Hint of world food rationing

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33382, 14 November 1973, Page 17

Hint of world food rationing

ry ZP.A.-Reuter—Copyright) ROME, November 13. Government representatives from 130 countries have been warned at a conference in Rome that food rationing mayhave to be introduced internationally, for both rich and poor countries, because of shortages. The warning came from Dr Saburo Okita, a leading Japanese development expert, in a special lecture to delegates at the opening session of the biennial governing conference of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation. In a key-note address, the F.A.O.’s Director-General (Mr Addeke Boerma) called for a special world food conference next year, and urged the delegates, who include about 40 Government Ministers, to begin food stockpiling to ward off the danger of future famines in the world.

Dr Boerma called for longterm changes in the pattern of world agriculture, which he described as being in disarray, to bring greater food stability, and to help developing countries. But the direst warning about the long-term repercussions of food shortages came from Dr Okita, who is president of the Overseas Economic Development Fund of Japan and an architect of his country’s post-war economic recovery. “Vigorous efforts to increase food production, and to reduce birth rates, are required because of world-wide food shortages,” he said. “The introduction of an efi fective food-rationing system [will become necessary, especially for low income, food[deficient countries, and this, j based on nutritional require'ments. should prevent waste •of food in upper-income [ grouns at the expense of mal[nutrition in lower income i groups. A similar idea may .have to be introduced inter--1 nationally.”

Dr Boerma. who has fre-| quently issued warnings that the world food situation is now more difficult than at any time since the years immediately afer the Second World War, expressed strong support for the proposal by the United States Secretary of State (Dr Henry Kissinger) for a special world food conference next year to consider measures to prevent famines. In the shorter term. Dr Boerma urged a “minimum world food security plan” providing for an intemation-ally-co-ordinated system of cereal stockpiling to ensure sufficient supplies to tide the world over periods of major crop failure or natural disasters while also offsetting fluctuations in output. Noting the severe food shortages in six West African countries and Ethiopia, Dr Boerma said: “The situation of rapidly-vanishing reserves has revealed in a very clear light the dangers' for the world of excessive dependence on North American surpluses. It has also thrown

into even sharper relief than before the fundamentallyunbalanced state of world agriculture in general.” This conference, he said, should consider an international strategy aimed at regulating agricultural production on a world-wide basis, promoting greater stability in international trade, and improving export opportunities for the developing countries. “The most urgent objective,” he added, "is for a tremendous upsurge in the agriculture production of the developing countries, which, in turn, depend on aid from developing countries in expanding their output.”

Indian flood toll Floods in India this year have killed 1257 people'and 250,000 head of cattle, and have destroyed three million acres of crops worth about SNZ324m, the Minister of Irrigation and Power (Mr K. C. Pant) has told Parliament. — New Delhi, Nov. 13.