 sucede en Lima una reunión que se llama Reunión sobre Recursos Fitogenéticos de interés agrícola en la región andina. En esa reunión, los delegados de los países convinieron en que el intercambio de materiales de países y regiones se veía grandemente facilitado mediante el establecimiento de un banco intemacional, cuya sede podría ser la FAO o cualquier otra rama de las Naciones Unidas en que exista representación de la mayor parte de los países.
Dicho Banco contaría con un estatuto propio, garantizaría legislativamente los derechos de todos los países a acceder a los recursos fitogenéticos que hayan sido depositados libremente y, digo libremente, porque siempre en cualquier Banco se actúa libremente y no es bajo presiones que se depositan los recursos. Estos recursos serían depositados libremente por los países o instituciones públicas o privadas que así lo deseen. Esto contribuiría a evitar suspicacias y malentendidos, y aseguraría altruistamente la preservación de germoplasma para el beneficio actual y futuro de la humanidad. Recojo aquí las doctas palabras del Doctor Bommer que dice que en colecciones no debía tener una o dos, sino hasta tres, digamos con un sentido de preservacionista. Yo creo que lo que buscamos todos los países es la internacionalización de la materia de los recursos genéticos. Nosotros respetamos los bancos privados. Yo he sido beneficiario de mi país enormemente; por ejemplo, en la Four Collins, material que hemos pedido nos ha sido enviado; hemos tenido apoyos de bancos de germoplasma alemán, e incluso las GTZ nos han dado un fondo para un banco de germoplasma de lupinos, un recurso genético preincaico.
La idea es muy clara, al menos yo la veo muy clara. No es que este banco va a ocupar el lugar del otro banco, sino que va a complementar los aspectos que el otro banco no cubre. Por ejemplo, en el Reglamento del Four Collins se dice que el material genético que ingresa al Banco se vuelve propiedad federal. Eso es lógico, pero eso no cubre el aspecto que quiere este grupo que es que se vuelva propiedad internacional de todos.
Tengo entendido que a Perú nunca se le ha negado material; pero sí a otros países se les ha negado esta ayuda, incluso algunos países en vías de desarrollo que no dejan salir algún material. Nosotros lo que queremos es que esta valiosa arma de los recursos que nos da la naturaleza se use, que no haya el peligro de que en algún momento por alguna razón política se le niegue a algún país este recurso. Para eso estará este Banco. Si alguno de estos Bancos privados, no internacionales les niega el recurso al país equis, la FAO con este Banco de germoplasma sería una especie de seguridad para cuando un país no pueda llegar a un acceso genético, por razones respetables, pero que yo no comparto, tenga el acceso a esta materia. Lo que yo quisiera es que nuestros amigos de Noruega, Francia y Canadá entiendan y comprendan que no se trata aquí de ningún tipo de presiones que se quiera hacer con ese Banco. Lo que deseamos es que los recursos de la humanidad sean para toda la humanidad y que todos tengan acceso a este recurso.
Tengo la impresión de que esto viene a ser el adjetivo y lo sustantivo es que ese material sea internacional; eso no se opone a que otros países tengan el material que necesitan. Esto lo respetamos, coincidimos con esa idea, pero queremos tener la seguridad de que usemos más a la FAO para lo que es, un organismo nuestro, de todos nosotros; nos sentimos familia, hijos y parientes muy directos.
Por consiguiente, mi país apoya decididamente, con mucho calor, el proyecto de la distinguida delegación de México, ahora estoy hablando aparte del representante permanente de Perú; soy miembro del Grupo Consultivo Internacional de Investigación Agrícola (CGIAR), represento a América Latina junto con Costa Rica hasta diciembre de este año. Además soy miembro del Consejo Directivo del Centro Internacional de la Papa (CIP) y este problema de recurso genético, que es un problema que incluso para los que hemos sido formados en universidades de países desarrollados, nos han dado esta semilla en la importancia de los recursos genéticos y ahora estamos traduciendo lo que nos enseñaron los países desarrollados en un proyecto justo, en un proyecto que humaniza esta gestión, esta acción.
A los acuerdos internacionales les tengo miedo; los acuerdos de armamento los conozco y no se cumplen, entonces no prostituyamos la semilla, esta cosa maravillosa que nos ha dado la naturaleza, y si quiera eventualmente, pueda suceder que algún país le diga al otro: yo no te doy esas semillas por alguna situación política. Eso no debe suceder y estoy seguro que no va a suceder. Esto es una forma de que no suceda.
