Section 3
Policy and project services

Policy assistance

The objectives underscored the provision of technical support for the development of agricultural policy, strategies, action plans and field programmes for sustainable agricultural growth and development to reduce poverty and enhance food security at the household level. Member countries were assisted in the formulation of their poverty reduction strategies; localization of millennium development goals for the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger; capacity building for the Doha Round of trade negotiations; and policy reforms for integration into regional economic organizations.

WTO-related matters

• Under the SPS Agreement adopted by the WTO, Codex Alimentarius standards are the referee standards for international food trade. China - which has just entered the market economy - has yet to perfect its market and information systems so that its animal food products for export meet international standards in terms of product quality and residue levels. To accomplish this, official control laboratories that comply with international scientific standards must be available. An FAO project - funded from its Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) - aims to strengthen laboratory capability in the analysis of toxic chemical residues in meat and other food of animal origin, in order to meet national and international residue requirements. It provides accurate information on the testing programme required for animal food product exports; identifies what laboratory equipment is required and, most importantly, trains Chinese laboratory staff in modern residue testing methods. This will not only facilitate or enable animal food product exports from China, but will also have a positive impact on domestic food production and consumption.

• Analyses were carried out on the implications of WTO accession and agricultural trade policy reforms in China. Workshops on multilateral trade negotiations on agriculture were organized for 14 PICs.

• A study to evaluate the benefits and costs of WTO membership for the food, agriculture, fishery and forestry sectors of small island countries in the Pacific (2003): The recent changes in the international trade regime, arising from the Uruguay Round (UR) of the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT) and the establishment of the WTO, have placed new demands on the small island countries in the Pacific. The objective of the project is to prepare such a study, which is expected to provide reliable information in preparation of policy decisions on agricultural trade and with respect to WTO membership implications. The assistance will fill a critical gap in ongoing decision processes with direct relevance for production and income of producers in the region. It is expected that the basis for decision-making with regard to WTO membership will be improved.

Socio-economic studies/sectoral studies

• FAO has established the project Implementation of the Global Plan of Action for the Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture in Asia and the Pacific region. The long-term objective of the project is to contribute to enhanced world food security and socio-economic development, reduced poverty, and more sustainable agricultural systems through the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. The project will promote and facilitate the implementation of the Global Plan of Action (GPA) and contribute to the establishment of a continuing monitoring framework of the GPA implementation at the national and regional levels of the seven participating countries (Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Viet Nam).

Policy advice

• Nepal was assisted in developing policies and strategies for poverty alleviation. A report Agricultural policy and strategies for poverty alleviation and food security was published.

• A plan of action for implementing national agricultural policy was prepared for Bangladesh.

• Through staff missions and consultations, advice and support was provided to Myanmar for its integration into regional economic organizations.

• FAO launched a Regional alliance against hunger by bringing together various stakeholders in the Asia-Pacific region from governments, international organizations, civil society organizations and the private sector. A report on the recommendations of the roundtable meeting was prepared on policy perspectives and modalities of cooperation among stakeholders for follow-up action.

• Studies were conducted on linkages and the impact of macro and sectoral policies on household food security and poverty incidence in the Philippines.

• The 26^th FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific (13-17 May 2002) agreed on the need for more effective policies and strategies, and increased dedication in implementing programmes to accelerate the progress of agricultural development and ensuring food security for all. It also noted the potential for a Global alliance against hunger to further mobilize political will in combating hunger and looked forward to operationalizing the concept during the World Food Summit: five years later in June 2002. The ministers agreed on a broad range of strategies to reduce hunger and rural poverty. Domestic food production and stockholding, fair and equitable trade, sustainable management of natural resources, participatory approaches and partnerships with local communities, empowerment of the rural poor, especially women, effective research and development, rural credit, appropriate mechanisms of biotechnology and indigenous knowledge were highlighted as important for achieving food security.

