Commission on Sustainable Development

Sixteenth Session

18^th & 19^th Meetings (AM & PM)

FOOD, COMMODITY CRISES CAUGHT WORLD NAPPING, SAY SPEAKERS TAKING PART

IN COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT DIALOGUE

 

It had been “sobering” to see how unprepared the world was for the current food crisis, Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), said during an interactive dialogue today as the Commission on Sustainable Development continued its high-level segment in the shadows of surging global prices of food staples such as rice and corn.

The Commission’s discussions should focus on why the world was always surprised by crises when there was so much evidence to enable national and international decision makers to anticipate them much earlier, Mr. Steiner said.  The dialogue should also move beyond formulas applied in the 1960s and 1970s, as the answers of the last century could no longer be the paradigm for ensuring future food security.

“It’s clear that, even with all the analysis, we were not ready to deal with the consequences of even modest increases in food prices,” said Philip Dobie, of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).  The issue was not the need for more early warning systems, but that the international community had not been very good about understanding the messages being sent by the myriad early warning systems already in existence.  Indeed, close to a billion people had already been living right on the edge of starvation even before the current global food and commodity crisis.

Suggesting that the failing revealed a need to focus on where international institutions could make changes in order to better maximize information from existing early warning systems, he described the Task Force recently launched by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to tackle escalating food prices as a “step in the right direction”.  Scaled-up activities by United Nations agencies at the country level were also making a difference by enhancing information sharing and bolstering preparedness.

The Commission’s dialogue on achieving food security and poverty eradication offered senior Government ministers, representatives from nearly 12 United Nations agencies, intergovernmental bodies and the Bretton Woods institutions an opportunity to weigh immediate and long-term measures that the world body could take in response to the emerging food crisis, and enhance its support of sustainable development and agricultural and rural development.  A dialogue with major groups on their central role in implementing sustainable development strategies was also held.  In the afternoon, the Commission continued the ministerial debate on the way forward which began yesterday.

Luc Gnacadja, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, underscored the long-term challenge of food security and noted that the availability of new arable land was diminishing while populations, particularly those in developing countries, were still rising.  Estimates indicated that food production must rise by 50 per cent to meet the needs of that rising population, meaning that marginal and degraded lands must begin to be seen as potential areas for agricultural production, a consideration that must in turn include the problems of desertification.

Echoing the serious concern of others over the food and commodity crisis, Julia Marton-Lefevre, Director-General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, said the surging prices for food staples and essential commodities had exposed the clear need for the international community to act urgently on drought, which left people vulnerable to hunger and conflict; desertification, which was enfeebling productivity in agriculture; and land degradation, which was robbing future generations of the very soil they would need to feed themselves.  “We must address not just food security, but also the burgeoning water crisis, a crisis of biodiversity loss, and threats posed by climate change […] all while sustaining growing economies and continuing to combat poverty,” she said, as she called for a cross-sectoral effort to tackle those issues.

During the dialogue with major groups, a representative of the non-governmental organization community said their work could not make up for the lack of Government attention to specific sectors, including agriculture, where many farmers and other small-scale producers were starving or scrambling to find ways to boost productivity, even as food and commodity prices soared.  A lack of safety nets had left many of them equally exposed to shocks from the price spikes and to predation by giant corporations with the money to take advantage of the current situation by scooping up fertile arable land as farms failed.

Among the more than 30 speakers participating in the continuing high-level debate on the way forward, an official of Denmark’s Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries warned that, if environmental degradation and natural resource depletion continued unabated, efforts to defeat poverty and pursue sustainable development would be in vain.  Rising food prices underlined the need for a special effort for the world’s poorest people.

He stressed the importance for the agricultural sector, first and foremost, of ensuring the future food supply, noting that the sector could also play an important role in the areas of sustainable energy and climate change.  For example, 12 per cent of Denmark’s energy consumption came from biomass, and increasing its use would reduce the environmental impact of waste produced by agricultural systems and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Yet Pakistan’s representative said there was a need to address the underlying policy issues that had led to the food emergency in the first place, including agricultural policies that maintained subsidies by the rich while eroding food security for the poor, and diverted food for fuel.  Adequate resources and the application of existing and emerging technologies were needed to enlarge sustainable food production in developing countries.

Calling for further equitable action in the area of technology, he went on to say that no developing country could be pressed to give up reliance on the carbon economy, which was essential to ensure growth, until alternative and affordable solutions were demonstrated and made available to them.

In other business, the representative of Grenada tabled, on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States, a draft decision on a Review of the Mauritius Strategy for Implementation (document E/CN.17/2008/L.3), by which the Commission would recall the decision made at its thirteenth session to hold a one-day review of the implementation of the Mauritius Strategy and decide that that day should be devoted exclusively to that review.

Commission Chairperson Francis Nhema of Zimbabwe presided over the discussion with representatives of United Nations organizations, funds and programmes, regional commissions, specialized agencies and the Bretton Woods institutions.  Participants included senior representatives from:  the World Meteorological Organization; United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification; World Health Organization Office at the United Nations; World Food Programme; International Fund for Agricultural Development; Economic Commission for Africa; United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT); and the World Bank.

Commission Vice-Chairperson Sasa Ojdanic of Serbia presided over the plenary discussion with major groups, which featured representatives of all nine major civil society groups:  women, children and youth, indigenous peoples, trade unions, farmers, non-governmental organizations, local authorities, business and industry, and science and technology.

Mr. Nhema and Commission Vice-Chairperson Daniel Carmon of Israel chaired the high-level debate in which the participants were senior ministers and Government officials from:  Djibouti (on behalf of the African Group), Spain, Philippines, United Republic of Tanzania, Angola, India, Guatemala, United States, Sweden, Mozambique, Zambia, El Salvador, Senegal, Romania, Jordon, Mongolia, Togo, Mali and Nigeria.

Also speaking were the representatives of Brazil, Switzerland, Malta, Cuba, Iceland, Indonesia, Chile, Japan, Monaco, Latvia and the Russian Federation.

The Commission on Sustainable Development will reconvene at 10 a.m. Friday, 16 May, to conclude its high-level debate and, in the afternoon, adopt its final report and close its sixteenth session.

Interactive Discussion with United Nations Agencies

Commission Chairperson FRANCIS NHEMA ( Zimbabwe) presided over the plenary discussion with representatives of United Nations organizations, funds and programmes, regional commissions, specialized agencies and the Bretton Woods institutions.

THOMAS STELZER, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs, led off the discussion, stressing the opportunity for United Nations organizations and the Bretton Woods institutions to work together as closely as possible not only to address the food crisis, but also to consider how the United Nations system should function to enhance its support of sustainable development and agricultural and rural development.

