Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ROME1452
2005-04-29 09:16:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

19TH SESSION OF THE FAO COMMITTEE ON

Tags:  EAGR AORC ETRD EAID SENV FAO 
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UNCLAS ROME 001452 

SIPDIS


FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME

USDA FAS FOR U/S BOST, JBUTLER, MCHAMBLISS, LREICH
STATE FOR IO DAS MILLER, IO/EDA, OES/E, E, EB;
AID FOR EGAT, DCHA/OFDA, DCHA/FFP
PASS USTR AND PEACE CORPS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR AORC ETRD EAID SENV FAO
SUBJECT: 19TH SESSION OF THE FAO COMMITTEE ON
AGRICULTURE, 13-16 APRIL 2005

UNCLAS ROME 001452

SIPDIS


FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME

USDA FAS FOR U/S BOST, JBUTLER, MCHAMBLISS, LREICH
STATE FOR IO DAS MILLER, IO/EDA, OES/E, E, EB;
AID FOR EGAT, DCHA/OFDA, DCHA/FFP
PASS USTR AND PEACE CORPS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR AORC ETRD EAID SENV FAO
SUBJECT: 19TH SESSION OF THE FAO COMMITTEE ON
AGRICULTURE, 13-16 APRIL 2005


1. Summary. The Nineteenth Session of the UN Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) Committee on Agriculture
(COAG) met in Rome April 13-16, 2005. The Committee
reviewed and provided recommendations on FAO's program of
work in the food and agriculture sector. Members
supported the main programmatic thrusts of the 2006-11
Medium Term Plan (MTP),but called for alternative budget
scenarios and improved prioritization (even as they
differed on what those priorities should be). The
Committee discussed selected development issues:
Sustainable Agricultural and Rural Development (SARD),
FAO's strategy for a safe and nutritious food supply, the
globalizing livestock sector, and bioenergy. Some
delegations (including the U.S.) sought clarification on
FAO's interpretation of "good agricultural practices"
(GAP) and references to the "expected nutritional value"
of food. COAG endorsed a Brazilian proposal to host in
2006 an International Conference on Agrarian Reform and
Rural Development (the USG was skeptical, but when the
concept became unstoppable we secured modifications to
the proposal that made it less problematic). The new,
shorter COAG session back-to-back with the Committee on
Commodity Problems (CCP) proved to be an effective
format. The side events included a presentation on the
USDA-supported international Internet-based portal on
food safety. We objected, however, to the event's title
-- "Information, Biosecurity and Ethics," and the
implicit link to a vague "ethical framework," and were
assured that henceforth the trade-facilitation aspect of
this project would be emphasized by FAO, with extraneous
references deleted. End summary.


2. The USDA delegation was headed by Adela Backiel,
Director of Sustainable Development, Office of the Chief
Economist, and included Richard Hughes, FAO Liaison
Officer, Foreign Agricultural Service. The U.S. Mission
was represented by David Hegwood (Agriculture) and Willem
Brakel (State). Canada represented the North American

Region on the drafting committee. The official report of
COAG will be posted on the FAO web site shortly; this
cable outlines issues of greatest interest to USG
audiences.

Program Implementation Report (PIR) 2002-03
--------------


3. The Committee reviewed the PIR (the prime
accountability document submitted to FAO governing
bodies) -- or at least the sections pertaining to food
and agriculture. Members welcomed the new format and its
evolution to a more results-based document.

Medium Term Plan 2006-11 and the Preliminary Program of
Work Proposals for 2006-11
-------------- --------------


4. COAG members expressed support for the main program
thrusts of the MTP. Informed of the Secretariat's effort
to apply the criteria for priority setting approved in
1999, they nevertheless stressed the need for further
improvements in the prioritization of programs.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, members in their
interventions tended to highlight very different programs
as being the most important, thereby demonstrating the
difficulty of agreeing on priorities. Among the
activities highlighted by delegates were: the
International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and
Codex Alimentarius; water management and land- and water-
quality improvements; control of pests and animal
diseases; funding for the International Treaty on Plant
Genetic Resources; capacity building for WTO trade
negotiations and for national agricultural statistical
systems; the Food Insecurity and Vulnerability
Information and Mapping System (FIVIMS); the Global
Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS); work on
SARD, land tenure, HIV/AIDS, gender, agricultural
research, and biotechnology; and the Special Program for
Food Security. Many expressed support for further FAO
work to implement the "Voluntary Guidelines on the Right
to Adequate Food in the Context of National Food
Security."


5. A number of delegates reminded the Secretariat of


members' prior requests for inclusion of several budget
scenarios, including Zero Nominal Growth, in the MTP.
Members were assured that these scenarios would be
presented in the Summary Program of Work and Budget for
2006-07, and would be discussed in other FAO bodies later
this year. There were also requests for additional
information in the MTP on extra-budgetary resources, but
the Secretariat responded that such contributions are
hard to predict with certainty.

Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD) and
Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
-------------- --------------


6. On this primary agenda item for COAG, there were over
40 interventions, with all countries commending FAO's
interdisciplinary work on SARD, supporting the three
program thrusts that were identified to guide future
direction, and encouraging continued work with the SARD
Initiative, a civil-society led, FAO facilitated, action-
oriented partnership.


