Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Agenzia Fides) – The FAO Conference underway in Rome concludes today. The world summit meeting is certainly not expected to offer definitive solutions to the many problems on a global spectrum, interrelated among themselves, such as: the increase of poverty and malnutrition, environmental issues, progress, the difference in access to the market between developed and developing nations... However, the agenda of the topics of discussion is evidence that there is a widespread conscientiousness that is constantly on the rise, of the fact that in the age of globalization, there is a need to coordinate responses on a worldwide level to the great challenges facing humanity.
These are the problems that are now on the table and form the current challenge of our planet. Starting with the statistic that 862 million people in the world suffer from starvation, there is already a record that reveals the gravity of the current crisis. FAO General Director Jaques Diouf made reference during the conference to one of the key problems in solving the starvation problem: the protectionism of the northern hemisphere countries versus the poorer nations. In fact, Diouf pointed out that the OECD countries have spent 372 billion dollars on their agriculture industry, an impressive fact considering that only 30 would be necessary to feed 862 million people.
The poor countries hope to be given access to the world market, without obstacles from protectionism policies, and be able to enjoy some protection for the defense of their own markets and products. With the Western nations, there is the hope to accelerate the process of freeing up the market through the World Trade Organization (WTO). The poorer nations wish to play a main role in contributing to development, not only being the beneficiaries of emergency interventions. Instead, they should play a primary role in resource management and their use in the field.
In reference to the bio-fuels, there is a heated debate going on between supporters, like Brazil, the United States, and Europe, and critics - that is, those that view using organic matter instead of fuel to make carbonates as a risk to the impoverishment of agricultural resources and forests. One issue on which many diverse opinions converge is the connection between climate changes and negative effects of agricultural production; farmers ask that agricultural have full rights under the declarations of Kyoto 2, the future world agreement on climate.
The discussion these days has not been formal and many crucial questions have been addressed. Thus, it is inevitable that the Conference cannot offer definitive solutions for every theme addressed. At the same time, however, it is positive to see that the problems, agreements, and disagreements have come out in the open. It should be noted that one important agreement has been reached. It is the “Memorandum d’Intesa” between the African Green Revolution Alliance (AGRA) and the three UN agencies in Rome (the FAO, IFAD, and WFP). According to the FAO, this is an unprecedented collaboration among the main protagonists in agricultural development that will join forces in order to significantly increase food production in the “breadbasket region.” (Mtp) (Agenzia Fides 05/06/2008)
