PART III: REGIONAL DIMENSIONS

Introduction

592.      It is recalled that FAO’s Programme of Work is presented in a "unified" manner in the MTP and PWB documents. The constituent programme entities are designed to address the problems faced by Members, while contributing to the corporate objectives reflected in the Strategic Framework. The entities are, therefore, jointly executed in most cases by headquarters departments and the corresponding outposted teams in Regional or Subregional Offices. Over the time period covered by this MTP document, many activities and outputs will involve, therefore, participation of both headquarters staff and that of outlying offices.

593.      Within this unified approach, it is of course incumbent upon all units to bear in mind the major cross-sectoral (as well as sectoral) issues of relevance to specific regions. As the result of consultations between technical departments at headquarters and FAO Regional and Subregional offices, it was possible to identify selectively key cross-sectoral issues pertaining to individual regions, also taking account of the recommendations of recent FAO Regional Conferences. It is no doubt of interest to Members to note these issues, as they will influence the areas of FAO’s interventions and support over the medium term and hence the design of future outputs. The headings below refer to the established programme structure for technical work (i.e. Chapter 2, Technical and Economic Programmes and Major Programme 3.1, Policy Assistance).

Africa

Agricultural Production and Support Systems

594.      The following cross-sectoral issues have been identified as of particular relevance to Africa:

• ensuring sustainable approaches to land and water management, including integrated natural resources management;
• land and water policies to be in line with the pertinent International Conventions and Treaties;
• strengthening capacities, databases and networking arrangements;
• integrated production systems for diversification and income generation;
• promoting good agricultural practices for sustainable development; and
• supporting peri-urban agriculture.

Food and Agricultural Policy and Development

595.      The over-reaching issue in the Africa Region is the insufficient speed of progress in implementing the World Food Summit target for 2015, calling for specific nutrition interventions. Also, the continent suffers from persistent weakness of the statistical information base, undermining the capacity to identify and develop appropriate policies in the food and agriculture sector.

Fisheries

596.      In the fisheries sector, Africa will need to address more particularly:

• the lack of comprehensive, objective and timely information to facilitate more effective policy, sectoral planning and management;
• inappropriate fishing and aquaculture practices, which at present cannot ensure a satisfactory contribution of the sector to food security and economic growth;
• extensive capacity building/human development requirements;
• more effective cooperation among countries, including focused networking arrangements; and
• the more comprehensive integration of fisheries components into the development programmes under NEPAD.

Forestry

597.      To enhance the role of forests in food security and mitigating poverty, most African countries will need to pursue a mix of interventions:

• to arrest deforestation and more generally the degradation of natural resources, including effective policies and strategies for this and for sound rehabilitation programmes;
• to build up national capacities, also fostering regional cooperation and integration initiatives in the forestry sector and strengthening existing regional and subregional organizations;
• to support decentralization and devolution processes at local level;
• to promote multi-stakeholder partnerships, which can improve awareness and capitalize on traditional knowledge.

Sustainable Development

598.      As essential building blocks towards sustainable development, the region will require support in relation to:

• stronger partnerships for improving applications of biotechnology in agriculture;
• the integrated development and dissemination of agricultural knowledge and technologies;
• capacity building of NARS (national agricultural research systems) including participatory approaches;
• national data collection and analysis systems to reflect gender differentiated realities of agricultural production and to support gender sensitive policies and plans;
• follow-up to the Dakar and Beijing Platforms for Action in the context of poverty reduction for men and women farmers;
• improved land access and security through decentralised land administration institutions, including reform of national policy, legal and operational processes;
• the effectiveness and sustainability of rural producer organizations; and
• sharing of lessons learned and best practices to enable rural institutions to confront risks and emergencies.

Policy Assistance

599.      Policy concerns of most direct interest to the region – and therefore likely to affect related policy advisory services expected from FAO – will continue to be:

• agricultural trade, especially inadequate policy analysis and identification of opportunities for external trade and the need for strategies to improve and sustain competitiveness for higher value markets;
• enhanced regional integration, to overcome: great variations in legislation, regulations and standards including zoo sanitary and phytosanitary norms for agricultural commodities; very fragmented policies and resource mobilization efforts; and the inadequate information flows on opportunities and comparative advantages for intra-regional trade;
• capacity building for policy and situation analysis, and programme formulation, monitoring and evaluation; and
• coherent and effective participation of individual countries in major policy initiatives such as NEPAD/CAADP or Regional Programmes for Food Security.

