Agreed with the assessment made and the conclusions reached in the report on the current World Food Situation (para. 15).
Recommended that FAO redouble its efforts in relieving the critical situation of millions of people affected by natural calamities and serious food and other shortages in some parts of the Near East region, and in promoting agricultural and rural development in the affected regions (para. 19).
Urged FAO to continue to give priority to monitoring food shortages and emergencies through the Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS) and to providing assistance by mobilizing food aid pledges and deliveries (para. 21).
Supported the message from the Seventeenth Ministerial Session of the UN World Food Council to the negotiators at the Uruguay Round which stressed that the lack of a successful conclusion to the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations was having a severe adverse impact on world trade, especially the trade situation of developing countries (para. 23).
Underlined the importance of the fishery sector in meeting the food and nutritional requirements of a majority of countries, particularly the small island States, including those of the South Pacific, and reiterated the leading role of FAO in this regard (para. 24).
Called for regional and international collaboration to ensure sustainability in production and conservation of all marine living resources (para. 24).
Report of the Sixteenth Session of the Committee on World Food Security
(Rome, 11-15 March 1991)
Endorsed the report of the Sixteenth Session of the Committee and World Food Security (CFS) in its entirety (para. 26).
Urged all concerned parties to use every available means to ensure that appropriate and timely assistance reached the populations affected by natural calamities, civil strife and war, in order to avert further human suffering and loss of life (para. 28).
Supported the Committee's recommendation concerning the need to improve the reporting on access to food and food entitlements for consideration by the Committee in future assessments of the world food security situation (para. 29).
Called for specific measures to be targeted to the vulnerable groups in alleviating the immediate negative effects of the adjustment process (para. 30).
Urged donors to increase the volume of food aid, and in particular their pledges to the International Emergency Food Reserve (IEFR), as well as to increase their support for triangular transactions and local purchases wherever feasible (para. 31).
Requested the Committee to continue its consideration of other country case PPAB studies at future sessions (para. 33).
Reaffirmed its support for the field work carried out by FAO to enhance food security in line with the broadened concept (para. 34).
Endorsed the recommendation by the Committee that, in order to ensure the best use of resources, FAO concentrate on core activities where it has a PPAB comparative advantage (para. 34).
Report of the Eleventh Session of the Committee on Agriculture (Rome, 22-30 April 1991)
Endorsed the recommendations contained in the Report of the Eleventh Session of the Committee on Agriculture (para. 36).
Endorsed the recommendations made by COAG in its review of the Implementation of the Programme of Work 1988-90, the Review of the Field Programme, the Medium-Term Perspectives and Programme Priorities in Food and Agriculture, and of the extract of the Summary Programme of Work and Budget 1992-93 concerned with the Major Programme 2.1 Agriculture (para. 37).
Supported COAG's appreciation of the increased attention given to environment and sustainable development in FAO programmes, and shared COAG's concern over the decline in several technical sub-programmes, in particular training courses, workshops, and expert consultations, and activities concerning livestock (para. 39).
Agreed with COAG that national execution should be introduced progressively, selectively, and in an orderly manner, taking into account the capacity and/or interest of the country (para. 42).
Recommended that the inclusion of Medium-Term Perspectives and Programme Priorities in Food and Agriculture in the COAG discussions become a regular agenda item of COAG (para. 43).
Endorsed the six priority cross-sectoral tasks proposed for the medium-term; namely, improving information systems; promoting productivity increases to raise food production or food purchasing power; improving support services for small farmers; widening people's participation; promoting SARD; and assisting in the development of a more liberal agricultural trade regime (para. 43).
Endorsed COAG's view that one of FAO's main objectives in the medium- term perspective should be that of fostering growth with equity, in order to eradicate rural poverty and ensure food security (para. 44).
Endorsed the plans for the preservation and improvement of animal genetic resources, and supported the COAG's recommendation to hold an Expert Consultation to consider an action programme to protect animal biodiversity (para. 47).
Encouraged the efforts to successfully implement the World Agricultural Information Centre (WAICENT) (para. 50).
Reiterated its support for the continued high priority accorded to the work of the Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS) (para. 50).
Agreed with COAG that FAO, in accordance with its mandate, should continue to contribute to the conservation and sustainable utilization of biological diversity of current and potential interest to agriculture, forestry and fisheries (para. 54).
Recommended calling an expert consultation to assist in making a more informed judgement about the desirability of establishing a separate forum for animal genetic resources (para. 58).
