There is a questionnaire at the end of this message that offers the
opportunity to influence global efforts *to address the unprecedented
stresses on agriculture and land resources that are currently being faced
and will be well into the 21st century.*
The questionnaire should be returned to Agr99-Conference@fao.org
(copied on this message), or see contact information later in the message.
It is also on the web at http://www.fao.org/sd/agr99/
Andy
__________________________
Issues-Scoping for FAO/Netherlands Conference on
MULTIFUNCTIONAL AGRICULTURE AND LAND MANAGEMENT
A FOLLOW UP TO DEN BOSCH
Dear Colleagues:
Over the last 10 years, a series of major international fora, including
the World Food Summit (Rome, 1996), the Social Summit (Copenhagen, 1995)
and the Earth Summit (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), have defined objectives and
outlined action plans to alleviate poverty, feed people, protect the
environment and maintain natural resources for future generations. Many
of the concepts and strategies are still valid, however, we continue to
face the implementation challenge: how do we operationalize the concepts
and strategies in order to make necessary changes in the 21st Century?
In the year 2000 at its eighth session, the UN Commission on Sustainable
Development (CSD), which was established to monitor progress toward
Agenda-21 , will examine the Sectoral theme of Integrated Planning and
Management of Land Resources; the Economic Sector of Agriculture and the
Cross Sectoral Themes of Financial Resources/Trade and Investment/Growth.
This thematic approach transcends the individual chapter structure and
embodies a group of Agenda 21 chapters (Ch. 10-15) that constitutes a
'land cluster'.
In preparation for this session of the CSD (CSD-8), the Netherlands has
taken the initiative to organize an international conference entitled
Multifunctional Agriculture and Land Management. Multifunctional
Agriculture encompasses the economic, social and environmental functions
of agriculture and aims to reconcile these different perspectives in
order to supply people with food and other agricultural products in
adequate quantity and quality, alleviate poverty, generate employment,
protect the environment and maintain natural resources for present and
future generations. Correspondingly, Integrated Land Management is
concerned with selecting and implementing sustainable land use and
management options based on reconciling the multiple objectives of
stakeholders in agriculture and other sectors. Hence, the concept of
sustainability is deeply rooted in multifunctional agriculture and
integrated land management.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will be providing technical
support to the preparation of the Conference and other partner countries
and institutions are expected to join in. The conference will be held in
the Netherlands in September 1999. It is expected to produce concrete
guidelines and policy options for agriculture and land management by
capitalizing on what has been learned to date. It intends to contribute
to the CSD process and collective wisdom in this area by assessing
progress in terms of success stories, success factors, best practices and
lessons learned, which can guide how best to implement the goals and
strategies in the 21st Century. It could play a major role, in the same
way as, in 1991, a Conference on Agriculture and the Environment held in
Den Bosch, the Netherlands, provided the basis for shaping the Agenda-21
chapters on sustainable agriculture and land management. It will take
into account progress achieved in the implementation of the conventions
(on biological diversity, desertification and climate change, for
example) while focusing on integration of relevant issues in order to
avoid duplication. The conference will focus on policy instruments
rather than on technology per se.
The Netherlands and FAO wish to engage the widest possible representation
of stakeholders to identify and prioritize the issues that should be
addressed and to gather lessons learned and success stories upon which
guidelines and policy recommendations can be based. Your input is
critical in this stage and throughout the process leading up to CSD-8.
Please read on to get more details.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS PACKAGE?
This package serves to gather from a broad spectrum of stakeholders input
on the possible scope and content of the Conference, specifically to:
· solicit, identify and prioritize critical issues which can be addressed
at the Conference on Multifunctional Agriculture and Land Management
· identify and gather success stories and experiences in the
implementation of those parts of Agenda 21 that regard integrated land
management and multifunctional agriculture from the local to the global level
EXPECTED OUTPUTS OF THE SCOPING EXERCISE:
At the end of the consultative process, we will have clearly defined the
scope and agenda of the conference based on the inputs from the different
stakeholder groups. Additionally, we will have initiated an on-going
participatory process in preparation for the Conference and for CSD-8.
We will also have identified a wider network of partners for the process
and identified success stories on the topics for future dialogue.
WHAT IS IN THIS PACKAGE?
Within the package you will find the following:
I. a description of phases and time line of events leading up to CSD-8
II. a brief background to prompt ideas for the questionnaire
III. a questionnaire asking for input into the issues to be addressed
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?
The consultation is open to everyone who wants to share an idea or issue,
express an opinion or concern, or make practical action proposals related
to the topics of Sustainable Multifunctional Agriculture and Integrated
Land Management. A special effort will be made to ensure a balanced and
equitable participation of all sectors, regions and types of agriculture.
The more participation and contributions coming from different points of
view, the greater the opportunity we will have for getting the most
critical issues and the widest range of action recommendation on the
agenda of the upcoming Conference and subsequently to the CSD-8.
WHEN AND HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?
You are encouraged to get involved immediately and stay involved up to
the CSD-8 in the year 2000. This consultation phase will start on 15
July and close on 15 September.
In this phase you can:
§ copy and forward this information to others who might be interested
§ fill out the questionnaire and submit it electronically
(Agr99-Conference@fao.org), by fax or mail to the addresses and numbers
below. (Due to practical constraints, the consultation will be run mainly
in English but those wishing to write in Spanish or French may do so).
§ identify and briefly describe lessons learned and success stories that
you are involved in or aware of.
HOW CAN YOU KEEP UP WITH THE PROCESS AND EVENTS?
To keep you informed of the process and progress, we are establishing an
Internet site within the Sustainable Development Dimensions Page of the
FAO Home Page. This can be found by going to
http://www.fao.org/sd/agr99. There you will find up-to-date information
on all aspects of the process and progress including dates of various
events and mechanisms for getting your ideas on the table. At this site,
you will also be updated regularly with syntheses of the replies we receive.
WHAT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO ELECTRONIC MAIL OR THE INTERNET?
You can contact us directly by fax or regular mail at any of the
following contact points:
Lucas Janssen, FAO/SDRN, Viale delle terme di Caracalla 00100, Rome,
ITALY Phone: +39 6 57052287 Fax +39 6 57053369 or +39 6 57055246
Parviz Koohafkan FAO/AGLS, Viale delle terme di Caracalla 00100, Rome,
ITALY Phone: + 39 6 57053843 Fax + 39-6-57057275
Ms. Vera Minten, Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and
Fisheries, Department for International Affairs, P.O. Box 20401 NL-2500
EK The Hague Tel. + 31 70 378 4310
Mr. Co Neeteson, Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and
Fisheries, Department for International Affairs, P.O. Box 20401 NL-2500
EK The Hague Tel. + 31 70 378 4171
We thank you in advance for your participation and we look forward to
hearing from you and working with you.
Louise Fresco, Director, SDR Parviz Koohafkan,
Chief, AGLS
Research, Extension and Training Division Soil
Resources, Management and
Sustainable Development Department
Conservation Service,
Agriculture Department
I. TIME LINE AND FLOW OF EVENTS IN THE PROCESS TO 2000
The process will be iterative, however the key phases and events are
outlined below.
SCOPING PHASE
July - September, 1998
· To identify issues to be addressed in the context of integrated land
management and multifunctional agriculture ensuring that the evolving
nature of these issues is recognized and addressed. This will be done
with the broadest participation possible and will include an electronic
consultation as well as questionnaires. The outcome will serve as the
guide in defining the agenda of the Conference.
STOCK-TAKING PHASE
October - December 1998
· To take stock of success stories and experiences related to integrated
land management and multifunctional agriculture from the local to global
level.
October 1998 - May 1999
· To capitalize on related regional and other preparatory meetings and
workshops for information gathering and validation (e.g. Workshop on
agricultural biodiversity).
