Abdel Magid ALGAOUD (Libya): In the name of God most merciful and compassionate.
Mr Chairman, on behalf of my country's delegation I would like to congratulate you on your election to the chair of the Conference, and I would also like to congratulate my colleagues, the Vice-Chairmen, wishing you all the best in the conduct of the proceedings.
My country is following very closely with great interest the important and effective work being done by FAO to help solve international problems that have to be dealt with in connection with agricultural and economic development. We value very highly the efforts FAO is making, especially in connection with food security. In spite of expected improvements in international production of food, still we have not reached a level which the international community thinks or knows is needed and is essential. This is why we need to make further efforts to increase agricultural production globally and to provide more food through improved technology, reduction of post-harvest losses and adoption of development policies which may ensure the continued growth in the production of food.
We share the views that have been expressed already regarding world food security in developing countries and the efforts that need to be made to improve the situation, especially since those countries are having to use more and more hard-earned foreign currency for food imports. These countries find themselves in a position where they have not been able to carry out adequate development programmes to absorb enough technology transfer and to be able to go into intensive production of the food they need at reasonable prices.
My country would also stress the importance and fundamental role of FAO in trying to reduce as much as possible the impact of structural adjustment policies and in helping to avoid any political destabilization in countries because of the inadequacies of these programmes in the light of social and economic conditions prevailing in those countries.
We urge that FAO should cooperate to the utmost with the international funding and financial agencies in order to facilitate technical and technological assistance to neutralize the negative impact of such structural adjustment programmes on the economies of the developing countries carrying them out and to multiply the possible effects, because most of the economies of these countries are based on agriculture. The agricultural sector is the basis of their economies.
My country is devoting great attention to food security and food production, especially through development plans which we have begun over the last 20 years. The vast numbers of investments that have gone into the agricultural sector in our country amount to something like US$ 14 billion, which is 17 percent of all investments in economic and social development in the country. This sector has absorbed most of the direct and indirect investment in order to achieve three main fundamental goals: firstly, to ensure that both plant and animal production reach maximum levels; secondly, proper utilization of natural resources while conserving forests and the natural environment by establishing the necessary criteria to avoid damaging the environment; thirdly, the establishment of large-scale farms made available to farmers for them to run so as to involve as many people as possible in production decision-making at the grassroots level.
At the present time we have undertaken a gigantic project for the creation of a large artificial river. As you know, my country has no natural rivers or bodies of water. Because the geographical distribution of our population is concentrated along the coast, we have had to pump tremendous amounts of fresh water that had been lying in the sub-soil of our desert for over 40 thousand years. We have done this at the rate of 5.3 million cubic metres of water daily, which is distributed through a network covering 1 900 kilometres. The first stage of this project was completed when we were celebrating the 20th anniversary of our revolution. We now expect to be able to pump 2 million cubic metres of water daily. We have now been working on the second stage, which will make it possible to pump 2.3 million cubic metres per day within the next two or two and a half months. The combination of these two stages will establish the total system, which will pump a total mass of water from the desert to where it is needed amounting, as I have said before, to 5.3 million cubic metres per day. We have completed all of the necessary financial investment and all preparations have been made with the cooperation of all of our citizens, and it is hoped that this project will be completed on schedule.
However, in spite of all these considerable efforts, my country still has to cope with obstacles limiting our proper use of land that is suitable for agriculture, such as the sequel of colonialism, which occupied our country for 40 years. There are mines, for instance, remaining from the Second World War, and this makes areas of the country dangerous for people to move around, the precise areas that would be very suitable for agriculture. However, we do not have the maps and the necessary information from those who placed those mines in the first instance, so it is very difficult to remove them, and it is a very slow and dangerous job. Therefore, we would like to have the necessary support and assistance to find a solution to this very serious problem that is hampering our efforts to ensure the best possible development of our agriculture and to ensure food security. This is a problem that other countries also have to face.
The efforts we are making to rebuild our economy, especially in the agricultural sector, mean that in spite of tremendous efforts we are making it is still not enough. But at the same time we have not forgotten our commitments and our duties in the international community, that is to say, our proper participation in international and regional institutions and organizations, and our cooperation by means of bilateral programmes with many friendly countries.
I should now like to refer very briefly to some of the main issues before our Conference. In addition, my country will be making its views known in detail when these items are discussed in the meetings of the appropriate Commissions,
Two years ago we took a decision on the review of some of FAO’s goals and activities. There is a large report prepared by a group of outside experts, and agreed upon by the Programme and Finance Committees meeting separately and together. This has simply shown that there is no doubt that this Organization has excellent capacity, and the experts and committees have confirmed that we are fully justified in placing our trust in the Organization. Now is the time to strengthen our support for FAO's activities in order to give the Organization the opportunity to play its proper role in the international community for the benefit of developing countries.
The Organization has been dealing with some very serious challenges in recent years due to the cash flow crisis primarily brought about through the lack of contributions, arrears in contributions, which has caused cutbacks in the technical assistance which the Organization can provide for developing countries. Of course, this has hampered its ability to respond quickly to the needs of countries, needs that are very often urgent. The Organization does get urgent requests for help, and it has been more difficult to give that help because of this situation. Nevertheless, the Director-General has made considerable efforts to meet the challenge without having recourse to the power to borrow from outside sources as vested in him by the last Session of the Conference.
We think that the Programme of Work and Budget for the next biennium is an adequate reflection of the needs and aspirations of the vast majority of Member Nations, and we note that there has already been quite a reduction to the minimum necessary. Therefore, we hope that this can be accepted by consensus so that the countries can be helped.
In addition, we would like to stress the important role being played by FAO in the area of desert locust control, particularly in Africa. FAO's action in this respect has been very effective in recent months and years in helping countries to cope with the most recent outbreaks, which have been very damaging to agriculture in Africa. We stress that this role must be strengthened and continued.
I should also like to mention another important pest that Africa has to deal with, and I refer to the screw worm fly that threatens animals and even human life in many African countries. We would like to call on all international organizations and the international community, as well as the International Fund for Agricultural Development, to cooperate with FAO to help in solving this problem.
I would like to thank FAO for responding in a very timely fashion and adequate manner to our request for help in this specific connection. We must also thank these experts who have worked in my country hand in hand with our own people to deal with this emergency. We have found that they are highly dedicated and extremely qualified people.
My country is also very concerned at the cutback in funding for the Technical Cooperation Programme because this is a programme essentially tailored to help developing countries, and we feel that this not good. We also feel that the research programme should be strengthened in relation to agricultural development in general and in sustainable development in
particular in developing countries. Therefore, we feel that whatever is done in any country helps all other countries too, but obviously we need everyone to pull together and to help one another. Here FAO can play a very important role.
With specific regard to my own region, that is to say, North Africa and the Near East, I would note that there has been considerable deterioration in soil conditions throughout the area, the 17 percent of the land in particular that is suitable for agriculture. There is also a lot of marginal land that we must bring under cultivation adequately. There again the help of FAO experts will be vital to ensure that marginal lands can be made to bear fruit in order that we may have food not only for today but for future generations.
My country is very concerned at the pollution in the Mediterranean Sea. The Mediterranean has become a very polluted area, and there is also a lot of tension between the main military blocs. Therefore, we do hope that the Mediterranean basin can be neutralized and will again become a sea at peace, which will help all the countries around it to develop their agriculture and exercise trade in an unhampered and peaceful manner.
We should like to thank FAO and the Director-General for the tremendous efforts made over the last 20 years in providing technical assistance and advice in connection with the many plans, programmes and projects which have been implemented in my country.
We are all responsible for helping in eradicating poverty and hunger from the face of the earth, so the decisions we adopt at this Conference should be adopted bearing in mind these problems and this commitment in the hope that tomorrow will be more peaceful and more prosperous than today for the whole of humankind.
Pali Yao TCHALLA (Togo): Je voudrais avant toute chose vous féliciter, Monsieur le Président, pour votre brillante élection à la présidence de notre Conférence et féliciter l'ensemble du Bureau pour la manière efficace avec laquelle vous dirigez les débats de cette auguste assemblée.
Je voudrais aussi adresser tous mes compliments au Directeur général de la FAO et à ses collaborateurs pour la qualité des divers documents qui nous sont soumis.
La vingt-cinquième session de la Conférence de notre Organisation se situe à une période particulièrement critique pour nos pays.
A la crise économique endémique marquée par le poids de la dette se sont ajoutés un effondrement sans précédent des cours de nos matières premières, surtout agricoles, et une diminution continue de l'aide au développement.
Les efforts de développement déployés depuis plus d'un quart de siècle par nos pays au prix de mille sacrifices se révèlent vains: les cours du café, du cacao, du coton, de l'arachide, de l'huile de palme, etc. ne couvrent plus les coûts de production. Pendant le même temps les flux financiers se sont inversés en faveur dès pays industrialisés par le jeu du remboursement de la dette et du renchérissement des produits manufacturés. Ainsi, paradoxalement, ce sont les pays en développement qui déversent leurs maigres ressources dans les coffres des pays nantis.
Il est vrai que notre époque est celle des contradictions. L'intelligence humaine donne aujourd'hui des capacités immenses au monde et toutes les branches d'activités ont bénéficié des apports conjugués de la science et de la technologie. La production agricole et la production industrielle globales atteignent des niveaux impressionnants. Bref, le monde n'a jamais été aussi riche et la planète regorge de surplus agricoles (céréales, lait, beurre, viandes, fruits et légumes, etc...).
Malheureusement, un système économique injuste réserve toute cette abondance à une petite minorité alors que la grande majorité de l'humanité voit ses conditions de vie se dégrader continuellement.
Les remèdes proposés ont démontré leur inefficacité et leurs effets pervers ont tendance à accentuer la crise et donc à appauvrir davantage nos pays.
Ce bref rappel situe le contexte particulièrement difficile dans lequel les pays du tiers monde, et plus particulièrement d'Afrique, doivent assurer le développement et le bien-être de leurs populations.
Pour le Togo, mon pays, ce bien-être passe d'abord et avant tout par la réalisation de l’autosuffisance alimentaire.
L'agriculture occupe plus de 70 pour cent de la population togolaise et représente 30 pour cent du produit national brut.
On comprend dès lors l'intérêt particulier que le Gouvernement togolais accorde à ce secteur déclaré priorité des priorités. La Révolution verte lancée en mars 1977 a pour objectif d'amener les populations à produire en quantité et en qualité les biens alimentaires dont elles ont besoin; elle vise en outre la constitution de réserves pour assurer la sécurité alimentaire et la production d'excédents pour l'exportation.
A cet effet, de vigoureuses mesures ont été prises en faveur de la production agricole: campagnes de sensibilisation et de mobilisation permanentes à travers tout le pays, exonération des paysans de la taxe civique, subvention des moyens de production, notamment les engrais et les insecticides, diffusion des méthodes culturales améliorées, accroissement substantiel des financements dans le secteur agricole, augmentation des prix des produits agricoles, amélioration des conditions de vie en milieu rural grâce à la construction de pistes rurales et d'infrastructures socio-économiques et à l'hydraulique villageoise.
Les structures d'encadrement du pays ont été renforcées et de nombreux projets de développement rural intégré ont vu le jour. L'effet conjugué de ces mesures a permis d'augmenter substantiellement la production vivrière et les produits de rente, et cela malgré les aléas climatiques (sécheresse, inondations, mauvaise répartition des pluies) qui ont marqué les deux dernières décennies.
La production céréalière avec un rythme de croissance de 6 pour cent par an est passée de 265 000 tonnes en 1978 à plus de 500 000 tonnes en 1988; la production de coton-graine passait dans le même temps de 9 000 tonnes à près de 85 000 tonnes. Depuis 1984, notre,pays est autosuffisant et commence à dégager quelques excédents pour les céréales et les tubercules. Une action vigoureuse est également menée pour le développement des productions animales. Dans ce domaine, l'effort porte essentiellement sur la pisciculture et l'élevage des espèces à cycle court. Plusieurs projets de
développement des petits ruminants et de l'aviculture sont en cours d'exécution et nous avons entrepris l'empoissonnement systématique des barrages et retenues d'eau et la promotion de la pisciculture villageoise dans les zones propices à cette activité.
S'agissant des produits de rente, en dehors de la culture cotonnière dont les résultats sont très encourageants, un vaste programme de rénovation de la cacaoyère et de la caféière est en cours d'exécution et on note déjà de bonnes perspectives, notamment pour le café.
Le gouvernement se préoccupe de la protection de la nature et de la lutte contre la désertification. Pour ce faire, il a institué depuis 1977 la Journée de l'arbre, qui aujourd'hui connaît un grand succès. Les forêts classées, réserves de faune et parcs nationaux, couvrent 630 000 hectares soit 11 pour cent du territoire national. La lutte contre les feux de brousse se poursuit inlassablement et un Code de l'environnement a été promulgué en 1988.
Depuis 1985, le gouvernement a mis en oeuvre une nouvelle stratégie de développement rural qui donne à l'homme, c'est-à-dire au paysan, sa vraie place dans le processus du développement. Il s'agit concrètement d'aider le paysan à assurer son autopromotion. Le paysan, qui est sujet et objet du développement, se voit responsabilisé davantage.
La Nouvelle stratégie de développement rural s'est traduite par une profonde restructuration des services de vulgarisation, une approche nouvelle dans la conception et la diffusion des thèmes techniques et la priorité accordée à l'organisation du milieu et à la formation des paysans. La mise en place de groupements organisés et bien gérés doit permettre aux paysans de prendre en charge à terme la plupart des actions menées en milieu rural.
Cette Nouvelle stratégie prône en outre l'utilisation rationnelle des ressources humaines, matérielles et financières pour éviter les gaspillages et améliorer le ratio coût-efficacité des actions de développement rural.
Une attention particulière est accordée aux jeunes agriculteurs dont l'installation fait l'objet d'un projet spécifique.
Des programmes spéciaux sont consacrés à la promotion des femmes en milieu rural. Ces programmes visent la participation réelle de la femme à la vie sociale, économique et politique du pays. Les principaux axes de développement retenus sont:
-l'exécution d'un programme de protection et de promotion de la femme,
-l'encadrement et la formation des femme rurales
-l'intégration systématique d'un volet féminin dans les projets de développement
-l'allégement des travaux domestiques par des fourneaux améliorés, l'installation de moulins et la conservation des légumes, etc,
-l'alphabétisation au sein des groupements et l'organisation de séminaires et d'émissions éducatives à l'intention des femmes et des jeunes filles,
- l’accès des femmes aux moyens de production dans tous les secteurs d'activités, afin d'accroître leur contribution dans la production nationale,
- l’autopromotion des femmes pour une meilleure prise en charge sur le plan économique
- la formation permanente des cadres intervenant dans le domaine del'intégration des femmes au développement.
L'agriculture togolaise franchit progressivement l'étape d'agriculture d'autosubsistance pour accroître sa part dans la formation de la richesse nationale et contribuer à l'amélioration de la balance des paiements. Il nous faudra pour l'avenir:
- consolider et pérenniser l’autosuffisance alimentaire par une augmentation sensible des productions vivrières et l'amélioration de leur qualité en vue de l'exportation des excédents
- améliorer les cultures de rente pour accroître les recettes de l'Etat,
- relever le niveau de vie des populations rurales par l'améliration du milieu et l'augmentation des revenus des paysans,
- réduire l'exode rural en offrant aux jeunes gens et jeunes filles des conditions de vie décentes en milieur rural.