G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia) Sin duda ésta es una de las más valiosas iniciativas que se han presentado en esta Conferencia. Debo agradecer en particular al distinguido Embajador de Libia su interesante exposición, cuyo contenido facilita nuestra declaración.
Las reservas que algunas pocas delegaciones han expresado sobre este asunto, realmente no son valiosas, sobre todo cuando se dice que en caso de aceptar esta creación del Banco sería sobre base voluntaria. Obviamente eso está en el texto del proyecto de resolución, en el último de los considerandos, y en el párrafo primero de la parte expositiva se usan los términos libre y libremente. Nadie va a forzar a aquellos países que no lo deseen a que hagan los depósitos del caso.
Además, creemos también que es necesario hacer un análisis serio y profundo de la relación costo-beneficio para salir de este ambiente conformista que nos impide avanzar iniciativas tan valiosas como ésta, sólo porque cuestan dinero. Estamos seguros de que por la misma validez de esta iniciativa, se
obtendrán las fuentes de financiamiento. Tampoco podemos compartir las ideas de aquellas delegaciones que han afirmado que nos deberíamos limitar a manifestar que aunque la FAO se preocupe por que se conserven estos recursos, etc., todos sabemos que esta es una función de la FAO. Bastaría haber elaborado un proyecto de resolución incluyendo la constitución de la FAO.
No vamos a estas alturas a prolongar nuestra intervención, porque ya aquí se han expresado ideas valiosas y estamos seguros que a través de la reunión del COAG y del Consejo se consolidará esta iniciativa para discutirla ya en firme en la Conferencia de 1983.
P. ROSENEGGER (Autria) (original language German): Austria has always given great importance to the question of the storage of seeds, and the FAO activities in this field have always been supported by us without limitation. Certainly, there is no question in our mind - and here all speakers agree - that the storage of plant genetic resources is of great importance in this world. These genetic resources should be available to all countries. To this end we give our full support to the resolution before us. Certainly, there is no question that the obvious organization to implement the ideas contained in this resolution is the FAO.
However, and this was mentioned by the delegate from Norway, the implementation of these ideas does imply considerable financial expenditure. It therefore seems to us that it is only prudent that there should be proper coordination amongst existing important gene centres or banks or other important organizations. In this regard, therefore, we consider that the IBPGR, to which reference has been made several times, could provide a detailed report on existing activities in this sector. On the basis of such a report, the Secretariat of the FAO would later be able to carry out a preliminary inquiry as to whether, and in what organisational way, we could include existing centres and set up an international plant germplasm bank, to see whether this is at all possible. We ourselves would prefer this method and, in view of what Mr. Bommer said earlier about the many technical problems raised by the resolution before us, which would require to be resolved, the preliminary nature of the study which is being required from the Secretariat of the FAO should be made clear.
V. BEAUGE (Argentina): Voy a ser muy breve por cuanto ya se ha dicho aquí que el Grupo Latinoamericano apoya calurosamente esta propuesta. Argentina apoya esta propuesta presentada por la delegación de México, y en particular en lo que se refiere a su parte resolutiva, espera o va a esperar con interés los estudios y proyectos que preparará la Secretaría para ser considerados en 1982 y posteriormente en la 22a sesión de la Conferencia, que es la parte esencial de estos tres puntos de la parte resolutiva que contiene el proyecto de Resolución.
La distinguida delegación de España ha formulado algunas consideraciones y ha presentado algunas enmiendas de tipo formal, diría yo, que mejoran la redacción de alguna manera de este proyecto, y mi delegación quisiera formular su aprecio a esa contribución de la delegación de España, en lo que se refiere a reemplazar la palabra “elementos” por la palabra “proyectos”, en los tres párrafos de la parte resolutiva de este proyecto de Resolución.
CHAIRMAN: I have been informed by Mr. Bommer that there is a printing error in operative paragrah 3: the 7th Session of the Committee on Agriculture will take place in 1983, not 1982.
