GREECE - GRECE - GRECIA

His Excellency Stephanos Tzoumakas, Minister for Agriculture of the Hellenic Republic

First, I should like to express my congratulations to you, Sir, on your election as Chairman of the Summit. I also address my congratulations to the Vice-Chairmen. I should also like to commend the Secretariat for the excellent documents prepared for our deliberations focusing on the main issues we are faced with.

Let me also convey to all of you the wish of the Prime Minister, Mr. Kostas Simitis, who entitled me to represent him at this meeting. It was impossible for him to be here, although he wanted to participate, due to a heavy schedule of his programme.

The principal objective of the World Food Summit is to address the causes of food insecurity and to express our commitment that we shall find appropriate and effective methods for ensuring that every man, woman and child has the right to be free from hunger and malnutrition in order to develop their physical and mental faculties. We have therefore to agree upon effective policies and strategies at international and national levels, as well as upon a plan of action dealing with the causes of this problem and laying down steps to obtain food security for all.

My Government considers that the Rome Declaration and the World Food Summit Plan of Action that is under discussion at this meeting, constitutes a good basis for guiding our actions at national, regional and international levels and we therefore endorse it.

As is recognized in Commitment 3, food security depends largely on sustainable development strategies and the sustainable management of ecological processes that conserve and enhance the ecosystem and the natural resource base. In this respect, there is an urgent need to increase investment in agricultural research and in environmentally-friendly technology, which maximize the benefits of the natural resources available to agriculture. At the same time, we have to protect and restore those resources for future use.

In addition, as defined in Commitment 6, governments should also provide an appropriate political, economic, social and legal framework that may encourage the development of public-private partnerships in promoting investments to support sustainable food systems. It is also important to provide the appropriate infrastructure and to promote private sector involvement in processing, storing, transporting and marketing activities aimed at the improvement of the quality of the final product.

By investing in human resources and not just in land, benefits that last across generations may be created. Therefore, priority should be given to people-centred investments in health, education and skills training in order to promote economic growth and sustainable food security.

As defined in Commitment 4, food trade has an important role to play in stabilizing domestic supplies and prices, incomes and employment. Structural changes due to trade liberalization may reduce food security, especially among very poor countries unable to take advantage of the new trade opportunities. Therefore, we should take into account the concerns of these countries, mainly the net importing countries, to be able to meet their food needs during the reform process.

We are satisfied that, in the Plan of Action, high consideration is given to the issue of women's participation. Rural women have a crucial economic and social role; therefore, their involvement in the decision-making process as well as their equal and equitable access to land, credit and other resources, are indispensable for an effective and successful strategy for economic development and food security.

Apart from adopting long-term food security policies, we must confront emergency situations due to catastrophes either human or natural. The victims of emergencies, especially women and children, must be brought as partners into the dynamics of relief design. As is defined in Commitment 5, food assistance must be under the responsibility and the authority of the national government in conjunction with local authorities. The international community should provide food assistance where appropriate, without discouraging national production or substituting the national actions, or changing consumption patterns.

In conclusion, I am convinced that a peaceful and stable political environment in every country is a fundamental condition for sustainable economic development and therefore food security. The mobilization of national efforts in this way, and the effective implementation of the World Food Summit Plan of Action require strong international cooperation. In this regard FAO, as the convenor of the World Food Summit, has a special role to play.