MICHEL JARRAUD, Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization, said that any agricultural effort critically depended on weather, which was not just a local phenomenon but an interlinked global system.  Every decision that a farmer made was influenced by weather and water conditions, and any variation in weather had an impact on food security.  There was no simple solution to the current food crisis, but there was a need to focus on the efficient use of natural resources.  In that, more attention should be paid to seasonal climate forecasts.  In Africa, the World Meteorological Organization was teaching thousands of farmers to better use meteorological information in their farming strategies.  The agency needed incredible support for training, capacity-building, research and data-gathering in that effort.

ACHIM STEINER, Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), acknowledged the necessity of a rapid response to the food crisis, saying that its longer-term causes also deserved urgent attention.  It had been sobering to see how unprepared the international community was for the food crisis.  Part of the current discussions should focus on why the world was always surprised when there was so much evidence that could allow national and international decision makers to anticipate crises much earlier.

Even while considering the food needs of those literally priced out of the market, the food security of forthcoming generations must also be confronted, he said.  It was critical to ask how food would be secured for seven, eight or nine billion people when the very environmental conditions that allowed food production were being degraded.  The basic formula being touted in the current discussions seemed to be almost the same formula applied in the 1960s and 1970s.  Surely, different approaches must be developed as the answers of the last century could not continue to be the paradigm to ensuring food security.

Specifically, agricultural production could not be discussed today unless the international community asked where the water to grow food would come from, he said.  Fertilizers and chemicals could not continue to be injected into the soil when the shores of some lands were dying.  It was imperative that the world community look at such issues in developing new visions for food production that could be shared among the United Nations family as well as national agencies.

LUC GNACADJA, Executive Secretary, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, highlighted as a long-term challenge the fact that availability of new arable land was diminishing while populations continued to grow, particularly in developing countries.  Estimates indicated that food production would need to rise by 50 per cent to meet the fuel needs of that rising population, meaning that marginal and degraded lands would have to begin to be seen as potential areas for agricultural production.  The problems of desertification must also be included in that consideration.

He underlined the efforts of the Convention to Combat Desertification to help countries create adaptation and mitigation strategies to fight climate change, particularly in Africa.  The main thrust of that effort was to put those countries on a climate resilient trajectory.  But while the United Nations had developed a strategy for combating drought, desertification and land degradation, it was now necessary to bring together the Organization’s agencies dealing with land matters to forge an effective land coalition that could build on their synergies.

ANDREY V. PIROGOV, Assistant Director-General and Executive Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Office at the United Nations, said the human implications of environmental degradation, including the effects of climate change, were fast becoming top priorities for WHO.  The most obvious effects of that were extreme weather events such as intense storms, floods and droughts which impacted on some of the most fundamental determinates of health –- air, water, food and shelter.  Moreover, evidence was building that even larger impacts might affect the natural and managed ecosystems that supplied those health determinants, including watersheds that supplied clean water and the agricultural land that supplied food.

The lack of access to improved water and sanitation, especially in poor rural areas, killed more than 1.5 million people a year, he said.  Therefore, failure to manage climate change and its associated impacts on land, and agricultural and rural development were far more than an economic or environmental issue as they related directly to health and well-being.  To highlight that issue, WHO had selected climate change as the theme for this year’s World Health Day.  On that occasion, specific attention would be focused on the sensitivity of the agricultural sector to climate and weather variability, as rising temperatures and more frequent droughts compromised food security.  Increases in malnutrition were expected to be especially severe in countries where large populations depended on rain-fed subsistence farming.  The greatest concern was for the poor, especially in Africa.  WHO’s evidence suggested that the health impacts of climate change would be magnified greatly in the world’s poorest countries.

JULIA MARTON-LEFEVRE, Director-General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), echoed the serious concern of others over the current global food and commodity crisis, saying that the surging prices and dwindling supplies of food staples and essential commodities had exposed the clear need for the international community to act urgently on drought, which left people vulnerable to hunger and conflict; desertification, which was enfeebling productivity in agriculture; and land degradation, which was robbing future generations of the very soil they would need to feed themselves.

The world’s response posed critical choices, she said.  “We must address not just food security, but also the burgeoning water crisis, a crisis of biodiversity loss, and threats posed by climate change […] all while sustaining growing economies and continuing to combat poverty.”  While the Commission’s work and the outcome of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development certainly pointed the way forward as the international community’s sense of crisis grew, it was clear that concrete action on the ground was also needed to turn science and policy into benefits for the people and ecosystems that sustained everybody.

Calling for a cross-sectoral effort to tackle those issues, she said that ecosystem services in water management, climate change adaptation and agricultural development, among others, could be sustained through practical solutions.  Many were ready, but they needed to be scaled up rapidly.  A mix of solutions was vital, but they must be chosen with care.  For example, biofuels could not be a solution if they degraded food security or exacerbated water shortages.  Overall, dialogue was the key to making links between science, policy and practice stronger, and ensuring that the most relevant knowledge was applied where it was needed most.

She said IUCN had a mandate to bring scientists and policymakers together and engage its own members and partners in demonstrating the practice of sustainable development.  Confronting myriad challenges, humanity was rightly looking to sustainable development for solutions.  The basic infrastructure of ecosystems was fundamental to those solutions and, while there were no easy answers, the elements of the way forward were clear.  They included coherent, integrated policies that mainstreamed ecosystem services into strategies for development and economic growth.

PHILIP DOBIE, Environment and Energy Group, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), suggested that the issue may not be the need for more early warning systems, but that the international community had not been very good at understanding the messages coming from the myriad early warning systems already up and running.  Even before the current global food and commodity crisis, there had already been close to a billion people living right on the edge of starvation.  As recently as last year, diverse development and humanitarian agencies had begun warning about dwindling food supplies and the possible dangers of a global commodity crunch.  “It’s clear that, even with all the analysis, we were not ready to deal with the consequences of even modest increases in food prices,” he said, suggesting that such a failing revealed a need to focus on where international institutions must make changes in order to better maximize information coming out of existing early warning systems.

He noted that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s recently launched Task Force to counter the effects of soaring food prices was a step in the right direction, especially since that panel would bring together the heads of United Nations specialized agencies, funds and programmes, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the United Nations Secretariat.  Further, the scaled-up activities of United Nations agencies at the country-level were making a difference by enhancing information sharing and bolstering preparedness.

DEBORAH SAIDY, Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) Liaison Office in New York, said the agency managed a global lifeline that aimed to meet the needs of some 74 million hungry and crisis affected people in 2008.  Even as WFP’s operations themselves had been affected by skyrocketing food and fuel prices, it had nevertheless launched an appeal two months ago for an additional $755 million so it could carry out its existing programmes and meet the needs of refugees, displaced persons and other food insecure populations.  WFP’s total resource needs for 2008 were already in the range of $4.3 billion, and that was before factoring in “the new face of hunger” resulting from the current soaring food prices.