Asia and the Pacific

Agricultural Production and Support Systems

600.      Taking account of the varied conditions and the importance of agricultural systems in the region, it will need to address inter alia the following major issues:

• effective agriculture restructuring under changing market and trade conditions, including transformation of subsistence agriculture due to industrialization and commercialization;
• decentralization of governance, bridging the gap between policy and implementation mainly due to lack of adequate human and financial resources;
• reducing high vulnerability to disasters (including control and prevention of transboundary diseases and plant pests) by managing the full cycle of prevention, preparedness, early warning, needs assessment, relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction and sustainable recovery;
• the over-exploitation of natural resources, deforestation and inappropriate agricultural practices;
• biosecurity in the context of food security and agricultural trade; and
• alleviating poverty in rice-based livelihood systems.

Food and Agricultural Policy and Development

601.      Complementary to the preceding, there will need to be priority attention within the region to:

• food safety and quality, given the significance of export trade;
• integrating nutrition considerations into policies, where FAO can assist particularly with improved methods of data collection, analysis and dissemination, including in the context of regional and national “FIVIMS”;
• effective dietary guidance and nutrition education to strengthen household food security and nutrition adequacy; and
• capacity-building for more complete assembly of information and statistics and better skills in their analysis and interpretation.

Fisheries

602.      Building on the impressive progress so far in fisheries and aquaculture development, the region will need to address:

• the special needs of poor producers (both fisher folk and aquaculturists), including the empowerment of coastal fishing communities and countering the harmful effects of subsidies;
• co-management by governments and communities of natural living aquatic resources as well as institutional strengthening;
• the impact of widespread illegal, unidentified and unreported (IUU) fishing in the region;
• the improvement of statistics and information in the sector, particularly as regards small-scale fisheries and rural aquaculture; and
• risks to fisheries and aquaculture stemming from pests and diseases, residues (including pesticides, antibiotics and heavy metals), and reduced biodiversity.

Forestry

603.      In relation to the forestry sector, concerns of importance to the region will include:

• understanding of specific trade aspects of forest products, including forest certification and efforts to combat illegal logging and associated trade;
• effective decentralization and devolution of forestry activities towards sustainable management;
• sound forest rehabilitation and watershed management, including effective flood mitigation;
• the enhancement of livelihoods based on forests, including effective management and use of non-wood forest products;
• combating threats from invasive species; and
• restructuring and re-orientation of forestry institutions to adapt them to rapidly changing socio-economic conditions.

Sustainable Development

604.      The region will need to pay attention to:

• effective policies relating to agricultural extension systems and services, inter alia to reverse decreases in budget allocations, while extension services should address more adequately the needs of disadvantaged groups such as rural women, minorities and disabled;
• support to community and rural youth groups, as well as NGOs, as full partners for sustainable development;
• communications and information support to decentralized extension and education systems as well as rural institutions and groups;
• education and training programmes related to prevention and mitigation of disasters;
• equitable access to land and other natural resources through state interventions and land market transactions, with enhanced land tenure security in private property regimes and common property resource management systems;
• education and communications programmes in support of biosecurity; and
• distance education/learning programmes to facilitate access by rural and farming communities.

Policy Assistance

605.      Given current trends in the region, policy formulation would need to take account of:

• rapidly changing demand patterns due to growing urbanization and increased income levels in most countries;
• the competitive pressures on agriculture stemming from WTO agreements;
• an enabling environment for decentralized governance and participatory decision-making processes;
• the need for market prices to internalize the negative externalities of most agricultural practices and resource use; and
• effective regulatory frameworks relating to biosecurity and biosafety.

