| ERC/00/2-Sup.
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| ERC/00/2-Sup.
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TWENTY SECOND FAO REGIONAL CONFERENCE FOR EUROPE |
Porto, Portugal, 24-28 July 2000 |
Agenda Item 11 |
DETAILED REPORT ON FAO ACTIVITIES IN THE TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC PROGRAMMES (PWB CHAPTER 2) IN THE EUROPEAN REGION FOR 1998-99 |
MAJOR PROGRAMME 2.1: AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS
MAJOR PROGRAMME 2.2: FOOD AND AGRICULTURE POLICY AND DEVELOPMENT
MAJOR PROGRAMME 2.3: FISHERIES
MAJOR PROGRAMME 2.5: CONTRIBUTIONS TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND SPECIAL PROGRAMME THRUSTS
1. Normative and operational activities of each programme which is part of the PWB Chapter 2, technical and economic programmes, are presented in table form below, with a summary description of objectives (in italics) provided under each programme. The description is intended to recall the main thrust of normative activities as described in the PWB 1998-1999. The tables are not exhaustive lists as only major or significant activities are included, and they are divided in two categories of activities: those led by FAO and those carried out by FAO partners and in which FAO participates. It will also be noted that FAO activities under the programmes are variously supported by Regular Programme funds, the Technical Cooperation Programme as well as other sources of funding, particularly donor trust funds (Government cooperative Programmes: GCP).
MAJOR PROGRAMME 2.1: AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS
Programme 2.1.1: Natural Resources
2. Through this programme, FAO has developed and successfully applied land resources information systems based on the Agro-ecological Zones (AEZ) methodology, supporting software packages and Geographic Information System (GIS) to assist Members in finding rational solutions to various problems of land resources and land management for sustainable agricultural development. This includes issues linking land use outputs with other development goals in such areas as food production, crop diversification, soil fertility, soil erosion and soil pollution.
| FAO-led Activities | |
| Type of activity | Purpose/Output |
| ROMANIA - TCP project: Technical assistance | Rehabilitate polluted soils |
| CEE countries - GCP Regional project: Land resources information | Mapping of soil and terrain vulnerability in Central and Eastern Europe. Information dissemination among national institutions. CD-ROM under preparation. |
| BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA - GCP project, donor: Italy - Institution building | Agro-pedology Institute supported in survey work. Staff trained to bring institute in line with international standards. |
| Contribution to Activities of Partner Organizations | |
| Partner Organization | Event/Purpose/Output |
| Munich Technical University, in support of UN Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) | Workshop on "Urea use and ammonia emissions" to prepare for Convention on Long-range, Transboundary Air Pollution (1998). |
| International Steering Committee on Management and Monitoring of Drained Land in the Baltic States and Poland State Land Survey Institute of Lithuania | Steering Committee meeting (Lithuania 1999). Guidelines on management and monitoring of drained land prepared. |
| International Centre for High Agronomic Studies for the Mediterranean (CIHEAM) | Training in: irrigation and water resources management (one week, Italy 1998); integrated water management (two weeks, Turkey 1999). |
Programme 2.1.2: Crops
3. The programme addresses enhanced and sustainable crop production, reduction of losses due to pests, conservation and use of plant genetic resources and sustainable seed production. The programme also includes activities in support for the Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), the phytosanitary standard setting agreement recognized by the WTO and work in plant genetic resources. In this connection, during 1998 and 1999, negotiations for the revision of the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources (Conference Resolution 7/93) continued within the FAO Commission on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. European countries played an active role in the negotiations, and contributed towards funding sessions of the Commission and its Chairman's Contact Group, including support of participation of developing countries. They also hosted a number of informal technical meetings in support of the negotiations.
