Bernardo PALESTINI (Italy): The papers we have in front of us constitute a comprehensive and valid report of the progress made in the implementation of the WCARRD Programme of Action and FAO's programme direction on the role of women in rural development. I should like to focus attention on some points in the report, with particular reference to the experience gained in this sector by my country.
On part-time farming, the Council of Europe promoted in May 1987 a working session on pluriactivity in agriculture. Italy was present at the meeting, which enhanced the possibility of exploiting agricultural census for collecting data on the subject. In Italy, national exploitation of existing agricultural census has been able to provide the following data: the percentage of output from our pluriactive farmers on the building up of GDP; their return per hectare and per working day; the part of GDP which comes from farms which do not employ active workers for more than 200 days in a year.
On access to land and changes in land tenure, the effects of farm fractioning on rural development are known and partially criticised by those who emphasize rural mobility and reassemblement of small farms as a factor of higher productivity in agriculture. In Italy, medium size farms, expressed in hectares of arable land, according to the average data of the 1970 and 1982 census, amount to 4.9 hectares. Moreover, whilst in the northern regions there is a tendency towards farm concentration, the trend is the opposite in the southern areas.
Title of possession -ownership, tenancy - is partly responsible for the lack of mobility encountered in farmlands in the sense that there is seldom economic convenience towards other forms of farm exploitation which differ from the binomium farmer-proprietor, especially where, as is the case in Italy, rents of farmlands, as of households, are determined by law.
Farm immobility does not necessarily mean economic stagnation. In the cattle sector, there has been quite a large concentration in recent years. While in 1970 cattle farms in Italy amounted to over 960 000, in 1982 there were only 50 000 farms, owning 90 percent of the total amount of cattle. The same thing happened in regard to pig breeding. In 1982 55 000 farms controlled 8 million pigs against 4.2 million in 1970.
With regard to technical assistance, in the FAO meeting of ECA, held in Spain in October 1986, on the role of women in the rural family and in farm development, the main trend was to conceive a global approach to farm management. Technical assistance should not be limited to advice in choosing the best crops and in directing market opportunities, but should enter into the decisionmaking of the rural family itself. For Italy, and for other countries as well, this kind of approach seemed too binding. The best way to help the rural family, in our opinion, is to provide the necessary information to enable the farmers to decide for themselves.
with regard to the role of women in rural development, the new Italian law on cooperation gives notable importance to women and development. The initiatives in favour of women in developing countries are seen not only as an object to pursue through the financing of specific projects but also as a parameter to consider in both bilateral and multilateral programmes. In this regard, the above-mentioned law establishes an office under the General Directorate for Development to deal exclusively with the problem of women and development.
Full participation of women in the process of social development of their own countries was the object of the UN Decade for Women, which ended with the Nairobi Conference in July 1985.
The studies, research and proposals that have been made to this end clearly show that this is an ambitious goal and not an easy one to pursue. In fact, woman as a social subject still remains confined in a small and poor space, in which her potential expresses itself in elementary terms. In addition, the problems of hunger and development have a major influence on those who are socially and politically weakest. We are talking of a condition that, if not dealt with, would exact from women a terrible price, springing from poverty, illness, suffering and exploitation. Italy has very clearly given her support to this line, at the Nairobi Conference, approving the forward looking strategies for the advancement of women to the year 2000 and requesting donors to sustain developing countries in their efforts to establish political lines and specific projects for the improvement of the conditions of women.
Accordingly, the recent Italian law on cooperation and development contains the new tendencies concerning integration of women in the development process, prescribing that Italian cooperation projects must be finalized to improve the quality of life of women and children and to support promotion of women. To obtain these objectives, the recipient countries should promote political lines for: improving the laws concerning the legal status of women; creating the proper conditions to increase the productivity of women, granting them full salaries and allowing them to control their own income; improving access of women to production resources; improving the health conditions of women.
On the other hand, when establishing new projects, it is necessary to take into account the fol-lowing requirements: to increase the possibility of women's education and particularly of rural women and of those who belong to the poorest suburban areas; to provide them with elementary services, such as water, housing, health schemes, schools, etc.; to promote their economic independence; to improve the quantity and quality of food; to help them in a more rational organization of domestic labour; to advise them on health and sanitary problems; and to establish and improve women's associations.
Naturally, programmes and projects which are directed principally towards women must not be studied separately, but in a global view at a national and regional level. We should try, whenever possible, to integrate all these actions in a unique project or as a component of a larger project directed to the whole population.
Last, but nonetheless important, is the training of personnel and project leaders who have to deal with the promotion of women. We are well aware of it and have taken the necessary steps.
Mrs Joan DUDIK-GAYOSO (United States of America): The United States appreciates the detailed and thoughtful report contained in document C 87/19. Despite all the acknowledged limitations of the data, this report gives us a wide-ranging, if not completely comprehensive picture of what has been achieved over the past eight years. It is a good piece of work.
The 1979 Conference took place as the world absorbed the impact of oil price crises of the 1970's. It also reflected the lessons of earlier development efforts, the importance of grassroots initiatives, the unreliability of policies oriented towards growth alone as a means of alleviating poverty, the fundamental role of agriculture as an engine of broad-based economic progress and the need for explicit attention to specific target groups like women, small farmers and landless rural labourers.
The goals and objectives of that period are no less valid today, even though, as this progress report shows, our ability to achieve them has been limited.
The years since the Conference in 1979 have reminded us vividly of additional lessons; for example, macro-economic policies at the national level have a decisive role in the success of programmes aimed at growth with equity. Beneficiary oriented policies are inadequate in themselves to provide sustained alleviation of poverty. Policies which reduce incentives or distort real economic costs misallocate resources and can undermine even the best planned and best supported programmes. Governments must improve the arrangements they make to assure the sustainability of essential but costly social programmes. These governments cannot bear the costs alone, beneficiaries should bear at least some of the cost of financing these services.
Countries confronted with chronic food shortages and malnutrition among their populations must develop comprehensive strategies which go beyond agricultural production to include the issues of access to food supplies and purchasing power. Finally, environmental and developmental issues are intertwined and effective long-term development policies must include environmental concerns.
Without any doubt, the recent international economic climate has taken its toll. On the other hand, some of the problems regarding, for example, land tenure, women's access to land and the allocation of public expenditures to agriculture and rural development are domestic and of much longer standing. We believe that despite the limits of the international economic climate, many more governments could have followed the example of the few who chose to take bold initiatives.
In this context, my delegation would like to express its appreciation to these members who provided detailed information to FAO. The type of specific examples included in this document can serve as useful models to all.
The report's conclusion that thus far policies have not been adequate to deal with the need for employment is valid and very worrisome. The need to find a means of livelihood for the growing rural population must be an essential focus of attention in the years to come. We would encourage FAO to work with interested governments and other donors on developing innovative, broad-based, balanced economic development strategies referred to in the document.
Regarding land ownership, agrarian reform and access to land, on which progress has been slower than one might have wished, my government believes that the use of market as opposed to administrative mechanisms is the most propitious means to ensure economically efficient and equitable distribution of land holdings.
Many countries have made significant progress in slowing the rate of growth of their populations. Nevertheless, as the document makes clear, in many others, population increases continue to outpace the ability to provide minimal acceptable standards of living for their populations. It remains essential that population planning be integrated into national planning, including the planning aimed at achieving the objectives of the WCARRD.
There are several places in the document which touch in one way or another on the issues of subsidies: for inputs, for example, or as lower than market interest rates for credit. My delegation would counsel caution here. Subsidies must be seen as short-term and their phase out planned as carefully as their use.
I am reminded of one country whose substantial accomplishments are referred to in this report where subsidies for fertilizer alone at one time accounted for three-quarters of the agricultural ministry's budget. There was very little room for that government to undertake new initiatives, or respond to new needs. Subsidies can create unhealthy and ultimately too costly dependence. They distort the real economic costs of production and consumption.
My delegation believes an inherent part of FAO's role is to help governments analyse the impacts of and alternatives to long term use of subsidies.
The special section on women is well done and provides a useful picture of what has been accomplished - and how much more needs to be done. Broad-based development will be achieved only when the needs and role of women are explicitly taken into account in all development efforts, FAO, as others have said already earlier today, is in a position to be a leader in conceptualizing approaches to the issues of women's involvement in agriculture and rural development.
We would like to see the assessment mentioned in paragraph 36 on page 85 on the effectiveness of TAO projects involving women. We call on FAO as an institution to take to heart the statement on page 76 that the extent of women's integration will depend ultimately on the extent to which other technical units are sensitized, trained and equipped and the extent to which women in development issues are integrated into all development planning and programming.
More work tike the case studies mentioned in paragraph 35 which looked at projects in which women apparently unexpectedly have became involved, must be done. We count an FAO having the initiative to do so. By the way, FAO might next consider looking at women's projects in which men have unexpectedly become involved, such as certain community development projects in Thailand and the Philippines. Surely, there are also lessons to be learned there.
In Dr Moreno's introduction, he indicated that FAO had projects directed toward women as well as women's components in other projects. Perhaps it is only a matter of semantics, but my delegation would not consider projects for women or projects with women's components integrating the issues of women's needs and roles equitably into development programming. How do projects approach facts such as the following which research has shown to be the actual case in one country? The husband decides how much of the crop to sell, but the wife decides what type of seeds to plant. He determines the purchase and use of chemical fertilizer; she the use of organic traditional fertilizer. These are the types of real questions project design must take into account and they are not addressed by women's projects or women's components of projects.
We look forward to discussing the Nordic Resolution mentioned by Sweden yesterday and would expect it to provide guidance TO FAO along these lines. We believe that these necessary activities can and should be funded from within FAO's existing resources. The role of women is not a marginal issue, it is an integral part of agriculture and rural development and should thus be part FAO's programmes.
Regarding the Secretariat's proposals that the reporting on this issue should be less frequent, we sympathize with the problem of showing much change over a four year period. Like others, we would nevertheless be reluctant to have a less frequent comprehensive report. After all, what we are measuring is progress since 1979. Four years from now will mean that we shall be measuring progress of more than a decade since the 1979 Conference. The objectives of the plan of action are too important to receive no comprehensive review for eight years. They are at the centre of FAO's concerns as an institution. The document might be somewhat shorter, to avoid repetition and duplication with other documents. On the other hand, we recommend that future reports devote greater attention to natural resources and their use, agricultural research and improved appropriate technologies.
We find the Secretariat's proposal for a deeper look at specific themes to be a good one. We would therefore suggest that consideration of such themes take place every four years in the Conference years between the comprehensive reviews.
Moses Mike MUKOLWE (Kenya): The Kenyan delegation commends the Secretariat for again compiling this second progress report on WCARRD Programme of Action, including the role of women in rural development. We take the opportunity to thank Dr Moreno for his presentation.
An eight year periodicity is suggested instead of four and my delegation has some difficulty in supporting the proposal. Monitoring and evaluation is a vital tool for decision-makers, to help chart the next course of action. Eight years may be too late in relation to the subject matter involved; poverty is associated with malnutrition, hunger and, at the extreme, death. The situation is gloomy in some regions and calls for very close monitoring.
The six broad chapters of C 87/19 have summarized the analysis of events from the 50 countries which submitted their report and this is an arduous yet very important job. In Kenya we are in the process of preparing the sixth five-year National Development Plani. This facilitates the incorporation of recommendations made in our plan.
Referring to a document to come before us, Agriculture: Toward 2000, we find that nutrition is mentioned as being central to our debate. I would Like to make an observation in passing on document G 87/LIM/16, paragraphs 52 to 54 which are on population and nutrition. I feel very strongly that in this area we should have emphasized the question of safe food production and safe food utilization. The nutrition section there could be expanded because we have not mentioned a lot more on the utilization of food by the producing agents.
My country was one of those which submitted a report so I need not labour the number of issues which are contained in the document. We share the views expressed by Japan and the Netherlands earlier on statistical or data collection to facilitate the analysis of socio-economic indicators for which training must be pursued at all levels including the many energy uses engaged in this field.
In the African family set-up, the division of labour was paramount in the past except that in these days of socio-economic pressures, by nature the man is in employment and the women and children stay at home or remain in the rural areas. Any stress caused by the national and international policy changes or decisions go up to a family unit whose members are engaged in the production of goods and services and are also consumers. Poverty is the sum total of all the disparities created by policies pursued nationally and internationally.
As pointed out elsewhere, farmers sometimes celebrate, particularly in my country where we have coffee and tea. If the prces are good, they celebrate, but if on the international markets they are depressed then there is a very depressed family.
As co-sponsors, we support the draft resolution proposed by the Nordic countries on increased integration of women in development as laid down by the forward-looking strategy in Nairobi.
Document C 87/LIM/16, Women in Agriculture and Rural Development, FAO's Programme Directions, reinforces the information contained in C 87/19. What remains is to turn directions into actions or realities. FAO could play a great role, as cited at paragraph 18, with the inter-agencies named and even others not named. Rural development parameters are wide, and if not well coordinated can only cause confusion. The final say is with the recipient government and how the four "i's" can operate.
Jaime GARCIA BADIAS (España): Siguiendo sus indicaciones, voy a procurar ser breve en mi exposición para favorecer, de esta forma el desarrollo del debate.
En el documento elaborado por Secretaría, se nos proporcionan unos datos que continúan preocupándonos profundamente. En resumen, hay dos aspectos que consideramos deben ser muy tenidos en cuenta.
Por una parte, el escaso porcentaje del gasto público que muchos países dedican a la agricultura. Por otra, la constatación de los siguientes hechos: la dificultad por la mujer del acceso a la tierra, la dificultad de acceso al crédito, la escasa implantación de la mujer en el ámbito de las cooperativas.
Ante estos hechos, que además tienen difícil solución por las connotaciones jurídicas, religiosas, políticas, sociales y económicas que concurren, pedimos a los países que todavía han avanzado poco, atiendan estos aspectos, y estimamos que la FAO, además debe dar prioridad a proyectos que vayan dirigidos en este sentido.
Creemos muy interesante la sugerencia de dedicar agentes de extensión agraria dirigidos específicamente a la mujer rural y a su entorno social, incluida la economía doméstica. En nuestro país, esta experiencia ha dado magníficos resultados y hemos colaborado en proyectos que en este aspecto se han realizado en América Latina.
Es cierto que el problema debe estudiarse en el contexto general. No podemos olvidar que todavía hay países en los que más de dos tercios de la población rural no tiene acceso a la tierra.
No disponemos de demasiado tiempo, y por eso vamos a limitarnos a apoyar los documentos, y muy en concreto los párrafos 43 a 54 del documento LIM/16, así como los cuatro párrafos dedicados a conclusiones. Pero nos gustaría que no se quedasen en buenas intenciones sino que se les diese la prioridad necesaria para lograr un máximo de eficacia en el tiempo y en los proyectos, mediante lo que no-sotros definiríamos como un Programa de Formación Integral. Y nos permitimos sugerir y apoyar los Servicios de Extensión y Capacitación Agraria, dirigidos a la mujer, no sólo en los temas de producción sino en los del entorno social.
Finalmente, creemos que el gran reto de la FAO es lograr superar las desigualdades jurídicas de la mujer y la formación. Mientras no se demuestre lo contrario, es el mejor sistema.
Asefa WOLDEGIORGIS (Ethiopia): The document under discussion has adequately summarized a number of important rural development issues relative to the WCARRD Programme of Action. My delegation associates itself with most of the proposals put forward in this document.
In assessing agricultural performance, particularly at national level, the report covers a selective range of general issues and problems surrounding rural development. In view of the complex nature of these problems, which do not lend themselves to short-term measures, and considering the difficulty of obtaining adequate data in time for critical examination of the performance in agriculture, as specified in the report, and then to come up with valuable practical suggestions, we support the recommended WCARRD future reporting cycle proposed by the Secretariat, with an in-depth analytical report every four years.
With regard to people's participation in rural development activities at the grass root level, agrarian reform, access to land and other means of production to women, access to credit facilities, training and other production inputs, we trust that we have followed WCARRD recommendations in my country. An appropriate environment is created to enable women to participate fully in the social, economic and political life of the country and to reduce their economic dependence. Correspondingly, this has also laid down excellent grounds for effective utilization of techinical assistance and package extension services for conservation of natural resources and rural progress.
With regard to integration of women in rural development and agrarian reform in my country, my delegation has made available some documents at the documentation desk for those who wish for more information and would like to have copies. With that in mind I do not intend to go into further detail.
Finally, the Ethiopian delegation supports the resolution put forward this morning with regard to women's rights and roles in development.
Sra. María Eulalia JIMENEZ (El Salvador): Deseo en primer lugar, expresar mi reconocimiento y agradecimiento al Sr. Moreno Rojas por la excelente presentación del tema que nos ocupa. Tenemos ante nosotros un documento muy completo y detallado, y felicitamos a la Secretaría por su elaboración.
Con relación al documento 87/19, mi delegación comparte las recomendaciones contenidas en la parte b): "Cuestiones y recomendaciones de política", especialmente las contenidas en los párrafos 46: "Seguimiento y evaluación", 48: "El papel de la mujer en el Desarrollo Rural", y 52: "Pobreza Rural y Medio Ambiente".
El documento que estamos examinando, nos demuestra la forma atenta y eficiente con que la FAO ha dado seguimiento a las cuestiones relativas a la reforma agraria y el desarrollo rural. La FAO es sin duda alguna, la única Agencia de las Naciones Unidas que ha dado un seguimiento ordenado y un apoyo adecuado a los países en este importante aspecto. Hay mucho que hacer todavía en el campo de la reforma agraria y el desarrollo rural. Tenemos que mejorar los resultados obtenidos en la aplicación del Plan de Acción.
Por ello, la delegación de El Salvador estima que debe darse a la FAO todo el apoyo necesario para que continúe con esta cortante labor. En ese sentido, respaldamos plenamente los conceptos contenidos en el párrafo 54: "Asistencia técnica conexa de la FAO".
Con relación a la propuesta contenida en el párrafo 55, la delegación de mi país no comparte la idea de que se presente un informe cada ocho años. El mundo en que vivimos exige cambios adecuadas y oportunos, y esa oportunidad podría perderse con un período tan largo como son ocho años. Preferiríamos se continúe presentando el informe de los progresos y problemas encontrados en la aplicación del Programa de Acción cada cuatro años.
