Matters arising from 33rd session of the FAO Conference, Rome 19-26 November 2005 (ARC 06/05)
The Conference:
1. welcomed the Director General’s presentation and the proposed FAO reform aimed at making the Organisation more effective and efficient, and positioning it as a Knowledge Organisation.
2. noted that decentralization was key to the reform and emphasized the need for greater services to the region, notably through the sub-regional economic communities and groupings including: CEN-SAD, COMESA, EAC, ECCAS, ECOWAS, IGAD, SADC and AMU. (paragraph 62).
3. stressed the need for additional effort to recruit national professional staff (paragraph 65).
4. emphasised the need for African member countries to meet their financial commitment and pay their arrears owed to the FAO ( paragraph 64).
5. called on member countries concerned to pursue a process of internal consultation to arrive at a consensus on the two countries to host the two new sub-regional offices for Eastern and Central Africa (paragraph 63).
Report on FAO Activities in the Region 2004-2005 with a focus on the Achievement of the World Food Summit (WFS) targets and the Millennium Devlopment Goals (ARC/06/2)
The Conference:
6. appreciated the report presented by Mr. Oloche Anebi Edache, Assistant-Director General and Regional Representative for Africa, on FAO activities in Africa during the biennium 2004-2005 as follow-up measures to the recommendations of the 23rd ARC, especially with regard to FAO technical assistance to member countries in the formulation and finalization of National Medium Term Investment Programmes and Bankable Investment Project Profiles in the NEPAD/CAADP framework, in the implementation of the SPFS and various other activities (paragraph 68).
7. commended FAO’s active role in support of African agriculture and expressed its appreciation of FAO support in the mobilization of financial resources to help overcome the invasion of desert locust (paragraph 67).
8. commended FAO for the positive response to the avian influenza crisis and noted that it would be useful to extend the support provided to the whole continent, in collaboration with other UN agencies and development partners (paragraph 68).
9. noted and praised the South-South cooperation programme in addressing emergency and development issues (paragraph 68).
Enhancing the Competitiveness of Agriculture and Natural Resources Management under Globalization and Liberalization to Promote Economic Growth (ARC/06/3)
For the Attention of Governments, Regional Economic Communities, and Research Organisations
The Conference:
10. noted that enhanced competiveness of agriculture (crops/livestock/forestry and fisheries) is crucial to economic growth and development in Africa, and has to be addressed by increasing productivity and marketing efficiency. (paragraph 71)
For the Attention of Governments, Regional Economic Communities, and Other Partners
The Conference:
11. noted that intra-regional trade presents challenges especially for the landlocked countries and recommended that special efforts should be made to develop infrastructure such as feeder roads, rail and water transportation to open up remote areas; (paragraph 77)
For the Attention of Governments, Regional Economic Communities, and FAO
The Conference:
12. recommended that an assessment of what needs to be done to promote trade within Africa should be carried out; (paragraph 79)
13. noted that there is currently lack of pooling of resources in trade negotiations and recommended that FAO plays an active role in:
(i) capacity building to strengthen skills on international trade standards in order to enhance access to markets;
(ii) analysing in which commodities member countries have competitive and comparative advantages; and
(iii) studies to develop common agricultural policies in the RECs; (paragraph 79)
For the Attention of FAO, Financial Institutions and other Specialized Agencies
The Conference:
14. noted the poor access by farmers to financial resources and the lack of strategies for resource mobilization;
(i) recognized the need to improve on current micro-financing strategies as well as develop strategies to facilitate Public-Private partnerships to improve investments and access to financing by farmers;
(ii) further recognized that intermediaries in financing are required and,
(iii) recommended that FAO in consultation with specialized institutions contribute to the organization of training in financing; (paragraph 81)
For the Attention of Governments, Research Organisations and International Financial Institutions
The Conference:
15. recognised the need to adapt technologies to local conditions and recommended that research should be reinforced through development of human resources with special attention given to the development of technologies that enhance rain-fed agriculture while supporting small-scale and low-cost irrigation and water harvesting technologies especially for semi-arid and drought prone areas;
16. noted that infrastructure development including irrigation, marketing, agro-processing, electrification etc. is a major constraint in many African countries and recognised the need for a concerted effort by government and public-private partnership to promote financing in this area (paragraph 78)
17. emphasised the significance of investment in research, technology development and dissemination and of developing capacity for adaptation of technology to country needs and noted that value added and processing activities are also crucial to enhancing competitiveness of agricultural products and to that end, recommended that appropriate measures to support investments in value added facilities should be put in place in the production areas; (paragraph 83)
For the Attention of Governments
The Conference:
18.
(i) noted that structural adjustment measures leading to the privatisation of marketing and
the disfranchising of marketing boards have left small scale farmers without access to support services including marketing information;
(ii) recommended that strategies for linking farmers to markets need to be re-visited in order to improve access to these vitally important services and to facilitate the participation of farmers in the agro-industrial sector; (paragraph 84)
African Seeds and Biotechnology Programme (ARC/06/4)
For the Attention of Governments and FAO
The Conference:
19.
(i) noted that seed is one of the most crucial elements in the livelihoods of agricultural communities, and
(ii) requested FAO and its Member States to develop an Action Plan with clear indications of detailed activities, timeframes and allocation of responsibilities for the aggressive promotion of the use of improved seeds by farmers; (paragraph 85)
For the Attention of Governments, Regional Economic Communities, African Union and Research Organisations
The Conference:
20. recommended that:
a. institutional arrangements should be clearly defined with emphasis on reliance on African expertise.
b. duplication of efforts should be avoided by ensuring collaboration among the Regional and Subregional Organizations, including research and training institutions and taking into account existing programmes/initiatives at national, sub-regional and regional level.
c. priorities for progressive implementation, e.g. seed production starting with the main crops, be identified including forage and forestry products; policy and legal arrangements on seeds and plant genetic resources for food and agriculture be developed and capacity building on technical issues such as seed quality control, phytosanitary, varietal uniformity aspects and traceability, etc be done.
d. African research institutions should be encouraged to resuscitate seed research and governments to upgrade existing facilities.
e. activities related to the use of biotechnology for improving seeds together with the envisaged initiative for capacity building to manage genetically modified organisms should be in compliance with the relevant conventions, protocols as well as national policies and legal frameworks.
f. an assessment of the level of investment in seed development, production and trade including funds for the conservation and use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture and identification of the conditions needed to increase such investments be conducted.
g. participants from the A.U. Member States receive a progress report on the development of the Action Plan at the next Summit of the African Union Heads of State and Government to be held in July 2006 in Banjul, the Gambia; (paragraph 87).