| FAO-led Activities | |
| Type of activity | Purpose/Output |
| BULGARIA, POLAND, SLOVAKIA - TCP project - Technology transfer | Establishment of low-input grassland production systems for livestock feeding leading to the establishment of a framework of permanent collaboration among the three relevant institutes. |
| ALBANIA - TCP project - Technology demonstration and training | Greenhouse vegetable production - Phase II. Construction of two normative greenhouses for demonstration purposes; in-service training and study tours (Italy and Morocco); preparation of technical manuals and a strategy document involving 10 national consultants. |
| GEORGIA - TCP project - Capacity building, human resourse development | Rehabilitation of Viticulture Sector contributing to (i) capacity building of policy makers, technical staff, extensionists and researchers, (ii) establishing pilot demonstration model winery/vineyard enterprises, (iii) supporting feasibility studies and plans. |
| TURKEY - TCP project - Training | Integrated Sunn-Pest Control Training in sunn pest control activities ( 40 technical staff and of 200 farmers) |
| TURKEY - TCP project - Sectoral policy assistance | Improvement of the economic efficiency of walnut production. Walnut production improvement programme was designed. |
| Contribution to Activities of Partner Organizations: | |
| Partner Organization | Event/Purpose/Output |
| European Grassland Federation (EGF) | International Symposium on Grasslands and Woody Plants in Europe (Greece, May 1999). |
| European Cooperation Research Network on Flax | Issuance of Euroflax Newsletter (twice a year). |
| European Cooperative Research Network on Sunflower | Helia publication. In 1999 two additional special issues of Helia
dedicated to the advances made in the application of biotechnology to sunflower breeding
and to the recent activities of the Network. .../ |
| Inter-regional Network on Collaborative Research on Rice in the Mediterranean Climate Arteas (MED-Rice) | Supporting participation of developing countries in the Workshop on Water Management in Mediterranean Rice (September 1998) and the Workshop on Research Strategy for the Rice Sector Development in the Economies in Transition (Romania, September 1999). |
Programme 2.1.3: livestock
4. The programme reflects the contribution of livestock to achieving food security through inter alia: enhanced productivity and intensification of animal production, income generation through animal production, protecting the natural resource base used in livestock production and conserving and better utilizing the animal genetic resources available.
| FAO-led Activities | |
| Type of activity | Purpose/Output |
| SLOVAKIA - TCP project - Sectoral policy assistance | Drawing up a Strategy for Animal Breeding Development drafted. Animal breeding legislation and related by-laws revised based on OIE/EU standards. |
| TURKEY - TCP project - Technology transfer, sectoral policy assistance | Evaluation, testing and demonstration of appropriate technologies in feed production. Provision of a strategic plan for the implementation of feed production by commercial feed plants, farmers' groups and individual farmers. |
| BALTIC STATES - TCP Regional project - Training, capacity building | Improved Meat through Epidemiology-based Control of Trichinellosis by increasing the competence of the National Veterinary Services, the National Universities and Veterinary Associations,enabling them to confidently implement epidemiological studies, diagnose Trichinellosis and manage disease information data. |
| TURKEY, IRAN - TCPI - Training, capacity building | Strengthening the control of Foot and Mouth Disease: Emergency preparedness contributing to increased capacity in adequate monitoring and control and to establish an efficient preparedness surveillance and control programme. |
Contribution to Activities of Partner Organizations |
|
| Partner Organization | Event/Purpose/Output |
| EUFMD/EC/OIE | EUFMD and EU are providing financial support to the ARRIAH for establishing a buffer zone for FMD control in the Caucasian Region. |
| European Association for Animal Production (EAAP) and International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR) | Organization of Workshops on the Development of programmes for Cooperation on Animal Genetic Resources Managements: (i) Lithuania, June 1998 for Nordic Countries, Baltic States and Poland; (ii) Greece, June 1999 for countries of South Eastern Europe. |
| EAAP | Workshop on Advisory Services on Animal production for the Baltic States
(Estonia, November 1999). .../ |
| Government of France | Establishment of temporary Regional Focal Point for Animal Genetic Resources (RFP). The Government of France has received the support of countries to accommodate and financially support the RFP with contributions from other European donors. |
| EAAP | All European countries were invited in 1998 to update their National Animal Genetic Resources Databanks within the Domestic Animal diversity Information System (DAD-IS) on the production of the 3rd edition of the World Watch List for Domestic Animal Diversity (WWL-DAD). |
| European Commission on Foot and Mouth Disease (EUFMD), European Union | First and Second Regional Workshops on Contingency Planning and Disease Emergency Preparedness (Poland, March and December 1998) : recommended an extension of the CENTAUR Network to cover Balkan and Baltic countries and to include modern veterinary epidemiology as the component of CENTAUR. The CENTAUR network has over 400 members linked through an electronic discussion group. |
| National institutions and OIE | Organization of 5 workshops (held in Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic) for the establishment of a computerized network for the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia resulting in an upgrading of laboratory diagnosis and veterinary vaccine standards (veterinary biotechnology) in order to achieve full compatibility with the OIE and EU requirements. Over 120 scientists trained and links have been established with international organization, Western European as well as US and Canadian Centres of Excellence. |
| State Veterinary Committee in Azerbaijan | Support to the State Committee for identifying the possible assistance needs to reorganize the public and private veterinary services and to assist the Committee in integrating animal health activities within three pilot areas of a WB-financed Agriculture Development and Credit project. |
Programme 2.1.4: Agricultural Support Systems
5. The programme assists member countries in promoting entrepreneurship in agriculture, agri-business and agricultural support services in order to enhance the production and marketing of food and other agricultural products and to improve rural livelihoods.