She said that, for nearly 40 years, the world had made great strides in tackling poverty and hunger, but today the rapidly escalating prices of food and commodities were severely impacting the poor and vulnerable.  Indeed, poor households that already spent the bulk of their incomes on food were responding to the high prices by eating less, buying less nutritious food, or cutting expenses in health care and education.  There was a growing concern that hard fought development gains were rapidly eroding in the face of the crisis, especially in Africa.  The crisis must be taken as a global call to action and WFP was committed to partnerships with Member States, other United Nations agencies and private partners to achieve sustainable solutions.

CHERYL MORDEN, Director, North American Liaison Office of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), said the agency was today one of the largest sources of development financing for agriculture and rural development in many developing countries, particularly those in Africa.  The sudden rise in food prices underscored the urgent need to enable those farming the world’s 451 million smallholdings to gain better access to land and water, production inputs, services, finance and infrastructure.  Rising food prices could make smallholder family agriculture more economically viable if poor farmers could overcome those constraints.  A concerted focus on smallholder producers was needed to enable them to fulfil their role as a key part of the effort to increase food production in a sustainable manner.

IFAD was making available up to $200 million from existing loans and grants to provide an immediate boost to production by poor farmers so as to ensure the next harvest, she said.  Its longer-term strategies were aimed at promoting secure land access and tenure rights, highlighting water activities in its projects, and combating desertification, among other objectives.  Looking ahead to its next replenishment period in 2010-2012, IFAD hoped to deliver a $3 billion programme of work, but would need a total of $1.2 billion combined with co-financing and internal IFAD resources to do that.

JOSUE DIONE, Executive Director of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), spoke on behalf of the five United Nations regional commissions, saying that the regional panels held during the present session of the Commission had highlighted best practices and lessons learned which could contribute to an enhanced understanding and more finely tuned responses to climate change.  In Latin America, deforestation remained a problem and agriculture production was largely relegated to a limited number of products and areas.  Models for agricultural development must identify consumption and production linkages.  In Western Asia, water scarcity and development too often existed under conflict conditions.  Efforts everywhere to balance natural resource constraints with rural development strategies -- already challenging for developing countries -- were under further pressure from the impact of climate change.

As for the need for solutions and more effective strategies, he said regional and interregional dialogue mechanisms could contribute to the sharing of knowledge about climate change initiatives.  Partnerships, particularly between the public and private sectors, could help identify strategies whereby sustainable development could be harmonized in different communities.  Securing sufficient resources and financing for agricultural development should be aimed at vulnerable groups and interregional coordination should be strengthened.

AXUMITE GEBRE-EGZIABHER, Director, UN-HABITAT New York Office, said there could be no sustainable development without sustainable urbanization, and neither could exist without sustainable land management that particularly emphasized land rights for all.  Access to land was essential for shelter, food production and economic activities.  Securing rights to land encouraged people to invest in dwellings and the land itself.  The economic benefits of enhanced land rights included higher levels of participation in credit and financing services.

Encouraging Governments to implement a growing menu of means for securing land rights, she said no single tenure system could meet the needs of all people.  Legal recognition for different sorts of tenure rights, such as alternative and customary rights, could be beneficial.  Governments continued to grapple with tensions growing from fragmented land rights systems, particularly in Africa and Asia, and UN-HABITAT would continue to support the development of land rights schemes and while working with other United Nations and governmental agencies to foster sustainable development as well as the Millennium Development Goals.  In Africa, the programme was committed to creating better water services, upgrading slums and generally addressing the effects of rapid urbanization.

KSENIYA LVOVSKY, Programme Leader on Climate Change and Sustainable Development, World Bank, said the food price crisis and the tragedy in Myanmar were two vivid reminders of how fragile the fundamentals of daily life were, especially for the poor.  Those two disparate events were underpinned by a common thread -– the broad and vastly magnified development challenges posed by climate change.  Global food stocks were at their lowest recorded levels in per capita terms, setting the stage for increased volatility in grain prices for at least the next several years.  When the next crisis arose, there was no doubt that the poor would bear the brunt of its impact.

With that in mind, the head of WFP had called for a new deal on global food policy and had urged donors to support the agency’s effort to meet emergency needs, she said.  The sharp rise in food prices had sent a powerful signal that sustainable development was “not a dream for tomorrow” but a priority for today.  It was also a demonstration of how complex the links between various interventions and policies had become.  A sustainable response would require long-term comprehensive strategies that would integrate issues of land, water and natural resource management, the need for new drought proof technologies and the value of ecosystems services. 

During the brief time allowed for comments from the audience, high-level delegates expressed their willingness to boost their cooperation with relevant United Nations programmes and funds, especially in light of the current global food and commodity price crisis.  Several speakers noted that the onset of the crisis underscored the need to strengthen early warning systems at the national, regional and global levels and enhance the capacity of the United Nations system to take rapid and adequate actions to meet increasing demands for emergency and humanitarian food aid.

Others said that, if such crises were to be avoided in the future, the major international food and agricultural institutions, development institutions, international financial institutions and agricultural research centres must work together in addressing the long-term needs of agricultural production in developing countries, particularly in Africa.

Interactive Discussion with Major Groups

Commission Vice-Chairperson SASA OJDANIC ( Serbia) presided over the meeting, which considered the crucial role of major groups in the implementation of sustainable development strategies.

Mr. STELZER, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs, said the major groups were leading actors on the frontline of sustainable development and their participation in the discussion would strengthen the Commission’s work.

Speaking on behalf of women’s groups, one representative noted that Women Organizing for Change in Agriculture had launched last night a network of women ministers that would connect the major agricultural decision makers in countries around the world.  Having women in leadership positions would reorient agriculture and resources sectors, and they should not be regarded simply as a vulnerable group.  Given their vast experience and working knowledge, as well as their role as farmers around the world, women were experts and, as such, should be placed at the forefront in a transformation of the United Nations system that would address women’s needs as food producers and environmental managers.

She pointed out that, while women often practiced sustainable methods of farming, to rise from the level of subsistence farming that too often trapped them, they needed a new form of vocational training that would extend their skills and gender-sensitize their communities.  Moreover, climate change adaptation and mitigation measures should similarly engage women as leaders and agents of change.  The investments and political commitments needed to make that happen must be made.

A representative of children and youth emphasized education as a catalyst for implementing sustainable development.  A positive image of agriculture should be promoted in educational and vocational programmes around the world.  One example of effective rural education was the Sistema de Aprendizaje tutorial system in Honduras.  While youth acknowledged the need to increase food production, given the current food crisis, ensuring the protection of rural lands and water was just as important.  In addition, Governments should invest in rural infrastructure.  Achieving sustainable resource use required a reconsideration of consumption patterns.  By encouraging fair trade, Governments might have more impact on developing regions than through conventional development aid.

A second youth representative asked what the value of free basic education was when three quarters of the students had to walk several miles to get a sip of water.  Youth hoped that Governments would rise to the challenge of building sufficient water infrastructure.  Real leadership should come from the rural communities themselves and Governments should seek their input.  The potent power of youth could not be undermined, and Governments should ensure that at least one youth delegate was sent to forums like the Commission.  “Are you willing and ready to match our enthusiasms with actions and concerted efforts?” she asked.

