Indonesia to send agriculturalists to developing nations<\/p>\n
PUNCAK, West Java (JP): An agreement signed here yesterday by
\nthe Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will allow Indonesia
\nto send its agriculturalists to other developing countries to
\nhelp increase production of staple foods.<\/p>\n
Visiting FAO Director General Jacques Diouf, who signed the
\nagreement with Minister of Agriculture Sjarifudin Baharsjah, said
\nthat it is high time for other developing countries to learn the
\nknowledge, expertise and experience of Indonesia, a former huge
\nrice importer which has been successful in making itself self-
\nsufficient in rice since 1984.<\/p>\n
\"It is my gratitude to the government and to the people of
\nIndonesia for this technical cooperation,\" said the 56-year-old
\nSenegalese.<\/p>\n
Sjarifudin told reporters that the Rome-based FAO has decided
\nto use Indonesian agriculturalists rather than Western ones on
\nthe grounds that the salaries of Indonesian experts are cheaper.<\/p>\n
\"Our experts are also more familiar to the daily problems of
\ndeveloping countries because of our position ourselves,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Diouf praised President Soeharto, the on-going chairman of the
\nNon-Aligned Movement, who had initiated and encouraged Indonesian
\nagriculturalists to cooperate with their counterparts in other
\ndeveloping countries.<\/p>\n
Streamlining<\/p>\n
In a related development, Diouf told reporters that currently
\n800 million of 5.5 billion world population do not have adequate
\nfood.<\/p>\n
He said that FAO, whose goals are enshrined in its motto Fiat
\nPanis or Let There Be Bread, had estimated that in the year 2003
\nthe world population would be nine billion, during which the food
\ndeficit matter would become more serious.<\/p>\n
\"We cannot do anything but increase our food production very
\nseriously, starting right now,\" he said, adding that most of the
\n800 million food-deficit communities are in countries with the
\nlargest population rise.<\/p>\n
Diouf, who got his Ph.D. in agricultural economics in
\nSorbonne, France, added that one of the organization's programs
\nto face the challenge is to enhance technical cooperation among
\ndeveloping countries.<\/p>\n
He pointed out the need of Africa, which has only six percent
\nof its fields being irrigated, to learn from other developing
\ncountries to manage its water, 50,000 cubic meters of which flow
\ninto the sea each minute.<\/p>\n
He briefed reporters about his plan to streamline the
\norganizational structure of FAO and to decentralize its power.<\/p>\n
\"Currently three fourths of FAO's experts are in Rome. I hope
\nin the next two years, one third of our experts will be working
\nin the fields,\" he said, adding that on the other hand, he had
\ncreated a Department of Sustainable Development to monitor the
\ngrowing environmental issue. (09)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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