Ms. S.M. MAIER (Netherlands): The Netherlands delegation shares the concern of other delegations about the dangers of genetic erosion consequent upon agricultural development. Our Government has supported the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources from its inception and is impressed by its achievements with the means it has had available; but the Netherlands delegation supports the need for new initiatives as the funds available for genetic conservation appear totally inadequate. It is not, however, a matter of just assembling samples of genetic material for storage. A world-wide effort is required to help study genetic resources and their conservation in both natural and artifical conditions. A distinction should be drawn between reference solutions for plant breeding and maintaining overall genetic resources.
The FAO is advised to start taking initiatives, in cooperation with the International Board for Plant Genetic and existing banks, to develop a world-wide programme of action in connection with genetic resources. The proposal for a central gene bank and international agreement regulating the exchange of genetic material should be evaluated in the light of the overall study of the conservation of genetic resources.
A. ACUÑA (Panamá): Esta delegación ya ha tenido oportunidad de expresarse a favor de la propuesta de la distinguida delegación de México, en el sentido de que se establezca o se crea un Banco Internacional de Fitogermoplasma de interés agrícola dependiente de la FAO. Ha sido fundamentalmente valiosa en arrojar luces sobre el tema que discutimos, la excelente intervención del delegado de Libia así como la del delegado de Perú, en las cuales ellos han hecho gala de su experiencia como experimentadores agrícolas.
En esta oportunidad, la delegación de Panamá reitera el apoyo a esta propuesta de la delegación mexicana, y la hacemos, señor Presidente, por la importancia que la creación de ese Banco Internacional de Fitogermoplasma dependiente de la FAO tendría en cuanto a evitar un eventual problema de utilización de estos recursos como instrumentos de presión política y/o económica, tal como bien se señala en el párrafo 5 de la parte preambular de la Resolución propuesta.
Es por esta razón, que la delegación de Panamá propugna por la aprobación, por parte de esta Conferencia, de esta resolución conforme ha sido presentada por la distinguida delegación de México, con las modificaciones propuestas por la delegación de España, que en esencia, solicita al Director General de la FAO que prepare un proyecto para el establecimiento de un Banco Internacional de Fitogermoplasma, sin que esto entre en contradicción con las consideraciones, tanto técnicas como políticas, expuestas por el Sr. Subdirector General encargado del Departamento de Agricultura de la FAO, el Dr. Bommer.
M. TRKULJA (Yugoslavia): My delegation is also grateful to the delegation of Mexico for its initiative, and it is not a matter of courtesy on our part Mr. Chairman, because we strongly believe that this is one of the most essential areas, so we want to support, and emphatically support, the basic objectives and basic motives behind this resolution.
As you say, the main objectives are two, first to conserve this material or varieties, and second to guarantee the free exchange of and free accessibility to such material wherever it exists, meaning that it should not be related only to the public institutions but to private institutions as well, and that to that effect it should perhaps be amended to national legislation.
Mr. Chairman, as we understand the debate we feel that nobody opposes the idea of having a resolution, nor anybody opposes its basic trust. Indeed Mr. Chairman, we feel that an international convention with binding provisions is very necessary, and there is no doubt in our minds, please, that the Director-General in his study will find such a recommendation not only feasible but very necessary, and would be able consequently to present to COAG and the Council in two years’ time the draft of such a resolution.
The second issue, Mr. Chairman, is a bank, and we also feel that the two ideas are not of a substitute nature but they tend to complement each other. We are open minded, Mr. Chairman, and we must agree with what Libya and a number of other delegations have already stated. The Director-General should undertake a very total study and explore the feasibility of a bank if he feels that such an action is necessary to reinforce the basic objectives and the importance of the action intended to meet fully the two basic objectives.
Mr. Chairman we feel that since we all, it seems, at least agree that we need a resolution and that we welcome very much the Mexican initiative, it is my feeling that with very little extra effort and some more consultations we will also be able to fully agree on operative paragraphs on which we would then address the Director-General in clear terms, asking him I think first to study the idea of an international convention which is general and very broad, and secondly to examine and study thoroughly the feasibility for the establishment of an international bank. I will not go into it any further because we are aware of the complexity of the matter and the many vital aspects that need to be studied very carefully before any kind of decision is taken. As it is obvious now that we are unable to take any decision, even a decision in principle with regard to the need for an international convention, we would favour of course such an operative part of the resolution which would ask the Director-General to study both aspects, and to GOAG and the Council submit his proposals to the next Conference, and in two years’time we will be then able to study all matters involved and take final decisions. So Mr. Chairman we feel that perhaps some little more private consultations are needed before we come to the fully agreed text of the resolution. Thank you very much.