• The World Food Summit: five years later was convened by FAO in Rome on 10 June 2002 to mobilize the political will and resources needed to accelerate national hunger reduction efforts. It was attended by heads of state and government and senior leaders and officials from 180 nations. It was noted that the Asia and Pacific region has moved faster in tackling hunger than other parts of the developing world. However, the region is still far short of the rate needed to achieve the WFS target, particularly in South Asia. China has been among a handful of countries in the world that have been successful in keeping to the WFS pledge to reduce the number of hungry people by half by 2015. According to FAO’s most recent food insecurity estimates, China reduced the number of hungry by 76.3 million between 1990 and 1992 and 1997 and 1999, corresponding to a decline from 16 to 9 percent of its population over this period. Housing two-thirds of the 780 million hungry people in developing nations, the Asia-Pacific region has a crucial role in ensuring the success of the WFS goal. The key to success in the region’s war against hunger lies in increasing the productivity of small and marginal farmers, who are the main food producers.

• A multidisciplinary team mission was fielded to China in early 2002 at the request of the government to assist in identifying constraints and potential for development in Western China. In consultation with major government agencies, the FAO mission identified 18 themes as potential priority projects. Outline project profiles were prepared for each theme. A response from the Government of China is still pending.

• In early 2002 FAO launched a major initiative to revive food production in Sri Lanka’s northern region, which has been devastated by two decades of internal conflict. After visiting Sri Lanka’s troubled Vavuniya, Mannar and Jaffna districts in January/February 2002, an FAO mission identified a series of proposals to give new life to agriculture, livestock and fisheries in a region that was once a major national food basket.

• On 29 November 2003 three countries from the Asia-Pacific region became new FAO members. They are Micronesia, Timor-Leste and Tuvalu. The Asia- Pacific regional group in FAO now counts 43 countries together having 1.9 billion farmers, or 71 percent of the world farming community. Total membership of FAO now stands at 188, including one member organization. The 43 Asia-Pacific member countries will meet next in Beijing, China at the ministerial FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific between 17 and 21 May 2004.

• Given that some 70 percent of the population of Pakistan depends on agriculture to sustain their livelihoods, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (MINFAL) has an important role to play in the context of poverty alleviation. Unfortunately, in financial year 2001-2002 less than 20 percent of the development budget available to MINFAL was actually spent. The objective of Strengthening project development capacity of the ministry of food, agriculture and livestock (2003- 2004) is to strengthen the institutional capacity of MINFAL to enable more effective public sector support to the agriculture, fisheries and livestock sectors and more effective utilization and leveraging of resources for external sources. A Project Development Unit will be established which will serve as liaison point with external donors, and a database to monitor ongoing and proposed investments in the sector will be installed. Training in project formulation, analysis and monitoring for both central and provincial staff of the ministry will strengthen their mutual collaboration and coordination. As a result the government’s capacity to formulate feasible projects and to respond strategically to the agricultural sector’s priority needs will be improved.

Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS)

• The overall goal of the Regional SPFS Project in Asia is to ensure that all people in the countries involved have access at all times to the food they need for a healthy, active life and to alleviate poverty. This would be achieved by increasing agricultural production per unit area as well as ensuring stability in year-to-year production, on an economically viable and environmentally sustainable basis. The region has 24 of the world’s 86 LIFDCs and the SPFS is helping boost food production in 14 of these countries - Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, the Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Sri Lanka.

• Cambodia: Capacity building for the implementation of the Cambodian SPFS extension phase (2003-2005): The SPFS in Cambodia has demonstrated its capacity to improve food security and develop rural livelihoods. The objective of the project is to assist the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) in building: a) human capacity to improve skills in planning, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the field programme; and b) institutional capacity to coordinate and implement nationwide food security and poverty alleviation programmes. As a result the assistance will contribute to strengthening the government’s capacity to implement at the field level and to coordinate at the national level a comprehensive nationwide programme on food security with both own and external resources.