La conduite d'une politique aussi vaste et diversifiée nécessite d'importants moyens financiers et humains. A cet effet le Togo se félicite de la contribution des pays amis et des institutions internationales de coopération et d'aide au développement. Je saisis l'occasion pour adresser à leurs représentants ici présents les remerciements du gouvernement et du peuple togolais.
L'Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture prend une part importante dans nos programmes de développement rural et son action multiforme intéresse plusieurs domaines, à savoir: les études, la planification et la programmation, la production agricole, l'élevage et la pêche, le crédit rural, la formation, le reboisement et l'agroforesterie. Je voudrais vous en remercier, Monsieur le Directeur général, et féliciter vos collaborateurs et vos experts pour la qualité et l'efficacité de l'apport de la FAO à nos efforts de développement.
Je souhaite que la coopération entre la FAO et mon pays se renforce en particulier dans le cadre du programme de coopération technique.
La vingt-cinquième session de la Conférence de la FAO nous donne l'occasion de débattre des problèmes de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation dans le monde, d'examiner les activités et programmes de la FAO, et de doter notre Organisation des ressources nécessaires à la poursuite de son action.
L'Afrique, principale bénéficiaire des programmes de la FAO, apprécie l'évolution observée dans l'exécution des projets, notamment le recours de plus en plus fréquent à des cadres de nos pays.
La dégradation permanente des termes de l'échange, l'inflation et le poids de la dette publique ne laissent à nos pays que de maigres possibilités de dégager des ressources en vue du développement, notamment du secteur rural. C'est donc dans ce secteur que le besoin d'aide et de coopération est le plus ressenti car 70 à 90 pour cent de nos populations vivent et produisent en milieu rural et l'essentiel de nos ressources en provient.
Le rôle des organisations internationales telles que la FAO est de susciter et de canaliser cette coopération et de faire en sorte qu'elle se réalise à travers des structures simples, rapides et pratiques qui prennent en considération nos propres réalités, nos besoins et nos priorités. Je formule le voeu que cet aspect de la mission de la FAO se développe et que de nouveaux bailleurs de fonds viennent soutenir et accroître les programmes de terrain de notre Organisation.
Il est également important que les efforts de nos pays pour augmenter la production agricole en vue d'assurer l’autosuffisance et la sécurité alimentaire aux niveaux national et régional reçoivent l'appui de nos partenaires du développement, à travers l'aide alimentaire, par le recours en priorité aux opérations triangulaires qui permettent d'utiliser les excédents disponibles au niveau de certains pays dans la même région.
Là aussi, la FAO a un rôle à jouer dans la sensibilisation des bailleurs de fonds et l'organisation des opérations.
Je voudrais conclure en souhaitant que nos travaux contribuent à renforcer le rôle de la FAO dans sa noble mission de la lutte contre la faim dans le monde.
Sheik Hamad B.J. B.J. AL-THANI (Qatar) (original language Arabic): It is a pleasure for me to address, today, the Twenty-fifth Session of the FAO General Conference to discuss issues related to food supply and agricultural development, to exchange views and information and to seek possible solutions to the common problems faced by our countries in this vital field, for the purpose of increasing food production, ensuring the means to promote agricultural development everywhere and strengthening international cooperation in order to eradicate hunger threatening millions of human beings.
The State of Qatar joined FAO in 1971, the year of its independence, and contributed positively and effectively to the programmes of the Organization and provided it with all the support possible. This was motivated by the Government's firm belief in the objectives of FAO as an international independent UN agency seeking international cooperation in food and agriculture and in view of my Government's endorsement of the Food Security Compact adopted by the General Conference in 1984.
Qatar took part in various conferences and meetings held by the Organization and was involved in various activities to overcome agricultural and environmental problems afflicting our region due to drought and desertification. Only a few days before the opening of this Conference, we hosted a meeting of the "Desert Locust Control Commission for the Near East" since we are still threatened by an invasion of desert locusts.
We are firmly convinced that the exchange of expertise, consultation and vital cooperation still constitute a sound basis to assist developing countries in overcoming agricultural problems which are the main cause of economic and social development problems in general. In this context, we fully support FAO as a framework for cooperation among States in view of its capacities and potential. We warmly thank the Director-General, Dr Edouard Saouma, for his successful efforts and initiatives.
The State of Qatar formulated a modern flexible agricultural policy aimed at strengthening and developing the agricultural sector, achieving food security, overcoming food production shortages and tackling severe fluctuations in world prices of agricultural commodities.
Our policy is essentially based on a strategy which attempts to diversify sources of income in order to ensure the supporting capacity of land for the future of our nationals in spite of the relatively low profitability of the agricultural sector. The Government of Qatar led by His Majesty Sheikh Khalifa Bin Hamad Al Thani and His Majesty Crown Prince Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, is convinced that food self-sufficiency is vital and essential to lay the foundations of a sound development and political independence.
The Government and farming insitutions made several efforts within a short period of time which resulted in concrete achievements and encouraging progress in the implementation of various agricultural programmes designed to increase cultivated land which reached 35 000 hectares which reached 5 400 hectares for crops and 3 400 for vegetables, and to supply water for irrigation purposes either through groundwater use, desalination of sea water, or water reuse. Measures for promoting the fisheries sector were also taken which resulted in achieving self-sufficiency in recent years, and met the needs of the local poor.
At the beginning of 1989, we adopted a new agricultural policy based on agricultural investment. It consists of providing incentives for the setting up of private farms for 7 000 hectares of cultivable land or drawing up joint farming, fisheries and livestock projects. For example, the National Arab Company for Vegetable Production was set up in cooperation with the Arab Investment and Agricultural Development Centre as well as the Arab National Company for Poultry and Arab National Company for Dairy Products. We are now in the process of setting up a national company for agriculture and fisheries jointly with nationals.
However, in spite of the efforts that are being made by Qatar to promote the agricultural sector and achieve food security, we are still in need of international support and solidarity at all levels and in all fields either through the exchange of technical expertise of through the assistance given by FAO in the form of training, information, and programmes and studies.
We have in mind areas where water and cultivable land are scarce. We are forced to dedicate our limited groundwater supply to irrigation and to depend on desalinated sea water for drinking purposes. In the light of harsh environmental conditions, we had to resort to modern technologies to overcome them which led to an increase in the cost of our agricultural produce. We, therefore, welcome any assistance or advice that may help us develop our projects and reach the objectives we seek in the food and agriculture sectors.
On our part, we are ready to work in solidarity and cooperation with the international community to solve present problems. We regret to read in a report of the Overseas Development Board that 780 million human beings are threatened by hunger and poverty and that 280 million of the poorest and hungry live in regions with high agricultural potential.
These astonishing figures constitute a heavy burden and a great challenge calling for enormous efforts and sacrifices to rectify the imbalances, which may have catastrophic consequences.
A question arises: What efforts are being made to restore the balance? Are relief programmes enough to put an end to hunger? Can modern humanity remain a mere spectator expressing its regret and concern towards the bitter reality of millions of people?
Developed countries are, therefore, called upon to take concrete action against this serious situation by confronting the basic problem, the problem of the environment and vital agricultural resources, which is a task for which FAO is the appropriate framework.
The 25th Sesion of the General Conference is requested to consider the ways and means to strengthen FAO'8 capacity to implement its programmes. We would like to stress the importance of the role of industrialized countries in supplying modern technologies at low cost to meet food needs, develop agricultural resources and assist developing countries in achieving sustainable development.
I take this opportunity to wish this Conference success in fulfilling its objectives.
Alvaro Roque Pinho BARRETO (Portugal) (original language Portuguese): I would like to start by congratulating you, Mr Chairman, and your Vice-Chairman, on your election to the posts you occupy. We are sure we will do very well under your enlightened guidance.
These are very hopeful days for the future of the international community. We can even go as far as to say that never, during FAO's 40 years of life, has a Conference met in an atmosphere so free of international tensions and so marked by a spirit of solidarity between peoples.
In fact, relations between nations and groups of nations have been developing in hopeful and already fruitful dialogue, whereby it has been possible to create a detente throughout the world and eliminate many of the causes of tension which were affecting world peace. The march of events goes on giving us well-founded hopes that we are very rapidly and surely processing towards an era of international peace, without which it will be impossible to resolve, in depth, many of the grave problems that beset humanity.
This easing of tension clearly has positive repercussions on relations between peoples. It increases their feeling of solidarity, releases resources for developing the productive sectors not only of the countries which traditionally have few resources, but also of those which, in order to defend themselves against aggression, had been investing in weapons, in armaments; fabulous amounts of money that can now be made available for better use of resources and increased production.
We all know the importance of agriculture on a world scale, as the primary source of foodstuffs, and the enormous importance that the agricultural population still has in those countries which are developing at a slower pace.
That is why, we are sure, that better international relations will be reflected very strongly in the rural community and have a marked influence, it is to be hoped, on the progress of this "depressed sector" of the international community.
For this reason, too, as an international organization specialized in food and agriculture, FAO will have to assume an increasingly important role and, surely, in this new spirit of hope in which the world lives, the Organization will not be denied the resources which will allow it in this epoch to live up to its responsibilities and the urgent needs of thousands of human beings.
The world population has been growing at a fast rate in some of the countries with the fewest resources, and in those countries food production has not always increased sufficiently to ensure the sustenance of their peoples. It is not by imposing a reduction in the birth rate that we shall be able to strike at the roots of food shortage problems. No, it will be by an increase and better distribution of food at a world level, since that which exists now would be more than enough to feed all human beings.
Some countries are still a very long way from achieving self-sufficiency in food and this, in some cases, is a matter of concern, requiring that the richer countries must give assistance in the form of material and human means, when requested to do so by the countries concerned, in order to bring about a significant increase in production. This is the course to be followed in solving this problem, since it has been proved that it is not simply with the surpluses of the big producer countries that we can overcome the problems and meet the needs of the more slowly developing countries.
Increased food production, for resolving basic problems of survival, and an increase in exports, without which there is neither foreign currency nor the corresponding equipment goods which are vital for the modernization of the productive structures - this is what is needed, and this will oblige those poorer countries to make an extra effort that they can hardly be expected to undertake by themselves.
The international community must therefore considerably increase its aid in capital, fertilizers, pesticides and equipment, and maintain and reinforce, as and when required, help in the form of foodstuffs, without which many human beings would starve to death.
But many other forms of assistance also need to be mobilized and coordinated. Among these I would like to stress those that are directly connected with the human factor. The support of technicians who are fully acquainted with the tropical environment in which they are going to work, and professional training of the technical personnel of those countries are, in my opinion, among the most interesting fields in which assistance can be provided.
My country, as everyone knows, has a vast and important fund of information of the tropical regions where most of the countries in those conditions are located. We have a number of technicians specializing in this area, some of them with long periods of work carried out in the tropics, and others with qualifications resulting from the specialized tropical training that Portugal has kept up and has been reinforcing in recent years. My country once again offers to FAO, and to the international community, its resources,
in order that they can be put to the service of development, whether by integration in FAO, through bilateral cooperation with other interested countries, or by other forms of cooperation, including trilateral agreements in which FAO and Portugal might be partners.
My country is aware (and pleased to note) that in the last few years there has been a very significant increase in the number of Portuguese technicians that FAO has engaged as consultants. However, even taking into account those that our country uses in its bilateral cooperation projects with over a hundred countries (although giving priority to the Portuguese-speaking African countries) our resources are still far from being fully utilized.
Also taking account of the influence of the prices of agricultural products on development, especially in the case of the African countries, which cannot maintain large compensation funds, my country supports the international negotiations, namely, the Uruguay Round, which is aimed at stabilizing prices and preventing spectacular falls in prices of agricultural products, a situation that has greatly aggravated galloping foreign debts and which is of such concern to the debtors and some of the creditors.
It is true that some countries with large resources - and even some with modest resources - have been writing-off part of the debt contracted by some of these Third World countries.
This is a step that we welcome, and would like to see it more generalized for the economic revitalization of the international community, but we all know that such debts would be incurred again quickly if their causes are not eliminated.
Portugal, as a contributor to FAO, stands in 39th place among it 158 member countries. We cannot forget the support we received between 1975 and 1982 in launching certain projects, the results of which were consisdered satisfactory.
However, since that time we have not been eligible for such support, but we maintain an active and interested collaboration with FAO's activities, especially those coordinated or operated by the European Regional Office.
Portuguese technicians take part in all the "networks" of Escorena, in the activities linked to renewable energy for the rural environment and in activities for promotion of women in the country and for providing thrust to agriculture through help given to young farmers. We are members of the executive committees of the European Commission on Agriculture and fight against foot-and-mouth disease and we will possibly be organizing the Mediterranean Forestry Conference in 1991.
At the present time we are candidates for a place on the Council of FAO. Having respected the principles of rotation and equitative regional representation, my country hopes to obtain the unanimous support of all member countries in one standing for election at the FAO Conference.
I should like to call the attention of this Conference to the desire, which has been expressed here several times, for Portuguese to be admitted as a working language of FAO as it is used by 7 member countries of this Organization and two territories administered by Portugal, besides many communities from such countries scattered throughout the world.
There are 200 million people on this earth for whom Portuguese is the official language, or their mother tongue, and who claim the right to express themselves in their own language.
If I return to this question, which, in fact, has already been brought up by other countries who also speak the same language, we cannot but feel that our appeal has been reinforces in view of the position recently adopted in UNESCO, where Portuguese become a working language a few days ago.
It is with great interest and great impact on the public that every year in Portugal we organize a World Food Day, in close liaison with the FAO secretariat, whose invaluable support I would like to highlight at this stage.
Last year we were honoured by the presence of the President of the Portuguese Republic who, as guest of the Director-General of FAO, made the principal address for the World Food Day, on 16th October, in this hall. The President of the Republic, interpreting the feelings of all Portuguese people, announced that Portugal was preparing in Lisbon the establishment of a North-South dialogue centre, and asked the wealthier contributors to increase their material aid to FAO in order to reinforce its action and efficiency; he also offered the collaboration of Portuguese technicians and information available in Portugal on the tropical regions, for the benefit of the international community.
World Food Day this year had as its theme agriculture and the environment. The theme embraces a wealth of concepts and a world of problems and concerns so that its study cannot be confined to a single day.
In my country, World Food Day is understood as the last step in a year of arousing interest in and consideration of the theme proposed. It is at the same time a reason why studies should continue.
The need to improve the food supply to more than half of the growing world population, the conviction that situations of chronic hunger cannot fundamentally be resolved simply by using the surpluses of the more developed countries, means that increased food production in the needy countries, (when technically possible) must be one of the main goals in coming years. It is essential to put an end to the shocking situation, where in a world of progress in science and technology, there are hundreds of millions of people starving. However, because an increase in production can only be achieved with difficulty by increasing agricultural area or unit production, because of the conditioning factors in some of the countries concerned, the fund of fertility contained in forests is naturally coveted and sought after.
The systematic destruction of the forest that results and that we are witnessing in some places at the rate of 40 hectares a minute, for installing an agriculture which rapidly depletes the soil, cannot fail to gravely affect the ecological balance and may have far-reaching repercussions on the life of our planet.
It is not in my mind to condemn such situations, because I understand them. But it is to be hoped that measures will be taken to protect a heritage that it behooves everyone to exploit rationally, and the countries with greater technical and material resources cannot, therefore stand idly by and leave to the countries that have those resources the responsibility for protecting
something of interest and relevance to the whole world community. Increased production is becoming imperative and urgent in some countries, but this must be compatible with proper protection of the natural resources if we are not to bequeath to our children a legacy of difficulties and uncertainty.
