LE DIRECTOR GENERAL: Mesdames et Messieurs les délégués, Excellences,Mesdames et Messieurs, j'ai, une fois de plus aujourd'hui, l'honneur de souhaiter la bienvenue aux éminents délégués de nos pays membres, parmi lesquels j'ai le plaisir de compter de nombreuses connaissances.
Je salue tout particulièrement les représentants des nouveaux pays qui ont demandé de se joindre à nous.
Ainsi réunis, vous êtes la FAO: l'Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture.
Votre présence témoigne de votre adhésion aux objectifs fondamentaux de notre constitution.
Votre mission est de représenter plus de 2 milliards d'hommes et de femmes, agriculteurs, forestiers et pécheurs.
Cette tribune est en quelque sorte la leur.
La Conférence de la FAO n'est pas seulement le sommet des Ministres de l'agriculture mais aussi le seul forum international où sont symboliquement représentés les agriculteurs du monde entier.
A travers les documents et les programmes que nous devons examiner, à travers nos débats techniques, il n'est pas facile de faire l'effort d'imaginer et de calculer les effets des politiques envisagées au niveau international sur ceux qui ont pour tâche de nourrir notre planète.
Dans ce monde l'écrasante majorité des paysans vivent dans un état de dénuement et de misère intolérables.
Même les statistiques toujours plus abondantes et plus précises, même les enquêtes sur le terrain menées avec des moyens de plus en plus sophistiqués semblent impuissantes à mobiliser l'action nécessaire pour y mettre fin.
Pourquoi la volonté politique d'améliorer le sort des populations rurales des pays en développement semble-t-elle faire cruellement défaut?
Mon propos n'est pas d'être pessimiste mais d'inciter à la réflexion: Et si notre difficulté à progresser résolument vers 1'éradication de la faim, vers l'instauration d'un système de sécurité alimentaire mondial venait de notre incapacité à mobiliser les agriculteurs?
Bien entendu les agriculteurs sont loin d'être les seuls partenaires dans la chaîne infiniment complexe qui détermine la production, la consommation, la distribution et enfin les échanges des produits alimentaires dans le monde.
C'est néanmoins avec eux et à travers eux que seront - ou non - exécutées l'essentiel des orientations politiques prises ici ou ailleurs.
Il est devenu courant d'invoquer la mobilisation des paysans des pays en développement indispensable à la réussite des projets les concernant.
Il y a sans nul doute fort à faire dans cette direction.
Mais n'avons-nous pas trop tendance à oublier qu'il faudrait aussi sensibiliser les producteurs des pays développés à la lutte contre la faim et la malnutrition dans le reste du monde?
Comment convaincre le paysan du nord que la conquête de ses droits et la défense de ses acquis ne sont pas sans effet sur le destin alimentaire de notre planète et parfois même sur le sort du petit paysan du sud ou du paysan sans terre?
Tant que le dialogue Nord-Sud demeurera l'apanage des hommes politiques et des spécialistes il risque fort de s'enliser dans l'échec.
Le nouvel ordre économique international, le nouvel ordre alimentaire resteront lettre morte aussi longtemps que le débat ne franchira pas les murs étanches des salles de conférence et des ministères.
Tel est le défi que nous devons relever.
Telle est aussi la finalité ultime de nos travaux.
La Conférence ne devrait pas se terminer au jours de sa clôture, mais inciter chacun des participants à rentrer dans son pays avec la mission de contribuer à lever les barrières qui interdisent de progresser vers une plus grande solidarité internationale.
Excellences, Mesdames, Messieurs,
C'est avec ce fervent espoir que j'ai l'honneur de déclarer ouverte la 22ème session de la Conférence de l'Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture.
Applause Applaudissements AplausosDIRECTOR-GENERAL: The first item on the Agenda is the election of the Chairman of the Conference.
In conformity with Rule VIII of the General Rules, the Council has nominated His Excellency John Rusling Block, Secretary of Agriculture of the United States of America, to be Chairman of the Conference.
Is this nomination approved by the Conference?
Applause
Applaudissements
Aplausos
I have the honour to declare that His Excellency Secretary John Block has been elected by acclamation to preside over this Twenty-Second Session of the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization.
I extend to Mr Block my most sincere and cordial congratulations on behalf of my colleagues and myself.
Mr Block was designated Secretary of Agriculture of the United States at the end of 1980.
It is a very high and important office in the greatest grain-producing country of the world.
Mr Block is an outstanding citizen of the State of Illinois, which is part of the heartland of America, being first among all the states of the Union in producing exports of agricultural commodities.
And Mr Block is himself a very successful farmer.
It is small wonder, therefore, that he has rendered distinguished service to Illinois' agriculture before assuming his present high federal office.
In 1969, he received the Outstanding Young Farmer Award of the United States.
In 1977 he was Director of Agriculture in Illinois.
In 1980 he received the Meritorious Service Award of the Illinois Cooperative Extension Service.
In 1978 and 1979 he led market survey and agricultural export teams to a number of Asian countries.
In 1980 he led a three-week people-to-people fact-finding mission to the USSR, Poland, Hungary, Austria and Switzerland.
And most recently he has negotiated a huge new grains deal with the USSR.
His qualifications for the task for which you have elected him are thus outstanding.
I must, however, warn you that in addition to his technical and political background, he is not only a physical fitness enthusiast and a runner in marathons in quasi-professional time, but also a graduate of West Point.
It might therefore be unwise to challenge either his vigour or his discipline in his conduct of the debates.
Of great importance to FAO, however, is the fact that it is the first time in the history of the Organization since its move to Rome that we have the honour of the Conference being chaired by a citizen of the United States, our largest contributor.
I regard this as a very significant milestone in the history of the Organization.
It is a testimony to the great support which the United States has given to the Organization since its creation in that country in 1945 and of the good relations which exist today, and which I am sure will continue to strengthen in the future, especially as at the same time we have the honour and the pleasure to welcome the appointment of the first US Ambassador to FAO, Ambassador Millicent Fenwick
Unfortunately, owing to the many commitments that Secretary Block has on behalf of his country, he will not be able to be with us all the time.
Nevertheless, while he is presiding I am sure that your debates will be conducted with great wisdom, skill and good humour,
I should like to assure you, Mr Chairman, that you can count on the complete collaboration of the Secretariat throughout the Conference, and I should like once more to congratulate you on the unanimous confidence which has been expressed today in your election by acclamation.
With these brief words, I have pleasure in inviting you to take the Chair of the Conference and handing over the gavel to you.
(Applause)
(Applaudissements)
(Aplausos)
Mr J.R. Block took the chair
M. J.R. Block assume la présidence
Ocupa la presidencia el Sr. J.R. Block
CHAIRMAN; Director-General Saouma, my fellow delegates, and friends,
It is with great pleasure that I accept the Chairmanship of this Twenty-second Conference of FAO. Your selection of me as Chairman is an honour both to my country and to me personally. I look forward to working with all of you during the course of this Conference.
Four decades ago representatives of 44 countries gathered in the United States at a small town in the hills of Virginia. They met to consider how to achieve "freedom from want in relation to food and agriculture". They were living in a world far different from the one we live in today. It was a world at war. Millions were suffering and starving.
The men and women who met at Hot Springs, Virginia came together in the hope that such horror would one day be eliminated. They pledged their nations to create "a permanent organization in the field of food and agriculture" that would be a focal point for international efforts to end hunger.
Much has changed since FAO was first conceived. A hundred new nations have been born and world population has nearly doubled. But the fundamental goals of this organization have not changed. FAO has more than tripled in size to 152 members since its formal founding in 1945, but it is still Working to achieve "freedom from want".
Reaching our goal of an end to hunger and malnutrition will not be easy. Read the report of the Hot Springs Conference today, and you will be struck by how many of the problems of 1943 still persist in the world of 1983. Our world has changed in some remarkable ways, but in others it has not.
After 40 years, it seems proper for us to review our efforts to bring an end to hunger and malnutrition. What have we accomplished? Where have we succeeded? Where have we failed?