h. the budget of the Plan of Action reflect the need to place strong emphasis on capacity building and potential funding services to be clearly identified. In revising the indicative budget presented in the document, a balance should be maintained by allocating more funds for capacity building and upgrading research institutions; (paragraph 86)
Policy and Regulation of Biotechnology in Food Production (ARC/06/INF/5)
For the Attention of Governments, Regional Economic Communities and Research Organisations
The Conference:
21. called for national, sub-regional/regional initiatives aimed at:
(i) reinforcing capacities in the formulation of national regulatory frameworks;
(ii) reinforcing human capacities of National Biosafety Committees (in terms of critical mass and level of expertise) and
(iii) reinforcing national and subregional capacities for the implementation of GMO diagnostic/analytical tools for informed decision-making that complies with the terms set out in existing conventions, protocols as well as national policies and legal frameworks; (paragraph 88)
22. stressed the need to have an understanding of the benefits and risks associated with the adoption and use of biotechnology products and called upon public research institutions to be in the forefront of research on biotechnology while ensuring effective public awareness and information sharing; (paragraph 89)
23. suggested that all available biotechnology options (including selection by molecular marker, micro-propagation, tissue culture, cloning, embryo transfer and genetic engineering, etc.) be taken into consideration as a "continuum", each option being used according to its specific characteristics on a case by case basis; (paragraph 90)
Fire in the Agriculture-Forestry Interface (ARC/06/INF/6)
For the Attention of FAO and Other Partners
The Conference:
24. stressed the need to sensitize local populations and strengthen their capacity for fire prevention, control and management; (paragraph 91)
25. recommended that FAO, in collaboration with relevant partners, pursue efforts to prepare fire control manuals and provide training and equipment to village level fire brigades; (paragraph 92)
26. recommended the establishment of networks and working groups on fire in Sub-Saharan Africa; and urged FAO to strengthen these initiatives and to help countries make optimal use of remote sensing data for bush fire prevention and control at different levels; (paragraph 94)
27. recommended that FAO help disseminate successful national initiatives to other member countries in the region; (paragraph 95)
28. noted that the issue of the impacts of fire on carbon emissions and climate changes needed to be further studied and documented, and recommended that FAO and relevant partners pursue work on the issue in order to improve understanding and knowledge of both citizens and political leaders. (paragraph 93)
Agrarian Reform, Land Policies and the Millennium Development Goals: FAO’s interventions and lessons learned during the Past decade (ARC/06/INF/7)
For the Attention of Governments
The Conference:
29. emphasized the need to reinforce access and easing land registration processes at local levels to promote security of tenure; (paragraph 98)
30. acknowledged registration of diverse rights as pertinent to land and agrarian reform, stressing customary, collective and other diverse existing land holdings; (paragraph 99)
31. emphasized that the sensitivities around land issues call for interactive processes, dialogue and consultation at all levels to ensure robust participation of all stakeholders and actors (paragraph 100)
32.
(i) noted with great concern increasing land scarcity and fragmentation of holdings
(ii) underlined land conflict as a pertinent area for further support, and
(iii) recommended that effective existing customary practices in local contexts should be used when possible in strengthening conflict mediation processes, as well as use of local land commissions; (paragraph 101)
33. stressed as priority area for future focus, the promotion of balanced policies in support of land consolidation, commercial agriculture and investment while also protecting land rights and production systems of smallholders; (paragraph 102)
Parallel and Side Events
AFRICAN UNION CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF AGRICULTURE
For the Attention of Governments
The African Union Conference:
34. urged Member States to implement policies and programmes that support small scale farmers and the expansion of agribusiness activities, including contract farming for smallholder farmers: (paragraph 114)
35. adopted the following recommendations:
a) the adoption of the Classification of Functions of Government (COFOG) System as described in the "Guidance Note" developed by the AU/NEPAD for use in Agriculture Expenditure Tracking System.
b) Crop, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry sectors (including Research and Development in these sectors) be the core areas for the allocation of the 10%.
c) use of expenditure data rather than the budget data for the tracking system.
d) Member States to submit, by December 31 of each year, the duly completed Agriculture Expenditure Tracking System questionnaire to the African Union Commission.
e) that Member States utilize sufficient budgetary resources for the global development of rural areas;
f) that Member States place particular emphasis on the development of national and regional infrastructure to facilitate trade of agricultural goods; (paragraph 117)
For the Attention of Governments, Regional Economic Communities and African Union Commission
The African Union Conference:
36. urged Member States and Regional Economic Groupings to develop intra and inter-regional trade in food products particularly from food surplus to deficit zones; (paragraph 110)
37. recommended strengthening the capacity of the African Union Commission in order to improve coordination of initiatives in the area of food security at the continental and sub-regional levels; (paragraph 110)
For the Attention of Governments, Donors and NEPAD
The African Union Conference:
38. recognized the progress made by many Member States in the development of National Medium-Term Investment Programmes (NMTIPs) and Bankable Investment Project Profiles (BIPP) within the framework of CAADP and urged Member States to accelerate implementation of CAADP by adopting the NMTIPs and BIPPs and including them in their National Medium-Term Expenditure Frameworks;(paragraph 112)
39. urged Member States to ensure funding of CAADP from domestic budgets, savings resulting from debt relief, and, where appropriate, resources mobilized from bilateral and multilateral donors; (paragraph 112)
40. acknowledged the importance of water, land and fisheries resources for food production and income generation and urged Member States with irrigation potential to take advantage of the African Water Facility hosted by the African Development Bank and World Bank; (paragraph 113)
41. underscored the urgent need to respond to Africa’s critical problems of hunger, poverty and disease by employing innovative complementary and comprehensive approaches aimed at increasing agricultural productivity and growth; expressed concern at the duplication of efforts and non coherence in implementing the CAADP and the Sirte Declarations by the NEPAD Secretariat and AU Commission respectively; (paragraph 111)
For the Attention of Governments, Regional Economic Communities and FARA
The African Union Conference:
42. recognized the importance of agricultural research, technology dissemination and transfer and called on regional economic communities and Member States to realign their regional and national research priorities to the Framework for Africa Agricultural Productivity (FAAP) within the broader CAADP framework with the support and collaboration of FARA; (paragraph 116)
FAO-FO/NGO/CSO REGIONAL CONSULTATION FOR AFRICA
For the Attention of Governments
The Consultation:
43. recommended that Governments:
a) safeguard the land rights of agricultural producers through appropriate instruments, including the land register, rural land use planning and the monitoring of land ownership.
b) elaborate and implement, through a participatory approach, land policies and legislation that focus on the security of land tenure of family holdings, on equitable access to land by all, especially the vulnerable groups (women, the young, migrants, pastoralists and disadvantaged social groups) and on the sustainable management of natural resources;
c) protect African agriculture and implement appropriate mechanisms for the management of supply;
d) establish enabling conditions for populations to consume the food and agriculture products that they produce;
e) honour the commitments made at the 2003 Summit of the African Union in Maputo to allocate at least 10% of national budgets to agriculture;
f) implement appropriate mechanisms of financing, and support to investment for the modernization of family agricultural holdings;
g) adopt a moratorium of 10 years on all use, marketing and importation of GMO varieties and derived products. This delay should serve to produce appropriate legislation and to inform and train stakeholders, in particular the agricultural producers;
h) provide strong support to agricultural research for the development of seeds suited to the production conditions of family holdings;
i) support FAO reform towards enhanced dialogue with civil society.
j) take into account the rights of citizens by adopting the principles of food sovereignty.