In his homily given at the time of the 40th anniversary of FAO, Pope John Paul II reminded his audience that "The final judgement of history will be given on the way in which the peoples have concretely fulfilled their duty of contributing to the well-being of their brothers, in proportion to their own wealth and in an international co-responsibility based on justice."
The objectives defined in the Constitution of FAO are integrated in this spirit. Preoccupation has been expressed over the years and it is hoped that by maintaining these principles the efficacy of the help may increase more and more owing to the participation of all peoples, from those who are less developed to those who are in greater economy difficulties, for all are called to a common effort.
I will close with the same words of hope with which I began. The atmosphere of peace towards which we are heading, built up of dialogue, constitutes a very powerful help in the struggle against hunger and underdevelopment. I trust sincerely that in two years' time, when we meet again in this general assembly hall of FAO, we may be able to recognize that today's hopes have been transformed into certainties, and that the world will then have entered on an epoch of greater prosperity and justice, based on better understanding amongst whole mankind.
Krishna Charan SHRESTHA (Nepal): It is indeed a mater of great privilege for me to have the opportunity to address this august body and to share with you my delegation's views on some of the imporant issues facing us in the fields of concern to our Organization. The agenda agreed by us cover a wide range of topics which are pertinent to us. I will be touching upon only some of the issues that my delegation considers to be of direct relevance to the context of Nepal.
We have, under the dynamic leadership of our beloved sovereign. His Majesty the King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, embarked upon the challenging task of meeting the basic needs related to food, clothing, shelter, education, health and security. This programme of fulfilling the basic needs envisages inter alia to ensure access to food items such that by the turn of the century everybody would be able to afford the minimum estimated daily requirements of 2 250 calories per capita. This basic needs programme package also stipulate that every individual's income will be raised to a level that can ensure access to the prescribed levels of goods and services included in the basic needs basket. This commitment of ours is fully consistent with the principle and programme of action agreed by the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (WCARRD).
Our economy is basically agrarian. Over a half of the national income, and more than 90 percent of employment, is accountable to the agricultural sector. Yet, the productivity level is still very low. On the other hand, we have technologies which offer opportunities for substantial improvement in agricultural productivity. This reality when considered in conjuction with our basic needs commitment naturally means a high priority to the development of agriculture and rural areas. Consequently, our effort in the years ahead will continue to be guided by this priority need.
In operational terms also our programmes envisage a quantum jump on agricultural production by the year 2000. We plan to achieve this through significant productivity gains in agriculture. Such gains are expected to materialize mainly through the generation and adoption of technological packages which contribute to this goal. Obviously, biotechnology becomes part and parcel of our effort for a breakthrough in production. In view of this, my delegation notes with appreciation the inclusion of biotechnology a priority item in the Organization's Programme of Work and Budget for the next biennium. As correctly pointed out by the Director-General, many agencies engaged in biotechnological innovations come from the private sector. While this is a welcome development in complementing public sector effort in the area of biotechnology, it also raises the possibility whereby the inherent commercial intent may lead to unauthorized and exploitative use of indigenous genetic resources. My delegation in supporting the proposal to develop a code of conduct for biotechnology urges the Director-General to ensure that when countries like ours provide these base resources, adequate provisions are made to provide a fair share of benefits to the resource exporting countries. Furthermore, we would like to suggest that concrete actions need to be taken to ensure that appropriately chosen biotechnological innovations are made easily accessible to the majority of small farmers if our productivity goals are to be attained.
Nepal is endowed with a wide range of indigenous genetic materials much of which is yet to be explored and evaluated. The desperation to increase production may lead to an irreplaceable loss of these resources. In order to prevent such a disaster from happening, we have attempted on our part to adopt measures to preserve these genetic resources. Given the competing demand on our meagre financial and human resources, we find it difficult to meet the requirements of such preservations solely from internal resources. We feel that we as a community of nations have collective responsibility to ensure that these hitherto untapped resources do not disappear forever from our midst. I mentioned above the need to increase productivity and to harness resources, including new technologies, in order to meet our basic needs commitment. Given the fragile ecosystem of our country, the challenge before us is how to increase food and other agricultural production and yet maintain environmental soundness in the long run. This is an area where my delegation feels the need for a sound and sustainable international cooperation; for any deforestation in our hills and mountains would mean perpetual hardship not only to our own people but also to millions elsewhere. My delegation therefore fully supports the Director-General's emphasis on sustainable development. I would further urge the Director-General to initiate measures and mobilize additional resources to adequately meet the requirements of countries like ours facing particular difficulties in maintaining a balance between minimum survival needs and the capacity of the natural environment to provide such needs.
More specifically, our immediate needs relate to the assessment of the carrying capacity of our land systems in various agroecological regions and proper land use which could meet not only the sustainability criteria but also the production and income flows embodied in our basic need programme, from both immediate and long-term considerations. This would mean exploration of new plant- and animal-based enterprises and improvement in
the existing farming systems. Efforts also need to be directed towards developing appropriate technologies for environmentally fragile uplands where irrigation potentials are severely limited and rainfed farming is most common.
We have recently put into effect the master plan for the forestry sector which is in keeping with the Tropical Forestry Action Plan emphasized by the Director-General. We seek continuous suppport from FAO and other cooperating agencies in materializing its objectives.
The underlying characteristic feature of our Basic Needs Programme which I have already mentioned is to focus on the disadvantaged sections of the society. This includes women and rural youth. The programme envisages greater participation and sharing of benefits of development through the mechanism of decentralized planning and decision-making. In addition to the regular agricultural and rural development programme. His Majesty's Government of Nepal has launched for the past several years such specific target group-oriented programmes as small farmers development, and production credit for rural women. Besides, programmes like intensive banking promote the involvement of rural youth and people below the poverty line in activities providing gainful employment in the rural area.
During the course of implementation of the above-mentioned and other agricultural and rural development programmes, it has become evident that post-harvest operations and the so-called second generation problems have become major bottlenecks in our drive too expand production. On the other hand, there is tremendous scope for improvement in the existing post-harvest operations such as processing, preservation, storage and marketing. We feel that we need to launch specific projects aiming at the improvement and expansion of on-farm as well a off-farm processing and preservations capacity for such crops as ginger, cardamon, and certain types of fruits and vegetables that are commonly grown by small farmers and involve a high degree of participation by rural women. Any assistance FAO can provide in this repect will be highly appreciated.
Mr Chairman, you may be aware that Nepal started her development efforts in the 1950s with almost no physical infrastructure and trained manpower. Over the years since then however, we have accumulated some experience in various aspects of agricultural and rural development, thanks to our association with the international community, bilateral and multilateral. As a result, we have been able to share some of this experience with other countries. Let me reiterate that Nepal is willing to further expand such sharing.
Finally, I would like to register my delegation's endorsement of the Director-General's proposed Programme of Work and Budget of the Organization for the biennium 1990-91. I would urge the Member Nations, particularly those with developed economies, to be more generous in their financial contribution to the Organization.
Habib Ahmed KASSIM A. (Bahrain) (original language Arabic): In the name of God, the most gracious and merciful, it is a pleasure for me at the outset to express to the Chairman of the Conference our sincere congratulations on his election. It is a positive choice which reflects his capacity and efficiency in managing the work of the Twenty-fifth Session. We would like to wish him success in his task at a time when decisions will be taken on the food problems which face the world.
It pleases me to meet with you in this international forum to consider and review the achievements of the past two years, and to study together food issues in an objective, frank and pragmatic manner in the light of the economic fluctuations in the world economy. At the outset, I wish to express to the Director-General of FAO my gratitude for his constructive role and his wisdom in implementing ambitious programmes despite limited resources. I would also like to express my gratitude for his experience and know-how. I take this opportunity to commend the efforts of Mr Lassaad Ben Osman as Independent Chairman of the Council. We appreciate his dedication in his task, which is a difficult one.
The world today is nearing the 'nineties. It is still suffering the food problems of the 'eighties. Despite the various economic changes, the situation in general is still not encouraging, especially for developing countries which are still threatened by thorny problems and heavy burdens. The world has witnessed great progress in food supply. However, climatic conditions, natural catastrophes and the adverse effects of the economic crisis have led to a deterioration in the situation during the past two years, despite indications of improvement. This situation has led to an increase in the number of developing countries witnessing a per capita shortage of food production. In fact, food production does not correspond to the increase in population in more than 70 countries, due to the low production of grains in the major producing countries. This will affect the level of food security especially due to the increase in grain prices on world markets. In turn, this will lead to great difficulties in low-income countries which need to export their production. The developing countries face increasing difficulties in their development plans due to the decrease in external assistance granted, among others, by commercial banks.
Prospects show that food aid has decreased by 3.3 million tons. The external debt crisis remains an obstacle in the face of appropriate economic development in developing countries, despite the fact that certain countries have benefitted from the rescheduling of external debt by the Club of Paris, the IMF and the World Bank. Despite the fact that the seven most industrialized countries have agreed to alleviate the debt burden of the developing countries, these countries are still suffering from the burden of their debt. The debt problem will be an increasing threat if it is not effectively tackled.
We agree that the only possible solution is to ensure a cash flow from the developed to the developing countries. However, there are no indications of any improvement in the light of recent developments, especially the increase in interest rates in developed countries.
Natural catastrophes and climatic conditions have had an effect on the level of food production in certain regions of the world. Drought in some regions and floods in others have harmed the agricultural sectors in those countries. The African continent has also suffered a desert locust invasion. This danger still threatens, and is still present despite indications of
some improvement. I would like to commend the role of the Organization and its contribution in taking anti-desert locust measures. I urge FAO to continue its efforts to eradicate the desert locust and to take initiatives in this area. This activity should be given high priority in order to eliminate this serious threat.
I now refer to sustainable development and the fact that it has an important role in preserving natural resources. This is an important issue for developing countries, especially those which have limited natural resources. FAO may play an important role in this field through the formulation of policies and programmes in the spheres of agriculture, forestry and fisheries in order to achieve sustainable development. This is linked with the need to conciliate between an increase in food production and the protection of the environment. Any environmental deterioration affects us all. However, the rural poor are the most affected. This requires the setting up of a programme taking into account all factors and elements so that costs do not increase and so that food production may not increase at the expense of environmental protection and the preservation of natural resources.
The preservation of the environment and the conservation of natural resources ensures continued production and ensures a future for the coming generation. The Organization did well when it chose the environment and nutrition as a slogan for the celebration of the Ninth World Food Day.
I would like to refer to an important issue linked to environment. The Gulf countries in recent years faced a dangerous threat that may threaten marine resources. Some countries have tried to dispose of toxic residues in the Gulf Sea. Marine resources are the main source of income for our countries. This is why I would like to urge all states to preserve and protect the environment taking into account that this earth is one single planet and that the preservation of the environment should apply to all countries and not just to some countries.
One of the items of our agenda is the re-establishment of the regional Near East office in Cairo. A decision was taken in the past upon request of the countries of the region to establish this office in Rome. The office carried out its task effectively and with great competence. I take this opportunity to thank Mr Salah Jum'a, the Near East Representative, for his efforts in continuing his services to our region. However, despite all of that the position of the present office is a transitional one. Therefore, it has become logical for the office to be re-established in Cairo, that is, within the region. I urge Member States to approve this proposal and to take the necessary measures so that our regional office may be re-established in Cairo in order to promote its capacity as a liaison between the countries of the region and FAO.
While reading the reports on the Regular Programme and the Field Programme we have noted the Director-General's wisdom in directing the programmes of this Organization to achieve its objectives. However, we regret to see that the financial crisis has had a severe effect on one field, which is training. We firmly believe that man is a natural resource and that this human resource should be developed and should be given its deserved priority. Despite the efforts made by the Director-General to implement ambitious programmes, the financial crisis has led to various changes and amendments in the programme of work of the Organization affecting priorities. In fact, this affects and threatens the Organization's role in improving food production and development in the agricultural sector.
That is why I would like to join the Director-General and previous speakers in urging all of those countries that have arrears to quickly pay their contributions in order to enable the Organization to continue its services and to implement its programmes. On the other hand, I would like to commend the Director-General's realism in preparing the Programme of Work and Budget for 1990-91. I hope that we will all cooperate to implement this programme for the benefit of Member States so as to improve living conditions in poor countries.
Finally, I would like to thank you all for your attention. I would also like to thank the Director-General, his colleagues and the FAO staff, as well as all of those who have contributed to the preparation of this Conference. I hope that this Conference will be crowned with practical decisions.
C. Srinivasa SASTRY (India): On behalf of the Government of India and my Delegation I extend to you, Mr Chairman, our congratulations on your unanimous election as the Chairman of the Twenty-fifth Session of FAO Conference. I also offer my felicitations to the Vice-Chairmen of this Conference.
Mr Chairman, the food security of the world continues to be threatened even though the global production, supplies and utilization of cereals in the current year are likely to register an increase. While the overall world food production may continue to meet the effective demand, the problems of inadequate food production and undernutrition in the developing countries and amongst their poorer populations remain. According to the 5th World Food Survey conducted by the FAO, there were at least 495 million critically undernourished persons in the world during 1979-81. Their number might be even larger today as the problem of food continues to defy a satisfactory solution.
In 1988, the production of staple foods fell below aggregate consumption level for the second year in succession. The per capita production of staple food was only 1 percent more in 1988 than it was at the beginning of the decade. World carry-over stocks of cereals are expected to be drawn down during 1988-89 by the largest recorded amount in any year. The prices of cereals have risen significantly in the international market, creating problems for the low income food-deficit countries in financing their food imports. High cereal prices together with the problems of debt-servicing have jeopardized the access to food for the vulnerable groups of their population.
While the food security problems in the developing countries have increased, the volume of food aid has fallen to its lowest level in the past six years. The worsening of the food situation in the developing countries is a matter of serious concern to all of us. The depleted cereal stocks need to be made up in the shortest possible time, and the situation requires intensification of efforts for increasing the production of food items in the developing as well as developed countries.
India has made a noteworthy contribution to the recovery in global output of cereals. In 1988-89 the production of foodgrains in the country increased by 34 million tonnes and reached an all-time high of about 172 million tonnes. Record production was also achieved in the case of oilseeds and sugar cane. It is also significant that the growth in agriculture in India in recent
years has been primarily due to increased productivity rather than increase in cultivated area. The yield levels of rice, wheat and other foodgrains reached an all-time high in 1988-89. India has managed to keep the rate of growth of foodgrains production ahead of the rate of its population growth. The per capita net availability of foodgrains, which was 395 grams per day in 1951, has increased to about 500 grams per day in 1989.
It is quite well known that agriculture in India is practised under rain-fed conditions over large parts of the country. Drought in one part of the country or another is a recurring feature. Despite the drought conditions over large parts of the country the average foodgrains production in India during 1985-86 to 1987-88, the first three years of the country's Seventh Five-Year Plan, was 144 million tonnes. This was higher than the average annual foodgrains production of 138.2 million tonnes during the Sixth Plan period (1980-85) with a peak production of 152.4 million tonnes in 1983-84.
In 1987-88, India faced one of the worst droughts of the century. This affected 21 out of the 35 meteorological sub-divisions in the country. Prompt and effective measures were taken for mitigating its impact. An "Action Plan" which included water budgeting, contingency agriculture planning and energy supply management for agriculture was formulated and implemented. Initiatives for reaching relief and assistance to the affected population were mounted to preserve the quality of life in the drought-hit areas. Despite this drought, the foodgrains production during the year 1987-88 was 138.4 million tonnes, which was only 3.5 percent less than the production during the preceding year. The country emerged from the drought year 1987-88 with minimal setback to its economic development, which underlines the effectiveness of the drought-proofing measures and the overall drought management strategy.