| FAO-led Activities | |
| Type of activity | Purpose/Output |
| ALBANIA - GCP project, donor - Italy - Institutional development | Agricultural Production Support. Backstopping for the implementation of project in the area of farm supplies and services - specializing in support for farm equipment and off-farm agro-processing activities. |
| BULGARIA, MALTA - two TCP projects (see also programme 3.1.2 )- Technical assistance | Advice on agri-business/marketing and Rural Finance components as part of
Agricultural Sector Reviews projects. .../ |
| ALBANIA, BULGARIA, CROATIA, CZECH REPUBLIC, GEORGIA, HUNGARY, LATVIA, LITHUANIA, the FYR of MACEDONIA, MOLDOVA, POLAND, ROMANIA, SLOVAKIA - Technical analysis | Survey of market information services. Studies will be examined at a regional workshop on market information systems development and improvement (Budapest, May 2000). |
| Contribution in project formulation | Contributed to the elaboration of the Emergency Farm Reconstruction Programme in Kosovo to be financed by the WB (farm mechanization component). |
| Development of programmes | (i) Production of the FAO AgriMarket software to facilitate the organization and dissemination of market information; (ii) further development the FAO MicroBanking System now operating in several Eastern European countries. |
| Contribution to Activities of Partner Organizations | |
| Partner Organization | Event/Purpose/Output |
| King's College (London) | Provide support on the production of biohydrogen - one of the most promising short-term alternatives to fossil fuels. |
| IAEA/WHO | Provide input and organization of a joint FAO/IAEA/WHO International Conference on Ensuring the Safety and Quality of Food Through Radiation processing (Turkey, October 1999). |
| GTZ | Production of a series of manuals on improving the provision of banking services to farmers. Most relevant titles for the Region: Agricultural Finance - Getting the Policies Right; Sources of funds for Agricultural Lending |
Programme 2.1.5: Agricultural Applications of Isotopes and Biotechnology
6. The programme is implemented jointly with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and includes research, training and other services from the FAO/IAEA Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratory at Seibersdorf (Vienna).
| FAO-led Activities | |
| Type of activity | Purpose/Output |
| Technical assistance in over 30 FAO/IAEA Coordinated Research projects | Designed to address a variety of constraints to sustainable food security within the Region including (i) water use efficiency through fertilization; (ii) industrial crop improvement; (iii) marker assisted selection methods; (iv) improvement of AI services and diagnostic methods for EMPRES diseases; (v) methods of analysis for residues and contaminants covered by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. |
| Technical assistance and backstopping to projects implemented in (i) Turkey, (ii) the FYR of Macedonia, (iii) Cyprus, and (iv) Portugal | For (i) improving drip irrigation of potato and sero-surveillance of
rinderpest; (ii) improving wheat yields, oil seed quality and diagnosis of brucellosis;
(iii) monitoring of veterinary drug residues; and (iv) under an EU funded project for the
control of the Mediterranean fruit fly on the island of Porto Santo and Madeira. .../ |
| Contribution to Activities of Partner Organizations | |
| Partner Organization | Event/Purpose/Output |
| IAEA/WHO | Provide input and organization of a joint FAO/IAEA/WHO International Conference on Ensuring the Safety and Quality of Food Through Radiation processing (Turkey, October 1999). |
| AOAC International, ISO, IUPAC | Input and organization of the International Conference on Principles and practices of method validation for analysis of pesticide and veterinary drug residues (Hungary, 1999). Establishment of an international food contaminant and residues information system (INFOCRIS) on Internet which provides national food control laboratories the current information on methods of analysis and sampling for contaminants and residues covered by Codex Standards. |
MAJOR PROGRAMME 2.2: FOOD AND AGRICULTURE POLICY AND DEVELOPMENT
Programme 2.2.1: Nutrition and Food Quality Control and Consumer Protection
7. This programme aims to assist Member Governments to: identify, analyze and monitor household food security and nutrition problems; design and implement appropriate policies and interventions to improve nutrition; and protect the quality and safety of both domestically produced and internationally traded food supplies. The work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission continues to have a major impact in assisting countries in improving consumer protection and enhancing their access to international markets for food exports.
