1. The Programme Implementation Report 1996-97 (C99/8) provided information on the Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS) as part of the implementation report related to Programme 2.5.6 - Food Production in Support of Food Security in LIFDCs, paragraphs 254-263. This note supplements and updates the information on the SPFS provided in that report.

2. Between 31 December 1997 and 30 September 1998 the number of countries with operational SPFS projects increased from 29 to 37. In Africa the number of participating countries increased to 20 with the addition of Madagascar, Nigeria and Uganda. In Asia and the Pacific the number increased to 8 with the addition of Bangladesh, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Pakistan. The number also increased in Europe with the addition of Albania and Georgia bringing the total to 3, while the Near East and North Africa Region and Latin America and the Caribbean Region remained the same with 3 countries each. The number of countries with projects under formulation totalled 36 at the end of September 1998. These countries are listed in Table 1.

3. The current status of donor support to the SPFS is shown in Table 2. During the first 9 months of 1998, the mobilization of extra budgetary support increased from the US$ 20.2 million reported in the Programme Implementation Report to US$ 34.8 million. Additional funds were pledged by or secured from the Republic of Korea, France, UNDP, IFAD, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank and the European Union. In addition, contributions were received from the International Olympic Committee and the private sector in Tanzania. Intended recipients of this assistance, which was to be channelled either through FAO or bilaterally, included: Albania, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Comoros, Djibouti, Ecuador, Gambia, Guinea, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Madagascar, Nepal, Niger, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia.

4. The Regular Programme expenditures for the SPFS totalled US$ 10 738 000 in 1996-97 and in the Programme Implementation Report this expenditure was reported as part of TCP and SPFS Delivery within the Field Programme. For the most part, SPFS and TCP expenditures are reported under the field programme of the technical programmes most directly related to the work being undertaken. In this regard, cross-sectoral projects and formulation missions totalling US$ 2 210 000, which could not be assigned to a specific technical programme in 1996-97, were reported under the Field Programme of Programme 2.5.6 - Food Production in Support of Food Security in LIFDCs.

5. Member countries also have the prerogative to request TCP projects that complement and support SPFS activities. Through the end of September 1998, TCP projects directly related to the SPFS had been approved for 12 countries. The value of these projects, most of which are scheduled for implementation during 1998-99 totals US$ 2.5 million. Expenditures against these projects included US$ 352 000 during 1996-97 and US$ 335 000 during the first 9 months of 1998.

6. Participation in the initiative to foster South-South Cooperation has accelerated rapidly during 1998. In addition to the cooperation between Vietnam and Senegal which was on-going at the end of 1997, new agreements have become operational between China and Ethiopia, India and Eritrea, Morocco and Niger and Morocco and Burkina Faso. Additional South-South Cooperation agreements under preparation include Egypt with Tanzania and Djibouti; Vietnam with Benin; China with Mali and Mauritania, Bangladesh with Gambia; and Turkey with Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.