Freedom from Hunger Campaign

MAC/WFY

Page-84

0230_553559_12_cha08

194570. Early Attempts: FAO's Pioneering Work

agencies, how the resources of the UN system might best be mobilized to stimulate
and channel the efforts and goodwill of private individuals and organizations in
such a campaign. An appeal was made to all NGOs working for the FFHC to take
up this wider campaign. The directors-general of ILO, UNESCO and WHO and
others favoured the wider campaign.

Sen had serious reservations, which he put to the UN secretary-general, U Thant.

Sen pointed out that the FFHC was not confined solely to food, and had already
embraced health, education and other conditions essential for general economic
development, as shown in the publications in the FFHC basic studies series. The
FFHC had already received wide support from world leaders and, most signi-
ficantly, had enlisted the effective participation of people and NGOs. He was,
no doubt, also concerned that FAO's leadership role would be ceded to the
UN secretary-general. Sen put his case to ECOSOC at its meeting in Geneva in
these terms. The strength of the FFHC, he said, lay largely in its sharp focus
on the concrete issues of hunger. The proposed new campaign seemed too wide
and undefined in scope. There appeared to be two ways of implementing the
UN General Assembly resolution: by enlarging the scope of the FFHC or by
launching simultaneously campaigns of health and education independently
by WHO and UNESCO with coordination provided by the UN coordinating
machinery. ECOSOC came to the conclusion that the existing circumstances
were not favourable for launching a wider campaign and the FFHC continued
under Sen's leadership.

Two other FAO initiatives were to reflect on the world food security situation.

In 1962, FAO conducted medium-term projections for agricultural commodities to
the year 1970 (FAO, 1962a). The projections showed that demand for food would
increase more rapidly in developing than in industrialized countries because of
their greater population growth and increasing incomes as they strove to accel-
erate economic growth. Income elasticity of demand for food was also consider-
ably higher than in the industrialized countries. According to FAO projections,
growth in demand for food in the industrialized countries was 2 per cent, lower
than the rate of growth of food production despite measures taken to reduce the
area under production. Food surpluses would therefore accumulate. This led to
second initiative on the realization that food surpluses might become a long-term
phenomenon. Concessional food aid from food surpluses was therefore likely to
continue through supply management programmes.

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Useful links	Freedom from Hunger Campaign MAC/WFY Page-84 0230_553559_12_cha08 84 194570. Early Attempts: FAO's Pioneering Work agencies, how the resources of the UN system might best be mobilized to stimulate and channel the efforts and goodwill of private individuals and organizations in such a campaign. An appeal was made to all NGOs working for the FFHC to take up this wider campaign. The directors-general of ILO, UNESCO and WHO and others favoured the wider campaign. Sen had serious reservations, which he put to the UN secretary-general, U Thant. Sen pointed out that the FFHC was not confined solely to food, and had already embraced health, education and other conditions essential for general economic development, as shown in the publications in the FFHC basic studies series. The FFHC had already received wide support from world leaders and, most signi- ficantly, had enlisted the effective participation of people and NGOs. He was, no doubt, also concerned that FAO's leadership role would be ceded to the UN secretary-general. Sen put his case to ECOSOC at its meeting in Geneva in these terms. The strength of the FFHC, he said, lay largely in its sharp focus on the concrete issues of hunger. The proposed new campaign seemed too wide and undefined in scope. There appeared to be two ways of implementing the UN General Assembly resolution: by enlarging the scope of the FFHC or by launching simultaneously campaigns of health and education independently by WHO and UNESCO with coordination provided by the UN coordinating machinery. ECOSOC came to the conclusion that the existing circumstances were not favourable for launching a wider campaign and the FFHC continued under Sen's leadership. Two other FAO initiatives were to reflect on the world food security situation. In 1962, FAO conducted medium-term projections for agricultural commodities to the year 1970 (FAO, 1962a). The projections showed that demand for food would increase more rapidly in developing than in industrialized countries because of their greater population growth and increasing incomes as they strove to accel- erate economic growth. Income elasticity of demand for food was also consider- ably higher than in the industrialized countries. According to FAO projections, growth in demand for food in the industrialized countries was 2 per cent, lower than the rate of growth of food production despite measures taken to reduce the area under production. Food surpluses would therefore accumulate. This led to second initiative on the realization that food surpluses might become a long-term phenomenon. Concessional food aid from food surpluses was therefore likely to continue through supply management programmes. back to top Next page
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