En este sentido, apoyamos lo mencionado por la delegada de Panamá esta mañana sobre la conveniencia de simplificar la metodología y términos de referencia de la información que se solicita a los países. Debe presentarse siempre un análisis pormenorizado de un determinado tema. A este respecto, nos gustaría que la Secretaría preparara un informe sobre la situación general de los jóvenes en la aplicación del Programa de Acción de la Conferencia Mundial, informe que tal vez podríamos analizar con el próximo informe de progresos.
Varias delegaciones han manifestado su preocupación sobre este tema en el curso de los debates de esta Comisión. Paso brevemente al documento 87/LIM/16, el cual nos permite ver lo que la FAO está haciendo en relación a la integración de la mujer en la agricultura y el desarrollo rural. Aprovecho la oportunidad para expresar mi reconocimiento a la labor que lleva a cabo la Dra. Ruth al frente del Servicio de la Promoción de la Mujer en la Producción Agrícola. Nos gustaría, sin embargo, que más que un Servicio fuera una Dirección la que se ocupase de las cuestiones de la mujer en la FAO, y que contáramos con más mujeres a nivel direccional.
Con relación al párrafo 25 del documento anteriormente mencionado, preferimos el segundo enfoque, o sea el que propone que la mujer sea parte integral de proyectos de contenido más amplio.
Es importante que se reconozca la necesidad de incorporar los problemas de la mujer y la participación de ésta en todos los programas y proyectos de la FAO. No nos agrada la idea, señor Presidente de elaborar proyectos especiales como si la mujer fuese un ser extraño. Este puede haber sido el primer paso, pero debemos pasar a su total integración. Apoyamos en este sentido la parte final del párrafo 25.
Lamentamos la información contenida en el párrafo 27. Creemos que deben incrementarse notablemente los proyectos que contengan componentes relacionados con los problemas de la mujer.
Apoyamos el párrafo 30 en cuanto a la necesidad de seguimiento y evaluación. Es lamentable que tengamos que iniciar ese párrafo con la frase "Se supone"; sería preferible contar con datos más precisos. En ese sentido, nos parece muy bien que se estudie adecuadamente la función de la mujer en el próximo censo agropecuariio, como se informa en el párrafo 33.
Esperamos los resultados de los estudios sobre la mujer y los derechos sobre la tierra que se mencionan en el párrafo 44, especialmente los relativos a la región de América Latina y el Caribe.
Nos parecen adecuadas las cuestiones planteadas en los párrafos 55, 56, 57 y, especialmente, lo planteado en el párrafo 58.
Para concluir, la delegación de El Salvador desea manifestar su total apoyo al proyecto de resolución presentado el día de ayer por la delegada de Suecia en nombre de los países nórdicos. A mi delegación le hubiese gustado, incluso, ser copatrocinadora del mismo.
Sr. Enrique MONTERO CONTARDO (Chile): Las orientaciones y objetivos de la Conferencia Mundial de Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural son amplios y abarcan todos los aspectos sobre los cuales es posible y necesario actuar para iniciar y sostener el desarrollo en el ámbito rural.
Atendido el hecho de que las recomendaciones se refieren a un elevado numero de países con una diversidad de realidades en cuanto a grado de adelanto, estructura social e idiosincracia, puede entenderse que muchas de las proposiciones consideradas aisladamente no son aplicables a un país en particular. Sin embargo, en su conjunto revisten el mayor interés y merecen amplio apoyo de los países miembros.
Las recomendaciones de la Conferencia Mundial de Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural se concentran en unos pocos temas centrales, respecto de los cuales es del caso hacer algunos comentarios considerando la realidad de Chile.
En cuanto a reforma agraria, ampliación de la base social y desarrollo rural, la reforma agraria es un proceso terminado en nuestro país. En la actualidad no existen desequilibrios significativos en el tamaño de la propiedad agrícola. Por otra parte se ha desarrollado un proceso de saneamiento de los títulos de la tenencia de la tierra, que ha otorgado a los agricultures el necesario nexo legal con sus precios. Esto, a su vez, les ha dado acceso a servicios tan importantes como el crédito.
Adicionalmente, este año sé ha dado inicio a un plan integral de desarrollo rural. Entendiendo el desarrollo rural como un ámbito de acción más amplio que el desarrollo agrícola, este plan ha concertado la participación de once ministerios y su objetivo central es transformar al habitante del área rural en miembro activo de la economía, elevando sus condiciones de vida.
Este programa se ha ido realizando, más que con una destinación de recursos, con una reorientación y mejor focalización del gasto fiscal hacia el ámbito rural.
En el área de la pesca, uno de los objetivos del programa ha sido procurar el bienestar y el desarrollo del subsector artesanal. Esto ha derivado en la ejecución de diversos proyectos orientados a solucionar problemas de infraestructura, tecnología y seguridad. Por otra parte, se coordinan acciones para satisfacer sus necesidades sociales, económicas y de infraestructura.
En cuanto a empleo no agrícola e industrialización rural, si bien es de interés acrecentar cada vez más la agroindustria como factor de crecimiento económico, Chile no tiene en este momento un problema de desempleo en el campo.
En cuanto a la atención precedente a grupos vulnerables, el gobierno de Chile desarrolla desde hace años un importante esfuerzo en favor de la población de menor capacidad económica. En la actualidad, aproximadamente un 60 por ciento del gasto fiscal anual se destina a financiar programas sociales en materia de vivienda, aducación, salud y alimentación complementaria.
En lo relativo a la función de la mujer en el desarrollo agrícola, aún cuando en nuestro país el sistema jurídico permite los mismos accesos al hombre y a la mujer, se realizan importantes accio-nes para acentuar esta participación en aspectos de capacitación y actividades productivas y directivas. Nuestro país está dispuesto a apoyar las resoluciones para mayores actividades y acciones al respecto.
Finalmente, en cuanto, a poder espaciar los informes de avance de las actividades relacionadas con la Conferencia Mundial de Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural a ocho años, sentimos del caso apoyar dicha resolución.
Mohamed Hassan AL SHAMSI (United Arab Emirates) (original language Arabic): I would like to thank the Secretariat for the report on WCARRD's progress, particularly with regard to the role of women.
I would also like to address the position of women in my country. First of all I might mention a point that you all know. Since mankind was banished from the Garden of Eden mankind has had to work and woman has helped man since time immemorial. I think the most important unit in society is the family unit. Women are of considerable importance in the family unit; the family unit is of primary importance in society.
Women undertake many activities over and above the activities within the home, and I think we can say that women participate very much more than one suspects in economic and agricultural life. When referring to the role of women in my country we say that we are not merely putting forward words; we are speaking against a historical background and continuing efforts over the centuries to enable women to play their part in society.
God himself bestowed these rights upon women and it is not for us to deprive women of these rights Secondly, Islam declares that women are the equal of men; women are not subordinated to men; women are not there to serve men. Thirdly, women constitute half of the human race and we could not allow half of the human race to remain in the shade, to remain illiterate.
Those are some of the factors that have been at the basis of our Government's activities in enabling women to play their full part in society. Before Islam the position of women was very poor, and I think we have to recognise that women at that time were not able to play their full part. Subsequently women were integrated much more effectively into society. Women were able to play their full part in society.
Women know that they represent half of the human race and we are convinced that it is women who are the teachers in society. It is women who are responsible for running the home, for raising the children. That is why the role of women has been so important since time immemorial.
Of course, women recognise the importance of knowledge and therefore seek to acquire knowledge, knowledge that will enable them to participate fully in all activities in society.
There are a number of women's associations in my country. The first one was founded in 1973, and another association was established in 1975. The women's associations are very active; they seek to promote women intellectually, spiritually, in religious circles, and these associations also seek to integrate women better in society. Women enjoy full political and economic rights, and there are women on my country's delegations in many, many bodies. All of this I think is evidence of the important role that women play in my country.
Women's rights are guaranteed by law. At the present time, for example, in a number of agricultural colleges and faculties women are well represented in the student bodies.
Patrick O'QUIN (France): C'est avec un intérêt tout particulier que ma délégation a lu les documents présentés par le Secrétariat et je tiens à le remercier du travail ainsi accompli. C'est pourquoi, conscients de l'ampleur de la tâche que représente un tel travail, nous souscrivons à la proposition qui nous a été faite de ne présenter un rapport que tous les 8 ans avec dans l'intervalle un rapport qui approfondira un point particulier. Il semble cependant que l'efficacité du travail ne s'en trou-vera renforcée que si le document intérimaire n'est pas limité à un simple bilan, mais s'attache également à une analyse des causes qui explique la situation et des contraintes qui la conditionnent.
S'agissant des différents thèmes de la CMRADR, ma délégation souscrit à l'essentiel des analyses qui sont faites et qui sont très clairement exposées dans les paragraphes 5 à 42 du résumé. C'est pourquoi, pour ne pas allonger les débats, je me bornerai à dire que nous pouvons soutenir les propositions contenues dans le chapitre B du résumé intitulé: "Questions de politique générale et recommandations".
Je soulignerai cependant que l'examen du rapport montre clairement que la lutte contre la pauvreté rurale dans ses différents aspects incombe prioritairement aux autorités des pays concernés. Ceux-ci peuvent toutefois solliciter l'appui de donateurs extérieurs et la FAO en fait partie. Mais ces donateurs ne pourront apporter qu'un soutien technique sans se substituer aux responsabilités politiques, juridiques ou économiques des dirigeants locaux. Cela est clairement souligné dans le rapport notamment aux paragraphes 44 du chapitre II, 54 du chapitre III et au paragraphe 32 du chapitre IV pour ne citer que quelques exemples.
Le rapport fait également ressortir clairement que pour lutter contre la pauvreté rurale, il n'est pas véritablement besoin de créer des mécanismes nouveaux. Mais il y a cependant une condition nécessaire, c'est que le programme soit clairement établi en fonction du groupe cible à atteindre. Rien ne sert, par exemple, de renforcer des services de vulgarisation si le message délivré par ceux-ci est inadapté aux publics auxquels il s'adresse.
J'en viendrai plus particulièrement au rôle des femmes dans le développement agricole. Ma délégation note sur ce point qu'une prise de conscience du rôle des femmes est progressivement apparue aussi bien dans les instances internationales que chez les donateurs bilatéraux.
L'image traditionnelle de la femme, cantonnée dans le rôle de mère et d'educatrice, s'est désormais enrichie d'un objectif de promotion économique. C'est ainsi qu'il est desormais admis que le temps de travail des femmes n'a pas été diminué et a parfois même augmenté notablement du fait de l'évolution économique et sociale; que les femmes n'ont pas eu accès aux moyens de production modernes; que l'amélioration des conditions de travail ne leur a guère profité ni en tant que productrices, ni dans leurs tâches ménagères; qu'enfin, le développement des cultures de rente a été défavorable à la progression du revenu propre des femmes.
Les différentes évaluations montrent clairement en effet la dégradation de la situation socio-économique des femmes dans une époque récente; les raisons sont connues et clairement exposées au chapitre IV et je n'y reviendrai donc pas.
Pour renverser cette tendance, il est à nos yeux indispensable - et mon pays s'efforce d'appliquer cette recommandation - de s'assurer désormais que les projets de développement ne conduisent pas à détériorer la situation économique et sociale dans la zone concernée.
Faute de pouvoir actuellement intégrer pleinement les femmes aux projets que l'on peut qualifier de traditionnels, il nous paraît nécessaire de développer systématiquement deux types d'actions: 1) lancer des projets dont les bénéficiaires directs seront les femmes et on peut citer à cet égard l'appui à des associations ou à des groupements de femmes, notamment à des groupements de production; la mise en place de moyens techniques permettant d'alléger le travail des femmes aussi bien en tant que productrices que dans leurs tâches ménagères; enfin le soutien et le mécanisme d'appui aux femmes créant de petites entreprises agricoles ou artisanales; 2) inclure dans les projets de développement des volets spécifiquement destinés aux femmes de la zone concernée- Cela exigera, a l'évidence, qu'une évaluation préalable de leur rôle et de leurs besoins soit faite afin de mettre à leur disposition les moyens de production dont elles assurent ou peuvent assurer la mise en oeuvre (intrants, crédits, équipements techniques, etc.).
Ces différentes orientations nous ont, en conséquence, incités à coparrainer la résolution présentée par la Norvège au nom des pays nordiques.
Fritz-Otto HAASE (Germany, Federal Republic of) (original language German): My delegation welcomes the presentation of this Second Progress Report on WCARRD Programme of Action, including the Role of Women in Agricultural Development. The reports on these issues are of special importance. On the one hand, it is the first time that the issues involved are difficult as well as decisive for the future in the field of rural development. On the other hand these reports are submitted every four years only. We can largely subscribe to the statements and conclusions in the document. The report shows again that FAO is aware of its role as being the leading agency in the UN system in that special field.
Let me first and foremost make a few general remarks. We welcome the clear structure of the document before us. Compared with the last report submitted by the Secretariat at the 22nd FAO Conference in 1983 the data basis for the Second Report has been much broader. Doc. C 87/19 is based on country reports of 50 Member States as well as on other sources of information. We, however, hope that in future even more Member States in agreement with the action programme will report on that subject.
Despite the undoubtedly important role of FAO in that field it is undisputed that the individual member countries themselves have the main responsibility for rural reform and development. But we should not ignore that many developing countries are often not able to solve alone the many and often difficult problems in that special field. For this reason it will be necessary to continue to provide external assistance in the form of personnel or in any other way.
Let me now turn to a few issues in the report. We share the priorities within the framework of the action programme, in particular with regard to the request for balanced growth, the participation of the rural population in the decision-making process and the integration of women in the development process (para. 5).
Of special importance to us is that easier access to land be given to the landless and small farmers (paras. 13 seq.). But the report unfortunately also shows that only in four countries new programmes on agrarian reform or structural improvement in agriculture have been drawn up. We must also reflect on how to facilitate small farmers the access to inputs.
We welcome the progress meanwhile achieved in involving the rural population in the decision-making process, in particular by having signed the International Agreement of the International Labour Organisation on the Right of Free Education of Associations of Rural Workers".
My government is is agreement with the FAO Secretariat that the integration of women in the rural development process which has been strongly supported here from all sides is of particular importance. As regards the strengthening of the role of women in rural development and in the work of the FAO Secretariat, we support the ideas put forward by the Scandinavian countries. We feel that further efforts must be made to generally improve the legal status of women and also their role as owners of land. With regret we read in the report that hardly any country has included in its national planning a comprehensive national strategy for the integration of women in the development process (para. 21). We wish to encourage the Secretariat to continue its endeavours made so far to improve the social and economic situation of women in agricultural development. Education and ex-tension should be in the focus of these endeavours.
The interrelation between rural poverty and environmental problems, as stated in the report, is likewise of importance to us. We should intensify our endeavours in that special field to speed up rural development in the economic and social sectors.
Of special importance to us is the development trend, as stated in the report, towards a greater self-reliance of the rural poor. We feel that the major part of planning from outside should increasingly be replaced by delegating decisions to the rural poor themselves.
We feel that the socio-economic development in the rural area must go hand in hand with an improvement in the bases of nutrition and education, in particular in those countries where there is a deficit. We feel that this will still be a long process which can only be seen in long-term dimensions. The successes outlined in the report of the Secretariat are encouraging. But we believe that in the sectors mentioned the successes should be achieved in future within a shorter period of time than it has been the case so far.
Augustyn WOS (Poland): The Polish delegation studied the documents before us with great attention and I should like to express our full satisfaction with their quality. I would also thank Mr Moreno for his excellent introduction to our debate. The Polish delegation is among those who support the proposition of the Secretariat which foresees the preparation of reports on the progress made once every eight years.
We assess the report elaborated by the Secretariat, based on numerous national reports and specialist analysis provided by other international organizations, very highly, both as regards the substantial content of the empirical material collected, as well as the meritum content of the report.
The conclusions resulting from the report are, in our opinion, decidedly pessimistic, since the progress achieved on a global scale in the area of securing for the rural population access to agricultural land, the elimination of hunger and malnutrition, the reduction of unemployment in the countryside, as well as progress in securing a growth of incomes and a more balanced division of the national income, is definitively slight.
The explanations offered concerning the causes of the present state of things and the lack of progress in the issues concerned are extensive, convincing and well documented. It may appear, thus, difficult to understand that, with such a good knowledge of the causes of the economic problems and the crisis situation in a number of countries, so little is done and undertaken on a global scale in order to improve the situation. In the Secretariat report we fail as well to find propositions which would concern the possible international actions which would serve a more rapid and efficient actualization of the WCARRD programme, or at least could constitute a starting point for discussions on this subject. One may of course propose the argument that the role and" task of the Secretariat is the presentation of the actual state of things, while it is the job of Governments to formulate the propositions and to undertake international negotiations and proper actions on a national scale. Many problems concerning agricultural development and the food situation are obviously linked to the overall economic and political situation issues which are the subject of interest and actions by other agendas of the United Nations. Nevertheless, discussions on this subject, when conducted in the forum of a FAO Conference, even when these matters exceed our terms of reference, so to speak may be most useful and serve to shape a desirable climate and to affect the opinion of the whole international public. Among the reasons which cause the aggravating problems in the agriculture of many countries - not only the developing ones by the way - one should mention, first of all, the interest rates charged on credits on international financial markets, the growth of agricultural trade protectionism and the ensuing drop of prices of agricultural products, the accumulated inter-national debt burden and the burden..of armaments expenditure. The enumerated principal causes of economic problems in today's world are not, hewever, independent of human will and are not by their nature natural disasters, but, on the contrary, have been caused by specific actions undertaken by Governments or economic organizations. Thus, we may term the situation as regards the international debt burden or the protection of the natural evironment as a catastrophic one.
Certainly we are referring here to man-made disasters and this situation is not irreversible, provided that more confidence and cooperation is achieved on an international scale. The resolving on a global scale of the problems of international debt, both in the sense of determination of the size and the schedule of the repayments, as well as the rates of interest charged and securing the access to further credits which are necessary to finance the imported components for development, constitutes the necessary condition to overcome the present crisis, which has an impending impact both on the social and the economic development in the agricultural sector. It appears that the resolving of this problem lies in the interest of not only the countries in debt, but as well the debtor countries, thus simply waiting for the debts to be repaid, in no way makes the situation easier. One can hardly imagine that the countries in debt will be capable in a longer time period to earmark fifty percent or more of their foreign currency earnings from exports for the repayment of interest for credits taken, since this would have to result in a complete stopping of economic development, a drop of production in many branches of the economy and a drastic drop of the standard of living of the economically weakest population groups, with all of the social consequences which may result from this.