Supported the development of data bases and analyses leading to the formulation of policies, programmes and projects which would specifically address constraints on women farmers (para. 60).
Called for greater efforts to integrate the issues of women's access to resources into national mainstream development policies, as well as in FAO's mainstream programmes (para. 61).
Supported, with one amendment, the list of selected development issues which the Committee had recommended, namely! the role of Livestock, Rangelands, Improvement of Pasture, Feed and Forage and Combatting Desertification; Sustainable Agricultural Development, Rainfed Agriculture and Water Management; Agricultural Credit, Cooperatives and Savings in Agriculture; the Role of Education and Extension in Agricultural Development; the Impact of Liberalization of Trade on Sustainable Agricultural Development (para. 62).
Requested the Director-General to pursue suggestions regarding the establishment of a Trust Fund for facilitating the participation of technical experts in the delegations of developing countries to the technical committees of the Council (para. 65).
Encouraged the Organization to pursue its efforts in developing collaborative activities with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and other international organizations in the field of people's participation, including collaboration with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) concerned with food and agriculture (para. 71).
Agreed that the Plan of Action should be revised, taking into account the views expressed during the Council discussion, and be submitted to the Twenty-sixth Session of the Conference for consideration and adoption (para. 74).
FAO/Netherlands Conference on Agriculture and the Environment ('s-Hertogenbosch, 15-19 April 1991)
Recommended that the Report of the FAO/Netherlands Conference on Agriculture and the Environment should be used as a good basis for the further elaboration of strategies and action proposals in this field, in particular as a major input for the UNCED preparatory- process concerning the agricultural sector (para. 76).
Requested that the points indicated in paragraph 76 of this Report be taken into account in the FAO contributions to UNCED and in the submission of a fuller report to the Twenty-sixth Session of the FAO Conference (para. 77).
Requested FAO to bring the appropriate contents of the Den Bosch Conference Report, together with the observations and recommendations contained in paragraph 76 to the attention of the Preparatory Committee of UNCED (para. 77).
Invited UNCED to devote full attention to SARD as a key topic in order to mobilize all possible support for this vital sector in meeting basic human needs sustainably while protecting the environment (para. 77).
Fully endorsed that Den Bosch Conference recommendation that FAO develop, with the support of, in close cooperation and in full association with, other specialized international organizations, including in particular the competent Rome-based organizations of the UN system taking into consideration their respective mandates, an overall international cooperative programme framework (ICPF) to assist in meeting the needs for SARD at national and international levels (para 78).
Requested that a preliminary outline of ICPF be further developed, including its operational, financial and organizational implications, for submission to the Twenty-sixth Session of the Conference for its consideration (para. 78).
Recommended that the activities on the implementation of the Code should be accompanied by programmes for proper pest management, including reduced reliance on hazardous pesticides, in particular as regarded the implementation of Integrated Pest Management (para. 83).
Concurred with the recommendation of the joint FAO/UNEP Expert Panel that it was premature to consider the conversion of the Code of Conduct into a binding legal instrument (para. 84).
Report of the Fourth Session of the Session of the commission on Plant Genetic Resources (Rome,15-19 April 1991)
Endorsed the conclusions and recommendations of the Report of the Fourth Session of the Commission on Plant Genetic Resources (para. 85).
Agreed with the Commission that consideration should be given to the strengthening of its Secretariat, possibly through internal reallocation of resources (para. 86).
Agreed that the best way to implement Farmers' Rights could be through an international fund to finance a PGR Global Plan of Action and the fund should be sustainable and transparent (para. 87).
Agreed that breeders' lines and farmers' breeding material should only be available at the discretion of their developers during the period of development (para. 88).
Supported the Commission's views that a paper be prepared for its next session to further clarify the conditions of access to PGR (para. 88).
Agreed to the establishment of a Contact Group composed of the following delegations: Argentina, Canada, Egypt, Germany, India, Mexico, Morocco, Sweden, and Venezuela, in order to arrive to an agreeable text on the Draft Resolution submitted by the Commission as an annex to the Undertaking (para. 89).
Agreed with the Chairman's proposed procedure to submit the text of the Draft Resolution as developed by the Contact Group to the next session of the Conference for its consideration and possible adoption (para. 89).
Supported the convening of a Fourth International Technical Conference on Plant Genetic resources, to be financed through extra- budgetary funds (para.90).
Recommended that advantage be taken of the FAO Regional Conferences as from 1992 to ensure a regional participation in the preparation of the PGR Global Plan of Action and the State of the World's PGR (para. 91).