FAO calculates that the average consumption of calories per person has in fact increased since 1960. That is a remarkable feat given the rapid climb we have seen in world population.
In most developing countries, the average amount of food produced per person has risen steadily since the 1950's, in spite of the fact that population has almost doubled. We have seen some good progress in Latin America, though the situation in the Andes is causing us great concern. There has also been substantial progress in East Asia.
Unfortunately, the food problems in Africa are tragic, particularly now, in this second year of severe drought. Per capita food production has been declining for some time, largely due to population growth.
Drought has now created a serious food emergency in Africa. Farmers in 23 countries with 225 million people face adverse conditions for production. About 9 million people face serious nutritional threats and starvation is occurring in some regions. The crisis in sub-Saharian Africa presents a clear challenge to us all.
So there can be no doubt that we still have a long way to go in our battle to end hunger. Nearly a half billion people are severely undernourished - this is a terrible measure of suffering.
How can we do better? Our answer to that question Will determine whether or not this Conference and this Organization are successful.
We must be forthright in our discussions and consider both the economic and political barriers to overcoming hunger.
We must be practical and focus on what has a chance to work.
And we must be optimistic and creative to get the food production and distribution we need.
Time and again experience has demonstrated that good programs involve a government that cares about its people and is prepared to work with other countries on a basis which respects the individual farmer. There will be no solid or permanent progress unless our programs are based solidly on the talents and determination of the individual farmer.
Many of us here have worked the land ourselves and know the challenges of producing food and fiber. I suggest we keep those challenges in mind in all we do here in this conference
We can be guided in our work by the following ideas set forth at the Hot Springs Conference:
1. The first cause of hunger and malnutrition is poverty.
2. The primary responsibility lies with each nation for seeing that its own people have the food needed for life and health.
3. Freedom from want is difficult to achieve without concerted action among like-minded nations.
These thoughts can still give us direction as we seek to end the hunger and malnutrition that afflict So many. If our work in this conference reflects them, we will move closer to our goal of "freedom from want of food" for all.
Before starting the proceedings of the Conference, it gives me great pleasure to inform you that I have been handed a message from the Prime Minister of Italy, Dr Bettino Craxi. His message was transmitted to me by your Director-General, and I find it a most heartening sign of the good relations existing between FAO and the host government.
It gives me great pleasure to ask the Assistant Secretary-General of the Conference to read it.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL: This is the text of the message:
"Mr Chairman, I should like to extend my warm and heartfelt wishes for a successful Session to you, to' the participants in the FAO Conference and your Director-General, Dr Saouma. This session will again seek ways of eradicating poverty, malnutrition and underdevelopment, an aim which free societies have been pursuing for some time but which has remained elusive, despite the appreciable progress made. For this, we must broaden the scope and range of activities. For this, everything we do must be more efficient and better coordinated with full awareness of the grave human, social, political and economic consequences of the agonising drama of hunger.
The Italian Government will continue to give its active support in the form of technical and financial resources to the solution of the world food problem. The flow of aid which Italy is increasingly providing to reduce the gap in wealth between North and South and especially to meet the food and agricultural needs of the emerging countries will be further strengthened.
We recognize the importance of the role of FAO in the performance of this task, and the valuable contribution the Organization has been able to make to alleviate the problem of hunger.
Italy is proud to be host to this Organization as well as to the other agencies working in Rome in the food and agriculture sector. The Italian Government, which has already made efforts to provide these bodies with conditions enabling them to carry out their important tasks efficiently, will continue in its endeavours to facilitate their work even more." That is the end of the message.
CHAIRMAN: Paragraph 1 of Rule VIII of the General Rules of the Organization provides that the Nominations Committee shall propose to the Conference candidates for the three posts of Vice-Chairman of the Conference, the seven Member Nations of the General Committee of the Conference required under paragraph 1 of Rule X of the same General Rules and the nine members of the Conference Credentials Committee as laid down in paragraph 3 of Rule III of the General Rules. The Nominations Committee which is to make these proposals was elected by the FAO Council at its Eighty-fourth session held from 1 to 3 November, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 5 (b) of Rule XXIV of the General Rules of the Organization.
