Press Release 01/51
THE UN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION (FAO) RELEASES
ANNUAL REPORT: THE STATE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE 2001
REPORT URGES BETTER NUTRITION TO IMPROVE ECONOMIC GROWTH
ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF TRANSBOUNDARY PESTS AND DISEASES ALSO EXAMINED IN SPECIAL
Rome, 11 September 2001 -- Economic growth can be positively influenced by
improved nutrition, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said today
in a special section of its annual report, The State of Food and Agriculture
2001 (SOFA 2001). The impact of nutrition on labour productivity, health
and education ultimately filters through to higher levels of overall economic
Raising the per capita calorie intake to 2770 calories per day in countries
where it is below that level could increase the per capita GDP growth in
those countries by between 0.34 and 1.48 percentage points per year, according
to the report. SOFA 2001 is being released two months before world leaders
will gather at the World Food Summit: five years later from 5-9 November
at FAOs invitation. Government officials, NGOs and other civil society
organizations will work out ways to reduce the number of hungry people in
world so that their number may be cut from the roughly 800 million who were
hungry in 1996 to no more than half that amount by 2015.
In the 1996-98 period, FAO found some 826 million people worldwide were
undernourished, facing a shortfall in their basic daily energy requirements
of between 100 and 400 calories. While the consequences of an inadequate
diet are not always visible, according to FAO, undernourishment leads
to a lower nutritional status, or undernutrition, to which the body adjusts
by slowing down its physical activity and, in the case of children,
growth. Undernutrition also increases susceptibility to disease and
causes listlessness, limiting the ability of children to concentrate.
The extent of micronutrient deficiencies is staggering, says the report.
An estimated 740 million people suffer from disorders related to iodine
deficiency, including mental retardation, delayed motor development and stunting.
There are more than 16 million cretins and nearly 49.5 million people suffering
from brain damage caused by iodine deficiency. About 2 billion people are
anemic, mainly as a result of iron deficiency. Iron deficiency, the most
common micronutrient disorder, reduces physical productivity as well as having
a negative impact on childrens cognitive skills.
In addition, the report says that between 100 million and 140 million children
suffer from vitamin A deficiency.
The report says: Better nutrition leads to increased human capital
and labour productivity through the channels of improved health and education,
which in turn results in improved household and nation welfare, i.e. economic
growth. Improved nutrition affects economic growth directly through its impact
on labour productivity and indirectly through improvements in life
expectancy, says the report.
FAO urges targeted action against maternal and infant malnutrition
which should always accompany investment in health, education and sanitation.
It says that improved protein and energy intake as well as reduced iodine,
iron and vitamin A deficiencies, generates widespread health benefits for
individuals as well as society.
According to the report, the biggest impact comes from improvements in the
health of women, because this not only benefits families and communities
today, but will also have a major impact on the health and productivity of
the next generation.
In its special chapter on Economic Impacts of Transboundary Plant Pests
and Animal Diseases, FAO warns that the spread of emergent diseases
and invasive species has increased dramatically in recent years.
The rapidly increasing transboundary movements of goods and people, trade
liberalization, increasing concerns about food safety and the environment
have heightened the need for international cooperation in controlling and
managing transboundary pests and diseases.
Plant pests and animal diseases are a permanent threat to crop and livestock
producers and often cause major economic losses, FAO says. Growth in
the trade of fresh fruits and vegetables is responsible for many of the
quarantine pest problems today, the report adds.
In many countries, there is a trend towards increased intensification and
commercialization of livestock production. The higher concentration of animals
often provides greater opportunity for animal diseases and other infections
to spread rapidly and cause economic losses, FAO says.
The economic losses from plant pests and animal diseases can be enormous,
but the type of economic impact can be complex. For many types of pests and
diseases the economic losses resulting from reduced demand or the loss of
export markets can far outweigh the costs caused by direct losses in production.
The report reviews a number of studies assessing the economic impact of pests
and diseases. For example, based on existing volumes of trade and phytosanitary
restrictions, the Mediterranean fruit fly would cause more than $800 million
in lost output and trade if it became established in the United States, according
to one study cited in the report. Another study suggests that the 1996
eradication of foot-and-mouth disease in Uruguay could provide $20 million
of actual and $90 million of potential additional exports revenue.
Significant technological progress has been made in combating transboundary
plant pests and diseases, FAO says, but this alone is not enough. In many
cases, countries have also rapidly and frankly shared information on disease
and pest outbreaks and they have harmonized disease control programmes. However,
a lack of cooperation among countries in many parts of the world has
been a major constraint to the successful control of transboundary animal
In the chapter, FAO calls for increased regional and international cooperation.
Developing countries should receive assistance because not all countries
can face the cost of prevention and reaction alone.
SOFA 2001 also contains a section about negotiations on international
agricultural trade, which were launched within the World Trade Organization.
Agricultural trade is particularly important for most developing countries
that are exporters and importers of agricultural goods. Barriers to agricultural
trade still represent a significant obstacle for many of them. The complexity
of import regimes and the cost of complying with sanitary and phytosanitary
standards and technical barriers to trade can be insurmountable obstacles,
particularly for small developing countries. It is important that a new round
of agricultural trade negotiations leads to greater opportunities for developing
countries to participate in international agricultural trade, says FAO.
The 295-page book also contains a CD-ROM, with time series data for 150
countries, country groups and regions in English, French and Spanish, together
with FAOSTAT TS software to ensure easy access and use.
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For additional information contact:
FAO Media Office, telephone: 0039 06 5705 3625
The State of
Food and Agriculture 2001
Latin American farmers
get back on their
Presentation by Mr. Hartwig
de Haen, Assistant Director-General