R. PERMANAND (Trinidad and Tobago): My. delegation will, in deference to your wishes, dispense with the customary compliments to you and the staff of the Secretariat and confine itself to comments on sustainable development only. We have listened to previous speakers who have lamented the problems faced by developing countries in their aspirations to achieve this seemingly unattainable goal in the economic restructuring in general, but in agriculture in particular. These have been variously identified as poor commodity prices; the burdensome debt question, protectionism of various kinds, tariff as well as non-tariff, conditionalities imposed by governmental and non-governmental organizations, including the World Bank and the IMF; lack of adequate financial and credit resources, and health and sanitary conditions, among others. These are valid complaints and they must be addressed by the international community. But all countries and developing countries in particular have yet to address themselves to two problems which, in our opinion, have inhibited or completely stultified agricultural growth and consequently sustainable development. Here, my delegation would wish to emphasize the two issues which so far seem to have side-stepped or merely mentioned en passant.
In the first instance there is unparalleled population growth which negates all or nearly all benefits that result from econcmic restructuring in general and agriculture in particular. How can countries hope to achieve food security and sustainable growth when the annual population increase outstrips the increase not only in agricultural production, but in all other areas: housing, education, health and employment, which are valid end results of sustainable development, which in our view, is merely the improvement continually of the quality of life. How much worse it will be where agricultural production falls for whatever reason. Will these areas not continue to be dependent on food aid as well as other assistance? This problem of excessive population growth must be squarely faced when we consider the issue of sustainable development.
Secondly, the other issue that has not really been addressed is the colossal waste of human, financial and material resources that is spent either on localized and internecine conflicts or purchasing material to maintain armed forces to continue these conflicts. Developing countries have rightly and justly complained about the developed nations spending enormous sums on armaments; sums which would be better utilized for developmental purposes if partial, but preferably, total disarmament were to be achieved. But this criticism is applicable not only to the super powers of developed nations, but to developing countries as well. These latter continue to spend considerable sums on their defence budgets which, in sane instances, outstrip the expenditure on agriculture or education, health or housing.
My delegation would wish, therefore, that all countries in general, but developing nations in particular, address these two issues: excessive population growth and the waste of scarce resources, with a view to ensuring that these scarce resources, land capital, etc., be made available to agriculture and other developmental causes that could in the long run promote sustainable development.
My delegation is acutely aware that this calls for political will on the part of all leaders, but particularly those in developing countries, if they are to achieve any progress in sustainable development. We are also acutely aware that countries are faced either with internal or external threats to their stability and must of necessity take steps to protect both their sovereignty and integrity, hence such the need for armies, etc. But it is almost an axiom that sustainable development can only be achieved under conditions of peace. The history of the developed countries in the last 40 years is ample proof of this.
It is our recommendation, therefore, that the required political decisions be taken to ensure that peace prevails so that countries could then devote and concentrate all their energies, resources and efforts to promote sustainable development for all.
Supote DECHATES (Thailand): I would like, first of all, to join other delegations to express my sincere gratitude to the FAO Secretariat for providing us with the excellent report on The State of Food and Agriculture in 1989, which is very informative and gives broad coverage in production and trade of agriculture, fisheries and forestry products.
On this item, I would like to touch upon the forestry issues. On deforestation and forestry habilitation, we concur with the FAO report that population growth is a major cause of deforestation in the Third World, particularly through land clearance for agriculture; overcutting forests for fuelwood, excessive timber cutting over sustainable capacity in many areas and road systems built for logging that often provide access to land. In many countries, the destruction of forests leads to soil erosion, wildlife depletion and other forms of irreparable environmental change.
Thailand is no exception, disastrous flooding in southern Thailand was caused by the excessive logging. The devastation has never been locally experienced. One of the measures to solve the problem that has been recently applied is the nationwide banning of further logging, thus immediately ending all domestic logging concessionaires.
Resulting from the heavy clearing of vast areas of national forests reserves for agricultural purposes by squatters and excessive illegal logging, drought and flooding extensively become a phenomenon. Farm production failures are more frequent. Timber supply for domestic consumption declines at an alarming rate. All these inevitably affect the socio-economic and political conditions of the country. The Council of Ministers, therefore, in 1975, gave directives as one of the measures to solve the problems through the allocation of degraded forest reserve land all over the country to the farmers under the Forest Village Programme.
Additionally, the local construction is publicly assisted with research and development on a full-scale utilization and part-substitution of various non-wood building materials for the conventional wood materials. Similarly, the engagement of biomass and coal energy are equally urged for a wider use.
Prior to the 1989 logging ban, in an effort to slow down deforestation and the deterioration of forestry and environmental change, forestry programmes under the current sixth five-year plan emphasize consistency of both sustainable economic and conservation development objectives. Under this policy, the target forest areas are defined and classified into conservation and comercial forests, accounting for 15 percent and 25 percent respectively of the total national land area. To facilitate the programme implementation, related laws and regulations must undergo review and revision. For effective and efficient operation of the programme, local people have been invited and urged to participate. Similarly, private organizations are promoted to invest in tree crop plantations.
It is well known that at the present time developing countries in the tropics are experiencing the most rapid rates of deforestation, reflecting their inability fully to cope with the problem. It seems that the only way of fulfilling the completion of their programmes in any major effort is to seek assistance from the international community, especially FAO.
Hassan AL-AHMAR (Syria) (original language Arabic): The documents presented to us by the Secretariat clearly and realistically reflect the food situation, which is rather disappointing, particularly in developing countries. These documents show clearly the difficulties encountered by developing countries in the area of indebtedness. This indebtedness prevents these countries from providing for the needs of their populations and for sustainable agricultural development. Also, the trade system prevents developing countries' produce from penetrating into international markets.
My country, like many other developing countries, is hindered by these very same problems. Our natural resources are plentiful and could allow us to grant our populations an acceptable standard of living. However, these resources are limited in nature and therefore agricultural development has been slow, although we have given agricultural production absolute priority, at the expense of other sectors.
Agricultural production depends on rainfall to a great extent. The irrigated area accounts for only 12 percent of farmland in my country, and this is obviously a source of tremendous difficulties. When there is a lack of rainfall, we are compelled to import large quantities of agricultural products, particularly grain. The high prices of products such as wheat, sugar and rice create tremendous difficulties for us. We have to try to solve this problem. we must promote agricultural production and increase the area of irrigated land. In order to achieve this, our government has adopted a programme to encourage public and private investment, and we have clearly stated our intention to cooperate with all the bodies and organizations which would be prepared to carry out agricultural projects. We have also adopted a programme aimed at extending the irrigated surfaces. We have undertaken major projects in this connection, to the benefit of small holdings. We have also adopted complementary programmes, particularly in the areas where rainfall only amounts to 250 to 300 centimetres a year. We have also fostered irrigation activities. We also try to help farmers to adopt new techniques at a very low cost.
