Ensuring a Sustainable Agriculture and Food System

OECD Committee for Agriculture Consultations with civil Society Organisations

Paris, 26 April 2004

by Mr. Noël Devisch

Mr. Chairman,

The International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP) appreciates this opportunity to dialogue with the OECD Committee for Agriculture and Civil Society Organisations on how to ensure a sustainable agriculture and food system.

For the 500 million farmers in 71 countries that are represented in IFAP, the fundamental factor to ensure a sustainable agriculture and food system is economic viability. Only an economically viable agriculture is capable of achieving the objectives of environmental and social sustainability.

Concerning the environment, farmers have to follow ecologically-sound agricultural practices so that they do not damage the possibilities for future farmers. However, where additional demands are made on farmers that go beyond basic good farming practises, then the extra costs must be compensated. For example, efforts by farmers to produce eco-products, like organic foods or extra-animal-friendly livestock products must be remunerated in the market price. Efforts by farmers to produce environmental services, e.g. management of nature, must be remunerated by governments as public goods.

Concerning social sustainability, farmers feel that the success of any sustainable agricultural and food system should also be viewed in the context of strengthening rural communities. Economic opportunities should be provided to rural areas so as to maintain a balance between rural and urban development.

Mr. Chairman, the farmers in IFAP are pleased that OECD is having this discussion, because it is very important for us that governments are clear about what they expect from their national agriculture, and what farmers can expect in return.

While farmers as citizens are obviously very concerned about environmental, social and ethical issues in agriculture, as agricultural producers they alone cannot bear the costs for choices made by society. For example, governments cannot say that they want to preserve small-scale agriculture, hedges for wildlife habitat, an attractive landscape, vibrant rural communities, etc. without providing both the policy framework and the necessary funds to support it. Liberalized market forces will give exactly the opposite result - larger, more-intensive farms, employing less people. This is therefore an issue for public policy.

In conclusion, farmers hope very much that governments and their civil society partners can agree that:

1. Agriculture must be economically-viable for it to be sustainable, and

2. Where additional demands are placed on farmers, which go beyond basic good farming practises, then these extra costs must be properly compensated.

Thank you for your attention.