Y. KUROKOCHI (Japan): Since you may still have about half a dozen countries who wish to take the floor, I have decided to shorten my intervention. I should like to say on behalf of my delegation that my country is also in favour of the objectives which are contained and which are being promoted by the distinguished delegate from Mexico. We have taken note with much appreciation of’ the initiatives that Mexico and other countries sponsoring the idea have devoted to the formulation of this resolution.
However, when I heard the introductory remarks by the Assistant Director-General for the Agricultural Department I came to realize that the task which we are facing in connection with this resolution is really a gargantuan task and there are still so many things to be considered in order to put afloat this basic idea.
My delegation is also somewhat fearful that there may be possibilities of duplications between international organizations, international machineries, other international conventions and so forth. For instance if I may just record there exists a convention called International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants. So for all the members of FAO it should be necessary to minimize the possibilities of duplications so that the objectives that we commonly seek should be obtained without stepping upon other people’s toes and also making the most cost effective approach.
Also I have taken note of the intervention by the honourable delegate of France suggesting that there is much more room for making a whole list of organs, both national and international, which are providing information and also access to genetic resources, so my delegation is rather under the impression that the first thing we should do is to have a complete feasibility study in order to bring this idea to a fruitful conclusion. It is from this point of view that my delegation is tempted to agree with the amendments proposed by the delegate of the United States which says that operative paragraphs 1 and 2 should read more along the line of making feasibility studies.
Another thing I should like to say is in the preamble paragraphs there is one which refers to the political and/or economic pressure. I think this paragraph, although understandable, could be very controversial and my delegation suggests that it had better be removed. I think that is all that I want to make on behalf of my delegation.
M.S. SWAMINATHAN (India): The two studies proposed in this resolution introduced by Mexico are in our view exceedingly important and urgent, urgent because as Dr. Bommer already pointed out there are certain restrictive national policies, and compounding with this fact is the growing commercialization of plan breeding associated with the introduction of various forms of patent rights, and hence we would support this resolution calling for the two studies. I would only like to suggest a small amendment to operative paragraphs.
1. Requests the Director-General and so on, “an international bank of plant genetic resources” rather than “of orthodox seeds of agricultural interest” because sometimes it might be worthwhile maintaining the material in the form of celular tissue cultures or a given pool and therefore will not preclude in the study the possibility of maintaining this material in the most appropriate form.
Secondly, Mr. Chairman in operative paragraph 3, taking note of the intervention made by some of the distinguished delegates, I would like to suggest: “Requests the Director-General to present the studies prepared in consultation with the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources to the Committee on Agriculture.” This would take care, although it is quite obvious, FAO since it provides the Secretariat for the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources will take its help. We could make it explicit so that the ongoing facts are fully taken into account while preparing these two studies.
With these two small suggestions we would like to recommend this resolution for adoption because I think this common heritage should be preserved for the use of all concerned.
Sra. M.E. JIMENEZ (El Salvador): Seré sumamente breve considerando que ya se han vertido suficientes elementos de juicio que apoyan la importancia que de por sí tiene este. La delegación de mi país desea felicitar a la delegación de México por el magnífico trabajo realizado y la presentación del proyecto de Resolución que nos ocupa en esta oportunidad.
Consideramos la creación de un Banco Internacional de Fitogermoplasma como una cuestión de vital importancia para la conservación y uso de recursos tan apreciados que permitirán incrementar la producción agrícola y mejorar las condiciones alimentarias a nivel mundial. Por ello, nos unimos a los conceptos vertidos por el delegado de Ecuador que patentiza el sentir del Grupo Latinoamericano sobre este importante asunto, y ratificamos nuestro total apoyo a la resolución presentada y sugerida por la delegación de España en lo referente al reemplazo de la palabra “elementos” por “proyectos”.
Sra. L. ELIZONDO C. (Nicaragua): La delegación de Nicaragua desea expresar su más firme apoyo al proyecto de resolución que, sobre la creación de un banco de germoplasma bajo la custodia de la FAO, ha presentado a consideración de esta Asamblea la distinguida representación de Mexico.
