10 July 1995

Doc. 7350

REPORT

on relations between the Assembly

and the United Nations organisations

specialising in the areas of

food, agriculture and rural development

(Rapporteur: Mrs ANTTILA,

Finland, Liberal, Democratic and Reformers' Group)


Summary

      Since the Assembly was created it has taken a particular interest in food security in Europe and the world. It considers that adequate access to drinking water and food is a fundamental human right. The Assembly has followed developments in this field through its close contacts with the competent specialised United Nations agencies:

FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations), WFP (World Food Programme) and IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development).

      The rapidly increasing world population and the over-exploitation of renewable resources could threaten world food security and result in considerable suffering, civil strife and even war. This report therefore suggests a strengthening of the policy-monitoring process of the Assembly by asking the Sub-Committee on World Food Problems (of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development) to conduct regular meetings (every second year) with the United Nations specialised agencies in Rome.

I. Draft order

1.       The Assembly recognises that access to adequate supplies of food and water is fundamental to human existence and happiness.

2.       It is concerned that the over-exploitation of the world's renewable and natural resources by a rapidly growing world population may severely threaten food security and result in grave civil strife and wars. It is particularly concerned about the situation of the poorest populations.

3.       The Assembly is satisfied with its long-standing close relations with the United Nations specialised agencies in this field, FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations), WFP (World Food Programme) and IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development), and wishes to maintain these in the future in order to be informed of any major problems with regard to the world food and agricultural situation.

4.       Consequently, it instructs its Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, through its Sub-Committee on World Food Problems, to conduct regular enquiries into problems in this area and to suggest necessary policy reforms to improve the situation.

II. Explanatory memorandum

by Mrs ANTTILA

1. Introduction

      The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development and its predecessor, the Committee on Agriculture, has always taken an active interest in problems regarding the world food situation. A standing priority was the maintenance and strengthening of food security. The preparation of reports to the Assembly was made possible in particular through close contacts with the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations and its World Food Programme (WFP).

      The present report will review this relationship in the light of the increased pressure on natural resources caused by a rapidly increasing world population. World food security could be jeopardised and the populations in the poorer parts of the world may permanently suffer the consequences.

      A close monitoring of policies with regard to agricultural and rural development as well as food security is therefore needed. This report suggests that the Sub-Committee on World Food Problems be given a firm mandate to co-operate with the UN specialised agencies in this field and to report back to the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development and the Assembly on major problems. The Assembly could then debate the necessary policy reforms and make proposals to governments.

2. History

      At its 7th sitting (in 1955), the Assembly was asked by the Committee of Ministers to give an opinion on the draft agreement between the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations and the Council of Europe. The Assembly expressed its belief that it should "have the benefit of the knowledge and experience of the specialised agencies [of the UN] so that it may develop its capacities as a parliamentary body". It expressed the opinion that "relations between the Consultative Assembly and the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation should be established on the lines proposed by the Committee of Ministers", i.e. exchange of information, mutual consultation and participation in each other's meetings where relevant. The agreement also provided the Assembly with a possibility of proposing items for inclusion in the agenda of the Council of FAO or in the agenda of the FAO Conference and visa versa.

      In 1959, the Committee on Agriculture presented a report to the Assembly on the FAO seed campaign and in 1960 it made its first report on the activities of the FAO. In 1962, the Committee presented its first report on the World Food Programme of the FAO and its second report on the activities of the FAO itself. A natural consequence of this and other reports relative to FAO was the creation, in 1966, of a Sub-Committee on Relations with FAO. By 1978, eight reports on the activities of the FAO and six reports on the World Food Programme had been presented to the Assembly as well as several reports on specific problems related to the European and world food and agriculture situation. The name of the sub-committee was consequently changed to "Sub-Committee on relations with the FAO and WFP". It will be remembered that, in this connection, the Sub-Committee participated in the meeting held by the FAO and the UN Economic Commission for Europe, in Portugal in May 1989.