Requested the Director-General to initiate consultations with potential donor countries, so as to secure the necessary extra- budgetary funds to meet the cost of the International Technical Conference (para. 91).
Agreed that the state of the World's PGR should be an authoritative document that would guide international discussions regarding PGR (para. 92).
Considered that the document should concentrate on plant genetic resources of interest to agriculture and forestry and agreed that a small group of experts, with balanced regional representation, be established to assist in its preparation (para. 92).
Agreed that the PGR Global Plan of Action should include priority programmes and projects for local, national, regional and international activites (para. 93).
Endorsed the Commission's recommendation to reorganize the FAO Seed Laboratory as the Plant Information and Exchange Unit, and to expand the Seed Information System into the Global Information and Early Warning System on Plant Genetic Resources (para. 94).
Supported the Commission's request that the Director-General initiate or continue negotiations with those Governments and institutions which offered to contribute with their base collections or with space in their gene banks to the establishment of networks (para. 95).
Welcomed the request of the Commission to invite other relevant organizations to report to the Commission on their programmes and activities related to plant genetic resources (para. 96).
Agreed that the Code should be of a voluntary nature, and that some re-drafting following the suggestions made by the Commission was necessary before it was presented to the Council and Conference for endorsement (para. 97).
Agreed that the Draft Code of Conduct on Biotechnology, as it affected the conservation and utilization of PGR, should also be prepared in a step-by-step manner, in close collaboration with the appropiate organizations (para. 98).
Considered that particular emphasis should be put on training scientists and technicians of the developing countries in the use of appropriate biotechnologies, so as to ensure the effective transfer and utilization of such knowledge (para. 98).
Requested that an information paper on the current situation and development of the FAO Global System on PGR be presented to the appropriate meetings of UNCED and UNEP (para. 99).
Welcomed, with satisfaction, the invitation of UNEP to include a FAO staff member in the Secretariat that would serve the next meeting of the ad hoc Working Group of Legal and Technical Experts on Biological Diversity, and expressed the hope that similar arrangements could be made for future sessions of the Working Group (para. 99).
Agreed to review at a later date the question of transforming the nature of the International Undertaking on PGR into a binding legal agreement (para. 100).
Agreed with the Commission's conclusion not to widen the mandate of the Commission at this time (para. 101).
Agreed that an urgent study should be undertaken by FAO to identify any possible danger to the stored germplasm and proposed solutions (para. 102).
Report of the Nineteenth Session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) (Rome, 8-12 April 1991)
Endorsed the views and recommendations as contained in the Report of COFI, especially the objectives and areas of high priority over the medium-term identified by COFI (para. 103).
Reiterated the importance attached to training and transfer of knowledge, skills and technology in order to assist developing countries to achieve self-reliance in the management and sustainable development of their fisheries (para. 104).
Endorsed the COFI recommendation that FAO should prepare a special publication summarizing all national reports and relevant debates, and highlighting the benefits derived from, as well as proposals for a more rapid and efficient implementation of, the Strategy for Fisheries Management and Development, particularly by developing member countries (para. 105).
Supported the COFI recommendation that continued efforts be made to maintain or reduce fishing intensities at optimal levels, in order to ensure the sustainability of inland and marine fishery resources (para. 106).
Supported the high priority assigned to the promotion of the concept of integrated coastal area management and development (para. 106).
Recognized the usefulness of the Geographical Information System techniques (para. 106).
Reaffirmed the importance it attached to aquaculture and inland fisheries development, and urged FAO to strengthen its support to this sector particularly regarding the provision to member countries of advice, technical assistance and training in the formulation of policies and plans for aquaculture development (para. 107).
Supported a proposal to establish a professional post in the Fisheries Department to strengthen its capacity in promoting the role of women, subject to the availability of funds (para. 109).
Stressed that FAO should continue its active role in the large-scale pelagic driftnet fishing issue, implementing General Assembly (UNGA) Resolutions 44/225 and 45/197 (para. 110).
Agreed that FAO had an important role to play in promoting international understanding about the responsible conduct of fishing operations (para. 111).
Concurred with the view of the COFI that the priority in providing support to research in developing member countries should be to strengthen the capacity of national institutions, specifically within the context of applied research of direct relevance to national needs and in accordance with national development policies, and that FAO should continue to play a leading role in this regard (para. 112).
Endorsed the recommendations of the Third session of the COFI Sub- Committee on Fish Trade held in September 1990 (para. 114).