Es de sobra conocido, Sr. Presidente, que los recursos tecnológicos han sido históricamente utilizados por los países que los poseen, como instrumento de presión política y como un recurso escaso, el cual no ha sido retribuido a los países en desarrollo en la misma proporción con que éstos han contribuido con sus recursos naturales a los países desarrollados.
Un gran número de nuestros países del tercer mundo, aun contando con el agua, el suelo, el clima y la fuerza de trabajo suficientes para lograr óptimos niveles de producción y productividad, nos encontramos con que los recursos tecnológicos necesarios y, en particular, los materiales fitogenéticos de alta calidad, que en su mayor parte han sido extraídos de nuestros propios países, se encuentran en manos de países desarrollados, algunos de los cuales están dispuestos a utilizarlos como instrumento de presión política.
Se ha mencionado que este banco de germoplasma presenta complicaciones operativas para su implementación y que vendría a duplicar esfuerzos que ya se están llevando a cabo. Se argumenta que un sistema que refuerce la coordinación sería suficiente. Sin embargo, Sr. Presidente, nuestra delegación opina que el problema de fondo no puede ser resuelto por la coordinación, ya que el problema crucial es precisamente que el material genético pertenece a todos los pueblos y que el sistema actual resulta insatisfactorio por tratar un material genético como una mercancía de propiedad individual y no como, ya se ha repetido en varias ocasiones, un patrimonio de la Humanidad.
Compartimos con las distinguidas delegaciones de Colombia y Perú la moción de que es necesario internacionalizar el material genético para garantizar el libre acceso de todos los pueblos del mundo, independientemente de raza, color e ideología, a estos recursos.
Consideramos que una resolución de esta naturaleza no puede ser rechazada en base a los costos que un proyecto como éste implicaría, cuando aún no se cuenta con ninguna cifra u orden de magnitud. Por lo tanto, proponemos e invitamos a aquellos países que han manifestado sus reservas por estas causas o que han manifestado estar de acuerdo con los objetivos, a que apoyen la moción de que se realicen los estudios de factibilidad para la realización de este proyecto y que, posteriormente, con los datos en la mano y con una mayor claridad de los costos y beneficios económicos que el banco representa, se tome la decisión final.
J.B. WARREN (United Kingdom): We too thank the Mexican delegation for bringing this very important topic to the attention of this conference. My delegation readily accepts the importance of conserving plant genetic resources and in much a way that they are readily available to plant breeders. We have listened carefully to Dr. Bommer’s introduction and are impressed by the sheer scale of the technical exercise implict in this proposal. Dr. Bommer referred to existing germplasm collections, as did the delegates of Canada and Norway. We believe that these collections are comprehensive and cover most major crops. There are good technical reasons why these should be concentrated in specific locations.
We believe that they are freely available as required.
Our problem is that until this Conference there was no indication that these existing arrangements were in any way inadequate. Therefore we agree with the delegate from Japan that this resolution should be rewritten as suggested by the delegate from the United States.
We should however like the study to cover two additional points. One is that the study should examine carefully the existing system in order to identify any weaknesses, either actual or potential. The second -and this schoes a point made by the delegate of Austria - is that the study should consider alternative ways of implementing the strategy which is the basic objective of this resolution.
A. TRAORE (Guinée): Ma délégation voudrait apporter son soutien au projet de résolution présenté par le Mexique parce qu’il soulève un problème d’une extrême importance pour assurer à long terme la sécurité alimentaire de manière efficace.
Il n’est pas utile de s’étendre sur l’importance de conserver et de disposer d’une gamme étendue de germoplasmes pour les nouvelles variétés à haut rendement qui soient également adaptées aux conditions économiques diverses. Il est par contre utile de rappeler que les principales ressources phytogénétiques des espèces se trouvent en zone tropicale dans le tiers monde. Malheureusement, les pays en
développement n’ont souvent pas les moyens de faire les recherches nécessaires sur le matériel phytogénétique pour l’inventorier et le stocker. Ces dernières années, sous le couvert d’organisations internationales diverses, et notamment de la FAO, il y a eu un effort important de collecte des germoplasmes en vue de les conserver. La collecte a eu lieu dans les pays en développement, et la conservation a lieu soit dans les pays développés soit dans les institutions contrôlées par les entreprises de ces pays.