The repayment of at least a part of the international debt requires first of all easier access to the international markets for the products exported by the countries in debt, since, in any other case, they will not have the means for any repayment of the debts or even to pay the interest charged. It appears then that the concepts included in the Declaration on the Establishment of the New International Economic Order of 1974 ought to be analyzed again and, as far as possible, introduced into life in the coming years.
The interdependence between debt, economic development and armaments is clear for the majority of those engaged in research of these problems and the Governments should devote more attention to these issues.
Abdul Aziz YAACOB (Malaysia): On behalf of my delegation, let me express our appreciation of the Secretariat's effort in providing us with a comprehensive report on the progress of the WCARRD Programme of Action, and to Mr Moreno for his lucid summary.
The three main objectives of WCARRD - to have growth with equity, increased participation of the rural people and integration of women in national programmes - are still as valid as ever. We note with satisfaction the positive progress made in increasing the share of public expenditure devoted to agriculture, the greater participation of rural communities in forestry and the emphasis on small-scale fisheries.
It is unfortunate that similar progress is not achieved in other areas, such as in overcoming the problem of landlessness and inequitable land holding, the rights of women to land and access to inputs, and the availability of credits. There seems to be a lack of coherent programmes and policies to move in the direction that we have sought since 1979. We join in the concern of the report that there is little scope for a real advance in rural poverty alleviation during this period. Therefore, we fully agree with the recommendations made in the document which, on detailed examination, are very similar to the Guidelines under the International Agricultural Adjustments discussed earlier. We are glad to inform you that, as far as Malaysia is concerned, most of these recommendations are being pursued vigorously and integrated in our economic plans and National
Agricultural Policy. We are in agreement with the frequent positive references made in the report to Malaysia, which I do not wish to repeat. Neither do I wish to repeat the importance of the removal of macro-economic policy biases against agriculture which I mentioned in my previous intervention.
We should now like to share our experience in trying to meet the WCARRD objectives. Poverty eradication has been a stated goal of our national policy, known as the New Economic Policy since 1970. At that time rural poverty stood at more than 60 percent of the rural population. We are happy to say that, 15 years later, our programmes and policies to eradicate rural poverty have borne results, such that poverty now stands at less than 20 percent of the rural people. The recent recession, however, has not spared Malaysia either and has caused some setback in the progress made to eradi-cate rural poverty, given that Malaysia is a highly open agricultural exporting economy. Some reorientation of emphasis is felt to be in order and the recommencing of growth policies is thought necessary to provide the means to achieve and sustain the subsequent objectives of equity and distribution. Without growth, there cannot be any distribution whatsoever. Being a multiracial, multi-cultural country, Malaysia cannot afford to slacken in the progress made to alleviate poverty as the stability and foundation of the economy rests firmly on the basis of political and social stability.
While Malaysia has not undertaken comprehensive measures towards an agrarian land reform programme, our National Agricultural Policy launched in 1984, provides comprehensive guidelines for the revi-talization of the agricultural sector through the efficient utilization of resources and the production of crops on a commercial basis, the opening of new land schemes for the landless and the reconsolidation and rehabilitation of existing villages to create holdings of economic size that can provide farmers with economic-scale production and income to relieve them from rural poverty. These twin-pronged approaches of new land openings and the rehabilitation of existing in situvillages have helped Malaysia to help the landless population and relieve the pressure of surplus farmers in existing farms. This perhaps provides an answer to the concern expressed in paragraph 95 of the report.
The important role that women can play in rural economic development is recognized by Malaysia. We have pursued women's integration into the mainstream agricultural development through the Special Women's Programme under the Department of Agriculture. We have not discriminated against women in their access to employment, training, land ownership, inputs, credits and other social and economic opportunities. The potential supply of labour from women is enormous, which economic planners cannot afford to ignore in designing development policies, particularly in the development of small-scale cottage industries and rural industrialization. The FAO may need to provide greater assistance to help nations identify appropriate industries that can utilize this pool of productive labour that women can supply.
Finally, on cost-saving considerations, we are in agreement with the Secretariat's recommendation that there should be comprehensive WCARRD reporting on an eight-year term, with a special theme report every four years.
N. MUKUTU (Zambia): My delegation would like to make some comments on the Second Progress Report on WCARRD Programme of Action including the Role of Women in Rural Development.
From the outset, my delegation is not in a position to accept the recommendation for the reporting system to be changed from the present four-year period to eight years. The proposed period would be far too long and would jeopardize continuity in view of the likelihood of staff changes in such a long interval.
While accepting the difficulty of frequent reporting on rural development subjects, my delegation feels that the present arrangement is adequate. The arrangement as we know it is that the Conference receives a WCARRD report once every four years, while at the same time every two years a selected subject is chosen for detailed discussion by Conference. This arrangement should remain.
My delegation, while on this subject, proposes that a refinement would be the introduction of a four-year backward-rolling report: that is, in making the relevant four-year report, the analysis would include information gathered in the previous four-year report, thus covering an eight-year period for analysis.
There is no doubt that the Secretariat has done its best to try to monitor and analyze progress on the WCARRD Programme of Action, but it would appear that the Secretariat must have had a lot of difficulties in obtaining the required statistical information from a good many of the Member Nations. My delegation suspects that most of these difficulties must be found in developing countries which in the main have no adequately developed information-collection and data bank systems. For the future it would appear that one of the prerequisites for obtaining proper information from developing countries would be to assist them develop information systems. If this is not done, we shall continue to have analyses that are mainly narrative and not supported by hard data.
In spite of my foregoing comments on the lack of data in some countries, my delegation is satisfied that the overall analysis of the past trends in the implementation of the WCARRD Programme of Action is correct.
A most disappointing and disturbing feature on world agriculture and rural development is once again highlighted by this Second Progress Report. The disturbing feature is that the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. Furthermore, in the event of a world-wide recession, such as has been the case in the reporting period, the most vulnerable groups are (a) the poorest countries and (b) the poorest of the poor in all the countries, and almost invariably these are mostly women.
My delegation is appalled by this continuing state of affairs which the whole world had unitedly agreed to combat to bring about a generalized improved quality of life. At the first WCARRD meeting we were resolved and determined to improve the lot of the most disadvantaged groups who happen mainly to be women. At that same meeting we were fully agreed on principles of agrarian reform and on the equitable distribution of land to the masses and hoped that by this reporting time the proportion of landless people would have been reduced. We had resolved to improve the access to land and credit of women, and we had recognized the important role that women play in rural development .
What has transpired in the last four years indicates convincingly that the majority of governments only paid lip-service to the WCARRD declarations, especially with regard to all those items of reform which relate to the equitable distribution of land and other resources. There is an element of greed across the board, be it in developed or developing countries: those who have more, want more; from those who have little, even the little they have is taken away.
My delegation has therefore observed a generally poor picture of performance by almost all countries in the execution of the WCARRD Programme of Action. We are, however, delighted to note some improvements in a few limited areas, such as: (a) the introduction of community forestry in many countries; (b) shifts towards small-scale fisheries; (c) people's participation in development projects affecting them; (d) agricultural extension and training, and (e) economic and technical cooperation among developing countries.
Governments must continue to rededicate themselves to the elimination of poverty, hunger, ignorance and disease. These principles can only be achieved if we all genuinely make the necessary efforts, by at least (a) making appropriate policies, both at macro and micro levels, including equitable distribution of assets and provision of adequate incentives; (b) the liberalization of. international trade by removal of overt and covert tariffs; (c) allocating higher national budgetary resources to infrastructural development in rural areas; and (d) taking appropriate measures for the improvement of soil and water management for sustained agricultural and food production.
The Secretariat has proposed to Conference a number of policy issues and recommendations for scrutiny and comment. These are summarized from paragraphs 43 to 55. My delegation accepts all the recommendations but wishes to select a few for particular emphasis.
We take note of the recommendation on monitoring and evaluation at paragraph 46. We have seen how difficult it is to undertake this process. This aspect should not be left, as suggested, to individual countries to build-up an appropriate monitoring and evaluation system. It will be useful to standardize reporting systems, and in this regard FAO should assist member countries who will need such assistance.
We strongly support paragraph 49 which deals with reaching small farmers through low-cost agricultural extension. It is my delegation's conviction that group approaches to extension are the most cost-effective in developing countries. Furthermore, they are even more effective if linked or attached to service a cooperative group of farmers who have access to credit and other assets. My delegation even dares to go further by proposing that cost-effectiveness is improved by the introduction of a unified extension service in a good many small developing countries.
Paragraph 52 deals with rural poverty and the environment. This subject cannot be overemphasized, and yet it has been ignored for such a long time. The realities of the Sahel should make us see wisdom. We now have millions of environmental refugees. We must act now, and with impact, to avoid further human suffering.
As my delegation stated yesterday in our contribution to the paper on international agricultural adjustment, every agricultural project must start with a description of the present state of the environment in the project area, if not the country, and monitor the environmental effects yearly. Environmental impact assessment must be part and parcel of every rural development project.
May I conclude my remarks by stating that the WCARRD declarations are fundamental to the development of world agriculture and to the improvement of the quality of life of the poorest of the poor, who are basically the least developed countries and the majority of women of those countries.
We must give FAO the funds to undertake this task effectively in liaison with Member Nations. My country will attempt to do its best not to be found wanting in implementing WCARRD resolutions.
Finally, the Zambia delegation supports fully the draft resolution on the integration of women in development put forward by the Nordic countries.
Igor MARINCEK (Suisse): J'aimerais d'abord vous féliciter de votre élection à la présidence de cette commission. J'aimerais également remercier M. Moreno de l'introduction claire du document remis. Il s'agit d'un excellent rapport, très riche en informations, et j'aimerais féliciter le Secrétariat de son élaboration. Le rapport nous renforce dans notre opinion que la FAO est une extraordinaire source de connaissances qui mérite d'être mieux mise en valeur.
L'analyse que nous donne le document n'est pas très encourageante. Bien que la majorité des Etats Membres aient soutenu le programme d'action de la CMRADR, il semble que les gouvernements aient quelque peu perdu leur courage après l'adoption de cette résolution. La part de l'agriculture dans le total des dépenses publiques reste disproportionnellement faible dans la plupart des pays en développement, comme nous le dit le rapport. D'après le tableau 1 dans l'annexe du document, seul Chypre, parmi les pays en voie de développement, consacre à l'agriculture une part des dépenses publiques supérieure à la contribution de ce secteur au PIB du pays. A l'autre bout de la liste, nous trouvons un pays où ce rapport n'est que de 5 pour cent, c'est-à-dire vingt fois en dessous de ce que demande le programme d'action de la CMRADR. Il semble que l'on mise toujours sur le développement urbain, que, malgré toutes les déclarations,l'agriculture n'a toujours qu'une trop faible priorité dans la plupart des pays concernés.
La population urbaine a augmenté à un rythme de deux à dix fois supérieur à celui de la population rurale au cours de la période de 1969 à 1985. Et le rapport constate une dégradation de l'accès à la terre pour la majorité des agriculteurs du monde en développement. Pendant que nous, pays membres, adoptons ici, à la FAO, des grandes résolutions en faveur de la réforme et du développement rural, en faveur des petits exploitants, en faveur de l'élimination de la faim, beaucoup de ruraux du monde en développement quittent la campagne car ils n'y trouvent pas les moyens de vivre. Leur départ massif indique que les politiques agricoles déclarées et les résolutions prises à la FAO n'atteignent pas leurs objectifs. Si nous perdons la bataille du développement rural, les problèmes des villes deviendront insurmontables et nous perdrons la bataille du développement tout court. Le monde rural a donc besoin d'un cadre plus favorable si nous voulons qu'il soit capable de mobiliser ses ressources, tant humaines que matérielles pour le développement.
Un point crucial est la mise en oeuvre d'une bonne politique agricole. Pour avoir des résultats positifs, une telle politique doit être réaliste, c'est-à-dire qu'elle doit, être bien comprise et appuyée par ceux qu'elle touche directement, les agriculteurs. Le dialogue avec eux est indispensable, si l'on veut éviter la mise en oeuvre de politiques parfaites en théorie, mais qui ne fonctionnent pas en pratique, parce qu'elles ne tiennent pas suffisamment compte des forces motrices du monde rural. C'est donc une nécessité dictée par le pragmatisme, de chercher ce genre de dialogue avec les agriculteurs par l'intermédiaire d'organisations paysannes indépendantes et représentatives de la majorité d'entre eux; dans la plupart des pays en développement, la majorité des agriculteurs, ce sont les petits exploitants.
Le document C 87/19 ne parle que peu du rôle des organisations paysannes. Pour permettre aux agriculteurs de faire entendre leur voix dans notre Organisation, mon pays a soumis une proposition concernant la création d'un comité des organisations paysannes. Ce comité aurait un statut consultatif et pourrait faire rapport au Conseil et à la Conférence. Cette proposition est présentée dans le cadre du document C 87/30 et se trouve dans l'annexe II du mémoire présenté par la Suisse. Inutile donc de le répéter ici; j'invite les autres délégués à prendre connaissance de cette proposition dans ce document. Notre proposition a par ailleurs déjà suscité l'intérêt de nombreux pays et ONG.
Ma délégation aimerait demander au Secrétariat d'étudier notre proposition concernant la création d'un tel comité, d'élaborer des options pour la réalisation de cette idée, et de présenter un rapport à ce sujet à la prochaine session du Conseil, en novembre de l'année prochaine. Dans ce processus, une première étape pourrait être la réunion d'un comité consultatif ad hocd'experts (en anglais, un panel of experts) composé de représentants d'organisations paysannes venant des différentes régions du monde. Cette réunion pourrait étudier les différentes options élaborées par le Secrétariat et faire des recommandations à ce sujet en vue de l'élaboration du rapport adressé au Conseil. Mon pays serait disposé à apporter une contribution financière à une telle réunion d'experts, et serait heureux que d'autres pays se joignent à lui.
Nous allons bientôt entrer dans la dixième année de la Conférence Mondiale sur la Réforme Agraire et le Développement Rural. La mise en chantier d'un Comité des organisations paysannes serait une contribution concrète pour la mise en oeuvre du Programme d'action de la CMRADR, de ce programme d'action que nous n'avons pas hésité à appeler "Charte Paysanne". Cette charte est à notre avis une manière de code de conduite concernant le dialogue qui doit s'établir entre gouvernements d'une part, paysans et leurs organisations d'autre part. SI nous voulons être crédibles aux yeux des paysans, il est temps de passer aux actions concrètes de mise en oeuvre du Progamme d'action de la CMRADR.
Pour terminer, une remarque concernant la périodicité des rapports: je comprends la frustration du Secrétariat de devoir rapporter sur si peu de progrès en la matière. Les questions posées dans le cadre de la CMRADR sont cependant d'une importance tout à fait centrale. Rallonger la périodicité des rapports serait un faux signal à notre avis.
Finalement, mon pays appuie la résolution présentée par les pays nordiques concernant une meilleure intégration des femmes dans le développement.
O.F.J. OYAIDE (Nigeria): My delegation joins the others in congratulating the Secretariat on the second report on the WCARRD Programme of Action including the Role of Women in Rural Development. We realize the difficulty in putting together such a report because of the paucity of concrete data in most developing countries and the late submission of country reports by many.
Nigeria has made tremendous progress in the implementation of the WCARRD Programme of Action over the years and these are properly documented in the country report submitted to the Secretariat. Most noteworthy are measures to increase the share of national resources which are invested in the rural areas, to improve their economic, social and general well-being. Foremost among these measures was the establishment in 1986,. in the office of the President, of a Directorate of Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure to coordinate rural development nationwide and mobilize the rural population for self-development.
Since its establishment in February 1986, the Directorate has effected the construction and rehabilitation of 56 000 kilometres of rural feeder roads to open up new agricultural lands and to connect large numbers of rural communities to the national trunk road network.
The programmes of the directorate include a massive effort to provide potable water to all rural communities and to provide adult literacy and education, raral basic health facilities and shelter. A high proportion of the beneficiaries of these programmes, particularly adult education literacy campaigns are women.
Another important measure worth mentioning is the local government reform aimed at bringing government closer to the rural population and an increase in the statutory allocation of national resources to the local government. In addition to these, the land reform measures entailed in the Land Use Decree of 1978 in Nigeria have assured easy access to land by all those in need of it.
My delegation welcomes the importance accorded to the role of women in rural development. In Nigeria women play an important role in agriculture and rural development and measures have been designed to reduce the drudgery to which women are subjected in their activities. In this regard, my delegation would like to acknowledge the support of the FAO, the UNDP and the ILO for various women's programmes in Nigeria.
We wish also to draw attention to the problems of environmental degradation and pressure on cultivable land. My delegation notes with satisfaction the ongoing efforts being made by the EEC to finance programmes to check desert encroachment in Nigeria and to finance other programmes of land reclamation and rural development.
My delegation can hardly overlook the statement at paragraph 22 of chapter V of the report to the effect that "trends in export prices terms of trade, access to market international policies governing these are important in determining rural poverty alleviation in many developing countries."
It must be emphasized that unless the thorny issue of international agricultural commodities trade and the growing protectionism is resolved quickly, efforts of developing countries to implement the WCARRD Programme of Action will continue to be constrained by the lack of or the inadequacy of resources.
Finally, my delegation wishes to suggest that for the next report on the WCARRD Action Programme, the FAO, should take measures for on-the-spot, in-country generation of necessary data over the intervening period. This will improve on the past practice of calling for country reports just before the Conference without the requisite data to use. As for intervals for reporting, four years appears to be long enough. If there must be an increase, however, it should not exceed six years.
C. Reynaldo TREMINIO CHAVARRIA (Nicaragua): En primer lugar, permítame en nombre de la delegación de Nicaragua, felicitar a la Secretaría por el contenido y claridad del informe presentado, así como la brillante exposición que hiciera el Dr Rafael Moreno.
El desarrollo equilibrado de una sociedad exige el cumplimiento de principios sobre el respeto del derecho, la equidad y la participación popular, de manera que el crecimiento económico basado en una estrategia que recoja estos principios, lleva con seguridad a lograr objetivos de bienestar social.
En 1979, la Conferencia Mundial sobre Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural aprobó justamente un Programa de Acción que enfatizaba sobre la necesidad de que los países incorporaran a sus objetivos y estrategias nacionales, los objetivos de crecimiento, equidad y participación popular así como la integración de la mujer.
El informe C 87/19 presenta algunos avances al respecto, pero no significativos en el cumplimiento de los propósitos que estableció la Conferencia. El principal obstáculo que se señala es la crisis económica cada día más difícil para los países en desarrollo, como resultado de la recesión internacional. La mayoría de los países han dirigido la atención al problema demográfico en lugar de enfrentar la pobreza rural.
