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## CONCLUSION

A decade ago Martin Luther King inspired America when he proclaimed "I have a dream."

Today we must inspire the world by proclaiming our dream -- that by the 21st century no child will go to bed hungry at night, no woman will fear tomorrow she cannot provide her family food, and no man will experience the despair of slow starvation.

Mankind is reaching for something higher and better than he has ever known. Once famine was considered part of the normal cycle of man's existence, a matter for local or at own most national concern. Now our achievements, expectations, and our values have raised food to the level of international concern.

As we seek to define a global food strategy our nations can support and sustain over the decades ahead:

- Let us resolve to confront the problem, not each other.

- Let us agree that the scale, severity and duration of the problem require a massive, innovative, long-range effort unprecedented in human history.

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-- And let us seek to make global cooperation in food
a model for such other challenges of an interdependent
world as energy, inflation, and the environment.

This decade is a pivotal period in man's endeavor
not just to survive but to ennoble his life on this planet.

The direction we take at this conference will be of fundamental
importance -- for our ability to feed ourselves is fundamental
to the future.

Let me conclude where I began: The stakes are too high
for us to fail.

Department of State
AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI

Add para to feed speed
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1. HEREWITH FULL TEXT JANE BRODY PAGE ONE BYLINER, MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, NYTIMES, HEADLINED "EXPERTS FOR PEST CONTROL TO INCREASE WORLD'S FOOD."

2. EACH YEAR AN ESTIMATED HALF OF THE WORLD'S CRITICALLY SHORT FOOD SUPPLY IS CONSUMED OR DESTROYED BY INSECTS, MOLDS, RODENTS, BIRDS AND OTHER PESTS THAT ATTACK FOOD-STUFFS IN FIELDS, DURING SHIPMENT AND IN STORAGE.

3. EXPERTS BELIEVE THAT CONTROL OF EVEN PART OF THESE LOSSES MAY BE THE FASTEST AND LEAST COSTLY WAY OF SUBSTAN-TIALLY INCREASING THE FOOD AVAILABLE TO THE WORLD'S MILLIONS OF HUNGRY AND MALNOURISHED PEOPLE, WHO SURVIVE PRIMARILY ON GRAINS.

4. IF THE FIELD PESTS AND PATHOGENS THAT ATTACK THE WORLD'S PRINCIPAL CEREAL GRAINS -- WHEAT, RICE, CORN, SORGHUMS AND MILLETS -- WERE MORE ADEQUATELY CONTROLLED, THESE EXPERTS ESTIMATE THAT AN ADDITIONAL 200 MILLION TONS OF GRAIN WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO FEED ONE BILLION PEOPLE EACH YEAR.

5. MORE EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF STORAGE PESTS IN LARGE AND SMALL GRANARIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD COULD MEAN AN IMMED-IATE 25 PER CENT INCREASE IN EDIBLE GRAINS WITHOUT ANY CHANGE IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY.

6. AT THE WORLD FOOD CONFERENCE, WHICH OPENS IN ROME ON NOV. 5, THE UNITED STATES IS EXPECTED TO EMPHASIZE THE NEED FOR RESEARCH AND INVESTMENT DIRECTED TOWARD "REDUC-ING THE ENORMOUS LOSSES BETWEEN THE FARMER'S FIELD AND THE CONSUMER'S TABLE," ACCORDING TO AMBASSADOR EDWIN MARTIN, WHO IS COORDINATING AMERICAN PARTICIPATION IN THE UNITED

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NATIONS-SPONSORED CONFERENCE.

7. IN SOME CASES, SOLUTIONS TO PEST PROBLEMS, SUCH AS KEEPING RODENTS OUT OF GRAIN STORES, ARE ALREADY IN HAND AND NEED ONLY TO BE APPLIED, PARTICULARLY IN THOSE POOR COUNTRIES WHERE MOST OF THE WORLD'S GRAIN EATERS LIVE. BUT OTHER PEST DEFENSES REQUIRE CONSIDERABLE RESEARCH TO DEVELOP SIMPLE, ECONOMICAL AND ECOLOGICALLY SOUND CONTROL MEASURES WITH WORLDWIDE APPLICABILITY.

8. THE PROBLEM OF FOOD LOSSES TO PESTS IS BY NO MEANS LIMITED TO THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WHERE TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES, HAPHAZARD SHIPPING AND PRIMITIVE STORAGE METHODS OFTEN PREVAIL. IN THE UNITED STATES, ACCORDING TO THE BEST ESTIMATES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, A THIRD OF THE NATION'S POTENTIAL HARVEST IS SACRIFICED TO INSECTS, DISEASE AND WEEDS DESPITE CONTROL MEASURES.