Compte tenu du fait que la FAO, ses organes consultatifs, et certaines institutions qui coopèrent avec la FAO, comme le Conseil international des ressources phytogenétiques, sont concernés par le problème, ma délégation souhaiterait que la Conférence, à travers cette resolution, donne des directives au Directeur général de la FAO pour non seulement nous présenter un projet de création d’une banque international des gènes, mais en plus, un projet d’accord international portant non seulement sur la creation de cette banque mais en plus accordant des garanties visant à assurer les ressources gênêtiques qui ont déjà été collectées sous le couvert d’organisations internationales ou intergouvernementales, et celles qui vont être collectées et conservées par la suite par la banque international seront disponibles pour tous, sans restriction d’aucune sorte.
D. LUCO ECHEVERRIA (Chile): La delegación de Chile apoya el proyecto de resolución presentado por la distinguida delegación de México, por considerarle de gran interés y trascendencia mundial. Además mi delegación estima de importancia que la FAO prepare los documentos que se indican en el citado proyecto de resolución, pues ello permitirá a la próxima Conferencia pronunciarse de forma cabal sobre esta iniciativa.
J. ROWAN (Ireland): The subject we are discussing at the moment is one which is involved in most work relating to agricultural research and development since it is the basis on which plant improvement is carried out. I think that as most delegates are clear now, we are aware that FAO has been putting a lot of work into this area, closely associating its activities of recent years with the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources for which indeed it provides the Secretariat. I am aware that that work has gone on and is making considerable progress.
The fundamental difficulty that arises undoubtedly is the question of the funding of a variety of additional works that might be desired and where those resources are to be obtained. Clearly I think, as the Assistant Director-General pointed out, on the technical aspects one cannot conceive of proceeding to set up a bank or system which is independent of existing systems. They are developed and have been developed closely with the variety of research organisations that can help them. I am not aware that in the great majority of cases, indeed I cannot think of any one case where fundamental germplasm has been refused from these centres.
Clearly there is some worry in the minds of a number of countries and peoples, especially in the developing countries, that this may be so. If it is, then they know better than I do. But I would say that the most important thing that FAO must do in the immediate future, before we assemble in two years’ time, is to see how far they can go on getting an international agreement or convention in this area. I think there is already a large volume of information relating to the international networks. I am sure that at that stage you will be in a position to indicate clearly how that network is working, how much it must be assisted and where and what discussions must be added to it.
I think that is what the conference must direct itself to so that I am in full agreement with the principle and the purpose of this and I am glad that the delegation has brought it forward and that there has been such a wonderful discussion about it. But I think it is clear that we must move towards an understanding which is closer to that which the United States has suggested and indeed has also been indicated to some extent by the representative of Spain.
M. CALVO MATA (Costa Rica): Seré sumamente breve. La delegación de Costa Rica se une a las delegaciones que le han precedido para apoyar plenamente la creación de un Banco Internacional de Fitogermoplasma, órgano de interés agrícola que, bajo la administración de la FAO, garantizaría el libre acceso a todos los países del mundo desarrollado y en vías de desarrollo, sin limitación de carácter político o económico, y que contribuiría a aliviar enormemente los esfuerzos hechos por veneer el hambre y la malnutrición en el mundo. Deseo expresar en nombre de mi delegación la más sincera felicitación a la hermana República de México por la magnífica labor hecha en la presentación del proyecto para la creación de dicho Banco.
M. PHOOFOLO (Lesotho): Our gratitude is extended to the distinguished delegate from Mexico for his honourable proposal that an international plant germplasm bank be set up. This draft resolution calls for the universal protection and rational distribution of the genetic wealth of the earth and of course, everyone knows, like many other treasures, most of it will be found in the Third World. This draft resolution calls on this international organization, FAO, to assist in the establishment of a germ bank, which will be the common heritage of mankind, to be used freely by those who may need it. Up to now germplasm is kept in the places where access to it may be restricted at the discretion of those who keep it. It is fitting that it should be kept under the auspices of the natural body in which the Third World countries can have a say about when, how and to whom it should be given. We believe it should be given without prejudice for the benefit of all. Thus my delegation supports the resolution. In doing so we wish to warn that many problems that are vital for developing countries are often fraught with sabotage; delaying tactics and never ending studies after studies until nothing happens. We urge the Director-General to be very vigilant and ensure that this particular problem does not fall into the hands that may be tempted to cripple it.