For the Attention of Governments and FAO
Allow civil society organizations to introduce discussion items into the agenda of the Regional Conference for Africa.
For the Attention of FAO
The Consultation:
44. recommended that FAO:
a) contribute towards reinforcing the capacity of farmer organizations to defend their land rights through the establishment of information, training and experience-exchange programmes and through studies and research on land issues.
b) adopt the right to food sovereignty as a right to be defended in the framework of the guidelines on the right to food and as a principle to be observed in food security programmes;
c) put in place an effective programme for developing a multiparty partnership against hunger, for supporting subregional and country alliances and for strengthening farmer organization and civil society capacity to defend citizens’ rights to food.
d) put in place a more effective mechanism for partnership with civil society, notably through reinforcement of the operating capacity of the FAO/NGO/CSO unit at Headquarters, providing it with sufficient human resources and appropriate means of operation; the gradual decentralization of this unit to the subregional offices; and the creation of operational focal points in country offices and the establishment of ongoing dialogue and open partnership with civil society at the level of all country offices.
For the Attention of Civil Societies and Farmers Organisations
The Consultation:
45. recommended that Civil Societies Organisations
a) participate meaningfully in the shaping of land policies and legislation, by conducting independent studies and through own reflections;
b) advocate for consideration of the rights and legitimate interests of Civil Societies and Farmers Organisations.
c) mobilize all components of society, public and private institutions so that the fight against hunger becomes a daily concern and a citizen's act, in particular by promoting the food and agricultural products of the region and by engaging actively in the establishment and invigoration of national and subregional alliances throughout sub-Saharan Africa;
d) mobilize internal financial resources to support actions undertaken in the framework of alliances;
e) Pursue exchanges among African farmer organizations to reinforce their negotiating position in defining regional and subregional policies.
V. OTHER MATTERS
46. None was discussed (paragraph 120)
VI. CONCLUDING ITEMS
Items to be considered for the 25th Regional Conference for Africa
For the Attention of Governments
The Conference
47. recommended that member countries submit to the FAO Secretariat their proposed topics/selected issues of importance to the region for consideration in the Agenda of the 25th FAO Regional Conference for Africa to be held in Kenya in 2008 (paragraph 121).
1. The Plenary Session of the Twenty-Fourth FAO Regional Conference for Africa was held at the “Centre International de Conférence, Bamako”, Republic of Mali, from 30 January to 3 February 2006.
2. The Conference was attended by 171 delegates from 41 Member Nations of the Region, of which: 25 were Ministerial level representatives; 3 observers from Member Nations outside the Region, 1 Observer from the Holy See, 6 United Nations Specialized Agencies, 16 Observers from Intergovernmental Organizations and 28 from International and Regional non-governmental organizations. The list of delegates is given in Appendix B.
3. The Inaugural Ceremony was held at the “Centre International de Conférence de Bamako”, in the presence of His Excellency Amadou Toumani Touré, President of the Republic of Mali; Mr. Jacques Diouf, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, ,and Mr. Naeini Noori, the Independent Chairman of the FAO Council.
4. On this occasion, the Independent Chairman of the FAO Council, the Director-General of FAO and the President of the Republic of Mali delivered speeches summarized under section II – Statements.
5. The Conference considered the recommendations made by the Africa Group of Permanent Representatives to FAO in Rome, regarding the officers to service this session of the Conference and approved by acclamation the composition of the bureau as follows:
| Chairperson: | Republic of Mali |
| First Vice-Chairperson: | Angola |
| Second Vice-Chairperson: | Congo |
| First Rapporteur: | South Africa |
| Second Rapporteur: | Algeria |
6. The Conference adopted the Agenda and Timetable as given in Appendix A, while the list of documents is shown in Appendix C.
7. The Director-General of FAO, Dr Jacques Diouf, opened his statement by expressing his deep gratitude to President Amadou Toumani Touré for having kindly agreed to be such an attentive host of the Twenty-fourth FAO Regional Conference. He extolled the President as the personification of the great virtues of the founding fathers of sovereign Africa and praised his commitment to the good governance, consensus and national unity that were essential for building a prosperous state and reviving the continent.
8. The Director-General also thanked the Government and people of Mali for their warm welcome and their generous hospitality to both himself and to the delegates at the Conference.
9. Referring to the state of food and agriculture in the world, he deplored the fact that 27 percent of the African population were still chronically undernourished. Unless the trend was reversed, in 2015 almost half the world poor would live in sub-Saharan Africa.
10. The Director-General then reviewed the development of agriculture in Africa in 2004-2005 and noted that Africa was the only region of the world in which average per capita food production had been in constant decline for 40 years, while it had steadily risen in the world during the past 30 years.
11. With regard to trade in agricultural commodities, Africa had only accounted for 1.2 percent of world trade in the 1990s, against 3.1 percent in the 1950s. Agricultural commodity imports had been increasing more rapidly than exports since the 1960s and Africa had posted a US$20 billion agricultural deficit during the period 2001-2003.
12. Referring to the constraints to Africa’s agriculture, the Director-General mentioned the following facts: Africa only irrigated 7 percent of its arable land, compared to 38 percent in Asia; hence the need for very high priority to be given to investment in irrigated agriculture because of its important potential for safeguarding production and increasing productivity.
13. The low level of fertilizer use in the region was another concern: Africa only applied 23 kg of fertilizer per hectare, down to a mere 9 kg in sub-Saharan Africa, compared to 151 kg in Asia. FAO was ready to provide its support to the Fertilizer Summit planned for June 2006 to look into the issue in greater depth.
14. With respect to the transboundary animal pests and diseases which continued to ravage Africa, FAO's joint initiative with the OIE entitled "Global Framework for Progressive Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases" would help to reinforce national veterinary services and capacities through North-South and South-South partnerships.
15. As for plant protection, measures were being taken to harmonize quarantine systems, especially in the framework of the International Plant Protection Convention.
16. One of the major constraints remained the mobilization of sufficient resources for the financing of agriculture. FAO would continue to collaborate with the African Union, the Secretariat of NEPAD, the AfDB, the IMF and other institutions in defining a mechanism to track budgetary allocations as stipulated in the Maputo commitment: to allocate at least 10 percent of national budgetary resources to agricultural and rural development within five years.