Europe

Agricultural Production and Support Systems

606.      In the CEE and CIS countries, the transition from a centrally planned to market oriented economy has often led to outdated infrastructure and practices. These countries face a number of problems in their efforts to modernize and expand the agriculture sector:

• the lack of coherent participatory planning and decision making;
• the lack of harmonized standards in plant protection, quarantine measures and pesticide management in the context of trade agreements with the EU and the WTO;
• the impact of transboundary diseases on livestock production in particular in the Balkan and Caucasian subregions;
• insufficient conservation and development of animal genetic resources;
• insufficient awareness of the multiple roles of agriculture and the importance of a competitive farming sector to raise rural incomes;
• food quality and safety in handling and processing within integrated marketing chains; and
• small and medium sized commercial farmers and emerging rural entrepreneurs exposed to major risks as they are not yet in a position to participate in highly integrated agrifood supply chains.

Food and Agricultural Policy and Development

607.      In the nutrition area in particular, the above countries need to:

• build national capacities for effective nutrition education and develop food based dietary guidelines in support of healthy lifestyles;
• update national food composition tables and databases, which also need to be integrated at the regional level to facilitate risk assessment and nutrient content labelling for international trade and nutrition assessment; and
• expand surveys of households in rural areas.

Fisheries

608.      Some of the major issues in the context of fisheries development in the region are:

• ensuring effective and equitable management of the resources;
• arresting degradation of fisheries resources, linked to deteriorating environmental conditions in many areas; and
• restructuring of the sector and building capacities for legislation and other managerial aspects.

Forestry

609.      As for agriculture, the CEE and CIS countries need to ensure an appropriate contribution of forestry to rural development, especially given its significant economic potential. The main obstacles in this endeavour include:

• low management and marketing skills of private forest owners;
• weak capacities for protection of forest resources and conservation issues as well as in relation to forest land consolidation and land tenure;
• low investment in the forest sector and access to capital;
• the erosion of environmentally friendly practices in the use of wood products (for housing and energy generation); and
• the insufficient integration of CEE and CIS countries into the European forest sector policy dialogue.

Sustainable Development

610.      As essential ingredients for sustainable development, many countries in the region need to address:

• the performance of agricultural research and extension systems (mostly in Eastern European countries with emerging market economies) in reaching farmers;
• the lack of effective tools for technology transfer among research, extension, educational institutions and farmer organizations;
• the access to balanced information on new technologies (e.g. biotechnologies), including through networking within the region, as well as regulation of new technologies (e.g. biosafety);
• the problems encountered in land consolidation strategies, approaches and methods and in territorial organisation and management; and
• the special needs of minority groups such as Rom communities.

Policy Assistance

611.      Priority areas for the region where FAO could provide valuable assistance relate to:

• transition countries in their efforts for EU integration;
• participation in WTO trade negotiations;
• sub-sector analyses and financing of agriculture;
• emerging dimensions such as organic farming, biotechnology and biosafety;
• strategies for rehabilitation and development following emergencies; and
• understanding of the competitiveness of agricultural producers, and comparative advantages in crop production.

Latin America and the Caribbean

Agricultural Production and Support Systems

612.      Among the major issues of relevance to agricultural development in the region are:

• improving rain-fed agriculture, particularly in drought-prone areas;
• expanding urban and peri-urban agriculture, including the safe use of wastewater for irrigation;
• disaster mitigation and preparedness;
• plant genetic resources conservation and sustainable use for crop improvement;
• intensification and diversification of crop production systems; and
• the increasingly demand-driven orientation of agriculture and agro-industrial production systems, with attendant regulatory implications.

Food and Agriculture Policy and Development

613.      Regional issues include:

• supporting a programme for bridging the rural digital divide to reduce food insecurity and poverty, particularly through partnerships;
• improving nutrition and food quality at community level and the strengthening of national food control systems;
• analysing the impact of proliferating bilateral, regional and multilateral trade agreements, particularly their repercussions on vulnerable groups in developing countries; and
• the wider incorporation of food security concerns in policy analysis.

Fisheries

614.      In the fisheries sector, major regional concerns include:

• persistent weaknesses in national information systems on fisheries and aquaculture, especially regarding socio-economic aspects as well as stock assessment;
• the promotion of responsible inland fisheries and aquaculture in those areas where local fish consumption preferences or access to market offer potential;
• the development of small scale fisheries to overcome limitations linked to low volumes, quality aspects, lack of organization and access to markets; and
• the lack of comprehensive policies still in some countries, which would reflect the implications of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF) and associated International Plans of Action (IPOAs).