      In 1990, the Sub-Committee on Relations with the FAO and the WFP adopted the name by which it is known today, namely the "Sub-Committee on World Food Problems". This new name was adopted with a view to extending the Sub-Committee's mandate and promoting international co-operation on a broader scale (with the World Bank, the OECD, and the European Union). However, from this point on contacts with the FAO, the WFP and the IFAD became less regular.

      Following the visit by Dame Peggy Fenner, Chair of the Sub-Committee, to the aforementioned bodies (Rome, November 1990), a meeting of the Sub-Committee with the United Nations organisations in Rome was held from 6 to 8 May 1991. These meetings were very productive and led to the drafting of a global report on food aid and food security policies, and a resolution adopted by the Assembly on 23 April 1991 (Doc. 6404, Resolution 961 (1991), Rapporteur: Dame Peggy Fenner). However, since this meeting in Rome the regular contacts have ceased, although FAO experts have often participated in meetings organised by the Sub-Committee and the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.

      In January 1994, the Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Scheer (former Chairman of the Sub-Committee on World Food Problems), proposed that contact be re-established with the United Nations organisations specialising in food, agriculture and rural development. This proposal was met with unanimous support in the Committee and led to an exploratory meeting between the Secretariat of the Committee and representatives of the aforementioned organisations in June 1994. A summary of these contacts is given below.

3. Brief summary of the discussions held with the different

organisations in June 1994

WFP (World Food Programme)

(Meeting with Mr Shaw, Head of the Political Affairs Department)

      Discussion focused on the repercussions of the latest GATT agreements on food security. The World Food Programme's major preoccupation is the future of food aid and finding the most effective means of achieving tangible results. The two main challenges which it will have to face are: basic food supplies in emergency situations and the establishment of self-sufficient communities.

      The WFP Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes (CFA) is the main structure used to achieve these aims. Its future operations should be stepped up so as to keep food aid at a consistent and sustainable level.

      Protection of the environment is another problem which continually confronts the WFP. Poverty often leads to environmental damage, and in this connection the WFP has set about involving small-holders in projects for the sustainable development of the environment.

      At the end of the meeting Mr Shaw expressed the wish that the WFP and the Sub-Committee on World Food Problems resume regular dialogue1, because they shared the same interests and the same concerns.

IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development)

(Meetings with: Mr Brown, Vice-President of IFAD; Mr Dahal, Assistant President, Programme Management Department; Mr Tomita, Assistant President, Economic Policy and Resource Strategy Department;Mr Labban, External Relations Officer)

      Since its inception in 1977 the IFAD has been dealing with poverty and food security and working to increase agricultural and food production in the Third World. The prime objective of the projects it sets up is to help communities in developing countries to become self-sufficient.

      In any event, while natural disasters have considerably increased over the last five years and emergency and post-emergency programmes have become increasingly necessary, the major task of IFAD continues to be the reduction of rural poverty in developing countries through the support of agriculture and food-related projects.

      Biotechnology is another subject of particular interest to the IFAD. It represents the third technological revolution this century, following on from nuclear power and information technology, and is bound to have extremely far-reaching repercussions both in the industrialised countries and in the Third World.

      In the long term, by bringing entirely new products on to the market and affecting price structures, biotechnology is likely to bring changes in the current pattern of trade links. In addition, it could create new jobs, but might also lead to an increase in unemployment, particularly in countries where exports rely too much on one basic product.

      Finally, it raises ethical questions which humankind has rarely had to deal with until now.

      At the end of the meetings, several members of the organisation expressed their appreciation to the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development and hoped that closer co-operation could be re-established.

      They stressed that by working together we could achieve significant results.

FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations)

(Meetings with: Mr Greenfield, Head of the unit dealing with policies and commodity forecasts, Commodities and Trade Division; Mr De Montalembert, Director of the Forestry Policy and Planning Division; Mr Botero, Head of the Co-ordinating Centre for the Environment and Sustainable Development; Mr Best, Chief Co-ordinating Officer for energy, Research and Technology Development Division; Mr Villalobos, Chief Officer, Biotechnology of Plants, Plant Production and Protection Division; Mr Krell, Regional Officer, Regional Office for Europe)

      The FAO welcomes the positive result of the multilateral trade negotiations of the Uruguay Round. For a long time now the organisation has been stressing the need to liberalise agricultural trade, and actively supported the negotiations, particularly those on aid for developing countries including those which are net importers of food products. The agreement on agriculture, although quite detailed, constitutes nothing more than a partial liberalisation at this stage.