17. With regard to actions under way to remove constraints through implementation of the CAADP, the Director-General recalled that FAO had prepared complementary project documents for the livestock, fisheries and forestry subsectors. The Organization had provided its technical assistance, for a value of US$7 million, for the preparation in 48 countries of the CAADP National Medium-Term Investment Programmes and Bankable Investment Projects. A total of 200 such projects had been finalized in 37 countries for a value of US$7.3 billion.
18. The FAO Special Programme for Food Security was now operational in 44 African countries and had been upgraded to a national programme in 15 of those countries.
19. Mr Diouf then referred to the outcome of the Thirty-third Session of the FAO Conference, which had taken place in Rome in November 2005 and which had examined his proposals for the reform of the Organization. Among other matters, the Conference had approved certain changes to the organizational structure at FAO headquarters from 1 January 2006, together with the implementation of decentralization proposals in one region and the opening of another subregional office. In this connection, he had decided to begin the exercise with the African region and the Central Asian subregion.
20. With less than ten years to 2015, the date by which the world’s leaders had pledged to halve hunger and extreme poverty, the Director-General highlighted the need for political commitment at the highest national, subregional and international levels for the necessary urgent actions to be taken. It was now up to the ministers of the economy, of finance and of planning to implement the commitments that had been made in Maputo and Sirte by their Heads of State and Government, so that the images of starving African children dying of hunger could be banished from the world's television screens.
21. He finished by wishing the Twenty-fourth FAO Regional Conference for Africa every success in its work.
22. The Twenty-fourth FAO Regional Conference for Africa was opened under the patronage of His Excellency, Mr Amadou Toumani Touré, President of the Republic and Head of State of Mali.
23. After warmly welcoming the participants to Mali, the President of the Republic stated that the Malian people were extremely grateful for the opportunity they had been given to host the Twenty-fourth FAO Regional Conference for Africa.
24. On the subject of food insecurity, the Head of State stressed that Africa needed to tap the enormous potential that it possesses to meet existing challenges through firm commitment and determined agricultural policy.
25. The Head of State then urged the participants to rise to the dual challenge of "Production and Productivity", on the one hand, and of "Trade and Competitiveness", on the other.
26. He advocated the need to modernize African agriculture by capitalizing on the factors of success, including the control of water, land-use planning, the use of fertilizer, plant protection and the promotion of agricultural research and technological innovation.
27. When expressing his expectations concerning the conclusions and recommendations of the Twenty-fourth FAO Regional Conference for Africa, the Head of State briefly outlined to the assembly some of the landmark measures that Mali had undertaken to guarantee the emergence and development of a modern agricultural sector that was based on the objectives of high production and optimal productivity, which had proven to be essential factors for effective and sustainable food sovereignty.
28. With regard to the Maputo Declaration, the Head of State stressed that Mali was already allocating 14 percent of its budgetary resources to agriculture.
29. Thanking FAO for its constant assistance in facilitating agricultural development in Africa, the Head of State stressed that the Organization should be proud of its commitment in many areas and especially in those relating to (i) food security; (ii) the fight against transboundary animal pests and diseases; (iii) the regulation of trade in pesticides and other dangerous chemical substances; and (iv) the promotion of South-South cooperation.
30. After reiterating his confidence in the Director-General of FAO and expressing his support for the ongoing reforms, the Head of State wished the participants an excellent stay in Mali and every success in the work of the Twenty-fourth FAO Regional Conference for Africa.
31. The Independent Chairman of the FAO Council, His Excellency Naeini Noori expressed his gratitude to the President of the Republic of Mali, the Government and the great People of Mali for the outstanding hospitality and generosity provided to all participants in the 24th FAO Regional Conference for Africa.
32. He pointed out that in a world with a GDP exceeding 40,000 billion dollars – some countries enjoy per capita income of more than $ 40,000 per year, each day 25,000 children die because of hunger and malnutrition, and 3 billion people live with an income of less than 2 dollars per day. “In simple words, during the five days that we are struggling here in Bamako, to find better ways for achieving food security, more than 125,000 children will never wake up from their sleep”.
33. He recalled that FAO with the logo of “FIAT PANIS”, “Food for all”, during its 60 years of existence has provided outstanding services to the poor, to the hungry and in particular to the development of agriculture the world over.
34. The Independent Chairman reminded the African Ministers for Agriculture that they are the first group of thinkers and decision makers who are laying down the foundation of the new innovative and effective changes in the structure and functioning of FAO which can better serve the goals of the World Food Summit, the Wolrld Food Summit: five years later and the MDGs, including, among others, reduction of the number of hungry and malnourished by half by the year 2015. He wished them the best of success in their deliberations.
35. On behalf of the people and President of South Africa, Her Excellency Thoko Didiza, the Minister for Agriculture thanked the people of Mali for the hospitality extended to the participants.
36. She reminded the Conference about the decisions taken in Johannesburg in March 2004:
a) Ratify the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture which guarantees future generations access and benefits from conservation and sustainable use of agro-biodiversity;
b) Eliminate trade distorting subsidies and improve competitiveness, market access of African agricultural products;
c) Accelerate the development of bankable projects for increased investments in agriculture in the framework of CAADP;
d) Reform and improve agricultural research and extension systems;
e) Increase budget allocation to 10 % for financing agriculture.
37. She noted that, in general, there has been some progress, albeit mixed, in implementing these resolutions. Greater attention is still needed. She then invited the Ministers to be vigilant and continue implementing the resolutions as agreed in Johannesburg in 2004 and to effect the same continuity in the discussions of this Conference in Bamako. She expressed the hope that this Conference will further chart the way forward for the African agenda for agricultural development as outlined in NEPAD’s Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme.
38. Concluding, H.E. Thoko Didiza stated that South Africa was pleased to pass on the baton for the leadership of Africa on agricultural matters under the auspices of the FAO to the government of Mali, the Conference’s host.
39. The Vice-President of IFAD, Mr. Cyril Enweze, recalled that twenty-eight years ago, when IFAD was established, the global food deficit was the mobilizing force for action.
40. The problem today is that despite the global abundance of food, poverty and hunger still affect more than 800 million people around the world. In sub-Saharan Africa alone, almost a third of the total population is facing food insecurity in spite of the recognized potential of agriculture in Africa. In this context five major constraints must be tackled: (i) low productivity in agriculture; (ii) high transport costs; (iii) fragmented markets; (iv) low diffusion of technology; (v) unfavourable trade regimes.
41. Drawing upon IFAD’s experience in alleviating poverty and food security in Africa, Mr. Cyril Enweze drew attention to the following priority needs:
• secure access to land and water for rural smallholders;
• access to technology whether in the form of higher yielding varieties, improved soil fertility, or new cropping methods for African farmers;
• financial services, vital to the economic empowerment of smallholder farmers;
• strong organizations for poor people and real representation to defend their interests when it comes to input prices, marketing, financial services and political influence;
• elimination of direct and indirect agricultural export subsidies of developed countries.
42. Finally, he promised that IFAD will continue to mobilize financial resources for Africa.
43. The Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), Ms. Sheila Sisulu, stated that the number of undernourished people in Africa continues to rise. While many countries are beginning to see the results of food security strategies, population growth continues to outpace food production. Nutrition and education need to be integrated more effectively into larger development efforts in order to spur wide ranging economic and social improvements that depend on healthier, better educated people.
44. More and more evidence is also becoming available on the importance of education in reducing hunger. Poor nutrition and lack of schooling present tremendous obstacles to development. Until we stamp out malnutrition and achieve universal education, we cannot expect to truly eradicate poverty.
45. This is one of the main reasons that World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are working together to launch a global initiative to end child hunger and undernutrition. The initiative aims to garner broad-based, global partnerships in order to focus and support national efforts to eradicate child hunger and undernutrition. The success of the initiative will rely on the collective ability to work towards a common purpose.
46. Ms. Sisulu informed the Conference that WFP, FAO and IFAD are working on a twin-track approach to ending hunger – short-term investments in food aid to prevent lasting damage from malnutrition and longer-term investments so people in the poorest countries can feed themselves. However, the investment needed to enable poor farmers to compete fairly with their counterparts in the rich world – roads, markets, research -- must be forthcoming, and be a priority for their governments.
47. In conclusion, the WFP Deputy Executive Director reminded the Conference that when crises hit, it is women and children who pay the highest price, and while emergency food aid is essential to keeping people alive, the real need is for the political will and financial resources to make the investments that we know can make a difference.
48. The Representative of the Holy See, Monsignor Renato Volante started by expressing his appreciation to the Government and People of Mali for their hospitality.
49. He added that his presence in this high-level conference was motivated by the interest which the Holy See takes in FAO’s overall initiatives; in this sense, the Holy See encourages all actions oriented to safeguarding life by rules and programmes.
50. He advocated that an inclusive approach to international cooperation is necessary for development and growth of peoples and countries; in this perspective, he called on African countries to work in close cooperation with FAO to develop strategies for sustainable livelihoods, income growth, food security and agricultural production, while preserving the environment.
51. The Holy See considers of great relevance, the attainment in the region of the Millennium Development Goals in order to eradicate poverty and malnutrition.
52. The Holy See particularly commended the initiative related to African seeds while recognizing the need to consider the challenges presented by seed industries with their legal and technical protection which restrict access to biodiversity.
53. Finally, the representative of the Holy See assured participants of the availability of the Catholic Church, in its various sectors and institutions to cooperate in activities against hunger, underdevelopment and poverty.
54. The Representative of the Italian Cooperation recalled that the common objective was to halve the number of people suffering from hunger and extreme poverty by 2015.
55. To this end, it was important that agriculture be considered as a priority sector in national development strategies and that it receives the support of effective policy and administrative measures in order to create the required infrastructure, to promote adequate investment and to support small farmers, with emphasis on the involvement of NGOs and civil society.
56. On the bilateral level, Italian assistance to agriculture has taken the form of multiple initiatives focusing on the agricultural sector and rural development in general. At the multilateral level, the assistance has translated as an increase in contributions granted to the international agencies and in particular to the extraordinary contribution of 100 millions euros (of which 60 million has already been made available) to the FAO Trust Fund for food security programmes as adopted at the WFS:fyl.
57. The Representative of Italian Cooperation concluded by recalling that at the G8 Summit in Genova in 2001, the Italian Government had assured NEPAD of its support to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme designed in close collaboration with FAO.
58. A panorama of FAO reform in the context of a changing world was provided with the aid of a DVD. Introducing the topic, the Director General, Dr Jacques Diouf, stated that FAO reform is aimed at making the Organization more effective and efficient, and positioning it as a knowledge organization.
59. As a consequence of the reform, much of the Organisation’s hierarchy would be eliminated. The technical departments will be reorganized in such a way as to foster better collaboration within the Organisation and for better delivery of services to member countries. Key to the reform is greater decentralisation, with a significant decrease of the current level of professional staff of 70% in headquarters. In effect, joint structures and programmes will be promoted and decentralised staff would work as technical teams in key disciplines, including 30% of FAORs’ time provided into the team efforts.
60. In addition, the reform is designed to promote greater consultation with NGOs, up-scaling of SPFS to the national level and an expansion of the ambassadorial programme.
61. Information services of general nature such as WAICENT would be reinforced and expanded. To bring onboard segments of society and countries unable to access the information provided by the Organisation easily, FAO is establishing a new “ASK FAO” programme.
62. FAO will be providing greater services to the African region, notably through the sub-regional economic communities and groupings including CEN-SAD, COMESA, EAC, ECCAS, ECOWAS, IGAD, SADC and UMA.
63. For the two new sub-regional offices to be established for Eastern and Central Africa, the Director-General called on member countries concerned to pursue a process of internal consultation to arrive at a consensus on the countries to host the two new sub-regional offices.
64. Concerning the financing of the Independent External Evaluation of FAO, the Minister for Agriculture of Cameroon called on Member States from Africa to contribute to the Trust Fund, even as a token contribution. In response, the Director-General emphasised the need for African member countries to meet their financial commitments and pay arrears owed to the FAO.
65. And, finally, in response to a comment by the Minister for Agriculture of Algeria, the Director-General stressed that there would be additional effort to recruit national professional staff.
66. The Conference welcomed the comprehensive report presented by Mr. Oloche Anebi Edache, Assistant-Director General and Regional Representative for Africa, informing on FAO activities in Africa during the biennium 2004-2005. The report presented follow-up measures to recommendations of the 23rd ARC, especially with regard to FAO technical assistance to member countries in the formulation/finalisation of National Medium Term Programmes and Bankable Investment Project Profiles in the NEPAD/CAADP framework, in the implementation of the SPFS and various other activities.
67. The Conference commended FAO’s active role in support of African agriculture. It expressed its appreciation of FAO support in the mobilisation of financial resources to help overcome the invasion of desert locust. In this respect, collaboration among African countries was highlighted. Member countries stressed the need to evaluate the impact of activities undertaken during the biennium on food security and poverty reduction.
68. The Conference further commended FAO for the positive response to the avian influenza crisis and noted that it would be useful to extend the support provided to the whole continent, in collaboration with other UN agencies and development partners. The South-South Cooperation Programme was particularly noted and praised for addressing emergency and development issues.
69. The Conference had on its agenda two discussion papers (i) Enhancing the Competitiveness of Agriculture and Natural Resources Management under Globalization and Liberalization to Promote Economic Growth and (ii) African Seeds and Biotechnology Programme, and four information items: (i) Policy and Regulation of Biotechnology in Food Production; (ii) Fire in the Agriculture-Forestry Interface; (iii) Agrarian Reform, Land Policies and the Millennium Development Goals: FAO’s interventions and lessons learned during the Past decade; and (iv) New Approaches to Information Access under WAICENT.