Agreed that in promoting international trade in fish and fishery- products, FAO should collaborate closely with GATT in identifying trade barriers and in striving for their eventual elimination, as well as in elaborating criteria for fair trade (para. 114).
Appealed to all donors to increase their contributions to the World Fisheries Conference's Programmes of Action (para. 115).
Concurred with the views and recommendations of the Nineteenth Session of COFI concerning the funding level of Major Programme 2.2: Fisheries (para. 117).
Urged that WFP's training programmes for national staff be continued and reinforced (para. 129).
Unanimously supported the pledging target for the regular resources of WFP for the 1993-94 biennium at USS 1 500 million and urged donors to fully meet the pledging target, including the one third contribution in cash, called for in the WFP General Regulations (para. 131).
Adopted Resolution 1/99 on Target for WFP Pledges for the Period 1993-94, which included a draft Resolution for approval by the Conference (para. 132).
Urged that the assistance which had been provided by FAO to individual countries and groups of countries with regard to the GATT Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations (MTN) be continued in the future (para. 134).
Stressed the importance of an early and successful conclusion to the Uruguay Round (para. 134).
Urged that every effort be made to finalize and prioritize project proposals on intergovernmental groups in the form requested by the Common Fund for Commodities (para. 137).
Stressed the importance of pursuing implementation of both the International Development Strategy (IDS) and the commitments and policies agreed upon in the Declaration on International Economic Cooperation (para. 138).
Encouraged FAO to continue to monitor developments and participate in relevant programmes in the areas of crop substitution, use of remote- sensing in the collection and assessment of information, the environmentally-safe application of herbicides for the eradication of drug crops, and the redevelopment of areas formerly under drug crops (para. 140).
Strongly supported the approach now being followed, including the general themes and technical content as described in the document on Preparations for the International Conference on Nutrition (ICN) (para. 145).
Agreed that the issues relevant to developing countries should be given priority attention (para, 146)
Requested FAO and the World Health Organization (WHO) to ensure that all issues contributing to nutritional well-being be comprehensively addressed (para. 147).
Emphasized its agreement that ICN should be seen as part of a continuing process to improve nutrition (para. 148).
Urged countries that had not done so already to designate country focal points in preparing for the ICN as quickly as possible (para. 148).
Urged the ICN organizers to continue their collaboration with other UN organizations, Member Governments, and NGOs to ensure the success of the ICN (para. 148).
Requested the ICN organizers to monitor progress in the preparation of the ICN carefully (para. 150).
Requested the FAO Secretariat to bring to the attention of the WHO Secretariat the concerns expressed by the Council, agreed to review the situation at the next Council Session, and requested that a further progress report be made available for this purpose (para. 150).
Stressed the need for a central liaison, information, as well as monitoring mechanism in support of international cooperation and requested FAO to strengthen this function (para. 155).
Requested the Secretariat to participate vigorously in the preparation and conduct of consultations on the establishment of the contact group to provide broad strategic guidance for the TFAP, bearing in mind the views expressed in the course of the Council debate, and to report to the Council at its Hundredth Session (para. 159).
Approved the continuation of FAO's technical and supportive roles to the UNCED process in matters related to the wide use and conservation of forests within the UN system, in its search for a global consensus (para 161).
Requested the Director-General to keep the Council informed on further progress under the revised title "Report on FAO's Contribution to the Preparatory Process of UNCED" (para. 162).
Established the deadline for the receipt of nominations for Independent Chairman of the Council at 17.00 hours on Friday 6 September 1991. Nominations would be circulated by the Secretary- General to all Member Nations by Friday 13 September 1991 (para 168).
Urged that the new proposed measures for UNDP-funded projects should not result in increasing demands being made on the Regular Programme to support field activities (para. 178).
Gave its broad endorsement to the proposed International Cooperative Programme Framework for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (ICPF/SARD), as outlined in a supplement to the Summary Programme of Work and Budget document, which was linked to the overall priority on environment and sustainable development (para. 201).
Endorsed the selection of substantive areas specifically targeted for net increases in resources, generally supported the approach to the shifts in resources, and agreed that the full Programme of Work and Budget should maintain momentum of action in high-priority areas (para. 213).
Reached a consensus in inviting the Director-General to proceed to finalize his proposals for the full Programme of Work and Budget on the basis of the Summary and the Council's reactions to it (para. 215).
Recommended a Draft Resolution on the Scale of Contributions 1992-93 for adoption by the Conference (para. 220).
Endorsed the Finance Committee's approval of the Director-General's proposal to apply to the Special Reserve Account any additional costs arising in respect of expenditures for non-staff costs due to adverse moments in exchange rates (para. 222).
Supported the Director-General's initiatives which were being pursued through the ACC, in seeking appropriate modifications to preserve the stability and strengthen the pension system (para. 226).
Decided that the unexpired term of the member who had departed from Rome should be completed by Mr Fernández Illanes (Chile) (para 230).
Urged all Member Nations once again to pay their outstanding arrears and current assessed contributions in full as soon as possible (para. 239).
Requested Member Nations to advise the Director-General, as soon as possible, as to the amounts and timing of the expected payment of their contributions and outstanding arrears (para. 239).
Approved the revised Calendar of Sessions for 1990-91 of the Council and of those Bodies which report to it, as given in Appendix G to this report (para. 247).
Report of the Fifty-sixth Session of the Committee on Consitutional and Legal Matters (Rome, 15-17 April 1991).
Endorsed the view expressed by the CCLM at its Fifty-sixth Session that "it would be desirable to strengthen, foster and consolidate the cooperative programme existing between the Bank and the Fund on the one hand, and FAO on the other hand, to create a proper framework through which assistance might be channelled in an effective manner to member countries in the Region" (para. 250).
Approved the Cooperation Agreement as set out in Appendix H to the present Report with a view to signature by the Director-General, subject to confirmation by the Conference in accordance with Rule XXIV.4(c) of the General Rules of the Organization (para. 251).
Established a Working Group under the Chairmanship of one of the Vice-chairmen in order to review the various proposed amendments, in the light of the opinions of the CCLM put forward in the debate (para. 255).
Unanimously agreed that it was absolutely indispensable that a regional economic integration organization should be required to present a full and detailed declaration of competence in connection with its application for membership, as this was a key element in circumscribing the practical aspects of the way in which the organization would exercise its rights and obligations as a member of FAO (para. 257).
Endorsed the concept that any form of membership for regional economic integration organizations should be based on the principle of the alternative exercise of membership rights (para. 259).
Considered that the mechanism should be devised whereby Member Nations would know at all times who, as between the Organization and the Member States thereof, has competence (para. 259).
Reiterated that the form of membership for regional economic integration organizations must be sui generis and agreed that this would require further precision in the FAO Constitution (para. 260).
Agreed that the membership of a regional economic integration organization should not result in increasing the obligations or costs to FAO Member Nations. Such costs would have to be borne by the regional economic integration organization itself (para. 262).
Agreed that consideration should be given to the question of the criteria that should be established for regional economic integration organizations to be eligible for membership of FAO (para. 266).
Underlined the urgency of amending Article XIV of the Constitution without delay in order that regional economic integration organizations, and in particular the EEC, could participate in agreements concluded thereunder, where exclusive competence over matters within the purview of the agreement had been transferred to such organizations (para. 267).
Decided to propose draft amendments to the Basic Texts set out in Appendix J to this Report and agreed to transmit the text of the proposed amendments to the Conference for consideration at its Twenty-sixth Session, including, where no consensus had been reached, some provisions in square brackets with alternative texts (para. 271).
Agreed to establish a committee consisting of a limited number of Member Nations selected by the Director-General, after consultation with the regional groups, to review the text and, in particular, those provisions contained in brackets and decided that the EEC should be invited to be present at the meetings of this Committee to present its views on the texts which should be reviewed by the CCLM in October 1991 and reported to the Council at its Hundredth Session (para. 271).
Agreed that a draft resolution for the Conference regarding management of the WFP Fund to be governed by separate Financial Regulations would be presented to the Finance Committee in September 1991 for submission to the Hundredth Session of the Council (para. 276) .
Unanimously endorsed the draft resolution transmitted to it by the WFP Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes (CFA), and decided to submit it to the Twenty-sixth Session of the FAO Conference for adoption (para. 278).
Agreed to the attendance as an observer of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) at the Ninety-ninth Session of the Council (para. 285).
Agreed to the Director-General's proposal to invite the USSR to attend as an observer the Twenty-seventh Session of the European Commission on Agriculture (Herrsching, Germany, 1-5 July 1991) (REUR-701) (para. 287).
Agreed to the attendance as an observer of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) at the Ninety-ninth Session of the Council (para. 288).
Decided that its Hundredth Session should be convened in Rome from 5 to 7 November 1991 (para. 291).