El derecho a la tierra y a su distribución equitativa y justa es insoslayable y amerita la atención prioritaria de nuestros países, como la primera fase para el desarrollo de una economía interna más equilibrada.
La situación actual, de acuerdo al informe, es realmente crítica. Observamos en general, con algu-nas excepciones, tendencias hacia el latifundismo, mayor población de campesinos sin tierra, un minifundismo marginal y la baja participación de la mujer sobre los recursos.
Esto verdaderamente cierra las puertas a todo desarrollo para el logro de un nivel más favorable de bienestar social, económico y alimentario.
La población rural campesina demanda la tierra y necesita la tierra para producir alimentos y para mejorar su nivel de vida. La reforma agraria es una via de primer orden en la lucha por enfrentar la pobreza en el campo. Otros factores deben integrarse para lograr un modelo integral de desarro-llo rural; a la par que una distribución justa de la tierra se acompaña la consolidación tecnológica apoyada en un ordenamiento ecológico adecuado de los territorios, así como el aprovechamiento racional de los recursos naturales. Los bosques, el impulso a la pesca y políticas dirigidas para su aprovechamiento efectivo, son recursos importantes para mejorar los ingresos y la nutrición de las poblaciones rurales.
La política de producción en relación a precios, créditos y servicios, articulada conforme a un modelo de desarrollo y transferencia de tecnología, constituyen factores determinantes para la búsque-da de mayor volumen de alimentos, pero siempre en el marco sostenido de un programa activo de reforma agraria de alta participación popular y organización en el campo.
La mujer juega una función importante, no sólo en la actividad directa productiva, sino también como elemento de interacción de la vida orgánica colectiva. La tierra y las posibilidades de recursos y servicios ligados a programas de atención tecnológica y social a disposición de la población agrícola rural, sería el camino para enfrentar la pobreza en el campo. Esto, evidentemente, implica transformaciones estructurales a las cuales se anteponen, como barreras, los esquemas y modelos socioeconómicos tradicionales, pero muchas veces también juega como factor importante el entorno geopolítico.
La delegación nicaraguense expresa la firme convicción de cumplir con los mandatos de la Conferencia Mundial de Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural de seguir cumpliendo con los objetivos de equidad y participación popular, con la interacción plena y efectiva de la mujer.
En menos de siete años la revolución nicaraguense ha emprendido un vasto programa de reforma agraria como respuesta justa de reivindicación histórica del campesinado sobre la tierra. Se han distribuí-do 2.900.000 hectáreas de tierra a 103.000 familias campesinas, organizándose más de 3.000 cooperativas agrícolas en diferentes modalidades de participación y asociación.
La mujer nicaragüense en el medio rural participa en tareas productivas y organizativas y en la movilización popular alrededor de la implementación del programa de movilización popular para el abastecimiento de alimentos.
Para la consolidación productiva de la tierra en manos del campesino se implementa un programa de asistencia tecnica dirigida, donde el sistema de interacción de transferencia de tecnología se articula en los servicios de acceso a la producción, como el suministro de insumos, el credito, la mecanización, el riego, la capacitación y la gestión agraria, beneficiándose así 75 000 pequeños agricultores. Para consolidar este programa el gobierno revolucionario.ha creado el Centro Nacional Internacional de Investigación de Granos Básicos, cuyos objetivos fundamentales son el mejoramiento genético, el mejoramiento de los sistemas de producción y la multiplicación de semillas de variedades mejoradas.
El esfuerzo patriótico del pueblo nicaragüense, con el apoyo de la comunidad internacional, organismos del sistema de Naciones Unidas y organismos no gubernamentales ha permitido el avance en el campo de la reforma agraria y el desarrollo rural. Todavía queda un camino largo por recorrer; lo importante es seguir adelante. El pueblo nicaragüense impulsa con fuerza y voluntad participativa esta línea de reivindicación del campesinado y la mujer en el campo. La reacción imperialista no hará retroceder esta marcha histórica.
La delegación nicaragüense considera de mucha utilidad el contenido del segundo informe sobre la aplicación del programa de acción de la Conferencia Mundial de Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural; los objetivos fijados por la Conferencia en 1979 todavía no han sido cumplidos por la mayoría de nuestros países; sin embargo, el factor tiempo para avanzar en esta línea no es la limitación funda-mental. Debemos considerar que acciones de este tipo dependen de la voluntad explícita de los go-biernos. Creemos que es deber moral seguir, sostenidamente, con los planteamientos doctrinales de la Conferencia; por ello deseamos expresar nuestra posición para mantener cada cuatro años la pre-sentación de informes sobre la marcha de los Programas de Acción de la Conferencia Mundial de Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural.
Luka RADOJICIC (Yugoslavia): The Yugoslav delegation expresses its appreciation of FAO's efforts in preparing this report. I would like to emphasize that there is no progress. with regard to the major recommendation of the WCARRD Programme of Action for a more equitable distribution of holdings and greater accessibility of basic agricultural inputs. We have witnessed negative social developments, especially in recent years. Therefore, I would like to stress that there are limits to the adjustments at the expense of the under-privileged, especially in rural areas. It seems that these limits have already been reached in a number of cases.
The Yugoslav delegation supports the proposals for reducing the frequency of reports in future to eight years, providing that certain specific subject matters are reviewed and reports on them submitted to the FAO Conference for consideration and adoption every four years.
A. H. Mofazzal KARIM (Bangladesh): My delegation congratulates the FAO Secretariat on presenting yet another comprehensive and useful report. We also thank Dr Moreno for so succinctly introducing the subject.
To do something for the disadvantaged groups in developing countries is indeed a real challenge. Even if there is a strong will of the government to improve the lot of the rural poor and other disadvantaged classes such as women, historical, socio-cultural and economic barriers as well as budgetary constraints inhibit any meaningful action. Nonetheless there have been efforts in recent times to overcome such inhibitions in my country.
The Third Five-Year Plan covering the period 1985-90 underlines the reduction of rural poverty as a fundamental objective to be achieved through the participation of the rural poor in production and distribution.
Fully cognizant of the fact that agrarian reform is a sine qua nonto the development of agriculture and the amelioration of the conditon of the rural poor, Bangladesh has adopted land laws incorporating reforms to arrest the growth of large holdings and protect the interest of such rural poor as the landless agricultural labourers and sharecroppers.
Specific programmes for the employment and also sustenance of the rural poor and rural women are of utmost priority in Bangladesh. The food-for-work programme and the vulnerable group development programme, for example, are specifically designed for these groups. At the same time, other programmes such as the training and visit programme in agricultural extension, agricultural cooperatives, women's cooperatives, Grameen, i.e. rural bank, meant for small income people, off-farm programmes like the setting up of small and cottage industries in rural areas and pond fishing, training and employment programmes for youth, are all meant for various target groups.
Coupled with all these there has been administrative decentralization which in particular, and others in general, are big steps forward in ensuring people's participation in economic activities.
As for women's role, through legislation as well as through many directives of the government, women's status has been redefined and their rights protected. There has been a reawakening about the role of women in society. The result is the creation of a separate ministry and a directorate of women's affairs, reservation of as many as 30 seats for women in the parliament, quota reservation to the tune of 15 percent in public sector jobs, anti-dowry laws, proliferation of women's cooperatives, women's associations, NGO's and so on. A recent decision of my Government requires that when government land is allotted to landlesss cultivators it must be given to the joint ownership of both the husband and the wife.
In the backdrop of all these developments my delegation would urge the international community to come forward in a big way to assist the government programmes.
The theory of trickle-down effect has proved to be wrong. Beneficiaries of that theory have been the rural rich and not the rural poor. My delegation therefore feels that unless something is designed and done specifically for the disadvantaged and target groups their destiny cannot change as a matter of course.
We support the recommendations contained in the report, but we do not agree to the proposal for an eight year periodicity for reporting. The issues involved are too urgent, too sensitive, and above all too vital to be allowed to hibernate for nearly a decade. We also welcome and support the Nordic Group proposal for better integration of women in development.
Jalaladdin HABIBI (Iran, Islamic Republic of): On behalf of the Iranian delegation and myself I should like to express my appreciation and gratitude to the Secretariat for their presentation of the lucid and comprehensive documents C 87/19 and C 87/LIM/16.
Concerning this very important topic for discussion in this technical gathering, I should like to narrate very briefly what is going on in this regard in the Islamic Republic of Iran, and what is the role of women in rural development in our country. Women's activity in Iran's rural area has dated back since history has been narrated. Since very ancient days, women have played important roles in the accomplishment of agricultural activities and subsidiary occupations. They have been labouring throughout their lives in different aspects next to their men. Along with these responsibilities they had other undertakings such as carpet weaving, dairy activities, baking, etc. This process has remained intact for centuries in the economic and social structure of Iranian rural development. Today our population amounts to 50 million, out of which 45 percent are residing in rural areas, and this amounts to an 11 million population of women in these parts. Apart from children and the elderly, the rest make great contributions in sharing with men's responsibilites.
The views of the Iranian revolution which have been inspired by the principles of Islam are as follows.
In the Islamic society women benefit from specific aspects. Obedience to the mother is an indispensable practice. The Holy Prophet states that heaven lies under the feet of the mothers. Woman in the view of Islam is a very delicate being and must have a place in creation. God has allocated women to educate their offspring and therefore they have a special seat in the family.
Regarding the participation of women in daily work, Islam has faith in the doctrine that justice does not lie only in tranquility and sameness but is the provision of necessary conditions suitable to the nature of each being, and let it flourish. Therefore, the first task of women is to be a proper mother and to bring up the children for society until it is time for them to carry out jobs in accordance with their physical and spiritual stamina and tolerance. These undertakings we believe should not do any harm to their main tasks. In Islam work and adoption of responsibility applies to both men and women. Therefore, women under the present circumstances are expected to give a hand to men providing that they carry out their own tasks without fault.
In this regard our view is in close accordance with the view of Islam, namely, the participation of women in land ownership, provision of appropriate conditions for their education in order to further their economical and social security and independence.
Fortunately, after our Islamic revolution when big ownership of land was divided into small lots it enabled the majority of rural women farmers to benefit from individual land ownership. Along with this privilege they found it a distinction to have a share in the utilization of land. The Government has also paid attention to this fact and provided them with infrastructural investment, facilities and subsidies.
In conclusion, I would like to state that the content of paragraph 8 of part IV.2 of document C 87/19 refers to what we have been trying to achieve, along with some other points that I mentioned in my report that are accomplished. We strongly desire that women in different societies join together to remove the obstacles ahead of them in order to fully implement their tasks of achieving success in the social and economic standards of their societies.
E. T. CHENGU (Zimbabwe): I would like to compliment the Secretariat for the excellent documents before us. We note the clear analysis and presentation of the agricultural reform and rural development presented in documents C 87/19 and C 87/LIM/16 on the WCARRD Programme of Action.
My country supports reforms and has undertaken many reforms in various fields such as land redistribution and resettlement, and access to inputs such as credit, seed, fertilizers and agricultural machinery.
In the land resettlement programme provision has been made for infrastructural development and provision of essential support services such as schools, hospitals, roads, clean water, housing, research and extension, as well as education and training.
The resettlement programme is a massive programme so far involving the resettlement of more than 40,000 landless families on more than 2.5 million hectares of land. Men and women have been considered as having equal access to land as long as they are household heads.
Appropriate price and marketing policies that provide incentives to small farmers and recognize their production costs and cropping situations have been introduced. In this way, therefore, the imbalance that existed between large-scale commercial and small-scale peasant farmers have been gradually redressed.
Production as a result of the reforms has risen tenfold since 1980 in the small-scale sector and this has accounted for some of our previous grain surpluses. The major sectors of cropping, livestock production and forestry have been addressed.
The important role of women in development has also been recognized and reforms for women have been started in the critical areas of constitution and legislation as it affects women, access to land by women, access to credit and inputs by women, and professional and extension support for women.
A Minister for women's affairs has been appointed, special institutions for monitoring the advancement and integration of women into the mainstream have been set up, and concrete programmes are being drawn up in many instances with the assistance of FAO.
There has been emphasis on training and group extension for women, as well as nutritional and adult literacy programmes. All of the major aspects of the recommendations have been addressed.
However, it should also be pointed out that there are certain unfavourable global and external trends in the world and in our region that make it difficult to implement agricultural reforms and rural development in our sub-region.
Zimbabwe, like other developing countries, is dependent on the export of agricultural commodities, and has suffered from the adverse terms of international trade. The high cost of agriculture inputs, the high interest rates, a high debt service ratio, falling commodity prices and competition with the growing protectionism of the high-cost big producers are factors that have all combined to make it difficult for Zimbabwe to earn the necessary foreign currency with which to implement some of its necessary reforms and rural development projects.
At home, in addition to natural hazards such as droughts, migratory pests, such as locusts, tse-tse flies, quelea birds and army worms, the rural small-scale farmers have also suffered from the South African policy of destabilization of the neighbouring frontline states. South African-sponsored bandits have unleashed terror in the countryside. Peasant farmers and rural women have been harassed, pursued and killed by South African-backed bandits. This has made it difficult to carry out rural development projects in certain parts of the sub-region.
It would be necessary for the FAO to carry out a study on the impact of the conflict on the rural women farmers in the frontline states and the disruption that this has on the educational health and the nutritional programmes of rural women.
Finally, the Zimbabwe delegation fully supports the resolution tabled by the Nordic countries on the better integration of women in development, of which Zimbabwe is the co-sponsor.
Mohammed EL Bashir MUFARAH (Sudan) (original language Arabic): Yesterday I spoke about women's economic, political family rights in Sudan. I said that one of the most important of these rights is that a woman carries her father's name even after being married. In fact, I did not want to come back to this issue but I am returning to it because of what is stated in the report on page 77, paragraph 9 of the English version, as follows: "In Sudan women are often paid less than half the rate of men for work on certain crops".
I regret to say that this is factually and logically incorrect. Agricultural work is confined to the following: land preparation, that is, plowing and weeding, seeding of land, irrigation, and in the final account the harvesting of the crop.
With regard to the work of land preparation, seeding, plowing and weeding, the wage is set on the basis of the size of the land worked on. The feddan is used in Sudan. The wage is not set according to whether the worker is male or female. In fact the wage is shared among the man and woman or the whole family on an equal basis.
As to the wage for harvesting, it is also set according to the size of the crop harvested. For instance, with cotton it depends on how many bags of cotton each worker has completed. The wage is not set according to the sex of the worker.
This rule perhaps is also applicable in the industrial sector, the textile industry or other industries where women also work, that is, in the cities.
The role of women in farm management is extremely important and in the Gezira Project, which involves the biggest irrigated land surface in Africa, more than 60% of the farms there are presently managed by women due to the fact that a great many men have immigrated to other countries seeking work. More than 20% of these lands are the property of women. They receive credit, they sell the crops and their duties and rights are the same as those for men.
Nevertheless, female membership in farm associations is still very limited, if not non-existent. However, this phenomenon will certainly disappear when more and more educated women become involved in production in the rural areas, and there is no obstacle to women achieving that.
Michael Joseph RYAN (Australia): In Australia's view, the report on the implementation of the WCARRD Programme of Action is a reasonably balanced, comprehensive review covering a wide range of issues. Its overall thrust - which is rather depressing - is that changes are difficult to achieve. We would suggest that the international economic climate accounts for much of the delay in change. We would hope that the Uruguay Road of agricultural negotiations offer a crucial opportunity to develop long-term solutions to the current agricultural world trade crisis, by addressing the need for trade liberalization. We believe success there would help immensely.
Having said that, I should like to point out that under this item it is the role of women in rural development that is of prime interest to us. The document before us highlights the on-going problems and limited progress which is being made since WCARRD met in 1979. We note from the report that only a few countries have initiated significant nation wide policies and programmes which specifically target rural women for participation and benefits.
We realize that progress is highly dependent on social and cultural attitudes. There is a limit on external intervention and developed country policy comment, but general encouragement remains, we believe, appropriate for countries to continue moving towards improvement of the lot of women, especially in disadvantaged rural communities.
FAO's actions relating to access to cooperatives, to credit, training and marketing assistance are to be particularly encouraged, remembering that community participation is one of the prime keys to successful development. We recognize that training awards achieved by women are currently running at around 20 percent. Australia believes that higher targets in this area would be desirable.
We continue to provide a substantial proportion of official development assistance, both bilateral and multilateral, for agricultural development projects, training and research. The extent of assistance depends on not only avilability of resources, but also on the priority given to this sector by developing countries in their requests in comparison to ther sectors i.e. public utilities, education, health and so on.
We note that FAO acknowledges the social impacts of structural adjustment and stabilization programmes. I refer back to Doc. C 87/2. We understand a Commonwealth expert group on the Impact of Structural Adjustment of Women will be established to undertake specific investigation and report to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 1989. The terms of:reference of that group are, the extent of women's contribution to the economy, both paid and unpaid, and its implications for structural adjustment measures; to consider alternate measures which could be more socially and economically effective. We feel that the details of FAO's research, based on fifty country progress reports, should be given to the Commonwealth expert group to assist in its investigation. Australia seeks to ensure that resources are conserved by avoiding duplication of research and sharing information. We think that that would be an excellent idea of cooperation.
We are concerned that the goals and momentum are not lost if WCARRD reporting is to be reduced to once in every eight years. In that regard we fully support the United States' proposal.
Finally, Australia supports the Nordic draft resolution on this subject.
Masuhla Humphrey LETEKA (Lesotho): My delegation wishes to commend the Secretariat for the detailed and analytical document before us. The introduction of that document by Dr Moreno also highlighted some of the controversial issues embodied therein.
We endorse the proposals made in the second Progress Report on the WCARRD Programme of Action, including the role of women in rural development.
First, allow me to comment on people's participation in development, which my Government recognizes as the central issue to achieving a more coordinated rural development strategy. We are in agreement that this cannot take off without the most important element of the rural poor, namely women. The 1985 UN Conference in Nairobi, which endorsed the forward-looking strategies for the advancement of women to the year 2000, helped to reaffirm my Government's position that women form the backbone of Lesotho's economic development, especially in the rural areas.
