Food and agricultural problems : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

 

RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Food and agricultural problems

  The General Assembly, Recalling the Declaration and the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order, contained in its resolutions 3201 (S-VI) and 3202 (S-VI) of 1 May 1974, the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, contained in its resolution 3281 (XXIX) of 12 December 1974, its resolution 3362 (S-VII) of 16 September 1975 on development and international economic co-operation, and the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade, contained in the annex to its resolution 35/56 of 5 December 1980, Stressing the imperative need to keep food and agricultural issues at the centre of global attention, Having considered the grave situation of food and agriculture in many developing countries, especially the critical and deteriorating situation in Africa, further exacerbated by prolonged drought and accelerating desertification, and the persistent problem of food shortages in food-deficit developing countries, particularly the least developed countries, Recognizing that, although the overall aggregate world food supply situation has steadily improved over the past decade, the numbers of hungry and malnourished are increasing and the risks of food insecurity are now greater for many developing countries, and that the situation thus demands additional efforts, Reaffirming that food and agricultural problems in developing countries should be considered in a comprehensive manner in their different dimensions, as well as in their immediate short-term and long-term perspectives, Reaffirming the Universal Declaration on the Eradication of Hunger and Malnutrition, adopted ten years ago by the World Food Conference, and the Programme of Action adopted by the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development,

1. Reaffirms its resolutions 38/158 of 19 December 1983 on food problems and 38/159 of 19 December 1983 on the critical situation of food and agriculture in Africa, as well as all other relevant resolutions concerning food and agriculture, and calls for their immediate and effective implementation;

2. Welcomes the conclusions and recommendations of the World Food Council at its tenth ministerial session;

3. Welcomes the ninth annual report of the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes;

4. Urges, the international community, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the World Food Conference, to rededicate itself to the objective of that Conference and intensify concerted efforts for the fulfilment of its commitment to eliminate hunger and malnutrition as soon as possible, and definitely by the end of the present century, and in this regard, calls upon Governments and international organizations to give particular attention to the measures agreed to by the World Food Council at its tenth ministerial session as the major tasks for achieving the objectives of that Conference;

5. Reaffirms that the maintenance of peace and security and the strengthening of international co-operation in food and agriculture are important for improved economic conditions and enhanced food security;

6. Reaffirms that the right to food is a universal human right which should be guaranteed to all people, and, in that context, believes in the general principle that food should not be used as an instrument of political pressure;

7. Reaffirms that urgent action should be taken to increase food production, which is one of the most important elements in meeting the food needs of the developing countries, and that, in this regard, sustained efforts at the national, regional and international levels should be pursued and that the national food strategies, plans and programmes of developing countries should play a central role in the process of establishing priorities, in co-ordinating national and international funding and in the application of technology, in order to promote food production and increase the national self-reliance of the developing countries;

8. Calls upon the international community to support the efforts of the developing countries facing constraints in the development of their food and agricultural production to enable them to achieve self-reliance;

9. Stresses that measures taken by developed countries to reduce future food and agricultural production should not adversely affect the food problems faced by developing countries;

10. Calls upon the international community to accord greater support towards realization of the enlarged and integrated concept of world food security, focusing on the adequacy of food supplies and production, stability of food supplies and markets, and security of access to supplies, as defined by the Committee on World Food Security of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations at its eighth session;

11. Stresses that significant advances in food and agricultural research and technology and their application in developing countries need to be sustained, improved and made more widespread to encompass all of those countries; in this context, the needs of the African countries and the least developed countries should be given special attention;

12. Emphasizes the need to reverse any declining trends in aid commitments to food and agriculture and calls upon the international community, particularly the developed countries, to increase the flow of resources to adequate levels, through all channels, in support of programmes and policies for increasing food and agricultural production and raising nutritional standards in the developing countries, particularly in Africa and the least developed countries, keeping in view the proposal of the Executive Director of the World Food Council made at the tenth session of the Council for increases of at least $5 billion in external resources over five years, starting in 1986, in roughly equal proportions for both capital and programme assistance, to be channelled through existing agencies and programmes;

13. Stresses the need for the successful completion of the first replenishment of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and urges all countries concerned, bearing in mind the particular contribution of the developed countries, to reach agreement on a priority basis for the second replenishment, in order to enable the Fund to continue its effective contribution at an adequate level;

14. Further urges developed countries to provide supplementary financing for the seventh replenishment of the International Development Association in order to cover the shortfall and enable the Association to increase its assistance to developing countries, particularly in the development of food and agriculture;

15. Further stresses the need to ensure achievement of the agreed target for regular resources of the World Food Programme of $1.35 billion for the biennium 1985-1986;

16. Emphasizes the need for effective implementation of the 1980 Food Aid Convention, which has been extended until 30 June 1986;

17. Expresses deep concern that the food-financing facility of the International Monetary Fund has been used only on limited occasions since its establishment and, in this regard, looks forward to the upcoming review of the facility by the Fund;

18. Considers that improvement of the conditions of farmer groups particularly affected by the small size of holdings or other constraints is critical;

19. Emphasizes the role of women as part of the rural family, calls for more policy attention to the role of women in relation to food systems, and stresses the need to involve women in the formulation, implementation and follow-up of national food strategies, plans and projects;

20. Urges the international community to respond immediately, adequately and in a concerted manner to the initiative of the Secretary-General and the appeal of the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in favour of the African countries threatened by severe food shortages by continuing and increasing emergency food and technical assistance to those countries, as well as by augmenting all forms of assistance towards rehabilitation of their food and agricultural sectors;

21. Notes that the proliferation of import restrictions and increasing export subsidization are seen to have contributed to international market instability and to growing resource allocation distortions in developed and developing countries, that all countries should demonstrate the requisite political will by refraining from creating tariff obstacles to agricultural imports, especially those from developing countries, and that exporting countries should endeavour to limit export subsidies and analogous practices which might hinder trade, especially that of developing countries;

22. Stresses, inter alia, that in order to attain an overall solution of food and agricultural problems, efforts should be made to resolve the serious financial problems in general, and liquidity problems in particular, confronting the developing countries, which are caused to a large degree by the impact of the increases in interest rates;

23. Reaffirms the commitment to sustained and increased development assistance in the food sector, with a strengthened role for multilateral co-operation and improved international assistance co-ordination;

24. Stresses the need for strengthening subregional, regional and interregional co-operation for the promotion of food security and the development of agriculture in developing countries and, in this context, calls upon the relevant entities of the United Nations system to accord priority support to economic and technical co-operation among developing countries in food and agriculture;

25. Welcomes the comprehensive and systematic review of the progress in agrarian reform and rural development carried out by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in the context of the implementation of the Programme of Action as adopted by the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development and looks forward to a similar review in four years.