Forestry

615.      While the region is richly endowed with forest resources, specific concerns are:

• the conservation and preservation of biodiversity and monitoring of the flora, fauna and water resources in forests;
• the sustainable development of mountain ecosystems;
• the availability of updated outlook studies as inputs to forestry planning and decision making;
• well-functioning decentralized institutions and communities; and
• effective avenues to discuss intra-regional cooperation, such as the Forestry Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (LACFC).

Sustainable Development

616.      Requirements of special importance to the region include:

• expanded opportunities for rural education, including distance learning and other methodologies based on modern communication tools;
• effective extension transfer processes for rural populations;
• better understanding of the implications of population dynamics and gender in rural development and food security;
• the rights of access to land and other natural resources, and more secure tenure, which call for appropriate institutional measures and guidelines for market and private land transaction policies; and
• strengthened institutions and local capacities in the context of growing devolution of decision making.

Policy Assistance

617.      Agricultural trade policy will continue to be a primary concern to the region, calling for support to governments in international trade negotiations, the assessments of the impact of free trade agreements on agriculture and competitiveness issues. Other important components of policy formulation are the sustainable management of natural resources, rural development at the local/territorial level, institutional reforms, social capital development and new opportunities for regional integration.

Near East

Agricultural Production and Support Systems

618.      Water scarcity is clearly the overriding limiting factor for agricultural production and food security in the region. In the light of this and other regional specificities, the core issues of agricultural development include:

• redressing the low productivity of current systems and degradation of available resources;
• diversification of crop and livestock production systems;
• the need for appropriate policies and adapted regulatory frameworks;
• improvement of technical and managerial capacities;
• reduction of post-harvest losses through harnessing of modern biotechnology and products that have high storage and shelf life; and
• increased investments in agriculture.

Food and Agricultural Policy and Development

619.      Policy makers in the region will need to focus inter alia on:

• adequate information for the majority of the poor and hungry people in rural areas and the institutions serving them;
• facing the recurring threats of emergencies, either man-made or natural disasters;
• food safety and compliance with international food standards in view of the importance of external trade in many countries; and
• improved household food security and nutrition, including through targeted interventions based on effective needs.

Fisheries

620.      In respect of fisheries, the Near East region will need more specifically to:

• seek harmonized and effective fisheries statistics collection systems, including through workshops and networking;
• reinforce monitoring, control, and surveillance of the resources;
• improve product quality for local consumption and for export;
• pursue positive cooperation through existing or to be created regional fisheries bodies; and
• restructure the fisheries sector and build capacity in legislation and other managerial dimensions, including well functioning cooperatives and privatization based on dialogue with fishermen representatives.

Forestry

621.      Given that most countries in the region are low forest cover countries, they will need to:

• promote active afforestation programmes to protect watersheds;
• pursue improved practices for integrated management of woodlands, steppes and rangelands;
• seek greater use of indigenous plant species and knowledge to restore degraded lands and control desertification;
• ensure understanding of the socio-economic role played by non wood forest products and their more sustainable production; and
• continue dialogue and initiatives among countries in the region on forestry issues.

Sustainable Development

622.      The dimensions of sustainable development of keen interest to the region include:

• natural resources development programmes based on local practices/potential;
• the integration of rural women in land reform programmes;
• adequate capacity in research and technology transfer; and
• institutional reform and better linkages towards integrated, comprehensive extension approaches.

Policy Assistance

623.      The countries in the region have shown much interest in Regional Programmes for Food Security (RPFS), calling for continued assistance from FAO including contacts with regional funding organizations and individual oil-producing countries. A vehicle worth mentioning for policy cooperation is the Near East and North Africa Regional Network for Agricultural Policies (NENARNAP). Other aspects of policy formulation of relevance to the region include:

• expanding analysis to encompass advocacy and implementation processes as well as capacity-building;
• small and medium farms in the context of new international trade accords; and
• financing agricultural investments, institutions required for planning and trade facilitation measures.