Consultations and action therefore had to be concerned with both the disposal of existing surpluses and the prevention of new surpluses. The latter implied the selective expansion of production and increased consumption, more efficient distribution, and higher nutritional levels, the co-ordinated development of agriculture, and the lessening of obstacles to trade.
Concerning the disposal of existing surpluses, the Conference took note of action taken on the three main aspects of the problem: the formulation of principles to be observed in the disposal of agricultural surpluses; the development of suitable methods of disposal; and the strengthening of intergovernmental machinery for consultation on these matters. It commended the guidelines and principles of surpluses disposal for all FAO member states that had been drawn up by the CCP and endorsed by the FAO Council. Regarding methods of surplus disposal, the Conference identified the use of surpluses for raising nutritional levels of vulnerable and under-privileged groups and for meeting famine conditions as ‘one of the most desirable ways’ of disposing of surplus products. It also commended the use of surpluses for aiding economic development in developing countries. It noted that the pilot study in India referred to above had shown that this could be done without harm to domestic or foreign producers when then unemployed or under-employed workers could be put to work on additional development projects and when the surpluses were fed into domestic markets at approximately the same rate as consumption of the products was increased by the additional buying power thus created. The Conference also endorsed the used of surpluses for establishing food reserve stocks. It also laid stress on the importance of ascertaining trends in production, consumption and trade of agricultural commodities on a commodity-by-commodity basis, and the international effects of national policies in food and agricultural matters.
The FAO report on the Functions of a World Food Reserve was presented to ECOSOC in the summer of 1956 and ‘met with much response’. While recognizing the advantages in principle of multilateral action, ECOSOC reached the conclusion that ‘it is not practicable to achieve under a single organization all the objectives set forth in General Assembly Resolution 827 (IX)’, the resolution that had initiated the FAO report. ECOSOC called for a further special study to be undertaken on ‘the feasibility and, if feasible, the manner of using food reserves for meeting unforeseen food shortages’.
The UN General Assembly devoted ‘a good deal of attention’ to the issue of food reserves and to the FAO report that had been transmitted to ECOSOC at its eleventh session in January/February 1957. The FAO director-general participated in the General Assembly’s debate which culminated in a request for the UN secretary-general, in co-operation with FAO, to carry out a study of national food reserves to present to ECOSOC.
Systematic Management of Agricultural Surpluses: FAO's Initiative for Fighting Hunger
