I. MAJOR TRENDS AND POLICIES IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE (continued)
I. PRINCIPALES TENDANCES ET POLITIQUES EN MATIERE D'ALIMENTATION ET D'AGRICULTURE (suite)
I. PRINCIPALES TENDENCIAS Y POLÍTICAS EN IA AGRICULTURA Y LA ALIMENTACION (continuación)

7. Preparations for an International Development Strategy for the Fourth UN Development Decade - FAO's Contribution (continued)
7. Contribution de la FAO à la préparation d'une stratégie internationale du développement pour la quatrième décennie des Nations Unies pour le développement (suite)
7. Preparación de la nueva Estrategia Internacional del Desarrollo para el Cuarto Decenio de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo - Contribución de la FAO (continuación)

Paulo Estivallet DE MESQUITA (Brazil): We are going to engage in the preparation of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth UN Development Decade and the Special Session of the General Assembly against the background of the very divergent and inequitable results of the 1980s. During this decade, we witnessed a sustained expansion in the industrialized market economies and moderate growth in the centrally planned ones. Among the developing countries, save for a few overpublicized success stories, stagnation was the role and retrogression a frequent case. The number of the least developed among the developing countries was considerably increased from thirty to forty-two, a clear sign of the impoverishment in the Third World.

In the Eighties, contrary to what had been envisaged in the UN Development Strategy for the Decade, the gap between developing and developed nations actually widened rather than narrowed.

The decade that is coming to an end was indeed a very turbulent and troubled one. The world economy has drifted in the absence of a coherent system of multilateral rules. The volatility in exchange rates, very high real interest rates, large imbalances among the main trading partners, breakdown of ccmmodity agreements, a drastic fall in commodity prices, increased protectionism in industrialized market economies, managed trade, and above all, substantial net transfers of financial resources frati developing to developed countries, compounded by the inherent and substantial domestic difficulties, have defeated the extraordinary efforts engaged in by the developing countries to develop on a sustained basis.

The multilateral system is under severe strain and this is true not only of the United Nations system but also of the Bretton Woods institutions, the IMF and the World Bank. In fact, these two have retained much of their prestige thanks to the role they have been given by the creditor nations in the management of the so-called "debt strategy". The Special Session and the IDS are occasions for the UN system to take a fresh, close look at itself. It must meet firmly and without evasion its responsibilities, and assume a leading role in the formulation of a system of rules to govern international economic relations into the twenty-first century.

The FAO is well placed to contribute to this effort. Document C 89/19 gives us reason to expect that the Organization's contribution to the Special Session and to the IDS will live up to its potentialities. We are basically in agreement with the main thrust of the document which tries to look at all issues affecting the development of agriculture, in their complex inter-relationship, from a wider perspective. Nevertheless, the Brazilian delegation would like to stress one of the considerations contained in the conclusions, and that is item (f ) which touches upon the external environment for development.

The 1980s were a lost decade for development largely because of an extremely adverse international economic situation. Developing countries as a whole, and this is particularly the case of Latin America, were struck by the fall in commodity prices and by the steep rise in the interest rates, resulting in a crushing debt burden. To cope with that burden, those countries underwent macro-economic adjustment which went far beyond anything the developed countries have ever attempted, even in immediate post-war periods. From a balance-of-payments deficit of two or three percentage points of GDP, most latin American countries were forced, almost overnight, to generate surpluses amounting to four or more percentage points of GDP. Similar shifts occurred with regard to government budgets, with severe consequences for economic and social stability.

Some developed countries, on the other hand, have been unable to adjust to much smaller imbalances in relative terms, but which by their magnitude in absolute terms are the source of many of the problems which we face today. If I make once more a remark on this subject, Mr Chairman, it is only because we cannot overemphasize the need for a change in international economic relations so that all nations can live and prosper.

Y.K. ATTA-KONADU (Ghana): Thank you Mr Chairman for giving Ghana the opportunity to speak on the subject. A great deal has been said regarding the role of FAO and other UN agencies in the preparation of the IDS and I need not repeat them. My delegation shares the opinion with others that FAO's mandate has already been spelled out unambiguously in the Review of FAO's operations, and it is now the responsibility of the Director-General and his competent Secretariat to assess their authority in the key sectors of agriculture, fisheries and food and nutrition in rural development for the purposes of creating the environment for the implementation of the IDS by member countries.

The Conference document C 89/2 provides a brief review of development and also up-dated information on a number of subjects as provided in Council document CL 95/17. Since the FAO Council was informed of developments relating to this topic it has continued to follow closely system-wide matters concerning operational activities in the various UN fora. My delegation shares the FAO concern that the existing accumulated technical experience and expertise of the system should continue to be fully available to recipient countries through its operational activities.

Ghana believes that the FAO strategy for the 1990s and beyond will become the integrated focus for providing guidance and technical backstopping for individual countries to operationalize their development objectives into easily implementable action programmes. One area where FAO can be of assistance is the arena programme formulation and implementation in cooperation with national development experts.

Section II of document C 89/19 - Current Issues and Prospects for the 1990s -covers all the inter-related issues of poverty, resource flows, debt, trade, rural development and environmental degradation. My delegation supports the views so eloquently expressed in this Commission and the Plenary. We, however, urge that the expression of concern does not became mere rhetoric, but is translated into concrete action to give the FAO full backing, including increased resource flows, so that the developing countries can fully realize the benefits from the IDS.

The strategy to provide growth in the food crop sector in the developing countries in general and in sub-Sahara Africa should be based on increasing productivity within the presently cultivated area, using existing proven technology to ensure sustainable use of the land resources. At the farm level there are few, if any, novel solutions to increasing productivity, and the strategy would depend on application of known technology in a systematic manner.

Where pockets of increases in population make increases in the area culivated inevitable, the strategy should ensure that development takes place in the most suitable areas, minimizing adverse environmental effects.

The IDS in individual countries should promote crop diversification although the opportunities for diversification of food and primary commodity production may be limited by lack of access to domestic and foreign markets, or the fact that the viability of cultivating some alternative crop remains to be proven. The strategy should at the same time provide for future growth by improving on existing technology through research.

Technical programmes related to productivity increases, and sustainable use of the land resources should be addressed. Those linked to varietal improvement, soil fertility maintenance, cropping systems, cultivation practices, crop production and post-harvest activities have important research elements, and FAO should assist member countries to address them also. Others, such as seed production and mechanization, require specific interventions. Successful implementation of the programme would depend on parallel actions to improve institutional support for research and extension, input supplies, credit, marketing arrangements, farmers' organizations and the supporting infrastructure of roads and portable water supplies. Pricing policies that ensure a fair return to the producer and an appropriate macro-economic framework are also essential to the proposed strategy, and these facts are synthesized in paragraphs 69, 70, 71, and 55 of C 89/19.

My delegation belives that one area that should be endorsed for priority action under the IDS are the World Bank's conclusions on "policy priorities" for food and agriculture which emphasize the the importance of technology, incentives to producers, and investment in rural infrastructures in irrigation, storage and transport. These priorities are in line with Guideline 3 in paragraph 90 of C 89/19, and my delegation is supportive of them.