9. DR. ELVIN C. STAKMAN, PLANT PATHOLOGIST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, HAS CALCULATED THAT AMERICAN FARMERS PLANT "THE EQUIVALENT OF 75 MILLION ACRES OF CROP LAND TO FEED WEEDS, INSECTS AND PLANT PATHOGENS INSTEAD OF HUMAN BEINGS."

10. UP TO 10 PER CENT OF CROPS MAY BE LEFT IN THE FIELD AFTER HARVEST AND ANOTHER 5 TO 10 PER CENT ARE CONSUMED OR DESTROYED BY INSECTS, MOLDS AND RODENTS DURING STORAGE. AN ESTIMATED TOTAL, THEN, OF BETWEEN 40 AND 60 PER CENT OF THE POTENTIAL AMERICAN CROP IS UNAVAILABLE FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.

11. IN THE LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, THE PROBLEM IS SIMILAR BUT OFTEN OF MUCH GREATER MAGNITUDE. IN INDIA, FOR EXAMPLE, LOSSES OF 70 PER CENT OF FOODS PLACED IN STORAGE ARE REPORTED TO BE NOT UNCOMMON.

12. A HALF DOZEN RATS CONSUME THE AMOUNT OF GRAIN THAT COULD SUSTAIN A MAN, NOT TO MENTION WHAT THE ANIMALS MAY

STASH AWAY AS "RESERVES." A CONSULTANT FOR THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION IN PAKISTAN DUG OUT A RODENT BURROW IN A RICE FIELD AND UNCOVERED A 10-POUND GRAIN RESERVE. THE CONSULTANT, E. W. BENTLEY, SAID THAT LOCAL FARMERS COMMONLY ALLOW POOR PEOPLE TO RAID THESE BURROWS AFTER THE RICE IS HARVESTED, WITH PERHAPS 20 PER CENT OF WHAT THE RATS STORE BEING RECLAIMED FOR HUMAN FOOD.

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13. INSECTS AND MICRO-ORGANISMS THAT FEED ON STORED GRAIN NOT ONLY REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF GRAIN AVAILABLE BUT ALSO REDUCE ITS NUTRITIONAL QUALITY, SINCE THESE PESTS PRE-FERENTIALLY ATTACK THE PROTEIN-CONTAINING PORTIONS OF THE GRAIN.

14. ON A WORLDWIDE PERCENTAGE BASIS, LOSSES IN THE FIELDS OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES ARE NOT MUCH GREATER THAN THOSE IN THE UNITED STATES. BUT SPORADIC RAIDS BY RODENTS AND OTHER ANIMALS, EPIDEMICS OF DISEASES AND INVASIONS OF INSECTS CAN, AND FREQUENTLY DO, DEVASTATE AN AREA'S FOOD SUPPLY.

15. AN EPIDEMIC OF A RICE BLIGHT DISEASE IN INDIA LED TO THE STARVATION OF A MILLION PEOPLE IN THE 1940'S. DURING THE LAST MAJOR LOCUST PLAGUE IN AFRICA, IN ONE MONTH OF 1959 IN ETHIOPIA ALONE THE INSECTS DEVOURED A YEAR'S SUPPLY OF GRAIN FOR ONE MILLION PEOPLE, THE F.A.O. REPORTS.

16. AN ANNUAL AFRICAN PEST ALMOST AS VORACIOUS AS A HORDE OF LOCUSTS IS THE QUELEA BIRD, A SMALL WEAVER THAT HAS VIRTUALLY NO NATURAL ENEMIES AND "HOLDS THE POWER OF LIFE AND DEATH OVER INNUMERABLE SMALL FARMERS," THE F.A.O. SAYS IN A REPORT ON FOOD LOSSES. THE KILLING OF HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF THESE SPARROW-SIZED BIRDS MADE HARDLY A DENT IN THEIR DESTRUCTION OF FOOD GRAINS.

17. ALL TOLD, THE ORGANIZATION ESTIMATED THAT "55 MILLION AFRICANS COULD BE FED FOR A YEAR FROM THE (NATIVE) GRAIN FINDING ITS WAY TO THE WRONG CONSUMERS -- RATS, LOCUSTS, QUELEA BIRDS, BEETLES, MOTHS AND WEEVILS AND COUNTLESS MICRO-ORGANISMS."

18. IN SOME AREAS, PEST PROBLEMS HAVE TOTALLY PREVENTED THE PRODUCTION OF IMPORTANT FOOD SOURCES. PEANUTS, FOR EXAMPLE, COULD BE A VALUABLE DIETARY ITEM AND EXPORT CROP FOR MANY ISLANDS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC, BUT PLOTS HAVE BEEN SO BADLY DAMAGED BY RATS THAT ATTEMPTS TO GROW THE HIGHLY NUTRITIOUS PEANUT HAVE BEEN ALL BUT ABANDONED.