We are confronted with a situation whereby about 65 percent of our able-bodied male population migrate into the South-African mining industries with the aim of supplementing whatever little is produced at home. This situtation initially resulted in farming being left in the hands of inexperienced youth and the already-overburdened rural women. The establishment of a women's and youth bureau in the Prime Minister's office in the beginning of the 1980s marked an important turn in the operations of government and the reality that women played an important role in the production process aimed at improving the status and nutritional standards of the rural poor. The integrated rural development programmes in this bureau are monitored by women with the technical back-stopping overseen by specialists from various government departments. Women have been given the responsibility to run nutritional development programmes and the development of nutritional-related policies. Suffice it to say that the present five=year national development plan also has a special section on the role of women in the economic development of the country in the next five years.
It is also important to mention that there are many women today going into agricultural extension and it has been realized that they are more effective in working with rural households. Be that as it may, we cannot ignore the obstacles that are being encountered in achieving the envisaged goals. The problem of landlessness caused by the shortage of land in Lesotho has been quite acute. At the same time, access to land has been affected by high rates of growth of agricultural populations in the already-diminished arable land. This, coupled with the absence of appropriate technologies and farming systems, has reduced the productivity of the available land. Lesotho's traditional rural sector is still deficient in infrastructure and we would appeal to the international community and those organizations of goodwill to assist materially in the improvement of this situation.
Finally, as is reflected in the document, drought and the effects of international recession have also affected the country's ability to provide relevant rural infrastructure and social services. We believe that these developments, if put within the context of improved access to land and appropriate technology, could have favourable effects in reducing the incidence of rural poverty.
Lesotho's main problem is that of erosion and land degradation. The strategies and policies, therefore, have been geared mainly towards the protection of the land base. We maintain that there cannot be any meaningful programme in agriculture if the land base is not healthy and protected. Our main emphasis, therefore, relies on the proper and appropriate land use systems. Unlike other countries which are promoting reforestation Lesotho is promoting afforestation. Due to the unfavourable endownment of economic factors, we think that agro-forestry and soil conservation should be our main thrust. The Lesotho Government is currently advocating the concept of integrated watershed management in the overall agricultural development. We think that the development of food and agriculture is an inter-disciplinary issue which involves proper land use systems. The degradation of range land in the mountain areas of Lesotho has had a bad effect during the heavy rains in the low-lying land base. Therefore, one could not think of gully erosion control in the valleys without addressing the source of the problem in the upper parts of the area or the beginning of the watershed area.
The Lesotho delegation would, therefore, appreciate FAO's assistance in supporting this concept through the integration of women in the whole process.
We would like to support the draft resolution proposed by the Nordic countries and to support the consensus expressed by several delegations that the WCARRD Progress Report be on a four-yearly basis in order to allow continuity.
CHAIRMAN: At this point I would like to announce that the distinguished delegate from Sierra Leone has indicated that their statement on this item be inserted in the verbatims. Subject to your agreement. I will accept this proposition.
P.N. BAIGENT (New Zealand): The right and opportunity of all sectors and groups of our society to participate in, and benefit from, economic and social development has always been a cornerstone of New Zealand policy. It has had a significant influence on our development for more than a century. We also believe implicitly in sustainable agricultural production, and development must be in harmony with the environment. Therefore, the issues raised in this Report, in particular in relation to the rural poor - role of women in the environment - are especially important, and we note with concern the limited progress in some of these areas in developing countries.
Improving the living conditions and welfare of people on lower incomes in rural areas is a key element in our Overseas Development Assistance. In the Pacific region our ODA emphasis is on primary production, both for local consumption and for export. The Banana Export Scheme, which aims to help Tonga establish a commercially-viable and sustainable banana export industry is a prime example of this.
The rights of women and their role in society has long been an important principle in New Zealand. Family-owned and operated farms are a feature of New Zealnd's efficient agriculture. The equal right for women in ownership of land is critical to the husband and wife partnership on which the success of thse family farms is based. That is why we look closely at the likely contribution of our ODA projects in safeguarding the interests of women and increasing their capacity to contribute to development. We are disappointed to see in paragraph 22 of the Report that there is a lack of access to land, and that this still remains the major constraint to women's fuller participation in development. The fact that there are virtually no direct land rights for women and that the question of women's access to land has not been explicitly addressed in any countries, as outlined in paragraphs 13 and 14, is of particular concern. It is with these problems in mind that we support the Nordic countries resolution on women.
I mentioned earlier that environmental protection is critical to the development of sustainable agriculture. Again, we place emphasis on this in our ODA programmes, and the principles guiding our system are currently being redrafted and will refer to the need for environmental protection in development assistance activities.
We believe strongly in the need for appropriate macro-economic policy to drive successful development, and we are pleased to see from the report that many countries have moved to reduce the macro-economic policy bias against agriculture. It is of concern, however, that some of these adjustments have had adverse effects on the rural poor. This demonstrates the complexities involved in macro-economic policy and the real need of developing countries for assistance in this area. We have already expressed the view that FAO should afford higher priority to policy advice. We underline that view here.
Finally, we note reference to food aid in the report, and we must emphasize our concern that such aid is given in a form that does not disrupt normal trade and agricultural patterns and supports the purchase of food in exporting developing countries.
Ms María Luisa GAVINO (Philippines): The Philippine delegation appreciates Dr Moreno's lucid introduction of this very important item.
The Philippine delegation fully supports the WCARRD Programme of Action, especially document C 87/LIM/16, FAO's Programme Directions on Women in Agriculture and Rural Development.
In the Philippines all efforts are being exerted to. hasten the development of the role and status of women. Women are viewed as both agents and targets of development where women take the land in identifying and prioritizing their needs, mobilizing local resources, planning and implementing solutions to their problems.
I should like to add that the Philippine delegation also supports the draft resolution on this item authored by the Nordic countries.
Mme Malika SACI (Algérie): Monsieur le Président, pour répondre à votre appel, l'intervention de la délégation algérienne sera brève. Nous voudrions faire deux réflexions.
S'agissant des femmes dans le développement, les rapports que nous examinons font état de la différence entre les droits accordés et la pratique courante. Si la grande majorité des pays reconnaît l'égalité des droits, il en va différemment dans les faits, sous le poids des coutumes, des traditions et des tabous sociaux.
Dans le monde, les femmes représentent environ la moitié de la population; aussi, aucun pays ne peut assurer son développement s'il marginalise de jureou de facto, la moitié de sa population. En ce sens, le rôle de sensibilisation et de vulgarisation de notre organisation est primordial.
L'autre remarque concerne le domaine de la FAO. En général, lorsque la récession s'installe, les femmes sont le premier groupe frappé par le chômage. Nous souhaitons que ce schéma ne se retrouve pas a la FAO, où la limitation des ressources risque d'atteindre également, en premier lieu, les programmes d'action, de coopération et d'assistance en direction des groupes cibles tels que les paysans pauvres et les femmes du monde rural.
Nous souhaitons que les ressources affectées aillent vers des actions soigneusement choisies, en évitant l'éparpillement des moyens et des domaines d'intervention.
Dans mon pays, au lendemain de la guerre de libération, des centaines de paysannes, veuves de guerre, se sont retrouvées chefs de famille. Des domaines agricoles leur ont été attribués; elles les ont gérés et y ont travaillé seules, durement, avec peu de moyens et beaucoup de foi.
Actuellement, nous mettons en route une nouvelle distribution foncière des exploitations du secteur public pour faciliter l'accès à la terre des paysans chefs de famille, homme ou femme.
Pour terminer, ma délégation appuie la proposition de la délégation vénézuélienne, et estime que la périodicité pour la présentation des rapports devrait être maintenue en l'état. La délégation algérienne appuie également la déclaration du délégué du Zimbabwe relative à la situation de l'agriculture dans les pays de la ligne de front.
Arif H. UGUR (Turkey): I should like to thank the Secretariat for the comprehensive report C 87/19 which is before us. Agrarian reform, described by Ladejinsky as an "unfinished business", by its very context has interlinked economic, social and political dimensions which in turn have significant implications for rural development.
Land reform has a long history in Turkey. The first experience, which started in 1945, involved improvement and distribution of public land. The second experience, of 1972, had a mainly equity-oriented dimension. The main features of this experience were expropriation and redistribution of private holdings. However, this law was implemented to a limited degree.
Turkey has now adopted the concept of agrarian reform, which is concerned with the intensification of land and input use to increase productivity. Redistribution of public land and consolidation of individual holdings, with or without changing the distribution of land ownership in terms of size, are the main features of the new Agrarian Reform Act. Apart from the public land, changes in land ownership through expropriation and redistribution of private holdings are limited to the specified conditions established by the law. Efficient large farms, orchards and plantations need not be broken up. Establishment of new settlement areas, where needed, are the other major aspect of reform activities.
Rural development programmes are the major part of macro-economic development policies of the Government. In this respect, construction of rural infrastructure, such as rural roads, rural electrification, telecommunications and irrigation have been a major concern of the Government, and have been given very high priority. Large amounts of resources have been transferred to rural infrastructure in an effort to speed up agricultural and rural development and to reduce income disparaties.
The Government considers rural roads more than just a component of the infrastructure that provides access to villages and settlements but also as an important stimulant to the expansion of agriculture and rural development, the growth of production, distribution and marketing of produce, and the development of market-oriented activities in general.
Rural electrification continues to form an important part of the Government's economic and social policies of providing basic services to the rural areas, especially to those villages designated as least developed. As such, the Government objectives are geared to rural development, equity considerations and poverty alleviation rather than economic efficiency. Except for small settlement areas, almost all villages will be provided with electricity and connected to telephones by the end of this year.
We share all the views expressed in the report C 87/19 on improving the position of women and assisting their integration in rural development.
In Turkey, women over the age of 15 constitute about 54 percent of the total number employed in the agricultural sector.
Turkey has signed and ratified the UN convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women. More than 50 years ago women were given political, economic and social rights and equality. There is no limitation on women's access to land, cooperatives, credit and other service organizations. Land ownership rights are secured by the civil codes and inheritance law, without discrimination between sexes.
In order to improve the status of women, non-agricultural skill courses are organized by the public agencies - in carpet-making, home-canning, clothing, handicrafts, sewing and knitting. Mobile training units are organized to provide adequate agricultural and other training for women. Women's attendance at agircultural training institutions has increased within the last decade.
The past decade has brought many hopeful signs for integrated rural development projects. Although in terms of meeting the worldwide need the number of people affected is relatively small, reasonable progress has been made. The principal objectives of integrated rural development projects have been to increase output, productivity and exports, to contribute to a reduction in poverty through increased rural employment and to promote the necessary policy and institutional reforms in the rural areas.
Finally, we support the resolution prepared by the Nordic delegation.
Mme Fatma LARBI (Tunisie) (langue originale arabe): Permettez-moi tout d'abord de remercier M. Moreno pour l'excellent exposé qu'il vient de faire sur le rapport de situation du Programme d'action de la CMRADR et le rôle des femmes dans le développement rural.
Mon intervention relèvera surtout de la participation de la femme dans le développement rural, intégré en Tunisie au cours des trois décennies. C'est là le défi principal que la Tunisie a dû relever, et ceci est concrétisé dans le statut de la femme en 1957. Ce pas a permis d'intégrer la femme dans Le processus de développement, a élimine certaines pratiques telles que la polygamie, et a également donné à la femme les mêmes droits politiques qu'à l'homme. Ainsi, la femme est devenue le partenaire légal de l'homme pour le développement national. La femme représente maintenant le cinquième de la main-d'oeuvre agricole et elle bénéficie des mêmes droits et des mêmes salaires que ceux accordés aux hommes.
Toujours dans le cadre de la participation de la femme au développement rural, un projet visant à promouvoir l'agriculture et à augmenter le revenu des familles a permis de renforcer les structures dans les villages et surtout l'infrastructure telle que l'electrification, l'eau potable, etc.
Nous voudrions appuyer les recommandations contenues dans le document C 87/19, ainsi que les processus d'évaluation et les emplois autres que les emplois ruraux.
Je voudrais enfin appuyer la proposition formulée par la Suède, et je voudrais aussi me féliciter de ce qui a été dit par la Hollande sur le renforcement des activités de la FAO, et l'aide que la Hollande fournit à la FAO dans ce secteur.
Tawfiq Ahmed Hassan AL MESH-HADANI (Iraq) (original language Arabic): I would like to express gratitude to the Secretariat for the preparation of this document and, in particular, may I thank Dr Moreno for his fine presentation. The contents of this document are endorsed by my delegation because we find here a broad picture of the situation.
After carefully perusing the document I would like to make a few comments in connection particularly what is said about my country. First, in connection with access to land my, government has redistributed land to those who have none and the acreage is between 8 and 30 hectares. Up to the present, we do not have landless labourers and on the basis of certain action plans, arable land has been expanded and we have been able to step up production and even export grain.
Furthermore, my government intends to rent and take in hand the land that is in private hands but which is lying idle. But this only concerns farms in excess of 120 hectares and is all part of the action plan of my government.
In paragraph 28 it is indicated that cooperatives have met with some difficulties in my country at a time when my government is trying to implement a directed economy. To do this effectively we have realized that there is a need to encourage the private sector. That is why the problem of publical-held land and privately held land has been approached in the way which I have just described.
Now paragraph 38, Chapter III deals with cooperatives and it states that for the most part these are government owned or state sponsored. In fact, the government tries to give its advice to these cooperatives so that they can be as effective as possible. But the decision-making is in the hands of the cooperative participants themselves.
My next comment concerns the contents of paragraph 59 which deals with access to credit. Our policy has been to step up credit to farmers either individually or within the framework of cooperatives and this through a special bank, the Agricultural Bank.
Turning to the role of women in rural development, this is something of which we have been acutely aware for a long time now. Women enjoy all rights, be they legal rights or practice; and land has been distributed to women who are now fully-fledged members of cooperatives and members of the National Union of Women. Hence women have benefited from all these developments and they are all on an equal footing with men. They have an even higher, more lofty task as well, that of raising families.
If you look at table 2 under Chapter VI which indicates that the rural poor account for 40 percent of our population, I would like to know where the statistics come from. This may have been true several years ago, but it is no longer the case because most of our farmers own their own land now which has enabled them to increase their incomes to build their own homes, therefore their living standards and living conditions have been substantially improved.
Finally, it is a long way to the attainment of food self-sufficiency, but we are moving steadily along this path. We would like to endorse the recommendations found in this report. We feel that the periodicity of the report should remain every four years.
Abdulmaged REGEG (Libya) (original language Arabic): I would like to congratulate the Secretariat on the preparation of this fine document. We spare no efforts in implementing the recommendations of the 1979 WCARRD, we feel that the reporting period should continue to be a four-year interval.
We are convinced that no people can be truly free if it must seek its food from beyond its borders and that is why we have been upgrading more than 2 million hectares of land, despite climatic difficulties. As you know, most of the arable land in my country is located along the coast, unfortunately during the second world war this land was mined. That means that we. are trying to make the land available now. Unfortunately the governments which planted these mines in the coastal areas have not provided us with the map which would enable us to remove all these mines successfully.
We also have plans to build an artificial lake which would provide 2 million cubic metres per day for the preparation of 2 00 kilometres of land and that would make us self-sufficient in the production of both grans and meat through the conversion of 400 000 hectares of arable land.
We have made considerable strides towards development in my country. Women below the age of 25 all receive compulsory education. We have opened hundreds of vocational training institutes to make instruction available to women who in the past did not have the benefit of educational opportunities. Therefore, we are making available to them these training courses. I can assure you that women in Libya have access to all domains including access to the army. We have flight commanders who are women in Libya.
As to health care, we have dozens of mother and child care centres. They are free of charge and this kind of approach has prevailed for more that 1 500 years in Libya.
C. B. SESAY (Sierra Leone): The Sierra Leone delegation has carefully gone through the documents of the agenda item under discussion and would like to say it appreciates the efforts of the FAO in putting together such an excellent document on the second progress report on the WCARRD Programme of Action including the role of women in agricultural development.
My delegation notes with satisfaction the progress that has been made by the FAO in implementing the programme of action on the role of women in agricultural production and rural development as required by the mandate of the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development.
Sierra Leone recognizes the role of women in agricultural production and rural development, not only as extension agents but also as major producers of food crops.
Women in Sierra Leone are involved in food production not only for domestic consumption but also for the local markets. In Sierra Leone over 80 percent of the vegetables are produced by women, women are fully integrated in agriculture and rural development activities.
In cognizance of the tremendous contribution women are making in our agricultural efforts, the Government has started a pilot project called the Integrated Agricultural Development Project for Rural Women and this project is being implemented in all our districts through the assistance of the FAO and the Government of Norway. For this reason my Government is very grateful to the Norwegian Government for providing the necessary funds for this project and will be grateful for further assistance.
As the name of the project implies, the target groups of the project are rural women who are organized into groups and production targets are assigned to each group.
At present the Government has assigned over 25 staff most of whom are women to work as extension agents in the implementation of the project.
The impact created by the project over the last two years has now resulted in many more requests being made to replicate the project in other parts of the country. I am happy to say this project has been regarded as a model for at least the West African Sub-region. The project receives a large number of visitors from neighbouring countries to study, as it were, the secrets of the success of the project.
My delegation has carefully studied the draft resolution on FAO activities related to the integration of women in development and is in full support of it.
Mr Chairman, I would like through you, to seek the permission of the sponsors of the Nordic countries resolution to insert the word "resources" in paragraph 4, so that it reads: "...Plan and include resources verification and ..." 1/
CHAIRMAN: That brings us to the end of the list of the delegates but we have three observers who will now be requested to present their views.
Edgardo T. VALENZUELA (Observer for Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development):
ANGOC or the Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development would like to compliment the Secretariat for the working paper C 87/19 on this agenda item, "Second Progress Report on WCARRD Programme of Action, including the Role of Women in Rural Development." The Secretariat paper noted that, in relative terms, Asia has had some slight improvement in terms of rural poverty alleviation and decrease of landlessness. However, I would like to restate the fact that the majority of the rural poor population of the world can be found in the Asian Region.
Reaching out to the rural poor of Asia, whether they be landless or marginalized peasants, small farmers, rural women, rural youth, artisanal fisherfolk and forest dwellers, these should be a priority of both governmental and non-governmental agencies as a moral imperative and a human response to suffering and deprivation.
ANGOC, an autonomous Asian regional network of the major private rural development agencies in eight countries of South and Southeast Asia, would like publicly to reiterate its commitment to the philosophy and policy framework of WCARRD with its emphasis on growth with equity through people's participation.
In fact, ANGOC has been considerably involved in a pre-WCARRD, at WCARRD and in post-WCARRD follow-up programmes as ANGOC serves as a focal point for promoting NGO involvement in WCARRD follow-up in the Asian Region.