This Committee met on Friday 4 November, and drew up its recommendations for the posts just mentioned.
I shall now ask the Chairman of the Nominations Committee, Mr Bula Hoyos of Colombia, to place before the Conference the nominations agreed to by this Committee, starting with the three Vice-Chairmen of the Conference.
G. BULA HOYOS (Presidente, Comité de Candidaturas): Sr. Presidente, Sr. Director General, Sres. Ministros, Delegados y Observadores: el 84° período de sesiones del Consejo que concluyo el jueves pasado, eligió como miembros del Comité de Candidaturas a los siguientes once países: Ghana -Madagascar; Indonesia - Japón; Arabia Saudita; Estados Unidos de América; Países Bajos - Polonia; Nueva Zelandia; Argentina y Colombia-.
Mis compañeros de Comité me hicieron el honor de elegirme Presidente.
A nombre del Comité, me permito presentar por su conducto, señor Presidente, a la Conferencia, las siguientes propuestas:
Para vicepresidentes de la Conferencia:
Su Excelencia Sr.He Kang, Ministro de Agricultura de China.
Su Excelencia Sr.Demetrios Christodoulou, Ministro de Agricultura de Chipre.
Su Excelencia Sr.Javier Gazzo Fernández-Dávila,Embajador y Representante Permanente ante aFAO
de Perú.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you,Mr Bula Hoyos. You have just heard the proposals of the Nominations Committee in respect to the three Vice-Chairmen of the Conference. Any there any objections? If there are none I will consider these proposals adopted.
Adopted
Adopté
Aprobado
CHAIRMAN: We will proceed now to item 2 of the provisional agenda, the Appointment of General Committee and Credentials Committee. I will ask the Chairman of the Nominations Committee to proceed with his report and let us have the Committee's proposals for the membership of the General Committee.
G. BULA HOYOS (Presidente, Comité de Candidaturas): Para miembros del Comité General proponemos los siguientes siete países: Senegal, India, República Federal de Alemania, Brasil, Estados Unidos de América, Pakistán y Nueva Zelandia.
CHAIRMAN: You have just heard the nominations of the seven Member Nations to be elected to the General Committee. Are there any objections? If there are none I consider the seven Member Nations to be duly elected to serve on the General Committee of the Conference.
Adopted
Adopté
Aprobado
I now call again on the Chairman of the Nominations Committee for proposals concerning the Credentials Committee.
G. BULA HOYOS (Presidente, Comité de Candidaturas): Para miembros del Comité de Credenciales pro‐ponemos los siguientes nueve países: Tanzania, Benin, Tailandia, República Dominicana, Túnez, Estados Unidos de América, Austria, Hungría y Tonga.
CHAIRMAN: You have just heard the Nominations Committee's proposals as regards the nine Member Nations which compose the Credentials Committee. Are there any objections? If there are none I will consider these nine Member Nations duly appointed to constitute the Credentials Committee of this Conference.
Adopted
Adopté
Aprobado
CHAIRMAN: The General Committee should meet as soon as possible to consider matters pertaining to the arrangements for the Conference, in particular the General Committee who have to make proposals to the Conference on the adoption of the Agenda, the allocation of agenda items to the various Commissions, the admission of Observers and the election of new Member Nations. The General Committee should report to the Plenary of the Conference on all these matters at 15.00 hours this afternoon.
I propose therefore to adjourn this first Plenary Meeting of the Conference forthwith and request the General Committee, that is the three Vice-Chairmen of the Conference and the seven Member Nations just elected to it, to meet with me in the King Faisal Room on the second floor of Building D immediately after the closure of this meeting.
I want to express appreciation to the Chairman of the Nominations Committee for his effort and to all of the members who served on the Nominations Committee. The Credentials Committee will also hold its first meeting now. It will convene in the Sudan Room on the third floor of Building B. This completes our agenda this morning.
The meeting rose at 10.45 hours
La séance est levée à 10 h 45
Se levanta la Sesión a las 10.45 horas