      The quantitative reduction of agricultural support measures is fairly modest and there are still significant distortions affecting the agricultural products market.

      The impact of this on developing countries will have to be taken into account as part of the structural adjustment programmes currently being carried out. As far as food and agricultural policy is concerned there is already a general trend towards more precise targeting of policies.

      A number of experts made statements on the problems of environment and sustainable development.

      It is since the Stockholm Conference in 1972 that priority has been given to environmental issues. Ad hoc administrators have been appointed to set up ongoing co-ordination.

      The energy issue is also of considerable interest to the FAO, whose work in this area falls into three main categories:

-       political activities, aimed in particular at poor rural areas with serious energy problems;

-       technological schemes, particularly those related to agriculturally-produced energy (biomass);

-       information campaigns, providing information fundamental to the understanding of FAO projects in this area.

      Finally, biotechnology is considered as a subject which raises many political, economic and ethical issues. The progress made in recent scientific research (particularly since 1983, when genetic engineering became a reality) is quite remarkable and surprising.

      However, it should not be forgotten that only rich countries have the resources to carry out research, and this may lead to the creation of monopolies which push poor countries to the back of the queue.

      The precise science of biotechnology has now become a commercial battleground.

      At the end of the meetings the FAO members showed considerable interest in ongoing co-operation with the Council of Europe and, in particular, with the Sub-Committee on World Food Problems.

3. Conclusions

      It is your Rapporteur's conviction that the world's food and agricultural situation could become most critical during the coming years. Development aid to the agricultural sector has dropped considerably during recent years and the food security of rural as well as urban populations is far from satisfactory. The population in the poorer countries are particularly vulnerable and suffering.

      The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has a moral obligation to carefully follow developments in this field. Access to an adequate supply of drinking water and food is a basic human rights issue.

      In consequence this report suggests giving the Sub-Committee on World Food Problems (of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development) a specific mandate to conduct in-depth consultations on a regular basis with the UN specialised agencies working with food problems, agricultural and rural development, for example by organising a meeting in Rome every second year.

      It is therefore necessary to amend the Assembly's Rules of Procedure concerning meetings of committees and sub-committees of the Assembly elsewhere than in Strasbourg or Paris (page 142, paragraph 3) by adding, at the end of the paragraph, a new sub-paragraph worded as follows: "the Sub-Committee on World Food Problems (of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development) may hold an additional meeting every second year in Rome".

Reporting committee: Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.

Budgetary implications for the Assembly: none.

Reference to committee: standing mandate

Draft order adopted unanimously by the committee on 26 April 1995.

Members of the Committee: MM. Scheer (Chairman), van der Linden, Szakál (Vice-Chairmen), Mrs Andnor, Mrs Anttila (Alternate: Mr Korkeaoja), MM. Bernardini, Bianchi (Alternate: Arata), Bonnici, Caballero, Cerny (Alternate: Hurta), Couveinhes, Crowley, (Alternate: Brennan), Figel, Fronzuti, Gunnarsson, Hoejland, Holte, Hornung, Sir Ralph Howell (Alternate: Mr Alexander), MM. Iuliano, Jeambrun, Kairys, Kiratlioglu, Kotsonis, Lanner, Lord Mackie of Benshie Mr Mändmets, Mrs Melandri, MM. Metelko, Michels, Mrs Moser (Alternate: Mr Minkov), MM. Rippinger, Rodrigues, Roger, Seiler, Sinka (Alternate: Pantelejevs), Smolarek, Thompson, Weyts

N.B. The names of those members present at the meeting are printed in italics.

Secretary to the committee: Mr Lervik


1 1       As is emphasised in Article 19a of the general rules of procedure of the WFP: "... it (the WFP) shall also co-operate in close liaison with appropriate international agencies and bodies that shall also be invited to attend meetings ...".