19. IN AFRICA, 4.25 MILLION SQUARE MILES OF GOOD GRAZING LAND IS UNAVAILABLE FOR CATTLE PRODUCTION BECAUSE IT IS DOMINATED BY THE ISETSE FLY, WHICH SPREADS EPIDEMICS OF SLEEPING SICKNESS AMONG DOMESTIC ANIMALS.

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20. OTHER SOURCES OF "WASTE" THAT DEPRIVE PEOPLE OF POTENTIAL FOODSTUFF INCLUDE POOR USE OF LAND, LACK OF EROSION CONTROL, SHIPPING DELAYS AND MISHAPS AND LOSSES DURING MILLING AND PROCESSING.

21. THE QUICKEST GAINS IN REDUCING FOOD LOSSES CAN BE MADE BY CONTROLLING STORAGE WASTES.

22. "ONCE THE GRAIN IS PRODUCED, WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO KEEP IT," REMARKED DR. DAVID PIMENTEL, ENTOMOLOGIST AT THE NEW YORK STATE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND LIFE SCIENCES AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY.

23. NOTING THAT "CONSERVATIVELY $2-BILLION WORTH OF GRAIN IS LOST EACH YEAR IN STORAGE AND TRANSIT," SCIENTISTS FROM 27 NATIONS WHO ATTENDED A MEETING ON STORED PRODUCTS ENTOMOLOGY IN SAVANNAH, GA., EARLIER THIS MONTH SENT A RESOLUTION TO THE UNITED NATIONS PLEADING FOR "THE PATRON-AGE AND ASSISTANCE OF NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEADERS TO ACCELERATE THE UTILIZATION OF AVAILABLE METHODS AND SKILLS" IN CONTROLLING STORAGE PESTS. THE SCIENTISTS EXPRESSED THEIR BELIEF THAT "COMPREHENSIVE ADOPTION OF OUR TECHNOLOGY COULD MAKE A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE MITIGATION OF WORLDWIDE FOOD SHORTAGES."

24. IN MANY COUNTRIES, ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE GRAIN IS SCIENTIFICALLY STORED IN LARGE WAREHOUSES BY GOVERNMENT OR OTHER AGENCIES. MOST IS KEPT BY INDIVIDUAL FARMERS OR SMALL VILLAGES UNDER LESS THAN IDEAL CONDI-TIONS. IN INDIA, FOR EXAMPLE, AGRICULTURAL EXPERTS ESTIMATE THAT 90 PER CENT OF THE COUNTRY'S FOOD GRAINS IS STORED IN SUBSTANDARD FACILITIES.

25. FOR SMALL FARMES IN POOR COUNTRIES WHO STORE THEIR FAMILIES" GRAIN SUPPLY IN BURLAP SACKS OR SIMPLY HEAPED IN A CORNER, SUCH SIMPLE METHODS AS KEEPING IT IN SEALED CLAY POTS, BURYING IT IN TREES CAN GO A LONG WAY TO REDUCE STORAGE LOSSES, ACCORDING TO DR. ROBERT DAVIS, A STORAGE PESTS EXPERT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICUL-TURE IN SAVANNAH.

26. A FREEDOM FROM HUNGER PROGRAM IN AFRICA PROMOTED THE USE OF CORN CRIBS ELEVATED FROM THE GROUND WITH SHIELDS ON THE LEGS SO THAT RATS WOULD BE UNABLE TO CLIMB UP.

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27. OTHER METHODS AIMED AT PREVENTING STORAGE LOSSES THAT WERE DISCUSSED AT THE SAVANNAH MEETING INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

27A. HERMETIC STORAGE OF GRAINS IN AFRICA IN LARGE, AIR-TIGHT RUBBER BINS. THE STORED GRAIN AND INSECTS ALREADY PRESENT IN IT RESPIRE, AND WHEN ALL THE OXYGEN IS USED UP, THE INSECTS DIE.

27B. PUMPING COOL, DRY AIR INTO STORAGE BINS AT NIGHT AND DURING THE COOLER MONTHS. THIS CHILLS THE GRAIN, DEPRESSES THE ACTIVITY OF INSECTS, WHICH ARE COLD-BLOODED, AND PREVENTS THE BUILD-UP OF INFESTATIONS.

27C. STORAGE IN PLASTIC BAGS UNDERWATER OR IN MINES TO KEEP GRAIN AT A RELATIVELY CONSTANT LOW TEMPERATURE. THIS METHOD IS BEING USED IN SOME PACIFIC COUNTRIES, INCLUDING JAPAN.

27D. PARTLY REPLACING THE AIR IN STORAGE BINS WITH INERT GASES SO THAT LESS OXYGEN IS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT INSECT LIFE.