I should also like to point out that rny country carries out land improvement projects, and these receive the top priority in our policy, at the expense of other activities. We have also implemented programmes in the Syrian desert. These are programmes aimed at planting crops for fodder in order to supply domestic needs. There have also been programmes of forestation. We have planted large areas - 20 thousand hectares of fruit trees. Research centres have also set up crops of new varieties of high-yielding grains which will be distributed to the farmers. This is very important for increasing agricultural production and productivity. For this reason, it is vital that international research centres, as well as FAO, lend all possible assistance to these international research centres. These are vital for our development.
R.W. Ch. VAN DEN BERGH (Netherlands): The docunent under discussion, The State of Food and Agriculture 1989, and its supplement gives an informative and useful summary of the most important developments in world trade, agriculture production, consumption and the effects of world economic trends on the agricultural sector.
In many developing countries the role of agriculture and the rural sector is of crucial importance for the further development and revitalization of their economies and the establishment of internal and external balance. Agriculture depends for an important part on external economic factors such as world market prices, currency values, world demand for agricultural products, international interest rates and inflation. In this context a number of developments are of importance.
1987 and 1988 showed remarkably strong global economic growth in most industrial countries and in some developing countries. However, the economic recovery was unevenly distributed, and a significant decrease in per caput production in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean gives less reason for optimism, especially as no rapid improvement in these regions is expected in the near future.
The increase in world trade volume of 5.5 percent in 1987 and 8.5 percent in 1988 is also noteworthy and was partly a reflection of high output in manufactures. Commodity market prices increased 20 percent in 1988. However, for a number of primary commodities of particular importance to developing countries, prices remained at a low level, or even declined. External debt remains a major concern and an important impediment to further economic development, especially for the aforementioned three major regions. Serious efforts should be made by the international community to solve this problem and to alleviate the burden of the most severely indebted countries.
In many cases global economic developments had a negative effect on economic growth and indirectly on agricultural output, food production, stock levels and food security in many developing countries. Although aggregate food output increased by 5.6 percent overall for all developing market economies in 1987/1988, the prospects as regards food production for 1989 look less encouraging, with production probably in about 70 developing countries expected to fall behind population growth. World cereal stocks are estimated to fall to 305 million tons, or 17 percent of world consumption, by the end of 1989. Therefore, the world food situation should be monitored carefully.
Domestic demand for food in poor developing countries is stagnant as a result of declining incomes, increased price inflation, deteriorating balance of payments situation and high prices for imported foodstuffs.
As far as trade is concerned, the situation for developing countries is paradoxical. Often developing countries are in competition with each other on the world market and many of them are very dependent on exports for the improvement of their economies. At the same time, they cannot improve their position as a result of prevailing low world market prices. The recent rises in world prices for certain commodities are indispensable for developing countries dependent on export, but these price increases, particularly for cereals, are harmful in the short-run for net food importing countries, but in the long-run it can be a stimulus for development of their food production.
Our delegation is in full support of further trade liberalization and special treatment for developing countries as laid down in the GATT Medium-Term Review.
As regards food security, our delegation has serious doubts whether an increase in world cereal output of 12 percent, as mentioned in the document, is really necessary to maintain consumption trends in developing countries, to re-establish mininum levels of global food security and bring back stocks to normal levels.
As Minister Braks stated in his speech, the seemingly unfavourable situation at the moment in agricultural output may well prove to be temporary and is partly due to adverse climatic conditions. However, we do not consider that the situation justifies an increase in output by developed countries.
Poverty, in particular poverty in rural areas in developing countries, is the main cause of malnutrition and hunger. Therefore, improvement of economic conditions and hence inccmes and purchasing power of food consumers and rural population is, in our view, the most crucial factor in deteimining access to food and food security.
Food security should furthermore be integrated into structural adjustment programmes by adoption of measures to accommodate the needs of especially nutritionally vulnerable population groups. Food security strategies are by their nature complex and should not be confined solely to the growing group of undernourished but should relate to all people in developing countries. In this respect, diverse econcmic and social circumstances in the developing countries and also the position of women are factors to be taken into account.
In our view, population growth puts a heavy burden on food output and food consumption. Long-term, sustainable food security is enhanced by moderate and controlled population growth in countries with nutritional problems.
In spite of progress made in the field of agriculture and rural development, food aid and emergency aid renain important supportive instruments in cooperation with developing countries. Both types of aid should be tuned to the food strategies of the recipient countries and their traditional food patterns, at the same time encouraging production of local foods. Our delegation stresses the importance of triangular food aid activities at the regional level, benefiting the development of regional food security strategies.
Finally, needless to say, environmentally acceptable production methods are a pre-condition for sustainable world food security.
N.D. FRASER (New Zealand) : We have listened with great interest and attention to the plenary statements and comments made in this Commission.We share the concerns expressed by many delegates about the current agricultural situation, the problems of the developing countries, and, most important, the environment.
In our plenary statement, the New Zealand Minister of Agriculture expressed our serious concern about the environmental and economic impact of the practice of pelagic driftnet fishing. For many small island nations of the South Pacific, fishing is a vital part of their economies. The Tarawa Declaration issued by the South Pacific Heads of Government in August this year called for a ban on drift gill net fishing in the region. Since then, New Zealand and a number of other countries have joined with the united States in sponsoring a resolution in the UN General Assembly calling for a moratorium on driftnet fishing. We hope this resolution will attract widespread support.
New Zealand is in general agreement with the assessment of the current international agricultural situation and outlook in the documents prepared by the Secretariat, but we would like to put before you the view that the solutions to the problems that have been outlined do not necessarily lie in any concerted move towards policies aimed at self-sufficiency at all costs. There is no assurance of absolute food security in this world. Food security is illusory and a self-deception if it relies heavily on the import of livestock feedstuffs, machinery, seeds, fertilizer, chemicals and energy supplies. Now this is not to deny the desirability of agricultural development and production, but the encouragement of such production should not be pursued without a sound and viable economic rationale. Any dogmatic emphasis on self-sufficiency can lead to serious misallocation of resources, away from those sectors for which the country has a real comparative advantage.
We should also be mindful of the fact that undue emphasis on self-sufficiency - regardless of costs - can have negative environmental consequences through pressure on land and natural resources to produce above sustainable levels. Statements in the Plenary session and in this Commission have warned of this danger.
This leads us, Mr Chariman, to the all important issue of agricultural trade reform. Lasting solutions to the problems of global agriculture can only come about through fundamental reform of domestic and international agricultural policies. New Zealand and other members of the Cairns Group of countries have been actively promoting reform of agriculture and, in the context of the Uruguay Round, have been calling for comprehensive reform of domestic and international trade policies relating to agriculture. The Cairns Group is a significant grouping of developed and developing countries and represents a strong coalition for reform of international agricultural policies and reform of GATT Rules relating to agricultural trade.