A representative of indigenous peoples said indigenous populations were disproportionately numbered among the poor and highly impacted by climate change.  Yet, their lands and practices were geared towards sustainability and the protection of biodiversity.  While urgently discussing land security in the Commission, the same Governments were ushering in the biggest land grabs in history as they allowed corporations to move onto lands to undertake carbon sequestration and biofuel production.

While the dominant economic models obviously rewarded growth over sustainability, indigenous peoples considered that diverse economic and local spheres were interlinked, she said.  Respect for, and protection of, indigenous lands and livelihoods, as well as strong regulation of economic investment and business, were needed to deliver economic development to indigenous communities.  In that, the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples should be considered the primary framework.  Diversity underpinned resilience and more efforts must be made to respect the diversity and identity of indigenous peoples.

A representative of the non-governmental organization community said such groups could only do so much and their work could not make up for the lack of Government attention to specific sectors, including the agricultural sector, where farmers and other small-scale producers had been left adrift, many starving or scrambling to find ways to boost productivity, even as food and commodity prices soared.  A lack of safety nets had left many farmers equally exposed to shocks from the price spikes and to predation by giant corporations with the money to take advantage of the current situation.  They were scooping up fertile arable land as farms failed.

A representative of local authorities noted that community food system projects such as farms-to-schools programmes could be a pathway to revitalizing both small-scale producers and urban environments.  Local authorities must therefore bolster their cooperation and collaboration with farmers, city administrators and private actors in key areas such as energy supply and agricultural development, technical expertise and capacity-building.

The representative of trade unions reiterated the major groups’ call to place decent work and gainful employment at the heart of sustainable development, and called on the Commission to integrate the key elements of the relevant International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions and employment codes into the Chairman’s Summary.  There was also a need to focus on “green jobs” and eco-friendly employment to address the challenges facing workers who lost their jobs due to climate change and global warming.  Occupational health issues must also be addressed, including ensuring that the “Group of 8” (G-8) most industrialized nations lived up to the commitments they had made towards implementation of United Nations objectives on HIV/AIDS.

Speaking on behalf of business and industry, a representative said there were key intervention points for joint action by Governments and civil society.  They included:  encouraging investment in research in the areas of agricultural productivity and integrated water management; increasing training in stewardship of agricultural lands; rewarding farmers for the implementation of sustainable practices; supporting land tenure and recognizing women farmers as key players in land issues; fostering private partnerships to implement water and sanitation strategies; and targeting all sanitation needs, including waste removal.

The representative of the scientific and technology community said the key to surmounting the current food crisis –- and avoiding such crises in the future -– was understanding rural sensitivities and dynamics, and providing small- and medium-scale farmers with cost-effective and site-specific technologies.  That required overcoming the persisting challenge posed by lagging investment in collecting data and gathering information on agricultural research, climate variability and extension services, all of which were vital for boosting socio-economic growth and development in Africa.

The representative of the farmers major group said it remained to be seen how the Commission’s sixteenth session process would play out in the outside world, and specifically how -- or even if -- farmers would be integrated into it.  Indeed, agriculture had a critical role to play in climate change mitigation and adaptation, so partnership with farmers was vital.  Farmers would also be crucial in helping policymakers evaluate market prices and the availability of local products.  National Government must develop a long-term plan that involved small- and medium-scale farmers with the aim of establishing safety nets and risk management programmes.

Given all the talk over the past two weeks of the “important role farmers played”, it was time delegates stopped acting like bureaucrats and put themselves in farmers’ shoes.  Everyone knew there could be no sustainable development without sustainable agriculture.  That made it necessary to bolster the farming and rural sectors by addressing the real life needs of farmers and other producers.  That could be done by creating space for small producers to sell their goods and, among other priorities, ensuring access to modern technology, land tenure and land rights for women.

When the floor was opened for comments, delegates and Government ministers highlighted the importance of giving women access to and control over property, especially traditional lands.  Women were the “backbone” of sustainable agriculture, and such access was not only a way to promote gender equality, but also a means of boosting socio-economic development in rural areas.  Participants also called for more investment in women working in the formal sectors.  Several speakers stressed the powerful potential of children and youth to drive global decision-making if only Governments made greater efforts to enhance their participation.

One participant stressed that sustainable development required ecologically sustainable agriculture and agreed with the building consensus that the United Nations –- under the auspices of a single agency -– must be at the forefront of efforts to develop the requisite agricultural guidelines, including identifying appropriate and efficient farming methods and “green” technologies.  One minister said dialogue with civil society was crucial for meeting the Millennium Development Goals as Governments could not do it alone.  Politicians must draw on the innovative, local level inputs that only civil actors could provide.

Biofuels came under criticism from participants who said say they were far less green than they appeared.  Converting land to provide fuel for cars was pushing up the prices of food crops and meat.

Statements

ADOU MOHAMED ALI ( Djibouti), speaking on behalf of the African Group, expressed hope that the focus on the continent’s special needs would translate into tangible benefits in terms of support for its development efforts.  Impediments to sustainable development in Africa included extreme poverty, a fragile, overexploited natural resource base, high energy prices limiting access to modern sources of energy, a high prevalence of pandemic diseases, and challenges of governance and institutional capacity.  Adding to those challenges were inadequate infrastructure, low levels of foreign direct investment and official development assistance, the existence of international trade bottlenecks, crippling debt and a gaping international digital divide.

Noting the central role of water in sustainable development, he said substantive discussions of water and sanitation should again take place in the Commission’s 2012 review session.  While African countries were taking concrete measures to implement the outcomes of all major conferences, the solutions to the continent’s sustainable development challenges also lay in reinvigorating the international community’s commitment to addressing them through a new vision based on implementing Agenda 21 in Africa.

The degradation of the resource base threatened the livelihoods of many Africans, he said, calling for increased funding for the Convention to Combat Desertification, particularly for fighting desertification in African countries.  The transfer of technology to support the addition of value to agricultural products would go a long way towards promoting sustainable land management, sustainable agriculture, rural development and economic growth on the continent.

JOSEPH PUXEU, Secretary of State for Water and Rural Affairs of Spain, said his country had integrated into the new Ministry of Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs responsibilities in the areas of agriculture, fisheries, food security and rural development, as well as all aspects of climate change and forestry management.  Measures adopted by the Government to address the current global food and commodity crisis included a contribution of more than $133 million to international agencies responsible for guaranteeing food security.

He said the current crisis underscored the need for international support for initiatives in research, development and innovation that would lead to solutions, based on new and sustainable technologies, especially to boost agricultural productivity and sustainable management of natural resources.  Spain’s sustainable development policy was based on an integrated approach that drew upon elements of its Climate Change and Clean Energy Strategy, and took into consideration two recently adopted laws, respectively, on natural heritage, and biodiversity protection and preservation.

DATU NASSER C. PANGANDAMAN, Secretary for Agrarian Reform of the Philippines, said unsustainable global consumption and production patterns had contributed to the deterioration of the natural resource base, environmental degradation and climate change, of which the food and energy crisis was a result.  Fundamental changes must be made to the manner in which societies consumed and produced goods if global sustainable development was to be achieved.  Tightening global food supplies could be linked to competitive crop use for energy.  While providing farmers with greater opportunity and helping diversify cleaner energy sources, that trend could mean rising prices, especially of wage goods.

He said all stakeholders in his country were now involved in mainstreaming sustainable development into the development decision-making process.  Farmers were starting to adopt practices such as the landscape approach, ecosystem based management and integrated pest management.  Local government units were involved in watershed management and industries were engaging in clean development mechanism projects.  However, challenges remained in the form of failure to build support for replication; limited resources; lack of legal powers to implement a particular instrument; budget restrictions; and political and cultural barriers.

BATILDA SALHA BURIAN, Minister of State in the Office of the Vice-President for the Environment of the United Republic of Tanzania, said the high cost of inputs, limited access to innovative technologies and low, unpredictable payment for commodities had further hindered productivity in her country’s agricultural sector.  The low price of agricultural primary products was a matter of particular concern.  For instance, a cup of cappuccino cost between $3 and $5 in the restaurants of many developed countries, but a Tanzanian farmer received as little as 40 cents per kilogramme of processed coffee.  High fuel prices had hindered infrastructure, particularly transport, thereby impacting the value chain.  The introduction of biofuels had taken up some land for cash and food crops in some countries.  All of that undermined national efforts to fight poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Among the actions her country had undertaken in response to those challenges was a six-year agriculture development programme aimed at directing more than 75 per cent of all available resources to the district level, she said.  A strategy for urgent action on land degradation and water-catchment management had been put in place, together with a national adaptation programme on climate change.  The Government had also adopted policies and legislation to promote equal opportunities for women and vulnerable groups in gaining access to land.  However, the country needed international support in such areas as agro-mechanization, rain water harvesting, harvest storage facilities, credit for agro-business, and systems for early warning and disaster preparedness.  In order to take advantage of “Aid for Trade” and similar initiatives, support should be provided to address quality assurance, standards and other non-tariff barriers.

LUIS DA MOTA LIZ, Vice-Minister for Urbanism and Environment of Angola, associated himself with the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, saying issues relating to climate change, drought and desertification stunted Africa’s development and hindered its agricultural growth and the improvement of its people’s quality of life.  The Government of Angola had begun implementing a series of economic and legislative reforms based on sustainable development principles to promote macroeconomic stabilization.  Angola was investing in agriculture and rural development as part of its commitment to normalizing democratization and a long-term strategy to guarantee an open and flexible economy.  It was also promoting more widespread use of technology and the expansion of arable lands through mechanization.  Hopefully, that would increase overall food security.

In terms of rural development, Angola was expanding health and education services in addition to promoting suitable housing, potable water, electricity and sanitation, he said.  The Government had prepared a national programme of action to combat desertification and a national strategy to implement the Kyoto Protocol.  It was also implementing programmes to address forest management and water resources, the latter through a “Water for All” initiative.  As for biofuel, its production could contribute significantly to reducing unemployment by creating hundreds of thousands of jobs and increasing the income of rural populations.  While discussions about climate change and the Millennium Development Goals were important, action was imperative.

MEENA GUPTA, Secretary for Environment and Forests of India, said that soaring food insecurity, rising energy prices, declining official development assistance and continuing land degradation severely hampered efforts by developing countries to eradicate poverty, a challenge likely to be aggravated by the impact of climate change.  Developed countries must honour their legally binding obligations under the Climate Change Convention.  Adaptation efforts by developing countries, particularly in the interlinked areas of agriculture, drought, desertification and land, must receive adequate attention and financial support from developed countries.  It was also important to ensure that those additional financial flows did not divert existing development assistance.

African countries, small island developing States and least developed countries faced special challenges in their pursuit of sustainable development, she said, reaffirming her country’s long-standing support for those countries and recalling a recent India-Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi.  During that event, India had pledged credit lines worth $5.4 billion to Africa and grants in excess of $500 million over the next five years.  It had also committed $350 million in concessional loans and credit lines to small island States, in addition to project aid of $70 million.  India was also promoting multi-stakeholder dialogue as central to policy planning and programme implementation, with special emphasis on the empowerment of women and the inclusion of disadvantaged groups.

ROMEL ALARIC GARCIA, Vice-Minister for Environment and Natural Resources of Guatemala, said that, despite the fact that Central American countries contributed least to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the region was committed to active participation in efforts to reduce emissions.  The Government of Guatemala was working with other countries in the region to promote reforestation and watershed management.

He said many fertile lands in Central America were now being used for the production of biofuels, leading to the degradation and spoilage of soils.  A better way to go about producing biofuels was to boost investment in research and the development of methods to produce biofuels from other sources that did lead to the degradation of natural environments.  On other key issues, including water and sanitation matters, the way forward was through the path of dialogue among stakeholders because all nations and citizens of the world had a duty to leave the planet in a better condition for future generations.

DAN REIFSNYDER, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environment and Sustainable Development, United States Department of State, said science and education were the bedrock of progress in sustainable development.  The challenge was to connect scientific knowledge with on-the-ground results.  While targeted research programmes that had the potential to help people -– such as the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) and the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) -– needed support, there was a need to educate the next generation through formal programmes and continuing education.  There was also a need to empower local decision makers, including farmers, women, youth, land managers, small business owners and community leaders.  Countries must meet ongoing commitments to education, gender equity and good governance.  “In short, we need to develop the capacity for people to help themselves,” he added.

A bold new approach to communication, outreach and information delivery was the final link in the chain, he said, stressing that knowledge could not be disconnected from practice.  Research results must reach local decision makers and emerging challenges to practitioners must be rapidly conveyed to scientists.  The United States eXtension (E-extension) programme, involving thousands of scientists and practitioners, was one example of how that could be done at a national level, and of a partnership that could be expanded internationally.  The United States today was an engine of agricultural productivity, demonstrating the power of harnessing the three drivers of sustainability -– science and education, empowerment and information.

ROLF ERICKSON, State Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture of Sweden, said it was about time agriculture and rural development were placed high on the world community’s agenda.  Biofuel production was at the heart of much of the debate, and FAO had asserted that high food prices were not only threatening but, when used correctly, they could be used as an opportunity.  Investments in agriculture could have benefits that spread throughout the economies of developing countries.  However, there was a need for efforts to help farmers in developing countries.  Short-term measures should be accompanied by actions aimed at long-term changes.  It was not good enough to focus on increased productivity; sustained management of natural resources was equally important.  More trade was needed rather than less, and trade barriers should be removed.  Moreover, there was a need for investments to raise productivity while protecting resources.  Sweden supported the water and sanitation review and the suggestion that water and sanitation be included in the policy recommendations for the Commission’s next session.

ALCINDA ABREU, Minister for the Coordination of Environmental Affairs of Mozambique, said that, even though Africa had recently seen significant economic growth, food security, rural development and environmental protection were still huge challenges for many countries.  Lack of investment in the production, processing and marketing of food and commodities had contributed not only to the lowering of the quality and quantity of food, but also prevented efforts to mitigate the effects of natural and environmental disasters such as drought, floods, deforestation and coastal erosion.  Mozambique’s path to sustainable development was hampered by myriad challenges, including those related to water management in rural communities and implementation of best land management practices, particularly those targeting women.

She said her country needed the international community’s support to enhance its institutional capacity to ensure implementation of land planning policies and legislation, taking into consideration that climate variability would have an impact on soil fertility and productivity.  Nevertheless, Mozambique was committed to meeting the targets set by Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation by integrating the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.  The Government had been pursuing a broad-based approach that encouraged communities to meet their pressing needs while preserving precious natural resources.

BRADFORD MACHILA, Minister of Lands of Zambia, associated himself with the African Group and the Group of 77 and China, saying more than 60 per cent of his country’s population lived in the rural areas and earned their livelihoods from agriculture.  Thus, the Government was greatly concerned about rising world food prices.  It also faced challenges owing to its small share of foreign direct investment inflows, high dependence on subsistence agriculture, inadequate resources for research and development, and the need to balance socio-economic policies with initiatives to protect land and resources for future generations.  Other pressures included climate change, inadequate infrastructure, a reliance on the export of primary commodities and low investment in agriculture.

While Zambia’s economy had grown by 6 per cent annually during each of the last three years, that growth was due to higher commodity prices and had not translated into widespread poverty reduction, he said.  Rising food prices threatened already faltering efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.  Zambia looked forward to the conclusion of the stalled Doha Round of negotiations.  The country had made progress in its efforts to implement Agenda 21, which were not exhaustive but had nevertheless resulted in strengthened macroeconomic performance.  Yet, it still faced constraints in its pursuit of sustainable development and, as a result, needed support from cooperating partners and the international community at large.

ROBERTO ALFONSO ESCALANTE CACEROS, Vice-Minister for Environment and Natural Resources of El Salvador, said there was a need to step up international efforts to implement the objectives of Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, especially in light of the current global crises that were being exacerbated by the effects of global warming.  El Salvador was located in a region that was rich in biodiversity and it was unclear to what extent the region would be affected by climate change, though some negative fallout was sure to occur.

With that in mind, the Government was actively consulting with other countries in the region, he said, noting, however, that it had recognized the need for broad global cooperation to identify mitigation or adaptation strategies that would ensure a sustainable environment for the country, the region and the world.  EL Salvador supported all efforts to raise awareness of the effects of climate change, including in the area of education.  The country had also set out to implement a multi-year plan of action to address all aspects of sustainable development, including anti-desertification measures and steps to protect its natural resources.

ROKKAYA SENE, Director-General for Planning of Senegal, associated herself with the African Group and the Group of 77 and China, saying her country placed great significance on rural development and agriculture and had undertaken a strategy to lift constraints on the agriculture sector.  In that regard, Senegal had attached importance to gender issues in its approach to food security.  It was also attempting to expand its water supply and diversify its employment base in rural areas in order to reduce the challenges of rain-fed agriculture.

Yet, despite such actions, Senegal, like all African countries, faced many obstacles in achieving the Millennium Development Goals and eradicating extreme poverty.  Rising food prices were having a negative impact on the poor and priority should, therefore, be placed on a pro-poor agenda that mobilized investment in infrastructure, low-cost energy, and agriculture that fostered integrated regional cooperation, financing aimed at agriculture and food security, and enhanced technology transfer.  There was also a need to conclude a post-Kyoto agreement to address climate change, and increased support for the Convention to Combat Desertification.

MARY-JEANNE ADLER, Director of Emergency Sanitation Management, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of Romania, said the global effort to address the impacts of drought and desertification, in the face of climate change, should be focused on the full and effective implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development.  Over the past decade, Romania had been one of the countries most affected by intense heat waves, drought and desertification.  Last year had been especially severe and water scarcity now affected some 700 localities inside the country.

As a result, the wheat and corn crops were dying, rivers were drying up and animals and ecosystems were seriously threatened, she said.  That situation had led Romania to the urgent implementation of a number of programmes within the framework of the European Union Water Directive and Basin Management process.  The country’s own national action plan to address water scarcity was based on elements of the Convention to Combat Desertification and its 10-year anti-desertification strategy also aimed to enhance the integration of science and technological advances into the broader effort.

FARIS AL-JUNAIDI, Secretary-General, Ministry of the Environment of Jordan, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to balancing food security through sustainable development.  To that end, Jordan was pursuing a national plan for water and a programme to combat drought and desertification in addition to initiatives to improve the quality of life in rural areas.  Pressures on natural resources such as water were further exacerbated by circumstances in the region.

Noting the importance of agriculture vis-à-vis soil preservation and water conservation, he said the Government had implemented programmes to raise awareness, particularly among farmers, of the benefits of land and water conservation.  It had also implemented a programme for comprehensively combating pests to limit the use of pesticides.  Jordan had also adopted an ambitious plan to build 10 main dams, and was also constructing a number of reservoirs in its efforts to raise economic benefits from every cubic metre of water.  Unconventional water sources such as treated waste water and saline water were also being tapped.  In terms of land management, the Government sought to establish a balance between urban and rural areas.  Sustainable development could only be achieved through collective responsibility.

J. CHOIKHAND, Director of International Cooperation Department in the Ministry of Nature and Environment of Mongolia, said the harsh continental climate of her landlocked country, its poor green coverage and low precipitation made its fragile ecosystem highly vulnerable to climate change.  Mongolia suffered frequent droughts, while dust and sand storms on the steppe and in the Gobi region had increased three to four times since the 1960s.  Some 85 per cent of the country’s land had been degraded, and desertification was rampant.

Such environmental problems had resulted in serious social and economic challenges, she said.  In response to those emerging issues, the Government had adopted a “Green Belt” programme against desertification, which included forestation and reforestation measures in areas affected by desertification, with contributions from foreign Governments, research institutions and private enterprises.  The programme was a testament to Mongolia’s commitment to solving its problems and contributing to food security, rural and agricultural development and an overall green revolution.

The problems Mongolia was facing were global and required global action, she continued.  It was necessary to strengthen the country’s policy framework and build up collaborative actions to combat deforestation, eliminate droughts and promote sustainable land management through coherent international, regional and bilateral mechanisms in order to move forward.  Mongolia had offered to host a North-East Asian Environmental Ministerial Meeting in the third quarter of this year.  Hopefully, such a high-level event would help to forge regional partnership and contribute to larger global efforts towards the goals of sustainable development.