Since 1979, the activities among NGOs which ANGOC has promoted include: preparation of Specialized information and directories of NGOs in rural development work; training of NGO field workers and village volunteers to do village socio-economic surveys using rural development indicators; organization of village consultations (around 100 villages in six countries) to discuss problems and needs of villages surveyed; organization of national workshops on rural community participation; organization of country-level tripartite meetings to bring non-governmental development organizations, relevant government agencies and interested donors to dialogue on development cooperation; and organization of Asian regional workshops on selected issues such as rural community participation, rural development cooperation, and state of NGOs in rural development, etc. to exchange experiences and improve social learning among NGOs and development policymakers towards people-centered development.
In particular, for this November 1987 Conference, ANGOC has prepared a 45-page report entitled "Rural Poverty Alleviation: Issues and Strategies from an Asian NGO Perspective". It is an attempt to. highlight some of the problems and issues of the rural poor from a historical perspective and provides a comment on selected government strategies or programmes on rural poverty alleviation. Also, a framework for NGO functioning in people-centered development has been discussed and an agenda for continuing NGO involvement in WCARRD follow-up has been presented. In addition, four successful experiences from NGOs in India, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Indonesia have been featured. The appendix provides a resource directory on ANGOC and its network of members in eight Asian countries. This ANGOC special report prepared for this occasion will be useful for development decision makers whether governmental, inter-governmental or non-governmental, particularly for those concerned with the issues of rural poverty, people-centered development, and the role which NGOs can play within the framework of follow-up to WCARRD.
Before I close, I would like to state that ANGOC's other programmes include policy research and advocacy within a strategy of promoting government and NGO dialogue for joint cooperation, a development publication and information service, training, human resource development and development education with 'particular emphasis on development management and management development of NGOs to improve their capabilities as well as project formulation, monitoring and evaluation.
In fact, I would like categorically to state that, in the training programmes conducted by ANGOC, at least half of the participants are rural women or professional women workers from development NGOs and we would like to reiterate the working paper's point that women be provided with more opportunities to participate in training programmes.
I would also like to put on record, although the item was discussed last Friday, 13 November 1987, ANGOCs promotion of NGO involvement in World Food Day through the following: organization of local meetings and symposia to discuss food and hunger issues; dissemination of World Food Day materials; stimulated NGOs to use World Food Day as an occasion for tree planting, releasing of fingerlings and other action-oriented activities at village level; and organized field demonstration activities for small farmers.
ANGOC maintains close contact with the World Food Day Secretariat at FAO Headquarters and ANGOC also participated in the First Global Meeting on World Food Day in Milan last June 1987.
I would like to reiterate what the working document has pointed out, namely, that governments must provide the policy environment through the legal, political and structural systems, for effective participation and to encourage the role of NGOs in promoting participatory development at the grassroots level.
I would, therefore, like to congratulate the Nordic countries for their initiative with regard to the draft resolution and encourage other delegations to endorse and support the resolution on this agenda item.
Ms Lucia BRADER-BREUKEL (Observer for the Associated Country Women of the World): The Associated Country Women of the World, is an international NGO which has been acting as an advocate for rural women and their families for over 50 years. Its multimillion membership is divided into some 180 member societies in over 70 countries and in every region of the world. ACWW has held consultative status with FAO since 1947 and has been actively involved in, among others, the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development.
ACWW therefore welcomes the second progress report on WCARRD (C/87/19), specifically chapter IV and document C 87/LIM/16 which gives a useful overview of FAO's involvement in inter-agency efforts to improve the status of rural women.
As an organization whose membership flourishes at grassroots level, ACWW offers its support to national governments and FAO as a means of involving rural populations in their own development. Paragraph 27 of C 87/LIM/16 notes the importance of working through and with women's groups in field programmes. ACWW' s national organizations may in this context be of great help. ACWW also wishes to be involved in workshops, mentioned in paragraph 39 of C 87/LIM/16, focussing on cooperation between group leaders, national machineries and line ministries. This cooperation already exists in some countries but it could be strengthened in many others.
Local women's organizations need support in projects aimed at alleviating women's workload and increasing their economic productivity. It is now recognized that this will be in the interest of the whole community and probably the only effective way to lessen rural poverty.
It has been noted that in only a limited number of countries have women farmers been specified as direct target beneficiaries of their national extension service. The 1987 ACWW Council meeting has laid stress once again on the importance of providing rural women with credit facilities, and of training women farmers, especially in appropriate technologies and management skills. How is this to happen if extension services are not available and not focussed on women's needs as producers and income earners?
Also in the field of nutrition education, grassroots level organizations could be involved at no great extra costs, using their awareness and expertise through their membership.
Finally, as some delegations have already stated, ACWW would also like to see more women at higher level decision-making positions in FAO. We recognize that this must be a worldwide problem. Or how is it to be explained that in this 24th Conference of FAO only some 60 out of more than 150 country delegations have women in their delegations? The women in these delegations total 20 percent of the delegations, which makes the direct involvement of women in this Conference at national level less than 10 percent. ACWW thinks this is a situation which certainly needs improvement.
Ms Sarojini PILLAY (Observer for The International Alliance of Women): First of all, I should like to express our appreciation of the thoroughness of the two documents under discussion. Paragraph 32 of C 87/LIM/16 is particularly heartening to my Organization.
Ensuring financial provision for the actual participation of rural women in projects designed primarly for their benefit is particularly important for the successful implementation of these projects.
Active participation of women at the project formulation stage - not only in the implementation but at the project formulation stage - is highly desirable for the realistic and meaningful designing of these projects. Women's non-governmental organizations can have a vital role to play in this context. On-job training, benefits of extension services, and above all instruction in their own rights and privileges, are urgent needs for rural women in the overall development context.
In spite of all the sentiments expressed time and again in this forum, as well as elsewhere,, on the equality of women, in actual practice there is a great deal more to be done to ensure this. Equal pay for equal work still remains a theoretical axiom in many countries. Even where women are legally entitled to equal wages, agricultural and other rural women workers still receive far less than men for their labour.
A similar inequality exists in the case of land ownership and credit facilities. Non collateral credit could be extended to women, as well as to men, where collateral is absent.
Inheritance laws in many countries are still weighted heavily against women. It would seem that there is an urgent need to stimulate the political will, firstly to actively and realistically implement laws, that is existing laws, that ensure equity for women; and secondly, to bring in new legislation where necessary to ensure equal status for women in all walks and strata of society.
Traditional and social customs are heavy constraints which have precluded in the past, and still continue to preclude, women from their rightful place as equal partners in life. Legislation, however pertinent, can only be effective and ensure equality for women when men are ready and willing to conceded the superior status, both economic and social, that has traditionally been theirs.
CHAIRMAN: I should now like to request Dr Moreno to reply to some of the points which have been raised during this long discussion.
Rafael MORENO ROJAS (Subdirector General a.i., Departamento de Política Económica y Social):
Permítame, en primer término, comenzar agradeciendo a usted y al señor Díaz Yubero, su Vicepresi-dente, por la forma como se ha conducido este debate. Creo que es innecesario reiterar el grado de interés y atención que este tema importa para todas las delegaciones aquí presentes y para los organismos no gubernamentales que han hecho uso de la palabra.
Creo que en mi comentario final me referiré sólo a aquellos puntos que tienen mayor relevancia en relación a lo que es el trabajo de la Secretaría, y contestaré a algunas de las preguntas que aquí se formularon en el curso del debate.
En primer término deseo agradecer, a nombre de la Secretaría y demás colegas, las palabras en rela-ción a la calidad, el contenido y la introducción del documento. En honor a la verdad, es necesario señalar que la preparación de este informe ha tomado no sólo un tiempo largo sino también un esfuerzo importante tanto a nivel central, aquí en Roma, como en el contacto que se ha debido mantener con los países para, en algunos casos, apoyar la realización del informe mismo, la recolección de la información pertinente y también para sistematizar, en una forma que pudiera permitir un análisis técnico intelectualmente válido, los conceptos, las experiencias y las realidades que, como también se ha señalado en el debate, varían de país en país, incluso dentro de cada país de acuerdo con sus propias regiones o aspectos culturales o sociales en ellos vigentes.
En segundo término, quisiera referirme a algunos de los puntos centrales que aquí se han tocado.
En primer término creo que no ha existido delegación que no se haya referido al tema de la función de la mujer en el desarrollo rural. Por sí solo esto muestra el grado de prioridad e importancia que este tema va gradualmente adquiriendo en las políticas nacionales, en la percepción de un problema que envuelve a la sociedad en el tiempo en que vivimos y en la búsqueda de mecanismos que permitan abordar el reconocimiento de un sector que había sido ignorado en el mecanismo social y productivo del medio rural, para reconocerle su calidad y buscar las herramientas que tiendan a apoyar su integración más plena no sólo en sus derechos, en su forma de integrarse dentro de la sociedad, sino también para contribuir a mejorar la producción, la productividad y representarse a través de los mecanismos de decisión política y social, en los cuales el rol femenino hoy día va adquiriendo más peso.
Quiero en este sentido más tarde pedir, con la autorización del señor Presidente, a la Dra. Finney que ella conteste algunos puntos específicos relacionados con actividades en las cuales la FAO está envuelta. Pero quisiera, a este respecto, agradecer, junto con responder a la pregunta formulada por Los Países Bajos y apoyada por algunas otras intervenciones, si la FAO, con el número de funcionarios que tiene trabajando en el sector de integración de la mujer, está en condiciones o no de responder a las. demandas que el tema mismo conlleva.
Debo decirle que si tuviera que dar una respuesta basada sólo en el número de funcionarías que existen a cargo y en funciones en el servicio mismo, mi respuesta obviamente sería no. No es posible, es un grupo muy pequeño, el cual se vio incluso mal aceptado por las reducciones que, dado el problema de liquidez financiera, la Organización ha experimentado; le tocó - incluso yo-diría - pagar una cuota adicional en los puestos que debieron ser congelados o postergado su reclutamiento.
Pero con el producto del esfuerzo realizado por ese otro grupo, más los mecanismos que la Organización ha puesto en marcha para integrar a otros Departamentos y Divisiones dentro de la temática de la incorporación de la mujer en los programas mismos de la Organización, ha sido posible en parte paliar esta carencia. Y a ello responde la calidad de los documentos, la diversidad de la información a que ustedes han tenido acceso y la forma cómo este programa sigue manteniéndose en funcionamiento.
A este respecto quiero señalar el funcionamiento del Comité Interdivisional de integración de la mujer en el desarrollo que prácticamente toca a todos los Departamentos y Divisiones de la casa, en los cuales, Departamentos como el Forestal, el de Pesca y en otras unidades en el Departamento de Agricultura, han constituido grupos pequeños de trabajos específicos para avocarse a la reorientación de sus programas con miras al mandato emanado de la Conferencia Mundial de Reforma Agraria y a la Conferencia de Nairobi que ha fijado las estrategias para el futuro en la integración del sector femenino.
Por ello mismo, agradecemos y recogemos el agradecimiento de los Países Bajos en el sentido de apor-tar recursos para apoyar incluso la contratación de funcionarios en Roma para completar o mejorar lo que significaría la posibilidad de un conjunto de guías que permitiese diseñar un control, así como también la incorporación de la temática de la integración de la mujer en los proyectos que van sien-do desarrollados a través de los distintos programas o subprogramas en los cuales la casa está implementando su programa de campo.
En segundo término, agradecer igualmente el generoso apoyo para crear y financiar una consulta ide
expertos que pudiese recoger los elementos que aquí se han formulado a través de los distintos programas, documentos o, incluso, trabajos que están en curso por parte de la FAO con el objeto de poder llegar a una conclusión, ya sea presentada a través del Consejo de la FAO o en otros mecanismos que la Organización tiene a disposición, para integrar ya sea un plan de acción, un programa o un conjunto de actividades que permitiesen reflejar, en forma más precisa, cómo este tema está siendo incorporado dentro de la actividad central de las prioridades de la casa.
El segundo punto que quisiera yo tocar es el tema de la participación popular. Al igual que la anterior, es difícil encontrar alguna delegación que no haya hecho alguna referencia a este tema, ya sea en sus específicas menciones a las organizaciones no gubernamentales o a la participación de los sectores de pequeños agricultores o a los sectores específicos, ya sea de juventud rural u otros mecanismos como los campesinos sin tierra o sectores que van siendo afectados por la mantención de la pobreza en el medio rural.
Al igual como en el caso de los Países Bajos, quisiera dejar establecida la gratitud de la Secretaría a la representación de Suiza por el ofrecimiento aquí formulado en el sentido de financiar, si es necesario, una consulta de expertos con el objeto de estudiar la forma de cómo la participación de las organizaciones de agricultores - incluyendo representación del sector femenino, del sector campesino, de los sindicatos y de otros grupos que operan dentro del medio rural - pudiese llevar a la Organización a incorporar, dentro de su política, la percepción de cómo crear un mecanismo de relación más estable, permanente, en un grado consultivo con las organizaciones representativas de quienes trabajan efectivamente en el medio rural y agrícola.
El tercer punto que quisiera tocar son aquellas sugerencias a los elementos más bien conceptuales de la forma de analizar el tema, y en este punto quisiera señalar brevemente tres:
la necesidad reiterada, a través de distintas intervenciones, del apoyo en materia de formulación de políticas y estrategias que la FAO debe prestarles en su asistencia a los gobiernos que así lo requieren.
Al respecto, señor Presidente y miembros de la Comisión, quisiera destacar que la FAO viene ya prestando este tipo de asistencia. Para evitar alargar la introducción inicial no mencioné las que hasta el momento se han formulado: 21 misiones de alto nivel dirigidas por la FAO para asistir a los gobiernos que lo han solicitado en la reformulación de sus estrategias de desarrollo rural o de reforma agraria o ambos temas en conjunto.
El tercer elemento que quisiera señalar es el siguiente: Obvio es destacar que esta política será mantenida por la Casa en el próximo bienio como uno de los elementos centrales que emerge no sólo del debate de esta Comisión, sino también de otros temas que se han tratado en relación con la función que la Organización debe prestar o cumplir al servicio de los países.
El segundo elemento dice: Relación con los indicadores socioeconómicos. Tenemos conciencia de la dificultad que reviste para los países, sobre todo en vías de desarrollo, recoger en forma sistemática la información que permita una evaluación y seguimiento de este tema. La FAO completará en el curso del año 1988 un contexto de guías puestas al día de indicadores socioeconómicos que permitiesen, en una forma simplificada, asistir a los países en el reforzamiento de sus censos agropecuarios, en la recolección de datos y sobre todo en la desagregación de información a nivel del sector femenino, a nivel de los sectores de campesinos más pobres, que normalmente no viene siendo recogido por los censos agropecuarios que se realizan en los países.
El tercer punto que quisiera mencionar, porque creo que reviste una importancia extraordinariamente seria, es el de las consideraciones ambientales que conlleva el problema de la pobreza, y las distin-tas sugerencias que se han formulado en este debate en relación a incorporar un análisis social y económico al mismo tiempo que institucional sobre cómo en el concepto de una política para erradi-car la pobreza e incorporar las consideraciones de acceso a la tierra, la reestructuración del sistema de propiedad y las consideraciones ambientales deben merecer un trato específico.
Quisiera detenerme aquí, para no alargar esta respuesta y pedirle, con su venia, a la Dra. Finney que ella diese respuesta a aquellas preguntas específicas que se referían a su programa de trabajo.
Ms R. FINNEY (FAO Staff): I will amplify briefly remarks with regard to two main areas. Firstly, you have raised three points concerning our approach to women in development activities, and then there was some emphasis with regard to sematic priorities, to which I will briefly turn.
The three questions with regard to our approach are as follows: the extent to which FAO activities occur at the field level and benefit rural women in addition to our placing emphasis on policy and programme advice and formulation; secondly, the extent to which FAO is in a position to monitor accurately what in fact is being accomplished both for the regular programme and the field programme; thirdly, the extent to which integration as opposed to components and separate projects is an actuality, a priority and a possibility.
With regard to the first point, our notable efforts at policy and programme levels concerning support for institutional change, both internationally, regionally and nationally should not detract from the significant impact that is occurring at field level with the support of many of the donor countries here. We have been lacking in our publicity, however, about the latter. But to give you some idea about what is going on I can tell you that an initial review of only 19 projects has shown that activities are being implemented through those projects in collaboration with 537 women's groups and are reaching 22 500 women. That is only a very small part of our total range of projects.
With regard to the second point, that means that we. need to know the extent to which we can assess and report on what we are doing. For the regular programme we now have the capacity in conjunction with the PLANSYS approach to assess every single regular programme activity concerning the extent to which it is oriented towards an explicit concern for women.
In the 1986/87 budget to which this system has been applied, 31 percent of FAO's activities have an explicit concern in the regular programme.
The 1988/89 budget still needs to be assessed. All officers in the house have been trained in this system through the inter-divisional working group on women in development.
So far as the field programme is concerned we are just finalizing a system to be able to give us through the computer an assessment of the beneficiaries of projects by gender so that we will be able to report more accurately in the future and not have to rely on case studies and estimates as in this document. We appreciate your interest, however, in the case studies, which can be very informative, particularly about those projects that were not intended to include women but in fact have evolved so that they do include women, and from which guidelines can be derived building on success that has occurred in a natural way involving negotiation between the genders so that everybody wins with women in development at field level.
So far as the third point is concerned, since COAG in 1983 when the WCARRD item addressed the role of women in agriculture, FAO has taken a very strong position from the beginning of project development. There should be information on who does what, where, by gender, and this should be used in planning projects at field level, as well as the activities.
However, to fulfil this goal we also depend on cooperation and support from member countries, and to date we have had collaboration in what we call checklists on women in development with information supplied by countries as best as they could supply it on who did what, but we still have a long way to go. This is, however, where we want to head.
In the meantime we maintain our emphasis on the two-track approach of separate projects for women, larger technical projects than was the case in the past when they were relegated to women's units and regarded as welfare projects, and can be used as demonstration projects as well as attract the attention of line ministries because they see the relevance for policy goals in development.
We also have some projects with components, but we de-emphasize in favour of the integration approach about which Mr Moreno has spoken.
In the interests of time I will only very briefly mention the technical themes that I think you have raised as priorities. Throughout the discussion the technical themes that were emphasized seemed to come across very clearly as priorities as follows: women's access to land, women's access to credit - this is not necessarily in order of priority - women's access to extension and credit, to participation in rural organizations, a strengthening of their legal status in reality, not only in name, and a strong statistical basis for which planning at policy and programme level could follow.
