ISRAEL

His Excellency Rafael Eitan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment of the State of Israel

Israel congratulates the Chairman-Elect and wishes him success in his distinguished position. On behalf of the Government of Israel, I wish to express profound shock and distress about the recent events on the Zaire - Rwanda border. Again, millions of people, among them hundreds of thousands of helpless children, face terrible death from famine and disease.

The Government of Israel calls upon the FAO to lead a worldwide effort to supply food rapidly to the millions of refugees.

It is inconceivable that people should be dying of hunger at the end of the twentieth century. Israel, for its part, is willing to make available all its experience and capabilities, as it has in the past in order to implement such a decision by the FAO and immediately send food and medicine to the Zaire - Rwanda border.

Henry Kissinger, the former United States Secretary of State, once suggested setting up a strategic food reserve for Africa in the Middle East. The intention was that this reserve be located in the Negev or in the Sinai, where the climatic and infrastructure conditions for storage are ideal, and that it uses Israeli storage technologies. This is an excellent idea, and today, in the light of the situation in Zaire and Rwanda, I call upon all the member countries of the FAO who are touched by the situation in Africa to act to set up this important reserve. Israel is most willing to cooperate in the design of such a regional food security facility, both from a technical and business viewpoint, and if so decided and I hope it materializes indeed, the State of Israel would suggest as a site for this important purpose the airport of NEVATIM, near the town of Beer Sheva, in the South of Israel.

Israel aims its efforts to reduce hunger and poverty and to prevent the destruction of natural resources at the top of its priorities in the field of international co-operation. These efforts are a result of 40 years of work, experience, research and extension. During the past 50 years, Israel, has undergone a transition from agriculture for mere subsistence to a diversified and sophisticated agriculture. During this time we have gone from austerity to surplus, and from production for our own consumption to production for export. Israeli agriculture has accomplished unique achievements in a wide range of fields.

Since the establishment of the state in 1948, agricultural output has increased by over 12 times in real terms. In the first years following independence, agriculture barely managed to provide food for the 700 000 inhabitants of the State, while today it supplies the food needs of 5.5 million citizens and exports 30 percent of its produce to the world markets. Then, one farmer provided food for barely 17 people and today he produces for over 100. Israeli agriculture has made remarkable achievements due to investments in research and development, its extension service and skilled farmers. Based on know-how developed in Israel, it is possible to irrigate and cultivate the desert and harsh soils. About 40 percent of the farming land is desertic, sand dunes, red loam and loess soils, and 12 percent is rocky soil from which the stones were removed and prepared for cultivation.

Israeli agriculture has gained international acclaim in such diverse areas as milk yield per cow, wheat crops, cotton crops, etc. These achievements are expressed in a steady growth in productivity and a reduction in the number of those engaged in agriculture.

During the last decade, productivity has grown by about 6 percent - 10 percent annually, while the percentage of those engaged in agriculture out of the total work force in the economy dropped from 25 percent in the early years of the state to only 3 percent today.

Israel attained unique achievements in the utilization of its water resources. One unit of agricultural produce requires today only about 40 percent of the amount of water needed in the past to produce the same unit.

As we enter the twenty-first century, it is becoming unquestionably clear that the formulation of a world strategy for solving these problems must include strengthening the agricultural systems which protect the environment.

In view of the fact that peace and food security are interdependent, cooperation in the field of technology and the development of human resources must focus on promoting efficient agriculture.

Today, when problems of food security and the war against hunger are central issues in the activities of FAO this year, they gain Israel's full support and reflect the goals of its long-term policy.

Allow me to emphasize Israel's commitment to actively contribute the full potential of its accumulated agricultural experience and know-how to these efforts. We are expanding our training of experts within the framework of dozens of courses which are held every year in Israel and developing countries in English, Spanish, French, Russian and Arabic. The main subjects for training professional manpower from these countries are: pressure irrigation, intensive livestock management, the growing and post-harvest care of vegetables and fruits, farm management, grain storage using inexpensive and innovative methods, land conservation, forestry and agri-business. At the same time, Israel is working on the establishment of model farms for advanced agricultural technologies in China, India, Egypt, Kenya, Senegal, Uzbekistan as well as integrated projects of commercial agriculture as a supporting system for developing family farms in many other countries.

We have adopted a new approach which mainly entails conducting unique workshops on a wide range of agricultural subjects with the participation of senior professionals from 60 countries in Asia, Africa, Oceania and South and Central America.

Israel is ready and willing to make available to developing countries the extensive know-how that it has acquired in the fields of agriculture, and in particular in the development of the arid regions which is a living proof of its aspirations for achieving peace in our region.

The war against desertification is interrelated with the shortage of water which severely hinders agricultural and economic development. Israel has made significant achievements in tapping its water potential, but the efforts must also be expanded to increasing water sources primarily by means of desalination. Israel calls upon the developed countries with considerable economic potential to act in order to set up sea water desalination plants for agricultural and household use. Such an effort has an economic, social and political impact since increasing the water supply will lead to a growth in income, reduce hunger and promote peace and economic development.

Another aspect is to expand the involvement of agricultural research institutes in Israel in jointly financed scientific-agricultural programmes with other assisting countries.

The emphasis placed in these programmes is on applied research for increasing yields and selecting plant varieties adapted to the special conditions of the recipient country.

I would like to praise the high level of researchers and instructors from Third World countries who have studied in Israel and specialized in various fields, and their valuable contribution to these studies.

It is noteworthy that as a result of a number of seminars that have been held in Israel, a new concept has developed both in Israel and in developing countries of the need to more vigorously integrate private enterprise in the production system in order to free governments of the need to manage the national agriculture themselves. Such activity is particularly noteworthy in countries in Central Asia, India, several countries in southern Africa and in Latin American countries. One way to achieve this is to organize cooperatives of small farmers. Interesting patterns have emerged in creating a satellite farming system, and Israel can also contribute its experience in this area. This agriculture is based on setting up a commercial farm with the task of not only producing for profit, but also providing services to small farmers in the same region, particularly the transfer of know-how, supplying inputs and marketing.

We are full partners in the aspiration to solve the problem of food shortage and hunger prevailing in various countries around the world.

These problems are closely connected with the level of income of the rural population. Undoubtedly, agriculture alone in our era cannot supply sufficient income to further the rural areas. Israel is making extensive efforts to develop supplemental employment in addition to agriculture. The experience gained in diversifying sources of employment in rural areas is especially noticeable in the development of industry and tourism.

Within the framework of the FAO, Israel is ready and willing to contribute its experience and know-how to all countries in this type of development.