• A new South-South Cooperation Tripartite Agreement was announced in December 2002 under the SPFS. The South-South Cooperation Tripartite Agreement was signed by the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and FAO. Under the agreement, Filipino agricultural experts and field technicians will be sent to Papua New Guinea to assist the government with expansion of the SPFS for up to two years. According to the agreement, Filipino experts and field technicians will provide assistance related to field and horticultural crop production; soil fertility and micronutrient management; crop water-use requirements and in the design, implementation and management of small-scale irrigation systems. The South-South Cooperation under the SPFS provides an opportunity to strengthen cooperation among developing countries at different stages of development with the support of interested donor countries and FAO. The initiative helps countries benefit from the experience and expertise of more advanced developing countries. FAO launched the South-South Cooperation scheme in 1996.

• The cost-effectiveness of the food security system in the region has improved, particularly in China and India. FAO has supported these efforts through TCP, SPFS, policy assistance, backstopping missions, training courses, seminars and other activities.

• SPFS Indonesia has prepared 36 "Farmer Group Development Plans" (FGDPs) with the participation of farmers, local universities and local government officers. FGDPs target the comprehensive making of holistic plans, including simple feasibility studies and allow the stakeholders to monitor their progress. A final workshop was organized from 6 to 8 June 2003 to discuss and present the FGDPs to the various stakeholders.

• Several regional and country workshops in capacity building on multilateral trade negotiations were held with the aim of better preparing the countries for the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations on agriculture.

• Technical support was provided in the preparation of an agricultural strategic plan for the Cook Islands, and a regional programme for food security for 14 PICs.

• Contributions were made to the preparation of Common Country Assessments for Kiribati, Tuvalu, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu as a basis for the United Nations Development Assistance Framework.

Asian highlights

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

National IPM projects in rice completed their activities in 2002, while other more specific IPM projects continued, in particular for cotton in six countries (Bangladesh, China, India, Pakistan, the Philippines and Viet Nam) funded by the EU, and IPM for vegetables in eight countries funded by the governments of the Netherlands and Australia. These IPM programmes aim to improve inefficient small-scale cotton- and vegetable-based production systems in Asia and to develop, implement and evaluate sustainable farmer education programmes. They seek to improve the livelihoods of small-scale farm families, thus helping to alleviate poverty and health risks while protecting the environment. The basic IPM philosophy is to nurture farming families’ capacities to manage their field ecologies by themselves, generate and evaluate new knowledge and technologies and work together with other farming families. More information is available from the Internet at www.cottonipmasia.org

Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS)

The activities of a cluster of national SPFS projects in Bangladesh, Lao PDR, Indonesia and Sri Lanka, funded by the Government of Japan, are coordinated by the SPFS Asia Regional Coordination Programme. Projects are at different stages of implementation, but clear results at the grassroots level are emerging already as evidenced by the reports of recent evaluation missions.

Biosafety for sustainable agriculture

A sustained increase in farm productivity is vital for the region, which has three-fourths of the world’s farming households. A new generation of technologies holds great potential for not only boosting output, but also reducing production costs, increasing nutritional value and making agroprocessing more efficient. However, modern biotechnology, especially genetically modified organisms (GMOs), has to be handled with great caution to avoid potential risks to human and ecosystem health. Keen to unlock the tremendous potential of agricultural biotechnology, countries in the region are at different stages of GMO research and development. Aware of the importance of biosafety checks and national capacities to scientifically assess and manage the benefits and risks associated with GMOs, ten countries (Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam) are collaborating with FAO in a four-year regional programme funded by Japan for the safe harnessing of biotechnology in accordance with relevant global agreements. Cooperating agencies include APAARI, UNIDO, OECD, UNDP, the Rockefeller Foundation, JIRCAS, CSIRO and the GEF.