28. MORE EFFECTIVE DRYING OF GRAIN BEFORE STORAGE AND SEALING LEAKS IN THE ROOFS OF STORAGE BINS CAN HELP TO SUPPRESS MOLD GROWTH, WHICH CAN RENDER GRAIN POISONOUS AS WELL AS DISTASTEFUL.

29. CHEMICAL FUMIGANTS AND INSECTICIDE SPRAYS AS PRE-TREATMENTS TO PREVENT INSECT INFESTATION OF GRAIN STORES ARE ALREADY WIDELY USED IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, BUT THEIR COST AND THE TECHNOLOGY INVOLVED IN THEIR APPLICATION IS PROHIBITIVE IN MANY AREAS OF THE WORLD. THEREFORE, DR. BURKHOLDER AND OTHERS ARE TRYING TO DEVELOP SIMPLE, LOW-COST TECHNIQUES TO CONTROL THE WORLD'S MOST SERIOUS STORAGE PESTS.

30. HIS APPROACH INCLUDES THE USE OF TRAPS BAITED WITH A CHEMICAL THAT ATTRACTS THE INSECT, SUCH AS A SEX ATTRACTION. ONCE IN THE TRAP, THE INSECT MAY BE KILLED BY AN INSECTICIDE OR EXPOSED TO A DISEASE THAT IT WOULD THEN SPREAD TO ITS CO-INVADERS.

31. IN INDIA, WHERE TREATMENT OF STORED GRAIN WITH DDT IS WIDESPREAD (ALTHOUGH ILLEGAL), THE AMOUNT OF DDT REGULARLY FOUND IN THE BODIES OF THE PEOPLE IS THE HIGHEST

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IN THE WORLD. PROF. O. S. BINDRA OF PUNJAB AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN PROMOTING THE USE OF MALATHION INSTEAD, SINCE THIS CHEMICAL IS NOT STORED IN THE BODY, IS READILY BROKEN DOWN IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND IS RELATIVELY NONTOXIC TO MAMMALS.

32. CONTROLLING PESTS IN THE FIELD IS A MORE DIFFICULT BUT NO LESS IMPORTANT TASK THAN REDUCTION OF STORAGE LOSSES.

33. SINCE WEEDS COMPETE WITH FOOD CROPS FOR SOIL NUTRIENTS, SUNSHINE AND WATER, THE CONTROL OF UNWANTED PLANT GROWTH, EITHER BY HAND WEEDING WHERE LABOR IS CHEAP OR BY USE OF HERBICIDES, CAN SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASE YIELDS. EXPERIMENTS IN FIVE ASIAN COUNTRIES SHOWED THAT HAND WEEDING OF RICE PADDIES INCREASED YIELDS BY AN AVERAGE OF 45 PERCENT.

34. PARTLY CONTROLLING THE RICE STEM BORER IN THE PHILIPPINES BY SPRAYING WITH INSECTICIDE PRODUCED MINIMUM YIELD INCREASES OF ABOUT HALF A TON AN ACRE, DOUBLING THE AVERAGE YIELD IN ASIA, ACCORDING TO A STUDY BY THE INTERNATIONAL RICE RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF LOS BANOS.

35. BUT BECAUSE OF THEIR HIGH COST, RELATIVE SCARCITY AND DIFFICULTY OF APPLICATION, HERBICIDES AND INSECTICIDES ARE CONSIDERED AT BEST ONLY PARTIAL SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM OF FIELD PESTS IN THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.

36. MUCH RESEARCH IS BEING DEVOTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF CROP VARIETIES THAT ARE RESISTANT TO ATTACK BY VARIOUS INSECTS AND DISEASES, OBVIATING THE NEED FOR ANY PESTICIDES. THE RICE INSTITUTE IN THE PHILIPPINES HAS RELEASED RICE VARIETIES THAT ARE RESISTANT TO FIVE MAJOR PESTS. SUCH BREEDING WORK IS A CONTINUAL PROCESS, SINCE SOONER OR LATER THE PEST ORGANISM EVOLVES A WAY OF OVERCOMING THE PLANT'S RESISTANCE, BUT THE USE OF RESISTANT VARIETIES MAKES PEST CONTROL SIMPLE AND ECONOMICAL FOR THE FARMER.

37. ANOTHER APPROACH ADVOCATED BY DR. NORMAN BORLAUG, FATHER OF THE GREEN REVOLUTION, IS THE USE IN THE SAME PLANTING OF COMBINATIONS OF SEEDS WITH RESISTANCE TO DIFFERENT PESTS. THIS INHIBITS THE SPREAD OF INDIVIDUAL PESTS AND LESSENS THE CHANCE THAT A FARMER'S CROP MAY BE TOTALLY WIPED OUT. (END TEXT) INGERSOLL

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