SYNTHESIS PHASE
January - March 1999
· To synthesize results of the Stock-Taking Phase and produce issue
papers and case studies as needed.
CONFERENCE PREPARATION PHASE
March- August 1999
· To draw and circulate issue papers, guidelines and recommendations to
be discussed at the Conference, including a draft state-of-the-art
document and draft guidelines
CONFERENCE
September 1999
· To convene an international conference which will serve as a platform
for the development of guidelines and policy recommendations for the
agricultural and rural sectors at the national, regional and global
levels. The expected outputs of this conference include:
q A state-of-the-art background document and issues papers on sustainable
multifunctional agriculture and integrated land management;
q Implementation guidelines including a concise set of recommendations
for policy options and alternative instruments for governments and
international organizations on sustainable multifunctional agriculture
and land resources management for rural development; and
q Recommendations and policy options for presentation to the FAO
Conference in 1999 and CSD-8 in 2000.
POST CONFERENCE PHASE
November 1999 FAO Conference
· To present the outcomes of the Conference to the FAO Member Nations
Conference of Ministers of Agriculture for review and formal endorsement
December 1999 - March 2000 Preparation for CSD-8
· To draw on guidelines and recommendations and develop a report for the
CSD-8 Meeting presenting the guidelines and recommendations as endorsed
by the FAO Conference
March-April 2000 Reporting to CSD-8
· To report to the Commission on Sustainable Development the progress
achieved since the Earth Summit and forward policy recommendations
related to sustainable and multifunctional agriculture, rural development
and integrated land management.
Year 2000 Onward Implementing
______________________________________________________________________________
II. BACKGROUND ISSUES TO START THE DISCUSSION
The upcoming FAO/Netherlands conference is an essential opportunity to
address the unprecedented stresses on agriculture and land resources that
are currently being faced and will be well into the 21st century. Taking
a glimpse into the future, there are a number of influencing factors
which will affect the future landscape (biophysical aspects) and
lifescape (socio-economic aspects) of agriculture and land resources.
§ The population will reach 8 billion by 2020. Population movements are
increasing, from the poorer to richer countries, from rural areas to
urban centres, and from peripheral regions of low investment and growth
to more dynamic ones. Half of the world population will be living in
urban areas and vast numbers will be living in poverty. Rural
populations will continue to be significant and will remain vulnerable.
§ As a result, there will be far greater demand on land, water, and
biological resources as well as increased pressure upon natural areas.
Globally, conflicts arising over access and rights to resources are
expected to be exacerbated. There will be increasingly severe
environmental pressure from efforts to increase land resources, water
resources, animal and labour productivity. The dominant trend will be
intensification of the use of natural resources with a decrease in
biological diversity, both within the set of genetic resources used for
agricultural production and flora and fauna associated with
agro-ecosystems. The emergence of new technologies to intensify will
expose social, ethical, cultural and environmental issues. Although this
is subject to discussion, there may be in the future a greater
differential in access to and use of resources, technology and
information.
§ Trade liberalization and globalization of markets may be the most
important challenge to attempts to make agriculture sustainable. Although
the Uruguay Round Agreements translate to greater access to world
markets, most developing countries and those in transition have neither
the capacity nor the resources to face the increased competition or
capture export opportunities. Reforms in agricultural support policies
will have a profound impact on rural areas worldwide. Higher efficiency
and economic growth of market-based agriculture will not eliminate rural
poverty in marginal areas. Changes in trade regimes will certainly
influence incentives to produce sustainably while globalization of
markets and uniformity of consumption patterns will tend to reduce the
diversity of agriculture systems and their adaptation to different land
conditions.
§ In the most vulnerable areas, the resilience of agriculture is further
threatened by the increased incidence of human-made and natural
disasters. Global conventions and a growing array of regulatory
frameworks will be of increasing importance in directing use and exchange
of resources and products. Governments, farmer organizations and other
stakeholder groups will need to engage in dialogue to understand their
implications and respond. Decentralization and privatization will modify
how and at what levels decisions will be informed and taken.