Crispus R.J. NYAGA (Kenya): Mr Chairman, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen. I wish to convey my delegate's appreciation of the manner in which this meeting has been organized and the way in which, Mr Chairman, you are steering the deliberations of this Commission. In this way I believe we should be able to accomplish the important task before us.
We have examined the FAO documents on the State of Food and Agriculture and find the document adequately informative. However, the picture painted by the document on the food situation and agriculture in certain regions of the world is alarming and cannot escape our attention. Many delegates have referred to the situation and the factors characterizing the state of food and agriculture, and I therefore need not go into greater details.
Referring to the issues under consideration, it is disappointing to note that despite improvements in food production in the developing countries, Africa continues to face chronic food shortage and insecurities due to a number of factors such as inadequate supply, food distribution and inadequate diversification of agricultural production. I also believe that the ability for the developing countries to meet their food needs has been constrained by their debt situation and declining export earnings as a result of a depressed world commodity crisis.
We in Kenya have addressed specific issues raised on food in security through improved and increased storage facilities and distribution of staple foodstuffs such as maize and beans. At the same time, we are taking measures to promote drought-tolerant traditional crops for diversification.
The country, is, however not able to meet its demand for wheat, rice, and vegetable oils from domestic production. We spend a high proportion of our foreign exchange earnings on importing these foodstuffs, despite the availability of land and labour to produce them locally. We need assistance, Mr Chairman, to develop an integrated approach in the areas of research, extension, production, post-harvesting handling and marketing in order to promote the production of these commodities.
Kenya's rapidly increasing population has resulted in a spill-over onto large areas of hitherto sparsely populated marginal lands, that is arid and semi-arid areas. These lands are characterized by erratic rainfall and fragile soils which are highly prone to degradation. We therefore appeal for assistance in the development of water resources in these areas for human use, for livestock, and irrigation in order to rescue these areas from desertification through the current use of inappropriate farming techniques and over-stocking. Research efforts aimed at developing suitable farming techniques for these areas need to be given high priority.
On the cash crops, we appreciate the efforts being made to solve the problems related to agricultural trade and commodities, I would like to stress the need to work for a speedier conclusion particularly with regard to market access for tropical products by elimination of trade barriers and protectionist practices, improvement in balance of trade and in stabilization of prices of primary commodities in favour' of developing countries. This exercise is of paramount importance to Kenya which at present derives about 50 percent of its foreign exchange earnings from agricultural commodities.
With regard to forestry, I would like to reiterate my delegation's statement, here at FAO headquarters, during the recent session of the Tropical Forests Development Committee. Their emphasis was on the need to protect and conserve the tropical forests. We believe, in countries such as Kenya, where there are vast marginal lands, there is need to develop suitable forestry programmes for the arid and semi-arid lands. Such forests would expand the overall national forestry cover, contribute significantly to the preservation of limited tropical forests, and improve the supply of forest products for use by the rapidly expanding human populations in these areas. Wood forests are closely linked with sustainable environment and sustainable food production levels
We also urge that effort should be made to identify and popularize other econcmic use of tropical trees in the areas of medicine, fibre, fruits and other food products as this would also increase the interest by the rural communities to conserve and protect these trees.
May I conclude, Mr Chairman, by touching briefly on fish which is a major resource which contributes to food security. We wslccme the continued growth in world fisheries, including Africa. However, there is a need for greater exploitation of the fishery resources by providing facilities such as cold storage, modern fishing gears and processing plants. It is also necessary to examine other techniques which will improve efficiency of the fishermen and the better utilization of fish by-products. We note the interest given to aquaculture development but we would request greater assistance in this sector, particularly for the developing countries.
We are concerned about the exploitation of the deep sea resources by distant fishing nations, many of whom are exploiting African waters without providing direct benefits to the region.
Makhtar NAANAMI (Maroc): Prenant la parole pour la première fois, je vous présente les félicitations de la délégation marocaine pour votre élection à la présidence de cette Commission.
Le document que nous examinons, relatif à la situation mondiale de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture, a le mérite d'être concis, clair et de décrire avec objectivité et réalisme les problèmes que vit notre planète en matière d'alimentation. Ma délégation se joint à toutes celles qui ont exprimé leur satisfaction sur ce document, et qui ont félicité le Secrétariat.
Le tableau qui nous est présenté n'est pas satisfaisant, mais il serait encore plus triste si la situation décrite l'était avec plus de détails au niveau des pays en développement; c'est dire que la situation agricole et alimentaire mondiale n'évolue pas favorablement, mais risque de se dégrader davantage si nos pays ne s'attellent pas à la redresser. Le redressement est une oeuvre difficile surtout pour les pays en développement, mais c'est une oeuvre possible si les efforts nécessaires sont déployés pour promouvoir la production agricole et si les pays développés accordent plus de coopération et d'assistance.
Mon pays, qui est cité à juste titre dans le document que nous examinons parmi le groupe des pays en développement qui ait réalisé un accroissement supérieur à 10 pour cent de la production vivrière par habitant en 1988, est fier d'avoir atteint des résultats très satisfaisants en matière d'autosuffisance alimentaire.
Certes, nous avons bénéficié d'une conjoncture favorable sur le plan de la pluviométrie mais, sans les efforts inlassables déployés par les agriculteurs et par le Gouvernement du Royaume du Maroc, cette conjoncture n'aurait pas permis d'atteindre de telles perfontances. Parmi les efforts déployés je voudrais insister sur l'investissement dans le secteur agricole, qu'il soit public ou privé.
A ce propos, et avec votre permission, serait-il possible que le Secrétariat complète le panorama d'indicateurs sur la situation mondiale de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation par un ou plusieurs indicateurs sur les investissements agricoles? Cela nous aiderait dans l'évaluation de l'importance des moyens mis en oeuvre, notamment par les pays en développement, pour promouvoir l'agriculture.
Y.K. ATTA-KONADU (Ghana): Thank you, Mr Chairman, for giving Ghana the floor for the second time to speak on the agenda, item before us.
The global assessment of the environmental degradation as highlighted in document C 89/2-Sup.2 covers all the spheres of pollution and environmental degradation, except perhaps human effluvia caused by impure thoughts, motives and actions; but this takes us into the realm of metaphysics outside the mandate of this Commission.
The earth's resources - its crux from which we drill for fossil fuels and obtain minerals, land, water and air - are showing signs of severe stress. Poverty and affluence in the developed world are uniquely responsible for this severe strain caused by poor cultural practices such as shifting cultivation, deforestation and unprecedented expansion of human activity in massive industrialization which has resulted in the pollution of the land, lakes, oceans, and rivers with effluvia, toxic waste and carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide and other noxious gaseous emissions are responsible for the acid rain and the greenhouse effect which may significantly raise global temperatures and hence cause calamitous climatic changes throughout the world. One clearly gets the doomsday sense of feeling by mere thought of the possible destruction of the ozone layer by chlorof luorocarbons used in aerosol sprays and refrigeration, all being features of the affluent society. Since solutions for environmental degradation have transboundary implications for developed and developing countries alike, my delegation would like to address key ccmmon issues articulated in document C 89/2-Sup.2.
The statistics are indeed startling. In Africa alone during the past 50 years the Sahara desert has spread 200 km. Some 15 African countries on both sides of the equator are endangered by the spreading deserts. Five to seven million hectares of land in the whole world are lost to agriculture each year through soil degradation. Since the dawn of farming the world has lost about 2 000 million hectares of crop land to soil erosion, while population keeps increasing. An estimated 125 000 hectares of irrigable land becomes uncultivable annually throughout the world due to waterlogging, salinization and alkalization. In fact, in certain countries, the early starters of the green revolution, waterlogging and soil salinization alone have removed as much land from production as has been added by new irrigati on projects in recent years. The countries with high use of nitrogen fertilizers now suffer from extremely high pollution of groundwater with nitrates.
My delegation believes, and supports the Secretariat's observation, that agriculture does not only suffer as a result of ecological degradation of environment but contributes to it significantly. What is to be done? My delegation believes that permanent damage to the environment caused by current and future modifications to farming systems can be reduced and in many cases avoided if enough political will can be marshalled to bring about well-designed and executed farming system research and the adoption of conservation farming. Environmentally-sound agricultural practices are essential if sustainable food security and rural development are to become achievable. This will involve taking preventive measures to preserve existing resources in the high potential areas by reducing externalities caused by the uncontrolled use of fertilizers, agrochemicals and heavy farm machinery for tree felling, thus reducing the soil's regenerative capacity. In the low potential areas, widespread adoption of conservation farming which seeks to achieve sustained agricultural production while minimizing the depletion of natural resources - soil, soil fertility, soil moisture - and minimizing the use of high cost inputs - energy, machinery, fertilizer, pesticide and weedicide - is needed,
Ghana believes that the depletion of the world's forestry and fishing resources also warrants attention. Unsustainable fishing practices such as deep sea trawling, use of drift nets and explosives in fishing should be halted, and action in this regard is needed at the national and international level.
My delegation endorses the view that FAO can play a positive role to achieve sustainable agriculture by providing technical assistance on all aspects of agricultural production and marketing by linking up with donor agencies such as the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation, the GTZ of the Federal Republic of Germany, which has been very active in Ghana, Swedish International Development Authority, etc., to promote conservation farming, and in the spirit of the declaration of the World Commission on Environment and Development, integrate environmental concerns into all of its activities. In this connection, my delegation notes with satisfaction FAO's assistance in setting up an agro-forestry unit within the Crops Services Department of the Ministry of Agriculture. However, it seems to us that conservation farming has components which have to be integrated in order to achieve effectiveness, for example: (i) integration of crops with livestock; (ii) combination of annual crops with perennials; (iii) combination of agriculture with forestry through mixed cropping; (iv) use of live or residue mulching; (v) integrated pest management, and (vi) use of low cost energy conserving tools.
FAO's assistance in this area therefore ought to be enlarged through the infusion of greater funding and the enlargement of the technical assistance programme. This will hopefully enable the FAO, when setting up the units, to address key agronomic issues such as fertility depletion through continuous cropping; soil erosion; water evaporation by exposure of soil to sun, wind and rain; integration of plant and animals in farming systems, etc.
My delegation is of the opinion that FAO through its experience and professional preparation and competence is poised to assist member countries to deal with all aspects of the antecedents and consequences of environmental degradation.
In the area of soil and water management, the World Soil Charter adopted by FAO member countries in 1981 stresses the need for a multidisciplinary and integrated approach to land use planning and farming systems. Also in œnjunction with UNEP and Unesco, FAO has carried out an assessment of soil degradation with the first phase targeted at developing a suitable methodology for measuring and monitoring the problem in the low potential areas in Africa, north of the equator and the Near East. FAO through its Fertilizer Programme has organized training programmes for small farmers on the effective and safe use of fertilizers, particularly in developing countries. In the fisheries sector, the FAO has produced guidelines for the planning, management and development of narine and inland fisheries to help governments formulate national programmes.
Lastly, the Tropical Forestry Action Plan spelled out in paragraphs 138 and 139 of document C 89/2-Sup.2 seeks to address the issue of uncontrolled deforestation and find the right balance between development and environmental protection.
In order to minimize the use of wood fuel, FAO has been working on more fuel-efficient stoves, ovens and smoking such as the Chockor Smoker used in Ghana and elsewhere. Alternative sources such as wind, solar, geo-thermal, hydro, bio-gas are being popularized by FAO, using cost effective technologies.
Paragraph 159 of C 89/2-Sup.2 focuses on FAO's attempts to introduce a strategy for biological diversity and genetic resources to sustain and improve agriculture, livestock, aquacailture and forestry production. FAO has been developing a global system for coordinated action in the plant genetic resources field since 1983. FAO has also been active in the field of animal genetics, conducting surveys of disappearing livestock breeds, working hard to establish regional gene banks and developing new techniques for the recovery and storage of animal semen and embryos, and many more.
Mr Chairman, these are impressive records of achievements in the area of environmental protection. My delegation recommends increased flow of resources to FAO and recommends that the international community should give their full support to the Organization.
Janusz ROWINSKI (Poland): Mr Chairman, forgive me for asking for the floor a second time, but I should like to comment on the document on sustainable development. The major part of my remarks on this document will have the same scope as the document itself - that is, a global approach. These remarks are based on the work of Polish economists who research ecological issues.
In a number of places in the document, we encounter the issue of a conflict between economic targets and ecological ones. These are particularly acute when the growth of agricultural production necessary to cover the basic nutritional needs of the population results in degradation of the environment and supplies from outside the region are not feasible. However, outside these extreme cases, the conflicts are not so sharp. We thus find that the economical and ecological targets are not in conflict over the long term. The conflict referred to may, on the other hand, appear in the short and medium term, when the impact of the degradation of the environment is not so clearly apparent. In such a situation, the calculations tend not to take into account the losses caused by degradation of the environment. In particular, the micro-scale decision calculations made by the farmer take into account only the short-term losses and benefits. For this reason, the legislation on protection of the environment and its observation becomes of extreme importance. It is even suggested that for each farm it is necessary to determine a whole set of ecological rules, permits and bans. It is believed that this would increase the ecological awareness of faimers and would enable the administrative authorities to influence farmers in this area.
