Soeharto accepts FAO award

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto (left) yesterday accepted an international award from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for his efforts in maintaining food security.

The award, which was given as part of the FAO's 50th anniversary, was presented yesterday by FAO Director General Jaquez Diouf (right) at Merdeka Palace.

Minister of Agriculture Sjarifudin Baharsjah, after accompanying Diouf for the latter's meeting with Soeharto, told reporters that the award was given in light of Soeharto's contributions not only at the national level but also at the international level.

Sjarifudin noted that Soeharto, in his capacity as chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement from 1992 to 1995, initiated cooperation in food production among developing countries.

"The President's efforts on South-South cooperation has received positive responses from African and other developing nations," he said.

Yesterday's award was the second that Soeharto has received from the FAO. In 1985, he was presented with an honorary medal after Indonesia managed to gain self-sufficiency in rice the previous year. Before 1984, Indonesia was the largest rice- importing country in the world.

Indonesia managed to maintain its self-sufficiency in rice until 1993, when unfavorable weather and plant diseases that year forced the country to lose its accolade and resort to imports.

Until early this year, rice imports still arrived in the country.

But the government announced earlier this month that Indonesia will be able to retain rice self-sufficiency this year, putting its 1996 production at 51.16 million tons, or 2.6 percent higher than the 49.86 million tons reached last year.

Sjarifudin said yesterday that during the meeting with Diouf, Soeharto agreed to become a member of the board of patrons for the World Food Summit which will be held in Rome in November 1996.

Soeharto yesterday also confirmed his attendance at the summit, Sjarifudin said. (pwn)