Food insecurity and vulnerability information and mapping system (FIVIMS)

FIVIMS is increasing its visibility and its support to member countries through its shift to the regional office from headquarters. It is anticipated that the number of participating countries in Asia will increase.

Plant genetic resources for food and agriculture

Seven countries (Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam) are participating in the regional project for the implementation of the global plan of action (GPA) for the conservation and sustainable utilization of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. Funded by Japan, and in close cooperation with CGIAR centres, FAO is committed to facilitating the implementation of the GPA by national, regional and international organizations and other stakeholders involved in conservation and the sustainable use of plant genetic resources.

ASIACOVER

The standards of qualitative, quantitative and spatial information on the present status of land cover and land use are very heterogeneous in the Southeast Asian region in terms of land cover classification, mapping scales and projections, accuracies and the reference years of the maps. These inconsistencies hamper appropriate planning for the sustainable management of natural resources at national and regional levels. Consistent information is particularly necessary to monitor land cover changes over time in support of the conventions related to climate change, biological diversity and desertification. Seven countries (Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam) have joined the FAO funded ASIACOVER project to collect and standardize existing land cover/land-use information, to identify gaps where such information is missing and to develop a strategy to fill these gaps in the future in the context of the joint FAO-UNEP initiative to establish a Global Land Cover Network. Special attention is given to spatially available socio-economic parameters to be combined with biophysical data in order to facilitate analysis, planning and decision-making in favour of food security and sustainable agriculture. A regional map and database as well as a network of practically trained data holders who are able to maintain and update the information will be the most important project outcomes.

Afghanistan

The rehabilitation of the agricultural sector in Afghanistan is another major aspect of FAO support, particularly with respect to irrigation, livestock and seed production. FAO has actively cooperated with the UN for the preparation of emergency assistance and appeals for Afghanistan. As a result, donor pledges and technical assistance have been provided to the post- Taleban government, not only for FAO-assisted programmes and projects. Also illustrative was the issuance of the 2002 B.R. Sen Award to Narendra Singh Tunwar of India. Working in challenging conditions in Afghanistan, Tunwar set up the Improved Seed Enterprise, created to produce outstanding local varieties of wheat seed. In over a decade, aided by locally trained national staff, Tunwar produced 27 improved seed varieties, including 15 for wheat. As a result, Afghanistan has the capacity to multiply up to 23 000 tonnes of quality and high-yielding varieties of wheat seed. Known as the PEACE programme (Poverty Eradication and Community Empowerment Programme) and funded by UNDP, the results of Tunwar’s work have allowed national and international aid organizations working in Afghanistan to purchase quality seeds locally for distribution to farmers. Wheat yields, as high as six tonnes per hectare, have led organizations such as CIMMYT to conclude that the selection and genetic achievements are equivalent to and even surpass international standards. Tunwar also heads the prestigious Seeds Review Group, which comprises inter alia NGOs, international and UN agencies such as UNOPS, UNDCP, WFP and UNHRC. He started coordinating the preparation of a national seed policy, seed legislation and a seed act. With other experts, he is working on the privatization of the seed industry in Afghanistan.

Bay of Bengal fisheries

The Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem project completed its activities successfully with the institutionalization of the Bay of Bengal Programme as an intergovernmental organization. The agreement was signed in April 2003 by the governments of India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, followed later by the Maldives at Chennai on 21 May 2003.

Pacific highlights

Over the years, FAO has recognized increasingly the importance of a regional perspective for the particular problems faced by small island economies. These have underpinned the Organization’s main rationale for adopting a regional approach to food security in PICs, which aims to address common problems such as low productivity of subsistence agriculture; critical gaps in technology transfer and adoption of modern techniques and inputs; poor market integration of producers and consumers; the decline in traditional agricultural export earnings; low human resource development and institutional capacity in research, extension, policy and trade; and low awareness of WTO-related issues and protocols.

