A/RES/64/197 GA

United Nations A/RES/64/197 General Assembly Distr.: General 25 February 2010 Sixty-fourth session Agenda item 53 (a) 09-47365 *0947365* Please rec cle ♲ Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 21 December 2009 [on the report of the Second Committee (A/64/420/Add.1)] 64/197. Agricultural technology for development The General Assembly, Recalling its resolution 62/190 of 19 December 2007 on agricultural technology for development, Recalling also the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development,0F1 Agenda 21,1F2 the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, 2F3 the Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development3F4 and the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (“Johannesburg Plan of Implementation”),4F5 Recalling further the 2005 World Summit Outcome, 5F6 Recalling its resolution 63/235 of 22 December 2008 on agriculture development and food security, Recognizing the work done by the Commission on Sustainable Development, in particular at its sixteenth and seventeenth sessions, highlighting the thematic focus on agriculture-related issues, and applauding its call to increase investment in training research and development, in particular on sustainable practices and technologies, including agricultural technologies, and to accelerate the transfer and diffusion of such technologies, information, methods and practices in order to reach all users, including farmers, women, youth and indigenous people as well as those in remote rural areas, Acknowledging the work performed by the High-level Task Force on the Global Food Security Crisis, established by the Secretary-General in 2008, and the _______________ 1 Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3–14 June 1992, vol. I, Resolutions Adopted by the Conference (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigendum), resolution 1, annex I. 2 Ibid., annex II. 3 Resolution S-19/2, annex. 4 Report of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, South Africa, 26 August– 4 September 2002 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.03.II.A.1 and corrigendum), chap. I, resolution 1, annex. 5 Ibid., resolution 2, annex. 6 See resolution 60/1. A/RES/64/197 2 Comprehensive Framework for Action 6F7 that it produced, specifically its call for increased investments in the development of agricultural technology as well as the transfer and use of existing technologies, as appropriate, especially for smallholder farmers as a means to achieve global food security and poverty reduction, Recalling the World Summit on Food Security convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Rome from 16 to 18 November 2009, and stressing the vital role of international cooperation in advancing and implementing agricultural technologies, Welcoming the commitment by the Group of Eight and more than twenty-five countries and organizations in the Joint Statement on Global Food Security, adopted in L’Aquila, Italy, on 10 July 2009, 7F 8 towards the goal of mobilizing 20 billion United States dollars over three years focused on sustainable agriculture development, Reaffirming its commitment to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, and recognizing the beneficial impact that the adoption of agricultural technologies can have for the achievement of those goals, including for eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, empowering women and ensuring environmental sustainability, Concerned by the slow progress so far in achieving the above-mentioned goals, in particular by the fact that Africa remains the only continent currently not on track to achieve any of the goals of the United Nations Millennium Declaration 8F9 by 2015, and recognizing the need to intensify the efforts of the international community in its attempt to reach the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals, Acknowledging the importance and the potential of smallholder farmers in increasing agricultural production, achieving economic growth and reducing poverty, Stressing the critical role of women in the agricultural sector and their contribution to enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty, and underlining further the fact that meaningful progress in agricultural development necessitates a focus on supporting and empowering women, Acknowledging the role and work of civil society in furthering progress in developing countries, in promoting the use of sustainable agricultural technology and the training of smallholder farmers, in raising awareness and in the provision and dissemination of information, Aware that the world financial and economic crisis, in addition to other global challenges, has a negative impact on food security and development, specifically in the agricultural sector, thereby negatively impacting the most vulnerable groups and potentially setting back progress made in achieving the Millennium Development Goals, Considering the increasing need to innovate in agriculture and food production in order to respond to the challenges posed by, inter alia, climate change, depletion and scarcity of natural resources, urbanization and globalization, and recognizing that sustainable agricultural technologies can greatly contribute to the adaptation of _______________ 7 Available from www.un.org/issues/food/taskforce/cfa.shtml. 8 Available from www.ifad.org/events/g8. 9 See resolution 55/2. A/RES/64/197 3 agriculture to, and help to mitigate the negative impact of, climate change, land degradation and desertification, Underlining the importance of collaboration, sharing of information and dissemination of agricultural technology research results as well as wide consultation when defining the global, regional and national research agendas, and in this regard noting the valuable role of, inter alia, the Global Forum on Agricultural Research and its affiliated or associated organizations, 1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on agricultural technology for development; 9F10 2. Calls upon Member States and relevant United Nations organizations to make greater efforts to develop and disseminate appropriate sustainable agricultural technologies, particularly in and with developing countries, under fair, transparent and mutually agreed terms, and to support national efforts to foster utilization of local know-how and agricultural technologies, promote agricultural technology research and enable poor rural women, men and youth to increase sustainable agricultural productivity and enhance food security; 3. Calls attention to the crucial role of women in the agricultural sector, and therefore calls upon Member States to promote and support better access of women to agricultural technology information and know-how, equipment and decision- making forums; 4. Underlines the importance of supporting and advancing research in improving and diversifying crop varieties, as well as supporting the establishment of agricultural systems and sustainable management practices, in order to make agriculture more resilient and, in particular, to make crops more tolerant to environmental stress, including drought and climate change, in a manner consistent with national regulations and relevant international agreements; 5. Also underlines the importance of the sustainable use and management of water resources to increase and ensure agricultural productivity, and calls for further efforts to strengthen the provision and proper maintenance of irrigation facilities as well as to introduce water-saving technology, considering the possible impact of climate change on water resources; 6. Encourages Member States, civil society and public and private institutions to develop partnerships to support financial and market services, including training, capacity-building, infrastructure and extension services to farmers, in particular smallholder farmers, and calls for further efforts by all stakeholders to make appropriate sustainable agricultural technologies available and affordable to smallholder farmers; 7. Calls upon Member States to include sustainable agricultural development as an integral part of their national policies and strategies, notes the positive impact that North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation can have in this regard, and urges the relevant bodies of the United Nations system to include elements of agricultural technology, research and development in efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals; 8. Requests relevant United Nations organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the International Fund for _______________ 10 A/64/258. A/RES/64/197 4 Agricultural Development, to promote, support and facilitate the exchange of experience among Member States on ways to sustainably expand areas for agriculture and increase opportunities for agricultural development through technologies that allow soil recovery, improve soil fertility and increase agricultural production in pressing environmental circumstances; 9. Underlines the instrumental role of agricultural technology in furthering sustainable development and in achieving the Millennium Development Goals, calls therefore upon Member States and encourages relevant international bodies to support sustainable agricultural research and development, and in this regard calls for continued support to the international agricultural research system, including the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research and other relevant international organizations; 10. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth session a report on the implementation of the present resolution. 66th plenary meeting 21 December 2009

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