What is next for agriculture and land resources management as we prepare
for the 21st Century? Approaches must now evolve to address the issues,
trends and threats that we are facing and take advantage of opportunities
to build upon what has worked in the past. Participation by a wide array
of stakeholders, the relationship and complementarity of agriculture and
environment, and aspects of an enabling social, economic, and policy
environment will be critical components. There is an emerging consensus
that development should move from a purely agricultural focus to a
broader rural development focus, particularly in the poorer regions of
the world. There is an immediate need to better understand the multiple
functions of agriculture including the interactions between and among
different land uses and land users; to address issues of conflicting
stakeholder objectives; and to capitalize on and improve linkages of
information flow within and across decision making hierarchies through
participatory mechanisms.
A questionnaire related to Multifunctional Agriculture and Integrated
Land Management is presented in the next pages.
________________________________________________________________
III. QUESTIONNAIRE (please answer on a blank paper if you do not have
enough space to write).
1.0 MULTIFUNCTIONAL AGRICULTURE AND INTEGRATED LAND MANAGEMENT
Given that the purpose of this conference is to move us beyond concepts
and into practice, please help us identify and prioritize the critical
issues which should be addressed. We ask that you please also help us
identify success stories/lessons learned related to those issues that
will aid in developing guidelines and policy recommendations
In light of the topics of Multifunctional Agriculture and Integrated Land
Management and your experience, we ask that you please answer the
following questions
Issues Currently Being Addressed
1.1 What are the issues/constraints that you are currently trying to
address in your work?
Constraints to and Opportunities for Success
1.2 For any or all of the following categories, please provide
two-three critical issues which you view as constraining
success:
- Economic Framework and Markets:
- Policies, Institutions, and Regulations:
- Social and Cultural Setting:
- Education, Training and Information:
- Research and Technologies:
- Services and/or Infrastructure:
1.3 Within the same categories above, can you identify factors,
approaches, or mechanism that are currently addressing those issues
and/or contributing to success?
Roles of Stakeholders or Actors
1.4 What should be the role of the various stakeholders in achieving
sustainable agricultural development (please be specific for as many
of the stakeholder types as you are able)?
- Public Sector including Local Government, Education and Research
Institutions, Central Government, Regional Bodies, International
Agencies, etc.
- Private Sector/Civil Society including individual Land Users,
Land-User Organizations, Local Corporations, Local NGOs, National
Corporations, National NGOs, Multinational Corporations, International
NGOs etc.
1.5 What mechanisms can be used to encourage the inclusion of various
stakeholders in the process and the conference?
Land-User Issues
1.6 What is required by farmers and land users and/or their
organizations to become more involved, proactive and effective in
decision making?
1.7 What are the main disincentives to sustainable production and
land management?
1.8 Which incentives could be provided to land users to produce or
manage land in a more sustainable way?
Success stories
1.10 Can you identify success stories or lessons learned in addressing
or overcoming the constraints identified above? If so, will you
please provide a brief summary (2-3 sentences) with a contact
person or a contact where similar information can be made available?
Other comments or input
1.11 In your opinion, what other issues should the conference consider
and what would you like to be the achievements of this conference?
2.0 A FEW QUESTIONS REGARDING YOU AS A STAKEHOLDER IN THIS PROCESS....
2.1. At which level are you actively working?
International/regional
National
Provincial/District
Local
Farm
Other (specify)
2.2. In which region(s) of the world are you working?
2.3. Please provide your contact information
Name
Institution
Type of Institution
Full Address
Phone/Fax
E-mail
Please send your response to the questionnaire by email to:
Agr99-Conference@fao.org or
by mail or fax to:
Lucas Janssen, FAO/SDRN, Viale delle terme di Caracalla 00100, Rome
ITALY Fax +39 6 57053369 or +39 6 57055246
Parviz Koohafkan, FAO/AGLS Viale delle terme di Caracalla 00100, Rome
ITALY Fax +39 6 57057275
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