In most sub-Saharan African countries, the strategy should also call for the restoration of the capital base in the agricultural sector.

In Ghana, for instance, years of neglect and low investment have led to erosion of the capital base in the agricultural sector. This is evident not only in the advanced age of economic trees, such as cocoa and coffee, but also in the inadequate stock of implements needed for the most basic provisions of storage, processing, and distribution. Investment in public service - water supply, health, education, women's organizations, communication, rural electrification and even recreation - will be an important avenue for making the rural areas livable to facilitate rapid socio-economic transformation of the areas. It will guarantee grass-roots participation in decision-making in the rural areas, and this is very much in line with the policy of my country, and also in Guideline 4. My Government's development strategy places a high priority on this.

To conclude, the World Bank, FAO, ADB, IFAD and UNDP are currently and in a pragmatic way addressing investment and assistance needs of the developing countries, but support from the developed world must be predictable and sustained. In this connection, Ghana calls for further replenishment of concessionary funding sources to facilitate the implementation of the IDS. Assurances should be sought from all donor countries and organizations that further replenishment of the World Bank, IDA, ADB and IFAD will be forthcoming which, combined with bilateral funding sources, will provide an essential basis for steadily implementing the IDS.

The potential of the livestock and fisheries sectors remains untapped, and under the IDS encouragement should be given to studies for each of those to identify the key policy actions needed in the 1990s to create appropriate strategies involving improved technology, encouragement of the private sector and appropriate extension.

Finally, the IDS calls for conmensúrate action in member countries to embark on structural adjustment programmes. Policy instruments in the monetary and fiscal areas may adversely affect the poor through increased food prices, reductions in real wages, food subsidies and other transfer programmes to the poor, including women and rural youth.

Ghana has already put in place a Programme of Action to Mitigate the Social Cost of Adjustment called PAMSCAD, and urges the institutionalization of PAMSCAD in IDS for all countries.

Chang Hyuk SUH (Korea, Republic of): On behalf of the Korean Government I should like to stress the need for FAO's initiative role in implementing an International Development Strategy for the Fourth UN Development Decade as concerns the agricultural sector.

Particularly because the rural sector has a vital role to play in achieving the objectives of the development strategy concerning growth, poverty alleviation, human resources development, and the environment and sustainability, the strategy for food and the agricultural sector must be created with full consideration of human needs. Among others, I especially emphasize the strategy for eliminating inequitable distribution of productive resources in the developing countries because, in most cases, policies aiming at rapid economic growth do not guarantee a balanced development. Accordingly, in the preparations, a balanced development strategy must be created.

Lastly, I stress the necessity for international cooperation in achieving the objectives of an International Development Strategy.

Mauricio CUADRA (Nicaragua): En primer lugar, señor Presidente, damos las gracias a la Secretaria por la presentación de un documento tan rico y completo que presenta la problemática de la agricultura en todos sus matices de forma tan clara y detallada. Definitivamente es un buen instrumento para introducir la discusión de un tema tan importante como es la Estrategia Internacional del Desarrollo.

Señor Presidente, nuestra delegación considera que uno de los principales logros que hemos alcanzado consiste en que tanto a nivel de los foros regionales, como a nivel mundial, se ha llegado a reconocer que el sector agropecuario es el sector primordial para sacar a los países en desarrollo del atraso y la miseria y, por tanto, hay que dotarlo de suficientes recursos para su reactivación y crecimiento.

En el párrafo 5 del documento que nos ocupa, se refleja lo que el Consejo recalcó en su 95^Q período de sesiones. Esta misma decisión, que como decíamos se ha tomado también a nivel de organizaciones regionales que tratan del desarrollo del sector agropecuario, hace que políticamente exista una coincidencia de voluntades en torno a la necesidad de reactivar el sector agropecuario por jugar éste un papel primordial en las posibilidades de desarrollo económico de nuestros países. En América Latina y el Caribe en particular, el Plan de Recife de FAO, con los Planes Nacionales de Desarrollo y el Plan de Reactivación del Sector Agropecuario para América Latina y el Caribe coinciden y se complementan en este objetivo.

Nuestra delegación, señor Presidente, al abordar algunos aspectos que consideramos necesario resaltar, sin ánimo de ser exhaustivos, quiere dejar claro que, a nuestro juicio, no podemos hablar de una estrategia para el próximo decenio si no hay un clima diferente en todo el entorno internacional.

El Consejo, en su 95^Q período de sesiones, habló claro en este sentido. Es necesario que se den condiciones totalmente diferentes a las que han acompañado al desastre de los años ochenta.

En el párrafo 28 del documento C 89/19, se señala claramente el efecto devastador que ha tenido la guerra y los conflictos dentro y entre los estados para la economía de los países afectados: destrucción, hambre, desnutrición, desplazados, miles de refugiados, miles de muertos y heridos, ha sido el saldo desgarrador de esta situación, frecuentemente agravada por la intervención extranjera como es el caso de la situación que aún vivimos en mi país y en otros de Centroamérica.

El documento habla claro de que, y cito: "No basta con tener una estrategia encaminada a mejorar la condición humana mediante políticas que permitan combatir los efectos de las fuertes fluctuaciones climáticas y estimular la agricultura y la economía rural, sino que igualmente importante es progresar hacia condiciones políticas más estables y con mayor respeto de los derechos humanos, lo que también permitiría reducir los gastos en armamentos". Y continúa citando que: "la paz interna y entre los Estados es condición indispensable para lograr la seguridad alimentaria".

Entonces, señor Presidente, queremos hacer un fuerte hincapié en este aspecto del problema que consideramos imo de los más importantes, si no el más inportante.

¿Como podemos hablar de Seguridad Alimentaria, PAFT, Desarrollo Sostenible, Integración de la Mujer, Políticas de Ajuste y Desarrollo, y planificar el futuro para dentro de 10 años, si no podemos planificar el mañana? ¿Si estamos tan atrasados en Centroamérica, y en concreto en mi país, que hay un país de América, grande y poderoso que financia bandas de asesinos armados que en acciones terroristas incendian los bosques destruyendo los proyectos forestales, destruyen maquinaria agrícola, atacan a cooperativas campesinas asesinando a nuestros dirigentes, destruyen beneficios de café, de tabaco, represas con proyectos de riego y de energía, escuelas campesinas, hospitales, postas médicas rurales, etc.? ¿Qué desarrollo sostenible puede darse en estas condiciones en que estamos hablando, de salvar la vida de centenares de miles de campesinos, mujeres y niños? Y esta situación ha sido parte del desastre, para nosotros, de los años ochenta. Ya llevamos 10 años de esta injusticia. Por eso decimos que estamos de acuerdo con FAO en que es condición sine qua non que esto cambie para poder implementar una estrategia.

Pero bien, suponemos que una parte de la Estrategia es lograr el cumplimiento de esta gran condición. Logrado esto, sí cobra para nosotros verdadera importancia la elaboración de una Estrategia ya que podemos dedicar menos tiempo y recursos para defendernos de la agresión y más recursos para el desarrollo.