70. The Rapporteur of the Technical Committee, Ms Vangile Titi, on behalf of the Chairperson, presented the report of the Committee, laying emphasis on the recommendations of the two discussion items and giving an overview of the information items.
The Conference deliberated on the report, amended it and endorsed it as follows:
The Conference:
71. noted that enhanced competitiveness of agriculture (crops/livestock/forestry and fisheries), is crucial to economic growth and development in Africa and has to be addressed by increasing production and marketing efficiency;
72. noted that there are two essential factors affecting agricultural competitiveness:
(i) constraints of economies of scale, since most farmers are smallholders and are scattered over large areas, with poor access to inputs and other support services
(ii) unfair competition in world trade, because of the subsidy being given to their farmers by the developed countries.
73. noted that agriculture in Africa is characterised by low-input and low productivity, and recognized the need to develop strategies for increased fertilizer use, and other soil fertility improvement systems as well as promotion of mechanization; further recognized, that competitiveness of agriculture can be achieved by strengthening family farms as they are the backbone of agriculture and by promoting the commercialization of agriculture.
74. noted that the increase in agricultural production achieved in the past has been facilitated by a conducive enabling environment and recognised that policies that address lack of support services and low prices of commodities are key to competitiveness as they impact on different aspects of production.
75. recognised that technologies have to be adapted to the local conditions and recommended that research should be reinforced through development of human resources with special attention given to the development of technologies that enhance rain-fed agriculture while supporting small-scale and low-cost irrigation and water harvesting technologies especially for semi-arid and drought prone areas.
76. recognised that strategies to bring together farmers, input suppliers, processors, traders, agricultural banks etc., to chart out partnerships and develop cohesive programmes, should be considered; noted that there are good examples such as contract farming where these partnership arrangements have shown significant results and should be promoted.
77. noted that intra-regional trade presents challenges especially for the landlocked countries and recommended that special efforts should be made to develop infrastructure such as feeder roads, rail and water transportation to open up remote areas.
78. noted that infrastructure development including irrigation, marketing, agro-processing, electrification etc. is a major constraint in many African countries and recognised the need for a concerted effort by government and public-private partnership to promote financing in this area.
79. recommended that an assessment of what needs to be done to promote trade within Africa should be undertaken, and noted that there is currently lack of pooling of resources in trade negotiations and recommended that FAO continue to play an active role in:
1. capacity building to strengthen skills on international trade standards in order to enhance access to markets;
2. analysing those commodities in which member countries have competitive and comparative advantages; and
3. studies to develop common agricultural policies in the RECs
80. noted the need to articulate how the WTO Hong Kong meeting held in December 2005 will affect agriculture in Africa recognising that while there are many resolutions made in such meetings, there is lack of effective follow up and implementation.
81. noted the poor access to financial resources and the lack of strategies for resource mobilization, noted further that banking facilities are out of reach of most farmers and that the current micro-financing facilities are not adequate, leading to low levels of investments; recognized the need to improve on current micro-financing strategies as well as develop strategies to facilitate Public-Private-Partnerships to improve investments and access to financing by farmers; further recognized that intermediation in financing is required and recommended that FAO in consultation with specialized institutions should contribute to the organisation of training in financing.
82. emphasised that competitiveness must include all the aspects of farming systems which integrate crop, livestock, forestry and fisheries at the farm level and noted that there are many instances where livestock complements cropping by acting as a source of savings and financing.
83. emphasised that investment in research, technology development and dissemination and in developing capacity for adaptation of technology to country needs is crucial and noted that value added and processing activities are also crucial to enhanced competitiveness of agricultural products; and to that end recommended that appropriate measures to support investments in value added facilities should be put in place in the production areas.
84. noted that structural adjustment measures leading to the privatisation of marketing and disfranchising of marketing boards left small scale farmers without access to support services including marketing information; recommended that strategies for linking farmers to markets need to be re-visited to improve access to these vitally important services and to facilitate the participation of farmers in the agro-industrial sector.
The Conference:
85. noted that seed is one of the most crucial elements in the livelihoods of agricultural communities and that Africa has been unable to take full advantage of the recent advances in the seed sector development, noted further the request by member countries participating in the 24th FAO Regional Conference for Africa for FAO and its Member Nations to develop an Action Plan with clear indications of detailed activities, timeframes and allocation of responsibilities.
86. recommended that:
a) institutional arrangements should be clearly defined with emphasis on reliance on African expertise;
b) duplication of efforts should be avoided by ensuring collaboration among the Regional and Subregional Organizations, including research and training institutions and taking into account existing programmes/initiatives at national, sub-regional and regional level. ;
c) priorities for progressive implementation e.g. seed production starting with the main crops, should be identified including forage and forestry products; policy and legal arrangements on seeds and Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA) be developed and capacity building on technical issues such as seed quality control, phytosanitary, varietal uniformity aspects and traceability, etc be done;
d) African research institutions should be encouraged to resuscitate seed research and that governments should upgrade existing facilities;
e) activities related to the use of biotechnology for improving seeds together with the envisaged initiative for capacity building to manage genetically modified organisms, should be in compliance with the relevant conventions, protocols as well as national policies and legal frameworks;
f) an assessment of the level of investment, in seed development, production and trade including funds for the conservation and use of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and identification of the conditions needed to increase such investments, should be conducted;
g) the budget of the Plan of Action should reflect the need to place strong emphasis on capacity building and that potential funding services should be clearly identified;
h) in revising the indicative budget presented in the document, a balance should be maintained by allocating more funds for capacity building and upgrading research institutions.
87. Participants from the AU Member States requested to receive a progress report on the development of the Action Plan at the next Summit of the African Union Heads of State and Government to be held in July 2006 in Banjul, the Gambia.
The Conference:
88. called for national, sub-regional/regional initiatives aimed at:
1. reinforcing capacities in the formulation of national regulatory frameworks;
2. reinforcing human capacities of National Biosafety Committees (in terms of critical mass and level of expertise) and
3. reinforcing national and subregional capacities for the implementation of GMO diagnostic/analytical tools for informed decision-making that comply with the terms set out in existing conventions, protocols as well as national policies and legal frameworks.
89. stressed the need to have an understanding of the benefits and risks associated with the adoption and use of biotechnology products and called upon public research institutions to be in the forefront of research on biotechnology while ensuring effective public awareness and information sharing.
90. suggested that all available biotechnology options (including selection by molecular marker, micro-propagation, tissue culture, cloning, embryo transfer and genetic engineering, etc.) be taken into consideration as a "continuum", each option being used according to its specific characteristics on a case by case basis.