The numerous technologies in agricultural production are not neutral in their impact on the environment. Proposals for an absolute ban on such technologies are not possible to implement since any agricultural activity interferes with the natural environment. On the other hand, there is no doubt that the most harmful technologies should be abandoned and the use of other monitored.
It should be noted, however, that the most important sources of degradation of agricultural areas are to be found outside agriculture as such, and these are precisely listed in the document we are discussing. In the industrialized countries, particularly the densely populated ones, the principal local sources of pollution are industrial and communal wastes. In Poland, of particular danger is the degradation of soils as a result of acid rain and, in regions of industrial concentration, pollution with heavy metals. Acid rain is a very serious problem and danger for large areas of forests. ïhe geographical location of Poland results in a situation in which a relatively strong impact on the degradation of the natural environment is exerted by transnational pollution. These problems cause great anxiety among the public, especially in view of some recent investment decisions in neighbouring countries.
Koji NAKAMURA (Japan): My country is really interested in the active utilization of fishery resources, while paying attention to their effective conservation. From this point of view, my country anticipates FAO's efforts for the proper use and conservation of fishery resources by further promoting active coordination between coastal fishery countries and long-distance fishery ones, such as the initiative by FAO to establish an international organization among countries for resources management of highly migratory species in the Indian Ocean.
On the other hand, I regret the negation of rational utilization of a specific species without scientific evidence, such as in the case of whaling.
In the case of the high seas drift net fishing, there is an opinion to prohibit it throughout the world. However, the drift net fishing method is one of the traditional and important fishery methods which is widely used in the world.
My country considers that restriction on fishing should be based upon sound scientific evidence, to facilitate the conservation and rational utilization of fishery resources.
We hope that FAO will review the actual situation of drift net fishing in the world, and examine appropriate actions for promoting the study of the effect on the ecosystem of practising the method within its capacity, and take the rational approach based on scientific evidence.
My country is ready to contribute actively on this point.
David COUTTS (Australia): Mr Chairman, I gather you are on a list of countries who are speaking for the second time. We are only speaking for the first time and I apologize to the Commission that we have not managed to connect before, but I have been running around between Commissions and the Chairmen and things like that. With your indulgence, I just want to speak on three specific aspects of this topic. The aspects I want to mention are the Uruguay Round, sustainable development and fisheries.
Australia notes that there have been improvements in world commodity markets in recent times, but that these are uneven amd nay not be sustained. In our view, unfortunately the improvements are not basically a result of fundamental changes in policies which distort market signals and encourage subsidized surpluses which some countries dispose of in world markets. Ihat is why we feel that the most important development in relation to improving the world agricultural situation is the Uruguay Round. The Trade Negotiations Committee Agreement reached in April commits all GATT contracting parties to substantial, progressive reductions in agricultural support and protection. However, it is the major industrialized countries who are primarily responsible for the disarray in agriculture markets. It is these countries which will have to make the greatest changes to existing policies.
The documents on this subject do not mention, as far as I can see, very specifically the Cairns Group. We could not let this topic pass without underlining that, in our view, this Group has been a most important catalyst encouraging progress on agricolture in the Uruguay Round. Certainly, we hope that role will continue. The Cairns Group Ministers will be meeting in Thailand later this month.
Why we particularly want to underline the importance of that initiative is that the Cairns Group brings together, as you yourself would know, a widely different group of countries in terms of stages of development, and, I think, has shown that there can be very effective work towards a more rational international market system via such a group of countries.
Australia holds the view that the focus of the Uruguay Round of negotiations on agriculture needs to be on commitments regarding policy-specific measures. This focus would ensure that the most trade-distorting policies are targeted for reform. An appropriate aggregate measurement of support could be used to complement these policy-specific commitments.
The recent United States' comprehensive paper on agricultural reform is most welcome, and provides much with which Australia can agree. It shows the way on how to achieve the Trade Negotiations Committee's objective of a market-oriented and equitable system for agriculture. We urge other participants, especially the EEC and Japan, to respond constructively to the US paper and, if they cannot agree exactly with it, to bring forward their own genuine negotiating proposals of comparable quality.
As we enter the critical final year of the Uruguay Round, participants in the agricultural negotiations are urged to demonstrate their commitments to the April Agreement and to engage in positive and constructive negotiations.
The benefits of the reform of agricultural policies will be enormous for the beneficiaries, including not only farmers but consumers, governments and the environment. Australia believes that agricultural trade liberalization will benefit all countries, especially developing countries. Studies have indicated that developing countries stand to gain most from multilateral reform if they adjust their own agricultrual programmes in conjunction with liberalization in the industrialized countries.
At the same time, Australia and the other members of the Cairns Group recognize that specific problems face developing countries. We have made clear our commitment to the application of special and differential treatment for developing countries in the agricultural negotiations.
On sustainable development, the World Commission on Environment brought the world's attention to this concept. We find sustainable development is development which meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Despite a growing appreciation of the concept of sustainable development, the daunting task of reorienting development to place it on a sustainable footing is yet to begin in earnest. There have been suggestions and ideas put forward, such as the
Brundtland Commission, but there is still a need for the concept to be translated into workable plans. we feel a challenge for this Conference, and for the FAO and UN System more generally, is to successfully encourage development of such action-oriented plans, for nowhere is the concept of sustainable development more important than in the food and agricultural sector.
Many of the issues that arise in sustainable development, in a sense are country, regional or community specific. However, the international community, particularly the wealthier, developed nations must also play a considerable part. Where a developing country cannot afford to embrace sustainable policies, a moral obligation falls on the more developed nations to provide assistance.
It has been observed that many of today's ecological and environmental problems have their roots in the development of now-wealthy industrialized nations of the world, and that these nations cannot deny the poorer nations the same development opportunities in the name of environmental awareness not evident in their own development.
As with many persuasive arguments, this is only partly true we feel. Whilst the inequity of wealth distribution around the globe cannot be denied, this does not increase the wisdom of developing or developed nations despoiling their own ecological capital. The international community must address itself to the major issues that are within its field of influence.The potential stumbling block for the development of action-oriented sustainable development strategies is their likely cost, both in terms of opportunities foregone and the rehabilitation of already-damaged environments and ecosystems. It would be wrong to assume that these costs must fall exclusively on the governments of developing countries, which may be ill-equipped to bear them.
The economic interests undertaking development - both private and public interests - must themselves bear these costs, provided governments institute effective mechanisms to ensure that this occurs. Consideration of the costs of sustainable development again highlights the need for internationally coordinated responses. Hiere will be few incentives for few countries to adopt sound sustainable development policies if, in doing so, development is merely driven to other, perhaps less scrupulous areas - or less concerned areas, I should say.
Therefore, let me re-emphasize a central theme for the Conference, and that is the development of a viable long-term strategy in food and agriculture based on sustainable development. The challenge for FAO is to develop and inclement those plans, to the extent that it is able, in the international arena.
Lastly, on fisheries, I only want to comment on one aspect, and that is driftnet fishing, which, by accident, follows the intervention of Japan. Australia is concerned at the alarming expansion in pelagic driftnet activity by distant-water fishing fleets, which is threatening the future of marine resources and the communities which depend on them. Driftnet imposes a threat to marine resources wherever it is practised. Consequently, Australia is pressing for a global ban on driftnet fishing.
However, I would underline that we are talking about the large-scale pelagic drift netting. I think it is very important to make a distinction between that form of drift netting and the smaller form of drift netting and gill netting that has been used for many, many years, particularly in coastal waters, often by developing countries. It needs to be quite clear that that is not what we are talking about. What we are talking about is the extremely large-scale indiscriminate activity which we call pelagic drift netting, using nets of perhaps 60 km in length on the high seas. I think that distinction needs to be made very carefully.
Australia believes that there is sufficient evidence to link the enormous increase in this drift-net activity to the very real possibility of the southern albacore fishery which is so important to the South Pacific collapsing within a few years time.
We have given the large potential to expanding such operations in the South Pacific if the countries who are engaging in this activity choose to do so.
Since driftnet fleets moved into the South Pacific, the future of major regional fisheries for the albacore tuna and island economies reliant on them has been placed in jeopardy. The effect on marine mammals, etc., is quite apart from the other environmental aspects, and this is also very serious in our view. It is essential for the future of these fisheries and the island nations that all parties involved take a responsible position on the control of driftnet activities. There have been many discussions within the South Pacific region. Australia supported the Tarawa Declaration adopted at the South Pacific forum in July which called for a management regime which would ban drift netting from the region. We are also joining other South Pacific nations in drafting a convention banning drift netting from their exclusive economic zones and by their nationals on the high seas - expected to be completed in a November meeting in New Zealand. We have also joined a number of other nations, I would say a rapidly growing number of nations, in co-sponsoring a resolution at the United Nations General Assembly, currently under discussion in the Second Commission, which calls for an immediate ban on the practice of driftnet fishing in the ¡South Pacific region and a moratorium on all high seas driftnet fishing by 30 June 1992. These resolutions do envisage the United Nations specialized agencies working on increasing their research in this area, and we certainly support that line of thinking. However, we do not consider that that replaces the need for an immediate ban or moratorium on this activity. We feel there is sufficient evidence, and it is too dangerous to continue such activities pending this research.
However, we do support the concept of further research in this area and we do think that FAO is going to have to upgrade its activities in this regard. We think that should await the passage of the resolution in the united Nations. That is all I want to say.
Mbome MOUKIA GOTTLIEBE (Cameroun) : La délégation du Cameroun adresse ses compliments au Secrétariat de la FAO pour le travail accompli en vue de nous présenter cet important document sur la situation de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture dans le monde.
Ce document contient des informations et des renseignements très utiles et intéressants pour la conduite de l'agriculture mondiale dans les années à venir. La situation dans le domaine de l'agricolture proprement dit, dans le secteur de l'élevage, dans le domaine des forets et dans celui de la pêche est présentée sans fard. Cette situation est à peu près la même qu'il y a deux ans et même avant. Elle risque d'être la même dans deux ans, quatre ans, six ans ou même dix ans.
Elle présente le monde en deux groupes sur le plan alimentaire: un groupe de pays où la situation reste stable et sécurisante, et un autre groupe de pays où la situation alimentaire suscite bien des inquiétudes. Le problème qui préoccupe ou doit préoccuper la communauté internationale consiste à trouver des solutions pour sortir les pays en difficulté de leur mauvaise situation. Les raisons et les causes de cet état de choses doivent être examinées et analysées avec lucidité, et des mesures appropriées appliquées avec sagesse et courage.
Le monde est un tout; il n'est en sécurité véritable que lorsque toutes les parties qui le composent sont harmonieusement en sécurité. Chaque partie du monde, chaque nation a sa part de responsabilité, sa part de travail à accomplir.
Par la même occasion, nous voulons souligner 1 ' importance que présente le thème de la Journée mondiale de l'alimentation et de l'environnement, cette année. La survie de l'hunanité dépend de la manière plus ou moins judicieuse dont sont exploitées les richesses de la planète.
Pour terminer, nous approuvons et appuyons les initiatives et les efforts de la FAO pour promouvoir le développement de l'agriculture dans le monde.
Mohammed Badr El Din EL MASOUDI (Libya) (original language Arabic) : We had
the impression that a very essential point is worthwhile.
We share the views of those countries who have highlighted problems of the debt burden which weighs so heavily on them, and there is no doubt that there is a solid linkage between the volume of these debts and efforts deployed by developing countries in order to repay these debts. This is to the detriment of their own resources which are now getting depleted. We find this in the deterioration of funds, water, plants, animal, forestry and soil resources. These constraints are put on us by many suppliers and have a very negative impact on all developing countries and this is what has already been pointed out and described by a number of delegates. The financial institutions, therefore, are called upon to give the Organization the necessary funds to help the debtor countries to resolve their problems. That is all I want to say at this point.
I.M. NUR (Observer for QAU): I would like to pay tribute to the Secretariat of the FAO for the efforts undertaken in the preparation of document C 89/2 and its supplements.
Some of the points I wanted to speak about, e.g. food aid and food security, were already covered by previous speakers. In addition, QAU is scheduled to address the Plenary tomorrow afternoon. The statement at Plenary will cater for different aspects of the food and agriculture situation in Africa. Thus, there is no need to repeat them over here.
Now I have the following points to make: firstly, with respect to External Debt I would like to add the following:
1) In 1960s External Debt in Africa was US$ 16 billion;
2) In 1989 External Debt in Africa was US$ 230 billion;
3) Payment of External Debt constitutes 70 percent of the export earnings;
4) Debt service is 100 - 300 percent of the exports;
5) Debt service is increasing at the rate of 6.4 percent annually.
The QAU has already formed a Contact Group on Debt. The Contact Group is composed of a specific number of African countries, and is mandated to find appropriate strategies for tackling the problem of debt in Africa.
Secondly, we would have liked to see some paragraphs covering the question of fragility of soils, which could be due to climate as well as to the agricultural systems adopted. Food and fibre crops are usually considered as soil-depleting crops.
Thirdly, the basic problem of African agricultural development resides in the subsistence sector, when the macroeconcmic imperatives of demand/supply situation and structure are not known with any degree of accuracy. This sector constitutes 58 percent of the total agricultural production.
Fourthly, in different parts of the document Africa is being classified as sub-Saharan Africa. Thus we have two Áfricas based on this classification. May I know the criterion used for classifying Africa north and south of the Sahara? This classification is non-scientific and does not match the one used by the QAU or the Econcmic Commission of Africa.