At the advent of planning in India the total area under irrigation was 22.6 million hectares. The acreage of irrigated area in the country has now increased nearly threefold, imparting a greater degree of stability to agricultural production. The focus is now on optimizing water use efficiency and conjuctive use of surface and ground-water resources for improving agricultural production.
These developments, besides highlighting the resilience of Indian agriculture, augur well for the future and give us the confidence to aim at higher levels of production in the coming decade. We are determined to accord the highest priority to agriculture and accelerate the rate of agricultural growth in the country's Eighth Five-Year Plan which commences from April, 1990.
It is common knowledge that the green revolution in India was triggered off by introduction of new agricultural production technologies and widespread application of new packages of practices. As the green revolution spread, agriculture in India has undergone a significant transformation. The use of modern inputs and technology in the country has significantly increased productivity and the agricultural production. The high-yielding varieties of cereals that were introduced in mid-60s now cover about 63 million hectares of cultivable land. The consumption of chemical fertilizers has increased from 5.5 million tonnes in 1980-81 to 11 million tonnes in 1988-89. The availability of credit to farmers has also registered a substantial increase. During 1988-89 the total agricultural credit disbursement by various institutional agencies was projected at Rs. 117.5 billion as against Rs. 34 billion in 1980-81.
The high-yielding varieties are more susceptible to pests and diseases necessitating special plant protection measures. Our emphasis has therefore shifted to integrated pest management and surveillance measures to guard against pest and disease attack. India is a party to the International Code of Conduct on Distribution and Use of Pesticides, which was adopted by the FAO Conference in 1985. In order to safeguard human beings, animals and the environment, it is essential that the Code should include a Prior Informed Consent clause stipulating clearly that no pesticide banned or severly restricted in the country of its origin be exported except with the express consent of the importing country. The developed countries, being better equipped to take relevant export control actions, should ensure that exports do not occur contrary to the decisions of the participating importing countries.
The Government has been consciously following a price policy aimed at assuring remunerative prices to the farmers. This serves to motivate them to adopt improved technology to step up production. This pricing policy has significantly contributed to the growth in agriculture. While fixing procurement/minimum support prices, it has ensured that the prices cover cost of production and provide a reasonable margin of profit to the growers. The procurement/minimum support prices of important commodities like paddy, wheat, pulses, cotton, oilseeds have been substantially raised in recent years. The minimum support prices fixed by the Government are in the nature of a guarantee: they are meant to give the producer the assurance that the prices will not be allowed to fall below the support level. In the agricultural package recently announced by our Prime Minister, Shri Rajiv Gandhi, the method of cost computation has been further refined to allow for greater returns to growers.
The Indian agricultural planning in the future will be based on regional potentials and characteristics. It will be undertaken on the basis of 15 agroclimatic zones identified in terms of soil type, rainfall, temperature and water resources. These agroclimatic zones are further divided into sub-zones and sub-regions (hill, dry and island regions, etc.). These sub-regions vary considerably in their potential for agricultural development. The strategy of agroclimatic regional planning aims at assessing these potentialities, zone by zone, and integrating them into a national perspective. Through this approach, the farmers will be provided an appropriate package of practices and technologies to improve their productivity.
India is blessed with livestock resources of considerable genetic diversity with fair traits of adaptability to withstand environmental stress and low levels of nutrition and management. As per the 1982 livestock census, there are 193 million cattle i.e., 20 percent of the world cattle population, and 70 million buffaloes, i.e., 50 percent of the world buffalo population, 95 million goats, 49 million sheep, 10 million pigs, 3 million pack animals and 20 million poultry birds in India. The production of eggs has increased from 10 billion in 1980-81 to 18 billion in the last decade. Efforts have been made to improve the livestock productivity by providing basic infrastructure and adopting improved technology. India is now the third largest producer of milk in the world. The production of milk is expected to increase to 49 million tonnes in the year 1988-89 from 31.60 million tonnes over the last decade.
The dairy sector in India is being developed as an additional rural employment and income-generating activity for millions of landless farmers and landless labourers having one or two milk cattle. They are motivated to organize themselves into cooperatives. This programme, popularly known as Operation Flood, has now become the main instrument of growth and a model for other initiatives in the rural sector. A Technology Mission on Dairy Development has been set up to accelerate the application and adoption of modern technology to improve productivity, reduce costs and ensure better availability of milk and milk products.
In the case of fisheries, our objective is not only to increase the production of fish but also to improve the socio-economic condition of fishermen. Fish production in 1988 increased to 3.15 million tonnes against 2.96 million tonnes in the previous years.
I have briefly touched upon some aspects of our progress in the field of agriculture and allied sectors in recent years. I take this opportunity to reiterate India's willingness to share its development experience in these fields with other developing countries interested in our experience.
Allow me to commend the Director-General for proposing biotechnology as one of the priority areas in the FAO's Programme of Work in the next biennium. Our own experience in India is that scientific and technological development supported by an effective extension system and a comprehensive development programme is essential for achieving higher and diversified production. India has made heavy investment in creating an extensive infrastructure comprising 46 research organizations and 27 agricultural universities. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is the apex agency for coordinating agricultural research and education in the country.
India's current research priorities focus on new emerging areas like biotechnology, genetic engineering, tissue culture, bio-insecticides, etc. Research in biotechnology is progressing at a faster pace in the industrialized world and is increasingly dominated by private industry. FAO will have to play a vital role in evolving a mechanism that would validate the claims of the various advances in biotechnology and testify about the safeness of their use. Further, we feel that FAO has to play an active role in ensuring that the benefits of biotechnology would not get monopolized by the developed countries and would not bypass the developing countries. We feel that developing countries need to put more thrust in the area of research and development on the use of isotopes, radiation and other related techniques to improve agricultural production and preserve agricultural products. There is also a need to establish a regional network and to formulate a regional project on biotechnology for crop production and protection under the direct supervision of the FAO.
We firmly believe that it is not enough to produce more food; it is equally necessary to ensure that people, particularly those belonging to the poor and the vulnerable groups, have access to it. India has evolved a comprehensive system of food management to achieve this purpose. The principal components of this system include fixation of support prices, procurement of foodgrains by public sector agencies and operating a regular system of public distribution to ensure stability of supplies and prices, particularly for those belonging to the poor and the vulnerable groups. About 15-20 million tonnes of cereals are being procured annually, and nearly the same quantity is made available to the poor and the needy at
fixed prices through a vast network of about 300 000 fair price or ration shops. This system of food management has worked well in the past and helped in a big way to ensure the availability of food to the people who need it, particularly in years of drought and other natural calamities.
Keeping in view the magnitude of the problem of poverty in the country, specific poverty alleviation programmes aimed at mounting a direct attack on poverty have also been taken up. It is estimated that between 1960 and 1980 about 50 percent of the people in the country were below the poverty line. An Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) was accordingly launched in 1978-79 to mount a direct attack on rural poverty and raise the income level of the people below poverty line. About 13.4 million families have so far been assisted under the programme. A major programme to tackle the problem of rural unemployment has been launched with the introduction of the Jawahar Rozgar Yojana during the current year. We hope that by March, 1990, the percentage of population below the poverty line will be reduced from an estimated 36.9 percent in 1984-85 to less than 30 percent.
We, in India, are alive to the importance of including women as beneficiaries of development strategies and involving them in the process of decision-making. Special measures for integration of women in the development process have been taken up in several states. Specific guidelines have been incorporated in some of the major development programmes to ensure the flow of benefits to women. For example, the IRDP clearly stipulates that 30 percent of the beneficiaries assisted under the programme should be women. A separate scheme for the Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas has been designed as part of IRDP, exclusively to benefit the rural women. Programmes of training for women in agricultural operations have been intensified. Care is also taken to ensure that women are the main beneficiaries of the nutrition, education and training activities undertaken by the Government. We are confident that improvement in the skills of rural women will greatly help in expediting the pace of growth in the years to come.
We fully support the views of the FAO for special efforts to integrate women into the development process. I am very glad to mention here that the Government of India has recently prepared a National Perspective Plan for Women 1988-2000, which is more or less similar to the one prepared by the FAO in the areas of agriculture, food and rural development. We have also set up a "Women's Cell" in the Ministry of Agriculture for overseeing the programmes for women in development.
The world is now talking of environmental protection and sustainable development as never before. "Food and environment" was the theme of the World Food Day celebrations this year to provide a common focus in the global campaign against hunger. FAO has showed concern for the problems of sustainable growth and identified the important components of the strategies of sustainable agriculture, forestry and fisheries in the discussion paper on Item No. 13. India's concern for preservation of the environment is reflected in our advocacy of a Planet Protection Fund.
We firmly believe that growth cannot be true development if it is not sustainable or if it entails environmental degradation. In the last few decades, the earth's environment - its land, water and air - has shown clear signs of the severe strain. Indiscriminate cutting down of trees has exposed the soil to erosion and increased the risk and intensity of floods. Equally worrying is the threat to the global climate emanating from the "greehouse effect". A change in climate accompanied by global warming can be a threat
to food security since it may involve changes in monsoon patterns and the distribution of rainfall, changes in water and soil regimes and a geographical shifting of plant species. Developing countries which have primarily agricultural economies stand to be affected to a great degree by these changes. It is, therefore, imperative that we enter an era of enhanced international cooperation to combat these threats. FAO should strengthen its role in environment and sustainable development within its own areas of competence. FAO should also assume and discharge its responsibilities to articulate and build up awareness of the need to mobilize external assistance to offset the additional costs of integrating environmental concerns in development projects in the developing countries.
In India environmental education and creation of awareness at all levels is now an integral part of national development plans. We have taken care to ensure that the development activities are designed in such a manner which do not lead to adverse environmental effects. The Revised National Forest Policy adopted by us lays emphasis on maintenance of environmental stability, restoration of ecological balance and preservation of national forests. A series of measures has been taken for control of pollution. Projects on a very large scale such as the Ganga Action Plan and the Watershed Development Plan have been taken up for preservation and regeneration of environmental balance. A massive forestation effort and development of wastelands with an emphasis on fuelwood and fodder has, been annouced through a Technology Mission. Environmental research, formal and non-formal education, and dissemination of information on environmental considerations have been intensified.
India is a treasurehouse of plant variety. We have taken up systematic programmes for the survey and conservation of our flora and fauna. I am glad to say that our scientists are working hard to ensure that this heritage is conserved and used for improvement of human welfare and environment.
India supports the general thrust for liberalization of trade in agricultural products. We note that the aim of the MTN on Agriculture of the Uruguay Round is to create more effective GATT Rules, improve conditions of international competition through better market access, reduce subsidies and reduce adverse trade effécts of sanitary and phyto-sanitary regulations. The liberalization by industrialized countries should cover both domestic support programmes and export subsidies. However, for the developing countries like India who have large segments of their population dependent on agriculture and where agriculture contributes substantially in the GDP, it is imperative to take into account the development dimensions of economic policies. As development of agriculture is fundamental to their economic growth, subsidies and price support measures are an integral part of policies to develop the agricultural sector in these countries. The domestic production policies of such developing countries should therefore be generally exempt from such international disciplines.
I am glad that the Director-General has identified crop/weather monitoring and agriculture data development as priority items in the Programme of Work and Budget for the next biennium. The FAO, since its inception, has been engaged in the collection, analysis, interpretation and dissemination of agricultural information. The FAO has proposed to develop a consistent corporate data system called the World Agriculural Information Centre. India has developed a comprehensive management information system for agriculture. We have evolved an efficiént method of crop forecasting and an early warning system. At present, area and production estimates, based on a nearly
complete enumeration and analysis of crop cutting experiments, are issued for 43 crops. An early warning system has been evolved on the basis of rainfall information collected from observations all over the country. We have been sharing information with various international organizations including the Food and Agriculture Organization. I assure you our fullest cooperation in building up the World Agricultural Information System.
We realize that a lasting solution to a country's food problem has to be found by strengthening national efforts for the attainment of food self-sufficiency. The developing countries are, no doubt, making sincere efforts for increasing their agricultural production. However, if these countries are to limit their efforts to their own resources and experience, the progress on this front is likely to be slow. International technical and economic cooperation is therefore the only way to facilitate accelerated growth of agriculture in the developing countries. We are glad that the FAO has been quite active in promoting technical cooperation amongst the Member Nations. We have been making our scientists and experts availble to FAO and other countries to assist them in their developmental activities. Research institutions and facilities in India are also accessible to scientists from developing countries for research and training. Let me assure you that we will continue to extend our fullest cooperation to the FAO and share our experience with other countries who may wish to benefit from them.
It is a matter of gratification that the outcome of the FAO Review process launched in November 1987 is before this Twenty-fifth Session. India notes that the Review has testified that the FAO continues to be a "solid" and "dynamic" organization and that the activities and the objectives it pursues are in conformity with its mandate. India feels that Member Nations of the FAO should make every effort to implement the results of the Review so that the FAO can become yet more effective and efficient in addressing the needs of developing countries. During the last two years, since the review process took a lot of time other vital functions and programmes did suffer to some extent. Further, during the last 3 years, due to delays in the payment of assessed contributions by Member Nations, FAO had to impose cuts to the tune of US$ 68 million Dollars in its approved programmes. This also worked to the disadvantage of the developing countries. While urging that all Member Nations should spare no effort to honour their commitments and pay their assessed contributions in time, we would urge that all Members Nations should assist the FAO in bringing this review process to an end with this Conference so that from 1990 onwards FAO can devote all its energies and efforts to serve the Member Nations to the best of its capacities.
Mr Chairman and friends, let me in the end express my sincere thanks for your patient hearing. I hope the deliberations of this Conference will assist in generating solutions to some of the problems which have been haunting us for a long time and pave the way for substained growth of global agriculture.
Cheikh Abdoul Khadre CISSOKHO (Sénégal): Permettez-moi tout d'abord de sacrifier à la tradition en vous félicitant, Monsieur le Président, ainsi que les membres du Bureau pour votre brillante élection.
Ma délégation est persuadée qu'avec vos compétences affirmées et la sagesse qui vous caractérise, nos travaux seront menés à leur fin avec le succès escompté.
Le Sénégal, pays essentiellement agricole et sahélien, compte plus de 75 pour cent de sa population qui vit de la terre.
Les aléas climatiques des vingt dernières années qui ont prévalu dans le Sahel ont éprouvé son système agricole et rendu erratiques ses niveaux de production.
L'environnement international particulièrement défavorable, en raison dé la baisse des prix des produits de base, de la pression drastique de la dette et du flux négatif des transferts des capitaux, ont fait stagner les performances du secteur agricole.
Le gouvernement du Sénégal, face à une situation dépressive prolongée, a initié une nouvelle politique agricole de sortie de crise en 1984.
L'idée fondamentale de cette politique est de faire prendre en main au paysan son véritable destin, grâce à sa responsabilisation pour le promouvoir en véritable entrepreneur agricole.
Cette option implique un paysan mieux formé pour gérer sa terre, capable de prendre des décisions pertinentes pour une gestion économique de son exploitation et bénéficiant d'un crédit adapté pour accéder aux intrants agricoles.
Pareille option implique un désengagement progressif de l'Etat des activités de production et de commercialisation.
Cependant, les déséquilibres prolongés de la balance commerciale des grands agrégats macro-économiques ont amené le Sénégal à s'engager dans un plan de stabilisation puis d'ajustement structurel à moyen terme et à long terme.
L'exécution de cette politique d'ajustement structurel, à n'en pas douter, a certes aidé à la restauration de certains grands équilibres, mais a eu pour conséquence de freiner les importations sans pour autant accroître la production agricole dans des proportions significatives.