Sin embargo, nos preocupan algunos otros aspectos sobre los cuales habrá que trabajar duro. En los párrafos 43 y 44 se presenta un panorama sombrío en cuanto a las posibilidades de combatir el hambre, la desnutrición y la pobreza rural; y el párrafo 45 es claro al atribuir parte de las causas de esta situación a la falta del cumplimiento del Programa de Acción de la Conferencia Mundial de Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural. Señala que: "no se han adoptado las políticas necesarias para lograr los objetivos de acceso a bienes productivos, insumos y servicios, participación popular, reconocimiento del papel de la mujer, etc.". Y señala que "las cosas no han ido en la dirección justa y que ha habido frecuentes reveses y la crisis económica general y las políticas de ajuste estructural han creado un clima contrario a los progresos". Este Programa de Acción de la Conferencia Mundial de Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural lo considera el documento válido, y estamos de acuerdo en los párrafos 89, 90, 91 y párrafo 100, que dejan claro que sigue siendo necesaria la realización de una reforma agraria que democratice el acceso a la tierra, al agua y a otros recursos naturales, y a los insumos necesarios para cultivarla, especialmente en América Latina y el Caribe, ya que son áreas donde hay grandes extensiones de tierra mal utilizadas o inutilizadas.

O sea, encontramos por un lado una crítica seria a las reticencias de quienes se han resistido en sus países a aplicar medidas de política agraria para mejorar la pobreza rural y, por consiguiente, elevar la producción y la productividad.

Y por otra parte, una reafirmación de que es necesario que se tomen medidas profundas en muchos países para cambiar las actuales estructuras de propiedad de la tierra, como medida necesaria para resolver el problema de la pobreza.

Estamos de acuerdo y vemos como un signo alentador que esto se aborde nuevamente tan claro. Por propia experiencia sabemos los beneficios de una reforma agraria verdadera. Sin una seria y justa redistribución de la tierra y de la riqueza es difícil aspirar al desarrollo de nuestros países. En Nicaragua hemos logrado una profunda transformación de la estructura de tenencia de la tierra, y una transformación y ordenamiento de su utilización. La Reforma Agraria en nuestro país ha sido la clave para lograr sortear con éxito la crisis económica mundial que nos golpea como a todo otro país del área, y la crisis más seria que ha significado la agresión y el bloqueo economico y financiero. La Reforma Agraria ha sido fundamental en la defensa de nuestro pueblo, de su soberanía, y ha sido la clave para la transformación de la base operativa de nuestra fuerza de trabajo rural.

Hoy consideramos estar mejor preparados para hacer frente al reto del futuro, con una fuerza de trabajo fogueada en 10 años de defender lo propio, con mercados diversificados para nuestros productos. Por eso decíamos que si terminan las dificultades que nos generan desde fuera, en esas condiciones la Estrategia cobra mayor validez para nosotros, y creemos que también para otros pueblos del área, al poder dedicarnos con mayor atención y orden a resolver toda esta problemática que en el diagnóstico de la situación se hace, y a tomar las medidas efectivas para impulsar el desarrollo. Tenemos como ventaja que algunas de estas medidas que se mencionan en la Estrategia, ya las hemos tarado. A pesar de las condiciones adversas en que hemos vivido estos 10 años, decíamos que hemos aplicado una Reforma Agraria que ha cambiado para siempre la estructura de explotación que existía; que hemos organizado el sector campesino en miles de cooperativas de producción con cada vez mayor conocimiento y preparación técnica; que hemos elaborado un plan nacional forestal siguiendo las orientaciones del PAFT y hemos creado una Zona Protegida para la Paz y el Desarrollo de casi 50 000 kilómetros cuadrados, casi un tercio del país; proyecto ambicioso de trascendencia internacional con el que hacemos un llamado a la comunidad internacional para que contribuya con nosotros en hacerlo realidad. Hemos llevado a cabo también proyectos de Integración de la Mujer al Desarrollo, que cumplen con el Plan de Integración de la Mujer.

Por otro lado, creemos que no puede dejar de preocuparnos la persistencia de los ya tradicionales obstáculos al desarrollo que conforman el injusto Orden Económico Internacional; relaciones comerciales injustas; deuda externa no resuelta y agravándose; inflación; planes de ajuste estructural que no se sabe dónde llegarán; reducción de la ayuda exterior a la agricultura; menos ayuda alimentaria; crecimiento demográfico desmedido, etc. Es decir, una Estrategia que está siendo elaborada en condiciones de egoísmo internacional que no han desaparecido.

Creemos que la Estrategia Internacional de Desarrollo debe contar primero con un compromiso internacional de actitud diferente, que debe lograrse sin que haya lugar a equívocos. Si no se logra un apoyo serio y unánime de todos los países a esta Estrategia bajo las condiciones de un compromiso de relaciones de nuevo tipo, nos estamos engañando.

Sin embargo, debemos estar claros de la necesidad urgente de componer la actual situación y acabar con la crisis. Otro decenio como el actual no lo resistiríamos; ni nosotros, ni creemos el mundo entero. No se puede hablar de Estrategia de Desarrollo si no se superan las causas fundamentales de la pobreza. En ese sentido, son muy claros los conceptos contenidos en los párrafos 55 a 59, y en los párrafos 73 y 74.

Finalmente, en general nuestra delegación está de acuerdo con la orientación de la Estrategia que se nos plantea en forma de estudio preliminar. Su enfoque abarca los principales problemas que hay que resolver y los aborda directamente. Nuestra delegación estará en condiciones de profundizar su análisis, cuando se presente el documento definitivo al Consejo, en noviembre del 90. Francamente, esperamos que se logre elaborar una verdadera Estrategia sobre la base de un gran acuerdo y de relaciones de nuevo tipo en el campo internacional.

Ghassem TEHRANI YAVARI NEJAD (Iran, Islamic Republic of): Mr Chairman, it is a great pleasure for every Member of FAO that the United Nations General Assembly has initiated for FAO two sets of activities to which the Organization will make a significant contribution.

The first one, preparation of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth UN Development Decade, which is due to the nature of the work in connection with the sustainable development coordinating with agriculture, forestry and fishery development, and, above all, the environmental aspects, could play a vitally important role in the whole world. The second one, convening a special session of the General Assembly in this regard is significantly indispensable.

My Delegation expresses its profound congratulations to the Director-General in his tireless efforts, and his colleagues who have shown the capability and competency of FAO in performing such an important function.

I was in the process of speaking about the outlook of future populations which affects our social, economic and political situation, and threatens the environment, particularly the food security situation, but since some of my distinguished colleagues have spoken about it, I only wish to add just one thing.

For several years following World War II, the Malthusian theory gained considerable popularity. The world geometric population growth rate and an arithmetic food production rate would bring about the inevitable starvation of a large percentage of the world's future inhabitants.

Man's new scientific achievements with respect to the relationship between consumption and production, as well as between production and distribution, and the introduction of modern agriculture, birth control and family planning techniques, have resulted in more sophisticated approaches to the problem of feeding a fast-growing population on earth.