Food and agriculture cannot be classified as north and south of the Sahara. It can be classified on the basis of ecology as ecology affects food and agriculture, both in quantity and quality. Half of Africa's nations are partly or completely in arid or semi-arid zones. The arid lands of Africa fall into three broad geographic subregions and include: the North African subregion, comprising 46 million hectares of arid lands between isohyets 100 and 400 millimetres; secondly, the West African subregion, which occupies an area of 140 million hectares located between isohyets of 200 and 600 millimetres; and, thirdly, the East and Southern African subregion arid lands which occupy an area of 223.4 million hectares. The deserts cover some 155 million hectares in this area and receive less than 20 mm of average precipitation.
I suggest that in future the section dealing with the State of Food and Agriculture in Africa could "be prepared jointly by FAO and QAU, as both organizations are working for the uplift of African agriculture.
Mohamed Saeed HARBI (Sudan) (original language Arabic): My colleague representing Kuwait yesterday raised a very important point which warrants all our attention. It was couched in a :recommendation and it called on the lending countries to impose a moratorium on the interest and principle owed as foreign debt. It is very difficult to demand reimbursement, and therefore we feel that the lending countries should renounce this right to the debt, and this way we will be able to establish and strengthen trust and understanding amongst people, and we would like to thank Kuwait for this.
E. D. OLET (Uganda): The Ugandan delegation would like to honour you, Mr Chairman, for being elected Chairman of the Commission.
Most delegates have already reacted largely on the document The State of Food and Agriculture 1989, and therefore I shall be brief.
Uganda, like most developing countries, depends largely upon agriculture. FAO over the years has contributed immensely towards the development of agriculture in my country. Of course, I do not forget such organizations and countries as the EEC, USAID, ODA, UNDP, DANIDA, FINNIDA, Australia, New Zealand, West Germany, etc.
Agricultural activities, including crop production, livestock, forestry and fisheries, have stagnated during the last fifteen years or so because of the political turmoil which the country has experienced. However, with the caning of the National Resistance Movement, agriculture is now picking up because peace has returned to most of the country.
Before concluding I should like to emphasize one serious problem faced by my country: the problem of environmental degradation. The new government, having assumed power in 1986, immediately created a new ministry called the Ministry of Environment Protection, to tackle environmental issues. His Excellency the President and members of his cabinet have given top priority to environmental degradation, especially in the forests, due to large-scale deforestation. Deforestation has been due to clearance of forests for cultivation, overgrazing and indiscriminate cutting of trees for fuelwood, charcoal and other wood products. To reverse the trend of forest destruction, the government has come up with a project known as the Forestry Rehabilitation Project, which was identified and prepared by the World Bank. The project covers the following areas: (a) rehabilitation of Forest Department by providing logistic support, which is being financed by the International Development Association of the World Bank; (b) :rehabilitation of the natural high forests, which is being supported by the EEC; (c) rehabilitation of the softwood plantation, which is being supported by the International Development Association; (d) peri-urban plantation development, which is being financed by NORAD; (e) farm forestry, which is community based, and is financed by DANIDA; (f) training of forestry staff, which is being executed by FAO.
Ihis project is mostly of a rehabilitation nature, and the Ugandan delegation is appealing for more assistance for subsequent forest development.
As I speak, FAO is fielding an identification mission to identify more proposals for agricultural development.
The Ugandan delegation, and the country as a whole, supports firmly FAO's agricultural activities throughout the world under the wise leadership of Edouard Saouma.
CHAIRMAN: The Chair has been receiving a number of requests to speak, and of course the Chair will accept all of them, but I wanted to remind delegates that the list of speakers was closed yesterday at the end of our meeting. I hope that this generous approach by the Chair will not be interpreted as meaning that, whenever we close our list of speakers, it can be reopened. In future I would be grateful if delegations would have themselves listed before we close the list of speakers.
Moeketsi MOKATI (Lesotho) : Thank you, Mr Chairman, for being so generous as to allow me to speak at this late point. Allow me to congratulate you on the excellent manner in which you have been guiding these deliberations.
Many delegations have already expressed their views on this important item. My delegation simply wishes to express its concerns alongside those of other delegations•
Let me begin by saying that we are encouraged to note from the documents presented to us that the world economy has continued to recover. Our concern, however, stems from the fact that this recovery was almost all in the economies of the developed countries. In developing countries growth continued to be marginal and most notably equal to, or less than, the rate of population growth.
The general decline in food production in the whole world is also noted with apprehension. Again we note that the per caput food production only grew by 1 percent in Africa. This growth rate is less than the rate of population growth, which is estimated at 2.6 percent.
Allow me to make a few observations on my country, Lesotho, which has suffered the same fate as other developing countries.
In Lesotho, food production, especially cereal production, has been declining for the past two decades. It is true that we registered a good harvest in the 1987/88 growing season, but this was at levels lower than those 1976/77, 1977/78 and 1978/79 growing seasons when cereal yields were at their highest.
The 1988/89 growing season saw a continuation of this decline. Ploughing and planting operations were severely hampered by heavy rains. When planting had finally been done, we experienced a cutworm outbreak which necessitated several replantings. The crop which survived this cutworm onslaught was later damaged by an early frost precipitated by the wet, cool conditions. An estimated 70 percent of the crop was damaged.
Prospects for this growing season (1989/90) are not promising. Already ploughing and planting operations have been delayed because of the dry conditions. This can only mean an increased risk of frost damage to crops towards the end of the growing season.
The failure to increase food production can only have negative impacts on the health and nutrition of the population of developing countries, especially children.
We are the first to acknowledge the fact that we have made mistakes in the past like promoting food production in isolation from conservation of the environment. Even when we did conserve the soil and water resources, we did this in isolation, outside the food production context. We have however learned from our past mistakes. Hence we are promoting vigorously the policy of conservation with increased productivity. Other policy reforms like credit policy reforms, to allow easy access to credit by small farmers, especially women, are being made. We are also looking to revise the Land Act to give greater protection to land and water resources as well as stimulating investment in agriculture.
We cannot help but note that even positive development in developing countries, like high prices of agricultural products, cannot trigger a positive production response. There are many missing links, like employment, which would translate into effective demand. Lack of financial resources also means farmers are not able to translate these high prices into increased production.
We will need help to overcome all these problems.we would like to agree with Colaribia that increased food and transfers can help mitigate this situation. In the face of these declining indicators, we wish to suggest that debt write-offs can help the developing countries to concentrate on food production.
The worsening situation of the developing countries can only mean that these countries will increase their demands on the FAO and its sister organizations.
My delegation finds it difficult, therefore, to reconcile this situation with the demands for zero-budgetary growth made by seme of the distinguished delegates frana developed countries.