The Conference:
91. stressed negative impacts of fires in rural areas, as contributing to the destruction of trees, crops, pastures, livestock and wildlife and raised the need to sensitize local populations and strengthen their capacity for fire prevention, control and management;
92. recommended that FAO, in collaboration with relevant partners, pursue efforts to prepare Fire Control Manuals and provide training and equipment to village level fire brigades where they exist;
93. noted that the issue of the impacts of fire on carbon emissions and climate changes needed to be further studied and documented, and recommended that FAO and relevant partners pursue work on the issue in order to improve understanding and knowledge of both the citizenry and political leaders;
94. further recommended the establishment of Networks and Working Groups on Fire in Sub-Saharan Africa; and urged FAO to strengthen these initiatives and to help countries make optimal use of remote sensing data for bush fire prevention and control at different levels;
95. finally recommended that FAO help disseminate successful national initiatives to other member countries in the region;
96. This information paper underlined that access to land is crucial in the eradication of food insecurity and entrenched rural poverty in Africa. It underscored that rising demographic pressures contribute to land scarcity, overuse and degradation of land and natural resources.
97. Several member countries shared their ongoing national experiences in policy formulation, design of legislative frameworks and implementation strategies and processes in land reform. This collective “wisdom” of sharing experiences to analyse issues was noted as critical for moving forward in land reform and promoting sustainable agricultural investment. The Conference noted that ICARRD (International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development) to be held in March 2006, was a platform to strengthen this exchange of dialogue and thanked FAO for bringing land issues back on the agenda as a key rural development priority.
98. Several delegates cited decentralization as a national priority in the land and agrarian reform process. Emphasis was laid inter alia on reinforcing access and easing of registration processes at local levels to promote security of tenure, which reinforces greater stewardship over natural resources and fosters investment and competitiveness among smallholder and commercial export producers.
99. The registration of diverse rights was acknowledged as pertinent to land and agrarian reform, while stressing customary, collective and other diverse existing land holdings.
100. The Conference recognised that land and agrarian reform is not just a technical issue, but also a social, political and economic question and of utmost national importance and concern requiring bold policies. In addition, it was emphasized that the sensitivities around land issues call for iterative processes and, most importantly, dialogue and consultation at all levels to ensure robust participation and inclusion from all stakeholders and actors concerned.
101. The Conference placed emphasis on processes in support of community-based management of land tenure arrangements such as diverse land administration processes including allocation, land sharing, land-use planning, land transfers, bequeathing, and land conflict and mediation. Land conflict was underlined as a pertinent area for further support, in the reality of decreasing land availability, increasing desertification, rising cross-border conflicts and migrations and continuing farmer-pastoral conflicts. It was noted that effective existing customary practices in local contexts should be used when possible in strengthening conflict mediation processes, as well as use of local land commissions.
102. Increasing land scarcity and fragmentation of landholdings was noted as most worrisome and promotion of balanced policies in support of land consolidation, commercial agriculture and investment while also protecting land rights and production systems of smallholders was stressed as a priority area for future focus.
103. The presentation indicated that FAO is enhancing its role as a Knowledge Organization and highlighted the current and future role of the WAICENT Framework in developing and strengthening its policies, processes and practices in creating, acquiring, capturing, sharing and using knowledge.
104. The presentation further indicated that FAO has a wide range of digital repositories of data and information available online that are heavily used by its audiences, and that the Organization has developed standards in support of the effective management and dissemination of these resources.
105. The conference noted the information contained in the presentation and the efforts being made to enable FAO enhance its role as a knowledge Organization.
106. The Conference of the AU Ministers of Agriculture was convened from 31 January to 1
February 2006 in Bamako, Mali, to consider and discuss the reports that had been prepared by the African Union Commission and the NEPAD Secretariat in accordance with the request of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union.
107. The Conference was attended by 40 Member States.
108. The Conference reviewed the regional trend in the food security situation and noted that although the percentage of undernourished people in Africa had decreased by two percent (from 29 to 27 percent), the absolute number increased by 20 percent (from 176 to 210 million people) over the period 1990/92 to 2000/02.
109. The Conference deliberated extensively on some strategic initiatives being undertaken at different levels to increase food production including use of irrigation, fertilizer, improved seeds, agricultural implements, research and extension, developing market infrastructure and trade, and improving agricultural financing.
110. Members States and the Regional Economic Communities were particularly urged to develop intra and inter-regional trade in food products, particularly from food surplus to deficit zones. The Conference recommended strengthening of the capacity of the African Union Commission in order to improve coordination of initiatives in the area of food security at the continental and sub-regional level.
111. The Conference reiterated the urgent need to respond to Africa’s critical problems of hunger, poverty and disease by employing innovative complementary and comprehensive approaches aimed at increasing agricultural productivity and growth. The Conference expressed concern at the duplication of efforts and non-coherence in implementing the CAADP and the Sirte Declarations by the NEPAD Secretariat and AU Commission, respectively.
112. The Conference recognized the progress made by many Member States in the development of National Medium-Term Investment (NMTIPs) and Bankable Investment Project Profiles within the framework of CAADP. The Conference urged Member States to accelerate implementation of CAADP by adopting the NMTIPs and BIPPs and including them in their National Medium-Term Expenditure Frameworks and to ensure funding from domestic budgets, savings resulting from debt relief, and where appropriate, resources mobilized from bilateral and multilateral donors.
113. The Conference recognized the importance of water, land and fisheries resources for food production and income generation and urged Member States with irrigation potential to take advantage of the African Water Facility hosted by the African Development Bank and World Bank. Member States were encouraged to mobilize matching resources to upscale successful experiences in sustainable land management and other natural resources within the TerrAfrica initiative.
114. The Conference urged Member States to implement policies and programmes that support small scale farmers and the expansion of agribusiness activities, including contract farming for smallholder farmers.
115. The Conference called for a special attention to be given to the development of national and regional infrastructure in order to facilitate marketing of agricultural production and the expansion of trade in food markets.
116. The Conference recognized the importance of agricultural research, technology dissemination and transfer and called on regional economic communities and Member States to realign their regional and national research priorities to the Framework for Africa Agricultural Productivity (FAAP) within the broader CAADP framework with the support and collaboration of FARA.
117. The Conference recommended that:
a. Member States should adopt the Classification of Functions of Government (COFOG) System as described in the "Guidance Note" developed by the AU/NEPAD for use in Agriculture Expenditure Tracking System.
b. crop, livestock, fisheries and forestry sectors (including research and development in these sectors) be the core areas for the allocation of the 10%.
c. expenditure data rather than the budget data be used for the tracking system.
d. Member States should submit, by December 31 of each year, duly completed Agriculture Expenditure Tracking System questionnaire to the African Union Commission.
e. Member States should utilize sufficient budgetary resources for the global development of rural areas.
f. Member States should place particular emphasis on the development of national and regional infrastructure to facilitate trade of agricultural goods.