However, the questions of food supply and population are undoubtedly linked and are especially urgent for the future of developing countries. Therefore, population is the fundamental section of the preparation of the International Development Strategy.

Having gone through the items of document C 89/19, I want to point out some important actions which have been taken on Item 9 in this regard. It is well done, the establishment of the Committee of the Whole for the preparation of the IDS and appointment of the independent advisers by the Secretary-General, because it has a considerable contribution in the making of IDS.

I am quite sure that there is nobody who would deny the fact that sustainable development is impossible without taking into consideration the environmental aspects and the optimization of the utilization of natural resources. Nowadays the world has become like a family, where any changes occurring in the status of a member would affect the whole family Thus, in such circumstances, we should not ignore any aspects of environmental pollution and contamination of natural resources in any region of the world.

Helmut HAUSER (Austria) (original language German) : The Austrian Delegation has studied in depth the document before us concerning the long-term strategy for food and agriculture. We also listened with keen interest to the contributions of various Members of this Assembly on this highly significant issue. My country would like to take the opportunity here to thank the Secretariat for this very important and valuable document which does make some very meaningful statements and gives pointers as regards economic growth, rural development, resources, production technologies, fight against hunger, structural readjustment problems and environmental issues. We think it is absolutely essential that FAO be actively involved at the Special united Nations General Assembly, and that the International Development Stategy for the Fourth UN Development Decade be also the subject of a strong input on the part of FAO.

We are only 10 years removed from the year 2000. There will then presumably be 6.2 billion people living on this globe. All of these have the right to a decent human existence and at least to have more or less enough to eat. However, fighting hunger is not the only major challenge for us; we also see here the need to have agriculture, forestry and fisheries given enough supplies in order to have the necessary raw materials to produce energy. In connection with the fight against hunger in the world, we also have to take care of the necessary preservation of natural resources. In agriculture, we should be careful that soil fertility does not become depleted.

A permanent solution to the world food problem requires apart from effective population policy measures, a healthy global economic development, which Mr Dutia already referred to in his introductory statement in very striking terms, because only positive economical developments can generate jobs and thus incomes for many people.

It also appears to us very necessary that, in future, we handle with much greater care our prime natural resources, soil, water and air, and that the problems of an energetic environmental policy which will protect nature from over-exploitation and destruction be developed, and that it be given stronger focus by FAO. This is something to which our fellow Minister has already referred on addressing the Plenary meeting.

Fertilizer, plant protection, pesticides, at least also do harm our ground table; single crops and intensive agriculture also over-exploit the soil and we get many problems when it is a natter of mass animal husbandry.

We must also think in terms of the forestry industry, which has also become further exacerbated through over-exploitation. What we need here is training, advisory services, particularly concerning young people and women, in this way to sensitize them as to how we can correct the whole handling of our approach to nature and nature resources.

In connection with the preparations of the International Development Decade, FAO has already done many preliminary studies. I need only refer to one, Agriculture: Toward 2000. FAO has already done very high quality preparatory work. Hence, I think FAO is particularly destined to give a strong contribution to the Special Session of the United Nations and to the International Development Decade.

Taking into account what has already been said, we in our Delegation can fully welcome the arguments contained in the document before us, and we particularly appreciate the conclusions in paragraph 123, on page 32. We hope that the long-term strategy for nutrition and agriculture on the part of FAO will also be reviewed in the course of this Conference, and that the Ninety-eighth Session for December 1990 will develop a successful strategy for the 1990s, for the benefit of all mankind.

I believe FAO, with respect to this global challenge is fully armed and prepared.

Kiala Kia MATEVA (Angola) : Dans le cadre des stratégies internationales du développement, les Nations Unies déterminent pour chaque décennie les objectifs fondamentaux du développement dans le monde et tracent les orientations de base et les moyens de leurs réalisations. Donc le nouent est arrivé de concevoir de nouvelles stratégies puisque la troisième décennie du développement touche à sa fin.

Mais parler de la préparation de la stratégie internationale pour le développement pour la quatrième décennie des Nations unies pour le développement sous-entend, pour ma délégation, procéder d'abord à l'appréciation d'une façon globale des résultats de la décennie en cours. Le développement qui devrait profiter non seulement aux pays riches mais aussi aux pays en développement, considérés comme pauvres, n'a eu lieu que dans un seul sens. Malgré l'appel lancé au monde développé pour l'amélioration des relations économiques internationales, nous remarquons que le fossé continue à se creuser entre la richesse et la pauvreté, entre les pays développés et en développement. Ceci fait que la FAO ne constitue pas une organisation spécialisée en la matière, compte tenu de l'interdependence existant dans les différents domaines repris dans la résolution des Nations Unies. Je citerai les questions monétaires, financières, comerciales, industrielles, le transfert de technologies, etc.

Au cours de cette décennie, la FAO s'est toujours penchée sur les problèmes qui minaient les bases du développement de l'agriculture dans les conditions mondiales. De cette façon, elle nous a éclairé sur ce qui était nouveau et prioritaire dans les domaines qui l'intéressaient. Ceci est d'ailleurs très bien présenté dans le document C 89/19. Compte tenu de l'importance que les pays en voie de développement attachent à l'agriculture, à l'alimentation, à l'environnement, etc., ma délégation estime que la FAO doit réaffirmer son rôle technique et de coordination irremplaçable sur le plan du développement, de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture, surtout dans les pays en développement.

A cet effet, hormis les éléments pertinents présentés par le Secrétariat dans le document C 89/19 relatif à la stratégie à long terme pour les secteurs alimentaire et agricole, lesquels viennent d'être appuyés par les précédents orateurs, nous pensons que la nouvelle stratégie internationale, avant sa réalisation, doit prendre en compte les objectifs du système économique international comme des catégories particulières de l'ordre établi. Elle aura comme tâche la mise en oeuvre, sur l'ensemble des reproductions sociales, des solutions directives, des règles, approches, mécanismes et mesures économiques auxquels se conformeront tous les pays afin que la reproduction mondiale agisse de façon stable et dans l'intérêt de tous. Ainsi le système économique international et ses sous-systèmes, en particulier commerciaux, financiers et monétaires, vont créer des motivations supplémentaires et externes pour un développement fluide, stable et dynamique dans le monde.

Ade]ani A. ARINOLA (Nigeria) : The delegation of Nigeria hereby associates itself with the distinguished delegates who have complimented the FAO Secretariat for the excellent work in the production of the document C 89/19 on the Long-term Strategy for the Food and Agriculture Sector.

We wish to submit that the International Development Strategy for the Fourth UN Development Decade should consider past and present trends in the socio-econcmic development in the different regions of the world in determining the framework and guidelines for the much-desired balanced growth and development in the various countries.

My delegation endorses the views expressed in Para. 2 that revitalization of economic growth in the developing countries will require greater emphasis than in the past on the central role of agriculture and the rural sector.

Varying experiences of the different developing countries should be brought to bear on the pursuit of growth revitalization, but the focus of the strategy should be renewed efforts at the complementarity of policies, plus their implementation between agriculture and the other sectors of the economy to produce synergistic positive effects.