Because these are the areas of your strongest interest, I would like for just a few of them, not
all, to give some up-to-date information which is not in Document C 87/LIM/16, which is approximately only 8000 words and cannot cover all that we might like to say.
For the studies on land you will be pleased to know that six studies have just been completed in Sri Lanka, south-east Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and the South Pacific regarding women's access to land rights. These studies have been planned in accordance with and to complement what ILO is doing in a similar area, so there is a strong basis there for future action. With regard to access to credit, we have just completed a five-country study concerning the institutional framework to support women's access to credit in the strongest way. With regard to extension of training we have just completed, with the participation of other agencies and the support of many of the country donors here a workshop which looks at the ways in which extension can be strengthened so that rural women can be reached more directly.
In the interest of time, I will not go into the other topics except to mention the question of local studies, which is a delicate, challenging and important point. Of course, the situation in women's legal status in any given country is not the responsibility of FAO. However, we have been asked to give assistance through women's machinery, which is a strange term; it means any unit in government which deals with the question of women has to provide checklists and guidelines which can enable women in those units to sit with men on the line ministries (or with women when they are there) and so that women's representatives on the rural organizations can begin to translate the Nairobi forward-looking strategies into specific concrete programmes of action for those countries, including the intention to tell rural women about the Nairobi forward-looking strategies and what the position is in their own countries which rural women may not know, as well as their legal status.
In conclusion, our main concern - as is yours - remains the condition of rural women. We thank you very much for your support in promoting it.
CHAIRMAN: Late in the afternoon yesterday we started the discussion on this Agenda Item 9 in which 51 countries participated, along with three Observers. I am not counting the six delegations who have given in their written intervention for inclusion in the verbatim records. With the 51, plus the three and the six, the discussion has just been concluded.
The main focus of the discussion has been weighted heavily in favour of women. For those of us who have heard the discussion so far on Agenda Item 6.1 and on International Agricultural Adjustment, Agenda Item 8, it should now be abundantly clear that many of the agenda items before the Conference overlap and that there is unavoidable duplication in the data, documentation and discussions.
The discussions brought out clearly, in a manner of speaking, that the whole range and entire gamut of the activities of FAO seem to come within the purview of WCARRD; indeed, not only the activities of FAO, but some of the UN organizations like WHO as well. Initially, one had a doubt about forestry and the CODEX ALIMENTARIUS, but on reflection - looking at page 12 of Document C 87/19 - perhaps it becomes clear that forestry is as much within the ambit of WCARRD as is the quantity of food inputs, which is of vital importance when dealing with poverty alleviation.
Foreign exchange problems, export earnings, external resources - these have all come before us for discussion, as they have also come before us in earlier documentation. In this context we must ensure that the review of the WCARRD programme is carried out with the least duplication. Duplication, if any, should be avoidable. The reviews must be carried out in the most cost-effective manner which is particularly relevant to the background of the resource crisis which FAO is passing through. The committed stance taken by the Netherlands will one hopes, find an echo from other developing countries so that within the headquarters of FAO the professional backup can be provided whatever might be the final picture which emerges on the resources front.
In the discussion in Commission I, delegates rightly gave their closest attention to the role of women. However, there are some limitations in the shape of built-in contradictions which we must recognize. Those who are familiar with the process of development at grass-root level will have no difficulty in conceding that the problems of women cannot be looked at in isolation. They are indirectly intertwined with social, political and economic factors, with history, geography, customs, mores, social milieu and the ethos in which women and, indeed, the poor rural communities, live, exist and survive - all these things are very relevant.
Similarly, the literacy and resource endowment of the areas and the public policies of the governments concerned have a serious impact for WCARRD objectives. Again, when we look at the agricultural extension system and its machinery in a developing country, the difficulty of reconciling firstly a unique national agricultural extension system which some of the international funding agencies regard as a sine qua nonfor agricultural development and secondly the common need for a multi-disciplined, multi-functioning mechanism which takes a view of the farming systems and of the on-farm and off-farm activities, is a problem we must recognize. Most developing countries cannot afford to have separate hierarchies - one for agriculture and another for rural development.
Again, while agrarian reforms, land tenancy and tenure of land have a definite role in raising production levels and therefore in poverty alleviation, these have been implemented in a given socio-economic system of a developing country, but not in all cases are the circumstances conducive to an across-the-board land reform. The need for generating more venues for off-farm employment, for closing the gap between rural and urban incomes, agricultural and non-agricultural incomes, has also been emphasized. So has the vicious circle of rural poverty been given attention, and the environment. Poverty affects the environment and the environment in turn affects poverty. There is a silver lining where the intervening variables can help break the vicious circle and achieve the objectives of WCARRD.
With regard to the periodicity of the review - a review once in 4 years or a review in 8 years -many member countries have spoken in favour, while some have spoken against. We have taken a decision on this issue, to my mind, balancing three factors: first, the need to avoid duplication; second the need for having reviews at such intervals that they become meaningful and thirdly, and more importantly, the fact that it is only such reviews in an international forum which make Member Nations sit up and take notice and initiate- programmes which alleviate rural poverty and achieve other WCARRD objectives. Balancing the three factors, WCARRD can come up formally for review at least once in eight years. Staff permitting, - once in four years, say - some specific aspect like poverty alleviation, and the role of women can be placed before the Conference with an in-depth analysis.
We have also had tabled two resolutions which will go through the procedures of the Resolutions Committee for clearance. Subject to this, I close the discussion on the subject and thank the delegates who have participated. I also thank the FAO headquarters staff who have assisted us. We will come back to this item after the resolutions which now have to be placed before the Resolutions Committee. They will then come back to the Commission for consideration. So the discussion, subject to this caveat, is now closed.
I suggest we go back to Agenda Item 6.3 on the World Food Day Delegates will be aware that a resolution has been tabled by Peru. This has gone to the Resolutions Committee and has been circulated to all delegates. Document C 87/LIM/36 will have come to the attention of delegates. Since this is a subject discussed in detail the other day when we dealt with Agenda Item 6.3, and keeping in mind the hour of the evening, if, we can generally agree with the eight effective subparagraphs in this Resolution which constitute the most effective portion of the Resolution, perhaps we can approve this by acclamation. I have been advised this was given to all delegations this morning. I request the Secretary to read the Resolution, particularly the last paragraph where the eight effective sub-paragraphs are involved so that, subject to general approval, we can pass this by acclamation.
K. S. MULHERIN (Secretary, Commission I): "At its third meeting on 16 November 1987 and its fourth meeting on 17 November 1987, the Resolution Committee examined the Draft Resolution presented by the delegation of Peru on World Food Day.
"The text of this Resolution was found receivable and is submitted herewith to Commission I. WORLD FOOD DAY. Resolution 87" - there will be a number given to it when all the resolutions are in order. I have only to read the operative portion of the Resolution:
"Expresses its gratitude" - this is number 1 of the points at the bottom of the page - "Expresses its gratitude for the contribution of Member Governments and all non-governmental organizations helping to build support for this annual observance;
"2. Underscores the need for World Food Day activities to promote concepts of equity and human dignity, as- recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international covenants and undertakings;
"3. Urges Member Governments to make all possible efforts to establish - or to strengthen if they already exist - World Food Day National Committees, in order to pursue the positive trend of moving away from a single-day observance to a year-round programme of constructive action, and from ceremonial observances to more substantive activities addressing food-related issues;
"4. Recommends that Member Governments, non-governmental organizations and the FAO Secretariat work together as much as possible in the planning, coordination and implementation of World Food Day activities, in order to enhance the international nature of this event, following the concepts and ideas contained in document C 87/29 ("World Food Day Assessment (1981-1987) and Future Directions");
"5. Requests that the Director-General make all efforts to continue the effective coordination of WFD activities throughout the world;
"6. Recommends that the FAO Secretariat make a sustained effort to broaden international support for World Food Day through cooperation with other United Nations agencies and programmes and relevant international non-governmental organizations (INGOs);
"7. Encourages the FAO Secretariat to facilitate in all possible ways other initiatives for international World Food Day planning and programmes, especially in the areas of information and material exchange;
"8. Urges that Member Governments and others involved in World Food Day planning give a more prominent role to the concept of people's participation, considering also how World Food Day programmes implemented at the national level could support the goals of the Programme of Action of the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development."
CHAIRMAN: As delegates will recall, we had a fairly detailed and long discussion on Agenda Item 6.3 the other day. If delegates agree with this resolution which has been tabled by the delegate of Peru and which has been cleared by the Resolutions Committee, it could be approved after the distinguished delegate from Colombia has had his say.
Gonzalo BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Deseamos proponer una adición al párrafo 5 de este proyecto de resolución. Esperamos que no sea controvertida y sea fácil de entender. En el párrafo 5 después del punto y coma se agregaría lo siguiente: "y por que en la celebración de DMA en Roma se asegure la mayor participación posible de representantes de países en desarrollo." Esto lo dijo nuestra delegación - y entendemos que otras también -, creemos que es conveniente y ojalá que no ofrezca dificultades.
CHAIRMAN: The addition suggested by the delegate from Colombia to sub-paragraph 5 of the last paragraph would seem to imply that certain detailed indications have been given as to how functions are to be organized and what type of association is to be ensured. One view could be that these are really operational details which need not be specified in a policy resolution of this type, but I would like to hear from the distinguished delegate from Cuba.
Marcos I. NIETO LARA (Cuba): Expresamos que esta adición a nosotros no nos crea ninguna dificultad, simplemente quisiera aclarar el término de la celebración en Roma. Creo que pudiera ser un poco más específico, porque aquí se habla de una ciudad, no de una institución como sería la FAO; tal vez con-vendría señalar la sede de la FAO.
Ismael DIAZ YUBERO (España): He oído con atención la propuesta de mi querido amigo el Embajador de Colombia, el señor Bula Hoyos, pero realmente me cuesta mucho trabajo entenderla; no la entiendo fácilmente. Yo creo que es importante la presencia de los países en desarrollo en muchos actos de la FAO, en muchas reuniones y en muchas conferencias, y creo que en ese caso se les debe, incluso, subvencionar el viaje, pagarles los gastos y todo lo que sea menester; pero, precisamente, pienso que el Día Mundial de la Alimentación no es la ocasión más oportuna para tener que hacer un desembolso así, si es que eso envuelve la posibilidad de que la FAO pague esos viajes, y supongo que es así, porque se pide que se asegure la representación mayor posible de los países en desarrollo.
En definitiva, acepto la propuesta que ha hecho el representante de Cuba respecto a que no habría que hablar de Roma, sino que habría que hablar de FAO, pero, repito, no entiendo demasiado bien la propuesta. Yo le pediría al Embajador de Colombia que nos explicara un poco más que es lo que quiere decir. En principio, si solamente es la representación creo sinceramente que, por mi parte, sería difícil de aceptar.
Gonzalo BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Lamento haber retardado sus trabajos ya al final de un largo día. Sólo tratábamos de reflejar en esta adición lo que pensamos que ha surgido del debate en relación con la participación popular, que ya aparece en el párrafo 8.
Creo que la forma como habíamos redactado nuestra propuesta no contiene ninguna crítica a la Secreta-ría, ni indicaciones demasiado severas. Sin embargo, atendemos con mucha benevolencia las solicitudes de los colegas de Cuba y de España y podríamos proponer una ligera enmienda para ver si fuera aceptada nuestra propuesta. Diríamos simplemente: "y porque en la celebración del DMA en la sede de la FAO se trate de obtener" -en vez de asegurarse-. Esto es flexible, es amplio y estamos seguros de que el Director General ya lo está haciendo; ya se está interesando por eso, pero esto puede contribuir. Nosotros hicimos referencias a que se trajeran campesinos, dirigentes agrícolas, etcétera, pero no queremos entrar en detalles. Solamente queremos reflejar en términos amplios la idea que tenemos en mente.
Espero que la segunda parte de mi propuesta sea captada por la Secretaría y no ofrezca dificultades.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you, the distinguished delegate from Colombia I am not at all sorry that you are delaying the conclusion of our work. On the other hand, I am happy that you have lived up to your promise of sitting with us in the late evening session.
Before I give the floor to the distinguished delegate of Nigeria, I would request Mr Moreno Rojas to offer his comments.
Rafael MORENO ROJAS (Subdirector General a.i., Departamento de Política Económica y Social): En representación de la Secretaría, y dado que pudiese fluir de la proposición que aquí se ha hecho la imagen de que en la participación del DMA en sus ceremonias en Roma - porque obviamente, no se estará haciendo referencia a las celebraciones regionales que se han desarrollado en Ghana, en América Latina y, en el caso de Asia, en Bangkok, ya que las personas que allí han participado, sin excepción, pertenecen a los países en vías de desarrollo - quisiera, para los efectos de que esta Comisión, tenga exactamente la información, dar los nombres de las personas que han sido invitadas a participar en la celebración del Día Mundial de la Alimentación a partir del día de su creación. En 1981 se invitó al señor Willy Brandt, que fue quien inauguró la serie de estas celebraciones; en 1982 se invitó y participaron el señor Raúl Prebisch, de Argentina y el Príncipe Talal, ambos de países en vías de desarrollo; en 1983 concurrió invitado el señor Olaf Palmer; en el año 1984 participaron el Presidente del Senegal excelentísimo señor Diouf y la señora Ekila Liyonda, Ministra del Zaire, quienes fueron acompañados por el Presidente de la República de Italia, el señor Sandro Pertini. En el año 1985 tuvimos el honor de tener como invitado al nuevo Presidente de la República de Italia Presidente Cossiga; creo que es innecesario recalcar la importancia que reviste el país hospedante de la FAO en este caso. En el año 1986 tuvimos la presencia del Presidente del Consejo de Ministros señor Giovanni Goria, el cual había aceptado la representación, y por razones que ella juzgó necesario atender no pudo concurrir para haber participado junto con el Presidente del Consejo de Ministros de la República de Italia, en esta celebración.
Surge claro, que durante las celebraciones de 1981 a esta parte, los países en vías de desarrollo siempre han estado y han participado en la ceremonia romana de una forma igualitaria, porque en las ceremonias regionales, en todas, los países en vías de desarrollo han estado representados con su propia jerarquía.
O.F.J. OYAIDE (Nigeria): On the basis of the explanation which Mr Moreno has just given, I am going to suggest that we leave the resolution as originally drafted and just take note of the comment that has been made and leave it at that.
Gonzalo BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Cumplí mi promesa de acompañarle en la sesión nocturna pero no la de estar en silencio; lo lamento. Creo, señor Presidente que Colombia es uno de los países de America Latina y del Caribe donde se habla mejor castellano; esa es la opinión generalizada y el señor Moreno pertenece a un país de América Latina y del Caribe, de manera que espero que haya quedado bien clara mi intención en el sentido de que la enmienda que proponía - digo proponía, y la inflexión verbal es muy importante - estaba relacionada solamente con la celebración en Roma, en la sede de la FAO. De manera que no quedan dudas.
Las referencias que nos ha dado el señor Moreno sobre las personalidades que han intervenido, obvia-mente son las mismas que justifican la inquietud que tenemos. No estamos en una actitud crítica a la Secretaría de la FAO y menos al Director General. En la declaración que hicimos hablamos de imponderables políticos y con eso estábamos tratando de decir lo que explícitamente manifestó el señor Moreno. Sabíamos que la distinguidísima y honorable Presidente de Filipinas había sido invitada y que a última hora no pudo asistir. Esto es todo lo que queríamos expresar, señor Presidente, pero si esto incomoda a la Secretaría, no tengo el menor inconveniente en atender el llamado del colega de Nigeria y retirar mi propuesta presentando mis excusas a usted y a la Comisión.
CHAIRMAN: Not speaking Spanish myself, I am not in a position to pronounce on your claim that the best Spanish is spoken in Latin America! I will leave it to the distinguished Vice-Chairman Mr Diaz Yubero to handle when he takes the chair a little later. For the present I am happy that you are being good enough to suggest that you withdraw your proposal for making any change. Therefore may I suggest that the resolution which was placed before us is approved by the Commission?
James AITKEN (United Kingdom): Mr Chairman, before you close the debate on this particular resolution I would like to propose an amendment. Could I ask for clarification as to whether or not the proposed amendment to the text of paragraph 5 has fallen? It has been withdrawn; thank you.
In that case I would like to add the following amendment and this again is to paragraph 5. It is: "and ensure that the nature of the ceremonies in Rome reflect the fact that the number of undernourished and malnourished people in the world is increasing in absolute if not relative terms".
CHAIRMAN: I understand the amendment that has been moved by the distinguished delegate of the United Kingdom but as far as my understanding goes the factual position could vary from year to year depending on the progress of development. Incorporating it in a resolution of this type would possibly imply the prejudging of what is going to happen for the next five to ten years. Can I suggest we leave our paragraph 5 as it is?
James AITKEN (United Kingdom): I am concerned with modifying the proposal to take account of that, and I suggest that again the text should be "of the ceremonies in Rome should reflect the number of undernourished and malnourished people in the world".
Ismael DIAZ YUBERO (España): Yo creo que es buena la propuesta que ha hecho el representante del Reino Unido en su segunda intervención. Se puede hacer constar el número de personas que pasan hambre; se puede hacer constar la cantidad de países que están en situación de emergencia; se puede hacer constar el numero de niños que han muerto este ano de hambre y se pueden hacer constar muchas cosas, tantas como se quieran. Esta suele ser una cosa que se determina en cada ocasión como consecuencia de la situación que en esos momentos se está dando. Yo pediría al delegado del Reino Unido que no pongamos cortapisas, que no digamos sobre qué tiene que versar, o que es lo que hay que decir en el Día Mundial de la Alimentación, sino que pensemos que siempre existirá sentido común para decir aquello que en cada caso, en cada momento convenga más.
CHAIRMAN: May I request the distinguished delegate of the United Kingdom to indicate whether he would like to press or withdraw the amendments suggested by him.
James AITKEN (United Kingdom): I think at this stage I would like the meeting to consider this amendment and the reason it was proposed. Quite frankly, the reason it was proposed is that many of us do see a degree of incongruity between what happens in Rome on World Food Day, when often there is a very good lunch included in the occasion, and the plight of the hungry that World Food Day is supposed to draw attention to. My experience with nongovernmental organizations in Britain is that when this is celebrated in Britain often, if there is a lunch, it is a lunch of bread and water to draw attention to the plight of the hungry. It was this particular point that we would like to get across. We feel that there is an incongruity here between celebrating a day which is meant to try and bring plenty and relief to the world's poor and celebrating through the medium perhaps of a lunch which would feed many more people in a poor country.
So, I feel that perhaps this concept somewhere or other could be incorporated into the draft; some sense that there should be a degree of propriety between the way the Organization celebrates World Food Day and the plight of the hungry.
CHAIRMAN: I understand the sincerity and the srength of your sentiments.
Rafael MORENO ROJAS (Assistant Director-General a.i., Economic and Social Policy Department): I cannot avoid taking the floor and offering some points of clarification because I can see here there are two different elements. One is the way in which the world Food Day is observed here in Rome, and I can assure you that the ceremony - and I can call as witness people who are here in Rome and have attended the ceremony - is very, very solemn and is normally in the presence of the head of a state, the prime minister or a very qualified person, to address precisely on the issue of undernourishment, malnutrition and poverty. I can say, to remind you, that there has not been one single occasion on which the main thrust of the ceremony has not been centred on this.
The second element is what I would say is the lunch that has been offered, but honestly I do not see how and why it really connects with this issue. I am very sorry that the distinguished representative of the United Kingdom has not had so far the possibility of being invited to the lunch, because if he had been invited it could have been seen that the lunch has been extremely sober, precisely because the practice of the Organization is not to create antagonism. We could even offer on a future occasion the possibility to be included in the list so that he can really test by himself the way in which this type of - let us say hospitality - is handled in the house. I cannot refrain myself from saying that when you invite the head of a state, the president of a country to your house, the least you do is to offer to her or to him a dignified and sober lunch.
CHAIRMAN: Not having attended the lunch but having had some experience in the FAO Headquarters canteen, I find the menu and also the standard of the food remain the same whatever is the day or the month or the year!
Marcos I. NIETO LARA (Cuba): Pensamos que a estas alturas del debate, realmente incluir elementos específicos acá va a complicar mucho las cosas. Creo que si alguna delegación por alguna razón tiene algún sentido crítico o que quiera hacer alguna crítica, no debe ser una resolución el marco apropiado para hacerlo. Por lo tanto, pediría a la distinguida delegación del Reino Unido que tomase en consideración la declaración de España y mi propia declaración en el sentido de retirar esta moción a la resolución. Llevamos muchas horas trabajando tanto anoche como todo el día de hoy, los debates son intensos, son muy fuertes y me parece que vamos a perder mucho tiempo en estas cuestiones.
Gonzalo BULA HOYOS (Colombia): El colega del Reino Unido ha apenas dejado entrever lo que yo tenía en mi declaración sobre este tema, y que no quise pronunciar ni tampoco lo había expresado hasta ahora. Hay insatisfacción entre los representantes permanentes por lo mal cómo se celebra el Día Mundial de la Alimentación en Roma. Creemos que en su forma actual esa celebración no deja nada, absolutamente nada. No hay la austeridad a que se refirió el señor Moreno. Se distribuyen tarje-tas de invitación en varios idiomas y en pergamino. Se hace un programa en cinco idiomas y en papel muy fino, y todo eso para una celebración de 1.47 minutos desde la última celebración, en la cual participaron eminentes representantes del gobierno italiano, importantísimos, pero que hacen declaraciones como todos los jefes de Estado de países desarrollados, sobre el alto nivel político en la situación del mundo.
Eso es lo que queremos decir, y como eso ya consta en las actas, señor Presidente, yo quisiera pedirle al colega del Reino Unido que los dos atendamos el llamado de Cuba y España y no insistamos ni en su propuesta ni en la mía porque lo importante es que el señor Moreno sepa lo que nos inquieta y estoy seguro de que el Director General va a tratar de corregir esa situación.
CHAIRMAN: Two distinct themes have emerged from the discussion. One is to associate as much as possible the representatives of the developing countries with the organization of the function. The second is that the organization of the function in the FAO Headquarters should not be ostentatious and should be in tune with the type of celebration that is being observed. I would suggest, having heard these two points, that we should leave the resolution, if all distinguished delegates agree, as it is. These two points will be taken into consideration by the FAO Secretariat in future I am sure, when they organize these celebrations.
May I then move, if the distinguished delegate from the United Kingdom has no objection, that the resolution as it is be approved and we get on to the other work.
James AITKEN (United Kingdom): In view of what has been said I am quite happy to withdraw my amendment on the understanding that there is a general feeling that the ceremonies should not be ostentatious and should reflect the real pain of poverty and hunger for many people. I would also add as a personal note that I was not trying to angle for an invitation to the lunch, nor was I questioning the sobriety of the occasion.
CHAIRMAN: I am sure the FAO Secretariat will have the finesse to organize a meeting to which the distinguished delegate from the United Kingdom will be invited on the next World Food Day, and would not directly send him an invitation to come all the way from London.
May I then suggest that the resolution as tabled be approved? Thank you. Distinguished delegates it is approved.
It was so decided.
Il en est ainsi decide.
Así se acuerda.
The delegation of Egypt has requested that his statement on World Food Day be included in the verba-tim report. If there are no objections it shall be done, and with this agenda item 6.3 will stand concluded.
Adel Helmy EL-SARKI (Egypt) (original language Arabic): We would like to express our appreciation to the WFD for its objectives of deepening public awareness of the nature and dimensions of the long-term world food problem; developing further the sense of national and international solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty; drawing attention to the small farmers; and encouraging economic and technical cooperation among developing countries in the field of agriculture and related subjects.
Egypt always welcomes celebrating this day. This year the WFD ceremony was based on honouring a group of selected small farmers who achieved high yields from their crops through their cooperation with governmental bodies and the application of the instructions. They were granted prizes and certificates of achievement. Some selected extentionists were honoured due to their fruitful and constructive work in respect of the transfer of technology to small farmers. Also, prizes were granted to some students who had prepared acceptable articles on the WFD.
My delegation, after considering the present and future activities of WFD, would like to welcome paragraphs 28 and 29.1/
CHAIRMAN: We have with us Dr Nurul Islam to introduce agenda item No. 10, contained in document C 87/27, entitled Agriculture: Toward 2000. All of us know Dr Islam well, and in this Commission particularly, on agenda item 8, we had an interaction with him the other day. He has been with the FAO for ten years and has ably guided the Economic and Social Policy Department as the Assistant Director-General. He has recently taken retirement and has taken a research assignment in the field of socio-economics. I will be grateful to him for introducing the subject because he has initiated, during his ten year tenure in the FAO, a number of studies which have resulted in the developing and interpretation of data which have a significant impact on the preparation of this document.
Nurul ISLAM (Special Adviser to the Director-General): Document C 87/27 is the revised and updated edition of the FAO Study Agriculture: Toward 2000, The distinguished delegates will recall chat the first edition of the study presented to the 20th session of the Conference in 1979 was geared to defining the role of agriculture in the context of the new International Development Strategy of the UN. It represented FAO's contribution to the formulation of the strategy. Its main assumptions, specially regarding overall economic prospects, were those postulated for the UN development decade of the 1980s, that is high economic growth rates in the developing countries and an external environment conducive to their accelerated development. We are all aware that these conditions did not materialize in the 1980s. If anything, all developing regions except Asia suffered severe setbacks in the 1980s and the external environment became very unfavourable for their development.
Under the circumstances, a fresh look at the prospects and potentials of agriculture became necessary. This document presents our assessment. To keep my introduction as short as possible, I will not attempt to summarize the findings in the detail they deserve. These findings are summarized in Chapter I of the document. I will only highlight some of the key parameters that we consider will influence the performance of agriculture over the period up to the year 2000, in both the developing and the developed countries. Many developing countries face overall economic growth prospects which, though better than the dismal record of the 1980s, are decisively less favourable than those of the 1970s. In parallel, their population growth will continue to slow down, except in Africa. These two factors will make for less buoyant growth of demand for agricultural products. Lower demand growth will also constrain growth of their food imports and consequently that of markets for the main exporting countries of temperate zone foodstuffs, particularly those originating in the developed market economies.
For developed countries the slow-down in the demand for their exports together with continued low growth in their own domestic demand and the virtual exhaustion of the scope for further import substitution - all will combine to make it difficult for them to maintain their past growth rates of agricultural production. Adjustments in their agricultural support policies are, therefore, called for Agricultural growth rates in the Developed Market Economies compatible with approximate world balance would be on the order of 1 percent per annum or even lower, specially if policy adjustments were to encompass some reversal in the process of ever rising self-sufficiency. The current intense policy debate concerning the search for multilateral solutions to the containment of structural surpluses and of the inherent trade conflicts demonstrates the severity of the problem.
In many developing countries per caput incomes are not projected to grow at rates anywhere near those required for improving substantially their low per caput food consumption. This is particularly so in Africa and Latin America. In parallel, slower population growth, particularly in Asia, not accompanied by faster growth in per caput incomes in the majority of the developing countries, means that their source of demand growth will also be less dynamic than in the past. Overall, therefore, the prospects for the developing countries as a whole are that although agricultural production per caput may grow at rates somewhat above longer term trends this may not be so for aggregate agricultural production.
Thus the world seems to be on a course in which inadequate growth of demand rather than constraints to increased global supply would be the dominant concern in the coming years. Yet, the prospects are that low food consumption levels and widespread undernutrition would persist in many poor countries, unless the population in these countries themselves participate in increased production or have alternative income earning opportunities. It is for this reason that all our assessments of production prospects in the developing countries are based on the assumption that raising their own production and self-sufficiency, notwithstanding ample supplies elsewhere, remains a primary policy objective.
This applies to nearly all developing countries but more so to sub-Saharan Africa. Our assessment is that this region could double its production growth rate compared with the dismal record of the past 15 years. Yet its population growth is also accelerating and the overall economic-growth prospects are not optimistic. Higher population growth is not translated into higher food demand and consumption unless incomes also increase. It is therefore possible that notwithstanding significantly higher growth rates of production, the nutritional situation will not improve to any great extent. Increasingly, the main focus of the problem of world hunger will continue to shift from Asia to Africa.
In the developing countries as a whole availability of food per capute would continue to improve though at a much slower pace than in the 1970s. Agricultural self-sufficiency of the developing countries, overall as well as that of cereals, can be expected to nearly stop declining and stabilize at around present levels. In the past food imports played an important role in raising food availabilities. Future gains will also require increased food imports though their growth would be much below historical levels. If agricultural protection in the main developed countries were to be reduced, leading to a more liberal trading environment, the degree of self-sufficiency of the developing countries could increase. In the absence of liberalization of trade, as for example, through GATT negotiations, the net agricultural trade surplus.of the developing countries may continue to decline.
Our analysis of production indicates that growth in yields would continue to be the mainstay of production increases everywhere, though expansion of land under crops would continue to be an important factor mainly in some countries in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa. Irrigation expansion and continuation of increases in the use of off-farm inputs and of improved seeds will be an essential component of the total package for raising production.
Sustaining the growth of production in the developing countries requires both substantial commitment of resources for investment as well as appropriate policies, both domestic and international. Considerable advances in irrigation, that is, i.e. raising the percentage of irrigated to total arable land to 20 percent in developing countries as well as doubling of use of fertilizer, improved seeds and selective and appropriate mechanization are needed. Required investment in crops and livestock by the end of the century would need to go up to 16 percent of agricultural GDP.
On the domestic front, the trend of the last few years towards policy reform which recognizes both the effects of macro-economic policies on agriculture and the importance of incentives to producers must be continued. On the international side reduction of protectionism and a more liberal trading environment are essential components of the policy package. The low world market prices resulting partly from high protection in the main importing countries and subsidized exports are a disincentive to expansion of production for export and weaken the resolve of the importing developing countries to develop their agriculture. Thus, domestic policy reform has its essential counterpart in international cooperation if it is to be successful.
Advances in agricultural production must ensure that benefits also accrue to the rural poor. Measures to improve access to agricultural assets of the existing and new entrants in the agricultural labour force as well as to provide alternative employment and income earning opportunities in the rural areas will .continue to be an essential part of policies both to increase production and to reduce poverty. Agriculture must continue to provide both increased output and incomes for the poor. Without positive policies to improve distribution and the purchasing power of the poor agricultural growth will face increasing constraints. In the longer term the non-agricultural sector must bear an increasing burden of providing employment and incomes to the increasing population. The problem of rural poverty cannot be resolved in the agricultural sector alone: expansion of non-agricultural rural activities as well as urban employment is essential. Forestry and fishery also must make important contributions to the growth in income and employment. The lack of investment in infrastructure may constrain growth and lead to an increase in import dependence even in respect of those forestry products in which the countries concerned have comparative advantages. In view of rising world demand for fishery products up to the end of the century and a rising trend in real prices of fish, emphasis on better fisheries management and utilization is crucial since the prospects for significant and sustained increase in fisheries catches are limited. Aquaculture production holds greater promise and could be doubled by the end of the century.
Advances in technology in the past have underpinned a significant part of agricultural growth in both developing and developed countries. The prospects for further advances are encouraging, but much needs to be done to direct research and extension to areas, crops and farmers, which have been largely bypassed by progress. The prospects of technological advances in agriculture are good. While past results of research, some of them partially, can be applied immediately, others require adaptation. Given the time lag of 15 years or more for such adaptation, significant ready-to-use technologies will become available only towards the end of the century. The international community has the task of directing the potential of technological advance towards those ecologies and rural societies where the pay-off in terms of development and improvements in welfare would be the greatest.
Finally, the strains on the environment emanate from both successes and failures in raising agricultural production. Both developed and developing countries must pay increasing attention to environmental effects of agriculture. In the former countries the need to slow down production growth could provide welcome opportunities to counteract harmful effects of agricultural intensification. In the developing countries pressure on the environment arising from deforestation, increased irrigation and overuse of fragile soils must be offset by sustainable farming systems for tropical soils, preservation of genetic resources, efficient tropical forest management systems and integrated pest control. Appropriate rural institutions at the local level are of crucial impor-tance for the success of such a strategy.
CHAIRMAN: We have before us the document Agriculture: Toward 2000, which is the revised version of 1987. Some delegates may have seen the 1979 version, which has been revised and updated in the presentation before us.
D. Ismael Díaz Yubero, Vice-Chairman of Commission I, took the chair.
D. Ismael Díaz Yubero, Vice-Président de la Commission I, assume la présidence.
Ocupa la presidencia D. Ismael Díaz Yubero, Vicepresidente de la Comisión I.
Jorgen Skovgaard NIELSEN (Denmark): May I first express my delegation's appreciation for a very detailed and informative report. We also thank Dr Islam for his introduction, and are happy to see him here again. We are pleased that FAO provides a service in this important area for other members of the UN family, as stated in the Programme of Work and Budget.
I will first make some comments on the report. Afterwards I will suggest some sophistications of the projection activities of FAO to become more oriented towards early warnings.
Before going into details about the future I would like to mention a few facts concerning the past. During the last 25 years the world population has grown to 1.8 billion. In the same period the food production has increased, so that it has been possible to increase the amount of food per caput. Unfortunately not all people have had sufficient access to food. This is a problem we will have to combat and hopefully solve in the future. The increase in food production is due to the increase of more arable land, use of better production techniques, more utilization of fertilizers, better seed and more irrigation. The cost of this increased production has, unfortunately, in many countries and regions affected the environmental balance.
In total, we can note an average growth in agricultural production in the developing countries of 3.5% per year. In the future the report Agriculture: Toward 2000foresees a growth of about 3.5 percent per year. The increase in production covers the need of the still-growing population of the world, but generally the amount of food per caput will increase only marginally.
On this background we agree that today the main issues are: assurance of access to food for the total world population, of which up to 500 million are still undernourished; the need for adjustment of trade and production in order to assure a better distribution of the available food and to encourage a higher production in certain regions, especially in the sub-Saharan Africa; protection of the environment and natural resources.
Table 3.12, "Net Cereal Balances by Major Importers and Exporters", shows that the European Community of ten over 15 years has changed from being a net importer of 16 million tons to being a net exporter of 17 million tons of cereals. To give a full picture we would have liked the table to have included cereal substitutes in the balance.
In Chapter 4 dealing with expansion of agricultural land the Report seems optimistic about the possibilities of increasing arable land by some 80 million hectares before the year 2000. In this context the Report mentions the expansion of cultivated land into tropical forest areas. We strongly share the concern expressed in the Report about the rate of deforestation which is expected to be 11 million hectares a year. In this context we could also refer to Table 9.2, "Land Availability Per Caput". Apart from Latin America there will be a steady and dramatic decline in arable land per caput in the coming years. The decrease cannot be balanced by higher yields and more intensive cropping without disturbing the ecological balance. We miss in Table 9.2 figures for arable land per caput in developed countries. We are inclined to believe that developed countries possess a reserve of land and a production potential that might be of importance to assure future food supplies. These lands are for the time being subject to different programmes set aside due to the genral supply situation in several developed countries.
Chapter 7, "Issues of International Trade and Adjustment", gives a brief and rather balanced presentation of many of the problems to be discussed at the GATT trade negotiations. It should be noted, as also explained in the Report, that adjustment policies are decided and are being implemented in many developed countries including the European Economic Community. The problem before us in the GATT negotiations is to find a common denominator for different sorts of measures carried out in different countries and to agree on strategies for obtaining a balance on global markets.
Further, we are pleased that the report concludes with a chapter on the "Environmental Aspects of Agricultural Development". This subject deserves the full attention of all countries, developed and developing, as the issue is of vital if not fatal importance for the future of agricultural development.
Finally, I would like to make a few comments on a possible sophistication of projections for FAO.
Projections are by nature warnings, and they are normally self-defeating due to reactions on the market, changes in policies and unforeseeable events. What -is important is to sense the changes in trends at an early time and to detect the origin of these changes. Maybe FAO could, in cooperation with other institutions, develop a sort of "early warning system" to report on important changes in trends. The origin of these trends could be, inter alia, degradation of natural resources, trade and debt-problems, policy changes in general and agricultural reforms. Very often there is overreaction on insufficient information concerning production, trade and stock level. This sometimes leads to too much expansion in production as a reaction to shortages or too harsh curtailments as a reaction to a surplus situation. The report mentions that the latter situation could evolve in the dairy sector.
To avoid such overreaction, we recommend a sophistication of FAO's projection techniques in order to detect early changes in trends. Therefore, I would like to receive the Secretariat's comments on such a proposal for an early warning system on changes in trends.
The meeting rose at 19.30 hours
La seance est levée à 19 h 30
Se levanta la sesión a las 19.30 horas
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1/ Statement inserted in the verbatim records on request.
1/ Statement inserted in the verbatim records on request.