Regional programme for food security in PICs

A three-year and US$4.5 million project funded by Italy started in 2003 in 14 Pacific countries (Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu). The project has two main components: (a) enhancing food production and security, which focuses on specific production-related (supply side) activities; and (b) strengthening agricultural trade and policy, which is examining effective agricultural policies to ensure that natural resources are deployed as optimally as possible; and building up national capacity and awareness in domestic and international trade (biosafety, custom regulations, quarantine issues), so that accepted standards such as the Codex Alimentarius and WTO regulations will be applied. To maximize its impact, project activities complement those of other development partners and donors in the Pacific such as the University of the South Pacific (USP) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC). Coordination with the EU development of sustainable agriculture projects is also envisaged. FAO support will be provided through national projects funded under the TCP, and technical expertise is envisaged from China and the Philippines under FAO’s South- South Cooperation Programme.

Meeting plant protection needs in the twenty-first century (PestNet)

Due to their geographic isolation and fragmentation, farmers in PICs face difficulties in obtaining access to information in general and on pests and diseases in particular. Specific problems identified are not only inadequately resourced extension services and lack of internal communication but also lack of taxonomic expertise for pest identification. New approaches are required to improve access to and quality of information adapted to farmers’ needs. Fourteen countries are collaborating in the FAO-funded project Pacific PestNet project (Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu). PestNet will facilitate the identification of pests and diseases by means of digital photos, which are to be linked to existing databases such as EcoPort. Relevant training on pest identification and database management will be provided and a PRA survey will assess farmers’ perceptions and needs in the participating countries.

Strengthening coastal fisheries’ legislation

Coastal fisheries resources in the Pacific region are being depleted due to population growth, overfishing and the use of illegal and destructive fishing methods. The depletion is a threat to the food security of the island communities whose livelihoods depend significantly on coastal fisheries. The non-traditional utilization of the coastal marine area for aquaculture activities and the extraction of aquarium fish and other aquatic animals for export underline the need for a more sustainable use of coastal resources and to introduce issues such as fish health management. The governments of Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia have united in an FAO-funded project for strengthening coastal fisheries’ legislation. The objective of the project is to strengthen the capacity of national legislation drafters and fisheries’ experts in issues, trends and concerns of community-based fisheries and co-management of inshore/coastal fisheries and aquaculture as well as fish health management with a view to further developing the legislative frameworks of individual countries.

Pacific study to evaluate the benefits and costs of WTO membership

The recent changes in the international trade regime, arising from the Uruguay Round (UR) of the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT) and the establishment of the WTO, have placed new demands on the small island countries in the Pacific. Furthermore, the countries’ access to overseas markets for agriculture and food are limited and restricted as the market becomes more rigorous. While the UR agreement presents opportunities as well as challenges for all WTO members, there is no study of the impact on agriculture and food trade specifically for the small island countries in the Pacific. Nine Pacific countries (Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Marshall Islands, Palau, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu) participate in an FAO-funded project to prepare such a study which is expected to provide reliable information in preparation of policy decisions on agricultural trade and with respect to WTO membership implications. The assistance will fill a critical gap in ongoing decision processes with direct relevance for the production and income of producers in the region.

Besides the intercountry programmes, a growing number of national projects are being implemented in PICs. In eight Pacific countries, 11 FAO projects funded during 2003 provided technical or emergency assistance. For instance, assistance was given to Fiji for improving the handling and marketing of fresh vegetables and fruits. The TCP project provided the necessary resources and expertise to build three packing shed facilities and to train national staff on postharvest handling and packaging of horticultural produce. The government is now using its own funds to replicate the packaging sheds in 72 other areas of the country. Assistance was given to the Fiji College of Agriculture to develop a training module for inclusion in the curriculum of its Certificate of Agricultural Training course. Through the TCP project, Development of Seaweed Farming, Tonga was assisted in improving the technology of "sea farmers" who are collecting Mozuku seaweed for export. In addition, a market study was undertaken to explore other export markets for their produce.