PIRAGIBE TARRAGÔ ( Brazil) said bioenergy had bearings on energy security, agricultural sustainability, curbing the adverse effects of climate change, food security and the eradication of poverty.  The Brazilian National Biodiesel Programme focused on social inclusion, employment and income distribution, taking into account environmental sustainability.  In the land reform process, the Government had spent more than $2.5 billion to acquire land and settled nearly 400,000 families over the past five years.  The National Programme on Land Reform had also provided more than 74,000 people with access to free elementary and secondary education.  As of 2003, the Federal Government had made available 19.5 million hectares of land to new conservation units, 13 of which were in the Amazon region.

He recalled that, last week, the Government had launched the “Sustainable Amazon Plan”, encompassing all states forming part of the Amazon region.  The Plan focused on:  sustainable competitive and innovative production; environmental and territorial management; social inclusion; infrastructure for development; and new patterns of financing.  More than 23 million people would be positively affected by the Plan, for which some $650 million had been earmarked.

Subsidies as well as tariff and non-tariff barriers applied by rich countries greatly impacted the capacity of developing countries to strengthen their agriculture, he said.  Overcoming the current food crisis would therefore also require the completion of the Doha Round of World Trade Organization negotiations.

ESSOWE OURO-DJERI, Director of Cabinet, Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Forestry Resources of Togo, said the topics under discussion during the session were at the heart of his country’s sustainable development efforts, especially since it faced the same environmental pressures as many other countries in Africa’s Sahel region.  Togo had approved programmes targeting reforestation and agricultural development, purchased 60 new tractors and identified work and crop sites for further development.  Following difficulties in ensuring hydroelectric power, Togo was now turning towards the production of renewable energy.  The Government was also looking at other innovative measures to promote socio-economic growth, including the development of tourism.  However, the Government could not address all the country’s serious needs on its own and needed international assistance and support.

LENE MOELSTED JENSEN, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Denmark, associated himself with the European Union, and warned that, if environmental degradation and natural resource depletion continued unabated, efforts to defeat poverty and pursue sustainable development would be in vain.  Rising food prices underlined the need for a special effort for the poorest.  In addition, climate change threatened to undermine achievements already been made.

Although Africa had contributed very little to climate change, it was and would continue to suffer the impacts of climate variability, he said.  Between 75 and 250 million people in Africa alone would experience water stress before 2020.  Water scarcity would have severe consequences for health, food security and agriculture.  Thus, water must be a priority area in efforts towards adaptation to climate change.  The current session’s review of water and sanitation decisions taken at the thirteenth session had been valuable and the 2012 review would provide an opportunity to discuss water with a forward-looking perspective.

He stressed the importance for the agricultural sector, first and foremost, to ensure the future food supply, noting that the sector could also play an important role in the areas of sustainable energy and climate change.  For example, 12 per cent of Denmark’s energy consumption came from biomass.  Increasing the use of biomass would reduce the environmental impact of waste produced by agricultural systems and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

ILLALKAMAR AG OUMAR, Chief of Staff, Ministry of Environment and Sanitation of Mali, said the current surge in global food and commodity prices was severely affecting African countries and required urgent corrective action on the part of the international community.  Mali, for its part, was working hard to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by the 2015 target date, by scaling up its efforts in education, particularly for women and girls, and access to water, among others.

Mali, with its huge areas of arable land, was struggling to combat drought and desertification, he said.  It was also working to address the pollution and silting that was degrading the River Niger, a vital resource for the country.  Mali needed vast support and a scaling up of official development assistance so that it could, with the help of its development partners, continue on the path to sustainable development.

R.B.W. ONEMOLA (Nigeria), associating himself with the Group of 77 and China and the African Group, said his country had undertaken a number of initiatives towards sustainable development, including providing adequate power supplies to facilitate industrialization; developing agriculture and water resources to ensure adequate food supply for local consumption and export; and diversifying its revenue base and developing transportation infrastructure.  Nigeria was also reviewing its land laws to ensure equitable land use and reforming its education sector.

In the agriculture sector, Nigeria’s development objectives were to increase food production, enhance food security and eradicate poverty in an integrated and environmentally and socially sound manner, he said.  To that end, the Government had adopted the Agricultural Policy Thrust in 2001, focusing on rural development, cooperatives and fertilizer policies.  It was also formulating a national land policy and modernizing its land administration.  It had adopted a number of programmes to combat drought and desertification.

He said that, for Africa to move forward, the importance of increased commitment by individual Governments to apply best practices in agriculture, rural development, land management, drought and desertification issues could not be overemphasized.  Cooperation by donor agencies and Governments would go a long way in helping to move the common sustainable development agenda forward.

PETER MAURER ( Switzerland) said that the international community must take urgent measures to offset the effects of the current food price crisis by, among others, helping importing countries and disadvantaged populations, especially in urban areas, where the price spikes were “a matter of life and death”.  He also said that, as much as possible, food aid should respect the eating and cultural habits of specific populations, should not threaten local food production, and -- by means of implementing a clear withdrawal strategy -- should not create dependency.  He went on to say that there was a wider need to maintain the largest possible areas of land for agricultural use, while promoting sustainable cultivation.  Agriculture needed to be more productive and multifunctional to meet food needs, provide environmental services and contribute to rural development.  He added that particular attention should be paid to mountainous areas, which, while remote, often held precious reserves of natural resources, including pure water and sources of renewable energy.

SAVIOUR F. BORG ( Malta) said the magnitude of the sustainability challenge could not be overemphasized.  Rising food prices were negatively impacting the development efforts of all countries, not least developing ones.  Malta itself was already feeling the effects of climate change, particularly the decreased precipitation levels in the Mediterranean.  The water deficit was curbing the potential for food production and storage.  It was, therefore, critical to develop even more effective irrigation systems, to increase the potential of treated sewage to be used as a source of agricultural irrigation and to investigate the move towards crops with lower water demands.  Efforts should also be focused on securing proper irrigation engineering assistance for farmers.  Soil erosion and desertification programmes were also necessary.

In light of these challenges, Malta had developed a six-year rural development plan, he said.  The plan focused on increasing the efficiency and quality of agricultural production and the operation of market forces.  In that the development of new products and higher quality standards, capacity-building and infrastructure support were crucial.  However, the adverse impact of agriculture on soil, nature and the landscape needed to be addressed through global environmental standards.  Finally, he noted that real change could only happen if all stakeholders were engaged, including citizens themselves.

RODRIGO MALMIERCA DIAZ ( Cuba) said poverty in developing countries was continuing to increase, exacerbated by global warming driven by unsustainable production and consumption processes in the developed world.  Neo-liberal policies implemented by developed countries and supported by international financial institutions were largely to blame for many of the current pressures that were hampering sustainable development, including land degradation and desertification.

