Download encouraging sustainable use of oceanic resources to achieve food

Page 1 of 5 pages
Commission
Session
Sponsor
:
:
:
Food Security
18th MUN 2014 (Zonal)
Norway, Rwanda, Ecuador, Senegal, Ethiopia,
Central African Republic, Malawi
QUESTION OF
:
ENCOURAGING SUSTAINABLE USE OF OCEANIC
RESOURCES TO ACHIEVE FOOD SECURITY
The General Assembly,
Emphasizing the fact that despite the improvements in the agricultural
sector, the prevalence of chronic malnutrition has remained very high over
the last 20 years with an estimated 5.2 million people needing food
assistance this year,
Noting with deep concern that some countries face seasonal food
access problems due to poor soil quality and agricultural productivity
whereby reliance on imports of basic staples are already high,
Aware of the fact that the repercussions of natural disasters have led
to unproductiveness in the agricultural sector and is expected to have even
greater impacts in the coming years,
Noting with satisfaction that the United Nations Millennium
Development Goals has intended to manage and contribute to the
achievement of food security,
Deeply conscious about the 2008 UN report which states that the
world’s fishing fleets are losing US$ 50 billion each year through depleted
stocks and poor fisheries management,
Deeply regretting the adverse economic, social and environmental
impacts of the physical alteration and destruction of marine habitats that
might result from land-based and coastal development activities,
Page 2 of 5 pages
Commission
Session
Sponsor
:
:
:
Food Security
18th MUN 2014 (Zonal)
Norway, Rwanda, Ecuador, Senegal, Ethiopia,
Central African Republic, Malawi
QUESTION OF
:
ENCOURAGING SUSTAINABLE USE OF OCEANIC
RESOURCES TO ACHIEVE FOOD SECURITY
Deploring the fact that sand extraction causes the degradation of
rivers (erosion), the destruction of aquatic and riparian habitat and affects
marine life, causing a problem for people who rely on fishing for their
livelihoods,
Grieved by the fact that the increase in chemical nutrients (industrial
effluents, herbicides and pesticides) in an ecosystem causes eutrophication,
which can result in excessive plant growth and decay (ecosystem’s primary
productivity), and further effects such as reduction in water quality thus
affecting the marine ecosystem,
Noting further that the increasing level of atmospheric carbon dioxide
causes the oceans to be more acidic and may even lead to dissolution thus
affecting corals,
Recognising
that
biodiversity
conservation
and
sustainable
management are crucial for maintaining healthy terrestrial, marine and
freshwater aquatic ecosystems which underlie food security,
Viewing with appreciation the 20/3/13 saying of José Maria Figures,
the Co-chair of Global Ocean Commission, “Overfishing is something that we
can tackle right now, with tools already at our disposal”,
Bearing in mind the destructive fishing practices and By-catch
techniques destroying the marine ecosystem,
Page 3 of 5 pages
Commission
Session
Sponsor
:
:
:
Food Security
18th MUN 2014 (Zonal)
Norway, Rwanda, Ecuador, Senegal, Ethiopia,
Central African Republic, Malawi
QUESTION OF
:
ENCOURAGING SUSTAINABLE USE OF OCEANIC
RESOURCES TO ACHIEVE FOOD SECURITY
Alarmed by the inadequacy and inefficiency of boat and shortage of
trained personnel to prevent illicit overfishing practices of foreign vessels,
Taking note of food loss and wastage due to a rise in fish production
because they failed to meet quality standards and there were no means of
preservation,
1.
Suggests that African government should promote their fishing
sector and facilitate the trade of oceanic food products by offering technical
assistance to small fishing enterprise in order to boost their income and the
GDP of the country thus leading to higher standard of living in the African
nation;
2.
Encourages the promotion of production, processing and
marketing of fish and fishery products to increase food security and enable
long term and rewarding employment;
3.
Approves the exploitation of rich oceanic resources with
environmental-friendly fishing methods, that is using fishing gears which do
not affect the habitat and making fishing operations as selective as possible;
4.
Trusts COMESA Fisheries and Aquaculture Strategy to achieve
long term food productivity of fisheries and aquaculture to strengthen food
security and trade benefits of fish products to domestic, regional and
international markets;
Page 4 of 5 pages
Commission
Session
Sponsor
:
:
:
Food Security
18th MUN 2014 (Zonal)
Norway, Rwanda, Ecuador, Senegal, Ethiopia,
Central African Republic, Malawi
QUESTION OF
:
ENCOURAGING SUSTAINABLE USE OF OCEANIC
RESOURCES TO ACHIEVE FOOD SECURITY
5.
Calls other countries to bring in foreign investment through trade
bloc thus contributing to researches on responsible aquaculture practices
with the aid of joint research, technology transfer and human resource
development;
6.
Calls upon the WWF Global Marine Programme which operates
on the basis of EBM to achieve sustainable exploitation of natural resources
by balancing the social and economic needs of human communities with the
maintenance of healthy ecosystems;
7.
Strongly suggests for international laws against the practice of
sand extraction causing disastrous environmental and marine life issues;
8.
Supports research on the possible exploitation of edible oceanic
plants such as algae, which could be a cheaper alternative to agricultural
products for food insecure countries;
9.
Recommends the introduction of new policies and incentives to
avoid or minimise the adverse effects of human activities on aquatic
biodiversity and the development of appropriate legislation to secure the
conservation of wetlands by promoting the establishment of a National
System of Protected Wetlands;
10. Encourages countries to carry out researches on the increase in
chemical nutrients in an ecosystem and requesting for methods to solve this
increase;
Page 5 of 5 pages
Commission
Session
Sponsor
:
:
:
Food Security
18th MUN 2014 (Zonal)
Norway, Rwanda, Ecuador, Senegal, Ethiopia,
Central African Republic, Malawi
QUESTION OF
:
ENCOURAGING SUSTAINABLE USE OF OCEANIC
RESOURCES TO ACHIEVE FOOD SECURITY
11. Supports raising the awareness of the increasing level of carbon
dioxide causing the oceans to be more acidic and trying methods to lower
this rising level;
12. Invites fishing economies to abide to buffer periods in a bid to
allow the replenishment of marine tropic levels;
13. Condemns the illegal exploitation and transshipment of marine
resources by rogue vessels;