Sra. R. MEDERO (Uruguay): Solamente para señalar el apoyo de la delegación de Uruguay al proyecto presentado y un apoyo muy decidido a la propuesta del Gobierno mexicano. Queremos también señalar nuestro acuerdo a las modificaciones propuestas por España, especialmente en la forma con respecto a la versión española, sustituyendo “elementos” por “proyectos”.
Mme E. LINER-MAMMONE (Italie): Jene pense pas avoir quelque chose à ajouter à ce qui vient d’être dit par les autres délégués. Le problème est très intéressant mais, pour le moment, je trouve quTil est encore très difficile de se prononcer.
R. BRUGGER (Suisse): La Suisse accepte le principe d’un échange libre des ressources génétiques entre tous les pays. La pratique existante démontre que ce principe est suivi par la plupart des pays détenteurs de banques de gènes. Nous sommes cependant conscients de la nécessité d’un système facilitant de tels échanges au niveau mondial et nous sommes convaincus que la FAO peut en effet jouer un rôle utile en promouvant la mise en oeuvre d’un système de communication entre banques de gènes existantes et utilisateurs potentiels.
Par contre, la création d’un centre de ressources génétiques par la FAO nous paraît peu réaliste. Elle ne créerait pas seulement de doubles emplois à des coûts prohibitifs mais rendrait plus difficile le fonctionnement et l’amélioration du système existant. Il nous paraît plus prometteur de nous engager davantage dans la direction d’une coordination des banques de gènes existantes, ainsi que le préconise le programme européen FAO/PNUD pour la conservation et l’échange des ressources phytogénétiques. Ce programme auquel nous avons l’intention de participer activement respecte le principe de l’universalité et tient compte, par conséquent, du souci exprimé dans la résolution qui nous est soumise.
G. LIEBER (Germany, Federal Republic of) (Original language German).: My delegation too is very grateful to the Mexican delegation for having raised this very important subject in the form of a resolution, and has brought this to the attention of our meeting. It has, therefore, made possible this very interesting debate. I can be brief, Mr. Chairman. All that my delegation has to say has, in fact, already been stated by the representatives of the Nordic countries, Canada, Japan and France.
Allow me, therefore, to put forward two ideas which are very important as far as we are concerned. First of all, the reference made by the representative of Canada to the danger of doubling up of efforts, and the less efficient use of resources which automatically derives from that. The second point was raised by the representative from Japan, who also referred to the danger of duplication of effort, and I think it is very important that before we try to set up a new system we should consider the question as to how the existing system, especially that for collecting and storing genetic material which already exists in my country as well, Chairman. How, therefore, in this sector could we provide better coordination, and I think there the FAO could play a considerable role, and especially how could we bring about better use of the existing institutions and, therefore, be more effective? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
B.E. PHIRI (Zambia): I wish to express our support to the resolution of the delegation of Mexico, and if possible would wish to see it strengthened, for example, by guaranteeing that developing countries benefit from the genetic resources of important food and agricultural plants growing within their borders. Such resources at the present time are collected in our countries, and taken for storage in germ banks in the industrialized countries, from which they are made available to breeders, often commercial breeders, in those particular countries. The developing countries often only have access to these genetic resources by paying heavily for them. We think that the only way to guarantee the rights of developing countries to the benefits to be derived from their own genetic resources is by way of an international agreement regulating the conditions of conservation and exchange of such resources and, above all, prohibiting restrictive practices limiting access to them. For these reasons, we believe that the Mexican resolution should call for a project, and we support the amendment by Spain to establish an FAO gene bank, and a project to prepare a draft international agreement. We feel that given the importance of genetic resources, and the agency created by their continuing loss, to request a study of the problem is not enough. We have heard what the distinguished delegate of Lesotho has said just now. We think that we should not have to talk about costs at this stage, that is to try to cross the bridge before we come to it. The preservation of genetic material is crucial for the very survival of mankind, and we believe that the sooner we start on the project preserving such material the better. If we keep postponing the issue the question of costs will become even more serious. If we do not take action now it does not mean that in five years time the question of finance will become any better. We think that instead of waiting, therefore, for such a time when the cost will become an even greater problem for us, we must begin spending the meagre resources that we have on something of substance, rather than on the studies that appear to be the norm of the day. Talking about studies, we do not think that this is the direction we should follow because a study in itself does not guarantee that when it is completed the project will start. FAO has said, for example, as in the past that about 17 to 18 percent of grain reserves would be required as a minimum safe level for food security. This has not been accepted, yet FAO had undertaken a study and came up to this. The study, for example, of Agriculture: Toward 2000, while we asked FAO, and while we commended the FAO for carrying it out, when the work was completed, we hear quite often in these same rooms delegates saying they cannot be bound by what is contained in Toward 2000, that was FAO’s study.