For the agriculture and rural sector, the need is more urgent now than ever before for integrating crops production, livestock, forestry and fisheries development as a harmonious system so that all resources - natural and others - are optimally and efficiently managed. Such integration must, however, take into due consideration the sustenance of the environment so that necessary restorative actions to an already degraded environment will be taken with the active involvement and participation of individuals, communities and the private sector from planning to implementation stages, with the government playing a leading role. In this connection, cooperation among all countries and the specialized agencies of the UN and other bodies is likely to be assured. The united Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and FAO should be involved in such cooperative endeavours. Cheap and alternative sources of energy to fuelwood will assist in reducing deforestation. Poverty alleviation and human resource development are crucial issues to be addressed in the strategy. we agree with Para. 45 that prospects for rural poverty alleviation will depend to a large extent on policies for achieving the objectives of the World Conference on Agrarian Reforms and Rural Development (WCARRD) Programme of Action, i.e. access to productive assets, inputs and services, people's participation, especially women and youths.

Training (formal and informal), education and public enlightenment on preparation of locally available food items to produce balanced diets in improving the nutritional status of the vulnerable groups, especially in the rural areas, should be pursued.

While supporting Paras. 60-64 of the document, we would like to stress that agricultural research and development should, among others, improve agricultural data generation and information dissemination; should be relevant to solve problems identified in the agricultural development process, and should take into cognizance as much as possible agro-ecological diversity and potential plus the need for involving experienced and active practising farmers.

Specifically on livestock research, efforts at improving the productivity of local breeds, especially small ruminants adapted to the ecology of the area, should be given greater attention, particularly aspects like dry season feed supply of better quality, effective control of livestock diseases at minimum cost, and better iranagement generally.

Under the new agricultural policy for Nigeria, small-scale but efficient production activities are emphasized. The strategy for the fisheries sub-sector fits into the guidelines and principles enunciated at the World Fisheries Conference - thus encouraging deep-sea artisanal, fresh water and aquaculture fisheries. Regarding water resources, construction of small earth dams, boreholes and washholes in the fadamas is replacing construction of large dams. The small-scale rural farmers whose efforts are responsible for over 90 percent of agricultural food production are the focus of development strategy under the Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs). ADPs provide essential production inputs in infrastructures; extension via training and visit; and marketing of agricultural produce for the farmers. A substantial measure of success has been achieved to the extent that the ADPs are going statewide and covering the entire country. This is through a tripartite agreement between World Bank, federal and state Governments.

The Government's policy of disengagement in direct agricultural production encourages the private sector (medium- and large-scale farmers) including cooperatives. The private sector is expected to provide a preponderant proportion of storage structures under the National Strategic Grains Reserve Programme.

A National Agricultural insurance scheme to protect farmers against the adverse effects of natural disasters as a further incentive to farming has been put in place and is compulsory for agricultural loan beneficiaries. The initial cover will be for maize, rice, poultry and cattle, with expansion later to other areas of agricultural production. Now small-scale farmers have greater access to loans of N 5 000 without collateral, and the organization of cooperatives as a viable organization for production and marketing activities is being encouraged. Other non-agricultural vocations also have opportunity for snail loans up to N 2 500 to improve their business under the pilot phase of the recently established People's Bank. All these are expected to be continued as a strategy for development in the 1990s.

An Agricultural Perspective Pian 1990-2005 is in place as part of a National Strategic Planning. The three-year Rolling Plans starting in 1990 will be sub-sets of the Perspective Plan.

Exchange of experience/information in agricultural research, science and technology, and control of diseases and pests of agriculture etc. should still attract the attention of FAO in assisting developing countries. Technical cooperation among developing countries themselves needs intensification.

The debt burden, which has affected in a negative sense most developing countries in this decade, should be realistically addressed by the creditor nations, especially as the effects of structural adjustments embarked upon by these nations have adversely affected the standard of living of the majority of rural people and the development of the economies of such countries. we support any genuine effort including the revision or even outright writing-off of part of the debts, as suggested by some delegations.

It is our view that the Fourth UN Decade Strategy should try to reduce substantially the widening gap between North and South, as reflected in the various indicators of development. Developing countries need global systems which are equitable and can transform the present economic crisis to that of economic prosperity for the 1990s; for it is in so doing that the millions of rural people can hope for a better and satisfying future.

Remunerative prices for agricultural commodities as incentive for production, equal access to economie activities and trade will surely enhance self-reliant growth and rational development and truly reduce the poverty in most of the developing countries. The Uruguay Round of negotiations is relevant here.

Better coordination of efforts, programmes and projects at national levels; setting-up realistic priorities and targets and efficient management of resources, are essential for progressive and sustained economic development. Diversification of the economic base and appropriate linkages between agriculture, industrial/manufacturing sectors, social and health sectors without sacrificing the sustenance of the environment require greater attention. The world environment is linked by soil, water and air. All groups and professional bodies should be mobilized to increase this awareness in all countries. We therefore support the FAO/UNEP on the Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides and the introduction of the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) clause and urge its full implementation in the Fourth UN Decade.

Needless to say, meaningful development can only take place in an atmosphere of peace and stability. One of the ways of ensuring peace and stability is the achievement of self-reliance in food production, especially of items each country has the comparative advantage for, and the creation of satisfying job opportunities for the unemployed and the under-privileged wherever they may be on the globe. There is no doubt that the industrialized world (governments, organizations and people) will join hands with the determined efforts of the developing countries in this regard. The motto for the long-term strategy should be "Development for the greater good of the silent majority".

We therefore call on all nations and international organizations of influence, including the FAO, to ensure the establishment of a just socio-economic order that enhances fairness to all regions and reinforces their capacities to develop their potentials to the optimum.

Finally, my delegation supports Paras. 113, 119 and 120, as well as the conclusions in Para. 123 of the document and the need for periodic monitoring of the achievements made in the Fourth UN Development Decade.

Mohamed Saeed HARBI (Sudan) (original language Arabic): We must pay tribute to this International Development Strategy for the Fourth UN Development Decade, a strategy which pinpoints ways and means for achieving economic recovery and reactivation of development in countries such as mine. Obviously FAO has a prime role to play in this context because it is the international reference for this highly sensitive area of agriculture, fisheries, forests, nutrition, food and rural development. All this means that FAO has a unique role to play in preparing this kind of international strategy. FAO's participation should be at the level of this important sector I have just described, in order to bring it to a successful conclusion.

We all know that agriculture, food and rural development play a cardinal role in economic development and in achieving those targets which FAO has set: that is, the elimination of hunger and malnutrition; the strengthening of international cooperation, which FAO has been ceaselessly promoting and working towards, and which can also help to reinvigorate development, one of our prime targets; the solving of problems relating to debts and the flow of resources to developing countries such as my own; and the improvement of terms of trade and of regional and inter-regional development and cooperation. We totally approve and endorse everything which FAO does in this area.