| FAO-led Activities | |
| Type of activity | Purpose/Output |
| LITHUANIA - TCP project - Technical assistance and training | Improving Food Control Administration and Strengthening Food Import/Export Control and Food Analytical Services. |
| MOLDOVA - TCP project - Institution building | Assistance for strengthening the Organization of the National Codex Committee by inter alia training 50 professionals in the international procedures used in the setting of Codex standards, guidelines and recommendations. |
| SLOVAKIA - TCP project - Institutional strengthening, capacity building | Assistance for strengthening Food Quality Control in order to revise and update food regulations and standards in line with those of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. |
| ALBANIA, FYR of MACEDONIA - Nutrition assessments | Carried to assess impact of influx of refugees from war stricken Kosovo Province. Additional technical assistance was also provided to the UN community in these countries. |
| Technical advice and assistance | In 1998 and 1999, countries in the Region began to implement Plans of
Action for improving nutrition as recommended by the ICN and FAO provided technical
support for the production of a national food composition data base. Assistance was also
provided for the establishment of regional technical cooperation networks in the area of
food composition for Central and Eastern European countries. .../ |
| POLAND - TCP project - Survey | Household Food Consumption and Anthropometric Survey. It is expected that the outputs will provide guidance for implementing the Nutrition Plan of Action and also establish a system for the regular collection and analysis of data at different levels of aggregation that will allow formulation, implementation and monitoring the impact of nutrition programmes. |
| Contribution to Activities of Partner Organizations | |
| Partner Organization | Event/Purpose/Output |
| National Codex Committees | Workshop (Lithuania, June 1998) on the administration of these Committees for selected Central and Eastern European and CIS countries. |
| National Food Control Institutions | 11-Day regional training course on the application of good manufacturing practices and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system (Latvia, May 1999). |
| 21st Session of the Codex Coordinating Committee for Europe (Spain, 5-8 May 1998): focussed on the improvement of harmonization of food legislation, exchange of information on import/export matters and the specific functions of Codex Contact Points. | |
| International workshop on Principles and practices of Method Validation (Hungary, November 1999) | |
| WHO | (i) Joint FAO/WHO Consultation on the application of risk communication
to food standards and safety matters (Rome, February 1998). (ii) Joint FAO/WHO Consultation on the role of government agencies on regulatory assessment of HACCP (Geneva, June 1998). (iii) Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on Risk Assessment of microbiological hazards in foods (Geneva, March 1999). |
| ILSI Europe/European Commission Project on Nutrition and Diet for Healthy Lifestyles | Provided input and participated in two scientific symposia organized by ILSI Europe on addressing obesity in children and on physical activity and nutrition. |
| The Netherlands Nutrition Centre | Production of guidelines on nutrition education curricula for primary schools. |
| International Agricultural Centre in Wageningen (the Netherlands) | Production of a training programme for "Nutrition Education and Promotion in Developing countries". |
Programme 2.2.2: Food and Agricultural Information
8. This large programme regroups key activities in the realm of collection, analysis and dissemination of information, aiming at quality and reliability, as well as easy and cost effective access by users both within and outside FAO. It contains in particular Sub-programme 2.2.2.5 Food Information and Early Warning Systems (GIEWS) to monitor the near-term food situation and outlook at both the global and individual country level, alerting Members and the international community of impending serious food shortages so that timely action can be taken to avoid or minimize human suffering.