Devant un tel constat, le Sénégal s'est engagé à la conclusion d'un prêt d'ajustement structurel agricole.
Auparavant, avec l'aide de la FAO, nous avons tenu à évaluer l'impact de l'ajustement structurel sur le secteur, pour entreprendre des actions de nature à favoriser les investissements pour un accroissement des revenus agricoles.
En effet, les couches sociales les plus touchées par les effets de l'ajustement sont sans aucun doute les petits exploitants agricoles, les femmes rurales et les travailleurs à faible revenu qui constituent la majorité du secteur rural.
Nous nous engageons à faire du programme d'ajustement structurel agricole un cadre d'incitation pour les investissements dans le secteur rural, grâce à un plan directeur cohérent, conçu à partir d'une approche par filières autonomes, fonctionnant en équilibre et qui procurent un revenu décent aux producteurs.
L'assistance de la FAO est requise pour nous aider dans cette tâche.
La situation présente de l'agriculture sénégalaise, au sortir de ces deux campagnes, est caractérisée par des productions et un bilan céréalier relativement satisfaisant, ceci en raison des conditions pluviométriques favorables de ces dernières années.
Pour sortir d'une production agricole aléatoire en raison des conditions climatiques erratiques, le Sénégal a entrepris résolument une politique de développement agricole intégrée, basée sur une gestion rationnelle des ressources naturelles afin de tirer le meilleur parti de leurs potentialités.
Les actions entreprises pour franchir de nouvelles étapes portent sur:
- la lutte contre la désertification et la gestion des ressources forestières
- la mise en valeur des ressources en eau pour une agriculture irriguée,
- la valorisation du cheptel et l'intégration de l'animal dans l'exploitation agricole,
- l'objectif d'une autosuffisance alimentaire à hauteur de 80 pour cent à partir des productions locales en l'an 2000,
- la lutte contre les déprédateurs des cultures.
C'est le lieu, Monsieur le Directeur général de la FAO, de saluer tous vos efforts personnels et ceux de l'Organisation pour appuyer la réalisation de notre politique de développement agricole.
Au titre de l'année 1989, la FAO exécute au Sénégal vingt projets de développement.
La flexibilité des PCT a permis d'intervenir de manière différenciée et urgente dans des opérations dont les résultats conditionnent la mise en oeuvre de grands projets de développement.
La FAO s'engagera également très bientôt à nos côtés pour le projet de recensement agricole qui rendra plus fiables nos informations agricoles pour une meilleure planification.
Dans le domaine de la pêche, notons le rôle positif que continue de jouer le Comité des pêches de l'Atlantique centre-est dont le siège est à Dakar.
En vue de renforcer le rôle du sous-comité sur le commerce du poisson, nous réitérons le voeu de voir l'Organisation rendre ce sous-comité eligible au Fonds commun des produits de base.
Dans le secteur des forêts, la FAO a toujours apporté son soutien au Sénégal à travers le financement et l'exécution de nombreux programmes et projets de restauration du couvert végétal et de la mise sur pied d'une méthodologie d'intervention en milieu rural.
Au titre du programme 1988/89, l'intervention de la FAO a permis la réalisation de nombreux projets de foresterie rurale, axés sur la lutte contre la désertification, la mise en défens et l'approvisionnement en combustible ligneux des populations.
Des actions non moins détérminantes de la FAO ont porté, ces dernières années, sur la lutte contre le péril acridien, notamment le criquet pèlerin.
Les actions de coordination menées par notre Organisation, en relation avec les organisations sous-régionales de lutte antiacridienne, ont été le gage des succès remportés contre les ennemis des cultures.
Cependant, la FAO doit renforcer son appui aux structures nationales et les aider à être plus autonomes afin de disposer d'un potentiel d'intervention leur permettant de lutter contre les oiseaux granivores et les sauteriaux.
Pour toutes ces raisons, et consciente des difficultés de financement que traverse la FAO, ma délégation appuie les recommandations de la quatre-vingt-seizième session du Conseil portant sur:
- le programme de travail pour 1990/91,
- le montant du budget,
- le financement des opérations de réforme de la FAO par des mesures extrabudgétaires
- le règlement des arriérés de contribution pour procurer les ressources adéquates à l'Organisation
A côté de la FAO et en relation étroite avec les gouvernements, le Programme alimentaire mondial (PAM) apporte une aide appréciable aux populations cibles, notamment du Sénégal, que sont les petits exploitants, les femmes et les enfants pour améliorer leur productivité en leur épargnant la malnutrition.
Le rôle du PAM a évolué pour passer de la simple coordination des aides alimentaires à la promotion de la production, de la commercialisation et de la consommation des céréales locales.
C'est pourquoi ma délégation se joint aux autres Etats Membres pour soutenir l'appel du Directeur exécutif du PAM afin que les donateurs augmentent leurs contributions aux ressources du PAM pour le biennium 1990/1991.
L'agriculture des pays en voie de développement traverse une crise prolongée, due dans certains cas à une structuration déficiente, dans d'autres à des conditions climatiques défavorables. Cependant, une cause non moins déterminante est la situation défavorable des cours mondiaux des produits agricoles liée aux taux de change fluctuant et au poids de la dette.
L'agriculture se trouve ainsi privée de ressources propres à recycler dans le cadre des investissements nécessaires à son développement.
Face à nos productions domestiques, des produits fortement subventionnés et bénéficiant d'une technologie avancée n'autorisent pas une concurrence loyale.
C'est pourquoi l'agriculture des pays pauvres devrait bénéficier de mesures propres à engendrer sa relance, notamment une politique de soutien à l'engrais initiée par la FAO en vue de réhabiliter et de fertiliser les sols dégradés dans les régions tropicales. Une telle politique pourrait déboucher sur une banque de l'engrais auprès de laquelle les pays les moins nantis bénéficieraient à des taux bonifiés du financement d'un programme d'engrais pluriannuel. La rareté et la cherté du crédit, les transferts négatifs en
direction des pays sous-développés devraient inciter à l'étude de mécanismes financiers novateurs pour financer le soutien aux agriculteurs des pays pauvres afin de leur permettre de mieux se comporter face aux dures réalités du marché.
Le Sénégal, conscient de l'interdépendance de nos actions et de la nécessaire solidarité entre nantis et pauvres pour faire de notre planète un havre de paix, demeure un militant de la coopération internationale pour imaginer des solutions de sortie de crise sans grand dommage pour nos populations rurales.
Pour cela, nous devons, avec la FAO, mettre au point des mécanismes souples de concertation entre les ministres de l'agriculture des pays grands producteurs et ceux des pays en développement, en vue d'examiner des points d'actualité comme par exemple l'harmonisation de nos politiques agricoles pour des échanges plus justes et plus fructueux.
C'est pourquoi avant de terminer, je voudrais saluer ici l'intervention brillante et parfaitement engagée de l'honorable Ministre de l'agriculture de la France, M. Henri Nallet, pour sortir l'agriculture des pays en développement d'une stagnation obligée en dehors de toute contingence naturelle. Je soutiens les propositions concrètes qu'il a formulées, notamment celles relatives à la concertation des pays grands producteurs pour élaborer des mesures concrètes d'aide au développement et à l'amélioration de l'accès à leurs marchés des produits agricoles des pays en développement.
Nous avons convenu que l'environnement n'a plus de frontières et que le développement durable exige des changements de comportement dans la concertation et la compréhension mutuelle. Nous devons également dans le même élan accepter que l'agriculture n'ait pas de frontières, car les échanges de produits agricoles doivent s'intensifier dans un esprit de complémentarité juste et équilibrée!
Le vent de liberté qui souffle actuellement sur notre planète est porteur, j'en suis certain, d'un espoir ultime pour sortir l'humanité entière, à la veille du troisième millénaire, de la faim, de la malnutrition et de l'ignorance. Nous y parviendrons en soutenant davantage les organismes habilités du système des Nations Unies tels que la FAO en leur faisant plus confiance, en clarifiant leur mission et en rendant leurs interventions plus souples, mieux coordonnées et plus dynamiques.
Monsieur le Président, je voudrais vous remercier infiniment, ainsi que l'Organisation pour la tenue parfaite de nos assises; vous remercier également de votre bienveillante attention.
Frédéric AGENOR (Haïti): Je m'adresserai in limine à Monsieur le Président de la Conférence pour lui transmettre les félicitations de la délégation haïtienne pour son élection, ainsi que mes remerciements propres pour m'avoir autorisé à prendre la parole au sein de cette honorable assemblée. La délégation haïtienne souhaite contribuer au plein succès de cette vingt-cinquième session qu'auront déjà marquée un dynamisme renouvelé et une foi inébranlable dans l'heureux destin du monde agricole. Le Directeur général de la FAO - Monsieur Edouard Saouma - en est le garant et porte l'espoir de la réalisation de ces voeux.
Permettez, Monsieur le Président, que je transmette, avec les pleins pouvoirs qui m'ont été accordés par Son Excellence le Président du gouvernement militaire d'Haïti .- le Général Prosper Avril -,. les remerciements du gouvernement de la République d'Haïti à celui de la République italienne pour l'accueil chaleureux et fraternel qui a été réservé à la délégation d'Haïti.
Le gouvernement de la République d'Haïti profite de l'occasion pour adresser ses voeux de bonheur à Son Excellence le Président de la République italienne, le Docteur Francesco Cossiga, ainsi qu'au peuple d'Italie, tout en les assurant de sa volonté de promouvoir les vertus démocratiques dans son pays.
Depuis plusieurs années déjà Haïti reçoit l'aide internationale et l'assistance bilatérale sans que la situation de sa production agricole connaisse ce changement définitif auquel aspirent son peuple et son gouvernement.
Héritière mal dotée par ses anciennes métropoles, pays victime d'ostracisme pendant des décennies, Haïti n'a jamais connu de répit dans sa lutte contre les forces naturelles et les calamités.
Quand s'est manifestée dans les années 50-60 l'aide agricole de la FAO, on a cru que l'ère des actions consolidées était enfin arrivée. Mais quelques années après, le bilan dressé se révélait négatif avec la disparition même physique des traces des projets exécutés, le peu de retombées qu'ils ont laissées sur les conditions socio-économiques de la nation.
Lors de la conception et de la mise en place des projets, certaines réalités locales n'ont pas été retenues et les prévisions pour aborder les changements techniques annoncés, pour assurer le suivi et la survie des opérations entreprises, n'ont pas été établies.
Il manquait alors l'idée dominante de la préparation de la transition et de la relève. Les structures implantées n'étaient pas pourvues de la plasticité requise pour s'adapter aux nouvelles conditions nées de la marche aveugle de la technicité moderne.
Entre temps des remous sociaux sont apparus. Dans certaines régions du pays des agriculteurs disent "non", qu'ils ne travailleront plus la terre au profit des citadins; ils ne veulent plus être traités d'habitants par ces derniers. Les socio-économistes ont fait une étude de ces réactions sociales qui vient tout juste d'être publiée par l'Institut interaméricain de coopération agricole; il s'en est dégagé une formule lapidaire: le paysan haïtien réclame, puis bientôt exigera, l'égalité avec les gens des villes.
Face à cette situation sociale explosive, à ce phénomène qui s'intensifie depuis peu sous le ciel d'Haïti, les responsables se sont fait à l'idée de compter d'abord sur les ressources de la nation - pour l'implantation de projets plutôt de petite envergure et conçus pour une région, pour un but déterminé.
Nous ne recourons plus à l'aide étrangère de façon systématique. Nous utilisons toutes les technologies à notre portée et concevons les projets avec une marge pour un accueil possible de techniques nouvelles pour cette décennie ou l'autre. L'aide multilatérale ou bilatérale dans ces cas d'espèce prend la forme d'un appui précis, d'une sorte de tuteurage, en attendant que les activités atteignent leur vitesse de croisière.
Les résultats ne se sont pas fait attendre. Je citerai l'exemple de la production du maïs indispensable à la consommation aussi bien humaine qu'animale. Avec des rendements dérisoires de 0,75 à 1 tonne l'hectare, la nation n'avait d'autre alternative que l'importation pour compléter la production locale.
En renforçant les dispositifs de production dans les zones irriguées ou à pluviométrie suffisante: semences sélectionnées, application d'engrais, utilisation de pesticides, séchage adéquat, la production unitaire, encore limitée à certaines parcelles, a atteint 6 tonnes, non loin du record de 7 tonnes détenu par les USA. Depuis, Haïti a cessé d'importer du maïs et se prépare à en exporter dès l'année prochaine grâce à un marché offert par un pays ami.
Le pays importe le blé; il importe le lait et les produits laitiers, la viande bovine et porcine, les oeufs à couver, sans compter d'autres produits agricoles à l'état naturel ou en conserve.
Pour aborder le problème des denrées alimentaires d'origine animale le gouvernement a créé l'Office national de développement de la production animale (ONDPA) en mars dernier. L'objectif principal fixé à l'Office est la création d'un centre d'enseignement chargé de former cadres et exploitants dans la reproduction des volailles, la mise en place d'une industrie laitière, l'application de technologies nouvelles pour la préparation et la distribution de la viande.
Le projet a été soumis à la FAO sous la forme d'une demande d'appui. L'Organisation a répondu favorablement et apportera son concours pour la formulation définitive du projet de création de l'Office, l'initiation du personnel de terrain à la mise en place des structures relatives à l'exploitation des divers animaux. Des passerelles seront aménagées d'un commun accord aux fins de préparer les éléments d'application des technologies nouvelles éventuellement.
La carence des matières azotées reste une réalité aussi cruciale pour l'homme que pour l'animal. Le pays ne produit pas de soja; il est obligé d'importer le tourteau pour l'alimentation animale.
En attendant les résultats des essais en cours avec les semences de pois ailé, soja asiatique, fournies par la FAO à titre d'amorce, l'attention a été attirée sur la production d'algues, notamment les spirulines pour l'apport de matières azotées dans l'alimentation animale.
Dans les deux cas, il s'agit d'appui à des projets conduits par les services techniques locaux avec leurs investissements propres. L'assistance de la FAO dans ces deux cas a été aussi spontanée.
Le pays connaît une insuffisance d'établissements secondaires pour jeunes filles. Une fois terminé leur cycle scolaire, la plupart de ces dernières se retrouvent sans profession, parfois désemparées. Le gouvernement de la République, soucieux de la bonne organisation sociale des familles, dans les villes comme dans les campagnes, a procédé à la relance de l'aménagement de Centres d'économie familiale (CEF) et a requis l'appui de la FAO pour la formation de monitrices - au nombre de 50 - appelées à gérer les Centres où seront dispensées les notions d'agriculture, de couture, d'art culinaire, de gestion familiale, d'animation rurale et autres.
L'Organisation a accepté de bien vouloir assurer la formation de ces monitrices et devrait bientôt mettre en place les structures y afférentes.
Un problème non moins grave auquel se trouve confrontée la République d'Haïti se rapporte à la diminution de la capacité des eaux souterraines. A part la disparition pure et simple de rivières bien connues en surface, on enregistre une baisse de niveau des nappes qui, par forage, permettaient d'irriguer de nombreux hectares dans les plaines. Il a été décidé de procéder à des aménagements pour le réapprovisionnement de ces nappes. Un projet a été exécuté.
L'appui qu'a décidé d'apporter la FAO à la construction de cet ensemble de lacs collinaires aura une portée inestimable. L'assistance pour le choix des sites où seront implantés ces lacs sera déterminante dans la poursuite et le succès de l'opération.
