33rd Session FAO Conference, Rome 21 November 2005

Special event - More and Better campaign

What are good principles for aid to agriculture and rural development?

Statement by the Norwegian Minister of Agriculture and Food

Dear friends and organisers!

Chairperson,
There are more than 850 million people in the world who suffer from either hunger or malnutrition or both. There are signs of improvement in some parts of the world, whereas the outlook is still bleak in others. These are facts we cannot ignore, much less leave to others to deal with.

The new Government in Norway took office on 17 October this year. The fight against poverty and for the right to economic development, democracy, human rights and a sustainable development is among the biggest challenges facing the global community. I feel that it is very important to have an active and strong dialogue with a broad set of actors on development policy as this Government aim not only to change the content of politics but also the way we do politics.

First of all, we will increase our development assistance to 1% of Gross National Income. Moreover, we aim to transfer more of the responsibility for multilateral assistance from the World Bank to the UN.

Chairperson,
I think that our starting point here must be the place where people live. What are the needs and demands of the people in a particular region or country and how can we best help them to fulfil these in accordance with principles of sustainability. Thus, I feel that the importance of involving the entire population regardless of where they live is crucial if we are to succeed in our efforts to combat poverty and hunger.

Poverty has many facets and must be dealt with accordingly. A majority of the worlds poor live in rural areas. They are for a large part directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture for their income and living. Increased aid to agriculture and rural development should follow as a consequence of this. My Government will meet this challenge by following up the Norwegian Plan of Action for Agriculture in Development “Fighting Poverty through Agriculture”.

Chairperson,
The Action Plan is focussed around 7 priority areas.:

1. Policy and reforms for poverty-oriented agricultural development
2. Food security
3. Strengthening women’s rights and their participation in agricultural development
4. Promotion of the sustainable use of natural resources
5. Strengthening basic services and poor people’s rights of use and properties rights to land and water
6. Strengthening education and research
7. Promotion of market development

We need to improve co-ordination of policy areas at all levels if we are to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) A more coherent approach to agricultural development must be achieved. Aid to the Least Developed Countries should be tailored to give them a possibility to enjoy the benefits of trade preferences. Here, I also wish to stress the need for a reform of FAO. This is absolutely vital if the organisation is to fulfil its mandate and contribute fundamentally to the achievement of the MDGs.

Chairperson,
Global food security is the fundamental end goal of our efforts. FAOs report prepared for this Conference shows that we are very far from achieving food security for all. In this regard, the Voluntary Guidelines for the Progressive Realisation of the Right to Adequate Food are fundamental. I wish to emphasise in particular that foreign aid should support national efforts by recipient States to achieve food security. Moreover, I think that each country’s right to their own food production should be acknowledged.

Chairperson,
Norway is committed to the agricultural reform process as defined in the Doha mandate. For Norway it is important to reach a result, but it must also be a result we can live with. We are prepared to work towards full modalities for agricultural products in 2006.

Trade in agricultural products holds considerable potential for some developing countries. Norway is one of the few countries that have fully opened their markets to all least developed countries. However, imports from LDCs have not increased significantly since we did this in 2002. This clearly demonstrates the need for capacity building in LDCs if they are to benefit fully from trade preferences. In this context, I would also like to point out, as was recently underlined by the ACP-countries in the WTO negotiation, that continuing of long standing preferences is important for many developing countries.

Chairperson,
I fully concur with MoreAndBetter in the fact that gender is key. A majority of the world’s poor are women. Moreover, women are responsible for 60 to 80 percent of food production in developing countries. Agricultural measures must therefore be targeted at the most important actors in the sector. Women’s rights, education and training, and the importance of their participation must be in focus at all levels of decision making.

Chairperson,
No agricultural development must compromise the sustainable use of agricultural resources. I find that sustainability implies solidarity with the generations coming after us both nationally and internationally. The growth in production needed to combat poverty, combined with population growth, makes it essential to use natural resources sustainably. Here, too, I wish to stress the need to continue to work with NGOs. The longstanding relationship between some of these organisations and their counterparts in the developing world are important to build upon in our efforts to build sustainability into development at all levels.

Now, Chairperson, let me turn to the issue of rights.

Access to land is a key factor in rural development. This is often not enough in itself. At all levels the lack of effective legal protection and formal policy systems, leave people vulnerable and with little opportunity for improving their economic and social conditions. Norway and the other Nordic countries have been working actively to launch the new Commission for the Legal Empowerment of the Poor. We see this as an important contribution to reach the MDGs, and an innovative approach to development. It is important, though, that the formalisation of rights of the poor must be carried out in a local context.

Chairperson,
I strongly feel that education and research are key elements in this context. The development of primary industries is becoming increasingly dependent on expertise and international factor inputs. FAOs report to this Conference shows that exports of processed agricultural goods have been expanding significantly faster than that of semi-processed and bulk products. The Least Developed Countries have not participated in this growth. Education and research are thus fundamental success factors if developing countries are to reap benefits of trade.

Chairperson,
I hope that I, by giving you an overview of the Government’s priorities in this field have managed to comment both directly and indirectly upon the principles of More And Better. If I should venture to summarize the main similarities between yours and our approach, it would be sustainable development based upon human rights and recipient countries own priorities. We have quite a way to go yet, but I firmly believe that co-operation with civil society is absolutely fundamental in this context.

Thank you for your kind attention!