| FAO-led Activities | |
| Type of activity | Purpose/Output |
| ALBANIA and the FRY of MACEDONIA, (June 1999); KOSOVO PROVINCE of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (July/August 1999) | Joint FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Missions. In addition, GIEWS was instrumental in the formulation of a joint FAO/WFP TCP project "Support for a Food Security Surveillance Capacity in the Kosovo Province". |
| GCP/RER/012/EC (US$ 1.1 million) | Intensified monitoring of the cropping and food supply situation in CIS countries. |
Contribution to Activities of Partner Organizations |
|
| Partner Organization | Event/Purpose/Output |
| University of Agriculture (Godollo - Hungary) | Conduct of Agro-Web Workshop for Central and Eastern European countries (April, 1999). Capacity building workshop on "National FAO Committees on Internet" (December 1999) to improve dissemination of agricultural information at regional level. |
| National Agricultural Information Institution | Contribution and participation in Round Table on the "Stabilization and development of human resources in agricultural information system in Central and Eastern European territory" (Moscow, May 1999) to which attendance was ensured from 21 countries in the Region. |
| Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) - Turkey | Conduct of seminar (Ankara, December 1999) in which MARA officials were informed of the different systems developed by WAICENTand on the recent developments in the FIVIMS mapping system and electronic publishing on the Internet. |
| Agro-Institute (Slovakia)/Prague Agricultural University | Organization and conduct of two training sessions on food balance sheets (Nitra, 1998) and the processing analysis of food consumption data from household surveys . Participation by experts from Central and Eastern European and CIS countries was ensured (Prague, 1999).. |
| ECE/Eurostat | Participation and paper presentation for the ECE/Eurostat meeting on Methodological Issues of Environment Statistics (Israel, October 1999) |
| ECE/OECD/Eurostat | Participation and preparation of document "How to integrate economic
aspect of agriculture with other economic activities of households" for the Joint
ECE/OECD/Eurostat/FAO meeting on Food and Agricultural Statistics in Europe (Geneva, June
1999). Preparation of document "Measurement of Instability of Agricultural production
and the Associated Risk of insecurity" for the 6th session of the
ECE/OECD/Eurostat/FAO IWG.AGRI seminar on Agricultural Statistics (St. Petersburg,
June/July 1998). .../ |
| Prague Agricultural University (under UTF agreement) | Production of a set of guidelines for adapting FAO's handbook "A System of Economic Accounts for Food and Agriculture" to the needs of countries in transition. |
| Space Applications Institute of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre | As of March 1999, GIEWS has access to real-time SPOT-4 VEGETATION satellite imagery cover for all the Central and Eastern European and CIS countries. There are available every 10 days for crop monitoring. |
Programme 2.2.4: Agriculture, Food Security and Trade Policy
9. This programme involves inter alia comparative analyses contributing to policy advice. Food security and agricultural policy analyses are aimed at enhancing Members''capacity to develop, implement and adjust policies in response to rapidly changing conditions and identifying issues requiring attention by the international community.
| Contribution to Activities of Partner Organizations | |
| Partner Organization | Event/Purpose/Output |
| Institut fur Agrarentwicklung in Mittel- und Osteuropa (IAMO) | A Workshop was co-organized by FAO and IAMO on the role of Agriculture in transition economies. FAO contributed (i) two papers on the analytical and empirical framework for looking into the short term and long term position of agriculture during transition, and (ii) three case studies using the analytical and variants of the empirical framework to exmine those issues. IAMO contributed 5 methodological studies for looking into the questions of the role of agriculture during transition. The proceedings of the workshop along with two synthetic papers will be included in a volume to be co-published by FAO and IAMO. |
MAJOR PROGRAMME 2.3: FISHERIES
10. Countries need to put their fisheries on a long-term sustainable basis, develop aquaculture and ensure sound fisheries management to give effect to the Code of Conduct of Responsible Fisheries and other recent international fishery instruments.
| FAO-led Activities | |
| Type of activity | Purpose/Output |
| LITHUANIA - TCP project - Technical assistance | Developing a plan for the restoration of the migration routes of Baltic Salmon through the Gargzdai and Kavarskas Dams. |
| BALTIC STATES - TCP Regional project - Technical assistance | Restructuring of the Fish Canning Industry in the three Baltic States in line with current requirements of technical standards, quality control, HACCP procedures and with the application of satisfactory pollution abating technologies applied. |
| ADRIAMED - GCP Regional project, donor : Italy - Research cooperation, monitoring | Scientific Cooperation to support responsible fisheries in the Adriatic
Sea (ADRIAMED) by strengthening cooperative arrangements and collaborative mechanisms
between relevant fisheries-related institutions (public and private) and the establishment
of sub-regional monitoring system. .../ |
| MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES - GCP Regional project, donor: Spain - Research cooperation, technical assistance | Assessment, technical support and creation of cooperation networks in the management of fisheries resources in the Mediterranean by facilitating cooperation between scientists in the countries involved and strengthening technical capabilities by standardizing methodologies and databases so that resources are more accurately evaluated and socio-economic and environmental aspects taken into account. |
| 17 CEE and CIS countries - GCP Regional project, Phase II, donor: Denmark - Technical assistance, training | EASTFISH. Facilitate the structural adjustment of the fishery by providing market information, managerial expertise, training in business procedures, preparation of investment proposals and technical advice and assistance in quality assurance and production of fishery products for export. |
| Contribution to Activities of Partner Organizations | |
| Partner Organization | Event/Purpose/Output |
| Eurostat and International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) | FAO, Eurostat and ICES participated in the 18th Session of the Coordinating Working Party on fishery statistics (Luxembourg, 1999) which recommended the electronic publication of North Atlantic catch statistics be prepared jointly and that collective efforts be made to improve statistics on international trade of fishery products. |
11. This major programme covers key technical areas in sustainable forest management, including: resource assessment and utilization; forest management and conservation techniques; statistics and outlook studies; and policy, planning and institution building. It contributes to the development of national forest programmes, provides technical support to member countries and ensures dissemination of quality information.