Khaled J. AL-MASBAHI (Kuwait) (original language Arabic): The Kuwait delegation also wishes to stress the importance of this document, C 89/19, which sets out strategies for the food and agricultural situation in preparation for an International Development Strategy. I should particularly like to focus on paragraphs 55-57 on economic growth and agriculture, because this is the very cornerstone of economic development for developing countries, which will enable these countries to escape the problem of debts by way of improved policies and work towards targets for bringing about internal/external balance.

With regard to structural adjustments, main focus should be given to the specific characteristics of each country in an attempt to avoid all the pitfalls which hamper and impede development. This is a higher target than in short-term stability. We shall also have to strengthen stability targets by way of enhanced financial long-term assistance. We shall also have to work towards debt rescheduling and the wiping out of some of the interest which has to be paid by developing countries. FAO can play an essential role in this whole context and can help contribute to the solution of these problems.

I concur with that part of the report which refers to natural resources, environment and susta Inability of development, paragraphs 93-102. We need to give greater focus and priority to the safeguarding of the environment. We must also wipe out deleterious spin-offs of technological developments. Unf ortunately, the document does not mention the problems related to pollution due to technological development in developing countries. The gases produced will have harmful effects not only on human beings and living resources but also fisheries resources.

Mokhtar NAANANI (Maroc): La délégation marocaine a examiné avec grand intérêt le document C 89/19 relatif à la stratégie à long terme pour le secteur alimentaire et agricole. Ma délégation se félicite de la qualité de ce document et de la cohérence qui caractérise toutes les propositions qui y sont consignées.

Nous ne pouvons que nous réjouir de la décision du Directeur général de la FAO quant à la contribution de notre Organisation (en l'occurrence la FAO) à la préparation d'une stratégie internationale de la quatrième décennie des Nations Unies pour le développement.

Ma délégation appuie totalement les grands axes de la stratégie pour les années 90, à savoir:

- la croissance économique,

- la lutte contre la pauvreté,

- la mise en valeur des ressources humaines et la protection des ressources naturelles.

Pour ce qui est du premier axe, tout en appuyant l'ensemble des mesures proposées, ma délégation voudrait insister fortement sur l'aspect réduction des distorsions des échanges agricoles et amélioration des relations économiques internationales.

Le document précise bien cet aspect dans le paragraphe 57. Nous pensons qu'il s'agit d'un préalable pour la promotion des exportations agricoles des pays en développement.

Concernant le second axe, le document pose clairement la problématique de concilier les objectifs de croissance et ceux de la lutte contre la pauvreté. Toutefois les orientations proposées, notamment celles relatives au ciblage des populations pauvres (orientations consignées dans le paragraphe 84) nous semblent peu applicables. Il nous paraît en effet très difficile et peu réaliste de trier ou de classer les populations pauvres pour pouvoir leur offrir des produits alimentaires subventionnés. Il y a donc là, à notre avis, matière à réfléchir pour le Secrétariat. Le problème demeure entier pour les pays en développement.

Enfin, pour ce qui est du premier axe, ma délégation est très satisfaite de l'analyse faite par la FAO qui fait ressortir que la dégradation des ressources naturelles est intimement liée au niveau de vie des populations rurales. Nous sommes donc convaincus que la solution pour la protection des ressources naturelles passe inéluctablement par l'amélioration des revenus des agriculteurs.

L'esquisse de stratégie que nous examinons est tout à fait équilibrée et compatible avec les objectifs du développement agricole et alimentaire que nos pays cherchent à atteindre. Reste que cet esprit devra s'intégrer dans la stratégie internationale du développement.

Or nous savons, comme il est bien souligné dans le document, qu'il existe un large impact des autres composantes de la Stratégie internationale de développement sur la politique agricole - et vice versa. C'est la raison pour laquelle ma délégation voudrait insister sur la cohérence entre les différentes composantes de la SID. Ma délégation est persuadée que la FAO veillera à cette cohérence car il y va de la réussite de la stratégie agricole.

LE PRESIDENT: Avant de passer la parole aux observateurs, je souhaiterais dire à la Commission que la délégation de Myanmar souhaite insérer son intervention écrite au procès-verbal. Il en sera ainsi fait.

U Tin HLAING (Myamar) : Allow me first of all to congratulate you on your election as the Chairman of this important commission since this is my first intervention. I would also like to congratulate FAO for the introduction of an excellent document dealing with long-term strategy for food and agriculture.

The topic has currently assumed global dimensions and the FAO Secretariat deserves due credit for their courage of all pertinent aspects. I am sure that the discourse has instilled a high sense of responsibility in the Conference.

If I my be allowed to touch poverty alleviation and human resource development, it could be contended that member countries, on the whole, have during the past decades attained substantial progress in agricultural development and increase in food production. However most of the developing countries will regretfully remain poor benefactors in terms of the said economic gains, Under these circumstances, the widening gap between developed and developing countries has been further extended. The export earnings of the developing countries continue to decline, and the adverse impacts have steadily eroded their fragile economic foundations and worsened their external debt burdens. These situations indicate the need for structural economic reforms. Many developing countries have diligently responded. The Government of Myanmar had also similarly instituted drastic changes in its economic policies in mid-1988. A liberalization program has since then been initiated in the production, processing, and trading of previously controlled commodities with the exception of a few items. Moreover a foreign investment law of 1988 has also been promulgated so as to attract and facilitate foreign investment.

9. Commission on Plant Genetic Resources and the International Undertakinq: Progress Report
9. Commission des ressources phytoqénétiques et engagement international: rapport intérimaire
9. La Comisión de Recursos Fitogenéticos y el Compromiso Internacional

CHAIRMAN: we now come to item 9 on the agenda, Commission on Plant Genetic Resources and the International Undertaking: Progress Report. The documents before us are C 89/24 on Interpretation of the International undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources and C 89/LIM/29, First Report of the Resolutions Committee, Which informs the Commission that the draft resolution on Farmers' Rights contained in document C 89/24 has been found receivable and can be discussed by the Commission. This matter ves taken up by the Ninety-fifth Session of the Council in June this year, which approved the text for an agreed interpretation of the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources and recommended a complementary draft resolution regarding farmers' rights for consideration and adoption by the Conference after it has been discussed by this Commission. This paper will be introduced by Dr Bonte-Friedheim, Assistant Director-General of the Agriculture Department.

C. H. BONTE-FRIEDHEIM (Assistant Director-General, Agriculture Department):

It is my honour on behalf of the Secretariat to introduce agenda item 9.

The International Undertaking is regarded by many, certainly even by most, of our member countries, by nearly all NGOs and by many scientists and specialists as a major step forward in dealing with our heritage of plant genetic resources, and ensuring that present and future generations will benefit. The document before us, C 89/24, provides full information on the activities during the last two years. It includes a draft resolution on farmers' rights. In addition, we believe that it might be necessary to prepare a second resolution to deal with the text of the agreed interpretation of the International Undertaking and to put it also into a draft resolution.

In view of the importance of this topic, may I highlight in a few minutes the matters we consider to be of major concern with regard to plant genetic resources, as well as the wrok which we have undertaken in the past two years.

