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Agricultural modernization is needed to increase output per acre, and
alternative employment must be provided for millions who will not be required
on the land if agriculture is improved. Even with modernized production,
Asiatic countries will need large-scale food imports to obtain adequate diets.
Long-term programmes for the improvement and reorientation of agriculture
are also needed in Europe.
Two safety-valves for relieving the growing pressure of world population
upon the world food supply are Latin America and Africa.
Both continents are sparsely populated, with great undeveloped or partially
developed land resources.
Both could produce food far in excess of their own needs. The possibilities
are as yet unexplored and uncomprehended.
A start is being made with land settlement programmes and mechanized
farming. FAO is prepared to make its services available to assist in further
development.
The weak link in planning to meet the overwhelming need for greater
production, both now and in the future, is the fear of surpluses.
The fear is that shortage of foreign exchange will reduce demand for
imports ; that in any case demand will shrink when rehabilitation needs have
been met ; or again, that synthetics will displace many farm products. There
fore heavy investments in developing new production for export may not pay.
Anxiety about future markets inhibits all-out efforts to expand production
of many agricultural commodities. Already producers of some products—
natural rubber, for example—find their livelihood threatened.
Any international programmes for full production must include some
assurance of expanding markets and reasonable prices if Governments,
business, and farmers are to co-operate in carrying them out.
Intergovernmental consultation is called for in every phase of the problem
—emergency shortages, long-term expansion, commodity surpluses.
To achieve this consultation, the Preparatory Commission on World Food
Proposals recommended an annual review of the situation in food and
agriculture, forestry, and fisheries as a regular feature of the FAO Conference.
The first review will be held at the Geneva Conference this year.
The Commission further proposed an 18-nation council of FAO,
World
Food Council,
which would examine the changing situation at intervals between
the annual reviews and advise Governments about needed adjustments.
At the first review, discussion will centre on these activities which might
be undertaken by the council during the coming year :
1. Taking over international allocation of foods and fertilizers from the
International Emergency Food Council, retaining its structure of
commodity committees.
2. Ensuring maximum mobilization of food for human use in 1947/48,
including strengthening of food collection and food economy measures,
and of efforts to ship the maximum amount of foods from exporting
countries.
3. Accelerating the supply of materials needed to expand the 1948 harvest
in food-deficit countries.
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