| FAO-led Activities | |
| Type of activity | Purpose/Output |
| SLOVAKIA - TCP project - Sectoral policy assistance, institutional development | Harmonization of legislation and strategy for development of the forestry sector by developing the legal instruments and enhancing the institutional capabilities to identify investment priorities and formulate investment projects, and to harmonise forestry policy and legislation with those of the EU in view of eventual membership. |
| LITHUANIA - TCP project - Capacity building, institutional strengthening | Development of the private forestry sector by establishing organization structures and developing appropriate policy, legal and other institutional instruments to support the evolution of private forestry and to identify economically and environmentally viable models for private owners of forests and related industries. |
| LATVIA - TCP project - Institutional development | Strengthening the institutional capacity of the forest authority in the
transition from a centrally planned to market economy of the forestry sector. .../ |
| HUNGARY - TCP project - Technical assistance, sectoral policy assistance | Design of a regional forest and rural development plan based on the natural resources available in the Bujak region to increase its capacity to generate employment and income for the local population. Experience gained to be replicated to other regions with similar conditions. |
| SLOVENIA - TCP project - Capacity building, institutional strengthening | Capacity building of the National Forest Service and related support systems for improved forest management through programme development of in-service and continuing education and institutional strengthening in support of private and family forestry. |
| ROMANIA, BULGARIA, MOLDOVA - three TCP projects - Emergency assistance | Emergency programmes for the control of pests affecting forests. |
| ALBANIA - GCP project, donor: Italy - Technical assistance | Part of larger project co-financed by WB: assistance in the transition towards sustainable forest management, nature conservation and a commercially viable operation of State Forests. |
| TURKEY - TCP project - Capacity building | Development of modern forest fire prevention and control strategies. |
| TURKEY - TCP project - Technical assistance | Improvement of the Urban Habitat: Urban Forestry/ Greening Plan for Karsiyaka Municipality. |
| Contribution to Activities of Partner Organizations | |
| Partner Organization | Event/Purpose/Output |
| Ministerial Conferences on the Protection of Forests in Europe | 1990,1993 and 1998. Special efforts have been placed on supporting the development of Pan-European critera and indicators for sustainable forest management currently being tested and implemented by European countries at national and forest unit levels. |
| ECE | FRA (Forest Resources Assessment) programme. The Temperate and Boreal Forest Rsource Assessment 2000 (TBFRA) was completed as a contribution to the global Forest Resource Assessment 2000. Within FRA framework, forest plantation activities concentrated on the assembly of information on plantation areas and yields, and the aggregation of information at the regional and global levels. |
| ECE | FAO supported the ECE Timber Committee workshop on certification of sustainable forest management in countries in transition (Czech Republic, 1998) and the market discussions at the Committee meeting in September 1999. |
| Confederation of European Paper Industry (CEPI) | Preparation of joint statistics on recovered paper data, and extension to
other stastistics is under review. .../ |
| European Forest Institute (EFI)/Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland/ECE | Non-Wood Forest Products (NWFP): participated in (i) a seminar on research approaches to support NWFP sector development (Russian Federation) organized by EFI and Finnish Min. Ag. and Forestry, (ii) an International Expert Workshop on the sustainable Development of Non-Wood Goods and Benefits from Boreal and Cold Temperate Forests (Finland, 1998). Supported the Tropenbos NWFP programme in the realization of the seminar "Research on non-timber forest products in the Tropenbos programme : results and perspectives" (the Netherlands, 1999). Continued to strengthen NWFP networking programme among stakeholders in the European region through its "Database on Agencies dealing with NWFPs". |
| European Forest Genetic Resources Programme (EUFORGEN)/International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) | Supported the organization of a series of sub-regional workshops on forest genetic resources and the elaboration of coordinated regional action plans. Continued activities in the management of forest genetic resources, including their conservation, enhancement and sustainable utilization in line with recommendations of the 11th session of the FAO Panel of Experts on Forest Gene Resources (1999). |
| FAO/ECE/ILO committee on Forest Technology | Continued exchange of information and experience among practitioners, scientists and policy experts. Organization of (i) workshop on training of contractors, supervisors, operators of harvesters and small forest owners (France 1998), (ii) seminar on improving working conditions and increasing productivity in Forestry (Slovakia 1998), (iii) expert meeting on environmentally Sound Forest Operations for countries in transition (Austria, 1998). |
MAJOR PROGRAMME 2.5: CONTRIBUTIONS TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND SPECIAL PROGRAMME THRUSTS
Programme: 2.5.1 Research, Natural Resources Management and Technology Transfer
12. This programme pursues four main goals aiming at provision of comprehensive information relating to the environment and the management of natural resources; assistance in research and technology generation, establishment of research partnerships at the national, regional and global levels; prmoting cost-effective human resource development and technology transfer for sustainable agriculture and food security; coordination of follow-up activities to UNCED Agenda 21 and related conventions.