7. Two issues in the SARD paper proved to be the most
contentious of the entire COAG meeting: Good Agricultural
Practices (GAP) and the proposal for Brazil to host an
international conference on agrarian reform in 2006.
Ironically, both issues should have been stand-alone
agenda items, rather than having been included in the
paper on SARD, making substantive discussion on SARD
difficult.


8. While most countries supported the idea of GAP, some
countries, including the U.S., Australia, New Zealand,
Canada, and Zimbabwe, still raised concerns similar to
those raised in the 2003 COAG on this issue. Although
FAO had reiterated, in paragraph 27 of the SARD paper,
that GAP would not create any new regulatory-type
frameworks, would be consistent with existing ones (e.g.,
IPPC and Codex),would not create barriers to trade, and
would be voluntary and non-prescriptive, there was enough
ambiguity in the remaining paragraphs that made countries
question these assertions and exactly what was meant by
such phrases as "global GAP principles" and "required GAP
protocols."


9. In the drafting committee, the COAG Report proved
difficult to negotiate on these points. The final text
showed an inconsistency between paragraphs 22 and 23, in
which it was acknowledged that some countries called for
further clarification of GAP, then declared that the
Committee recommended further development of GAP.
Responding to efforts led by Australia and supported by
the U.S., the Secretariat agreed that this was an
inconsistency and that "further clarification would be
provided in a timely manner." It was understood that
further work on GAP would not be done unless there was
agreement on GAP from the information provided.


10. Many countries intervened only to endorse Brazil's
proposal for an international conference on agrarian
reform. While all agreed on the importance of issues to
be taken up by such a conference, much concern was voiced
about the potential expense, in both budgetary and staff
support, to FAO. This concern was noted with the request
for FAO to keep member countries apprised of conference
budget estimates. After the report was accepted by the
Committee, Brazil took the floor to say that they would
cover conference expenses. The USG was skeptical of
Brazil's initial call for a "world" conference and the
associated costs and possible calls for new international
instruments. When, however, it became clear that the
proposal was unstoppable, we worked behind the scenes
with the Brazilian delegation to downgrade the "world"
conference to an "international" conference, and to
specify that the conference would provide "a forum for
discussion and exchange of information on national
policies" and international cooperation.


11. The Report also took on the U.S. suggestion that the
COAG meeting in 2009 (which will be the next time that
the Committee will review SARD) be used as a foundation
for that year's discussion on agriculture, land and rural
development at the 17th session of the UN Commission on


Sustainable Development.

FAO's Strategy for a Safe and Nutritious Food Supply
-------------- --------------


12. At the seventeenth session of COAG in April 2003,
members had agreed that the agenda item "FAO's Strategy
Towards a Food Chain Approach for Food Safety and
Quality" needed to be revised. The revision presented
this year was generally supported as an improved proposed
FAO strategy. The Committee endorsed the development of
a strategic food chain approach and requested support for
the implementation and allocation of funds from the
regular budget. During interventions, the EU mentioned
the need for more funding to the Codex Trust Fund. The
U.S. statement reflected a concern on FAO's introduction
of the concept of "expected nutritional value,"
particularly if Codex were to take up tis concept in its
standard setting. We added that, until we understand
more fully what is encompassed within the concept, FAO
should move very cautiously into this area.

The Globalizing Livestock Sector: Impact of Changing
Markets
-------------- --------------


13. Many members agreed that the livestock sector has an
important role to play in economic development and food
security. They endorsed the need for an enhanced FAO
capacity building program to assist developing countries
plan and implement their national strategies in order to
take advantage of trade opportunities. Several members
also expressed concern over transboundary animal
diseases. The U.S. commented that FAO had a role to play
in improving small-scale livestock producers, traders and
processors.

Bioenergy
--------------


14. Although not discussed at great length, the issue of
bioenergy to help diversify agricultural and forestry
activities and to improve food security while
contributing to sustainable development was seen as
important FAO work. It was agreed that a Priority Area
for Inter-disciplinary Action (PAIA) would be formed on
this topic.

Side Events
--------------


15. Six side events were held in conjunction with the
Session: SARD and Civil Society; Water for Food and
Ecosystems; Information, Biosecurity and Ethics;
Bioenergy and Agriculture; the Impact of HIV/AIDS and
other Diseases on Nutrition, Food Security and Rural
Livelihoods; and the New Partnership for African
Development (NEPAD). Ten U.S. civil-society
organizations (CSOs) came to Rome to participate in the
SARD side event and other related CSO activities. The
United States objected to FAO's introducing the USDA-
funded Internet-based portal on food security as part of
a vague ethical framework tied to the Millennium
Development Goals. After a private meeting with the
Assistant Director-General of the Economic and Social
Department, we were assured that, in the future, FAO
would present this web site strictly as an information
portal to facilitate trade, ensure food safety, provide
the latest information on standards and international
regulations and protect animal and plant health.

Other Matters
--------------


16. The EU proposal to combine COAG and the Committee on
Commodity Problems raised a lively discussion among
members, who then requested that the Secretariat prepare
an assessment on such a proposal for presentation to the
joint Program and Finance Committee in September and the
Council in November.


17. The Twentieth Session is scheduled to take place in
Rome during April 2007.


HALL


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2005ROME01452 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED