Press Release 01/89 FAO TELLS WTO MEETING: AGRICULTURAL TRADE
REFORM MUST CONSIDER THE PLIGHT OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WHERE
CHRONIC UNDERNOURISHMENT IS AN EXTREME MANIFESTATION OF POVERTY
Doha, 11 November 2001 - Calling chronic undernourishment "an
extreme manifestation of poverty," the UN Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) called on the international community to
incorporate specific provisions aimed at improving agricultural
productivity and competitiveness in developing countries in the
proposed agricultural reform process. The appeal came in a
prepared statement for delivery at the 4th Ministerial
Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO), by FAO
Assistant Director-General Hartwig de Haen, Economic and Social
Department. FAO said that small and resource-poor farmers and
farm laborers need measures to protect them from the adverse
consequences of temporary import surges. Measures are also
required to provide improved access for agricultural exports
from developing countries. FAO's primary goal