| FAO-led Activities | |
| Type of activity | Purpose/Output |
| AZERBAIJAN - TCP project - Capacity building BULGARIA - TCP project - Capacity building |
Assistance in Strengthening Capacity in Inventory of Land
Cover and Land Use by Remote Sensing. .../ |
| SLOVENIA - TCP project - Technical assistance in Education and Training reforms | Restructuring Middle Level Agricultural Education and Training. Assistance provided to elaborate a strategy aiming at increasing the efficiency of the middle level agricultural education system. |
| ALBANIA - GCP project, donor: Italy - Project formulation | Formulation of a communication component for this project. |
| Contribution to Activities of Partner Organizations | |
| Partner Organization | Event/Purpose/Output |
| European Forum on Agricultural Research and Development (ARD)/European Initiative for Agricultural Research for Development (EIARD) | Participation in and contribution to (i) the 1st ARD meeting (the Netherlands, April 1999) under the auspices of the EIARD. The meeting was convened to increase coordination, exchange information and encourage the participation of all stakeholders in the pursuit of strengthening a European response to global food security. Five subject areas were prioritized for a common European strategy for ARD, namely: Natural Resources Management, Genetic Resources Management and Biotechnology, Rural Transformation and Innovation, Crops (not covered by CGIAR) and Information and Communication Systems. ARD also coordinates the European participation in the First Global Forum on Agricultural Research (Dresden, May 2000) |
| Participation in and contribution to (i) the Conference Towards an Agenda for Agricultural Research in Europe organized by the Wageningen University/Dutch National Council for Agricultural Research/Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries (April 1999); (ii) 5th Scientific Conference on Organice Agriculture (Berlin, February 1999); (iii) Conference on development of Biological Agriculture - future challenges (Lyon, December 1999). (iv) Organization of the Session : Science, Agriculture and Food Security within the World Conference on Science for the 21st Century: a New Commitment (Hungary, June/July 1999) in collaboration with CGIAR, ICSU and the Government of Italy. (v) Jointly organized with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and with the support of the Government of the Netherlands, an international workshop on agricultural biodiversity (December 1998) in which over 60 participants from 20 countries in the Region was ensured. | |
| Government of the Netherlands | Contributed to the FAO/Netherlands Conference on the
Multifunctional Character of Agriculture and Land (Maastricht, September 1999) - ERC/00/6
refers. .../ |
| National Governments | Global Terrestrial Observing Systems (GTOS) meetings were organized, mainly in Budapest, with the aim of identifying the data and information requirements to support national participation in the international environmental conventions on biodiversity, climate change and desertification. This involved working with a number of Central and Eastern European countries but concentrating on the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. |
| EU funded No Limits Project | GTOS also served on the board of director for this project which is developing integrated environmental monitoring networks in Europe. This led to the organization of an international conference in Oxford that included participation from 18 European countries and a database of European environmental monitoring sites. |
| Herrsching University | Co-organization and input for the 19th International Seminar for the Promotion of Rural Youth Work (Germany, 1998) and preparation of training programme in rural youth development and food security. |
| ITU | Participation in the regional seminar on multi-purpose telecentres for Central European countries (Hungary, 1998) organized by ITU in collaboration with UNESCO. |
| Estonian University | Participation and input for the workshop on curriculum development in agro-ecology leading to the formulation of a project proposal on educational partnerships in distance learning in the Nordic/Baltic region (Estonia, 1999). |
| WB | Participation in the Second WB/FAO European Accession Workshop (Poland, June 1999) with relevant preparation and presentation of paper on extension, research and farm competitiveness in Central and Eastern Europe. |
Programme: 2.5.2 Women and Population
13. The programme covers a range of policy advisory services and human resource development activities. The programme promotes effective service delivery systems to rural households, as well as the development and provision of environmentally-sound technologies. To promote household food security, particular attention is paid to the expansion of rural employment opportunities.