Le gouvernement de la République d'Haïti se propose de multiplier ces initiatives et de les étendre à d'autres domaines comme une approche ayant son originalité propre et susceptible de relever la production agricole et de la porter à son plus haut niveau.
En s'engageant dans cette voie, le gouvernement de la République d'Haïti pense à la situation de ceux de ses nationaux qui sont la proie de la malnutrition et de carences diverses. La santé pour tous, le bien-être généralisé ne sont pas pour lui des slogans politiques mais des buts qu'il compte poursuivre sans relâche.
Il pense également à ses futurs engagements vis-à-vis de ses frères de la Caraïbe. Il voudrait également être en mesure de faire face à ses obligations dans le cadre de la prochaine convention de Lomé IV.
Pour y parvenir, il se prépare à prendre des mesures conséquentes à tous les échelons et à mobiliser toutes les forces qu'il pourra réunir.
HUSSEIN JUMAINE (Burundi): Au nom de la délégation burundaise que j'ai l'honneur et le plaisir de conduire à cette 25ème Session de la Conférence de la FAO, qu'il me soit d'abord permis d'exprimer mes chaleureuses félicitations à S. E. John Charles Kerin pour sa brillante élection comme Président de la présente Conférence. Ses hautes qualités humaines, son expérience et sa compétence ont guidé notre choix et sont pour nous une garantie certaine pour la bonne conduite et le succès de nos travaux.
Je tiens également à adresser mes sincères félicitations au Docteur Edouard Saouma, Directeur général de notre Organisation pour l'immense travail accompli avec toute son équipe du Secrétariat depuis la dernière Conférence ainsi que pour la qualité remarquable de sa déclaration à la présente session. Avec beaucoup de franchise et d'intelligence, de lucidité, de force et de coeur, il a su mieux que quiconque situer les préoccupations de notre Organisation dans le contexte actuel de la crise économique mondiale.
Il peut toujours compter sur le soutien du Burundi toutes les fois qu'il militera pour l'amélioration des conditions de vie de nos populations, surtout celles les plus démunies parmi lesquelles compte mon pays.
Un certain nombre de problèmes constitue une préoccupation majeure pour le développement agricole de nos pays. Il s'agit du fardeau de la dette extérieure, de la chute vertigineuse des prix des denrées alimentaires et des matières premières destinées à l'exportation; la baisse de livraison d'aide alimentaire, la situation inflationniste connue dans beaucoup de nos pays. Ce sont des problèmes déjà évoqués d'une façon ou d'une autre par les orateurs précédents. Il faut les épingler, les stigmatiser davantage et les mettre à nu pour que tout le monde en prenne conscience et en mesure suffisamment la gravité. Ils fragilisent nos économies déjà trop faibles et se dressent au-dessus de nous comme l'épée de Damoclès.
La situation alimentaire mondiale s'insère dans cette mouvance de la crise économique générale et devient plus problématique pour nombre de pays à l'heure actuelle lorsqu'elle s'accompagne d'autres problèmes non moins épineux portant sur l'érosion des sols, la désertification, l'appauvrissement des terres sous la pression démographique, les perturbations climatiques et les intempéries souvent incontrôlables dont nos pays sont périodiquement victimes.
Dans certaines régions, on a connu d'autres situations plus graves encore comme les criquets pèlerins qui ravagent les récoltes sur pied comme il en a été le cas ces dernières années sur une partie du continent africain. Au cours de cette année, le Burundi a été précisément confronté aux inondations dues à des pluies anormalement abondantes suivies à d'autres périodes de l'année par des mois de sécheresse ou de pluies insuffisantes au moment où les cultures en avaient tant besoin. Cette situation a entraîné de sérieuses inquiétudes pour notre gouvernement qui a dû demander une aide alimentaire d'urgence pour prévenir une situation qui devenait de plus en plus inquiétante. Même si la production a sensiblement baissé par rapport aux années antérieures, nous avons pu malgré tout éviter le pire, quoique de façon relative.
L'agriculture est considérée pour le Burundi et la plupart d'autres pays ici présents comme la priorité des priorités. Elle restera pour longtemps la pierre angulaire de notre développement d'autant plus qu'elle mobilise plus de 90 pour cent de nos populations. Les investissements qui seront consacrés à ce secteur au cours du 5ème Plan quinquennal (1988-92) représentent 31 pour cent du total des investissements prévus. Ces données montrent clairement que le domaine agricole se taille la part du lion au niveau du programme de développement de mon pays. Nous accordons une attention particulière aux cultures vivrières et d'exportation, à l'élevage, à la sylviculture, à la pêche, au développement intégré, à la sauvegarde du patrimoine foncier, avec comme objectif l’autosuffisance alimentaire de nos populations dont le taux de croissance avoisine 3 pour cent avec une densité démographique de 187 habitants au km2.
La Journée mondiale de l'alimentation est devenue cette année une véritable fête populaire des agriculteurs. Elle a été organisée à travers toutes les provinces du pays avec le concours des autorités et des techniciens agricoles locaux pour sensibiliser et mobiliser la population sur l'augmentation de la production vivrière.
Par ailleurs, dans le cadre de la protection des sols, nous accordons une attention particulière au problème de reboisement pour couvrir la grande partie de nos collines qui sont actuellement dénudées suite à l'érosion due à l'action de l'homme qui, sous la poussée démographique, a dévasté dangeureusement les forêts.
C'est ainsi qu'une Journée nationale de l'arbre a été instituée depuis quelques années.
Malgré tous ces efforts, nous nous trouvons confrontés à des problèmes financiers graves consécutifs à la chute vertigineuse du prix du café, principale ressource de nos devises.
Les mesures de redressement économique prises depuis 1986 dans le cadre du programme d'ajustement structurel ont contribué à maîtriser le taux d'inflation à 5 pour cent et à assurer un taux de croissance de 4 pour cent. Les efforts déployés par le gouvernement en collaboration avec la Banque mondiale et le FMI risquent d'être ainsi annihilés si la situation du marché international et des produits de base ne venait pas à être redressée.
Les questions relatives au développement ne peuvent être résolues que dans un pays où régnent la paix, l'unité et la stabilité.
A l'heure actuelle, un climat politique sain précisément favorable à l'effort de développement a été instauré au Burundi depuis la proclamation de la 3ème République le 3 septembre 1987 sous la conduite de S.E. le Président-Bayoya. Celui-ci a pris l'engagement solennel de résoudre définitivement la question de l'unité nationale dans notre pays et de le conduire dans la voie de la démocratie.
Dans sa déclaration du 11 novembre, le Directeur général de la FAO a soumis un certain nombre de propositions à la Conférence pour lesquelles ma délégation voudrait apporter tout son appui. Il s'agit notamment de celles relatives à l'organisation d'une conférence internationale sur la nutrition compte tenu de son importance primordiale pour la survie et le bien-être de nos populations respectives.
Elle soutient également le plan d'action d'intégration de la femme dans le développement. En effet, dans la plupart des pays du tiers monde, en particulier le Burundi, la femme joue un rôle de premier plan dans la production alimentaire en milieu rural, tout comme la jeunesse rurale non soumise à la délinquence ou à l'exode rural. Une action doit être menée pour la formation de la femme à une meilleure intégration dans les circuits de production du monde rural dont elle est le principal artisan.
Par ailleurs, le Burundi soutient fermement toute mesure visant à renforcer la coopération et l'assistance technique particulièrement en direction des populations qui en ont le plus besoin. Les pays riches, plus favorisés que les autres, ainsi que d'autres organismes donateurs, devraient accorder à ce secteur un appui financier substantiel. Cet appui, nous en sommes persuadés, contribuerait grandement à aider les peuples en développement à subvenir eux-mêmes à leurs besoins et à résoudre les problèmes de malnutrition et de pauvreté en comptant sur leurs propres forces.
Je ne saurais terminer mon intervention sans dire un mot sur le problème de l'environnement. Comme beaucoup de personnalités ont eu l'occasion de le souligner le 16 octobre 1989 à l'occasion de la Journée mondiale de l'alimentation, on ne saurait dissocier la question de l'alimentation de celle de l'environnement. La création d'un environnement sain et durable est une impérieuse nécessité aussi bien pour les pays développés que pour les pays pauvres en voie de développement. Les ressources de la planète doivent être utilisées de façon judicieuse pour le maintien de l'équilibre entre l'homme et la nature.
Au Burundi, cette question se trouve au centre de nos préoccupations suite à la dégradation et à l'appauvrissement de nos sols dus à une forte pression démographique, au surpâturage, au déboisement, avec pour conséquence l'érosion et la rupture de l'équilibre écologique. C'est pour cette raison qu'un Ministère de l'environnement a été créé en octobre 1988.
La FAO a joué, depuis sa création, un rôle de premier plan pour sensibiliser l'opinion internationale aux problèmes de la faim, de la malnutrition et de la pauvreté dans le monde. Beaucoup d'efforts et d'initiatives ont été déployés dans ce sens avec des résultats appréciables dans beaucoup de nos pays, en particulier ceux en voie de développement.
Nous faisons appel à la générosité, à la compréhension et à la solidarité des pays plus favorisés et plus nantis pour poursuivre et pour renforcer leurs efforts pour soutenir notre Organisation en la dotant des moyens financiers nécessaires pour qu'elle puisse réaliser pleinement sa mission et son programme de nourrir les populations en augmentation constante. Les chiffres présentés par le Directeur général dans sa déclaration du 13 novembre se passent de commentaires!
Pour terminer, je voudrais une fois de plus féliciter Monsieur le Directeur général de la FAO et son équipe pour le travail déjà accompli ainsi que pour la qualité des documents présentés à la présente session. Nous ne ménagerons aucun effort pour apporter notre contribution et notre soutien a toutes les décisions à même de permettre à notre Organisation de réunir plus de moyens et de déployer plus d'efforts pour renforcer son action, en particulier en direction des pays les plus démunis.
- Vive la FAO!
- Vive la solidarité internationale!
D.I.G. KARIMANZIRA (Zimbabwe): On behalf of my Delegation, may I begin by joining others in congratulating you, Mr Chairman, upon your election to office.
It is with great pleasure that I speak on behalf of the Government of Zimbabwe at this, the Twenty-fifth Session of the FAO Conference. This Conference is taking place at a time when we are concluding the decade of the 'eighties and entering the 'nineties. It is therefore appropriate that we must pause and reflect on the results of our endeavours during the last decade as we prepare for the formidable tasks that lie ahead.
Evidence to date suggests that while progress has been achieved by a number of countries in combating hunger, malnutrition and poverty, major problems still persist in many countries of Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Latin America. For Africa in particular, the record remains one of declining per capita food production. Overall hunger and malnutrition continued to be widespread despite the abundance of world food supplies. Increasing population growth, degradation of the environment, natural calamities, civil strife, and an uncertain world economic outlook all conspired to make the goal of eliminating hunger and poverty that much more difficult to achieve.
The world economic environment has serious adverse consequences for developing countries in their effort to end hunger, poverty and malnutrition. The external debt problem, declining development assistance, downward pressure on the demand for and prices of developing countries' products have impaired development and thé growth process of developing countries.
In spite of this discouraging record, more positive developments also took place during the 1980s. A consensus emerged calling for relief on the debt burden being borne by developing countries. Equally important was a growing acknowledgement of the interdependence among nations and therefore the need for cooperation in dealing with matters of external debt, trade and development. In developing countries themselves, there is also growing awareness of the need to address the underlying structural deficiencies of their economies to achieve sustainable development.
It is vitally important, however, that the welfare of the economically weak members of society is not sacrificed in this economic adjustment process. The burden of adjustments has been disproportionately high for developing countries and is extracting unacceptably high social and economic costs which are reflected in declining indices of welfare and quality of life.
Coming to the end of the 'eighties as we have done, the paradox of our time - that of hunger amidst plenty - still continues. The challenge for the 'nineties therefore, is to continue with the effort to consolidate our gains, to reverse the impact of external economic factors and to continue to maintain food and agricultural issues on the centre stage of global attention.
But these efforts will require sufficient resources. I hope, therefore, that there will be consensus during this Conference to support and endorse the Programme of Work and Budget proposed by the Director-General.
This Conference is also taking place at a time when many countries in southern Africa are preparing for their new cropping season. In Zimbabwe, as a result of increased production by the small scale sector, coupled with favourable rains in the major grain producing parts of the country, the production of maize has increased substantially in relation to domestic requirements. We are therefore faced with a situation where substantial stocks of maize have accumulated. Concurrently, export prices are beginning to fall following the recent firming-up associated with the drought in North America.
This year it is expected that we will have a maize surplus of about 1 million tonnes after accounting for domestic offtake. Maize production usually fluctuates markedly with changes in the rainfall pattern, and this is reflected in the pattern òf grain deliveries to the marketing board, and fluctuations in domestic sales. These variations make it extremely difficult to correctly ascertain the desirable level of stocks, to plan for production and exports, and to determine appropriate producer price levels.
Maize forms the basis of our national staple diet and is generally produced with the objective of achieving self-sufficiency. The major gains in maize production over the last few years have come from the peasant sector. The contribution of the peasant sector in maize output in volume terms has risen from less than 10 percent in 1980 to over 50 percent at present.
The contribution of the small-scale farming sector to total marketable agricultural output is largely attributable to the agricultural policy initiatives introduced by the Government since 1980.
Some of these policy reforms include the expansion of adaptive research, training and extension services geared for the small-scale sector, provision of farm credit, and the establishment of controlled marketing depots at which appropriate guaranteed producer prices can be received for the major products delivered by farmers. Pricing policy measures have also had a significant impact on boosting production and maintaining a satisfactory balance between cash crops and food crops.
A major feature of our agricultural structural adjustment has been the resettlement of some small-scale farmers in more productive lands, and this together with the expansion of State farms and cooperative farms has greatly contributed to increasing agricultural output. At the same time, large-scale commercial production has continued to play a critical role in the Zimbabwean agricultural system, and the sector exhibited notable gains in productivity during this period.
The major challenge now facing the Government of Zimbabwe is to sustain the positive improvements so far achieved against the background of a possible recurrence of drought, deterioration of the international economic environment and several other unforeseeable economic disturbances that might occur.
We are located in a region in which droughts are endemic. However, while the vagaries of weather remain largely unpredictable, they are not beyond taming through the application of science and technology. We believe, therefore, that the development of irrigation and the application of appropriate farming methods for moisture conservation are essential to offset the effects of future droughts.
On the production side, it is evident that an over-intensification of certain crops or overgrazing by livestock in the absence of effective land management policies, can lead to excessive land degradation and an irreversable loss of production capacity. Given the fact that high rates of population growth will continue to place considerable strain on our finite land resources, we will continue to focus attention on improving productivity while maintaining a correct production mix in each of the agro-ecological zones.
During the past few years we have seen increasing concern for the environment. In Zimbabwe, the degradation of soils, pollution of water and of the atmosphere, and deforestation are matters of grave concern. Therefore, my delegation welcomes and supports the emphasis that FAO is placing on the environment and sustainable development in its programmes.
The critical role of women in food production is beginning to be recognized and agrarian reform measures, in particular training, extension and transfer of technology are being appropriately adjusted in order to accommodate the special needs of women farmers who had been ignored in the past.
On the marketing side we have experienced severe bottlenecks during the procurement of crop surpluses from the increasing harvest in the peasant sector, in particular with respect to transportation, inadequate feeder roads and delays in processing payment to producers. This latter aspect is crucial in farming because it affects the ability of the producer to pay back loans and consequently the disbursement of further credit for the purchase of farm inputs.