Yet another example, Chairman, is that the World Food Council at its Manila session indicated that about $8.3 billion at 1975 prices of external aid would be required to assist developing countries to increase food production to an agreed level of 4 percent. That has not been accepted up to this time.
I have just mentioned a few of these to show that a study does not in itself mean, or guarantee, that action is going to be taken, and we sit here now looking at this resolution. We are told that FAO must yet undertake another study.
We do not know whether, when that study is completed, the countries which are asking for it will eventually accept it and start implementing the project. Therefore, we submit that, in considering this resolution, we should consider taking tangible action rather than the amorphous sort of approach that we normally take in these fora of just talking about the study. We therefore strongly support the amendment that, instead of requesting the Director-General to prepare the elements, we should say that he should prepare the project. With whatever meagre resources, let us start moving. The important thing is to break the inertia. Once the project is set in motion. we believe that things will become a little better.
AMIDJONO MARTOSUWIRYO (Indonesia): First, I wish to congratulate the distinguished delegate of Mexico for having presented the resolution. My delegation shares the view that plant genetic resources are in danger of erosion and loss and is convinced that the establishment of an international germplasm bank is the right step to prevent the danger for the benefit of agricultural development and of all human beings.
Many previous speakers have spoken about many important points which support the establishment of this bank.
My delegation understands that in-depth studies should be made in advance. I believe that two years from now will give enough time to make the studies and preparation, and the Director-General will then be in a position to present the draft studies in 1983.
In the light of what I have heard stated, I appeal to the Commission to adopt the draft resolution presented by the delegation of Mexico.
O. RAMADAN (Tchad): La délégation du Tchad remercie le Mexique d’avoir tenu à soulever le problème relatif au materiel phytogénétique car cela concourt au développement agricole tant souhaité pour parvenir à l’autosuffisance alimentaire.
Au sujet des problèmes soulevés par certains délégués, je pense que la résolution proposée dit bien que le terrain doit d’abord être déblayé, c’est-à-dire préparé, sur les points techniques (matériel, financier) comme cela est demandé au Directeur général de la FAO.
Et cette banque internationale si, sous l’égide de la FAO, elle était créée, serait profitable aussi bien pour les pays en développement que pour les pays développés et le délégué du Pérou a bien vu le problème. Il a indiqué par exemple que les pays grands ou petits peuvent faire du chantage politique à propos de l’échange de matériel phytogénétique. Le délégué du Pérou a cité en exemple un pays du tiers monde.
Cette banque Internationale aura nécessairement à collaborer avec les institutions nationales et internationales déjà existantes, et surtout à créer des antennes, comme l’a bien vu le délégué de la Libye.
Si la masse monétaire des pays riches (cela s’entend aussi bien des pays développés que des pays en développement) si la masse monétaire des pays riches destinée spécialement à l’entretien des foyers de tension ou de conflits armés dans le tiers monde était détournée au profit de la création d’une éventuelle banque internationale de matériel phytogénétique, le problème serait résolu, et cela en un temps record.
Ce qui a pu troubler certains délégués, c’est peut-être le titre donné à la résolution. Si on avait dit tout simplement: Etude pour une possibilité de création d’une banque internationale de matériel phytogénétique, il y aurait eu moins de discussions dans notre Commission.
La délégation tchadienne soutient la résolution proposée par le Mexique.
CHAIRMAN: We have had 37 speakers this morning. I thank the distinguished delegates for the comprehensive way we have proceeded this morning, but it still leaves us with the resolution and it still leaves us with the manner in which we should approach it in order to find the wide consensus of the Commission.
I would suggest that you should use the break not only for a good lunch but also maybe for some thinking as to how we should proceed this afternoon in terms of the content of, and the approach to, this extremely important subject.
The meeting rose at 13.15 hours
La séance est levée à 13 h 15
Se levanta la sesión a las 13.15 horas