Cuba, which had suffered under a brutal and prolonged blockade longer than any other nation, was undergoing a deep streamlining process of its agriculture sector.  The transformation of idle lands into productive ones, which were being devoted to associated or individual farm concerns and larger access to scientific activity and research on production, were part of the strategy aimed at ensuring a significant leap in Cuba’s capacity to produce food for its people.  He said that other interrelated programmes in areas such as development of urban agriculture, mountain development and plans to combat desertification would not only contribute to achieving Cuba’s sustainable development gaols, but would also lead to better management and use of the island nation’s limited resources.

MUNIR AKRAM (Pakistan) said the plethora of development challenges facing the international community, including the surging prices of commodities, a credit crisis in the world’s largest economies, a slowdown in official development assistance and the danger of a new wave of protectionism, were all exacerbated in the developing world by the impact of climate change and required a concerted plan of action.  That plan must include emergency action, including humanitarian aid, to address the needs of severely stressed populations.  Such a plan must also provide inputs to moderate food and commodity prices.

In the long-term, there was a need to address the underlying policy issues that had led to the food emergency in the first place, including agricultural policies that maintained subsidies by the rich while eroding food security for the poor, and diverted food for fuel.  Adequate resources and application of existing and emerging technologies were needed to enlarge sustainable food production in developing countries.

Calling for further equitable action in the area of technology, he went on to say that no developing country could be pressed to give up reliance on the carbon economy, which was essential to ensure growth, until alternative and affordable solutions were demonstrated and made available to them.  They needed access to, and indigenous application of, technologies, notwithstanding the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) agreement.  They also needed help to deploy available and emerging technologies effectively and guaranteed access to future technologies.

ANGUS FRIDAY (Grenada), speaking on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States, then took the floor to table a draft decision on a review of the Mauritius Strategy for Implementation (document E/CN.17/2008/L.3) by which the Commission would recall the decision made at its thirteenth session to hold a one-day review of the implementation of the Mauritius Strategy and decide that that day should be devoted exclusively to the review of the Strategy.

HJALMAR W. HANNESSON ( Iceland) said the themes on the Commission’s agenda could not be more appropriate, given the current food crisis.  Women played an important role in agriculture and their advancement was the key to any future success in solving the problems of hunger and poverty.  Climate change caused desertification and land degradation was, in turn, a contributor to climate change.  A significant part of atmospheric greenhouse gases could be returned to soils and ecosystems, increasing their fertility and biodiversity, and promoting food production.

Underlining the link between the Convention to Combat Desertification, the Framework Convention on Climate Change and food security, he said his country had lost 50 per cent of its vegetation and 95 per cent of its tree cover, but with the oldest soil conservation service in the world, it had reversed that process and gained experience in combating land degradation and desertification.  In light of that success, the Government had decided to fund an international training programme in land restoration and land conversation that was under consideration to become a part of the United Nations University training programmes.  The present session of the Commission had defined problems; at its next session, it would have to agree on solutions.

ADIYATWIDI ADIWOSO ASMADY ( Indonesia) said current events had revealed the need for all nations to revisit their agricultural policies.  Bolstering agricultural sectors at the local, regional and global levels would be an important step towards preventing further declines in global food security, which disproportionately affected the poor and threatened to undo decades’ worth of development progress.

Agriculture and rural development policies should be further integrated into national development agendas, she said, adding that there was an urgent need for increased investment in infrastructure and market institutions to facilitate easy access to agricultural inputs.  The lack of inputs would impose constraints on a strong production response.  In addition, the global community must consider increasing budget allocations for agricultural research and development.  As the basis of food security, land must be used properly to protect against overexploitations and soil degradation.

FERNANDO BERGUNO ( Chile) said his country comprised deserts, fertile fields, mountains and glaciers, all of which were affected by climate change and land degradation.  The Government was monitoring the situation closely, including the effects of ultraviolet rays on the ozone layer and pollution produced by copper mining.  The Government was also very concerned about preserving freshwater supplies.  The current food and commodity crisis had revealed the need to promote free and fair market access, as well as access to new technologies and agricultural methods.  Chile was committed to ensuring sustainable development for its people and to working with the international community to ensure environmental and ecological sustainability for all.

YUKIO TAKASU ( Japan) said the recent sudden spike in food prices had increased the threat of hunger and malnutrition for the world’s most vulnerable people, causing social instability, especially in many developing countries.  Food security was a prerequisite to promoting human security, so, in the short term, it was necessary to provide emergency food aid to developing countries in need and to refrain from instituting measures like export restrictions that would make the situation worse.  In the medium and long term it would be essential for each country to establish food security on the basis of its domestic food production.

He went on to say that the donor community must provide technical and financial assistance to strengthen the production capacities of developing countries, provide assistance for preparing food stock and storage facilities and promote biofuel production that was compatible with food security concerns.  On other issues before the Commission, Japan played a leading role in the area of water and sanitation.  As the world’s largest donor in that field, the country provided some 37 per cent of all bilateral assistance in that area.

GILLES NOGHES ( Monaco) said the recent cyclone that had devastated Myanmar, the deadly earthquake that had struck south-west China and other troubling events reminded everyone of the reason for establishing the Commission and for elaborating conventions on, among other things, biodiversity protection and combating desertification.  Those treaties must be actively supported and fully implemented, especially in light of estimates that the world’s population was expected to increase dramatically in the coming years, increasing pressure on natural resources, particularly in the developing world.

SOLVEIGA SILKALNA ( Latvia) said the Commission’s decision to consider the thematic cluster on land, agriculture, drought, desertification, rural development and Africa could not have been more timely.  The main challenge was to address all those issues in an integrated way.  There was a need, therefore, to consider cross-cutting issues such as natural-resource preservation and biodiversity protection.  Latvia, with its vast forest ranges, was committed to pursuing a path to broader development by balancing interests in the spheres of agricultural growth, transportation and rural development needs.

On the issue of biofuels, she said their production could cause potential conflicts between land-resource needs and food and agricultural resources.  But, if they were managed properly to avoid loss of biodiversity, biofuels could be a “win-win” solution.  At the same time, research and development on second-generation biofuels was crucial and the environmental sustainability of current biofuels must be tested thoroughly.

DMITRY I. MAKSIMYCHEV ( Russian Federation), noting rural development’s complexity and the importance of prioritizing sustainable development on the world’s agenda, said it was important to reorient the Commission’s work towards an objective analysis based on consideration of the Johannesburg Plan.  Agriculture would continue to play a priority role as a key instrument in reducing global poverty.  For example, escalating food prices were threatening socio-economic stability and could well trigger a humanitarian disaster.  The current crisis underlined the position of States like his, which had warned that biofuel production could have destabilizing effects.

Noting that the intensification and expansion of agricultural activities had destructive environmental impacts as soils were degraded and water sources were used up, he said more effort should be made to pursue and enforce sustainable development in the farming sector.  International coordination should also be increased.

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