| FAO-led Activities | |
| Type of activity | Purpose/Output |
| CEE and CIS countries - GCP project, European component, donor: Finland - | Provide backstopping in the preparation of a "Farm Household Resource Management (Home Economics) for Rural Family Development" programme to test and revise the manual for agricultural extension and home-economic personnel on micro-enterprise development, household resource management and intrahousehold issues and to allow for national capacity building in socio-economic and gender analysis (SEAGA). Under the same programme, a pilot research project was carried out by social scientists from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The project team developed and tested a cost-effective methodology for the collection and analysis of sensitive data (division of labour, participation in decision making and access to resources for rural producers) by gender. The methodology will be implemented further on a regional level in countries in transition. |
| Contribution to Activities of Partner Organizations | |
| Partner Organization | Event/Purpose/Output |
| Empresa Publica para el Desarrollo Agrario y Pesquero de Andalucia (DAP - Spain) | Since 1998, provided backstopping for joint FAO/DAP study on "The Study on the Socio-Economic situation of rural women in Spain". The study was initiated to develop a methodology that will allow for collection and analysis of gender disagregated data. The methodology was useful to carry out the pilot study "Men and women in Bulgarian agriculture: Division of labour, decision-making and access to resources". |
| National Institutions | Organization of two International Rural Development Summer
Schools : (i) the 11th International Rural Development Summer School on
Microfinance Models and their Role in the Socio-economic Development of Rural Communities
(Tripoli, Greece, 1998) and (ii) the 12th International Rural Development
Summer School on the role of NGOs in Rural Development (Roosta, Estonia, 1999). Organization of two workshops: (i) Workshop on Women's participation in policy-making processes in rural communities (Norway, May 1998) the objective of which was to facilitate rural women's access to policy-makers and to advance their own participation in decision and policy making in their communities; (ii) the first all European SEAGA training of trainers workshop (Spain, May/June 1999) the objective of which was capacity building at regional and national level inSEAGA with a view to incorporating gender issues into policies, programmes and projects. |
Programme: 2.5.3 Rural Development
14. The programme is to assist Member Nations in implementing programmes directed explicitly at rural development, and to generate enabling environments that will encourage the broad participation of all sectors in the development process. The main emphasis is on improved access to productive assets, strengthening of public, private and civil institutions at all levels, and formation of partnerships to support developments and share knowledge on these processes.
| FAO-led Activities | |
| Type of activity | Purpose/Output |
| TURKEY - TCP project - Institutional development | Assistance in Developing Producers' Unions, within the framework of the ongoing process of agricultural policy and institutional reform. |
| Project "Institutional patterns of rural development in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe" - Joint SDA/SEUR activity | Phase I implemented in 1999 ( preparation of country studies by national authors in Hungary, Lithuania, Poland and Romania). The project focuses on the institutional aspects of rural/agricultural development, including closely interrelated technical areas, such as : the status of land transactions, land tenure types, farm management, non-agricultural rural institutions/organizations. The immediate objective of the project is to assess the present status of institutional changes and national institutional policies/strategies and to establish institutional development patterns in selected pilot countries. The long-term objective is to develop post-transitional institutional models of rural development for the specific conditions of the countries with economies in transition. |
| Government of Italy | Introduction of the "Bertinoro Initiative" to assist transition countries in Central and Eastern Europe and CIS in their development of effective and efficient land tenure and land administration systems. This initiative has provided a forum for participants from 18 countries. In 1997, the 1st Bertinoro seminar focused on Northeast Europe, in 1998 on the Black Sea countries and in 1999 on countries in Southeast Europe. The seminars were all held at the University Residential Centre in Bertinoro (Forli, Italy). |
| Contribution to Activities of Partner Organizations | |
| Partner Organization | Event/Purpose/Output |
| Humboldt University of Berlin (HU) - Central and Eastern Sustainable Agriculture (CEESA) Network | Collaboration since 1998. CEESA is a project of an international group of specialists, proposed and designed by the HU, with both research and information/advocacy functions which serves as a forum for exchange of views, knowledge and results on sustainable agricultural development among specialists from the EU and CEE countries, as well as decision and policy makers of the CEE sub-region. So far two seminars have been held one in Hungary (March 1999) and one in Romania (November 1999). |
| World Bank/EU | Co-organization and contribution to the 1st WB/EU Accession Workshop in the Rural Sector focussing on regional and international trade agreements (Hungary, June 1998), and 2nd WB/EU Accession Workshop on structural change in the farming sectors of Central and Eastern Europe (Poland, June 1999). |