118. The 5th NGO/CSO Consultation for Africa was held from 27 to 29 January 2006 in Bamako, Mali. The consultation brought together 40 participants from 22 countries representing Civil Society Organizations, mostly Farmer Organizations, to discuss issues pertinent to the future of agriculture and rural development across the continent. The Consultation was held with participation by FAO and through the support of the Government of Italy. A CSO delegation was mandated to present the conclusions to the 24th FAO Regional Conference.
119. The discussions focused on four major areas:
a) FAO and governments in Africa must address land and agrarian reform issues, which are basic to guaranteeing family farmers the security needed to invest in and improve their production and livelihoods. The International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development, scheduled for 6 to 10 March 2006 in Porto Alegre, Brazil, was viewed as an opportunity to highlight farmer priorities to recognise their rights to land, natural resources and plant genetic resources.
b) the emergence of National Alliances against Hunger in Burkina Faso and Ghana, for example, demonstrate the value of mobilising civil society, government and private sector together to end hunger and malnutrition. However, these Alliances must combine effective national policy with initiatives of peoples’ organizations and their priorities. Civil Society will stimulate the spread of national alliances and the creation of sub-regional alliances in Africa.
c) Farmer Organizations and Governments must join forces to reinforce agriculture and trade at the sub-regional scale, in order to escape the domination of bilateral and international agreements, notably EPAs and the WTO. The participants called on FAO and its Members to adopt an approach to food sovereignty which will encourage national production, foods, industries and cultural traditions. They also called for a 10-year moratorium on the introduction of GMOs, as recently agreed upon at national and local levels in many countries in both North and South, and for continued ban of “terminator” seed technologies.
d) Finally, Civil Society Organizations expressed support for the spirit of the proposed FAO reform presented in November 2005, and in particular, the proposal to further decentralise the Organization and bring it closer to the countries to address their needs and priorities more effectively and efficiently. Participants stressed that FAO must also put into place the staff and programmes required to work constantly and closely with farmers, women, youth and other groups to make the reform a success and to respond effectively to the tremendous challenges facing Africa.
120. None was discussed
121. The Chairperson of the Conference requested FAO member countries to submit to the Conference Secretariat the items that they would like to propose for discussion in the 25th ARC.
122. The Chairperson of the Africa Group of Permanent Representatives to FAO in Rome, the Ambassador from Madagascar, H.E. Auguste Richard Paraina, reported to the Conference that following consultations among Permanent Representatives, it had been proposed that the 25th FAO Regional Conference for Africa be held in Kenya in 2008.
123. The Conference accepted by acclamation this offer, which would be conveyed to the Director-General of FAO who would decide on the date and place of the Conference, in consultation with member countries.
124. The conference considered and, after a few amendments, adopted its Report by acclamation.
125. In a brief statement, the FAO Assistant Director-General (ADG) and Regional Representative for Africa, Mr. Oloche Anebi Edache, on behalf of the FAO Director-General, Mr. Jacques Diouf, praised the delegates for their hardwork, as evidenced by the wise recommendations put forth by the Conference. He recalled that the Conference was preceded by two important meetings: the 33rd session of FAO’s Conference held in Rome from 19 to 26 November 2005 in the context of the reform proposals, and the first AU meeting of Ministers of Agriculture held on 1 February 2006.
126. Referring to the discussions on the critical situation of food security in the Region, Mr. Edache reminded participants of their reaffirmation that adequate nutrition is one of the basic human rights promoted by the World Food Summit, and addressed at field level through the up-scaled Special Programme for Food Security. He also highlighted the participants’ renewed commitment to concrete action to implement the CAADP. He stressed that in order to ensure that the WFS and MDG goals were attained by 2015, the food security situation in the Region would have to be enhanced through innovative measures.
127. The ADG commended participants for the in-depth discussions of the documents submitted by the FAO Secretariat covering major issues relating to the fight against hunger and poverty, and the imperatives of enhancing the competitiveness of agriculture and natural resource management. He said that from the comments of delegates and their active participation, FAO felt convinced that the agenda and deliberations of the Conference had addressed felt needs. He also welcomed the Conference’s review of the Report on FAO Activities in the Region and their expressed appreciation for the technical assistance provided by FAO. Mr. Edache pointed to the briefing by FAO Director-General on: (i) the orientation of the future programme of work for the Region and on the progressive implementation of FAO’s reforms; (ii) the global emergency issues of the time and the need for adequate preparation to contain them and especially any outbreak of the Avian Influenza that may occur; and (iii) the ongoing work to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS on agriculture.
128. The ADG expressed his deep appreciation to the Delegates and observers for the interest shown, as well as their active participation during the Conference and for the quality of the debate. He assured member countries of FAO’s commitment to assist them in achieving the WFS and MDG targets within available means and resources.
129. Finally, Mr. Edache expressed the sincere appreciation of FAO and all distinguished delegates and observers through the Conference Chairman, to the Government and People of Mali for the kind hospitality extended to participants and for providing excellent facilities for the Twenty-Fourth FAO Regional Conference for Africa.
130. In his closing remarks, His Excellency Mr. Ousmane Issoufi Maïga, Prime Minister and Head of Government of the Republic of Mali, expressed the satisfaction of his government and that of the Malian people for an effective and constructive Conference, which also served as an occasion for Mali to renew its support to the ideals of FAO.
131. He congratulated participants on the high quality of their debate, which enabled the conference to come up with recommendations whose implementation should offer Africa the opportunity to realize its MDG targets.
132. Referring to the themes discussed during the Conference, the Prime Minister noted that they reflected the common preoccupations in food security and the agriculture sector; more so as food security is of paramount importance in the continent. He recalled that the review and analysis of the status of African agriculture and food security during the Conference identified major challenges and effective means of addressing these. He pointed out that the Conference noted in particular that enhancing the competitiveness of agriculture is one of the essential conditions for economic growth and development in Africa; and that to bring this about would require increased production through improved productivity, reduction of production costs and an increase in the region’s share of the global market, opening up of currently difficult-to-reach production areas, and better access to electrification and other infrastructure by rural farmers and herders.
133. The Prime Minister further recalled that the plenary session examined in-depth and unanimously approved the revised proposal for FAO reform. In consequence, he exhorted member countries to pay close attention to its implementation and to pledge their support to the Director-General of FAO.
134. On behalf of the Government and people of Mali, he thanked the member countries for the trust reposed in Mali by electing it the President of the Conference and pledged that Mali will rise to this responsibility. He then congratulated Kenya for its selection as the host country for the 25th ARC in 2008. Finally, the Prime Minister congratulated the participants again for their deliberations and pertinent recommendations, and wished them a safe and pleasant return to their various countries.
135. He then declared the 24th FAO Regional Conference for Africa officially closed.