I should mention here the plight of land-locked countries in our region who achieve agricultural surpluses. Being land locked, transport to overseas markets reduces our ability to compete in these markets and maximize foreign exchange earnings. Existing transport routes are generally expensive and have often been major targets of South Africa's acts of aggression and destabilization.
In the context of regional trade, may I acknowledge the positive role that the World Food Programme and other donor institutions are playing through triangular arrangements.
I would also like to mention our involvement in regional economic cooperation, specifically under the auspices of the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC) and the Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern African States (PTA). Notable progress has been made in many SADCC regional agricultural and food security programmes, and in fostering regional trade among Preferential Trade Area (PTA) states, as a result of regional cooperation under these fora.
Many of our projects have received generous, technical and financial assistance from external agencies, including the FAO, and we are grateful for that.
In conclusion, let me say that developing countries face major obstacles in the search for a better way of life. The need for increased and more rapid aid disbursement from developed countries, together with an inflow of private investment for strengthening the recovery of the overall economic situation, cannot be overstressed.
We in Zimbabwe remain firm in our commitment to adopt sound agricultural policies and work towards achieving and sustaining self reliance in agriculture.
Cyril R. DOMINIQUE (Grenada): Mr Chairman, Director-General, Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen. The problems we face as a world community are planetary but solvable. Our two greatest resources, people and land, can still redeem the promise of development. The enormous changes sweeping over us demand fundamental changes in our attitudes, our policies and in the way we structure our societies.
One needs a wider definition of national security to embrace economic and ecological interdependence and global environmental hazards.
This definition will require new restrictions and new forms of cooperation in the interest of all. Such a concept of national security must also embrace relations with the developed and developing nations. In the long run, perhaps even in the short run too, environmentally sound development in the South could also benefit the North. The destruction of the planet's environment is making the world a less stable place to live politically, economically and militarily.
As the overburdened lands sustain fewer people in the nations of the Third World, desperate and hungry families search for a way out. Some flee to neighbouring countries and become environmental refugees, placing untold burdens on their host country, sometimes conflict. This delegation thinks we can have no true security until we direct more of our energies into the ecological stability of the developing nations. This delegation believes that armaments cannot and will not remove the threats to peace. We have a saying in Grenada: "A hungry man is an angry man".
We believe sustainable development and sound environmental management can. But, despite their importance we have traditionally tacked agricultural development and environmental concerns on to the tail end of our bureaucratic structures in underfunded and understaffed ministries. When we use man-made assets, we write off the use as depreciation, but with the environment we forget to evaluate it as productive capital, even though we use it as such.
When we clear our woodlands, use our skies, seas, rivers and streams as garbage bins and sewers we may perhaps show an increase in national incomes as measured in GNP. Such strategies are short-sighted and gains short-lived. We must pay in the end, often heavily. We need a bookkeeping system to monitor the real cost of environmental degradation.
Sustainable agricultural development calls for new imperatives for international cooperation. It requires new international financial systems to cope with national debts which both the tender and the debtor know can never be paid. Environmental damage, high debts and low returns on commodity sales, all encourage countries to overdraw further their environmental account in vain attempts to balance the national account.
This delegation finds that whenever the question of design for economic development in the South comes up, most of the North looks at their present industry and not at their past concerns for agriculture.
Agricultural development must be subsidized; it needs technical cooperation programmes. This development puts schools in rural areas, builds farm roads to access new farms and farm products, educates farmers, both formally and informally to handle the new technology.
In short, development must produce an educated rural population with the marketing facilities and expertise to sell the goods it produces and the ability to buy the products of the new high-input technology.
We in the Caribbean are small fragile islands with limited land resources and are very prone to sudden natural disasters, such as hurricanes; prices for our traditional crops, banana, cocoa, sugar, spices, etc. are all depressed. We are told by the experts to diversify into cash-oriented export crops - opening up new lands - putting pressure on our limited land base with an effect on erosion and water supply.
This delegation strongly indicates its support for the TCP, TCDC and WFP Programmes. It also wishes to indicate its satisfaction with the outcome of the Review of the field programme. It endorses the initiative for integrating women in rural development. At this point charity should begin at home. I do hope that I shall soon be seeing many more women in positions within the Organization where they can help the integration process of women in development.
Finally, this delegation wishes to thank the host country for its gracious hospitality. It also wishes to express its thanks to FAO for the invaluable cooperation and technical assistance given to us through its many projects, and reaffirms its staunch support for the institution in its many and varied activities.
I am confident that a well-funded and strengthened FAO will meet the challenges of the future head on. Like other delegations, I hope that this Twenty-fifth Session will see the end of the Review, thus giving the institution the ability to respond to the many problems and challenges of agriculture. We are concerned that this Organization is shrinking when it should be expanding.
Arturo LOPEZ LUNA (Honduras): En nombre de mi gobierno pláceme presentar un atento saludo al Dr. Saouma, Director General de la FAO, y extenderle nuestras felicitaciones por la eficaz dirección y conducción de los programas y actividades de la Organización.
Señor Presidente de la Conferencia, me es sumamente grato presentarle un cordial saludo y extenderle mis más efusivas felicitaciones por su elección para conducir los trabajos de este 25o período de sesiones de la Conferencia de la FAO.
Honduras es un pequeño Estado situado en el corazón de América Central, entre los océanos Atlántico y Pacífico, y fronterizo con El Salvador, Guatemala y Nicaragua.
La superficie de Honduras, predominantemente montañosa, es de 112 088 km2, equivalente a 11,2 millones de hectáreas, de las cuales 2,8 millones son de vocación agropecuaria, 7,4 millones de vocación forestal y 1,0 millones son áreas urbanas y tierras no definidas.
Al analizar el condicionante ambiental del país nos encontramos con grandes obstáculos para el desarrollo de la agricultura, ya que la deforestación ocasionada por los agricultores migratorios disminuye el suministro de agua en tiempo de sequía favoreciendo la erosión en tiempo de lluvia. El área de bosques latifoliados está disminuyendo a razón del 4 por ciento cada año.
Honduras cuenta actualmente con una población que sobrepasa los 5 millones de habitantes, de los cuales un 62 por ciento vive en el área rural, con una tasa de crecimiento de 3,3 por ciento que sobrepasa la capacidad gubernamental para proveer y ampliar servicios básicos en educación, salud, vivienda, extensión y crédito y distribución de tierras, sin mencionar que más del 40 por ciento de ia población es de edad económicamente dependiente.
La economia hondurefia tiene en su conformación una muy elevada dependencia de las actividades del sector agropecuario, pero, a pesar de ser un país eminentemente agrícola, la producción de alimentos no responde a las necesidades alimentarias de la población.
Es difícil desvirtuar la insuficiente expansión del sistema productivo de alimentos. Esta lentitud repercute en variables tales como el comercio exterior y los suministros alimentarios, especialmente en los estratos socio-económicos más débiles de la población, dado que el crecimiento tuvo lugar en áreas que desplazan la producción de granos básicos.
Las pérdidas post-cosecha, especialmente a nivel de finca de pequeño productor, son elevadas, más aún sumadas a las que se dan en la empresa agroalimentaria para exportaciones no manejables.
Es importante recalcar que Honduras cuenta con un mercado interno reducido y el externo es incipiente y monopólico, por lo que sus exportaciones tienden a reducirse relativamente; además el impacto de deterioro de los términos de intercambio, aun en esa reducida escala, ha sido negativo para el desarrollo del país.
La evolución de la demanda de alimentos en América Latina y en el mundo, sumada a la exigencia de una concepción más amplia y generosa sobre la necesidades más apremiantes de la población y la seguridad alimentaria, reclaman un esfuerzo considerable de las instituciones públicas y privadas y dedicadas a la investigación, la extensión agrícola, de apoyo a la producción y comercialización de productos agropecuarios, y, sobre todo, de las instituciones responsables de la reforma agraria y el desarrollo rural.
A todo lo anterior se agrega el fuerte impacto de la pesada deuda externa y sus consecuentes medidas de ajuste interno, contracción del flujo de capitales y de recursos financieros para los programas de desarrollo.
La política de Honduras se propone como objetivos fundamentales fortalecer el regimen democrático escogido por los hondureños como forma de vida y de gobierno, asegurar a la ciudadanía el acceso a mejores niveles de bienestar, mantener y fortalecer relaciones con todos los países del mundo, especialmente con los del área de Centroamérica, dentro de un clima de colaboración y de respeto soberano.
Supuesto básico para alcanzar los objetivos mencionados es un entorno pacífico, estable, y seguro en el istmo centroamericano, por el cual venimos luchando intensamente. Es así como Honduras ha participado activamente en todos los esfuerzos realizados por los gobiernos de área del Grupo de Contadora y del Grupo de Apoyo.
Honduras fue anfitrión de la última reunión de Presidentes de Centroamérica celebrada en la ciudad de Tela el 21 de agosto del corriente año, en la que se tomaron decisiones importantes, conocidas como los acuerdos de Tela. También el gobierno de Honduras fue anfitrión de la última reunión entre países centroamericanos y los de la Comunidad Económica Europea, San José V, celebrada en la ciudad de San Pedro Sula, en febrero de 1989.
También Honduras brinda ayuda humanitaria a los pueblos de Centroamérica. Hasta la fecha ha acogido a cerca de 60 000 refugiados, procedentes de cuatro grupos diferentes, a quienes el Programa Mundial de Alimentos ha estado suministrando ayuda alimentaria desde 1980. Cada población de refugiados tiene sus propias características étnicas y la política de ayuda del gobierno de Honduras ha tomado en cuenta sus diferentes condiciones de vida. Aunque el gobierno de Honduras no es signatario de la Convención, ni del Protocolo sobre el Estatuto de los Refugiados, ha aceptado de hecho la condición de estos refugiados que han solicitado asilo.
Asimismo, en nuestro País se encuentran 300 000 ciudadanos de diferentes países que no están registrados y que constituyen una responsabilidad y obligación adicional al Gobierno.
La población femenina de Honduras se está incorporando integralmente al proceso de desarrollo del país y probablemente el esfuerzo más grande en su género lo constituyen las actividades que, en forma modesta, se están desarrollando desde 1983 para lograr métodos y mecanismos apropiados que permitan incorporar eficazmente a las mujeres campesinas al proceso de desarrollo rural, dentro de una política general de consolidación de empresas de la Reforma Agraria y mejoramiento de la calidad de vida de las familias campesinas hondureñas.
Los proyectos ejecutados hasta la fecha han beneficiado a grupos de mujeres campesinas organizadas en pequeñas empresas de producción, que en la mayoría de los casos no habían tenido acceso al crédito y que por primera vez inician sus experiencias en trámites bancarios.
Se ha propiciado la capacitación de los beneficiarios en los diferentes componentes indispensables para el manejo de pequeños proyectos: aspectos promocionales, organizativos, técnico-productivos, administrativos y contables. En esta trascendental tarea de incorporación de la mujer al desarrollo, mi Gobierno desea reconocer y agradecer la eficaz colaboración y ayuda recibida de la FAO, del PNUD y del Gobierno de Holanda.
Al sentar las bases para el funcionamiento de un sistema permanente de atención a la mujer campesina en el marco de las acciones de la Reforma Aagraria y el Desarrollo Rural y mediante el efecto demostrativo de los logros anteriores, se ha generado una mayor toma de conciencia y actitudes favorables hacia el trabajo en beneficio de la mujer, lo que repercute indiscutiblemente en la revalorización gradual de su papel en la sociedad.
Habida cuenta de la importancia atribuida a la iniciativa de promover la integración de la mujer en el desarrollo rural, Honduras reitera la necesidad de hacer lo posible por realizar el Plan de Acción de la FAO para la integración de la mujer en el desarrollo.
Es oportuno recordar que Honduras es un Estado Miembro fundador de la FAO y que nuestro país comprendió desde el inicio los beneficios que significarían para la población mundial una organización de tal naturaleza como la FAO.
El Gobierno de Honduras, con el apoyo de FAO, viene accionando para generar condiciones apropriadas que estimulen el esfuerzo productivo de los agricultores y que les permitan realizar, en plazos razonables, las inversiones necesarias en tecnologías apropiadas. Para ello se adoptan medidas para que el productor reciba un ingreso suficientemente remunerativo y compatible con las condiciones del País.
El impacto de la cooperación de FAO a nuestro país ha sido de una enorme relevancia. Se ha recibido asistencia en campos diversos como el social forestal, capacitación en aspectos agrarios, fortalecimiento de la extensión agropecuaria, campañas fitosanitarias y de defensa animal, mejoramiento genético del plátano y banano y muchas otras actividades.
Sin embargo, sí deseo enfatizar la importante asistencia recibida en el aspecto de seguridad alimentaria que ha sido de gran significación para el bienestar de la población rural de Honduras.
Desde 1977, con asistencia del Programa de Cooperación Técnica, se han desarrollado en Honduras más de 25 proyectos:
- Tecnologías pecuarias;
- Preparado personal técnico en áreas específicas, como la producción de biogás y el control de enfermedades exóticas;
- Se han estructurado servicios agrícolas como la producción de semillas, la investigación, el riego y la cuarentena vegetal;
- Se han aliviado los efectos de desastres naturales y rehabilitado la producción;
- Se ha fortalecido la acción de la Reforma Agraria y el Desarrollo Rural.
Por lo tanto, Honduras reitera la importancia del PCT y la necesidad de reforzar el Programa, a fin de alcanzar un nivel más alto, el 17 por ciento, de los recursos del presupuesto ordinario.
También en esta oportunidad quiero expresar el reconocimiento y agradecimiento del Gobierno de Honduras a las demás agencias del sistema de Naciones Unidas, a los Organismos Internacionales, a la Comunidad Europea y a los otros países amigos donantes que muy generosamente nos han apoyado en estos difíciles momentos de la historia y del desarrollo de Honduras.
Para finalizar, si me permite señor Presidente, quisiera citar al procer hondureño, José Cecilio del Valle, un hombre de gran visión, quien hace más de 160 años pronunció las frases siguientes, que aún hoy tienen vigencia:
"Estamos en el punto más peligroso de la carrera. Vamos a formar nuevas instituciones, a hacer nuevas leyes, a crearlo todo de nuevo, pero, antes de llegar a esa cima, es preciso trepar rutas escarpadas, andar caminos peligrosos, atraversar abismos profundos ... Pero las leyes no se forman entre los horrores de la discordia. Se meditan en el silencio de la paz, en el reposo del orden. Si en vez de pensar en nuestra común felicidad, maquinamos nuestro mal recíproco; si en lugar de ocuparnos en los trabajos pacíficos de la Legislación, nos abandonamos a las disputas sangrientas de las divisiones intestinas, no gozaremos jamás de nuestra independencia. Nos sacrificaremos unos a otros, y, en medio de cadáveres, cansados al fin de derramar sangre, nos sentaremos sobre escombros y ruinas a llorar nuestra desgracia".
Geoffrey M, OTENG (Botswana): Let me on behalf of the Delegation of Botswana also take this opportunity to congratulate you on your election to the Chairmanship of this Twenty-fifth Session of the Conference.
We are gathered here once again in our continued effort to seek solutions in the fight against poverty, hunger and malnutrition which continue to plague large parts or the world. We are somewhat gratified at this time by what appears to be a sign of reduced tension in the political and social situation in most parts of the world. In Southern Africa in particular there appears to be a gradual recognition by the States in the Region, for the need to reduce hostilities and to try and seek solutions through peaceful negotiation. The elections leading to the independence of Namibia are now over and it is our hope that peace will at last come to this country.