Aboubakar KOLY-KOUROUMA (Guinée): De l'analyse du document C 89/2 par la délégation de la République de la Guinée il ressort ce qui suit.
Le panorama économique mondial fait état d'un divorce criard entre la croissance économique des six dernières années (jusqu'à fin 1988) des pays industrialisés et d'Asie en particulier, et les difficultés, la faiblesse des taux d'investissement, les sorties nettes de capitaux, la dette dans les pays d'Afrique et d'Amérique Latine.
Les causes de cette situation sont l'inflation, la hausse des taux d'intérêts et le refus d'allégement de la dette des pays en développement.
En ce qui concerne l'évolution de la production, bien que la croissance de la production mondiale soit de l'ordre de 3,2 en 1987 et 3,8 en 1988, des disparités apparaissent entre les régions du monde; elles sont vigoureuses pour les pays industrialisés (3,4), spectaculaires pour l'Asie (6,8 en 1987 et 7,3 en 1988); la production a chuté en Afrique et surtout en Amérique Latine.
Malgré quelques mesures timides d'ajustement, de rééchelonnement et d'allégement de la dette, la vraie solution des problèmes réside dans la réorientation du flux des ressources vers les pays en voie de développement.
Cette situation économique mondiale peu brillante amène la délégation de la République de Guinée à formuler quelques suggestions qui tendront, à notre avis, à accrocher au train du progrès les pays en développement, notamment ceux d'Afrique, d'Amérique Latine et des Caraïbes. Les mesures suivantes devraient être envisagées:
- premièrement l'allégement, sinon la résiliation du fardeau du service de la dette;
- deuxièmement, la mise en oeuvre d'un ajustement structurel à visage humain dans les pays en voie de développement par la Banque mondiale et le FMI;
- troisièmement, le démantèlement des barrières protectionnistes, surtout dans les pays industrialisés;
- quatrièmement, l'accélération des négociations de l'Uruguay Round afin de doter le commerce mondial d'instruments supplémentaires efficaces;
- cinquièmement, le soutien de la croissance agricole de ces deux dernières années par des investissements productifs dans le secteur vivrier, la protection des forêts tropicales et leur extension, le soutien financier des petits agriculteurs qui constituent la majorité des agriculteurs en Afrique;
- sixièmement, le développement des ressources humaines par la protection des revenus réels par des mécanismes anti-inflationnistes;
- septièmement, l'examen de la mise en oeuvre d'un nouveau programme éconcmique de l'Afrique après la revue à mi-parcours (1988) de l'actuel programme où l'accent pourrait être mis sur la protection de l'environnement, le développement des ressources en eau, la production vivrière etc.;
- huitièmement, l'augmentation du budget des institutions multilatérales de développement dont les actions sont d'un impact positif sur les pays du Sud;
- neuvièmement, et enfin l'aide à la gestion économique dans les pays en développement sur l'Afrique,
Pour ce faire, ma délégation compte sur le soutien des organisations internationales, notamment la FAO dont nous nous félicitons dans mon pays de l'appui efficace de plus en plus croissant.
Nous comptons également sur le soutien des pays industrialisés qui, dans leurs actions aussi bien bilatérales que multilatérales, doivent absolument aider les pays en développement à sortir de ce cercle infernal de la faim, de la malnutrition, de la maladie, bref de la misère.
Masayuki KOMATSU (Japan): First of all, our delegation expresses its extreme apology for intervening at such a time. However, our delegation feels that we have to respond to the intervention made by several other delegates concerning the driftnet issue, and we would like to clarify our position again, hopefully to get understanding of what we have been doing and what we are thinking positively for the future.
First of all, about the size of the driftnet. The Australian delegation mentioned this high sea long driftnet should be distinguished from the coastal driftnet, although our delegation showed great respect for the coastal fisheries which uses a small unit. However, we would like to emphasize in the coastal area, as opposed to the high sea area, there are many kinds of fish and narine resources, and the population of the coastal area of any kind of fish and sea bass is immense, so we also have to pay attention if we consider the protection of the living resources.
Secondly, the Australian delegation also touched upon the draft resolution already put forward in the United Nations Assembly, but the Japanese delegation to the united Nations also introduced a draft resolution, and both resolutions are considered. The difference is that the formal resolution says that there is enough scientific evidence so that immediate ban should be implemented, but our draft resolution asks that any action should be based upon scientific information and thereby scientific analysis. The Japanese Government has been asking the countries participating in the South Pacific Fisheries Meeting but we do not so far get information that the evidence is clear to lead to the moratorium. However, such a document on the side of Australia and New Zealand also urges further studies are needed, and in that respect, urges the scientific research be despatched immediately. So we decided, we already send, a scientific research vessel to this area. Also
about responding to the great concern on this matter by the South Pacific countries, we have already taken severe measures to limit our fisheries operation. We have already reduced the number of fishing vessels from 60 to 20, and 20 is the level of the fishing vessels which is the same as that attained by the US Tuna Fisheries. So that, with respect to the impact on the fishery resources and marine resources itself, our fishing fleet level is already at the level equal to others.
The fourth point is that we understand that this organization, FAO, carries a good aim, particularly for this biennium. we have the concept and priority area of sustainable development which means, as we interpret, environmental concern, and at the same time production should be ensured and harmonized. In this respect in the past Committee on development of the tropical forests, if I am not mistaken certain delegations talked about embargo, but I think so that the Committee also prevails on good sense to keep the environmental protection for the tropical forest, and at the same time utilization of the tropical forest, it is important that that Committee also denies the idea of the embargo. I think this kind of idea should also be prevailed in any other field of FAO activity, otherwise we just bog down the environmental protection, and there is nothing gained for the purpose of production by which we have to sustain the growing demands for the growing population. So, we believe that FAO is really suitable to discuss this matter rather than the discussion of this natter being prevailed in the United Nations itself, because FAO is a technical organization and a specialized organization in this field.
That is the response to the intervention made by several other delegates, and finally, my delegation would like to see that this intervention is reflected in the report of Commission 1, as the US delegation requested.
CHAIRMAN: I think we have to close our meeting now because, as we all knew, His Holiness the Pope has kindly accepted to receive us.
The Drafting Commrittee will meet at 18.00 in the Malaysia Room. The members of the Drafting Committee I will recall again - Argentina, Canada, Egypt, Federal Republic of Germany, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Liberia, New Zealand, Spain, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Tunisia. Lastly, after we have heard Angola and the Holy See and the answers frana the Secretariat, we move on to Item 6.2 of our Agenda, International Agricultural Adjustment: Progress Report on Guidelines 7, 8, and 12 document C 89/18. I thank you for your attention and the meeting is adjourned.
The Meeting rose at 10.45 hours
La séance est levée à 10 h 45
Se levanta la sesión a las 10.45 horas
