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Diouf calls for international joint ventures for food production

Rome, Feb 12th, 2009 (WAM)--Dr Jacques Diouf, Director-General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), has reiterated that the structural solution to the problem of world food security is an increase in productivity and production in the low-income food-deficit- countries.

"To achieve this it is necessary to develop partnership or joint-venture agreements between the countries that have the financial resources and on the others which possess land, water and human resources. Only in this way will it be possible to ensure sustainable agricultural development in the context of more equal international relations," he added.

Diouf underscored that complement technical, economic, financial, fiscal and legal expertise, together with knowledge of the ecological, social and cultural environment would constitute a solid basis on which to share both the risks and the benefits of long-term cooperation.

He added that "in reality, what is happening is a propensity for one of the two parties to take over the role of the other. Land acquisition and long-term farming leases appear to be favoured by foreign investors."Diouf underlined that the problem is a very real one and in global terms, taking into account the role of speculation and increasing prices for land in a world where, between now and 2050, production will have to double in order to meet, inter alia, World population growth and the needs of the emerging countries.

He noted that the exploitation of natural resources for the sole purpose of achieving financial profitability is hardly favourable to the kind of production that preserves the soil's mineral and organic reserves and prevents such practices as burning and deforestation. "It does not allow for the correct use of fertilizers and pesticides which would otherwise provoke pollution. It does not encourage the co-existence of crop and grazing lands, nor crop rotation that would be needed to restore the soil's biological and nutritional propertied that are taken up by plants."Diouf said that the risk is of creating a neo-colonial pact for the provision of non-value added raw materials in the producing countries and unacceptable work conditions for agricultural workers.

"These direct foreign investments in agriculture should allow the creation of jobs, income and food, enabling at the same time friendship among nations", he added. "For this reason, FAO believes that the time has come to give deep thought to creating the conditions to ensure the success of international 'joint-ventures' for food production.

He enquired what would be the guarantees for the two sides concerned; the necessary incentives; the legal status; the most appropriate conditions for production, processing and trade; the most appropriate type of contracts for workers as well as the economic benefits for the State, for small farmers and for the private sector.

Diouf concluded that the adoption, by consensus, of an international reference framework "would allow us to avoid the problems that are gathering on the horizon of global food security and would help us take advantage - albeit with a sense of proportion - of the opportunities resulting from expanding agricultural demand".

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2009.