Plant genetic diversity, also called plant genetic resources, not only provides the basic material necessary for the production of new varieties either through classical plant breeding or new biotechnologies, but also serves as a buffer against harmful environmental changes. Its role in agricultural and forestry sustainable development as well as environmental conservation and stability cannot be over-emphasized. The preservation of the genetic diversity of our planet is a matter of both insurance and investments for the future and of a moral obligation towards future generations.

No country or region can be self-sufficient in its needs with respect to genetic diversity, and according to current academic studies the average interdependence between all regions of the world is more than 50 percent, and for some regions it may go up to 100 percent for the most important crops. This is therefore an area in which all countries are at the same time donors and recipients and where global collaboration is a vital imperative.

In the UN system work on the conservation of plant genetic resources started in FAO in 1947, and since 1957 FAO has had a periodical publication on the subject. As early as 1965 the Organization established a panel of experts to deal with plant germplasm collection, conservation, and exchange of material and information; parallel panels of experts on forest genetic resources and animi genetic resources were established in 1968 and 1983 respectively. In 1968 FAO set up a Crop Ecology and Genetic Resources Unit to coordinate and backstop projects and activities in this field. Following a number of international technical conferences sponsored by FAO and after the UN Conference on Human Environment in 1973, which gave FAO responsibility for the establishment of an International Genetic Resources Programme, FAO submitted to the OGIAR, through TAC a proposal that ultimately resulted in the establishment in 1974 of the IBPGR as a nan-governmental organization under the FAO umbrella. FAO agreed to provide central coordinating staff to IBPGR out of its regular budget, and also the FAO's Crop Ecology and Genetic Resources Unit was re-oriented in order to have a joint international technical programme together with IBPGR.

However, it was soon obvious that the problems derived from the conservation and use of plant genetic diversity were not only of a technical nature. As the germplasm of the major crops was collected and stored in genebanks, the safety of the material, the ownership of collections, the development of national laws restricting the availability of germplasm, and the property-rights on newly developed varieties soon became the subject of continuing débate. Within FAO, these discussions were already significant in the Twentieth Session of the Conference in 1979 - ten years ago. During the same period and as activities related to the use of genetic resources increased, the need arose to have intergovernmental coordinated action at a global level, so as to avoid duplications, and foster complementarity among all national, regional and international organizations concerned. It was recognized that the system to be established should be a solid and equitable one, so that it would take full account of the rights and obligations of donors and recipients of germplasm, funds and technology, and be based on the well-accepted principle that plant genetic resources are the heritage of mankind.

Resulting from these discussions and at the request of its member countries, FAO has developed since 1983 a Global System on Plant Genetic Resources aimed at ensuring safe conservation, sustainable use and unrestricted availability of plant germplasm for the present and future generations. The System includes: i) a legal framework, the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources, ii) an intergovernmental forum, the Commission on Plant Genetic Resources, and iii) a financial mechanism, the International Fund for Plant Genetic Resources. The International Undertaking, Commission and Fund cover the conservation and use of ex situ and in situ biological diversity, in plant genes, genotypes, and genepools at the molecular, population, species and ecosystem level. To date, 122 countries are members of the commission or have adhered to the International Undertaking, or have taken both steps.

Since its establishment, the FAO Commission on Plant Genetic Resources is the intergovernmental forum where discussions take place and consensus is reached in the continuous development of the system. Some of the new elements that, at the request of the Commission and within the framework of the Undertaking, are currently being prepared or considered by FAO in cooperation with the appropriate international, regional and national institutions, are: a periodical publication of a report on the State of the World Plant Genetic Resources; furthermore, the establishment of a Global Information and an Early warning System, the preparation of a global plan of action on genetic resources, the establishment of a network of ex situ base collections under the auspices of FAO, the establishment of a network on in situ protected areas, and the development of a Code of Conduct on Biotechnology as it affects the conservation and use of plant genetic resources. It is a long list. In this respect, the Commission also requested that FAO, in cooperation with relevant organizations, continue to monitor actively the evolving new biotechnologies, in line with the International Undertaking. The 95th Session of the Council last June noted that many of these developments are likely to influence, for years to come, policies, programmes and activities of FAO and of other international organizations. It should be emphasized, however, that all these important activities cannot be financed from regular programme resources. The Secretariat, therefore, appeals to governments, donors, financing institutions, industries and others, to provide evidence of their concern on plant genetic resources by contributing with extra-budgetary resources to these activities.

With respect to the relationship with IBPGR, our Commission recommended the preparation of a Memorandum of Understanding that will be aimed to ensure cooperation and avoid duplication. The cooperation will concentrate mainly on the follow-up of technical recommendations of the Commission that relate to the mandate of IBPGR. The preparations of the Memorandum of understanding is now well advanced and the Working Group of the Commission is assisting FAO and is monitoring progress.

As one of its major tasks, the Commssion has also tried to improve the participation of countries in the International Undertaking, in order to make it a fully global system. To facilitate this work the Secretariat provided the Commission in its Second Session in 1987 with two background documents: the first one provided extracts from countries' replies to the invitation of the Director-General to adhere to the uudertaking. It showed that some countries have adhered to the Undertaking with reservations, while others have indicated difficulties in adhering to the Undertaking because of possible conflict with their international obligations and existing national regulations, mainly related to Plan Breeders' Rights legislation in developed countries and to the limitations imposed to the exchange of certain species in developing countries. The second background document made available provided an analysis of these replies and suggested three possible courses of action to inprove the participation in the International Undertaking: (a) recognition of the status quo (b) agreement on an interpretation of the undertaking, and (c) an amendment to the Undertaking.

During the Second Session of the Commission a Contact Group of members and observers was established to discuss the matter; the Contact Group included countries that did not adhere to the Undertaking or that have adhered with reservations, as well as countries that were not members of the Comiission or even not members of FAO; for example, the USSR. This Contact Group suggested the second course of action, that is, to try to achieve an agreed interpretation of the undertaking, which should take into consideration plant breeders' rights, farmers' rights and the need for free exchange of germplasm. The Commission and its Working Group agreed that this interpretation should preserve the principle of unrestricted availability of germplasm while recognizing the legitimate rights of donors of technology (breeders) and donors of germplasm (farmers) to benefit - all of them - from their contributions. The Commission then requested its Working Group to develop the text of the agreed interpretation.

A text for the agreed interpretation and a complementary draft resolution on farmers' rights have been prepared and are in front of you. These texts were discussed and amended by the Third Session of the Commission, held in April 1989 with the participation of interested observers, non-members of the Commission. The amended texts were then discussed by the Ninety-fifth Session of the Council of FAO. The Council, with some members - very few members -indicating that they were yet to finalize their positions, welcomed the proposals, approved the text of the agreed interpretation of the Undertaking, recommended the draft resolution on Farmers' Rights for consideration and adoption by the Conference and recommended that both texts become annexes of the International Undertaking.

As you can see, the texts presented to you now are the final product of a large number of discussions and negotiations with the participation of countries that wished to do so, including non-members of the Commission and those that did not adhere to the Undertaking. As I have indicated, their participation was, firstly, through the Contact Group; secondly through the debates of members and observers during the meetings of the Commission; and, thirdly, the debate in the FAO Council Session last June.

Given the utmost importance of preserving for the present and future generations, both germplasm and the principle of its unrestricted availability, I would like to make to you an appeal for the unanimous endorsement of these texts. They represent, in my opinion, the best and most realistic of these texts. They represent, in my opinion, the best and most realistic compromise we nay reach in the present circumstances. In doing so, it will be realized that the current opportunity of substituting confrontation with cooperation and consensus in this important natter is a chance we should not miss.

CHAIRMAN I thank Mr Bonte-Friedheim for this very clear and comprehensive presentation. we will now start: the debate on this item. As has been pointed out, there are a few issues which we should address, the interpretation of the International Undertaking, the Report of the Council, the Resolution of Farmers' Rights and, of course, the work of the Commission over the last two years.

Mete BASCI (Turkey): The Turkish Delegation is pleased to take the floor in the discussion of this extremely important item. The meeting of the Commission on Plant Genetic Resources is one of the most important technical meetings in the current biennium, because of the very large implication for action in the future.

We would like to express our appreciation for the important work done by FAO on Plant Genetic Resources, in establishing the International Undertaking to ensure conservatici, utilization and the availability of plant genetic resources, and for the International Fund for Plant Genetic Resources, funding conservation and management of these resources.

In addition to that, the achievements of the Cotmission itself are worthy of praise, such as the establishment of an agreed interpretation of the International Undertaking, and the preparation of a draft resolution on farmers' rights.

Many of the reservations on the Undertaking are concerned with the free availability of plant genetic resources, while sane countries expressed their reservation regarding free availability of wild and primitive cultivars/1andraoes based on concerns of national act or protection of certain species of special economic interest to the country.

A number of countries argued on the availability of cultivated varieties and special genetic stocks as defined in Article 2.1 of the International Undertaking. Given this situation, the countries who have some reservations should carefully study the text of the agreed interpretation of the International Undertaking, by taking into account their national legislations. Although Article (b) of the text gives some opportunity to these countries to impose a state with minimum restrictions on the free extent of mterials covered by Article 2.1 (a) of the International Undertaking to conform to its national and/or international obligations, such statements may not apply to cover all reservations expressed by the countries who have adhered to the International Undertaking with restrictions.

The undertaking of "the term of free access and benefits fromthe International Undertaking which should be limited to the adhering countries", are fully accepted.

The concept of farmers' rights is one of the most significant developments achieved in the Commission. It is the first time that an international forum recognized the concept of farmers' rights which is a relatively new concept. The enormous contribution of the farmers, particularly in the centre of origin/diversity cannot be denied. However, it is difficult, or it may not be possible to adequately assess in the past, presently, or in the future, the contribution of farmers to the development of plant genetic resources material.

Having recognized that plant genetic resources are a valuable property of mankind and the accepted contribution of farmers, particularly in the past in the centres of the origin/diversity, the rights may be vested in such coutnries as trustees for present and future generations of farmers for the purpose of especially supporting the continuation of the farmers contributions in those countries.

It is fully recognized that the full advantage can be derived from the utilization of wild and old landraces genetic resources found in the developing countries, and those resources are indispensable for the genetic improvement of cultivated plants. But it may not be generalized that the plant genetic resources have been insufficiently explored in every area of the world because, in some countries, especially as the centre of the origin/diversity of plants has well-developed and organized programmes to conserve in situ and ex situ those resources against the danger of erosion and loss for many years.

Turkey is one of those countries who has continuously conducted its plant genetic resources programme in an extended frame to facilitate the conservation and utilization of ex situ and in situ biological diversity in plant genotype populations, species and eco-systems since 1964. But it is considered that there is a need to continue the conservation, development and use of plant genetic resources in all countries and to strengthen the capabilities of developing countries in these areas.

The Turkish Delegation also agrees that the International Funds should be used to support plant genetic resources conservation, management and utilization programmes, particularly within the developing countries and those which are important sources of plant genetic material. Special priority should be placed on intensified educational programmes for biotechnology specialists. The progress of biotechnology may fill the gap between the developing countries and the developed countries.

Finally, the Turkish Delegation would like to emphasize that FAO will have a very important role to play in the establishment of Global Network of Plant Genetic Resources regarding the wider adherence to the undertaking and the wider acceptability of the system.

CHAIRMAN: This Chair has been approached by one delegation that said they would prefer to have all the debates on this issue postponed to the afternoon meeting. In the opinion of this delegation, a number of experts that were supposed to participate in this debate are not yet present. Of course, the Chair does not want to impose on the Commission at a pace quicker than necessary, although we believe that we should not stop our work because it might happen that later on we could repent on having relented at delaying it. We have 25 speakers on our list. Perhaps a flexible way of doing so is that we continue with our speeches and those delegations that either are not prepared to speak right now or would prefer to speak in the afternoon meeting, they could indicate so, and we could have the statements transferred to the afternoon meeting. I think that could somehow balance the two positions.

If there is general agreement on that proposal, we will continue as I indicated.

Point of order
Point d'ordre
Punto de orden

Carlos GARCIA DE ALBA (México): Siento mucho, señor Presidente, intervenir sobre este asunto; pero independientemente de quien haya sido la delegación que ha sugerido posponer el tema, mi Delegación lo considera oportuno ya que, además, creo que estaremos muy cercanos de la interrupción de las labores. Por tanto consideramos oportuna la posibilidad de posponer el debate para esta tarde, ya que nos consideramos en la misma posición y además debemos contar con una persona, con un experto para intervenir sobre este tena, ya que estamos apuntados en la lista de oradores.

Le agradecería, señor Presidente, que considerase esta posibilidad.

CHAIRMAN: I see very clearly the point raised by the delegate of Mexico, which is similar to the one raised before. My only fear is that as we have really a very long list of speakers (I mentioned 24, but there are actually 29), that if we postpone the beginning of our debate to the afternoon, we might have to prolong the session on this issue for longer than we expected, and so delay the whole work of the Commission.

D. A. BUCKLE (United Kingdom) : May I suggest that we adjourn for lunch half an hour earlier and return a half-hour early.

SECRETARY, Commission I: Hiere are three new documents which have recently become available and which are related to the draft resolution which has been proposed by the Nordic delegation under item 6.1. These are: C 89/LIM/27, which is the text of the draft resolution, FAO Activities related to Sustainable Development; the second one is C 89/LIM//29, which is the first report of the Resolutions Committee, Commission I, and this meeting of the Resolutions Committee found the draft Nordic Resolution to be receivable and transmitted it to this Commission; the third document is C 89/LIM/16, which is the text of the UNEP decision 15/24 on Sustainable Agriculture. This UNEP decision is referred to in the Nordic Resolution and the Resolutions Committee recommended that it be considered by the Commission together with the draft Nordic Resolution. All these three documents will be considered by the Commission when it returns to item 6.1 later in the week.

The meeting rose at 12.00 hours
La séance est levée à 12 heures
Se levanta la sesión a las 12.00 horas

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1 Statement inserted in the verbatim records on request.