Peace and stability are the main ingredients for positive economic and social development. They are, however, only possible if there is a prevalence of openness, freedom and social justice. We are hopeful, therefore, that the momentum of positive changes for increased democracy and openness that we see taking shape throughout the world will continue and that in our Region the end result will not only be a free Namibia but will include freedom in South Africa and peace and stability in Angola and Mozambique. This, then, would enable our people to concentrate on productive development and the improvement of their livelihoods.
While we applaud these positive developments, it is unfortunate that we have failed to make similar progress in other spheres. As we are all aware, increased investment in agriculture and specifically in agricultural research, irrigation and conservation, has been hampered by the large external debt in the economies of the developing countries. The problem of servicing these large debts has also led to the implementation of structural adjustment programmes often imposed by lending agencies. The result of this has been reductions in public expenditure with the resultant disruption of activities in the productive sectors, especially agriculture. In addition, there have been adverse social repercussions in many countries as people express their anger at sudden increases in prices of staple foods. In view of the fact that most of the countries so affected are largely dependent on agriculture for their foreign exchange earning and employment, there is a need for greater assistance in order to cushion the sudden shock experienced by their economies.
There was a slight improvement in food production in the developing countries, including some on the African continent in 1988. However, the overall picture in the world production registered a decline. This has been accompanied by a decline in the level of food stocks throughout the world. In addition, the past two years since we last met have been characterized by a continued increase in the price of cereals. For those developing countries which are net importers of grain and which face serious foreign exchange constraints, the situation has become very serious. All this means that they are not able to provide the minimum nutritional requirements for their populations, while on the other hand, those countries which were fortunate to have surplus production are unable to dispose of their surplusses and are stuck with high storage costs and grains that will deteriorate until they are unfit for human consumption.
This situation raises the additional concern in the lack of progress in the improvement of agricultural trade. The majority of developing countries experienced a decline in agricultural export earnings. This way mainly due to the depressed prices of primary commodities. We can mention the sharp decrease in the prices of coffee and cocoa as examples. This situation meant a further decrease in the foreign exchange earnings of those countries which depend mainly on agriculture. Efforts to reduce or eliminate protectionism in agricultural trade have also not been successful. It is our hope that the on-going Uruguay Round of negotiations would prove successful and bring about an improvement in world trade.
It has always been our contention that the world problems of hunger and malnutrition cannot be solved in a piecemeal approach. All the problems of production, technology, population control, environmental protection, pricing, trade, etc., are inter-related and we need to seek an integrated strategy in order to find the correct solutions. The present approach of responding to crisis situations which has so far yielded limited success,
should be discarded for a much bolder and innovative approach. It is our belief that there are sufficient resources and sufficient knowledge to solve the current problems. What is lacking is the will and determination by nations to sit down together to work out an acceptable strategy.
With the world population estimated to reach 6 000 million in the next eleven years, with food production continuing to decline, and with continued increased threat to our environment, our time is slowly running out. There is therefore an urgent need for us to come up with long lasting solutions that will save mankind.
As political tensions decrease throughout the world and there is less confrontation between nations, we hope that there will be a corresponding decline in the need to arm ourselves against our neighbours which will result in the reduction in the production and acquisition of arms of war. This we hope will serve to release financial resources which so far have gone to military spending and will in addition release manpower resources which are presently preoccupied with military and weapons research. This will be the time to take bold decisions that will lead to a change in our present way of thinking and lead to the channelling of these resources to more productive efforts for the betterment of all mankind.
Khamsing SAYAKONE (Laos): C'est pour moi un grand honneur et un plaisir de diriger la délégation de la République démocratique populaire lao à la présente vingt-cinquième Conférence générale de l'Organisation de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture.
Tout d'abord, permettez-moi de présenter mes félicitations à M. le Directeur général, Dr. Edouard Saouma, et à tous ses collaborateurs qui ont apporté toute l'attention requise pour que la vingt-cinquième Conférence générale de l'Organisation de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture puisse se dérouler de façon solennelle.
Je suis convaincu que sous la direction de Mr. John Charles Kerin, Président de la vingt-cinquième Conférence générale, qui dispose de riches expériences, en addition à la participation active des Vice-Présidents et de tous les délégués, les travaux de la Conférence générale aboutiront à de grands succès.
Il est de notoriété publique que, dans le processus de réalisation des tâches que la Conférence générale nous a confiées, notre Organisation s'est trouvée en butte à de nombreuses difficultés, notamment de nature financière. Durant ces deux dernières années, de par une insuffisance budgétaire par rapport aux tâches fixées par les Résolutions de la vingt-quatrième Conférence générale qui s'est tenue en 1987, notre Organisation s'est vue dans l'obligation de supprimer de nombreuses tâches sectorielles non seulement dans leurs aspects administratifs, mais de grands programmes économiques, techniques et autres ont aussi été affectés. Ces difficultés financières ont limité les progrès et le développement dans le domaine de l'agriculture, des forêts et de la pêche des pays membres, et plus particulièrement des pays en voie de développement. Malgré cela, grâce à la vivacité d'esprit et aux efforts déployés par le Directeur général et par les fonctionnaires de tous rangs et de tous secteurs de l'Organisation, les affaires les plus importantes ont pu être organisées et réalisées avec des succès satisfaisants, comme cela a été résumé dans le Rapport des activités menées par l'Organisation durant ces deux dernières années. Ainsi,
la délégation lao donne son avis favorable sur le rapport du Directeur général concernant l'exécution du Programme de travail de la FAO en 1988-89. Il est à souligner que l'Organisation de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture s'est efforcée de surmonter tous les obstacles, a déployé tous ses efforts et utilisé tous les moyens afin d'assister les pays membres qui ont été les victimes de calamités naturelles en Afrique, en Asie, ainsi qu'en Amérique latine sous forme d'assistance urgente et d'assistance pour le développement.
Vis-à-vis de la République démocratique populaire lao, dont la production agricole a été affectée par de sévères calamités naturelles durant deux années successives, l'Organisation de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture a rapidement mis en marche une coopération avec le Programme alimentaire mondial visant à relever la situation pratique sur le terrain, estimer les dégâts et résumer les besoins de chaque localité afin de demander l'assistance des pays amis, des organisations internationales, des organisations non gouvernementales dans le but d'alléger les souffrances et privations supportées par la population des régions frappées par les calamités naturelles. Grâce à l'assistance des pays amis, des organisations internationales et des organisations non gouvernementales, nous avons pu acquérir un nombre de bases matérielles et techniques nécessaires pour le futur développement agricole et forestier en la RDPL, et c'est aussi grâce à cette assistance que les fermiers lao pluriéthniques ont pu se concentrer sur la production de riz annuelle en un mouvement national enthousiaste, que la transplantation des plantes a été réalisée à temps, que les épis se développent de belle manière... C'est ainsi qu'il a pu être estimé que la récolte de cette année ne sera pas moins de 1 300 000 tonnes, ce qui sera suffisant pour la consommation pour 1989-90.
Ainsi, au nom du Gouvernement et du peuple lao en général, et notamment au nom de la population qui a été victime de la sécheresse en 1987-88 dans le centre et dans le sud du Laos, je voudrais, par cette occasion, présenter nos remerciements les plus profonds envers l'Organisation de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture, au Programme alimentaire mondial, aux pays amis, aux organisations internationales et non gouvernementales qui ont apporté une assistance précieuse au Gouvernement et au peuple lao.
Dans son message, le Directeur général de l'Organisation de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture, à l'occasion du 9ème anniversaire de la Journée mondiale de l'alimentation le 16 octobre 1989, avait mentionné: "En l'an 2000, il y aura un milliard de plus de bouches à nourrir. Pour y arriver, la production alimentaire devra augmenter d'environ 40 pour cent, et de beaucoup plus si l'on veut éliminer la faim."
Ainsi, la suppression de certains projets du programme d'activité de l'Organisation due à des difficultés financières est clairement contraire aux tendances nécessaires pour trouver une solution à l'alimentation dans les années à venir. Dans une telle situation, nous nous devons tous de chercher en commun des moyens pour la limiter et progresser jusqu'à sa cessation entière.
Après avoir amplement étudié le Programme du travail et budget 1990-91 présenté à la Conférence générale par le Directeur général, il est de mon opinion que les priorités définies constituent toutes des problèmes fondamentaux particulièrement nécessaires pour le développement continuel de la production alimentaire afin de satisfaire aux besoins de consommation augmentant dans les années à venir.
Le budget de 574 millions de dollars a augmenté seulement de 0,45 pour cent. C'est un budget raisonnable et nécessaire pour que les activités de l'Organisation qui ont été régulièrement secouées ces dernières années se normalisent progressivement.
Ainsi, la délégation lao approuve entièrement le Programme de travail et budget pour l'année 1990-91 présenté par le Directeur général et espère que les autres délégations sont du même avis.
La République démocratique populaire lao pratique une agriculture naturelle, la monoculture de riz, dispose de peu de bases techniques et d'une productivité très basse, mais encore s'est trouvée en butte à de graves destructions dues à la guerre et à des calamités naturelles de façon continue. Mais durant plus d'une décennie, depuis que la patrie a recouvré entièrement son indépendance, grâce à la juste ligne politique du gouvernement, grâce aux efforts déployés par toute la population et plus particulièrement par les fermiers pluriéthniques, l'agriculture de la République démocratique populaire lao a atteint des résultats initiaux dont nous sommes fiers: nous avons pu élever la production de paddy à 1,8 fois, de 660 000 tonnes en 1976 à 1,23 million de tonnes de 1987, c'est-à-dire que la production a augmenté en moyenne de 238 kilogrammes à 322 kilogrammes par tête. Pendant quelques années, nous avons pu nous suffire fondamentalement en céréales, et en certains endroits la population a pu en accumuler des réserves.
Mais, parallèlement à ces succès initiaux, l'agriculture et les forêts de la République démocratique et populaire lao montrent encore de nombreuses insuffisances et faiblesses:
La production agricole ne se déroule pas encore sous tous ses aspects et de façon ferme, ne se concentre que sur le riz et surtout sur la production de riz gluant; il n'existe encore qu'une récolte annuelle, et la culture de plantes céréalières, de plantes industrielles et l'élevage d'animaux ne reçoit pas une attention adéquate... Jusqu'à présent, nous n'avons pas encore pu apporter une solution adéquate au problème céréalier.
Les potentiels et les possibilités agricoles existantes ne sont pas encore dûment exploités et développés, tels que la superficie de terre utilisée pour la culture et l'élevage d'animaux qui atteint seulement 1,6 million d'hectares de la superficie agricole totale de 4 millions d'hectares. La culture de riz à elle seule ne couvre que 20 pour cent de la superficie agricole utilisée présentement (400 000 hectares sur un total de 1,6 million d'hectares).
L'introduction de la science, des techniques et de la culture intensive ne reçoit pas une attention adéquate. La culture, l'élevage d'animaux s'effectuent de façon naturelle. Les outils agricoles manquent et ne sont pas améliorés.
La superficie de la culture sur brûlis est d'environ 300 000 hectares. La culture sur brûlis, qui est devenue un danger des plus évidents et des plus sévères, n'a pas encore pu être restreinte ni empêchée, et la superficie totale des forêts du pays se trouve réduite de 2 pour cent par an. Sur la base des données relevées par des images de satellites jusqu'en 1981, la superficie des forêts de la République démocratique et populaire lao ne compte plus qu'approximativement 11 millions d'hectares, c'est-à-dire 47 pour cent de la superficie totale du pays. La sécheresse et l'inondation sont apparues consécutivement en plusieurs endroits.
En résumé, les dommages encourus par les forêts de la République démocratique populaire lao ont allumé un signal d'alerte, et sans mesures définitives afin de restreindre ce phénomène, d'ici à l'an 2005, il n'existera plus de bois, car la République démocratique populaire lao se tient au 4ème rang des pays qui détruisent leurs forêts à une cadence des plus rapides en Asie.
En résumé, l'agriculture de la République démocratique et populaire lao n'a pas encore réussi à se défaire de la monoculture de riz et d'autosuffisance individuelle, et l'alimentation n'a pas encore reçu de solutions fermes. Les potentiels de l'agriculture et des forêts n'ont pas été dûment développés, les ressources de la terre et des forêts n'ont pas été préservées, mais ont été au contraire détruites, la productivité de l'agriculture reste dans un état stagnant, et l'environnement se trouve gravement endommagé.
Si une situation telle que la présente production agricole se poursuit, nous ne pourrons pas libérer notre pays du sous-développement.
En se basant sur ces faits, la Conférence nationale sur l'agriculture a ainsi approuvé la conversion de l'agriculture naturelle vers une agriculture de production marchande dont, d'ici à l'an 2000, il nous faudra nous efforcer d'atteindre un niveau de production agricole en grande quantité, avec une grande diversification de marchandises de bonne qualité, visant à répondre aux besoins internes et l'exportation de marchandises agricoles doit répondre aux besoins de toute la société entière, fermement et en assurant des réserves. L'agriculture doit se transformer en une base initiale pour le développement de l'industrie.
Quant aux forêts, en se basant sur les caractéristiques socio-économiques de la République démocratique populaire lao, sur le rôle d'une importance considérable envers la vie de tous les jours, envers la cause de l'édification et du développement de l'économie et de la défense nationale dans l'immédiat et à long terme, ainsi qu'envers la protection de l'environnement, la stratégie forestière de la République démocratique populaire lao doit s'aligner sur les objectifs suivants:
1 Sauvegarder la diversité biologique existante des forêts, progressivement régénérer et développer cette diversité biologique.
2 Utiliser rationnellement l'utilité des forêts, utilisant et régénérant l'utilité économique des ressources forestières de façon rationnelle.
3 Lier étroitement la régénération, la protection et le développement des forêts avec une production suffisante de céréales, avec la réorganisation de la production et la sédentarisation des populations vivant dans les régions montagneuses et surtout dans le nord.sc
A présent, la République démocratique populaire lao a une population de 1,5 million de personnes qui vivent de culture itinérante sur brûlis, surtout dans les provinces du nord, et les ressources forestières de ces régions se trouvent gravement et continuellement endommagées. Ainsi, il nous est nécessaire de lier la production suffisante de céréales pour la consommation des populations montagnardes avec la réorganisation de leur mode de production et de vie, avec la régénération des forêts. D'ici à l'an 2000, il nous faut fondamentalement faire cesser la culture sur brûlis, sédentariser les populations montagnardes à un minimum de 60 pour cent et la population restante pour d'ici à l'an 2010.
Quant à 1990 qui arrivera très prochainement, nous nous concentrerons pour apporter une solution aux problèmes des céréales et de l'alimentation, garantir l'objectif de 2,2 millions de tonnes, dont 1,8 de paddy. La solution du problème céréalier et de l'alimentation doit être liée à la limitation et la progression vers la suppression fondamentale de la culture sur brûlis dans le but de préserver l'environnement.
Notre objectif futur et à long terme ne saura se réaliser sans la coopération et l'assistance des pays amis, des organisations internationales et non gouvernementales. Ainsi, sur cette scène historique, j'en appelle aux pays amis, aux organisations internationales et non gouvernementales de répondre à la demande du gouvernement et du peuple lao, une nouvelle fois, d'apporter une contribution importante à la conversion de l'agriculture naturelle de la République démocratique populaire lao en une agriculture de production marchande avec succès.
Finalement, je souhaite à la vingt-cinquème Assemblée générale de notre Organisation les plus grands succès.
Je vous remercie.
The meeting rose at 13.00 hours.
La séance est levée à 13 h 00.
Se levanta la sesión a las 13.00 horas.
